Last year I went to Ona beach, had a hot dog and a cup of gumbo, a quick visit, and I was back on the road. This year it was a Tamale. Like last year, there was a threat of rain, and it actually rained. But there they were: Rod, Erika and the cycle parts team, braving the weather to make this get together happen. Thanks guys!
The Tiger getting ready. May 20th, 2012
In early September last year when I was picking my Dakar up from service at the BMW dealer I met a couple from Switzerland (Oliver and Monika) who were traveling through the area. They made good friends in Eugene and decided to make Oregon their home base for rides in the United States. This year, Oliver brought his brother for rides in the area, so I invited them to ride with me to the Ona beach cookout organized by Cycle parts.
Rain… Stop on the side of the road to adjust rain gear. May 20th, 2012
To get there I took them on my Pacific Ocean counter clock loop. Thirty minutes into the ride and it started raining.
May 2012
We continued, went on via Philomath, and stopped for a cup of coffee at Deb’s Cafe in Alsea.
Deb’s Cafe, Alsea, Oregon. May 20th, 2012
Although I usually like better when I ride by myself, it was good to ride with them. They ride a good pace and were pushing me some. Soon we made it to Waldport and went north a few miles to get to Ona beach, where the event was already on the way.
Cycle Parts Cookout at Ona Beach, May 20th, 2012
Oliver and Chris got to meet some people who gave them good ideas about places to ride. Starting Monday they would ride south, towards California. After the tamale (there were plenty of other options on the cookout menu, BTW) we got back on the road, going south on Hwy 101.
Brays Point, Oregon Coast. May 20th, 2012
This time of the year hwy 101 is not so busy. The weather was not great, but at least it had stopped raining. As the weather firms up later in the season this road becomes a procession of slow moving cars and motorhomes. So I was not complaining. We stopped at several points, and on one of them we asked someone to take our picture. She did not quite understand the value of having the bikes be part of the photo. We had a few laughs about our interpretation of was is a great photo when on a ride. Thank you Romanian ladies for taking our picture and having a few laughs with us!
Chris, Oliver and Cesar. Somewhere on hwy 101, Oregon. May 20th, 2012
We continued south. Wherever you stop, and you take a closer look at the terrain, on escarpments at the edge with the beach, you notice how the Oregon coast is eroding away. Ocean and perhaps rain conspire against it.
Water drops. Oregon coast, May 20th, 2012
We stopped for gas before turning to hwy 126 for the quickest way back to Eugene. Oliver and Chris made friends with a Harley rider at the gas station. And Chris claims he saw and actual black bear on the side of the road. Gas attendant confirms a bear sighting is possible and also warns us about Elk on the way back to Eugene. They can do good damage when hit by a motorcycle, he says. And that is true. The Elk story, I mean, and its potential damage. Now, the black bear story?
Gasoline in Newport, Oregon. May 20, 2012.
From here we took 126 and just continued back to Eugene. In Veneta we took Territorial and a slight detour on Briggs Hill road. I like that short road.
Back home. May 20th, 2012
It is always an adventure when I take a motorcycle for a ride. What a beautiful state Oregon is. It is fun even when it rains. Well, not really. Rain sucks.
238 miles, 381 km, Same Distance between Porto Alegre and Bagé. May 20th, 2012
Today’s ride was 238 miles long which is 381 km, the same distance from Porto Alegre to Bagé, a trip I recently made last time I was in Brazil. Oliver and Chris were tired after this ride, after all, they were still jet legged from their trip from Switzerland and this was probably their first long ride of the year. It was great to take the Triumph back for a spin, it was its first long ride of the year as well. The Ducati has been claiming my time since it arrived in my garage.
I have a few non-riding related ideas lined up for writing. It helps in bringing diversity to the posts. But first, I want to catch up by posting a couple of rides that took place last weekend. The first one is the ride that happened the day after I arrived from American Samoa when I took the Streetfighter to Mary’s Peak.
Some snow lingers on the side of the road. May 19th, 2012
I was disappointed to see a fine layer of gravel on the middle of each lane. I take it that this road was recently opened and it needs to get more traffic to clean it up. Some parts of the road the surface are showing the signs of many years of traffic and weather. Other sections are looking really good, like the one pictured below.
One of the good sections of the road to Mary’s Peak. May 19th, 2012
I made it to the top taking it really easy for the combination of gravel on the surface and for keeping the bike under the 6,000 rpm limit. It should be a different ride altogether when you are able to use the full range of RPM on this bike. The way this bike is geared, on the climb to Mary’s peak you can probably stick to second gear all the way up, or for most of it anyway. More on this bike’s gearing later.
