Tuesday, August 17, 2010
I woke to the call of the siriemas, one of the most beautiful and quintessential sounds of the interior of Minas Gerais, and a beautiful crystal-clear day. I headed down to the main house where Ricardo was already plotting with Polyanna how best to layout the photo shoot. Our traditional country breakfast featured delicious local butter and honey, requeijão to die for, and a great assortment of homemade cakes, bread, biscoitos de polvilho fritos, along with coffee, fruits, juices, fresh cheese and mortadella.
The fazenda is extensive and the “Standard Package” photo shoot with its 11 panoramas took longer than planned, so we just had to stay for a hearty lunch, served in clay pots on the wood stove, before hitting the road.
Polyanna's delicious fazenda breakfast
On the way back to Mariana, cruising through a landscape of mountain pastures, stands of eucalyptus, meandering rivers and streams, dotted with small working farms and numerous obviously country escapes of wealthier city-folk, we passed through various villages with so many vestiges of the colonial past. The lines of the colonial architecture of even the simplest, humblest houses are pure harmony.
Hotel Fazenda Galeria and an old gold mine
Next stop, Hotel Fazenda Galeria 12, named for one of the old, deactivated gold mines that can be visited on this huge property in rural Mariana. Time was of the essence for Ricardo, as the sun sets earlier it drops behind the mountains, so he got right to work on his poolside panorama. Meanwhile, Lucas and I toured the grounds while waiting for some time with Nivalda, the owner and creator of this piece of work. She is quite a talker, so my work was easy.
The majestic Lion Gate - entrance to Galeria 12 Hotel Fazenda
By now, we were going to be a good two hours late for our next appointment. We called ahead with apologies, but on the way we had to stop for some irresistible postcard with views of Mariana in the late afternoon light. I continue to be impressed by the architectural details, carved soapstone fountains, wonderful variety of doors and windows that reveal themselves at every turn of a corner in the beautifully restored old part of the city.
Peter, Ricardo, and Lucas chilling out at the Rancho Restaurant in Mariana
Expansion leading to growth
It is almost dark as we pull into the Gêtsemani parking lot, where Gessy and his daughter Rebeca are waiting patiently. I did a quick review with Rebeca, quick as I am beginning to get the hang of this routine by now. She talks about the project in the works to almost double the number of rooms, add a deck with pool, and expand the garden. Interestingly enough, every innkeeper or hotel manager that I have interviewed over the past two days has active or planned growth projects. There seems to a great and increasing demand and they are turning away guests, mostly business men (and I do mean men…I haven’t yet seen any business women in these parts) during the week and leisure tourists on the weekends. I wonder whether the hoteliers have bothered to get together to talk about growth? Actually I know the answer. What if everyone expands and expands and then the supply way exceeds the demand? People are counting on Sanmarco’s expansion in the region – guests will be miners not tourists. Ricardo does his still shots of the interior and decides that the panorama will have to wait until the morning when he comes back to photograph various breakfast buffets.
Winding down for the night
Perfect Brazilian Baroque - Mariana's Praça Minas Gerais by night
We head to the Pousada da Chácara, where we will spend the night, to check into our rooms and drop off our stuff, before heading back out into the night where Ricardo does some panoramas under the half-moon in the Praça de Minas Gerais, to me one of the loveliest and most perfectly-proportioned of all of the Brazilian Baroque plazas. Lucas and I decide to grab a beer (or two) while we wait for the artist. A traditional dinner of grilled picanha, farofa, vinagrete, arroz, and batatas fritas at a popular restaurant and back to the Chácara to crash.
I´ve been to Mariana several times, but after reading this I truly feel I have to get back there to experience it more! It´s a great place indeed but Peter hands made it feel magical. Great story!