This morning, I had an energizing shower, and then I enjoyed breakfast and a "language class" with Arlindo and Lucia while Patti slept in. Lucia is a tenacious learner and you could see her limited English improving by leaps and bounds.
After Patti had her breakfast with Anna, Lucia and Anna took us in 2 cars to a local ecological park that had an outdoor fitness centre and a walking/running trail through a very beautiful wooded area. Lucia could only stay a short while as she had to go off to a class she had. Anna, Patti and I walked the trail and we saw many beautiful birds and butterflies along with some very stately trees. It was very hot and sultry, so we kept to the shade wherever we could.
Lunch back at the apartment consisted of filet mignon, a spaghetti in a rich cream sauce, a huge salad, and a very rich and delicious cake. No coaxing, pleasant conversation and just a plain enjoyment of food at the table.
After a brief rest, we were off with Anna to visit the beautiful sights of the city. Brasília’s urban design is as futuristic as its architecture. If you arrive by plane (as we did), you’ll be treated to an eagle’s eye view of the city’s layout in the shape of an airplane or a bird with outstretched wings. It's often referred to as the Plano Piloto (Pilot Plan). Once you’re on the ground, no matter how confusing Brasília might seem, it helps if you keep in mind this organization of the city into the bird or plane’s head, body, and tail. The body, known as the Eixo Monumental (Monumental Axis), is an 8-kilometer (5-mile) strip of multi-lane boulevards that runs east–west from the Praça do Cruzeiro (the plane’s tail) to Praça dos Três Poderes (the head, or cockpit). Running north–south, and intersecting with the Eixo Monumental, the Eixo Rodoviário (known as the “Eixão”) is a curving artery that forms the wings of the bird/plane. At the intersection of the two Eixos is the city’s transportation hub: the municipal Rodoviária de Brasília, from which local buses come and go.
Another feature of Brasília is its organization into zones. The Eixo Monumental is lined with government buildings, monuments, and museums, but is also divided into specific setores (S) that concentrate clusters of banks (Setor Bancário), hotels (Setor Hoteleiro), and commercial areas (Setor Comércio). Sectors themselves are further subdivided into blocos (Bl.), which are large buildings; conjuntos (Cj.), which are building subdivisions; lojas (Lj.), or stores; and lotes (Lt.), or lots.
The two “wings” of the bird or plane that branch off either side of the Eixo Monumental are actually referred to as wings: curving south is the Asa Sul (South Wing) and swinging north is the Asa Norte (North Wing). Both of these sweeping districts are largely residential with numbered apartment blocks, known as quadras (Q) and superquadras (SQ). Instead of names, roads are numbered according to their distance from the main Eixo and whether they are north (N) or south (S) of the Eixo Monumental and east (L) or (W) west of the Eixo Rodoviário.
Anna proved to be an adept driver and we were soon at the Catedral Metropolitana with its 16 curved columns and its wavy stained-glass interior. At the entrance are the haunting Four Disciples statues carved by Ceschiatti, who also made the aluminum angels hanging inside. While I was sitting in a pew and admiring the beautiful stained glass windows, the hanging statues of flying angels, and the sculptures around the sanctuary, an older man came and sat beside me. He poured out a tale of woe and, from my poor Portuguese ability, I learned he needed money to get back to his village to look after his aged mother because employment for him in Brasilia had not panned out. It was similar to the same stories with which I had been approached with in Winnipeg.
A short walk over from the cathedral was the Museu Nacional. It is a spherical half-dome by architect Oscar Niemeyer. The inside features a discreet mezzanine mostly held up by columns suspended from the roof. A signature curved ramp juts out from its base and runs around the outside like a ring of Saturn. On display were many contemporary pieces of art ranging from small to extremely large, and from the ordinary to the extraordinary.
Paula Leal, a former student of Patti's joined us there. We decided to head out to Pier 21, a small mall with some nice outdoor restarants. Patti went with Paula and I joined Anna. Anna pulled into the main traffic artery only to find that she couldn't merge left fast enough to make a necessary left turn. She then took me on a tour of all the different ministries and their extremely crowded parking lots as she looked for a short cut and a way out. Finally we were able to get back on the road to our destination. Anna handled the stress quite well. I enjoyed the unexpected side tour.
At Pier 21 we enjoyed some hors d'oeuvres and drinks. Luiza Lorentz joined us as did Lucia, who just got off her afternoon's work at her governmental job. After visiting the afternoon away, and catching up on "old times", we decided to visit the Santuario Dom Bosco or Sanctuary of Dom Bosco, which honors the Italian saint who dreamed of a utopian city in 1883. Brasilia, the modern capital city of Brazil, is inspired by this dream. The shrine is notable for its impressive interior, bathed in heavenly blue light from walls of stained glass windows. Unfortunately it was closed as it was after 8:00 p.m. We would have to revisit it at another time.
It was decided that since we were all hungry, we should go to an outdoor vendor near Luiza's apartment which served some of the best Brazilian hot dogs ever.
Wow! Were they ever good and, with everything on my "dog", it was one of the best I had ever eaten.
Back to Anna's place, where we shared some conversation and fine red wine with Arlindo and Lucia. It had been, as Patti put it so bluntly, a "love-in day" for me with my students! And yes, I went to bed "tired but happy"!
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