View from Mary’s Peak. May 19th, 2012
Once on top, the view was not clear. On a good day, you can see the Cascade range from here. On hazy days like today, this is what you get. This means I will come back here to document the proper view of the Cascades and its snowed peaks.
The Ducati Streetfighter is looking great as always! May 19, 2012
But it was still nice to see the shades of green and blue of mountains and sky from this viewing area of Mary’s Peak road. I went down the mountain and took the long way home, via Hwy 101 and the lovely Pacific Ocean.
Back home via the coast. May 19th, 2012
And of course, a bit more of a photo shoot. I promise, I will reduce the amount of pictures I post on this bike.
Sun on the background and fill flash brings the color to life. May 19th, 2012
This bike’s color does not show well in photography, but when using the camera’s flash, it brings it closer to what it looks in person.
Nice way to show the tank’s angular shapes. May 19th, 2012
I continued south on Hwy 101, stopped for a final picture of the beautiful Pacific Ocean and this large beach area just north of Florence.
The Oregon coast line just north of Florence. May 19th, 2012
And I soon was home. It was a 257 mile version of my loop, thanks to the Mary’s Peak detour. The bike is now ready for its 600 mile service.
Tucking it in. May 19th, 2012
My final bit of impressions on these first 600 miles is related to this bike’s gearing. This bike has a six-speed gear box that is rather tall. I’ve been using it as a 4-speed bike, and I haven’t climbed the RPM’s above 6,000 rpm. I think it would benefit from a smaller front sprocket, which would bring all gears down to a more useful range. Something to take in consideration. Other than that, it continues to call my attention. But tomorrow, Sunday May 20th, I will be taking the Tiger for its first ride of the year.
I just got back from a trip to American Samoa (May 14-17th, 2012). I had forgotten how does it feel to be on a hot and humid climate.
American Samoa, May 2012
I like adventure books, and I’ve read several adventure books about sailing, from people who navigated the world on sail boats with their families, to Shakleton’s voyage of endurance to Antarctica, to the people who went on solo circumnavigation of the world on simple sail boats or on high technology sail boats with all sorts of equipment powered by solar and wind charged batteries. They are all heroes to me. I once had a sail boat myself, with a couple of friends, but they did not share my concept of long trips, the boat was mostly for short runs up and down a very small portion of the Columbia river. They were happy with that. I wanted the adventure, as described in one of my early posts titled “I’d rather be sailing?” on this blog.
Pacific culture areas. Polynesians form a triangle from Easter Island to Hawaii to New Zealand
But my point in bringing this up on this post about American Samoa is that the Polynesians are a very special chapter on the virtual book of sailing history. They found their way to practically all the islands on a large portion of the South Pacific. About their sailing technique, some people claim they were actually drifters, arriving at these islands as passengers of the currents and wind directions. Others claim they were skilled navigators, mastering boat building and star and wind navigation, and interpreting current, waves and bird travel as navigational instruments.
Faga’alu, American Samoa, May 2012
I prefer to believe on the latter approach. But irrespective of which way was the correct one, they made it! And they made it in a way that allowed them to successfully inhabit these islands. That is, they had to have some level of planning involved in this process and it worked. And also, they had the courage and drive to embark on such journeys that allowed them to travel on such a vast territory. For more on the very interesting history of the Polynesian peoples, check this entry on Polynesian Culture in Wikipedia. Wiki, by the way, is short for the Polynesian (Hawaiian) word wikiwiki, which means quick.
My point with the sailing story is that I greatly admire them for their hospitality, their kindness, their courage, but of course, primarily I admire their ancestors’ seafaring skills. Those skills have been transmitted orally from generation to generation.
The Island of Tutuila. American Samoa
American Samoa is formed by two sets of Islands. The Tutuila and the Manu’a Islands. In Tutuila is where most of the population lives.
The Manu’a Islands. American Samoa
Each time I go to Samoa I learn some more about their culture. I’m always disappointed to see so many Christian churches, a reminder of western colonization. In general the church buildings are in better shape, with fresh paint and all, than the Samoan residents’ houses or public buildings. Something not so uncommon around the world.
One of the many Christian churches in American Samoa. May 2008
On my previous post about American Samoa (American Samoa, Places to Stay) I started it by showing the Hawaiian airlines Boeing 767 parked on the tarmac with the tall stairs attached to it. On this last trip I discovered the stairs have received some improvements. Now it is covered with an acrylic roof.
