on saturday afternoon, my dad asked me: ariana, you wanna go to Ouro Preto right now?
so just like that, we got into the car and left for a city named after its "Black Gold"
we arrived in Ouro Preto, just me and my father, and i instantly fall in love.
this smalll litttle adorable city nestled on a mountian side, stone streets that are so narrow that i am surprise we made it through. It was almost like Europe, almost like Greece (without the sea) but in Brasil so its obviously bettter
we drive through the city, bouncing around in the front seat with my mouth agap.
there are 22 churches in Ouro Preto
everywhere you look, there is a church to your left, to your right, behind you, beside you, in front ontop of the hilll. this made it diffficult with taking pictures cause i was like: "oooh! loook. how beauitful. woah, wait, look at that. can you stop for a litttle? no no, go i see another."
twenty-two historical churches that were built and dedicated from the inside out to honor a Christian figure that has changed everything, Jesus Christ.
amazing
we went into one where it was all gold.
the walls. the ceiling. the altar.
amazing
it was like the church in Salvador where i promised to get married in.
linda.linda.linda (beauitful)
we pass through the town square where, just like in the 18th century, it was used as social purposes. people sitting on the steps reading, mother's going to the bakery, children playing in the road. so cute !
in the midddle of town square is a monument dedicated to Tiradentes. i didnt exactly understand the story, but for whatever reason, this man was be-headed and his head sits in that monument. i found that rather odd and didnt want to ponder the issue much further.
while driving through town square, my father is stopped by a local tour guide, asking if he would like a guide of the famous Ouro Preto.
sure, come on in, stranger.
so the guys are talking and then my father (so proudly) says that i am from pennsylvania (my family/friends always introduce me that way, like all the brasilians know where pennsylvania is or something. why not just say US? no no, she is from pennsylvania)
the tour guide is in shock
"ohmygosh are you famous? you have been on a soap opera there, i know it. you have a face of a model. do you walk the runways with Gisele Bundchen?"
thankyou, mister, for your kind words, but no i am not famous.
we traveled to an even smaller city, Mariana, which was just close by but we passed through the local University. this university is famous for the parties, alcohol, and drugs. being a small town, of course things get a little outta hand.
we drove through around 5pm on a saturday afternoon, almost 80% of the young people had a cup of beer in their hand, just walking around, looking for the next party. i do not lie.
alot of the older people know and just kinda laugh about it. "Ohh, Ouro Preto. That place is crazy!"
but you would not send your child there to study.
while in Mariana, we went to this place where they mined gold, back in the days.
we put on hard helments and entered this tunnel where the walllls where short and narrow.
i now know that i do not like small spaces.
i couldnt enjoy myself as much as i wanted to cause i was silently planning my escape routine if things went bad.
we traveled back into Ouro Preto, wondering through the narrow streets, climbing up and down and almost twisting ankles cause of the sidewalk, realizing that Ouro Preto is amazingly beauitful and if (when) i come back to Brasil with family or friends with me, i would SO take them to this tiny town that is unbelievable.
i left Ouro Preto, loving Ouro Preto, loving Brasil (even more) loving this experience, loving this person that is standing next to me, and loving the person that i am becoming.
