Sunday 23 March 2014

'The Naturalist on the River Amazons' - photo-illustrated

http://naturalist-on-the-river-amazons.blogspot.co.uk/

If I were heading for Manaus and had room in my tropical kit for just one book, my choice would unquestionably be Henry Walter Bates' "The Naturalist on the River Amazons", the wonderful account of his 11 years spent travelling deep inside the Amazon basin.
Bates set off by ship from Liverpool to Pará (Belém) on the 26th April 1848, when he was only 23 years old.  What an adventure that must have been.
While compiling this photo-illustrated version, I discovered that remarkably some of the places he visited have not changed that much, while, sadly, many of the indigenous tribes he describes no longer exist.
I have added photos and illustrations whenever possible, and welcome any further contributions and/or corrections!
A must read for anyone enthralled by the majestic beauty of the Amazons.
You can download or read the whole photo-illustrated book in PDF format here -->
"The Naturalist on the River Amazons - photo-illustrated"
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Travel tips for Manaus, Brazil World Cup city host



A few links:
Tia floating restaurant: http://flutuantedatia.jimdo.com/
Cachaçaria Dedé: http://www.cachacariadodede.com.br/
Praia da Lua + Manaus guide: http://0p0media.com/brazil/amazonas/top-tourist-attractions-in-manaus/
Another guide: http://www.amazonhandbook.com/tourism/tours-and-travel/local-travel
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Saturday 15 March 2014

Travel tips for Fortaleza, Brazil World Cup city host

CUMBUCO Beach
About 30kms from Fortaleza city centre - amazing beach with natural lagoons, dunes and paradisiacal beach. Kite-surfing, sand boarding and buggy tours.
 

FUTURO Beach
Evening hang-out - lots of beach-bars, "barracas" with great food, music, good atmosphere.























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Monday 3 March 2014

20 Brazil Photos you won't find in the Media

Good news seldom travels fast.
A perfect case in point i
s Brazil, where the mainstream media that drives both the local and International press, feeds off the hands of conservative clans, who, for political reasons, always fail to bring to light the achievements of my country.
Here's a small selection of some really great projects you won't find in the media.


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FEDERAL UNIVERSITY @ TRIANGULO MINEIRO
This Government funded University in the Uberaba city, Minas Gerais estate, offers over 1.300 seats in Medicine, Health, Bio-Sciences and Engineering.
http://www.uftm.edu.br/


VIVER MELHOR Housing Estate  (Live Better), MANAUS-AM
Manaus - Over 5.300 units in the second phase of Residential Viver Melhor, in the north district of Manaus, as part of the Federal Gov social housing program: 'Minha Casa, Minha Vida', My House, My life.
http://www.amazonas.am.gov.br/2012/11/suhab-apresenta-os-habilitados-para-o-residencial-viver-melhor-1a-etapa-do-minha-casa-minha-vida/




















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UFABC FEDERAL UNIVERSITY
Another Gov funded University, the UFABC was awarded 1° place in research and publications' impact by SCImago, and 1° spot by MEC for graduate courses in Brazil.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universidade_Federal_do_ABC

'MY HOUSE - MY LIFE' SOCIAL HOUSING PROJECT HAS ALREADY HELPED OVER 1.5 MILLION FAMILIES
2,24 million houses built and another 510 thousand before the end of the year, reaching a staggering target of 2,75 million houses and apartments.

NEW 24H A&E AT CHAPECÓ - SANTA CATARINA ESTATE
Newly-opened A&E at Chapecó, in the southern Santa Catariana estate has already treated 6 thousand patients.

ADVANCED CAMPUS OF ALFENAS  FEDERAL UNIVERSITY
VARGINHA - MINAS GERAIS ESTATE
The Unifal, in the southeast Minas Gerais estate, was recently opened in 2013 by President Dilma Rousseff. The University offers over 4.000 places in courses from Economic Sciences to Computing and Biology.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universidade_Federal_de_Alfenas

MATO GROSSO ESTATE 2ND RAIL NETWORK
The center-west rail-line will allow grains produced in the region to reach the Ports of São Luís (MA), Ilhéus (BA), Pecém (CE) and Suape (PE).
http://transporteelogistica.terra.com.br/logistica/integra/126/ferrovia-de-integracao-centro-oeste-comeca-a-engatinhar





NEW FAFEN UNIT IN SERGIPE ESTATE
New production unit of Petrobras Nitrogen Fertilisers (Fafen-SE), in the northeast estate of Sergipe.