Two flights a week from Honolulu to Samoa (Hawaiian Airlines). American Samoa, May 2012
To fly from Honolulu to Pago Pago, American Samoa, it must be a lonely chunk of air space from the pilots’ perspective. That’s the feeling I get when boarding this flight, knowing we will be flying more than 2,000 miles with very few alternate airports on the way. Imagine how lonely it was when the Polynesians were sailing these waters a couple of thousand of years ago. And on the photo below, this is what the runway looks like. It is somewhat short, it is on a downhill, and it ends on the drink.
Close up of the runway. November 2008.
The plane usually lands coming from the position where I took this picture, going in the direction of the water, so it flies really low, over houses on approach (that are behind me from where I took this photo). The pilots have to make sure the plane touches ground on the beginning of the runway. By the way, on this last trip I found out they have built a better fence around this runway.
The runway at the Pago Pago airport, American Samoa, November 2011
The Tutuila Island, the main Island of American Samoa, is narrow and tall, about 20 miles long, on a band of less than 5 miles wide, and with very mountainous geography. The airport area is basically the only somewhat flat area on this group of islands.
American Samoa National Park. January 2011
I hope to be back in Samoa and get to see more of these beautiful islands. Meanwhile, here are some photos of American Samoa from this last trip and from previous trips I made to Tutuila.
View from Le Falepule. January 2008 was my first time in Samoa.
Most everything arrive via container. Pago Pago harbor, May 2008
Typical bus for public transportation. May, 2008
Public School. Vatia, May 2008.
American Samoa National Park. May 2008
Pago Pago harbor, American Samoa. May 2008.
Incredibly beautiful flower. November 2008
The buildings below are where I work, when in Samoa. May 2012
I have many other pictures of beautiful locations in American Samoa. I will reserve some for other posts. Eventually I will put together a post about American Samoa food. And one other that shows some of the damage from the 2009 Tsunami. And as I mentioned before, I hope to one day be back in Samoa.
Everyone has a favorite road for sightseeing, to go for a drive or in my case to go for a ride. I created a 200 mile loop for when I don’t have a specific destination for a ride. The loop is the destination itself. It starts at my house and soon I’m on nice country roads with very few cars and nice views. Then some mountains on the coast range until I hit the Pacific. Then it goes for several miles of Hwy 101 with nice ocean views with a few options of good places for lunch along the way. Then back through some more of the coast range mountains and more country roads before heading back home.
May 12th, 2011
Perfect for a relaxing and fun day ride. It offers variants as well. Except for the basic route, I don’t think I’ve done two trips that looked exactly the same. This time, though, I went for the basic route. It was, after all, the first time I did the loop this year.
May 12th, 2011
The ride I report here took place Saturday, May 12th, about a week ago. The day before, May 11th, I had taken this bike to its first ride. Now it was time to go deeper. I started at about 10 in the morning. This Saturday was one of those typical days of Spring, when everything aligns perfectly well in terms of weather. It is bright sunny, and the temperature is on that magic not-cold-but-not-too-hot zone.
Getting ready to leave the house. May 12th, 2011.
Even before I bought it, I had been thinking about trying this bike on this loop, that I call my loop, for quite some time. You know, different bikes make you like different parts of a same route differently. As a matter of fact, it might make you see a set of curves for the first time while making you miss landscapes for the first time. I started on the usual counter-clock direction by going north on Territorial Rd. towards the back roads that lead to Philomath. From there, there are several options. I took the easiest, as the bike is still on the 600 mile break-in period. Soon I was on 101.
Bike’s first view of the Pacific. May 12th, 2011.
This is the first time the Streetfighter saw the Pacific (at least when outside of its box). And the temperature continued to be ideal. In the summer, it is always cooler by the Ocean than in the Willamette valley. In the winter is the other way around. Today it was showing we are getting closer to the summer, it was cooler by the ocean.
May 12th, 2011.
On the Ducati Streetfighter forums and boards I’ve read posts of people complaining about “surging” at the 4,000 rpm level on the 848 SF. On the first 250 miles my bike was plagued by the same surge. Someone had mentioned that turning the DTC off had solved this problem on his bike. Others are going the usual “full termi” route to solve this common problem. I consider it an absurd for someone to have to pay $2,000 to have a bike work as it should have worked from factory.
Nice views of the Ocean along the way. May 12th, 2011.
