Ouro Preto & Easter weekend

The 8th weekend of my stay in Brazil we went to Ouro Preto. The whole trip was organized by the ambassadors. It was a really nice trip, with a bus at 7 o'clock we drove for 3 hours to Ouro Preto! We stopped right in the center of Ouro Preto at a big square. After everybody went to the toilet 😌, we took some group pictures. Together with the exchange students 4 ambassadors joined us. 

I say it again, you all where fantastic.
The group made it the more memorable!

Tiradentes & Museu da Inconfidencia

We decided to hire a guide, unfortunately for the Dutch he only spoke Portuguese. But thanks to the good rendition of the ambassadors (👉Saulo & Mateus👈) we understood the story of Ouro Preto. So it appears, Ouro Preto used to be the capital of Brazil but when the gold depleted it stopped. As I remember correctly, Ouro Preto has around 400 gold mines. Nowadays only a few are still open for gold digging, but only very small amounts are collected. We were standing at the big square, in the middle was a big statue with on top Tiradentes. Tiradentes was one of the important figures who was fighting for a independent Brazilian Republic. Because Brazil used to be a colony of Portugal. Tiradentes was arrested, hanged and beheaded in the center of the town square. It is said that is head was put on a spike in the center of the square. 100 years later they placed the statue at that place (with his back to the governmental building and looking to the "Museu da Inconfidencia" which is a museum for independence). His date of death is now a national holiday (21 april). From the square we started the tour to the Igreja de São Francisco de Assis. It was a church in Portuguese architecture and was designed for the poorer people of Ouro Preto. The poorer people lived on the left side of the square, the rich on the right. All the details and art of this church which took 40 years to build was made by the great Brazilian architect and sculptor Antônio Francisco Lisboa. 

Igreja de São Francisco de Assi

Here we also had a beautiful view over Ouro Preto and further. We took many pictures and after those who were interested entered the church. It wasn't alowed to take pictures inside. Other than you are used to in churches this church hadn't much gold. Most of the church interiour was wood made (even the roof). The roof had a beautiful painting and upfront the altar there was a priest pop holding a skull. After this church we headed to gold mines.

I must honestly say, that the mines were far more less than I expected. But notheless it was interesting and fun to do. There isn't much to tell about it as I rememberd. 

From the mines we went for lunch, because (non)gold digging awakens the hunger 😋. After lunch we continued to Casa dos contos, this was a building where the measured the amount of gold digged. Also, this was the place where they melted the gold. It was a free museum, with a complete collection of all the coins and banknotes from Brazilian history. 
From here we headed to a second church. This time a church more ment for the rich people. Again it wasn't allowed to take photos (but when you google the names you will find plenty to give a impression). This church was called Igreja Matriz de Nossa Senhora do Pilar. 

The tour was running to its end, as a final stop we went to the Feira de Pedra Sabão (market). Here I bought some souvenirs and we rested till it was time to head back to the bus. Because we wanted music, but the bus did had music option Mateus played for quite some time on his guitar (well played Mateus!).

Ouro Preto was on Saturday, the Sunday after I went together with Victor (from the forest walk) and Katinka to a (free) movie event. Unfortunally there was rain predicted (not true) and was the movie inside. Otherwise it was outside on the grass from UFV. The movie that was played was "The Kings of Summer", it was a funny movie. After the movie we stayed for a short while at the forró which was just across the streat. 

The ambassadors also arrange from time to time, cultural presentation talks. I'm feeling really sorry, I couldn't go to the first one about Colombia presented by the Colombian girls 💪. But now it was time for the second one about Mozambique, it was in Portuguese and I couldn't understand much of it. But then the Vlisco cloths came by, Viva la Helmond! 😇

At the same day there was an other presentation part of an other program, the Celine talks about the culture of the United States of America. Who would have expected that I will learn things about USA in Brazil. This talk was about the beauty standards for both man and women in the USA. I liked the talk, only at the last part it was a bit unnecessary serious.

