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It is amazing how in Brazil you can go 300-400 km in a day and it is all curves and incredible vistas!!
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7487/...c6f6de50_c.jpgTiradentes 59 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7473/...d8ef1857_c.jpgTiradentes 61 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7566/...6972b82b_c.jpgTiradentes 63 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Tiradentes
After a pretty long day we arrived in Tiradentes, which is our first stop on the trail of Gold. It is one of the smallest and yet best-preserved colonial towns in the state of Minas Gervais. It has several 300 year old buildings including the gold filled Matriz church.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7581/...1e13ccce_c.jpgTiradentes 71 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7578/...74cb82ee_c.jpgTiradentes 69 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7479/...fe74b9cb_c.jpgTiradentes 70 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7532/...524532cf_c.jpgTiradentes 74 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr Joaquim Jose da Silva Xavier, known as Tiradentes was the leader of the Brazilian revolutionary movement whose aim was to achieve independence from Portuguese rule and create a Brazilian Republic. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7510/...3e9382a6_c.jpgTiradentes 98 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7550/...cdc4d1b3_c.jpgTiradentes 99 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
At the top of the hill is the Matriz church with a panoramic view of the valley and the Serra or ridge. This town must be packed with tourists at the weekend judging by the number of places to stay, but on a Tuesday it was fairly quiet.
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8608/...7f275c83_c.jpgTiradentes 81 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8595/...2784f230_c.jpgTiradentes 77 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7525/...450b18d6_c.jpgTiradentes 89 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8603/...77af01db_c.jpgTiradentes 86 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7578/...2db669e4_c.jpgTiradentes 88 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8638/...5a545695_c.jpgTiradentes 92 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Ouro Preto
Today we headed north and west again for another 187 km of winding roads with stunning scenery to Ouro Preto.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7570/...7fe53afb_o.pngScreen Shot 2014-12-17 at 9.42.46 PM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr Leaving Tiradentes we took the back way thru Prados. This way is partly cobbles and partly packed red dirt. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7537/...3f6678e6_o.pngScreen Shot 2014-12-17 at 9.43.20 PM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7469/...9730d643_c.jpgOuro Preto 3 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7506/...1edd42b5_c.jpgOuro Preto 4 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7561/...c535d7a6_c.jpgOuro Preto 5 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7544/...eac345b2_c.jpgOuro Preto 7 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7558/...0ff51541_c.jpgOuro Preto 8 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8657/...83ab5a5e_c.jpgOuro Preto 9 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8631/...da86bf04_c.jpgOuro Preto 10 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
We are going to one of the most visited places in Brazil the city of Ouro Preto. It is one of Brazil’s best-preserved colonial towns and is a UNESCO site. Ouro Preto means “black gold” and was founded in 1698 as the center of the gold rush and in 1720 it became the state capital ( it had been nearby Mariana). In 1750 it had over 110,000 people making it one of the largest cities in the Americas. At the time it had twice the population of NCY and five times more than the now massive Rio de Janeiro.
All this lead to the city being the site of the first uprising for independence from Portuguese rule. The revolt was lead by Tiradentes in 1789 after he realized how much of the region’s gold was going straight onto boats to Portugal. The revolt failed and Tiradentes was arrested and dismembered. His body parts were then displayed along the road to Rio. His head was placed in what is now known as Praca Tiradentes or the main square. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7490/...6f9046cb_c.jpgOuro Preto 21 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7478/...679b930c_c.jpgOuro Preto 19 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8667/...8a1c3391_c.jpgOuro Preto 20 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8657/...2dc594c3_c.jpgOuro Preto 36 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
By the end of the 19 th century the gold had run out and the population plummeted. Because of this there was a lack of new consruction and thus the colonial architecture was preserved. Restoration began in the 1950 and still continues.
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8589/...1c690c76_c.jpgOuro Preto 23 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7556/...05c92e89_c.jpgOuro Preto 22 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8665/...abd0ba8c_c.jpgOuro Preto 24 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7571/...97160112_c.jpgOuro Preto 26 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7553/...076f27b7_c.jpgOuro Preto 27 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7577/...2614c6c5_c.jpgOuro Preto 29 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
The draw here for tourists is the architecture and especially the churches. They contain many carved sculptures by Antonio Fracisco Lisboa or Aleijadinho (little cripple), who is one of the countries most famous artists. He was a master of the "baroque", but was slowly disabled and probably by leprosy. When he lost his fingers he is said to have strapped tools to his hands.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7491/...61c4742a_c.jpgOuro Preto 37 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7538/...b231a754_c.jpgOuro Preto 91 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7559/...bb728a16_c.jpgOuro Preto 92 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7572/...af72dc27_c.jpgOuro Preto 93 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7572/...36549009_c.jpgOuro Preto 95 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8636/...440dea1b_c.jpgOuro Preto 97 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7531/...eb049938_c.jpgOuro Preto 98 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
The view of this small city is stunning. We stayed on the hillside opposite to enjoy the view and avoid too much driving on the very steep windy streets some of which have very large cobbles. A few of the little alleyway streets are at an incredible angle and are very rough. We did however ride over to the main or Tirandentes square and then explore the city on foot. There is a church in almost every direction you look.