Many bikes of other brands, and which have fuel injection, have had similar problems. Welcome to the result of finding a way to make a bike perform and, at the same time, reduce fuel emissions or pass fuel emissions tests. This surge problem, which is basically an engine hesitation, is usually attributed to bikes whose motors are running very lean fuel to air mixtures. Of course, this problem can be compounded by other factors as well. But usually it is the result of fueling programming that needs to be adjusted for real life settings. The people who buy into the “full termi” are actually solving the problem not by what the new exhaust brings in terms of freer flow of ehaust, but via the modified fuel map, the so called ECU kit, that comes with the Termignoni exhaust.
May 12th, 2011.
As I was riding and experiencing this issue, I was thinking about everything I had read on this subject. I remembered coming across the post of a person who turned DTC off on his 848 SF and claimed it worked for him. I had been riding the bike on DTC Level 8, the default setting. I had noticed the red DTC lights on the dash, the ones indicating the traction control had engaged, would come on very often. The tires were new, so they are supposed to be a bit on the slippery side. I would see the red dashboard lights on almost every slow corner on which, off the apex, I got on the throttle with slightly more twisting of the throttle than my normal exit. Obviously Level 8 is very intrusive. So perhaps DTC could be behind the surge or hesitation problem. So I stopped the bike and turned the DTC to OFF. As I started riding again, I did not perceive any changes to engine performance, the bike performed as usual with the hesitation there, still especially notable at 4,000 rpm. So I stopped gain and turned the DTC back on, but this time I took it down to Level 7 (level 8 is the maximum, most intrusive level, the default setting from factory). No changes either, except that DTC would engage, but a lot less than at level 8 for how I was riding.
At some point after having turned DTC off and changed to Level 7, I turned the engine off for about an hour when I had lunch. When I left the restaurant, I realized the hesitation was gone! I don’t know if it was taking it down to Level 7, or if it was that I had turned DTC off and than back on and then had the bike re-set its computer when I turned it off at lunch time. Could have been something else as well.
May 12th, 2011.
What matters is that the clear hesitation is gone! Not even at the 4,000rpm level I notice anything. Brilliant. By the way, although some people say the “surge” happens at 4,000rpm, at least on my bike it happened all over the RPM spectrum that I could use (limited to 6,000 rpm). It just was more noticeable at 4,000 rpm when you are riding at a steady speed, especially when on 3rd or 4th gears.
Lunch time! Yachats, May 12th, 2011.
Back to the story, by the time I was passing through Yachats I was really hungry, so I decided to stop for a burger. After lunch, a little photo shoot session by the ocean. This bike is such a hot model.
May 12th, 2011.
There is no wrong angle.
May 12th, 2011.
It even makes me look good.
May 12th, 2011.
Well, not really.
Hey, what’s that small thing on the side of the tank?
May 12th, 2011.
A lady-bug, a good luck charm. I found one of these on the tank of my Triumph once as well. This is quite a friendly looking little bug.
Ladybug. May 12th, 2011.
Time to lift camp and head back to the fort. If you don’t know Hwy 101, take a look at the video of this stretch of road. This is just a small sample and not the best at it. The Oregon coast is phenomenal. But I should not advertise that.
I stopped by the Mapleton gas station to fill it up with non-ethanol gas.
May 12th, 2011.
The fuel light had come on at about 129 miles on the clock. I took it really easy to make it to this gas station. I filled the tank at 155.7 clicks with 3.798 gallons. It makes for 41 mpg. Not bad at all.
May 12th, 2011.
And soon we were home. Mission accomplished. 218 miles completed, making a total of 338 miles, 262 miles to go for the first service and completion of the first step of the break-in period.
May 12th, 2011.
I had a work trip coming up. So it was good to arrive early, as it was time to rest and get things ready for my trip to American Samoa the following morning, starting at 5:30 am.
But before I end the story, here are some impressions of that ride. This bike made me see parts of this route I’ve ridden so many times but had missed or not paid attention to before. It made me understand the expression “to carve a corner”. Of course, I’m not talking here about race performance. I’m an average rider and I’m not taking this bike to above 6,000rpm, and I’m riding on public roads. But whenever the conditions were perfect and I pushed it to its 6,000 rpm on slower corners, she responded with more than what I had asked from it. I haven’t felt this good about my riding ability on the road. The merit belongs to the clever team who made the modifications to this bike to make it perfect for the average rider like me. But I’m sure it is not going to feel tame for the aggressive rider who wants to push it to its limit. After all, it has 132 hp, it has plenty of room for aggressive riding. I don’t have the skill nor the interest to make use of all of it.
