Imaging Brazil 286: Fisherman on the Shoreline in João Pessoa, PB (2010)

A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

286: Fisherman

Located between the more popular tourist capitals of Recife and Natal, João Pessoa has a lot to offer to Brazilian and foreign tourists who are attracted to the beautiful beaches within the city limits and beyond. The Areia Vermelha sandbank and the Jacaré river beach at the Paraíba River are worth visiting. Near this beach is an open-air market a broad variety of souvenirs and local crafts, as well as a number of eateries, bars and restaurants. At the time of the sunset, saxophonist Jurandy has continuously been sailing for over seventeen years to accompany the setting sun with his enchanting version of Ravel’s Bolero. The beaches are also visited by many fishermen, like this man in the picture.
 

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017

Imaging Brazil 279: Palm Tree on Rock at Tambaba Beach, PB (2010)

A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

279: Palm tree on rock

Tambaba Naturist Beach is located at about thirty kilometers south of João Pessoa. During my stay in 2010, I accompanied a group of students to this beach. Strict access rules apply to the naturist beach: Only couples and women are allowed. Therefore, I have not been able to visit this beach. The female students climbed a improvised staircase and then descended to the beach. Other female students told me that a group of male medicine students were desperate to visit the beach and even offered fifty reais to the students who invited one of them as companions. The female students refused. But the publicly accessible beach is definitely worth a visit too, and has beautiful views. Like the image of this lonely palm tree on a rock at the coastline.

 

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017

Imaging Brazil 278: Shoe Market Stall in João Pessoa, PB (2010)

A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

278: Sandals for sale

It is a common view in many major Brazilian cities: street vendors behind market stalls and outstretched blankets with a modest assortment and amount of market goods. These so-called camelôs try to sell cheap electronic gadgets, vegetables, fruit, handicrafts, cheap clothes, and shoes to passers-by. There is no lack of them in the centers: at day, the streets are well stocked with potential buyers, attracted by the low prices. In the center of João Pessoa I found this merchandise: sandals, good for the warm summer weather. In various models and sizes.

 

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017

Imaging Brazil 272: Fish on the Beach in João Pessoa, PB (2010)

A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

272: Fish on the beach

João Pessoa, Capital of Paraíba State, has some beautiful beaches, including the most eastern beach on the South American subcontinent, Ponta do Seixas. Within the city limits, the beaches of Cabo Branco and Tambaú are very popular. Tambaú has an interesting market where you can shop for local crafts and souvenirs at reasonable prices. These beaches are easily accessible, and you will find a large number of hotels, restaurants and bars. On the beach you also come across many interesting things. Various types of shells, for example, or coiled fish. Like I encountered this flat fish with a light brown color. The flared beach sand on its body made this poor fish almost invisible.

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017

Imaging Brazil 270: Lone Tree in Bahia, BA (2010)

A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

270: Lone tree

During my bus trips to the northeast of Brazil, we always had to cross the giant states of Minas Gerais and Bahia. In July 2010, I accompanied a group of students on their way to their annual meeting in João Pessoa, capital of Paraíba state. A bus trip of more than forty hours. It takes at least twelve hours before the state limit of Minas Gerais with Bahia is reached, and another twelve hours to reach Salvador. Despite the many hours, it is very interesting to see the multicolored and varied landscape from open bus window: from mountains and  green hills to arid plains. The photograph shows a lone tree in a landscape hit by winter drought.

 

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017

Imaging Brazil 265: Low Tide in João Pessoa, PB (2010)

A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

265: Areia Vermelha

You will find a great variety of coasts and beaches along the very long Brazilian coastline. For example cliffs, sandstone shores, sandy beaches, beaches that disappear at high tide, sand banks. These sand banks are very popular among tourists;  local boatmen try to have their profitable share. To a somewhat expensive rate they offer boat trips to the sand banks. However, at the larger and better known beach resorts, these boat trips are under the control of the municipality, and only licensed boats are allowed to transport tourists. As in Maragogi, Porto de Galinhas, and here in Joao Pessoa, where they offer boat trips to Areia Vermelha. At low tide, the ferry, with several dozen tourists, heads to the sandbank, and returns a few hours later, at the time when the sand disappears again, being taken by the water.

 

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017

Imaging Brazil 260: Soapbox Cart in João Pessoa, PB (2010)

A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

260: Soapbox cart

When you think of a soapbox cart, you may think of the old stories of your father or grandfather. Or of a children’s story. Even though sometimes attempts have been made to resurrect this piece of nostalgia, this kind of self-made vehicle is not common, even in Brazil. But when I walked along the beach in Joao Pessoa, I encountered this soapbox car with a small child inside the soapbox, pushed by an adult. I can remember the stories that these carts had a front wheel, with which children were able to steer, but this cart was pushed and controlled by the adult. The boy did not have to do anything, he just can enjoy.

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017