A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
294: Erythrina speciosa tree
Erythrina speciosa, known as the coral tree, is common in southeastern Brazil. These shrubs are popular in the city parks, as I have seen in Parque Municipal in Belo Horizonte. This striking shrub is also located along the banks of Lake Pampulha. In winter, the shrubs lose their leafs while the red flowers bloom. The result is a red-dominated shrub, a beloved spot for hummingbirds. With their tall, slender beak, the hummingbirds manage to extract the sweet nectar, while they hover in the sky.
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
293: Billboard
Some English words and expressions are used in Brazilian Portuguese in a very different way. Well-known is the example of ‘notebook’, and you will associate this word with a notepad. However, in Brazil, it is a laptop. Another confusing word is ‘outdoor’: you`ll be thinking about outdoor activities. However, in Brazil, it is a billboard. Billboards are quite common in the Brazilian urban landscape. Gigantic posters – whether or not illuminated – scream their messages to the motorists and other road users passing by. This billboard is partly stripped of the advertising message, but the woman, with her spread arms, has been retained.
(Merchant) It is interesting to know that the origin of the name Mercurius, Roman god of trade, is to be derived from the Latin word Merx, that is to be translated as.. trade. The Dia do Comerciante was introduced in 1953, on the day of birth of Visconde de Cayru: José da Silva Lisboa (1756-1835). The viscount was a politician who was responsible for the liberation of Brazilian harbors for trade with befriended nations, in 1808.
DIA DO COMERCIANTE
Dia do Comerciante 2010
Motives for Dia do Comerciante
Dia da Nossa Senhora do Carmo
(Our Lady of Carmel). Karmel is located in Haifa, were, according to the Old Testament, prophet Elias battled idols. Worshipers of Elias settled there as hermits. They later formed the basis for the Order of the Carmelites, founded by Berthold of Calabria in the twelfth century, and the Carmelitesses. Their trademark was poverty and manual labor, and prayers in silence. Famous Carmelites are the saints Theresia of Avila, John of the Cross, Theresia of Lisieux, and Edith Stein (Theresia-Benedicta of the Cross). The Dutch priest Titus Brandsma also was a Carmelite.
Origin of the Carmelite Order
BRAZILIAN HISTORY:
1696 “Foundation” of the state of Minas Gerais.
On this day, a group of bandeirantes (pioneers) from São Paulo, led by Salvador Fernandes Furtado de Mendonça, discovered gold in a river that they baptized Nossa Senhora do Carmo, according to the feast day. The settlement of Nossa Senhora do Carmo emerged along the river, and soon this settlement gained strategic importance about the power game and gold. In 1709, the settlement became capital of the newly formed capitania (‘province’) São Paulo e Minas de Ouro. In 1711, the Portuguese king Dom João V ordered that the settlement should be elevated to a city and should be renamed in Mariana, after his wife, queen Maria Ana of Austria. Mariana became the religious center of the capitania and the first diocese in Minas Gerais. Mariana became urbanized and was one of the first planned cities in Brazil. In 1720, neighboring city Vila Rica became the new capital of Minas Gerais. (Map of the historic center of Mariana)
Mariana (MG)
1556
First bishop of Brazil shipwrecked near the Brazilian shoreline
Dom Pedro Fernando Sardinha, nominated as the first bishop in Brazil, shipwrecked near the shoreline of Alagoas. Soon the Caeté indians caught and consumed him. This story of cannibalism has raised doubts. An alternative version of the story is that the bishop was murdered by one of the survivors, who had spread the story of the indians to have an excuse to commit genocide and to take their homeland. And indeed, it was the reason for the arrival of a Portuguese expedition force who killed almost all indians of that tribe.
Documentary about the death of the bishop
1930 Nossa Senhora de Aparecida declared to patron saint of Brazil.
The story of Our Lady of Aparecida dates back to 1717. Three poor Brazilian fishermen were sent out fishing. They had nothing. Until one of them caught a small, headless statue, and not much later, the missing head. According to the legend, they immediately caught a lot of fish. The statue presumably was crafted by a monk from São Paulo, Frei Agostino de Jesus. The statue must have been in the water for many years. At present, this statue of Our Lady is covered by a blue mantle, and it wears a little crown. The statue now is located in the Basílica de Aparecida, the second largest (only after the Saint Peter in Rome) catholic church in the world. The Basílica may host at least 45 thousand believers. More than 6 million believers visit the Basílica annually. The feast day of Our Lady is on October 12.
