The Outsider Judge

We're back from Juiz de Fora, and I'm feeling a little sad we couldn't spend more time there. I hadn't realized how good it felt to get out of the city until I got my first hit of mountain air on the way, near Petropolis, and how much more relaxed I felt when we got there.

Juiz de Fora is one of the largest cities in Minas Gerais state, with a little over 520,000 residents, but has a small town feel, almost like an American suburb. It's sometimes called the "Manchester Mineira," since it used to be one of the most industrialized cities in Latin America. It's still quite industrialized, with freight trains constantly running through the city, and also has several army bases. It's a hodgepodge of residential and commercial buildings all thrown together on a series of very steep hills, with incredibly charming homes and preserved historical buildings next to large, uncomely apartment buildings and squat mom and pop stores.

There are a few beautiful parks, lots of churches, plenty of bars, and an excellent public university, but not much else to do. The city's first major shopping mall just opened, the city's best museum is closed indefinitely for renovation, and aside from several festivals and holidays (including Miss Gay Brasil, the largest drag queen beauty pageant in the country), there isn't quite the hustle and bustle of larger cities like Belo Horizonte or Rio. Nevertheless, this dusty town is home to a significant wealthy elite, many of which take helicopters to their jobs in Rio each day, including the infamous William Bonner.

My favorite thing about going to Juiz de Fora, though, is hanging out with Eli's family, especially his girl cousin. She and her husband are a little older than us but have a 12 year-old daughter, and they are so much fun to hang out with. She's a gymnastics coach and personal trainer, and he's in the army, and they are one of the most wonderful, happiest, and loving couples I've ever met. The first time I visited, we had more time to spend with them, but this time we had little time and spent most of it bouncing between several family member's houses, literally several times in a single day.

Eli has a huge extended family in Juiz de Fora and nearby, and we spent Christmas Eve at his grandma's house, who had all six of her children there, as well as seven grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and lots of in-laws. I'm embarrassed to say it, but I still can't remember some of their names.

Coming soon: Christmas food delights and Minas fauna surprises.

Comments

[Rogerio]

Just a quick correction, Rachel, from someone who's known and work with this Juiz de Fora crowd in Rio: they are far more likely to settle with their families in Rio than to take helicopters back-and-forth to work. Jet-setting executives, actually, are much more a fixture in São Paulo than in Rio itself.

Juiz de Fora, as you know, is a mere 2 1/2-hour drive from Rio, which makes it a lot closer (including culturally) than it is to its own state capital, Belo Horizonte. An anedoctal fact: Juiz de Fora families are known to pick one of Rio's soccer teams to root for instead of their own Minas teams.

With the meltdown of their industrial jobs, a lot of Juiz de Foranos moved to Rio and stayed on, coming back only for the holidays and so on. And, by the way, not that it actually matters much, but William Bonner and his family have been living in Barra da Tijuca, like, forever.

[Rio Gringa]

Opa, you're right!
http://noticias.uol.com.br/uolnews/celebridades/ooops/2007/11/05/ult2548u419.jhtm

Ask any Juiz de Fora-ian, though, and they will insist the Bonners live there.

[elena]

Familia brasileira realmente é a coisa que mais me deixa saudosa nessa epoca do ano. A minha familia no Brasil se resume a 9 irmaos,58 sobrinhos(as), 15 sobrinhos netos, 20 primos (primeiro e segundo grau) minha mãe e uma tia de 100 anos. Nao é uma maravilha ???? Aqui a minha familia se resume em meu marido e meus dois filhos. Muita diferença né mesmo? Nao...eu como voce, nao sei o nome de todos, mas sei que sao pessoas muito lindas e queridas.
bjs e feliz ano novo.
me

[Renato]

Hi Gringa!

Welcome to Minas Gerais, instead Juiz de Fora culturally looks like to Rio! We call it, "eXXquina do Rio".
If you have time come to deep Minas Gerais, try to visit Tiradentes, Ouro Preto, Lavras Novas, Diamantina, Araxá, Januária, Jequitinhonha valey and why not Belo Horizonte to undestand a little about the mineiros and to breathe the air of the mountains. We are many different from cariocas.