Reflections on a great month in Ouro Preto with some of the finest people I know

For the dedicated and truly faithful followers of this humble blog, I want to share some thoughts about a really fine month, with really fine people here.

Ouro Preto is a place that either you love or hate… I fit into the love category. I have fallen in love with this eccentric little town, with its poets and musicians; with its artists and engineers; its hills; slippery cobblestones; and falling down buildings; with all the tourists; and the traffic; and the cortejos; and the shows; and the bancas; and the chopes; and the pão de queijos; and broa de fubá with cafe com leite; and the hugs and blessings from Efigênia; the kindness of people; and pushing of them in line; the crazy traffic; the “uai, uai, uai” of Marger; the Sunday feijoada by Héloisa; the walk thru Padre Faria; Arte Sacra de Dom Inácio; the wya Silvia makes me laugh and the I make her laugh; Solange’s warm greeting; the Casa do Professor; FAOP; UFOP; o Festival do Inverno; Maria Fumaça; Rua Direta; piles of laundry on a stage; a clown exploding coke; Brazilan lesbain music; Bar’Rabás and the great guys who own it; the crazy lady who dresses in antique costumes; the way everyone treats the town “idiots” so kind and sweetly; brega xique miniero; Jaime’s mansion in the mountains; the bells; the busses; the lotações; the two bus stops that could easily be nominated as the most lovely bus stops in the planet, if it weren’t for the lixo; the music; the films; the way people kiss you when you meet them; the way they love each other; they way the way that you must be “introduced” because we are disconfiados; the way I can walk into a store; and they say, “when are you moving here?”; the university leadership with morals, style and a true sense of vision; the way folks call and say hi or to see if you want to join them; or a good bye and best wishes for the trip home; leaving here tugs at my heart in a way no other place on earth does.

I guess the best thing to do is close with a bit from Sunday's crazy cortejo… play it loud!




Volto em breve, uai!

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