Curitiba: Your Best Winter Destination

By Sílvia Oliveira

There is no way to disagree: the winter – with its chilly nights – can indeed be discouraging. What many want is to stay at home, under the duvet, watching a film and eating popcorn. I do not deny that I often end up including myself in this group. However, we must agree that Curitiba is not content with just  the title of the coldest capital in Brazil. At this time of year, the city takes it upon itself to become one of the most attractive winter destinations in the country. So much for the old mantra that there is not much to do here on the days when we would gladly smash the thermometers.

Let us start with the basics: take a look at the sunset. The season, despite being freezing, provides breathtaking sunsets. There are several nuances in the sky ranging from pink, passing through shades of violet to orange. In Curitiba, you can witness a beautiful sunset from Tanguá Park or the Botanical Gardens, two of the city’s main tourist attractions where admission is free!

It is true; there is no better time of the year to read a good book. But in the warmth of your winter coat you can peruse the major bookstores in Curitiba in search of your favourite literature, accompanied by a soothing hot drink. Many of the stores, such as FNAC (Parque Shopping Barigui), Saraiva (Shopping Crystal) offer an extensive variety of titles alongside their own coffee shops.

For those who like knickknacks and trinkets – well-accompanied by a delicious maize cake and mulled wine – there are the traditional winter fairs. These are street markets with dozens of stalls that offer anything from handicrafts to foodstuffs typical of the Brazilian winter, such as the pine nut, or “pinhão”. The markets go up until July 10th and are held simultaneously in Osorio Square (every day) and Santos Andrade Square (from Mon to Sat.).

If you are willing to invest in a memorable evening, there’s no better season than this to try a delicious fondue. The Swiss dish – usually served in réchauds is the epitome of winter. Whether the choice of fondue is for cheese, meat or chocolate, you can find it at the Petit Château, (in Santa Felicidade) and Château de Gazon (in Batel), two of Curitiba’s most traditional fondue restaurants. Swiss Röstis, or risottos, are also safe bets. They are welcome warming standards that can be found on the menus of many restaurants in town.

However, nothing says winter more than Curitiba’s endless parade of coffee houses or soup restaurants. To immerse yourself in culture, visit the coffee shop at the Oscar Niemeyer Museum or Café do Paço in the Palace of Liberty, both lined with contemporary works – alongside great artists. If you like the classics, go to Hoo Café. The gracious establishment offers a wide range of coffees, from the most elaborate to the most known, such as ristretto. Innovation is to be found at Terra Verde, the first organic coffee shop in Brazil, where your espresso or cappuccino is made with 100% organic beans.

If soup is your thing, you must visit the Acrótona, Manjhericão or Dona Ambrosina restaurants – addresses where the calories will be worth every penny. Inspired by the Soho neighbourhoods of London, New York and Buenos Aires, Batel SoHo is the part of the city that is most appropriate for Curitiba’s winter climate. Although it may be visited at any time of year, Batel SoHo is home to two or three blocks filled with a plethora of home furnishing stores, design shops, coffee shops, bars and galleries. Places that end up becoming charming and engaging shelters when the biting wind blows.

The centre point of the region’s attractions is Spain Square, which, especially on Saturdays, offers an extensive cultural programme, including an Antiques Market. If you have come to the conclusion that spending the winter in Curitiba will cause you to gain a few extra pounds, here is a tip: Wrap up well and enjoy an early-morning walk through the parks of Curitiba. Barigui Park, for example – with its huge lake – provides a beautiful spectacle throughout the day. However, it is early in the morning when the combination of the mist and the sunrise will leave something in your mind you just cannot buy in any currency: memories of an intense, and very successful, winter!

Photo: Raul Mattar

Read more about Curitiba:

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Rua Teffé (Teffe Street): Curitiba’s First Footwear Theme Street

By Sílvia Oliveira

It is almost a tourist attraction. However, it goes unnoticed by many who come to visit the state capital or even by those who live here. Teffe Street is a shopping street located in the Bom Retiro neighbourhood, with easy access by car or public transport.

For over 20 years, the region was the stronghold of small shops selling end-ofline footwear. Business grew, multiplied and now there are more than 30 companies selling women’s, men’s and children’s shoes. It is not that the “end-of-line” shops turned into designer-label shoe stores.

Almost all shops offer something similar – models with few pairs at affordable prices. The novelty is that the latest models also dominate the shop windows! Along with Emilio Menezes Street, Teffe Street is also now home to clothing and accessory shops, forming a top-line fashion centre close to the heart of the city.