PRESIDENT DILMA DELIVERS OIL-TRUCKS AND MACHINES TO ALAGOAS AND PIAUI NORTHEAST ESTATES.
As part of a vast program of development and investment - PAC2 - Alagoas estate received 310 vehicles and machinery, while Piauí, 136 equipments, totalling an investment of approximately US$ 17 million dollars.
http://www.upb.org.br/uniao-dos-municipios-da-bahia/informativos-e-noticias/index.php?id=17291&pag=8


FLEIXEIRAS I, WIND-FARM IN TRAIRI, CEARÁ ESTATE
Over 5.000 generators are being tested at the Fleixeiras I wind-farm, in the northern coast of Ceará estate.
http://www.tractebelenergia.com.br/wps/portal/internet/en/parque-gerador/usinas-complementares/central-eolica-fleixeiras-i





NAVAL INDUSTRY DELIVERES A NEW SHIP
The 180 mts long José Alencar ship, has a 56 million litres tank capacity.
http://fatosedados.blogspetrobras.com.br/2014/01/14/transpetro-poe-em-operacao-navio-jose-alencar/
 
NEW HOSPITAL at THE FLUMINENSE REGION  
The General Hospital Japuíba-Jorge Elias Miguel, in Angra dos Reis, Rio de Janeiro estate, has a initial capacity of 200 overnight beds and is run with a anual subsidy of over of $US 31 millions, from both the Federal and Municipal Governments.
http://angranews.com.br/2014/01/03/politica/hospital-da-japuiba-sera-aberto-dia-6/




NEW OIL AND GAS PLATFORM P-55 AT CAMPO DE RONCADOR
New Petrobras plataform at Campos Bacia, which will interconnect 17 fields.
http://fatosedados.blogspetrobras.com.br/2014/01/01/plataforma-p-55-entra-em-operacao-no-campo-de-roncador/


NEW PARQUE MOTORWAY AT RIO GRANDE do SUL ESTATE  
The BR-448, known as Rodovia do Parque, in Canoas, in the southernmost estate of Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul.
http://www.br448rodoviadoparque.com.br/siteBr448/index.php

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BRAZIL INVESTS IN CLEAN  WAVE-ENERGY
The 1st power-plant of its kind is being developed at Pecém Port, in the Ceará estate, to harness the energy of the sea waves, and turn it into electricity.
http://www.em.com.br/app/noticia/especiais/energia/2012/08/17/noticias_internas_energia,312422/pais-inicia-obtencao-de-energia-limpa-atraves-das-ondas-no-porto-de-pecem-no-ceara.shtml





NEW PETROBRAS PLATFORM P-62 IN PERNAMBUCO ESTATE
With a daily capacity of 180 thousand Oil barrels and 6 million cubic metres of Gas, the new platform is part of the Government PAC program of Growth and Development.
http://fatosedados.blogspetrobras.com.br/2013/12/17/concluidas-obras-da-p-62/ 


IRRIGATION PROJECT IN JUAZEIRO, BAHIA ESTATE
In the semi-arid north-eastern region of Salitre, by the São Francisco river bank, the project aims to develop and support the local agriculture.
http://www.pac.gov.br/obra/8064





















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PROJECT BRASIL SOLAIR, BAHIA ESTATE
As part of the PAC program of Development, 1000 Homes received solar-panels in the Juazeiro district, at the Northeastern Bahia estate.
Many residents, including women, received special training and helped install the panels in their own homes.
http://www.brasilsolair.com.br/projeto-juazeiro/microgeracao-solar-chega-mil-residencias-na-bahia




























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R$ 1.5 BILLION BEING INVESTED INTO WIND-FARMS at RIO GRANDE do SUL
10 new wind-farms being built in the southernmost estate in Brazil


THE SÃO FRANCISCO RIVER DIVERSION PROJECT 
A mega project, diverting the São Francisco river to bring water and development to over 12 million people, covering 390 municipalities in Brazil's long-suffering Northeast drylands.
This single photo does not do justice to the sheer scale of this project nor the profound effect it will have in one of Brazil's most challenging regions.

Project website -> http://integracaosaofrancisco.gov.br/
























This post is a translated version of an article that appeared on 'Blog do Cadu'   (http://caduamaral.blogspot.com.br/2014/02/vinte-imagens-do-brasil-que-midia.html), which, in turn, was inspired by a collective published on Facebook, called:  'Since the media won't publish...') (https://www.facebook.com/jaqueamidianaomostra)