Paraty - historical city with beautiful beaches

Paraty, in Rio de Janeiro - Brazil

Built between the sea and the mountains, Paraty is one of the most fantastic destinations of the Brazilian coast.

Founded in the sixteenth century, the city preserves until today a remarkable architectonical set, built by the sea and hobbled by IPHAN (Institute of Historical and Artistic Heritage National), with narrow streets, cobbled old, made of stones and irregular beautiful colonial houses.

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Natal - the corner of America

Ponta Negra Beach in Natal - Brazil

The location of Natal already have yielded some color full of admiration and enthusiasm.

The city, which is nearest the coast of Africa that of São Paulo, is very developed during World War II, when served as a base for the allied troops, as defined by the Department of War of the United States as "one of the four points the world's most strategic, "along with Suez, Gibraltar and Bosporus.

Crucial, both for the defense of the South Atlantic, as for resumption of North Africa, the end of the Great War, the corner of the continent won the nickname of the Trampoline Win.

But it is with a nickname and more peaceful Natal that better identifies itself, and it was also by the work and grace of its special geographical position that the capital of Rio Grande do Norte received the title of the Sun City.

A name quite fair for a city that receives more than two million tourists and 300 days of sunshine per year. In the southern coast, 14 km from the center of Natal, is a beautiful beach of Ponta Negra, with a small bay of white sand, where the Morro do Careca, of 120 meters high, is one of the best known of the postcards city.

It is from Ponta Negra that begins to call Way of the Sun, with beaches and much more quietly beautiful as those of North Pirangi and South Pirangi, Parnamirim, Buzios and Barra de Tabatinga.

In North Pirangi, in addition to natural pools that, at low tide, are formed in less than 1 km from the coast, tourists will know the biggest tree in the world, a rare natural phenomenon, in which a single tree, more than a hundred years of age, occupies an area of 8,500 m².

In the opposite direction, toward the north, is the Parque das Dunas, another work of nature. Considered Environmental Heritage of Humanity, the Parque das Dunas involves the center of the city, along the Coastal Route, an area of approximately 1,172 hectares.

It is the second largest Urban Forest Park in Brazil, outpaced only by the forest of Tijuca, in Rio de Janeiro. Built on sand dunes between the Rio arid and Atlantic coast, in the midst of lagoons and lush vegetation native, is not at random that Natal, in 1994, received from NASA (the North American Space Agency) another title: the More Clean Air of the Americas.



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Beaches of Curuípe and Espelho - the paradise in Bahia

Espelho Beach in Curuípe - Bahia

Among Trancoso and Caraíva, at the mouth of the stream Curuípe, a former village of fishermen houses two of the most beautiful jewels of the Brazilian coast: the paradisiacal beaches of Curuípe and Espelho (Mirror).

Thanks to reefs, which provide water quietly, warm and crystalline, with many natural pools, and the typical edge-Card postcard, full of coconut trees and cliffs, the real treasures of southern Bahia achieved international fame.

Moreover, thanks to the difficulties of access, done on the road precarious, and the awareness of residents, the place is still very well preserved, with its lush Atlantic Forest and the vegetation of sandbank, and mangrove wetlands in the midst of cliffs tone white and red.

By reforming the old houses of fishermen, there was a clear choice to maintain the original characteristics, enhancing the simplicity and ruggedness, with great charm and good taste.

The access to this marvel is also protected by a sophisticated condominium, the Outeiro das Brisas, with pousadas, houses of high standard and several options for recreation.

Besides Curuípe Beach, and the Beach of Espelho, there are others that deserve to be visited, as the beautiful Outeiro Beach and Amor (Love) Beach (or Setiquara), where the walks for the edge, taking advantage of the low tide, yield walks Soho.

In Curuípe, some hotels and guest-houses are not boast of offering television and warn the guests that there your phone is not "catch". Just watch the birth of the sun reflected in the mirror to discover Beach have all reason.

Curuípe is a special place within the peculiar and dazzling on the Discovery Coast, 25 kilometers from Trancoso and 12 km of Caraíva. A place made for rest and find the nature in all its splendor.

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The miracle of Humpback whales reproduction

Seven of the eight species of whales with fins (lengths rows of bristles in place of the teeth) existing around the world, occurring in the coast of Brazil: the blue whale, the whale-franca, the whale-fin, the whale - sei, the whale-of-Bryde, the minke whale and the Humpback whale.

In studies of the Humpback Whale, between the months of July and November, approximately 6,000 whales migrate every year from sub-Antarctic waters in search of mild temperature of the Brazilian coast for forage and give birth to a single puppy from the Rio Grande do Norte to Rio de Janeiro.

The region is where the greatest concentration of Humpback whales for breeding and feeding is the Abrolhos Archipelago, in the south of Bahia, thanks to its warm water, and just quietly profound.

To protect the delicate cycle of life, were established some regulations for the so-called Whalewatching, which is tourism back to the observation of whales.

The Humpback Whale Project organizes lectures, trying to guide the owners and crews of ships engaged in this type of tourism, in order to prevent the approximation of newborn calves, very sensitive to noise of the engines.

To stop breastfeeding, the boats interfere in the effort for the preservation of a species known for their docile temperament and peaceful, where the females, slightly larger than the males, enough to reach 16 meters in length and weigh 40 tonnes.

Despite the size, this fascinating animal is capable of performing incredible stunts, both inside and away from the water, the tourists with fun jumps and exposure of the head, tail and be, which tend to reach almost one third of the length of the body.

Quite vulnerable to predatory action of man, the global population of Humpback whales, which was estimated at around 150,000 people, after the indiscriminate hunting has been reduced to only 25 thousand, distributed across the planet.