Then a long weekend started, Thursday was a holiday only in Viçosa, Friday was good Friday, etc. First I wish you all a good Easter! I didn't do much on Thursday, only have practiced my Portuguese with a gardener of the DEA. At Friday I had difficulties writing the blog, but luckily Micael was there to save me. He invited me for coffee at his place, together with Lucas, Paula and Samy we had a great afternoon. When we headed back home I ended up in a procession for good Friday. It was a bit grimly, it was already dark, most people carried a candle and while I tried to move through (impossible) I saw more in front man carrying Maria (I think) guarded by man dressed in Roman soldiers. 

Next day I went with a group to the Christ the Redeemer statue in Viçosa. It sounded a bit tensive at first, we had to go through the "favelas" of Viçosa. Interesting to see, there where even horses on the streat. But it wasn't as bad as I expected, also we didn't went really deep into it. It was just a short part through. The climb through the favela and to the statue was really steap but every step was worth the view.

And when you turn around you see Christ guarding the city, with his arms open protecting everyone in his range, with his face towards the poorer part of the city. This is just a foretaste of the real Christ in Rio de Janeiro which I surely will visit!


















Other than we have in the Netherlands, in Brazil they only have 1 Easter day (not 2). With Easter I have tested the recipe for the blog, I cooked it together with Micael and together with Diego, Paula and Samanda we had a great lunch. Paula and Samanda fried some sweet patato and Micael also prepared some rice in a Brazilian way. 

So Micael and I cooked "Caldo de mandioca", mandioca is known as cassava. It is a typical Brazilian recipe, in Brazil it was meant more for the poorer people. It used to be the mean food for the slaves in the time Brazil had slaves. It is a nutrician reach dish and was easy to prepare. Nowadays it is still a cheap dish. I came up with this recipe because I discovered it when I had diner at the Restaurant of the University (RU). I really liked it and was figuring out how to prepare it. Lucky me, Micael was willing to help me, even though he never cooked it before. So below you will find the recipe, and as I know it can be difficult to find cassava root in the Netherlands (I know AH sells it). Also, I guess you can try to replace the cassava with sweet potato.

Caldo de Mandioca
Ingredients: 
- 1 kg cassava root;
- 10 - 20 g vegetable stock;
- Oil;
- Water;
- Pepper and salt;
- 1 onion;
- 3 garlic cloves;
- 1 bell pepper;
- 3 tomatoes;
- 2 leaves of wild cabbage;
- 2 spring onions.

Preparation:
1. Peel the cassava root and cut it in large peaces.
2. Cook the cassava in a pan with enough water. (tip: you can use a pressure cooker to speed up a bit) The cassava is ready for further preparation when you can easily prick in with your fork.
3. While the cassava is cooking, you can cut the onion, tomatoes, cabbage and the spring onions into small peaces, also press the garlic cloves. 
4. When cassava is done, pick out the cassava chunks and put half of the amount into a blender or bowl. Blend or puree them with the boiling water of the cassava till desired thickness. Cut the other half amount of cassava into smaller peaces. 
5. Fry the onion and garlic, add the sliced bell pepper and tomatoes later.
6. Put the sliced and fried vegetables together with the cassava puree in a pan and heat it up. Mix it well and add the vegetable stock.
7. Add the sliced cassava to the pan. Mix it well.
8. Add the sliced cabbage and mix well again.
9. If necessary bring to taste with pepper and salt. 
10. When warm enough the Caldo de Mandioca is ready.
11. Serve on a plate with the sliced spring onion as a garnish. 

Bom apetite!

Foi uma grande Páscoa, obrigado a todos!

Sunday night I went as usual to forró. And I must say, I really start to like having the stray dogs around. During forró they just lie between forró dancing people. And some are keeping you company while sitting on a couch. 

Ending the easter weekend with a forró is never a bad end 💃