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8642/...6f02dcb3_c.jpgOuro Preto 32 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8566/...fb7817a0_c.jpgOuro Preto 61 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7539/...86893493_c.jpgOuro Preto 63 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7549/...40bc3b9c_c.jpgOuro Preto 35 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8671/...04304f9f_c.jpgOuro Preto 30 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7535/...d1c3ce99_c.jpgOuro Preto 39 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8587/...85ce60eb_c.jpgOuro Preto 42 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8669/...372d5b77_c.jpgOuro Preto 40 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7498/...a34b976d_c.jpgOuro Preto 41 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7577/...c4a782b2_c.jpgOuro Preto 43 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7578/...8997ea5f_c.jpgOuro Preto 44 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8603/...47d3766e_c.jpgOuro Preto 45 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8610/...ca50f88c_c.jpgOuro Preto 60 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
We then rode up to the top of the hill to the ruins of the church there.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7568/...5a13f335_c.jpgOuro Preto 103 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7490/...ce46281e_c.jpgOuro Preto 101 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7577/...69ef7ee0_c.jpgOuro Preto 52 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8588/...6c23186f_c.jpgOuro Preto 47 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8616/...b43d91c7_c.jpgOuro Preto 54 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7553/...110fa7e1_c.jpgOuro Preto 55 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8631/...cf8045f2_c.jpgOuro Preto 53 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8622/...856c963e_c.jpgOuro Preto 48 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7468/...860b9bb3_c.jpgOuro Preto 49 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8655/...493a52b7_c.jpgOuro Preto 50 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8597/...e4a3fc5f_c.jpgOuro Preto 51 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7512/...24f4d2b6_c.jpgOuro Preto 56 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7496/...d7b10f90_c.jpgOuro Preto 59 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
There was a small bar just before you enter the old city and the small square across the street was crammed with tables and people. This was the action spot on a Wednesday night. Here we enjoyed some beer and food and the local style of Karaoke with different guys playing the guitar and singing. The bar is the new gold mine here.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7577/...d7456e74_c.jpgOuro Preto 66 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7546/...58232dcd_c.jpgOuro Preto 64 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Mina Chico Rei
Today we visited on of the old mines. This was about 1.2 km walk, but lucking not all up hill. The Cathedral in under renovation.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7486/...6d51c734_c.jpgOuro Preto 67 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr This mine’s tunnels and hand forged. The conditions for working here were unpleasant with the low roofs and the noise must have been incredible. Chico Rei or King Chico was another legendary person in Ouro Preto. The story is that he was an African King that was captured and enslaved to work in the gold mine. He apparently stashed small pieces of gold in his hair and saved enough to buy his own freedom and then the mine itself. He used the profits of the mine to buy the freedom of all the slaves. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7543/...1e6c4bea_c.jpgOuro Preto 69 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8631/...5d7e41a8_c.jpgOuro Preto 82 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7517/...3d3b771a_c.jpgOuro Preto 85 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7470/...4bc35de3_c.jpgOuro Preto 70 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7512/...8f5ea316_c.jpgOuro Preto 71 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7577/...cd040dcf_c.jpgOuro Preto 72 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7567/...6022f5b9_c.jpgOuro Preto 74 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8664/...d23c11f1_c.jpgOuro Preto 78 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8580/...217825d2_c.jpgOuro Preto 80 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8660/...1d841f86_c.jpgOuro Preto 81 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8667/...0e7193df_c.jpgOuro Preto 88 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Mariana
In the afternoon we rode to the nearby town of Mariana, which like Ouro Preto is colonial and there are many churches.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7577/...65ebdece_c.jpgScreen Shot 2014-12-18 at 12.39.01 PM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr The difference is the lack of tourists. Here also there are steep cobbled streets. You can visit the Cathedral for about a dollar and climb to the bell tower. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7486/...efa70cef_c.jpgOuro Preto 120 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7548/...7c321892_c.jpgOuro Preto 105 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7493/...8762d958_c.jpgOuro Preto 106 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7462/...1b14480e_c.jpgOuro Preto 107 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7569/...144064dd_c.jpgOuro Preto 111 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8643/...72d7e4a9_c.jpgOuro Preto 109 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7556/...9d6d9cc5_c.jpgOuro Preto 112 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8605/...64dd2ab8_c.jpgOuro Preto 113 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8613/...3f373377_c.jpgOuro Preto 114 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7512/...86f16bb2_c.jpgOuro Preto 115 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8582/...9b3fd43e_c.jpgOuro Preto 116 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr The hot trend in Brazil right now is Acai slush! https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7475/...5d60f5b4_c.jpgOuro Preto 117 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8648/...819efcd7_c.jpgOuro Preto 118 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Diamantina
We left Ouro Preto and again went north on the curvy mountain roads to the city of Diamantina, which in the 17 th century was part of the gold and diamond rush. It is also UNESCO site.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7568/...e76ee78a_o.pngScreen Shot 2014-12-17 at 9.45.04 PM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7547/...59bbf8d9_c.jpgDiamentina 4 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7522/...428914ba_c.jpgDiamentina 6 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr On route you pass a lot of open mines. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7495/...8ba6f2db_c.jpgDiamentina 5 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Here again there are very steep cobbled streets and when driving on them in traffic it can be a bit hairy.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7521/...180a71bb_c.jpgDiamentina 9 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7509/...f647f310_c.jpgDiamentina 13 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7486/...711aa3c1_c.jpgDiamentina 17 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr It is like the others a walking city. https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8603/...1cfc9727_c.jpgDiamentina 21 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7507/...bf49cd6c_c.jpgDiamentina 22 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7510/...afee3923_c.jpgDiamentina 25 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8561/...d1fc1c84_c.jpgDiamentina 28 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7477/...67bda953_c.jpgDiamentina 29 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7568/...4016ced6_c.jpgDiamentina 30 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7507/...a5219377_c.jpgDiamentina 31 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7468/...51fba09c_c.jpgDiamentina 33 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7498/...24b99413_c.jpgDiamentina 34 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7521/...4ec1b0f4_c.jpgDiamentina 35 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8645/...f43c601e_c.jpgDiamentina 46 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7462/...deb730dc_c.jpgDiamentina 48 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
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