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Tuesday, July 06, 2010

Things to do in Rio

SAM_0937metro-map-rio Every time Camillo and I have come from the GIG (the international airport) I ask, “what is  that building?”  and Camillo answers, “the national museum, we need to visit it.”  and I say, When?”  We have been making that trip from the airport at least twice a year for upward of 18 years and the conversation has always been the same. 
 
This last weekend as a bribe to get me into Rio, Camillo promised me a cultural event and as promised, on Saturday we took the metro to the Cinelándia station just east of central Rio, then a taxi the short distance to the Museu Histórico Nacional.   
 
Brazil's Museum of History.  
The museum is housed in a military building dating back to 1762 and has been meticulously restored and maintained.   There is a large courtyard on the ground floor that I will need to go back and explore. 
 
In the courtyard there is a wall of leaded arched windows and a ceramic tile fountain that were being cleaned and was closed to the public, and the courtyard has old iron cannons and all this DSC_4644area needs to be photographed. 
 
Also on the ground floor was a large area being prepared for a wedding; filled with Chrystal chandeliers and large DSC_4678pots of white roses and lilies.  The flowers filling the front entrance, all with the rich smell of fresh cut flowers is enough to start off your with the right attitude. 
 
In what I suspect was the ground floor stables are two large areas filled with carriages.  Each carriage seemed in pristine condition, each one individual with wood carved doors, leather seats – a real glimpse into the glories of Brasil in the 1800s.
 
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   Up on the second floor was a well laid out area that contained a select collection of archeological artifacts, more modern busts of the nobility that came from Portugal and a few graphs that helped put the history into perspective the development of man in Brasil with the rest of the world. 
I found it all easy to follow (was in Portuguese and English) and very interesting.  An excellent way to spend a Saturday afternoon in Rio. DSC_4565DSC_4577 DSC_4592  

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6 comments:

  1. Neat place to explore. Those carriages! And I always enjoy looking at clay artifacts; were all of these clay or were some vessels made from gourds? I look forward to your next visit, when you have had a chance to look more closely at the courtyard.

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  2. Those carriages are amazing. Such craftsmanship.

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  3. Fabulous place, Ginger! There are some museums in the world where you can just stay and stay and stay and not be tired of it all.

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  4. I wish I could find some time to enjoy some of Rio, or any place. I think a time-eating machine has parked itself in my driveway. Every time I think I am ahead, I fall behind.

    Since taking on the job of covering all the city and chamber events, I find myself taking more photos than I would have taken for the newspaper. And the editing is so time consuming.

    Take care. Email when you can. That is about the only way I can keep in touch with anyone these days.

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  5. The carriages are so lovely. very majestic! I would love to visit Rio in the near future.

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  6. Glad you went, and we get to see all these beautiful old things. Imagine you were a princess in the carriage getting married.

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