marcia’s musings

bar espumas, originally uploaded by marcia chandra.

Pirapora do Bom Jesus is a quiet, picturesque town of 10,000 people in the peri-urban fringe of the Sao Paulo Metropolitan Area. Three claims to fame:

1. In 1725, a statue of Jesus was found floating in the Rio Tiete. Since then, Pirapora has become a pilgrimage site throughout the year. The main plaza is surrounded by shops selling miniature statues of Jesus and the Virgen, with eyes that follow you no matter where you stand.
2. Samba de roda of Sao Paulo is said to have originated in Pirapora. The music and words are still being passed down by the elder generation.
3. Every year, foam reaching as high as 5 metres comes pouring down the river spilling onto the town’s bridge and roads like something out of “The Blob.” The foam is the result of densely polluted water from Sao Paulo dropping 25 metres down the Pirapora dam in rainy seasons. It has been found to be highly contamined with fecal coliforms and heavy metals. The houses and playgrounds that line the margin of the river are frequently repainted due to the thick black residue that gets left behind.

Restaurante Espumas (“foam”) has a very nice view of the river but is often closed due to poor conditions.

- Ottawa, Canada, 18 degrees Celsius, mostly clear night sky, listening to Grupo Folclorico de Pirapora “Samba de Roda: Nossa Gente”