Print

    BRAZILIAN ODYSSEY PART IV - AMAZON AND OLINDA

    Written by: Dr. Dushka H. Saiyid
    Posted on: May 13, 2013 | | 中文

    Ceramic plates as decoration

    THE AMAZON

    Our flight from Cuiaba made two stopovers before we reached Manaus, the access town for the Amazon in the north-west of Brazil. From Manaus it was another hour of drive and boat ride to our lodge, deep on the river.

    The lodge consisted of a line of wooden huts built on stilts, to save it from the floods when the rainy season sets, with hammocks on their small decks with a full view of the mighty Amazon. The place was infested with mosquitoes and insects, especially as the rainy season was about to begin; without mosquito nets, sleep would have been impossible. Our trip to the forest, which was not half as dense as we expected, and for fishing, revealed stunning views but little or no wildlife. While no anaconda leapt out of the water at us, we successfully caught many piranhas. Our guide reminded us that if anybody fell into the water with a cut or wound, these little creatures would devour the unfortunate person in minutes.

    A four year old cutting tapioca

    A visit to see a family of native Indians was instructive. Living in a simple hut, they were busy peeling tapiocas, a staple food for the locals. To our amazement, a kid not older than four years of age handled the knife deftly and helped with the peeling. The mother had about a dozen children and this was her latest husband. Our guide informed us that courtesy Lula, electricity had reached such remote corners of Brazil as this hut, and transformed the lives of the poor. The state was also responsible for ferrying children living in such remote areas to the nearest school.

    Bolivar in a wall painting

    OLINDA

    We flew into Recife, on the northeast coast, and then drove to its neighboring town, Olinda. It is one of the best-preserved colonial towns in Brazil, whose historic center was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982. It is an artists’ colony, brimming with artisans’ workshops and artists’ galleries. This small town is perched on a hill, with brightly painted small town houses tumbling onto its narrow cobbled streets. Since Olinda is on a hill, the views of the sea and Recife down below are stunning. Murals are painted on walls and houses; one wall had a mural of Bolivar, a pavement had a picture of Lula. Olinda is rich in handicrafts, especially figures of animals and birds carved in wood, their prices varying with the size of the piece. I lost my heart to a large wooden macaw, but unfortunately it was too heavy to carry back.

    Interior of the restaurant
    Mamulengos

    The architecture and decoration of the buildings is unique, dating back to the sixteenth and seventeenth century: antique décor, rich colours, old woodwork combined with some modern architectural touches. A restaurant famed for its food, had turquoise painted twigs covering its ceiling, and another room had local ceramic plates covering its walls right up to the ceiling. Our Pousada do Amparo had a small glass square in the centre of the wooden floor with a flower growing under the glass, and the dining area was a deep verandah overlooking a garden full of tropical plants and a small pool.

    We went exploring and discovered a music school in an amphitheater at the back of a building; people lounged and listened to the music as the students practiced supervised by a teacher. Museu do Mamulengo, with about a thousand puppets, was just a little further down the road. Mamulengos or puppet theater was an important form of popular entertainment in the northeast of Brazil; the puppets in the museum represented characters from Brazilian society, myths and religion: witch doctors, priests, slaves and slave owners, demons and the devil itself. This is said to be the largest puppet museum in Latin America.

    Music in Olinda

    In the evening we followed the crowds to a square where a concert was in session. The stage was set high, complete with lights and musical instruments. People stood in groups chatting, while a few found some chairs. Groups played some music and warmed up the crowd; an eighty year old, dressed in red, joined the audience and held the attention of the crowd as she danced with abandon. But the crowning glory of the evening was this wizened 90 year old, who took the audience by storm and celebrated her birthday by a virtuoso performance on the flute. While she sat on a chair, a younger group of musicians accompanied her; they circled around her, playing with zest and encouraging her every note, and finally crouched down as a final tribute to her. The crowd swayed and clapped, enthralled by the zest and virtuosity of this lady. We were lucky to have experienced this magical evening, our last in Olinda.

    Click to view picture gallery


    RELATED ARTICLES:

    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021