Although the local stores have lost their “end-of-line” characteristic, good prices – combined with excellent quality and variety – are still to be found. Teffe Street’s slogan – “the first footwear theme street in the country” – may create false expectation.

This is not a psychedelic shopping centre, surrounded by rides or food courts. Much less is it the only or the first of its kind in Brazil. However, you will certainly find a tree-lined avenue with wide pavements, free parking and friendly service.

Information

Teffe Street => www.ruateffe.com.br
Opening hours: Monday to Friday, from 9:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
How to get there by bus: From Praça Tiradentes (Tiradentes Square), in Curitiba’s city centre, take the Bracatinga, Vila Nori or Primavera bus. Ask the conductor to let you off at the closest stop to Rua Teffé.

Photos: Sílvia Oliveira | Matraca’s Image Bank

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Ilha do Mel: paradise is just down the road

By Sílvia Oliveira

I would like to begin this text in a more original way, with some stunning information about this fascinating  piece of the coast of Parana, located just over an hour from Curitiba. However, when we talk about Ilha do Mel (Honey Island), it is best to get straight to the point: it is the most beautiful part – and boasts the best preserved  beaches – of the state. Cars are prohibited on the island. The number of visitors is controlled.

The streets are narrow trails of sand. Moreover, at night, a torch is a must in your bag. Do not go thinking that the island ekes a living from country bumpkins or picnicking simpletons. The truth is just the opposite. The island’s infrastructure is improving all the time, despite all the rusticity.

Guesthouses with TV, air conditioning, bed box and Wi-Fi internet in the rooms spring up every day, not to mention the charming little restaurants to be found there. With almost three thousand acres of preserved forest, Ilha do Mel was designated an Ecological Station by  UNESCO. The title helped to foster an area of unique geography filled with swamps, hills, cliffs, trails and several historical attractions such as the Fortress of Nossa Senhora dos Prazeres (Our Lady of the Pleasures) – built in the 18th century to protect Paranagua Bay.

Other attractions listed by the Historic and Artistic Heritage of Parana are the Farol das Conchas (Lighthouse of the Shells) and the Gruta das Encantadas (Grotto of the Enchanted Ones). The cave is formed by a huge crack in a rock and is at sea level. Therefore, it can only be visited at low tide. It is 10 minutes walk from the pier in the village of Encantadas. Those who are not afraid to face the 150 steps that give access to the base of the Farol das Conchas will see the most beautiful view of the island (Free of charge!).

When I was first here, I made the sacrifice and climbed to the top. This time I made my husband do penance and waited at the bottom, making a sandcastle with my daughter Mariana. Without a doubt, 10 out of 10 tourists disembark on the island in search of the beaches. Deserted, packed, good for surfing, calm-watered or full of natural pools… it does not matter. There are beaches for all tastes. Encantadas beach is busy in high season. It is home to many restaurants and inns.

At low tide – in addition to access to the cave – it is possible to reach the beach in Nova Brasilia via a trail that takes 2 hours. Not to mention that five minutes from the cave is Fora das Encantadas beach, where there is a kind of food court; A huge structure full of small restaurants and kiosks.

Fortaleza beach – the island’s largest – is 2½ miles long and boasts, as its name suggests, the Fortress of Nossa Senhora dos Prazeres. It is a 40-minute walk from Nova Brasilia (only to be attempted at low tide) or 10 minutes by boat. There are nautical  taxi services available. There are still yet Limoeira (Lime tree) beach, which is semi-deserted; Grande (Big) beach, the surfers’ favourite; Farol beach, reasonably popular; and Fora (Outside) beach, with small pools at low tide.

OTHER TRIPS

Baia dos Golfinhos (Dolphin Bay): to go dolphin watching you need to take a boat ride. The boats  leave from the Nova Brasilia and Encantadas piers. Prices vary from R$ 25 to R$ 50. Deal directly with the skippers.

USEFUL TIPS

1. Leave Rex at home. Pets are not permitted on the island by law.

2. There is a medical post (for small emergencies), but there are no chemists. So take your favourite medicines with you, and do not forget an antipyretic, seasickness pills, Ralgex, antacids, plasters, lip balm and sunscreen.

3. Ilha do Mel is divided into three villages: Nova Brasilia, Encantadas and Fortaleza. Disembark on the pier closest to your accommodation, as the only ways to get around on the island are on foot, by bike or by boat. The nautical taxi service between one village and another costs around R$ 8 per person.

4. Porters with small handcarts are available on the Nova Brasilia and Encantadas piers to carry your luggage from the landing site to your hotel. Prices range from R$ 20 to R$ 35, d’epending on the distance to your accommodation.

