Quarter 1 - Brasil 2020

My friend Belmiro recommended that we visited the historic city of Lapa and we acccepted the recommendation. We invited our friend Paula and spent a pleasant day there.

Lapa is located in the South region of the state of Paraná, 70 km of its capital, Curitiba. Lapa similarly to the other cities, evolved around the middle of the 18th century being a stopover for the “tropeiros" on the "Estrada Real" (Royal Road), also known by the “Caminho das tropas" (The Troops Track). Lapa was in the crossroads that connected the Southern provinces to the administrative and economic centre of the colony. Was elevated to the category of town in 1806 and to city in 1872.

In the 17th century, the production of “erva-mate" (a type of tea drank in the south of Brasil and most of the countries in South America, mainly Argentina, Paraguai, Uruguai and Peru) and the activities related to the movement of the “tropeiros" were the main activity of the region.

“Tropeiros" were horsemen that moved herds of horses and cattle throughout Brazil. They were also used to transport goods using several horses loaded with around 120 kg each and traveling long distances. At that time roads were almost nonexistent in Brazil. With the communities sparsed all around such immense country, the “tropeiros" were also an important cultural link spreading the news happening in the country.

At the present Lapa is a very quiet city surviving through the tourism and the growing of stone fruit.

Lapa became famous for the events related to the “Revolução Federalista" in 1894. Lapa turned into an arena to a bloody confrontation between the republican troops called “Pica-Paus", and the “Maragatos" against the republic, known today as “Cerco da Lapa" (Siege of Lapa). Lapa bravely resisted under the command of the General Ernesto Gomes Carneiro, to a 26 days siege, but at the end succumbed to a bigger number of the republican army.

The “Cerco da Lapa", gave the General Floriano Peixoto, then head os the republic, enough time to gather the troops and defeat the federalist troops. Overall 639 men including the regular army and civilian volunteers, fought the revolutionary forces of more than 3000 combatants. The bodies of General Carneiro and many others that died during the siege, are buried in the “Panteon dos Heróis", under a guard of honour of the Brasilian Army.

When one visits the centre of Lapa, almost everything had to do with the “Cerco da Lapa". We visited several museums that although small were very educative.

After visiting the historic sites we looked for a restaurant to taste the delicious “Lapeana" food. The main dishes of the Lapa culinary, are rustic inheritances left by the black Africans and “tropeiros". The typical dishes of the municipality are the “arroz tropeiro" (Tropeiro rice) and “coxinha de farofa" (chicken with bread crumbs) that we can say are delicious.

Around Lapa there are very picturesque places and it is a pity they are not properly managed. We visited the Nacional Park of the Monge with its Christ lookout and the Sanctuary of São Benedito.

We returned in the afternoon to Curitiba after spending a very pleasant day at Lapa.

We added a page dedicated to the “cerco da Lapa" to give an idea of what went on there as these events fill and justifiably, the scene Lapeana.

Included in this section is the reunion of the Leal Family in Matinhos, a tradition since we started visiting annually Brazil. We had lunch at Isabel's house and all the brasilian members of the Leal family were present. We visited also Guaraguaçu, where my brother lives and paid homage to my fathers memory with a visit to Pontal do Sul cemitery.

The Residencial Danusia is a Senior's residence where my Mother is living now.

The Residencial located in the city of Piraquara some 25 km from the centre of Curitiba, is an easy trip using the highway Curitiba - Paranaguá.

During the first 10 days, Filomena and I stayed in a hotel in the centre of Curitiba and every afternoon drove to the Residencial and spent the entire afternoon with my mother. After Filomena left to São Paulo, I moved to Marta and Belmiro's home and continued with the same routine: morning free in Curitiba and the afternoons with my mother.

This time my mother bought me a loom and I spent most of the time learning how to use it to make a scarf while catching up with all the gossip and events of the last year. My mother is an accomplished needleworker and famous in the area for her creations. During the year my mother was busy knitting things for me to take to the grand and grey granddaughters in Australia.

Every afternoon we were served a scrumptious afternoon tea and cake and I was the focus of attention to all the visitors and residents; not usual to see a grown man knitting!

Unfortunately, the CONVID-19 disaster cut short my stay in Brasil. On the 18th of March, the Residencial locked the place and there was no point me staying in Curitiba and flew to São Paulo

My friend Belmiro took me to visit a series of three museums: the Egyptian Museum and Rosacruz and the Tutankhamon Museum.

The replicas of the Tutankhamon Museum were produced in partnership amongst the Cairo University, the Ministery of Antiquity of Egypt and the Brasilian artists Moacir Santos and Eduardo Vilela.

Tutankhamon (The Golden Boy King) was one of the best-known pharaohs in Egypt. His fame is due to the many treasures found in his tomb, one of few not vandalised by thieves along the times. The tomb was discovered in 1922 by the British Egyptologist Howard Carter.

The museums although small have some interesting items and one original mummy brought from Egypt. Unfortunately at the Tuthankamon museum we were not allowed to take photos.