Sorry this took me so long to post (I know my mom is probably twitching with impatience or wondering if I'm alive), but I came home and passed out. Oof.
Last night, Eliseu and I were brushing our teeth, and I turned and screamed, and Eliseu scolded me for being so loud so late at night, before he saw why I was screaming. It was a f***ing COCKROACH, the length of my thumb and the width of a Milky Way bar. I wasn't just horrified BY the bug as I was the fact that it had made its way into our APARTMENT. Eliseu killed it, and there had better not be anymore.
Anyway, today I taught a whole bunch of classes and then began a new tradition: a weekly cultural outing somewhere in the city.
Today I decided to start with Centro Cultural do Banco do Brasil, which I had known was a great museum but had just put off going to out of sheer laziness. And oh my god, I am kicking the hell out of myself for waiting so long.
I'd read that CCBB was one of the best museums in Rio, if not Brazil, and my god, it is. It's housed in the old Bank of Brazil building in the oldest part of Centro, a stunning neoclassical wonder inaugurated in 1906. It's like being transported to Paris or London the second you walk in the door. It's all marble and columns and the main entry is a huge cupula/skylight amazingness. 
Right now, there's an installation in the cupula, called O Sonho de uma planta de escritorio -- the dream of the office plant. And I could have cried it was so beautiful. Made out of simple, cheap materials, that looked like the guy went crazy at an art supply store, it was a web of flowers and feathers and ornaments, stretching from the ceiling all the way down six stories. Underneath, they set up three enormous pink couch-bed things, where tons of people were sprawled, staring up at the beautiful monstrosity. This lady took some pictures so check them out here.
Ok, so don't get mad I didn't bring my camera because I couldn't have taken photos of the exhibits anyway, but I plan on dragging Eli back so I'll try to snag some photos of the Plant. So the museum currently has three main exhibits: the bank history floor, the Ferrez Family photography exhibits, and a new exhibit called "Os Tropicos: Visoes a partir do Centro do Mundo."
I'll start with the bank history floor. The most interesting part about it was getting there. The museum has what appears to be the original elevators, which use cranks and are all human-operated, old-school style! The floor itself, which houses museum administration also, looks like marble, chandeliers, and jacaranda wood threw up delicately and elegantly all over. My favorite were these intricate dark wood benches everywhere. Anyway, the bank history exhibit had lots of info I didn't have the patience to read, but I did learn that the Bank of Brazil was originally founded by the Brazilian Emperor Dom Pedro. They had lots of fun old documents and money and cash registers and phones, as well as original furniture that used to belong to the bank president, including heavy wooden jacaranda furniture, crazy chandeliers, Chinese vases, and expensive paintings.
I was totally blown away by the photography exhibit, which showcases a couple hundred photographs taken between the 1910s and 1950s by this aristocratic/photograph-obsessed Carioca family. The first part features original photo albums, cameras, and travel diaries from the family. The rest were new black and white prints made from original negatives and I could absolutely not believe these photos were taken so long ago, since most of them had a digital photo quality. You'd think they were taken in 2008, not 1938, they were so crisp and beautiful. The photos include a selection of their European trips, but the best ones are of their travels in Brazil and of their life in Rio de Janeiro. I was so amazed to see what Rio used to look like in the 30s and 40s, and how untouched it still seemed. I was fascinated seeing how Cariocas lived, the very wealthy who dressed like Europeans and the very poor who looked like slavery wasn't quite over yet (it was in fact only abolished in 1888). I also got a huge kick out of seeing their Carnival photos from the 30s.
Also, the Ferrez family was obsessed with watching the city change and grow, and photographed the destruction of colonial buildings to make way for modern ones, and the building of the Aterro do Flamengo. To check out some of their fabulous photos, go to this site, which has a particularly awesome photo of what Ipanema used to look like.
And then, there was my favorite exhibit, called "The Tropics: Visions from the Center of the World." It was a collection of artifacts from tropical countries, most of which were from the 1800s and early 1900s with a few gems dating all the way back to the 11th century. The pieces included sculptures, weapons, furniture, textiles, photographs, and videos from Latin America, Africa, Oceania, and Asia.
It was absolutely amazing, and I can't really describe all of the pieces, but suffice to say the exhibit was New York-level awesome.
My favorite pieces include the one in the middle of this picture, which is an 11th century sandstone carving from India. It's hidden in one of the video exhibit rooms, and my god, it looks like it was carved this morning. It's one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. Ever. The other one I loved was a copper Buddha head from 13th century Thailand. Hey I found it! Check it out. I couldn't help but stare and think, imagine the the things these objects have seen (if they could see). Imagine all of the centuries and countries and leaders and hands they've passed through. The best part: these two pieces weren't behind glass--you could touch them if you wanted to (and then have your arm ripped off by a security guard). They're right in front of you, in all of their ancient glory.
After I had finished marveling at the entire museum, I left R$0 poorer. Because this fabulous institution is completely free to the public.
Since it was right next door, I decided to peek into the Candelaria Church, which I've passed but never gone into. According to my sources, it took 90 years to build and was completed in 1898. I've been to some pretty spectacular churches in Europe and other parts of Latin America, but my god, this church is a testament to how much Catholics love Jesus and want to surround his image with beauty. The ceiling is covered in huge paintings and moldings, with occasional stained-glass windows and a spectacular altar with two jacaranda-wood pulpits on either side. Take a look. I just wandered around craning my neck with my jaw wide open. In the photo below, the church is on the right and the Bank of Brazil museum is the one lit on the left side.
When I left, I wandered down the colonial cobblestone streets that had taken me there, which is like being in another century (if you close your eyes). You can practically imagine the horse-drawn carriages and even the emperor himself strutting down the narrow sidewalks, if you block out the car noise and the dripping air conditioners. I discovered a whole new part of the old Centro I hadn't been to before, where there is an entire block of florists selling the most beautiful orchids and roses, and if you close your eyes you can almost pretend you're in the Botanical Gardens.
By the time I got to the Metro, I was in such a bubble of amazement from the whole afternoon that all the modern buildings looked out of place, and I felt like I'd traveled from another continent, or another century.
Today I also ran into a MST (Movimento Sem Terra) protest and Globo filming a novela again practically next to my apartment. I was going to gawk at both but felt awkward. The MST (the Landless Movement) is a very famous group with members all over Brazil that protest against the government and landowners and the Man in general to protect the rural poor and farmers. Today there were tons of farmers and hippies protesting in front of BNDES, the Brazilian government development agency, and I wondered how far they'd come to get here, with their straw hats and red flags. Luckily, I got there before it got violent.
Dengue still rages. More on that tomorrow.
I love CCBB. Please go visit. Now.