Photo: Raul Mattar

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The Wire Opera House: Curitiba’s Most Original Theatre

By Sílvia Oliveira

Some of the more conservative have gone so far as to criticise the Wire Opera House – one of Brazil’s most curious theatres. Built in record time, only 75 days were needed to transform the crater left by an abandoned quarry into an unusual cultural space.

With a structure made of steel tubing and a transparent roof, the Wire Opera House has a circular footprint and is partially surrounded by an artificial lake. Maybe it is this – the “artificial” side of things – that irritates some puritans, the more methodical, and, why not say it, the uncreative.

Absolute poppycock! The entrance alone is triumphal: access to the auditorium is via a walkway over the waters. The structure houses the most diverse artistic manifestations and is integrated with the landscape through its construction in glass and tubes.

There are lakes,  waterfalls, various species of birds and the foundation blocks are embedded directly into the rock. The Wire Opera House is part of the Parque das Pedreiras – Park of the Quarries, an enormous area that also includes the Paulo Leminski Cultural Centre, where part of the poet and intellectual’s works, along with some photos and his impressive story may be appreciated.

The theatre was designed by architect  Domingos Bongestabs, the very same who was responsible for UNILIVRE – The Independent University for the Environment. It will provide you with a full afternoon out among the best of Parana’s modern architecture!

Information
Opera de Arame – The Wire Opera House
Rua Joao Gava, no number | Pilarzinho
Telephone: (41) 3355-6072.
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Photos: Raul Mattar

Read more about Curitiba:

The “ecological” Curitiba  (by Sílvia Oliveira)
A train ride through the Serra do Mar (by Sílvia Oliveira)
Largo da Ordem Street Market (by Sílvia Oliveira)
The Ukrainian Memorial (by Sílvia Oliveira)
How do you get from Curitiba’s Airport to the city centre? (by Sílvia Oliveira)
Estrada da Graciosa, Paraná – in English (by Sílvia Oliveira)

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Itaipu: special visitation tour | Foz do Iguaçu

By Sílvia Oliveira

Call me crazy, but when I return to Foz do Iguassu I don’t plan to visit the Falls again. I’ve already visited both sides, I’ve spent a long time there, I’ve made the panoramic helicopter flight and, everything I wanted to see, I’ve seen. I want to go back to Itaipu to take a few tours that I was unable to take last time, such as the Ecomuseum, the Bella Vista Biological Reserve and the 10-kilometre Spawning Channel.

I know, the Falls are Nature’s gift to us and Macuco Safari is, by all accounts, not to be missed (maybe in my next incarnation). It’s just that I have a genetic defect: great feats of engineering – whether it be for the size, creativity or historic value – cause me great awe and fascination. The Iguassu Falls are inexplicable; but as they are the work of God, I can understand that there is no explanation for them. God is perfect and adores playing these geographical games – just think of what He has already got up to in Patagonia, in the Grand Canyon or in Fernando de Noronha, to name but just a few.

Now, get up close to a construction so millimetrically thought and carried out by beings considered incomplete, needy, unsatisfied and that – so it is said – use only one percent of their own brain… Scary, or what? Imagine, if you will, when they get round to using all the potential the scientists predict they have! In order to understand what the hydroelectric power station once was and is today there are three official tours: the panoramic tour, the special tour and the monumental illumination tour (as well as the institutional tour for research centres and universities).

On the panoramic tour, which lasts an hour and a half, you cover the route by coach, with a bilingual  guide, and see the dam externally. A documentary is shown before the tour starts, then the visitor is taken to privileged spots that offer beautiful views and excellent photo opportunities. On the way back, the coach passes over the top of the dam, revealing a different angle of the spillway: on one side the Parana River, on the other the immense Itaipu reservoir which supplies the power station) and in the background, the city of Foz do Iguassu.

The special tour – which I took – takes you inside the dam. The coach also has a bilingual guide and water onboard. There are seven stops. At the first, you have a panoramic view of the dam and the spillway, as well as the chance to gaze appreciatingly at the ceramic-tiled panel by the Parana artist Poty Lazzarotto that depicts scenes from the construction of Itaipu. Once inside the construction, you are very close to the  conduits – ENORMOUS white tubes – through which pass up to 700 thousand litres of water per minute (half the entire flow of the Falls in each of them!).