1944 Landing of the first FEB (Força Expedicionária Brasileira; Brazilian Expedition Force) contigent in Naples (Italy).
Initially, Brazil maintained neutrality when the Second World War broke out. The Brazilian president Vargas slightly supported Nazism ideas and continued to trade with the Axis members as well as with the members of the Allied troops. Brazil gave the United States permission to set up air force bases in the northeast. This to dismay of the Germans, who took revenge by attacking Brazilian vessels. When five vessels were attacked in one single day, killing more than 600 people, the government had no other option than to declare war to the Axis members. With help of the United States, the Brazilian Expeditionary Force was organized and equipped. This army force (more than 25.000 men in total) has contributed in the liberation of Italy. Brazilians captured more than 20.000 prisoners of war and lost more than 400 of its men in the battles.
O Brasil na 2 Guerra Mundial – Lapa Azul – Excelente Documentário sobre a FEB
Documentários da Segunda Guerra – Brasil – FEB – Esquadrão Senta Pua!
FEB – Força Expedicionária Brasileira Parte 1/4
FEB – Força Expedicionária Brasileira Parte 1/4
FEB – Força Expedicionária Brasileira Parte 1/4
FEB – Força Expedicionária Brasileira Parte 1/4
The Disney cartoon image Zé (José of Joe) Carioca was created as a means of propaganda. The Americans were encouraged to become more familiar with their Brazilian allies.
Joe Carioca: Have ever been to Bahia?
1720 Rebellion leader Felipe dos Santos hanged and dismembered in Vila Rica, Minas Gerais.
Felipe was a miner, who led the revolt, in 1720, against the leadership the Casas de Fundição, responsible for the exploitation of the mines. No less than one fifth of the profits of the gold exploitation was destined for the Portuguese Crown. His rebellion was beaten down, and Felipe was arrested and condemned to death. Count de Assumar, governor of the Province Minas de Ouro was forced to split up the province. It was the birth of the actual state of Minas Gerais, with Vila Rica as its capital.
Revolta de Felipe dos Santos e Conjura Mineira
1934 Proclamation of the Third Brazilian Constitutional Law.
Brazil has introduced seven different constitutional laws since its independence in 1822. The first was in 1824, the second was two years after the proclamation of the Republic, in 1891. The third was in 1934, partly thanks to the revolts and revolutions in the preceding years. Only three years later, in 1937, the fourth constitutional law, an initiative of Getúlio Vargas, would be introduced.
Documentary about the third Brazilian constitutional law
Dia do Engenheiro Florestal (Forestry Engineer). A profession that is indispensable in a forested nation like Brazil. The forestry engineer is concerned with the exploitation of forests, nature conservation; and to evaluate economic, cultural and environmental interests of the forest.
1980 Election of soccer player Pele as athlete of the century.
The French sports magazine L’Équipe called Pele as the best athlete of the century, although at that time still twenty years were left to 2000. In 1999, Pele received a similar title by the International Olympic Committee. However, he had never participated in the Olympic event. In 2000, he shared the title of Best Player of the Century with the Argentinian Diego Maradona. [youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7HFq1gKeUU&w=400%5D Goals: the top 20 by Pelé
1933 The city of Ouro Preto (MG) receives the title of National (=Brazilian) Monument. Founded in the early eighteenth century under the name Vila Rica, Ouro Preto was the first city declared a National Monument. (See also July 8). In 1980, the city received the title of World Heritage Site by the UNESCO.
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
290: Firewood stove
In Brazil, Festas Juninas – June parties – are celebrated in June. These festivals honor Saint Anthony (June 13), Saint John (June 24) and the Saints Peter and Paul (both on June 29). The celebrations originate in Europe as the midnight parties. In Brazil, June is a winter month, and it is considerably colder, especially in the south and southeast. It is not uncommon to find hot drinks and a bonfire on such a June party. Wherever possible, the dishes are heated on a traditional wood oven.
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
288: Dragonfly
Dragonflies are common in Brazil. I have often found them along the waterfront of a natural pond where they exert their graceful dancing along the shore and across the water surface. However, I photographed this dragonfly in the Botanical Garden in Belo Horizonte. At small pond, which contained a variety of water plants, I counted a handful of different types of dragonflies. Dragonflies in different colors and sizes. The warm sun shone almost perpendicular to this slender dragonfly, leaving a sharp shadow on a lush green leaf .
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
287: Airplane
When we see a plane flying over our heads, preferably high in the blue or slightly cloudy sky, our minds are flying too: far away, as far as possible, to the destinations of our dreams. It’s hard to see on this photo which society is the owner of this plane, but probably it’s an Alitalia service, possibly on its way to the Eternal City: Rome. A flight of about ten hours, crossing the Atlantic Ocean. Only a century ago, tourists and migrants had to have a lot more patience: at that time, the same crossing took some weeks …
