Brazil

 

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from Corcovado

From 1985-2006 we went to Brazil for one month to six months (per year) depending on the length of Garry's lecture course at the time.  Spending time in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Ouro Preto or Natal we always felt at home and comfortable.  

I have traveled extensively in Brazil from Foz Do Iguaçu on the Argentine border to Natal in the far north.   We went on a geological field trip to the Patanal,  Sao Paulo, which is one of the world's largest interior tropical wetlands.   Another fascinating field trip took us to the interior of Bahia (State) where the São  Francisco Craton reminded us of Monument Valley, USA. My Brazilian friends know of my love for their country.  

We have lived in both Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo and were preparing to live in Rio de Janeiro when we received the offer of employment in Houston.  I have been in many cities and consider Rio de Janeiro to be the most beautiful of all.  There is no view as spectacular in any city as sitting atop Pão de Açúca (Sugarloaf) at sunset and watching the lights of the city come on. 

Búzios, Rio de Janeiro (105 miles NE of the city) is proud that Brigitte Bardot vacationed there and helped put the city on the map.  Here in bronze she sits and looks out at the sea.

Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil.  Garry gave his Tectonophysics course at the university here for ten years and we would be there for one month.  With its many Baroque churches and colonial buildings Ouro Preto has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Landmark.

While in Natal, Rio Grande Do Norte, we went on a geological field trip to the border with Ceará, this is as far north as I have been.  No matter where one travels there is always geology to look at.

At the end of this day we ate THE best shrimp moqueca I have ever tasted and we washed it down with many Cuba Libres.  It was a wonderful day.

Moqueca is a traditional Brazilian seafood stew made with onions, garlic, peppers, tomatoes, cilantro, and coconut milk - it is delicious.