At the fourth stop, you come to the equipment that keeps the power station operating. You are not  allowed to stay here for more than three minutes because of the extremely high noise levels. The visit is so quick it seems surreal. Feeling Itaipu’s uninterrupted pulsation below your feet gives you the sensation that you are in a science fiction film. As you approach the central control room – where technicians  control everything via computers and electronic panels – you seem to be at NASA. I’ve never been to NASA, but I’ve seen plenty of films and I know exactly what it looks like. You may take as many photographs as you please.

At the end of the tour, you come to the kilometre-long galleries. Here you can see the gigantic covers of the 20 turbines. Each turbine is sufficient to supply a city of 2.5 million inhabitants. As you stand there, you remember the story from the documentary that was shown at the beginning of the tour. Construction of Itaipu – which is Tupi for “rock that sings” – started in 1973. At the height of the works, five years later, more than seven thousand cubic metres of concrete, the equivalent of a ten-storey building, were poured per hour. At the peak of the dam’s construction, more than 40 thousand workers were mobilised. When the sluice gates of the channel that diverted the Parana River were closed, the engineers believed that it would take three months to fill the reservoir.

However, torrential rains meant that in 14 days the world’s largest hydroelectric dam, in both size and generating capacity, was ready to be activated. In 1982, the spillway’s floodgates were opened, liberating the Parana River’s backed-up waters. There were those who didn’t like it. The city of Guaira lamented the disappearance of the  Sete Quedas falls, flooded by the reservoir. Even today, the city receives royalties from Itaipu for the obliteration of one of the region’s greatest attractions. However, let’s forget the bickering – after all, it’s already been forgotten! Don’t go thinking that when you come here you are going to see the magnificent sight of the spillway’s floodgates open. This only happens once or twice a year, and then only to release all the water not used for generating electricity. Nevertheless, be prepared, for if you are lucky enough to see it, you will witness a flow 40 times superior to that of the Iguassu Falls.

INFORMATION:

Itaipu Binacional | www.turismoitaipu.com.br (site in Portuguese only)

Panoramic Tour
Times: Daily, with departures at: 8:00 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m.,1:30 p.m., 2:00 p.m., 3:30 p.m.and 4:00 p.m..
Admission: R$19.00. Students, children between7 and 16 years old and OAPs areeligible for discounts. The tourthat departs from the Paraguayan side is free.

Special Tour
Times: Daily, with departuresat: 8:00 a.m., 8:30 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 2:00 p.m., 14:30 p.m., 4:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.. (The minimum age for this visit is 14 years)
Admission: R$ 50.00. Students and OAPs are eligible for discounts.

Photo: Raul Mattar

Leia este texto em português:
Itaipu: circuito especial

Read more about Foz do Iguaçu:
Tourism: Foz do Iguaçu (by Sílvia Oliveira)
Bird Park (by Sílvia Oliveira)

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Reportagem publicada originalmente na 26º edição do jornal Curitiba In English. Para entender o projeto de internacionalização do Matraqueando, clique aqui.

A train ride through the Serra do Mar

By Sílvia Oliveira

For my daughter’s first backpacking trip, when she was nine months old, I decided to introduce her to the Curitiba-Morretes- Paranagua Railway. The journey reveals a landmark of 19th-century engineering.  Nine thousand men toiled on the daring project that was completed in five years. A record by the standards of the time. Dozens of languages and styles depart every day from the railway station in Curitiba bound for the fascinating Serra do Mar.

Following the tracks – opened 120 years ago – the trip takes place amid the rich rainforest: a piece of Parana recognized by UNESCO as a Biosphere Reserve. The carriages are a modern Babel on the journey of just over three hours. The route is filled with amazing images, boasting 14 tunnels, 30 bridges, waterfalls and abysses. The train teeters on the tracks and at some moments, like the Carvalho viaduct, seems to fly over the sleepers. The Roca Nova Tunnel is the longest at 457 metres.

The feelings of fear that we sometimes experience in the train (it looks as if it will plunge headlong down the mountainside!)  are followed immediately by the pleasure of being involved in the time-honoured combination of adventure, scenery and history. Soon after departure, the onboard service begins. They deliver a nice little box that includes a cake, a biscuit, a cereal bar and a drink (water, tea, juice or a soft  drink). A guide accompanies us all the time giving the necessary information about the trip. Passengers also receive a bag of palm seeds to be thrown into the forest during the trip. An initiative from the Serra Verde Express (the company that manages the tour) in partnership with the Rotary Club to contribute to the ecosystem.

When buying the ticket there are several categories: economy, tourist, business or cabin and Litorina. Economy class seats are plastic, there is no on-board service and a one-way ticket sells for R$39.00. Tourist class costs R$66.00 and executive class is R$96.00. Executive class and above boast an open bar. The Litorina – a self-powered vehicle – is considered the most charming. It has air conditioning and a bilingual conductor. The ticket costs R$270.00.