Back home. May 12th, 2011.
This bike is growing on me. It is a Ducati, it looks great almost by default; every detail of its design makes sense and it is surprisingly balanced considering its nonconforming looks. But when you turn its motor on and you hear that rumble and then slowly get it going, there is that sensation of something that is rough on the edges, unfinished. It feels more like a Formula 1 race car of the 60′s than a high revving F-1 engine of today. It won’t scream at you like sport bikes with an inline four do. It will pulsate like a heart at its peak performance. It is a more organic feel.
I was in the market for a bike that offered a different approach to riding than my current bikes have. I have a great gravel and dirt roads bike in the WR250R; and great touring capability with the Tiger 800XC. The Dakar was a middle of the road between these two. I was searching for something more street oriented.
At some point I was hopeful the Husqvarna Nuda 900 would make it to our shores. That would be one sweet bike with that modified Rotax 800 parallel twin motor bored to 900 cc and a 270 degree crank on a light body and a nice upright riding position. The Ducati Multistrada 1200 was another candidate, but it overlaps the touring use I already get from my Triumph Tiger 800XC. I thought about the Monster 1100 evo. I even thought about the Ducati Diavel.
But then came along the Streetfighter 848. This bike caught my attention, especially for the changes Ducati made to the 1098 version of this bike. They put a Testastretta version of the 848 motor on this bike, with the 11 degrees valve overlap, similar to what is found on the Multistrada and Diavel, making it a unique motor on the Ducati line-up.
What I will tell you, though, is that these changes were expected to result on a broader range for top torque figures, making this bike, although still powerful, more relaxed for all types of riding. And they accomplished this. Modifications were also made to chassis, handle bars, and brakes. All of these changes were designed purposefully to offer a tamer version of the 1098, a solid, middle of the pack naked bike, that was to be more versatile than its 1098 version. And that was accomplished as well, as I will report here.
European Motorcycles of Oregon had two of these models just taken out of the box and getting ready for the show room floor. A matte black and a fighter yellow. When I saw the yellow under the sun, I made my mind. It is gorgeous. This thing looks great from whatever angle you look. It has a pearlescent finish to the paint, which highlights with different tones of yellow the nice angles of its design, under the sunlight. Photographs do not capture this well.
I picked it up late afternoon on May 10th and I only had time to ride it home, all of three miles of distance between my house and the shop. The next day I left work earlier and took her for her maiden voyage, 120 miles through county roads, rolling hills in the area north and northwest of Junction City in Benton County.
For the first 600 miles I’m limited to up to 6,000 rpm on the motor. That means this bike can not be ridden properly. These low traffic country roads were perfect to ride at the motor break-in pace, keeping a close eye on the parameters of the bike.
My impressions on these first 120 miles, limited by what can be done below 6,000 rpm are that this bike offers a very solid line on curves. As if it is on rails, inspiring much confidence. That was something Ducati wanted to provide with the chassis changes made and it accomplished this goal, it appears.
The brakes are fantastic, offering great feel have very are solid actuation, and most importantly, they allow for gradual engagement when so requested. The acceleration, up to 6,000 is awesome. What will happen after that number?
The bottom line, this bike is plenty of fun. More than I imagined possible. And it is a beautiful machine.
The question is: will it be my favorite bike?
For a first step in answering this question, read my next report on this bike, when I took it for a 200+ miles loop. This next report will include a short helmet-cam video and more impressions on this bike, including my take on the Ducati Traction Control and fueling issues.
I appreciate the value of a nice walk. Of course, I’d rather be riding, but as any world observer would state, slowing down helps in paying attention to the details, they are the dots we connect to realize the big picture. I’ve been traveling too fast in my journey through life. It is great to slow down, and as an added bonus, we get a good workout at the same time.
The old docks waiting for new use. Porto Alegre, April 2011.
So it has become a tradition. Each time I go to Porto Alegre I purposefully set aside some time for walks in the city, to see the details of neighborhoods, things that I’m likely to have forgotten, or have missed to notice in the past.
DMAE Building, Moinhos de Vento. Porto Alegre, November 2009.
There are always surprises to be found, old buildings and structures I did not know existed, details I’ve taken for granted and also new things to be appreciated.
Building at Ramiro Barcellos Street. Porto Alegre, November 2009
This time around, one step following another, no planned route, and I found myself on the way to my old kindergarten and other surrounding areas, places that were once very familiar to me. Places that later in life I’ve traveled through by car many times, but had not stopped to admire in so many years.
