In Sao Joao del Rey, the terminus of the heritage railway, once a part of Minas Gerais Railways that sprung up in 1880s during the reign of the emperor Don Pedro II, as the Smoking Mary is getting ready to take off for its run to Tiradentes, passengers admire its polished parts and listen close up to the steam being released from its bowels. Then once on the way, the whistle is the impressive part, still getting attention of all. First the rather unsightly outskirts of town come into view, then briefly some meadows and distant mountains, and not before long (12 kilometers, about nine miles, to be exact) the train arrives in Tiradentes. Everyone disembarks and watches the spectacle of Maria Fumanca, an American locomotive made by Baldwin of Philadelphia, being turned around and readied for a return journey to Sao Joao del Rey.
Paraty, one of the oldest former Portuguese strongholds in colonial Brazil, is typically very sunny, always. But in mid-winter, July in Brazil, rainy, cold inversion from the Antarctica can hang over this southern part of Green Coast for days, though often a fluke, it curtails the mood.
Sao Luis, the only town in Brazil actually founded by the French, is a site of the famous Bumba Meu-Boi festival. While most dances in one form or another incorporate the key theme of the festival, that of a farm worker who after having killed another’s oxen, must bring it back to life or face a similar fate, many dance troops, that descend upon Sao Luis from all corners of Maranhao, perform variations on the theme or re-enact other tales from local life, whether that from life of the peasants or that of royalty. Regardless of the tales these dances tell, the costumes are lavish and as always in Brazil during the festival the dancers deliver striking performances in endurance as the dances call for fast and demanding rhythm.
The dance groups practice for months towards the pageant. The following video is really a re-enactment of a village wedding celebration by means of simple folk dancing. The quick rhythm and fast step is wonderful, taking nearly 45 minutes non-stop. Whilst the team dancers wear peasant attire the groom and his spouse put on their wedding ceremony very best. By the time the dance reaches its crescendo the dancers are soaking wet with perspiration as the temperatures in Sao Luis remain inside the 90s with humidity at nearly 100%. While all of the dancers are men and women in their 20s, astounding efficiency is delivered by the dance party leader and coach, who not just directs the movements for the entire ensemble but also sets and makes sure all members keep the high pace from start to finish.
