12.02.09 – Back to Rio

 It rained in Rio, or as they say in Portuguese, “hained in hio”.

In Niteroi the Niemyer MMA and Rio itself look gorgeous through the mist. Some special treats – the 16th century library; an impromptu Schubert serenade sung by a good Argentinian soprano in the metropolitan cathedral; Gregorian Chants at the Benedictine monastery of Sao Bento; then sunlight at last, from Cristo Redentor.

Ouro119We bused overnight to Ouro Preto, a hill town and baroque delight, built on the blood of slaves and preserved in extraordinary detail by happenstance. Aleijhandino masterpieces everywhere.

Then a flight to Recife via Brasilia. Brasilia is as silly as its name – thank heavens Australia’s founding fathers didn´t call Canberra Australia-ia. I took photos of curved concrete seats in the airport and felt I had really seen into Niemyer´s soul.

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