sexta-feira, 17 de agosto de 2007

New York, New York...


After almost two years living right next to New York, about twenty minutes from Manhattan, my view of the city cannot be compared to the one of a tourist who goes to see “everything” in a week or two. If a spent my whole life there I’m sure I would become a very materialist and cold person, way before I get to know everything in the city.

The biggest reason why it´s so hard to see all New York´s attractions is ‘cause each day there are new things coming up, as you expect of a city that never stops. Sure the main places could be seen in a couple of days, depending on one´s availability but New York´s main attraction isn´t something you may visit or take pictures of. The mixed salad of cultures, created by the people who live there, is after all, the best of all “the touristic sights”.

I want to make clear I´m not trying to diminish the importance and beauty of the Empire State for example, with its color changing lights that switch with the seasons. In fact, after the tragic September Eleven it has become the highest building in the city and wins the Big Ben, and Egypt Pyramids _ in the matter of height, at least. I’m not trying either, to diminish the historical importance of the Statue of Liberty, France’s gift that keeps attracting bunches of tourists every day, even though the trip is worth to see the Immigrant museum more than to see the “short” Statue itself. I recall the Brazilian tourist we met on the Ferry, so disappointed by the Statue’s figure… “What? Is that it? But it´s so small!” He complained repeatedly.

I’m absolutely not lessening the indescribable sensation of crossing the Brooklyn Bridge by foot either. This magnificent bridge links Manhattan to Brooklyn with its long special walk, and then lets the gift of magic views on the walker´s memories. Yes, the bridge is a gift to new-yorkers and to visitors and I recommend it to be included in the tourist´s week, after all it´s beautiful and free!

Oh and the Central Park! Nature among the chaos. While hundreds of new-yorkers run by, always in the habitual rush, it stands there, with its green grass, land, strolls and baby-sitters, zoo with even a polar bear (a bit out of place the poor one), small castle, lake, ducks, flowers, ice-skating rink, museum _ the huge Museum of Natural History on 86th Street, which entrance is inside the park. Of course it had to be huge, that´s New York, what else to expect! It´s not possible _ believe me_ to see everything in a day!

I didn´t even mention the Times Square, Chinatown, Village, Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) or any other of the uncountable museums, since New York is the city which has the most of them in the U.S. In fact, a tour around this crazy and peaceful, lovely and stressful, polluted and reinvigorating, noisy and wonderful city won´t fit in a two pages article, nor in a few days visiting. It won´t even fit in a lifetime because as I said, this city never stops, everyday everything changes, not the famous spots, not geographically or visibly, but each day the air is new, new people come to live there while other decide the Big Apple gave them already everything it had to offer and they leave, looking for a calmer place.
The Brooklyn Bridge.

segunda-feira, 13 de agosto de 2007

Pantanal´s Calling

Interview


  • Chat on the farm
    Mr. Amadeu Barbosa Ferreira (picture), 48, from Campo Grande, MS, invited me to his beautiful farm in São José, in the city of Rochedo, 68km from the capital of Mato Grosso do Sul. There, besides horseback riding, fishing and stories from the farm, he talked about serious issues, such as Pantanal´s preservation, cientific turism projects, organic ox. among others.

    Organic ox.

    This type of ox ranch has been utilized for about six years, according to Amadeu, by the Eldorado farm, in Mato Grosso do Sul.
    To be classified as organic, the ox, has to fit in some specific patterns estabilished by Embrapa and the farm must be involved in some type of social work, in order to receive the autorization. The organic ox eats the same the same type of pasture the other do, but it stays in a different field.

    The difference is in how to combat diseases. This ox will be vaccinated only once and after that its treated only by natural medicine, followed by a ambientalist, a veterinary and supervised by the Agricultue Ministry.

    Organic meat is definetly a healthier alternative than the regular one. However, due to its expensive cost it has been used only for exportation, since, according to Amadeu, the investment is not worth it. He said it was already sold by Carrefour (brazilian supermarket) but it´s rare to find it in any market or butchery.

    Cientific Tourism

    Different than the traditional ecotourism, where the tourist interacts with nature causing the least impact possible, the cientific tourism, so far less famous, offers the tourist a possibility to be also a volunteer in researches that aim to protect nature and ecossystems.
    I spoke to amadeu about this kind of tourism, wich he hás been corrperating with, by taking tourists to Pantanal where they volunteer in cientific projects. His partner on that is with the Earthwatch Institute, which proportionate this type of excursions around the world.

    On the first page of the Institutes´ web site, is the question: “Where do you want to go to make a difference?” That´s the idea of cientific tourism. This last june, an expedition took volunteers to Pantanal and Amadeu went with them until the Uniderp, base don Ararauna Farm. The group of eight volunteers studied the reptile species from the region.

    Anyone can volunteer, even not having any experience. The volunteer actively participates in every part of the project, from lab work to field research. The concern about biodiversity is what motivates the volunteers, says amadeu. He also flies the participants to Pantanal giving them a nice view of the most famous brazilian swamp.He comments that the region is still well preserved due to the own pantaneiro´s (how are called people who are born in Panatanl) concerns and to the difficult access.

    But Pantanal is not the only place in Brazil where the expeditions go to. There are 16 expeditions coming to South América in 2007, one of them to Amazônia. The brasilians also go to other countries to volunteer, wich promotes a better undestanding of other countries realities and culture. The tourist-volunteer pays the flight ticket and the program, but gets the accomodation and daily meals, and most important of all: helps to make a better world.
  • http://www.eartwatch.org/


  • Pantanal´s crocodile. One of the species studied by the volunteers.