The Trip back after 38 years The exPCVs in the group:
Pam Buck Lopes, Jack Murtaugh, Norm Graham, Doug Wade and three spouses Doreen Murtaugh, Toni Graham, and Meredith Wade A couple of weeks ago I wrote a short summary of our two week trip to Brazil last month. Here is a longer report to give a more complete picture of what Brazil looks like to ex- PCV's on a first trip back after 38 years and also, hopefully, inspire similar return trips.
There were seven of us - four who had served in satellite cities of Brasilia from 64 to 66, Pam Buck Lopes, Jack Murtaugh, Norm Graham, me and three of our spouses Doreen Murtaugh, Toni Graham, and Meredith Wade. Pam also lived in Brasilia when she served as the last Co-Director of Peace Corps Brazil with her husband Phil from 1978 to 1980. (Phil could not make the trip because he was elected last fall to the Arizona state legislature.) We others had not returned since we left in 1966 and our spouses had never been there. The four of us spent some time studying Portuguese so that we would have more opportunity to talk with the folks we met along the way.
My PCV partner. Lacey Gude, who used to own a travel agency specializing in Brazil and South America made the arrangements for us, which were excellent. She found nice hotels in each city and arranged for tour guides and drivers for about half of the time we were there, which worked out very nicely. She also made the arrangements for us to have four flights within Brazil at about $100 per trip using the program available to foreigners traveling within Brazil.
We were again impressed by Brazil's beauty, the friendliness and helpfulness of the people, their great music, their beautiful architecture, and the creativity of their jewelry. We saw many more European and Asian tourists than North Americans, which sadly reflects both our country's lack of interest in and knowledge about Brazil.
From a vantage point of 38 years we were able to see significant economic progress as well as a bright promise for the years to come. We also had experiences, that while they could have occurred in any country, were reminiscent of our time there in the 60's. I would estimate that costs for hotels, meals, taxis, etc were about 1/3 what they are in the US.
Meredith and I arrived in New York with reservation on a VARIG flight to Rio, but were told that the flight had been cancelled and we were being transferred to an American Airlines flight. When we arrived at the American desk we found that the flight was already filled so we returned to the VARIG desk and were them directed to Japanese Air which goes only to Sao Paulo. We arrived at about 7 in the morning and spent about an hour and a half in the regular customs line and then another hour in the line for Americans to be photographed and fingerprinted the way that Brazilian must now be upon entering the US. When we got through that line we made our way to the VARIG desk where we got vouchers for a bus to the local airport in Sao Paulo and tickets from there to Rio. When we got to the bus we found it would not start and discovered several folks pushing it in hopes of giving it a jump start. After that effort failed they moved our baggage to the bus that was waiting to go on the next trip. We got across town successfully, caught our plane to Rio, and arrived at our hotel on Ipanema Beach about the same time as we would have if we had been on the original schedule.
We spent four days in Rio, seeing among other sites Corcovado, Pao de Acucar, Niteroi with its new bridge, and the Tijuca Forest, which is written up in the March issue of National Geographic. We also stopped at the renovated Hotel Florida and took some pictures which we will send to Gene for the web site. Coming down the hill from Corcovado we met a lovely Brazilian woman who was on her first vacation to Rio. She had migrated from the Northeast to Goiana with three of siblings and found a job with long hours in a "supermercado." She said she was on her first vacation in three years, however, she was clearly grateful for the opportunities that had opened up to her by leaving the Northeast. Four of us went to an English speaking Anglican service on Sunday and met several bi-national families who were coping, but with some frustrations, with life in Rio. In Brazilian fashion we joined one couple for lunch at a local restaurant. On Ipanema Beach we had the only truly unfortunate experience when the Murtaughs had a bag snatched by three guys who ran by. No one was hurt as they were only interested in what might be in the bag. The beach had all of the excitement and beauty that we remembered, but also lots of vendors selling all manner of beach supplies including a cup of coffee with a single cigarette.
We then flew to Salvador where we spent four days in a small pousada with an ocean view in the Rio Vermelho section. We spent time in Pelourinho where we heard some wonderful music on Tuesday night, and saw some nice churches and interesting museums. We also visited the Cidade Alta, Cidade Baixa, a comdoble community, a music and dance concert of comdomble, Nossa Senhora do Bomfim church, and some nice art museums. Our guide recommended a good source of jewelry and my wife found a nice bracelet made of 12 Brazilian stones.
We spent a night in Belo Horizonte on the way to a short visit to Congonhas and two days in Ouro Preto. Congonhas has several beautiful statutes made by Aleijadinho. Ouro Preto has several beautiful churches, and many nice jewelry stores where we found some nice souvenirs of the trip for ourselves and family members back home. The city has several very steep streets that are paved with stones so one needs very good walking shoes. We learned a great deal about Tiradentes the martyr of the struggle for independence.
We then flew to Brasilia for our last four days. Norm and Toni stayed in Planatino with a friend he had know from the 60's and the rest of us stayed in a downtown hotel. Once again we were very impressed with the architecture and the city layout. We spent one day with a driver and guide exploring the satellite city of Taguatinga where Pam, Jack, and I had worked. The city has grown dramatically since we left. Virtually all of the houses in the 60's were made of wood and did not have electricity or running water. Now the houses are all cement with tile roofs. There are several building that extend to five or more stories and the city has a major industrial park, and a university. It still serves as a bedroom community for people who work in Brasilia, though it is clear that many people both live and work in the city. We had quite a hard time finding where we had lived and worked. However, by driving up and down several streets and showing 38 year old pictures to people on the street we were able to make contact with several of the people we lived and worked with. We also found a person who said that she and her siblings used the playground that we helped the local civic association to build. I was especially pleased to make contact with the 14 year old son of the family that fixed my meals for two year. We had corresponded for a few years after I left Brazil, but had lost contact. He is now a successful banker with the Caixa Economica and travels around the country helping local communities manager development loans that are provided by the bank. Meredith and I had a wonderful dinner with him and his wife and family on the last evening we were there and have begun a renewed correspondence with him.
Norm and Toni Graham enjoyed their four days with his friend Edmundo. They also visited the site of the Federal prison where he worked.
Our trip back was long, but uneventful. We had a layover in Rio, which we had though we would use for one last trip into the city, but because of a strike being carried out by the Federal police we were advised to stay in the airport so we could get through screening in time. We heard stories of American travelers, both before and after our trip who missed their flights back. During the final layover in Sao Paulo I had a conversation with a Brazilian woman who lives in Columbus, Ohio and works for the Public Teachers Retirement Fund. She recommends and manages the Brazilian portion of the fund's investments. It was a nice reminder to me that there is recognition within in some parts of the United States that Brazil has a strong economy and is major player in the world's economy today.
This has turned out to be longer than I had expected, but I hope it gives those of you who haven't been for a while a little better idea of how Brazil looks to seven recent visitors. I hope it will also encourage you to make a trip back again so you can see how the wonderful country has grown since our PC days. This certainly was one of nicest vacations I have ever had.
Doug Wade
April 2004
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