An adapted view....

The fist time I flew over São Paulo into the airport of Guarulhos I was amazed by the way the city was unfolding itself under me. On the edges there was green between the houses, more into the city less green, small houses glued to each other. It looked like a big roof pizza cut into rectangular shapes.

Then driving north along the Dutra I had the idea there were only favelas. The Dutra is the highway between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. I had to get used to the complete different style of building with huge gates, large roofs over everything – either to keep the sun out or the rain -  and almost no gardens. Houses hugging each other like the people here do….   abraços, abraços….

On the outskirts of the old town of Taubaté lies the little village of Quiririm. It was founded by Italian immigrants. Quiririm is divided in two by a major road going to the Dutra. So in reality Quiririm is split in two: The older Italian part and the newer parts that contain the very cheap housing estates called Cecap (Companhia Estadual de Casas Populares).

Otside with gate to the inside 

Inside a bloc around some green

The Cecap appartments

The busstop

  

We go to the supermarket in the Cecap because it is larger than the one on our side. For 5 years I see the development of this neighborhood. Of course when it was build the houses were more or less the same.  Now you see how the people work on their private space. They have money to enlarge and beautify. This results in colorful individualized houses next to original ones in a more derelict state.

Original

Renovated

Renovated

Original

After 5 years I am getting used to the discolored concrete, the peeling of paint. It is the rain that makes everything a stripy gray or green. Of course a perfect base to put some graffiti there. But just look what is happening here. The Brazilians can hardly believe that they are one of the great powers of the world. But it won’t be long before they can. Lula gave them self esteem!     Orgulho de ser Brasileiro!

And before going home - to the right at the big tree -  we have an icecream in this little icecream parlor.

See on Flickr about Brazil also:    The Americas