Without an effective control of the rules of elephant, the increase in tourism could cause, as has happened in some places in the world, even the abandonment of the region as Abrolhos area of reproduction.

To that never occurs, know and support the vital work of the Humpback Whale.

CowParade in Rio de Janeiro

CowParade in Rio de Janeiro

When the plastic Swiss artist Pascal Knapp described CowParade the day for the first time, in the center of Zurich in 1998, perhaps even imagination that his idea had size range.

After he sold the copyright to the North American lawyer Jerry Elbaum, saw the project, the principle established as an alternative to the exhibition of works of art in galleries and museums, can be installed in various cities around the mundo.

The organizers of the CowParade Holdings Corporation, tell more than 4,000 cows have been carved in fiber glass and painted in different ways, raising more than eleven million dollars for social projects.

After passing through New York, London, Tokyo, Paris, Sao Paulo and 29 other cities, in September as "Cowriocas" will invade the "Wonderful City".

To the Rio CowParade, were selected 120 works by guest artists, receiving thousand reais, cache, as well as material to perform his work.

Businesses sponsor pay a quota of 35 thousand reais for each of the 120 cows, that the end of the exhibition, will be auctioned in a benefit event in support of Social Work of the City of Rio de Janeiro.

Some people are against the project, and say that art is just an excuse to put more advertising in the middle of disputadíssimo urban space.

Others believe that the work can be used to "critical interventions." When the controversy exhibition was mounted in Belo Horizonte, for example, three sculptures were targets of demonstrations. Cows "Cowburguer", "Gold" and "Mazoca" were pichadas with suggestive phrases: "fetish", "is vegetarian" and "buy my pain."

Matheus Felipe Dias, student of the course design and creator of the University Fumec the cow "Mazoca" rather than be offended by the violation of his work, has an interesting reflection:

"I think these speeches very valid. A talent that passes an ideal is not a vandalism, is a way to pass your idea. If cows have the right to be in the streets, why people would not have the right to express through them? . "

The Seven Wonders of Nature

The Dunes of National Park Jericoacoara, in Ceara

As had been previously announced, the New7Wonders launched the competition for competitors to indicate New Seven Wonders of the Natural World.

The information will be recorded until August 8, 2008, when a team of specialists choose only 21 finalists.

Of these 21 wonderful works of nature, a world wide vote will elect the new Seven Natural Wonders, between sites, landscapes and monuments not created or significantly altered by human actions.

Phenomena such as Aurora Boreal, the current Gulf of Mexico and the stars ABC may not participate in the competition.

The wonder of nature can be an animal reserve, a steep, Swedish, Cave, cave, coast, cliff, forest or woodlands. A geological area, a glacier, mountain volcano, rock, natural park, an oasis or desert.

A region prehistoric or sub-marina, a reef, lake, pond, river, sea or some kind of falling-water. In this preliminary stage, may be indicated several candidates.

Brazil has several assets and disseminate our natural wonders can help preserve them and to develop a sustainable eco-tourism. To participate, just as you enter the site or New7Wonders here.

The Blue Brazil already has 07 initial indications, all on the coast or 200 km of coastline:

Marine National Park of Fernando de Noronha - Pernambuco

Atlantic Forest Reserves of the coast of Discovery-Bahia and Espirito Santo

National Park of Lençóis Maranhenses - Maranhão

Marine National Park of Abrolhos - Bahia

National Park Jericoacoara - Ceará

Reserves of Atlantic Forest of Southeast-Sao Paulo and Parana

National Park of Serra da Capivara - Piauí

The Wonders of Brazil Blue

Although it is best known for its natural beauty, Brazil has several monuments of great historical and artistic expression.

There are many old buildings, modern architectural sets, sculptures, castles, fortresses, palaces, churches, parks and archaeological sites, which deserves to be visited.

Considering only the Blue Brazil, or a strip of land with 200 km in width, extended from north to the coast, plus the maritime territory (which, in some points, moving slightly beyond the 370 km of the Platform Continental), we select some the most beautiful and important works built by man.

Following the mold of the competition promoted by New7wonders, which elected the Christ Redeemer as one of the Seven Wonders of the New World, also used in a similar vote held in Portugal, gathered in alphabetical order, 77 Wonders of Brazil Blue.

See what are (in portuguese) >

The Letter of Mestre João

Sea View of the National Park of Monte Pascoal, in the south of Bahia

One of the most famous documents of our history is the Letter of Pero Vaz de Caminha addressed to the King of Portugal, Dom Manuel.



Called by brazilian historian Capistrano de Abreu as the Certificate of Birth of Brazil, the lengthy and luxuriant post of Caminha, initiated the April 25 and completed on 1 May 1500, was lost for nearly three centuries, to be rediscovered in on February 19, 1773, by Jose Seabra da Silva, guard-mor of the Archive of the Tower of Tombo in Lisbon.



The original letter only came to public, with its full content, in 1853, because, in a previous edition, in 1817, the priest Manuel Aires the couple, responsible for the publication, decided disable the document history, blaming "excerpts least accordance with the decorum ."



A letter less well known, however, of Mestre João (Master John), scientist accompanying the expedition, Pedro Alvares Cabral, is invaluable to the clarification of the true paternity of achamento of Brazil. Matches, so to speak, a kind of examination of DNA, indicating that there is 99% likelihood of Cabral is not the legitimate father of the child.



This critical document, filed in the same tower of Tombo, Portugal, it was found by one of the greatest historians Brazilians, Adolfo Francisco, Varnhagen, that the published for the first time in 1834.



Reading the letter of Master John, it is clear that the discovery of Brazil was not casual, and the former is April 22, 1500.



Read the Letter of Mestre João King Dom Manuel (in portuguese)>

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original text translated by the Google translator