Northeast Brazil has miles and miles of beaches, some of the best on the South American continent. I was based in Natal for a week. Unfortunately for me, I was very ill during this time and spent most of it in bed.
Today I said goodbye to Belo Horizonte and headed to Natal, the site of Greece’s next game against Japan in World Cup 2014.
Greece vs Colombia. The setting was Belo Horizonte but the game might as well have been played in Bogotá.
On the shuttle to the stadium, Greek fans were outnumbered about 25 to 1. Inside Estádio Mineirão, it was worse. I was the only Greek fan in my entire section.
Nothing special to report today from World Cup 2014. I went to the colonial city of Ouro Preto about two hours from Belo Horizonte. Really amazing place.
If you like 17th and 18th century churches, especially of the Baroque variety, Ouro Preto has quite a treat for you. The town is packed with churches. It seems like they are just around every corner.
Ouro Preto, just a few hours from Belo Horizonte, is one of the most amazing places I’ve visited in Brazil. It’s a colonial town with a gorgeous setting that was made very wealthy by the gold rush. Several colorful colonial buildings and stunning churches line the steep streets of this hilly UNESCO World Heritage town.
This morning I went to the front desk of my hotel in Belo Horizonte to ask where the nearest laundromat was located. The receptionist drew a map and then explained in mixed Portuguese and English that it was closed today.
“Fechado (closed)? But it’s Thursday.”
He shrugged his shoulders and replied, “Brasil. Futebol.”
To see the rest of Belo Horizonte’s attractions, you need to head about 20 minutes north of the city center to the planned district of Pampulha. There’s public transportation, but we decided on a taxi ride to save time.
The main points of interest in Belo Horizonte lie typically at Liberty Square (Praça da Liberdade) in the city center. The square is filled with trees, plants, and fountains and is a nice place to sit and relax.
There really isn’t too much to see in Belo Horizonte, but I was pleasantly surprised by this city. It was clean, friendly, organized, and in a beautiful setting surrounded by mountains.