Winding down

We are trying to get everything ready for our replacements. We leave the end of June and they are scheduled to enter the MTC in August. We have to prepare for the transition. Meanwhile there are a few places we wanted to see in São Paulo so we took Tuesday afternoon for Paulista Avenue.

We caught a bus to the lower part of Avenida Paulista. On the way to the metro station we passed the cathedral for the Orthodox Church.

Catedral Ortodoxa

Monday night for Family Home Evening we will be talking about art of Brazil. There is an art museum in Vila Mariana we have been wanting to see, so we took the metro to Vila Mariana. The art focuses on Laser Segall, a well-known Brazilian modernist.

Museu Laser Segall

Most museums in São Paulo are closed on Mondays, but this one closed on Tuesdays, so we couldn't go in. At least we were able to see a bit of his art in the São Paulo Art Museum on Paulista.

Art by Laser Segall

We took the metro back to lower Avenida Paulista to look around. We went to Casa das Rosas, an old house that is now open for the public with a nice rose garden (with few roses this time of year).

Casa das Rosas 

There were a few roses left

At least the bathroom was rose colored

Close by was Itaú, an organization which keeps a lot of historical documents of Brazil, some on display.

A wall of drawings of nature in Brazil

We then took the metro again to the upper part of Agenda Paulista to the Museu de Arte São Paulo (MASP), which is one of the major art museums in the city. Again the purpose was to see what they had in Brazilian art in preparation for FHE.

Cinco moças de Guaratinguetá" by  Di Cavalcanti

"O Último Baile da  Monarquia
by Francisco Aurelio de Figueiro e Melo

You may have heard about modification of missionary clothing in Brazil because of diseases carried by mosquitos. Now you know why.

Mosquito on Paulista Avenue

We next went to Livraria Cultura, a giant bookstore, to see if there was anything we wanted to take back to the USA with us. Maybe Dom Quixote.

Dom Quixote

We are winding down with our Portuguese so the Hales decided to take pictures, so here is the class (with several missing).

The Portuguese class

On Saturday we decided to take a free city walking tour. We have been to most of the places, but it was nice to fit all the pieces together.

Rocco, our Italian guide speaking English

It was a 3.5-hour tour all around the city center.

The tourists in front of the library

We have a lot of pictures of buildings, but I selected just a few.

Diane in the "orelhão" - big ear

 We went inside the Sé Cathedral and found two interesting things. They had two Rameumptoms, one on each side of the apse.

One of the rameumtoms

 They have also gone high-tech. Instead of lighting candles you can put in R$1 and an electric candle will light for 1 hour.

Electronic candles

After the formal tour we went down Rua 25 de Março (a crowded street turned flee market) to the Mercado Municipal so Diane could have her bacalhau pastel.

Wished I could have one

By the time we got home we were not only tuckered out, but peopled out. This is the season for Festa Junina, a full-fledged party for the country folk (or those that dress up like them). There is a lot of traditional food and activities that come with the celebration. Our ward has their party next week, so we decided to crash the Morumbi ward party (where most of the senior couples attend). It was crowded and very noisy, but they had some traditional treats.

The Hales dressed as gaúchos

 Today was our last Sunday in Brazil. It seems strange that we will be returning to Utah this week.

Brazilian family going to church

 There is a lot of construction going on that we won't see completed. At least some of it is colorful.

Construction workers building

This is the last blog post from Brazil. By next weekend we will be home.