Curitiba is the 8th largest city in Brazil, and it definitely feels like it. They're aren't as many people on the streets as say New York, but there are quite a few and the car traffic is constant. All of the sidewalks are made like a mosaic, with black and white square stones in different designs. They look cool, but they are really hard to walk on, especially when it's raining because they get really slippery! They are very uneven and some are falling apart. I'll try to get a picture on here soon.
The buildings are interesting because from far away it looks like a really nice city with lots of skyscrapers. When you get closer, you can notice that the architecture is very plain. The buildings are all concrete and normally are very bland colors like beige, white, brown, and sometimes a light yellow. They have very small windows and that's it! It seems as though recently they needed to build things very quickly, so they just didn't have time for creativity, because some of the old buildings are extravagantly intricate and have beautiful details! Take this one for example:
This is in the historical square, and it was made in the 1700's I believe. Surrounding this building are tons of little shops specializing in anything from fabric to washers to shoes. Around this area there is lots of cool architecture, but when you stray to far from here, the more recent designs start. Here's a view of the side streets:
This is a really nice side street filled with shops. These buildings must have been made much earlier than the rest of the city because the design is much more intricate.
Another interesting thing I've noticed is that there is graffiti on EVERYTHING! It seems as though nobody cares to cover up the tags maybe because they know that it will just get tagged again. Most of the buildings look like the one below:
Monday I used the bus system for the first time by myself and didn't get lost! They make it really easy because you pay before you get on the bus by going into these tubes, and then as long as you don't get off the tube, you can change buses without paying again. When I was coming home though, I took the wrong bus because they all look alike! But I realized really fast and got off at the first tube and turned around.
Another interesting thing that I have noticed is that every house and or apartment complex has gates around them, as do the businesses. None of the shops have windows, and they only have a large metal door that they open out to the streets during the day and close at night. The personal security is taken very seriously here because there are many theives, so people take extra precautions against it. You don't really want to be walking around at night, even if you're with a big group, because you are a much easier target than in the daytime when there are a lot of people around. That being said, I haven't felt threatened at any time since I have been here, and I have had to walk the streets and take the bus alone.
My next blog will be about my homestay, so stay tuned!
Your comment about the graffiti reminds me of what I saw in Buenos Aires. Those big metal doors that come down to close the shops at night are covered in graffiti. One walks down the streets in the early morning (before 10am) and each street becomes an art gallery with each metal door a contribution. Some doors are not so creative but some really include engaging designs, not just a "mark." Thank you for the photos, Hannah!
Posted by: JLoden | 09/22/2013 at 11:13 AM
They have those here too! I'll try and see if anyone got a picture of one. More to come soon!
Posted by: HPeterson | 09/28/2013 at 02:50 PM