Park on DMAE grounds, Moinhos de Vento. Porto Alegre, November 2009.
It all started when on a bright and sunny Sunday, I decided to try out the “Brique da Redenção”, a popular flee market that is set up on the same street every Sunday, in Porto Alegre.
Brique da Redenção, Porto Alegre, April 22, 2012
It was such a nice day, hence it was very crowded. I walked quickly through the crowd.
Brique da Redenção, Porto Alegre, April 22, 2012
I stopped to hear this family perform. These are the actual people who lived in this part of the world, before Europeans and Africans and now even Asians arrived to make up the nice mix that makes us Brazilians, true representatives of the world. Brazil, however, is one of the countries in South America where they native populations became the least visible. In a certain way, it is good to see them performing, although one wonder how they really live. Probably not too different a fate when compared to their North American counterparts, I believe. There is a long road for us to walk until we find a more integrated society that accounts for our varied cultures and interests.
I continued walking and soon found myself on the arches that frame the main axis of the Farroupilha Park.
Expeditionary Monument, Farroupilha Park. Porto Alegre, Apil 22, 2012
I remember being here, at a few different places in this park, as a child, with my mom and my sisters on weekdays.
Farroupilha Park. Porto Alegre, April 22, 2012
There were picnics with the entire family on given Sundays at some places here. Was this park always crowded on a Sunday as it is today? We used to live in this part of town, not too far from the park. I continued to walk towards the State University.
Universidade do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, April 22, 2012
Over there, on that building (hoto below), was the University Theater (Teatro da Reitoria), where I’ve seen many shows. I particularly remember the Argentinian national Atahualpa Yupanqui performing his wonderful gaucho music and poetry on guitar. He had an Andean flavor, which included that still present today South American socialist, revolutionary ideology. But most importantly, I remember the Porto Alegre Symphony which played every Sunday morning. My father took us there regularly and I learned to be quiet and only applaud at the end. I remember a conductor, Izaac Karabischek and what I remember to had been exaggerated movements. He was, later I found out, considered to an excellent conductor and made history at the Porto Alegre’s Symphonic Orchestra (OSPA). And I remember the drum player, who parked his drum sticks under his arm pits in very mechanical, robot like movements, when the drums were not required by the music.
Teatro da Reitoria (University Auditorium). Porto Alegre, April 22, 2012
Finally, my focus turned to this building.
Instituto General Flores da Cunha, my Kindergarten. Porto Alegre, April 22, 2012
Jardim de Infancia General Flores da Cunha, my kindergarten. I’m happy this building is still there. This is the beginning of my student career. This is where the recording of events started in my life. I remember the day I refused to stay when my father dropped me off and my father had to reluctantly drive me back home. He was really not happy, I remember that with detail. And the horror on my mother’s face when she saw me back home crying. I remember a girl named Deborah. I remember the Jacarandá trees that lined the drop off and pick up parking area. One of them is still there.
One Jacarandá tree left in front of the kindergarten building. Porto Alegre, April 22, 2012
Although it looks worse for wear. And I remember the fruits of this tree, and I found several on the ground. We called them “monkey ears” (orelha de macaco).
“Orelha de Macaco”, the fruit from the Jacarandá tree. Porto Alegre, April 22, 2012
But that fence did not exist then. Nor the graffiti on the building. One more thing I remember about this time was this drawing I made when I was 4 years old. For some reason, people thought this was special.
A drawing I made while in the kindergarten, when I was four years old.
Perhaps it was the choice of color? Orange and blue are complementary colors. And I repeat that on these two bikes. Although I just sold the BMW, I still have the blue Yamaha to compose with the Orange tiger. I still have that old talent.
Orange and Blue. Proof that my talent was not incidental.
Perhaps it was the house in perspective, and in a cartoonish style at that? I do remember that appendix to the house, though. That was something I can not claim for myself. I copied that from my sister Ana Lucia’s drawings. I had drawn it without knowing what it was. I know it was only later that I found out what it was: it was meant to be a walkway with a gate at the end.
Orange flowers, with Blue skies, Parque da Redenção. Porto Alegre, April 22, 2012
With all these good memories nicely framing my thoughts, I started walking through the park on my way back to the car that was parked closer to the beginning of the Brique da Redenção. I went past the Amphitheater Araujo Vianna which unfortunately now has a roof. I wish it had stayed the way it was. What I nice structure it used to be. We had been here for presentations, I think perhaps the Porto Alegre Symphony presented there a few times.
