Santa Catarina in Southern Brasil is One Huge Garden

In honor of the upcoming World Cup in Brasil, I thought I'd get going on some new articles for my Southern Brasil blog. Tomorrow, I may tell you about my one and only soccer story, but for today, I thought I'd start by telling you about all the wonderful gardens of Brasil and my first encounters with the outdoors of this wonderful country.

On my very first trip to the state of Santa Catarina, we flew into the city of Curitiba, one of the host cities of the 2014 World Cup soccer matches. One of the first things that struck me about Curitiba was the enormity of the city. There were two separate cities it seemed, both with tall skyscrapers. We were scheduled to stay in the Batel District. The view of the city makes you believe you are in any top city in the world. 

My husband's father, brother, sister, and others met us at our hotel, The Blue Tree Towers, in the Batel District of the city. This is the financial hub of the city, the business district; therefore, houses some of the toniest neighborhoods. I checked a few years ago and the Blue Tree is no longer the name of the hotel, but the actual hotel still stands under another name and is still a 4-star hotel.

At the time we traveled, the dollar was 3-1, so you can imagine how lucky we felt to be able to afford a 4-star hotel for a third or less of the normal cost of fabulous accommodations. The dollar now stands at around 2.3, so it is still an amazing bargain to visit Brasil at this time.

From our hotel window, I could look up and down the main street and what struck me was the cleanliness and the beauty. The tree-lined streets looked like somewhere right out of a movie set. Also, if you are an architecture buff like me, then this is the place to be. This futuristic-looking city is not to be missed.

We were lucky enough to get a room that overlooked the Japanese gardens.

This is a small urban park complete with a Japanese-style structure, several ponds with little bridges over tiny waterfalls, and plenty of cherry blossom trees. It is a lovely place to go and contemplate life or just soak in the sounds of the city without being so close they annoy.

That evening, the others met us at the hotel, and after a good night's rest, we all set off for Jardim Botanico de Curitiba, or the Botanical Gardens of Curitiba. What an enormous and magical place. First, you walk the grounds outside, fashioned after a French garden, where you will find abundant jogging or walking paths, and flowers galore (in season). Ahead on the main path is the fantastic crystal greenhouse where, inside, you will find plants from all over. This is a must-see in Curitiba. All you have to do is say garden or jardim in Portuguese, and the tour guides will know exactly where you want to go.

After a lovely train ride the next day through the Mata Atlantica or Atlantic Forest and mountains (see my story on the Serra Verde Express), we spent one more magical night in Curitiba, had dinner at a small Italian Restaurant where each entree we ordered could have easily fed 4 people apiece. Needless to say, there were many leftovers. The mood was relaxed, the wine was excellent, and the company was genuine and real. It felt like a family gathering with the proprietors of the business sitting down beside our table and joining in the conversation.

The next morning, we traveled to the city of Joinville, where my husband was born. We stayed at the Anthurium Parque Hotel in downtown Joinville. Joinville is a very busy, very loud city, but when you enter the Anthurium Parque grounds, all the noises of the city seem to melt away and you feel as if you are in a Portuguese seaside resort, sans ocean. The grounds are impeccably kept and the rooms, while not on the par of a 4-star hotel, are quaint, and well worth the cost of a night's stay. Right outside our window was a walkway that led out to an open garden, complete with a trained Macaw on his perch to greet visitors on their way to the hotel restaurant to enjoy café da manhã, or breakfast.

I will stop here. Not because there are not more gardens. To the contrary. There are more gardens and beautiful open spaces in Santa Catarina than I could ever name. However, to truly experience what I am talking about, you really must see the place for yourself.

Oh, did I mention the quaint cabins at Hotel Turek Gartens? Where you have your own half of a cabin (first floor or second) that overlooks the compound's gardens, swimming pool, and fully stocked lake? Where they grow their own produce and serve it up at meals made from scratch in their kitchen? Here is a peek, but I warn you, it may have you calling your travel agent or contacting me for more information on how you can visit this enchanting part of Brasil.

'Til next, tchau!

Curitiba (Coo-reh-tee-bah) - A Model City (click on title to see video about Curitiba)

Curitiba, in the State of Parana, is definitely a must-see when traveling to Southern Brasil. It is the city we fly into when traveling from the US, as it's airport is easy to navigate, and it is only a little over an hour's drive away from our family in Santa Catarina, the next state south of Parana. On my very first trip to Brasil, in 2003, we stayed in Curitiba for a couple of days to sightsee. It was fabulous. The city is very clean, especially the Batel district (financial district). Huge skyscrapers are abundant, and the architecture in this city is not to be believed. I'll just touch on a couple of my most memorable experiences, as there is not enough room on this page to tell you everything I love about this city.

Serra Verde Express - This is a train ride that begins in Curitiba, goes up into the mountains, stops in the picturesque city of Morretes for lunch, and ends at the seaside town of Antonina. At this point, you can either return to Curitiba via train, or for added pleasure, you can get off the train in Antonina, and take a bus ride back through the protected mountain range to Curitiba on the Graciosa Road. We did the latter. Good choice. The views are absolutely breathtaking, the small towns are inviting, and the whole experience is not to be missed. If you'd like to check it out further, you can either google Serra Verde Express, or go to You Tube and type in Serra Verde Express (highlights) and watch the video. At today's exchange rate, the entire trip, which takes most of the day, costs around $120 US.

Oscar Niemeyer Art Museum - Spectacular building and grounds. The main building is built as a giant eye. Once in the main room, you can look out from the eye over the surrounding area. The exhibits are fantastic, especially the modern art and sculptures. There is a tunnel that leads from the outside into the belly of the main gallery that is fun to walk through...it is all white with skylights along the edges. Niemeyer was famous for his use of concrete in creating his buildings. You don't want to miss this Museum.

The shopping is fabulous, the food--goes without saying, and although I've never gone to Curitiba in the warmer months, I understand the beaches are gorgeous, especially Ilha do Mel (Honey Island). Hotel accommodations range from ordinary to spectacular. We were fortunate enough on our first trip to stay in a 4 star hotel for less than $40 a night, due to the fact that the exchange rate was above 3 to 1. We felt like royalty. Although the exchange rate today is less than 2 to 1, I don't know where else you could stay in a large city in a 4 or 5 star hotel for less than $150, and in most cases, closer to $100 a night.

So that is Curitiba. Don't know what I'll write about next--possibly fashion. Women in Brasil--women of any age--dress very sexy, and are so much less self-conscious of themselves than in the US, at least from my perspective. Stay tuned.

Till then, Tchau!