Submitted by Lawson Schultz on the 2020 winter session program in Brazil sponsored by the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences…
Over the weekend, we took a three day excursion from Rio de Janeiro to Inhotim and Tiradentes. All 19 people fit into one van. On the way to Inhotim, we went on a detour to Oscar Neimeyer’s house, also called Casa de Canoas. His living room had glass walls on both sides. One side overlooked his pool surrounded by a neat checkerboard lawn designed by Burle Marx, while the other included views of a large pond surrounded by various foliage. The whole area was surrounded by cloud spotted mountains.
Our next stop Inhotim, is a museum and botanical garden. The large park included dozens of paths, leading to outdoor sculptures, indoor exhibits, and beautiful plants. The exhibits included a variety of modern art displays, including sculptures, videos, and everything in between. The rain poured down during our entire visit to the park, but everyone had a partner and an umbrella to attempt to remain dry. While on the path, one group spotted a very small orange and black snake, later confirmed to be poisonous.
We got back into the van for another long drive, this time headed to the city of Tiradentes. In Tiradentes we stay in a beautiful lodge. The whole city had historic architecture, tiled roofs, and cobblestone roads. Many of us walked 5km to a waterfall. On the way there, we met a rust colored dog that followed us the whole way to the waterfall. Once we got there, we went swimming, enjoying the cold water. Later that day, back in the town square, a parade performed. People in costume on stilts, a lively band, and decorations lined the road, ending our time in Tiradentes with a bang.
