To much backlight..... ?

Sometimes there is a surprise among your pictures; to much "backlight". In most cases you didn't want it that way. At other times it creates a fascinating "world of silhouettes". A picture with no or little detail makes one look at a subject in a different way.

Itaguá beach - Ubatuba

I remember at school, translating from classic Greek, Plato's allegory of the cave. It took us weeks, so I didn't get the clue of the story at that time. Later when I read a translation (that made sense...) I understood that the prisoners, normal human beings like us, looking to the silhouettes on the wall considered this as reality.... Only the philosopher could see and understand the "real real world". Well I am not a philosopher!

Itaguá beach - Ubatuba 

Itaguá beach - Ubatuba

Being at the seaside in the evening, when there is not enough light, also many pictures turn out to be mere silhouettes. 

The seller of "cocadas" (cocos cookies) goes home......

Enseada beach - Ubatuba

The boy and the girl are still playing.....

Walking back before sunset....

In Brazil the sun goes down quickly and for some people a little to early....

Lazaro beach - Ubatuba

Spot on the Tropic of Capricorn.

Ilha das Couves

Ubatuba (state of São Paulo, Brazil) is known for its fantastic beaches but also for the fact that it is the spot where the Tropic of Capricorn enters the mainland of Latin America. I remember seeing Michael Palin on TV being there, showing a tiny plaque.  

It took some discovering to find the right spot. There is a large monument further down the road halfway the Itaguá beach. Next time we will try to visit that place. This time the heat was too “tropical”….

The plaque is just next to the river, the Rio Grande, in front of the most "grand", but derelict, building of Ubatuba; the Casarão do Porto. This was built in 1846 and used in relation to the harbor until 1890. Then it was left by the owners, who went to Rio, as the harbor of Santos took over from Ubatuba. In the 20th century it came to the state and had different functions. Now it is closed. It looked worse than some years ago. On the edge of the roof you can just see the two Majolica vases that are left. There must have been at least 6. 

Casarão do Porto

It is a pity that sometimes there is so little interest or possibility in keeping the history of the old cities of Brazil alive. 

Ubatuba has some pretty buildings, but it is hard to find them between the raging tourist trade. 

Ubatuba church and bandstand

We noticed some strange code on the little plaque - TCL114-13. Looking on the internet it refers to site about boxes (TCL114-13). When there is a box.... then the next question is: What is in there??? No answers yet.

Looking south

Looking north

Back again to the Tropic of Capricorn. North of this line are the tropics. On the 21 of December the sun turns at this spot and starts going north again. Even when I took this picture (Januari 2) the sun is still straight above our heads. There is very little shade. Look at the lamppost or at the huge pylon that holds the electricity cables.... no shade!!!

Looking south

Looking north

I took a picture of somebody walking there (north of the Capricorn)... Just a small blob of shade. Ample evidence that we are in the tropics….. 

You can imagine that around Christmas and the New Year, it is extremely hot to be in a car (without airco) in the queue to and from the beaches like a large part of the people of São Paulo that come to Ubatuba during the Christmas holidays. Yes everybody goes home at the same time!! 7 kilometers in 2 hours! At a temperature of 41 C.  

Then even south of the Tropic it sure feels like the tropics. Ahh let's stay on the beach.....

Perequê Açú  (Ubatuba - SP)

A bodega named "A Bodega"

In the  Serra de Mantiqueira mountains, on the road to Campos de Jordão, north west of São Paulo in Brazil, lies the little village of San Antonio de Pinhal.

It is a holiday village. Lots of hotels, pousadas, restaurants, and bars. Also lots and lots of artesanatos, the small craft shops that the Brazilians are very fond of. It is hard though to find one that sells other things than their neighbors.

Many Paulistas go here in the weekends not only for food and scenery, but also because at the height of 1143 meters it is much cooler than down in the valleys.

Friends were showing me the countryside in that region and around 2 in the afternoon it was time to visit the "A Bodega". The owners of this place produce and sell cashassa, a distilled strong drink made from sugar cane.  It is the main ingredient, besides the juice of small green limes and sugar of the famous national Brazilian drink; Caipirinha.

The light was shining trough the bottles with different fruits (for different tastes). The bottle that said "viagra" was a deep glossy red.

Nothing as tempting as nice shiny bottles in warm colours. It was alowed to taste the different cashassa's.

As the male section of our party went to sample the different varieties, I spend some time looking around. Taking pictures and walking in the garden. This was amazing. I haven't seen many places in Brazil that looked so clean and cared for.

Outside they have a nice green lawn. A lawn is something very special her. Besides selling plants there was (of course!!) an artesanato.

After some time the afternoon was already almost gone. The women had some "refrigerantes" (soft drinks) someone had to drive.....  Well, time to head to the restaurant. No problem for the cashassa that will be ripening in the barrels for a long time ....

Land of wine and cheese and sausage.....

Yes, this is the most photographed chapel in Tuscany. Believe me, it was real difficult to find the right parking spot to take this picture. But there is no discussion about it, it is stunning. Like the Tuscan landscape in general, the many impressive old cities with their churches, palaces, sculpture, paintings.....

But now it is time for lunch. Luckily Tuscany is also known for its wine (Chianti), sausages, cheeses, vegetables and all kind of other tasty products. 

The markets are selling a score of fresh products. Greens and reds....

Golden honey and creamy colored honey and in between shades of honey.....

Or marmalade, olives, olive oil, sauces for the pasta .....

What to think of these fantastic looking cheeses.

Shops are full of wines, cheese and sausages. 

All this food looks so beautiful, so inviting.....

Just find a little restaurant in the countryside and enjoy while the weather is nice, 

Sunset over Florence

Somewhat by chance we discovered the sunsets of Florence. One day we were near the Ponte Vecchio watching a demonstration. Then we saw the heavens turn  red slowly. It was fantastic.

Looking down the river Arno was the sky, bright and colorful, and everything else sticking out like silhouettes.   

Turning around the Ponte Vecchio was shining almost orange. In the daytime it was a bit of a disappointment to me. These rundown "boutiques" that sell jewelry. The bridge appeared neglected. Seeing it, in this beautiful light, brought back it's fair tale image.

Up river from the Ponte Vecchio and on the other bank is the Piazzale Michelangelo. It is a high place that is perfect to see the sunset. Just a bit of climbing.... and it can be very busy.

From there the river flows like a stream of gold to the sea. Passing many bridges.

Yes the Ponte Vecchio is great from here. 

A walk along the river.....

The large port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands is situated on the "Nieuwe Maas" (New Maas) The city has some impressive bridges.

This is the (new) Willemsbrug a bridge for normal traffic. In the back is the famous "De Hef". You can see it is open. De Hef was a bridge for trains. Now there is a tunnel for the trains and the bridge has become a monument. The new Willemsbrug was completed in 1982. Before there was the old Willemsbrug, a bridge that was built in 1878 for trains. Going south in a train you first would pass the Willemsburg and then De Hef.

This was what the old Willemsbrug looked like.

And this is the new one.....

When you are under this bridge you start to think "what is hanging there...?"

 



















But when you get further down the quay you discover it is an artwork. The "Maasbeeld" (Maassculpture) is made by Auke de Vries. It is 182 meters long......  The people of Rotterdam, always in for a joke,  call it "The Clothesline"....

It is so nice to spend some time along the banks of the river....

Especially when there is a such a beautiful bridge to look at.

More blogs about bridges.....

An elegant bridge

Amazing bridges