A gringo's guide to Ipatinga
Printed From: Gringoes.com
Category: Brazil
Forum Name: Travel in Brazil
Forum Discription: Best places to travel in Brazil
URL: http://www.gringoes.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4870
Printed Date: 24 May 2013 at 10:28
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 8.05a - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: A gringo's guide to Ipatinga
Posted By: Hilary
Subject: A gringo's guide to Ipatinga
Date Posted: 03 February 2008 at 07:58
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I was lucky enough to be able to buy a good street map early on during my stay in Ipatinga, so I've been going on long solitary walks exploring the place (one of only 2 ways I've found of getting time to myself so far. The other is the Internet shop, although even that was foiled when nephew decided he wanted to join me to play games as he's not old enough to be allowed on his own. Not really a problem, though, as if I wanted to go to an Internet shop on my own I'd just find one on one of my walks.) My husband was initially resistant to me going out on my own as he was naturally concerned that I might be seized by kidnappers, etc., which made me giggle a bit as I travelled around Brazil (including Rio) on my own for 2 weeks one time (before knowing him) without any problems. (Btw Is that kind of thing seriously a problem in such a small town?) Anyway, in the end, he and the others were impressed by my ability to find my way around, as well as bemused by the distances I walked and places I got to on my own. He was also very surprised when I announced I'd found a beach in Ipatinga. I had to take him there to show him because he wouldn't believe me. :) OK, it was a small patch of sand by the river, and he tells me the river is too dirty to swim in, but a beach nevertheless! (Eat your hearts out, JP-lovers!) We do have the cachoeira (Bela Vista, I think it was, can't remember now) a short drive out of town with bbq and picnic tables, which I and my in-laws now call cachoeira-capoeira-cachaca-caipirinha as I find the words quite similar. If you go there be very careful not to float in the water at the bottom of the waterfall as I did, because people use it as a waterslide and come crashing down over the rocks from a great height. I had my back to the fall and the first I knew was when people started screaming at me, then I felt like a huge wave, then someone grabbing me round the waist from behind. I don't know who was more shocked – me or him! I like the shopping street in Ipatinga, although I feel uncomfortable with sales assistants pouncing on me or hovering close. But they seem to leave me alone if I say “Estou só olhando” Is that right? I translated from English, but wasn't sure if it was correct in Portuguese. I've looked it up just now and found this blog on the subject which made me laugh: http://saladays.blogspot.com/2007/11/no-obrigado-t-s-olhando.html - http://saladays.blogspot.com/2007/11/no-obrigado-t-s-olhando.html ------------- Hilary London / Ipatinga |
Replies:
Posted By: Heidi
Date Posted: 19 February 2008 at 11:12
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Hilaryyyyy! I loved reading this, wow it brought back great memories!!
LOL You would not get kidnapped in a small town like Ipatinga!! I went all over the place there, day and night, by myself and nothing ever happened!!! People there are really chill! There are no favelas in Ipatinga, and it's VERY rare to see people living on the street there! Alot of people from Ipatinga haev lived in the states for a few years or have many relatives in the states sending them money. So Ipatinga has a HUGE budget. Some say it's one of the cities in Brasil with the best infrastructure...They just built a new hospital and food bank for lower income families. I could go on and on about more social services but you found a beach in Ipatinga?!?!?!
Hahahah they were days when I was dying of heat and wanting a beach!
Yeah that parque das cachoeiras is amazing eh?!?!? I love it, and miss it.
And you must be talking about Ipatinga's centro, I fell in love with it as well. It's small but it's so live and music playing and I love it. I now what you mean about the girls who work in stores, but that's normal everywhere in Brasil lol. My aunt owns one of the those stores in the centro =)!
Did you go to Shopping do Vale?
Did your husband to take to any good restaurants like Jayme's pizzeria, Churrasco Encantado? (It's rodozio!), pizzeria do Charles (Jayme's son hahahah!).... ------------- Todo carnaval tem seu fim! |
Posted By: Bahiana77
Date Posted: 19 February 2008 at 12:08
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We (the couple I am friends with) have been to that cachoeira too--and I almost killed myself trying to climb up the rocks to slide down---dancing forro and drinking beer---I can just picture it.
We always visit her uncles' farms. One is on top of a mountain--all that red dirt falling off the side of the road down the valley--where I can drink milk hot from the cow in my coffee (I swear those cows have two shorter legs so they can walk on the steep mountainsides) and look out over the valley view from the hammock.
Does my friend's (the husband) family's fishing area (pesce e paga) in Paraiso still have forro at night? (There is a big covered area to dance.) I caught a huge tilapia, the last time I was there, that her mother fried up for me. And his mother was making doce do leite in the kitchen and gave me enough to take home--taste memories of there, even as is at in my American kitchen. We borrowed a couple of horses from a guy we left happily drinking beer at their little bar so we could go up in the hills. And when we got back, some guys had stopped by with instruments and were playing for everyone--little kids running around and jumping into a big tank of water to beat the heat, families fishing.....
and the shopping street to buy soccer jerseys....
Makes me miss everyone so much.
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Posted By: ricklo7
Date Posted: 19 February 2008 at 14:00
| I loved it when we were there to visit my wife's two sisters, It is really one of my favorite cities I have visited in Brazil. |
Posted By: SteelRat
Date Posted: 19 February 2008 at 15:44
| Bahiana77: Just to advise your PMs appear to be full. |
Posted By: Bahiana77
Date Posted: 19 February 2008 at 16:31
| Thanks. Cleaned it out. |
Posted By: Heidi
Date Posted: 19 February 2008 at 16:44
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Bahiana, I'm not sure if he still plays forro lol, but Paraiso really is paraiso eh??
I've been to the two waterfall parks there. I met the owner of one of them as well.
I miss it so much..all of it!!!
I'm going insane....I have to leave my house in like 45min to go out in the cold to bus to work and stay until 10:30 PM dammit!  ------------- Todo carnaval tem seu fim! |
Posted By: Bahiana77
Date Posted: 19 February 2008 at 17:42
Oh, Heidi, puh-leez do not talk to me about cold ! It's all comparative. It is sooooo cold where I am right now, you should feel lucky to be where you are. Yesterday we had a weird taste of spring--60 degrees F--and today it is back down to the 20sF again--down jackets, mittens, wool hats, scarves, extra thick socks, boots...........and even at home where the cost of heating fuel has tripled, sweat suit and extra socks and down booties and an extra sweater.........if they ask why Americans are so fat, it's extra cold-fighting fuel and also because you can't even see your own body even at home for 7 months out of the year. 
Anyway, pm me and arrange to visit my friends sometime soon and expand your social circle a bit.
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Posted By: Heidi
Date Posted: 21 February 2008 at 13:26
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Will do. =)
And you made me feel better about the cold in Toronto, hehe, not that bad, but still BAD. ------------- Todo carnaval tem seu fim! |
Posted By: Hilary
Date Posted: 07 March 2008 at 15:47
Oops, I missed these replies! Just saw them now.
Thanks for putting my mind at rest!  "Did you go to Shopping do Vale?" Yes, I went one time - that's where I found a bookshop and bought my map.
No, but we went to a local pizzeria in Veneza - I loved the pizza there. Bahiana, I haven't been to Paraiso yet - we were hoping in Feb when I went but we didn't make it. Hopefully next time. ------------- Hilary London / Ipatinga |
Posted By: Hilary
Date Posted: 07 March 2008 at 15:54
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Don't know why my post went all funny - it looked OK in preview.
------------- Hilary London / Ipatinga |