Curitiba
Foreword
Curitiba is the capital of the Brazilian State of Paraná. I spent there the month of March/2001. Located in the south of the country, Curitiba has experienced different colonizations. Before the XIXth century, Portuguese conquestors tried to settle there, with almost no success. Indians of the region were considered brave warriors and the cold winter have driven the Portuguese to other parts of the country.
Later, in the XIXth century and first half of the XXth century, the entire south of Brazil has received big tides of European immigrants, most remarkably Polishmen, Germans, Italians, Ukranians and Russians. Besides the European, the most important tide of foreigners came from Japan.
Nowadays, Paraná has been experiencing, since the 1990´s, immigration from Asian countries such as Taiwan, Tailand, China and Korea.
But Curitiba´s most distinctive trace is definitely European, not only by the physical appearance of the majority of its population, but also due to the culture of the city. Living standards in Curitiba is among the highest in the country, it is a clean city, with good public transportation (see bellow picture of a typical bus of Curitiba called "Ligeirinho" meaning "Speedy"), large avenues that hardly ever have traffic jams and many options of entertainment and gastronomy.
Even though Curitiba is a pleasant city, it is not bent on tourism. Tourism choices are most often visitation to public-open parks, cultural spectacles (European folklore presentations, typical food and theatre).
What to See and Where to Go
Rua das Flores (Avenida XV de Novembro) => The Avenida XV de Novembro is one of the most important avenues of the city. It has a part destined only to pedestrians (called Rua das Flores) where there are restaurants, cyber cafés, street artists and hotels. The pedestrian-only part begins at the back of beautiful building of the Universidade Federal do Paraná -UFPR (see picture bellow), a public university where nowadays is located the Law faculty but was formerly the Medicine and Odontology faculties both transfered to other buildings. One of the most famous buildings in Rua das Flores is the Palácio Avenida. In Christmas time it is finely decorated and inside each windows stays a child. These children constituted a beautiful chorus that sings Christmas songs.
Relógio das Flores => Located in Largo da Ordem (close to Rua das Flores) it is a clock built on the floor whose number are depicted by flours that are plant in a shape to represent the hours and the minutes. Every Sunday there is a free fare in Largo da Ordem where typical food, souvenirs and typical objects of the region are sold. The picture bellow has been taken in the 1970´s (you can tell by the models of the cars), but the clock still looks the same.
Rua 24 Horas => Despite of its name (24 Hours Street), it is not a street but a shopping gallery. It is located near the end of Avenida XV de Novembro. It is open 24 hours a day, and has bars, souverir shops, newspapers (national and international), a paid cyber café and a public cyber café, called Digitando o Futuro (Typing the Future), whose access is for free. Digitando o Futuro is a iniative of the mayor hall to disseminated culture among the population. Next to Rua 24 Horas there is a bus stop of a touristic bus that runs all over the touristic spots in the city. Buying a ticket (that costs R$6=US$3), the passenger has the right to hop in and off 3 times. It means the passenger can get out of the bus when he wants to visit by foot the place. It is really worth, and I advise to buy more than one ticket so the person can visit (by foot) as many places as wanted. Since the bus runs in a circular path, the tourist can always come back to the place where he took the bus for the first time. Inside the bus it is played a tape with a narration in Portuguese, Spanish and English (actually a pretty good accent, quite understandable) that describes the spots as the bus passes by.
Centro Histórico => It is the old city. It has no relation whatsoever with European old city centers. In Europe, when people say "old city" they refer to the medieval limits of the city. Curitiba´s old city (or historical city) is just a set of XIXth century buildings that are still standing. Beautiful constructions but nothing out of this world.
Parque Barigüi => It is the most famous park of Curitiba. Typically, the middle class go there to make exercise, ride a bike, do some cooper or just to chat. It has a big lake with boats for rent, large grass yards and a parking lot.
Parque Tanguá => A recently constructed park, it has a wood and a high artificial water fall. The best of this park it that up the hill there is a two floor building whose floor is not made of ciment, but it is kind of a fence. If the person is in the second floor and looks to his own feet, it is possible to see the top of the heads of people in the first floor. If the person is in the first floor and looks up, it is possible to see under the skirts of unadvised female tourists who are in the second floor.
Bosque João Paulo II => It is a public park, built in honour of the the Polish Pope John Paul II. It is a memorial of the Polish immigration and of its great people. The park has a wood with some tracks to walk by, much fresh air due to the trees, typical Polish constructions of early immigrants, a chapel devoted to Out Lady of Czestochowa, the holy patron saint of Poland. There is also a shop where typical Polish objects and food is sold.
Bosque Alemão => It is small public park, called German Woods, with constructions that remind the Gothic style. The path within the woods has passages of one of the Grimm tales.
Bosque Portugal => The Portuguese version of Bosque Alemão.
Opera de Arame => It is a theatre built upon a deactivated mine. It is round shape, transparent appearance, the water mirror beneath and the lights compound a beautiful landscape. Worth a visit. Located close to Bosque João Paulo II.
Praça Japão => It is a square dedicated to the Japanese immigration. It is decorated in Japanese style and has a memorial to Japan.
Universidade Livre do Meio Ambiente => The so called Open University of The Environment is not actually an university, but was created to study the environment and the nature. It is more a public park than an educational institution, but worth a visit. It has a lake with fishes and ducks and a wooden round construction that has a beautiful view on the top.
Parque Ucraniano ou Parque Tingüi => Another public park, with large grass yards. This one is dedicated to the Ukranian people. The Tingüi name comes from the name of the ancient Brazilian indian tribe that lived in the region.
Botanic Garden => The Botanic Garden has been constructed imitating that botanic gardens of Paris and Brussels. The beautiful yards, lakes, exposition center and tracks to do cooper makes the Botanic Garden is a beautiful place to visit. It is really one more public park.
Hints