Araujo Vianna ex-Amphitheatre. Porto Alegre, April 22, 2012
And I was wondering about the “Parquinho”, the amusement park that was right there, at that corner of the park, at the entry point for the Brique da Redenção. I realized that earlier, just an hour earlier or so, I had just walked by it and not seen it.
Parquinho da Redenção. Porto Alegre, April 22, 2012
Bu there it was, behind all the vendors. Popcorn anyone?
Popcorn Cart. Porto Alegre, April 22, 2012
Colorful vendors.
Colors… Parquinho da Redenção, Porto Alegre, April 22, 2012
I don’t remember if these rides were all the same.
Jatão. Parquinho da Redenção, Porto Alegre, April 22, 2012
Maybe I remember a carrousel.
Carrousel at Parquinho da Redenção, Porto Alegre, April 22, 2012
Or the Ferris Wheel.
Ferris Wheel at Parquinho da Redenção. Porto Alegre, April 22, 2012
But I do remember this. By far my favorite.
The Austins at the Parquinho da Redenção. Porto Alegre, April 22, 2012
Although I thought the cars were Chevy 57’s, it is possible they were the Austins they have now. Either way, already at that time the cars were from before my time. And it is really nice that they were not updated with modern cars. These old ones are nice vintage cars and this is probably very valuable today. And come to think of it, my Grandmother Maria de Lourdes had a neighbor who owned a black Austin of this vintage if I remember correctly. Nice connection.
I bet I had a big smile on my face when I was in his place many years ago. Porto Alegre, April 22, 2012
And to think one day I was this small, happy to be in this park, and full of dreams. I’m still a little kid inside, I was really happy to have made this trip, and I still have many dreams lined up for realization. And now I can document, photograph, and write about things so anyone can read, which is an added pleasure to the list of good things I’ve acquired through life.
Horse on top of the Carrousel. Parquinho da Redenção, Porto Alegre, April 22, 2012
All that fun and it all happened while I was not riding. It simply was a walk in the park. And what a nice walk it was. Next time, I will have to go back to the park, there are areas I did not visit this time.
I just returned from a nice visit to Porto Alegre. Porto Alegre is where I learned about life. That’s where I was born and therefore, to me it is the most important location in the world.
Porto Alegre in appropriate perspective to the rest of the world
For most people outside of Brazil, the “Porto Alegre” words do not ring any bells. Most people have never heard of this town of 1.5 million people (2010) the largest city in an important metropolitan area of 4.4 million people (2010), and the proud capital of the Southernmost state of Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul.
Porto Alegre, view of Downtown from Jacuí river. April 2012
Porto Alegre, simply stated, is not a destination town. It is not on international touristic routes. But it is a large city and has had its important moments in regional history. And not too long ago it became important in world history: for several years Porto Alegre was pictured on newspapers and articles world wide, for its founding and hosting of the first set of years of the World Social Forum.
Porto Alegre as viewed from Guaíba. May 2012
Porto Alegre is not part of the iconic Brazil that triggers people’s imaginations whenever they hear the word Brazil. It does not evoke the Girl from Ipanema imagery, nor can you imagine palm trees and coconuts. Nor would you feel the humid sensation and sounds of a lush rain forest. Nor would you think of the gigantic favelas with houses built on top of each other on a steep hill side. Nor would you imagine it being a traffic-crazed Latin American mega-metropolis. Porto Alegre is nothing like that, although it has all of that, on its own way.
View of Guaíba Lake from Lajeado Avenue. Porto Alegre, April 2012
When people in the United States or other places in the world meet me for the first time, conversations usually flow like this:
Where are you from?
Brazil, I respond.
Oh, nice. And where are you from in Brazil?
Porto Alegre, I respond to an interlocutor’s blank stare, an obvious reaction for having never heard of it before.
Brazil is getting increasingly popular. It is on the news frequently, and usually it is related to something positive that is taking place in Brazil. The economy is booming, political leadership on international matters is growing, and Brazil is getting ready to host the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympic Games.
Without Brazilians we wouldn’t have samba and Rio carnival; we wouldn’t have the soccer beauty of Pele and Ronaldo; we wouldn’t have the minuscule swimwear and toned bodies of Copacabana beach; and we wouldn’t have certain eye-watering procedures performed with wax.
Unless they’re using their sexy, laid-back, party-loving reputation as a cover for exterminating dolphins or invading Poland, then we have no choice but to name Brazilians as the coolest people on the planet.
