Fugere urbem in Brazil (during the pandemic?)
Moro num país tropical (I live in a tropical country)
Abençoado por Deus (Blessed by God)
E bonito por natureza (And naturally beautiful)
The popular song “País Tropical” by Jorge Ben Jor about Brazilian natural beauty is fuel to one of the most anticipated events of the year: Carnaval. The surreal beaches, breathtaking sunsets, samba, and bossa nova are some of the ingredients to Brazil’s reputation as a tropical paradise fever dream. Its proximity to the Equator Line makes it an amazing year-round travel and ecotourism destination due to the warm weather — which feels more like a never-ending Summer.
From surfing in Santa Catarina and Pernambuco to historical sightseeing in Minas Gerais and Bahia, Brazil is an enchanting country that overflows with lively culture and excitement, with so much to share apart from soccer and samba. The people’s hospitality and warmness are worldwide famous, just as our unique sense of positiveness after long-standing political, social, and economic instabilities.
Beyond all the carpe diem and fugere urbem talk, Brazil is the 5th biggest country in the world by area (8.516 million km²) and 6th by population, being home to 211.8 million people. This means that it is faulty — and essentially impossible — to abbreviate Brazil in just one culture, accent, or figure. Therefore my point of view in this article will be focused on the Southeastern region of Brazil, more specifically on the state of Minas Gerais.
In late February 2020, the cities of Recife, Olinda, Salvador, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo summed together 40 million people for their respective traditional Carnaval celebrations. Just as COVID-19 cases were already seeping across borders and spreading uncontrollably, this was the biggest Carnaval event ever, gathering 400 thousand tourists from other countries. People were partying as if they were safely tucked away from the “unknown and deadly virus” in this tropical escape. The results, of course, were mass contamination, new variants, and almost a year later, Brazil has had more than 6 million cases and over 198 thousand deaths by the virus.
The COVID-19 pandemic combined with other major health system crises and political scandals took a severe toll on the country — one that the Brazilian Federal Government not only failed to properly handle, but managed to aggravate. A very specific, hopeless feeling of “every man for himself” quietly reigned among the Brazilian people. Through private initiatives and local governments, many indoor and outdoor public places such as beaches, museums, theaters, and parks were closed down or had their access limited. Still, the lack of leadership and information caused the death rate to spike at an unseen speed.
So, while trying to hold on to our harsh reality from within 4 walls, we repeatedly question ourselves, our therapists, or Google: how to cool off? After so many months online, the answer might just be found offline, somewhere in the middle of greenery and fresh air. In the end, what’s a better way to escape from the world if not into itself?
Confinement have strongly boosted anxiety levels, stress, and depression to a boiling point for many people around the world, but this wasn’t any news. Before the events of the past year, the bright and breezy outdoors were already a certain shot remedy for feeling the blues. Spending time outside, especially in the sunlight, helps to shoo away negative feelings and refresh our minds, which is amazing for our health and productivity. A habit that has been essential to us since the beginning of the mankind, and has now tripled in value during times of isolation. And in the ecotourism and natural activities department, Brazil has hit the jackpot.
Since most of the Brazilian states are by the seaside, beaches are go-to places for a variety of outdoor social and physical activities: jogging, surfing, playing soccer, volleyball, “altinha”, and shuttlecock, hanging out, camping — the list seems endless. But the fun doesn’t die on the shore*. Many of the incredibly beautiful hikes, hills, waterfalls, camping grounds, grottos, and caves that are spread out across the countryside are found in the 4th state biggest state of Brazil, Minas Gerais. The natural park Waterfall of the Swallows (Parque Natural Municipal das Andorinhas) in the state of Minas Gerais is a great example of a natural location that can easily be enjoyed at a safe distance from others.
Remember to always respect yours and others’ safety by minding the environment that you are in, keeping your social distance, and, of course, wearing a mask!
In the park there are hikes of different levels of complexity that lead to 5 different waterfalls, passing through overlook spots cornered by the stunning views of the famous hills of Minas Gerais. Some other famous sites in this state are Serra da Canastra National Park, Mantiqueira Mountains, Serra do Cipó National Park, and Capitólio. In addition to all of these natural expedition proposals, the local tourism includes many important historical cities like Ouro Preto, Tiradentes, Catas Altas, Sabará, and Diamantina. If you’re ever in Minas Gerais make sure to explore as much as you can because there are always exciting things to do, delicious local dishes to enjoy, and beautiful sights to see!
It is admittedly easy to understand where Brazil gains its tons of songs, paintings, and overall fascination from. The unique culture, wildlife, and nature are at least bewitching, and you can tell by the way visitors’ eyes shine when they are sipping caipirinhas, taking their first samba steps, or trying açaí. Wherever you are, on the seaside or the countryside, there are always adventures to go on, and these are reminders to always respect our environment, especially when we need it to inspire and shelter us in hard times such as these.
Even though humans are as highly adaptable creatures, we are just as social. This means that we need open spaces, nature, and other human beings to survive and grow. So, as public spaces’ become busier and busier again, it is important to keep our priorities straight when going outside and putting ourselves and others at risk. Until given the green light by authority health organizations, crowds are still not okay and should be avoided as much as possible.
Slow but steady we’re getting through these hard times, so stay strong. Until then, you can get started on an thrilling ecotourism plan in Brazil for your first trip after the pandemic! And don’t forget to go out on a walk to stretch out as soon as you finish this story.
*Morrer na praia: Expression in Portuguese that means to be defeated on the last stage of something after working hard to get there.
