Oscar Niemeyer

Oscar Niemeyer is a famous architect from Brasil. He is 101 years old and still designs buildings from his office in Rio de Janeiro. He married his most recent wife when he was 98, and she 63.

I don't have to tell you that some people are born great. We all, in fact, have greatness in us. Some are able to recognize, understand, and act on that greatness, abetting its materialization, for the world to see and appreciate. I was fortunate enough to visit one of his museums in Curitiba, nicknamed "eye" and was literally blown away by its shape, size, vision (no pun intended) and unbelievably creative design. Indeed, there is nothing else like it in this world.

Just as those who appreciate a fine painting or sculpture, I appreciate fine architecture. I would go so far as to say that when I see a beautifully designed and constructed building, it stirs something inside. As a child, I remember seeing pictures of Niemeyer's creations in Brasilia, and even then, I wanted badly to someday travel to that city to see those places close up. While in Brasil, I should have done that, but I didn't. I assure you, though, on my next trip, it will definitely be on my list of things to do.

Til Then, Tchau!

Rain in Southern Brasil

http://www.southernbrasil.blogspot.com/

When I first decided I wanted to move to Southern Brasil, I was assured that it didn't rain that much down there. I'm not pointing any fingers, but that information proved to be wrong. Quite wrong. But it's my own fault really. I must have been asleep in geography class the day we were discussing the attributes of a rain forest. "Rain" being the operative word. Southern Brasil is smack dab in the middle of that country's second largest rain forest, The Mata Atlantica, or Atlantic Forest.

I got to thinking about it I guess because where I'm living now, in central Texas, we celebrate a rainy day. Everything is so dry. But with the dry comes more sunshine and that suits me just fine.

Anyway, just wanted to point that out to you. Southern Brasil rainy, very rainy. Texas dry. That's all I got.

Til Later, Tchau!