Brazil’s Coca Cola Rivers

Hello there. It might seem like I am typing this to you from my normal seat (you know, the one at the table in the dining room), but that is actually a cleverly constructed illusion. In reality I am miles away. In another state no less. That’s right, I am finally going to Minas Gerais, Brazil’s state of Cheese and Cachaça (that’s not the official state logo, those are just the two things I’m most excited about).

Though in reality, that is also a bit of an illusion (OK, let’s drop this ‘illusion’ talk, it’s a lie, a straight out lie). Because I am in my normal seat in the dining room as I type this, but using the power of delayed publishing (I set a time in the future for this post to be automatically published), when you read this I will be in Minas Gerais. Basically I’m going to be away from Computer-Land for a while, so I’m writing a post before I go away. Everyone clear on that? Great.

The plan is to spend the New Year holiday in Ibitipoca (sounds like i-bitchy-POCK-a). Ibitipoca, or more properly Parque Estadual do Ibitipoca, is a forest park created back in 1973 and covering 1,488 hectares. You have to buy a ticket to enter the park and the number of visitors is limited to 300 per day. You can camp (we will be) and apparently these numbers are limited also.

That’s a LOT of Coca Cola…

 

I’m saying all this like I have a clue, but of course I’ve never been. However, my research tells me that the main attractions (apart from it not being full of 2 million revellers) are caves, mountains and waterfalls. When I did some image searching it seemed to me that all the water was a very curious shade of brown, whilst remaining extremely clear. I mentioned this to my wife and she said, “Oh yes, we call this Rio Coca Cola” – (Coca Cola River).

So, I’ll take my camera and I’ll try to take some notes and when I get back I will be able to tell you all about it. I will also tell you about all the delicious cheese and cachaça I will no doubt consume. Enjoy your celebrations tonight and good luck with the hangovers tomorrow.

This is what happens when you shake the bottle for too long…

Tchau to 2011, a rather difficult year – Olá to 2012, may it be a good one! 

5 replies
  1. The Gritty Poet
    The Gritty Poet says:

    The last time I was in Minas I sang these verses to the locals as a sign of appreciation towards their homeland -“Oh Minas Gerais, Oh Minas Gerais, quem te conheçe prefere Goiás, Oh Minas Gerais”-. They were not impressed. This just goes to show that I really should take vocal exercises seriously because my singing just isn’t up to par.

    Reply
  2. The Gritty Poet
    The Gritty Poet says:

    – “quem te conheçe prefere Goiás”

    – “This just goes to show that I really should take vocal exercises seriously because my singing just isn’t up to par.”

    Nor is my spelling it seems: it’s Conhece, not Conheçe .
    Oh how I loathe thee C-cedilha :-(

    Reply
  3. tomlemes
    tomlemes says:

    Alex, I had a great time thanks!

    Ana, I can believe it. It was frustrating that we were there for such a short time and that we basically just saw one place. But having tasted the food, which seemed generally far better than what I’ve had in Rio, I will definitely be going back!

    Gritty, how curious that they weren’t impressed with your song… I’m sure it was just your delivery.

    Reply

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