Passengers vie for the panoramic windows. It is a constant back and forth between the right and left sides of the carriage, since photo opportunities appear on both. After passing through Marumbi station it is only another 45 minutes to Morretes, our final destination. The train only travels on to Paranagua – one of the most important historical cities in Parana – on Sundays. Alighting causes a somewhat disorganised exodus.

On weekends, almost 1,200 passengers make the trip. The town’s womenfolk rush to meet the tourists offering the regions most typical products: banana sweets and related items. There is a small stall set up at the station itself with some of these delicacies. The train journey alone makes the trip  worthwhile. But upon alighting there is more: Morretes and Antonina, two of Parana’s most charming and historic cities. They can both be visited on the same day (if you rush) or you may choose to stay overnight in one of them to enjoy the best that each offers.

Once you get off the train you have to make your way back to Curitiba, either by minibus, or by coaches operated by Viação Graciosa. The minibuses charge around R$40.00 per head from Morretes to Curitiba. The coach fare costs a mere R$13.00. You can also catch the train back, which leaves Morretes at 3pm (4pm on Sundays). But it is quite tiring – as the descent takes three hours (when there are no delays) and the return trip takes another four. Whichever way you look at it, this is one of the most beloved and harmonious journeys in Brazil: It blends people perfectly with history and nature.

INFORMATION

Serra Verde Express | www.serraverdeexpress.com.br

Departure time => Curitiba Train: every day, at 8:15am. | Litorina: Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays, at 9:15am.

IMPORTANT!

Economy class tickets must be purchased two weeks in advance as they are much sought after. Residents of Curitiba and region have a 30% discount on ticket prices (except for economy class). You must register on the Serra Verde Express site provide proof of residence.

Largo da Ordem Street Market | Curitiba

by Sílvia Oliveira

I first came to Curitiba ten years ago. Since then I have been to Spain doing my master’s and doctorate degrees. I came back here and stayed. I have spent more than 500 weekends in the capital of Parana. On at least three hundred of them, I must have been to the Largo da Ordem street market, Curitiba, which is held every Sunday.

What few people know is that the tour should start on Saturday. Largo da Ordem houses the oldest buildings in the city and one of my weaknesses: colourful houses and historic buildings. Every time I go there, I feel like a naïve tourist. In the square is the 18th-century Church of the Third Order of St. Francis. It is the cheapest and most fun day out in the city. To admire costs nothing.

Nevertheless, it is a fact: the historical centre of Curitiba has found its way into the tour guides more for one of the largest craft fairs in Latin America than for its architecture. Sunday, come rain or come shine, there it is! An enormous outdoor market where you can find a little of everything: paintings, carvings, embroidery, wooden pencils, knitting, candles, jewellery, baskets, slippers, handbags, flowers, curtains, tablecloths, napkins, bonsai, mandalas, rugs,  dolls, hammocks, and many “etceteras”.

However, the market’s greatest riches are its characters. There are the artisans, the tourists, even us locals; simple and relaxed folk. Not to mention the curious types that appear there: the opera singer, the old accordion player, the blind brothers who sing country songs, the living statue, the girl with the beaded hair and the chap who makes dolls from clay.

Tip number 1: arrive early. The market opens at 9a.m. and by then it is already chaos. It is crowded, really crowded. There are over a thousand exhibitors and 15,000 visitors each Sunday. In the midst of this massive crowd, look up. You will see the colourful houses contrasting with  the blue sky. If it is cloudy, focus on the different shades and hues of the tents.

Tip number 2: do not take much money. The Largo da Ordem street market has the strange power of unleashing an obsessive-compulsive shopping disorder. Everything is so cheap, so easy, so quick, and so pretty that when we come to our senses we are taking half the market home with us! I no longer know what to do with so many tea towels and fridge magnets.

Like any good outdoor crafts fair that is worth visiting, the Largo da Ordem street market has a large “food court”. Confirming the immigrant tradition of the city are several stalls selling all those delights that are forbidden during the week, such as pasties, Polish pirogue, acarajé from Bahia, fritters, biscuits, crystallized sweets, Mexican tacos, beef skewers and the crowning glory: deep-fried meat pasties with sugar cane juice. See you there next Sunday?

Information:

Largo da Ordem Streetmarket

Location: Praça Coronel Enéas and Praça Garibaldi – São Francisco.

Opening hours: Sundays – 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Site: www.feiradolargo.com.br