But unless people have been to Brazil before, on business or as tourism, aside from São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, maybe Brasília and Salvador, people know nothing about Brazil outside of those iconic imagines.
Sunset in Porto Alegre’s Guaíba Lake. May 2012
In other words, what should anyone know about Porto Alegre or any other city in Brazil that is not Rio or São Paulo anyway? Even more when Porto Alegre is not on the touristic routes even for Brazilians?
Farroupilha Park. Porto Alegre, April 2012
Brazilians themselves put Porto Alegre and the state of Rio Grande do Sul on another domain in terms of culture. For example, when they talk about soccer, they place us in the
Porto Alegre, Southermost Capital of a State in Brazil.
domain of Argentina and Uruguay when they describe the type of soccer played by Porto Alegre’s most important and internationally successful soccer team, Grêmio (and some people would claim its little sister Internacional in the same category as well – pun intended, Internacional fans, in the name of our local rivalry).
Why is Porto Alegre and Rio Grande do Sul so different and unique?
I won’t claim I have the right answer. This could be about the geography. Rio Grande do Sul is the southernmost state of Brazil and shares borders with Uruguay and Argentina.
Some of it is probably due to its close proximity to the once cultural and business centers of South America, namely Buenos Aires and Montevideo, the capitals of Argentina and Uruguay respectively. In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, when this region was probably growing the fastest, Rio and São Paulo had yet to acquire the presence they have today in Brazilian culture and international politics, business and tourism.
South America
During those years, instead of Rio or São Paulo, people in my state looked at Buenos Aires or Montevideo to learn about the latest trend sets, to get higher education standards. Buenos Aires and Montevideo were the cultural and economical center of eastern South America. And economically speaking, the southern part of the state had much more in common to Argentina and
Gaucho, an Icon of Rio Grande do Sul.
Uruguay. I’m specifically talking about the cattle industry. And with it, I’m talking about the Gaucho culture. This is one piece of this puzzle.
Another piece of the puzzle is certainly the massive German and Italian migrations that started in 1825 and fizzled out before the beginning of WWI.
All around the world people go to Brazilian steak houses. What they don’t know is that this type of food, the barbecued meats matched to salads, polenta, and other European food staples, was born in Rio Grande do Sul. It is one of the most representative products resulting from the merge of the Gaucho culture with the Italian and German cultures. The Rio Grande do Sul’s melting pot. And voilá, we have Fogo de Chão and so many other internationally known steak houses. All of them have in their DNA the state of Rio Grande do Sul. And Porto Alegre is where this cuisine was fine-tuned, made into a business model, and then exported to Brazil (well, I mean the rest of Brazil), and from there to the world. We may be proud that our specialty food is known as “Brazilian Cuisine” around the world. But we in Rio Grande do Sul know that it is Gaucho before it is Brazilian.
Picanha being served by Gaucho dressed waiter in Fogo de Chão Steak House. Washington DC, August 2010
Back to the conversation with people who meet me for the first time, after I say I’m from Porto Alegre and people react with that “what the hell is Porto Alegre” look, the conversation usually shifts to something else about Brazil. Sometimes I try to elaborate about Porto Alegre, describing it as the southernmost state capital of Brazil. And that it is near Uruguay and Argentina. And that people born in my state are the Brazilian representatives of the South American “Gaucho” culture. But it invariably opens another can of warms.
Cowboys? Someone may ask or assume.
Well, not necessarily, I would respond.
It is about this very particular South American culture… Difficult to explain, it is something different. It is something special. And because of that I now prefer to simply state that I am from South Brazil. And hope this is enough. Unless I want to have a conversation about Porto Alegre or the person may be interesting. Perhaps I should hand them my blog card and let them read this story here and find the connections themselves.
In the end, one way or the other, my words can not make justice to what Porto Alegre really is or how it deserves to be described. So, if you have read this far, you may as well be interested in seeing this video about Porto Alegre.
And this other video which has the “Porto Alegre É Demais” song. How do I translate this to English? Never mind, just enjoy its beautiful sounds. It is about someone describing his/her love to the city. One can do that, right? And you will hear many times the word Porto Alegre spoken by a beautiful voice. You will say it in the Porto Alegre way after you see (hear) this video.
Thanks for reading about my original corner of the world. Oregon is far from Porto Alegre, but I try to be there at least once a year. It is worth the long journey so that I get to see my family, re-visit with my great friends, enjoy the sounds, great smells and beautiful vistas of Porto Alegre. Re-energize. Porto Alegre, my home town.
