tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68833066205483674132012-02-16T09:20:48.830-08:00The historic towns and beautiful landscapes of the "Vale do Café (Coffee Valley), in the mountainous countryside two hours inland from Rio de JaneiroJ.C. McGowannoreply@blogger.comBlogger51100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6883306620548367413.post-66799680274219364032011-08-12T16:10:00.000-07:002011-08-12T16:30:55.694-07:00<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MyHADMpfvyI/TkWzYCdn1HI/AAAAAAAABFs/Ayn8XT43Nio/s1600/Marcelo%2BCaldi%2BFestival%2B3a.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 119px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MyHADMpfvyI/TkWzYCdn1HI/AAAAAAAABFs/Ayn8XT43Nio/s400/Marcelo%2BCaldi%2BFestival%2B3a.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640111333910762610" /></a> <br /><div>The Festival Vale do Café (the Coffee Valley Festival) is a ten-day celebration in late July that is set in a picturesque valley two hours by car from Rio de Janeiro. One can listen to classical music, choro, and Brazilian popular music, as well as folkloric music-and-dance traditions. The concerts take place at the historic fazendas (plantations) of the region, as well as in churches and city squares of Vassouras and other cities in the area. Cristina Braga, the first harpist of the Symphonic Orchestra of Rio's Municipal Theater, created the festival eight years ago, and recruited the renowned classical guitarist Turíbio Santos to serve as its artistic director. I will shortly be posting more information about the 2012 music festival, the area, and local hotels and resorts. </div><div> <br /></div><div><i>Here are my two Huffington Post blogs about the event:</i></div><div><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-mcgowan/brazils-ninth-annual-coff_b_923689.html">Brazil's Coffee Valley Music Festival Draws Crowds to Historic Region (2011)</a></div><div> <br /></div><div><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-mcgowan/brazils-hidden-magical-mu_b_674172.html">Brazil's Hidden Magical Music Festival (2010)</a></div><div> <br /></div><div><i>The festival web site (in Portuguese) is here:</i></div><div><a href="http://www.festivalvaledocafe.com.br/">Festival Vale do Café</a></div><div> <br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><b>The photo above is of Marcelo Caldi and his group, © Chris McGowan 2011.</b></span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6883306620548367413-6679968027421936403?l=twohoursfromrio.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>J.C. McGowannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6883306620548367413.post-84158764628279784662009-12-04T13:49:00.001-08:002011-08-12T16:26:59.523-07:00<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e_Oaen3CM_o/SxmG6TdockI/AAAAAAAAAnw/0-M8R5QDt3U/s1600-h/DSC04094.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e_Oaen3CM_o/SxmG6TdockI/AAAAAAAAAnw/0-M8R5QDt3U/s400/DSC04094.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411504763477455426" border="0" /></a> <br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_e_Oaen3CM_o/SxmGpkqqzHI/AAAAAAAAAno/rqLZMS6GP3M/s1600-h/DSC04101.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_e_Oaen3CM_o/SxmGpkqqzHI/AAAAAAAAAno/rqLZMS6GP3M/s400/DSC04101.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411504476037762162" border="0" /></a>A nature reserve, with a trail of leaves and grass around the perimeter of the lake, as well as trails leading into the rain forest. The Parque Natural Municipal do Açude da Concórdia is located near the city of Valença, about half an hour from Vassouras.<div> <br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>All photos © Chris McGowan</b></span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6883306620548367413-8415876462827978466?l=twohoursfromrio.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>J.C. McGowannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6883306620548367413.post-54286319740166597562009-12-04T13:49:00.000-08:002009-12-26T16:29:30.800-08:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e_Oaen3CM_o/SxmFtqRovoI/AAAAAAAAAnY/6clC1XzdATo/s1600-h/DSC04105.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e_Oaen3CM_o/SxmFtqRovoI/AAAAAAAAAnY/6clC1XzdATo/s400/DSC04105.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411503446751231618" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e_Oaen3CM_o/SxmFWyUiAKI/AAAAAAAAAnQ/zQdXM7qOuZI/s1600-h/DSC04106.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e_Oaen3CM_o/SxmFWyUiAKI/AAAAAAAAAnQ/zQdXM7qOuZI/s400/DSC04106.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411503053773865122" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_e_Oaen3CM_o/SxmE-nh1BnI/AAAAAAAAAnI/19JIks9dEa8/s1600-h/DSC04129.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_e_Oaen3CM_o/SxmE-nh1BnI/AAAAAAAAAnI/19JIks9dEa8/s400/DSC04129.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411502638559987314" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e_Oaen3CM_o/SxmEbUXkShI/AAAAAAAAAnA/sULBFnHG7mU/s1600-h/DSC04144.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e_Oaen3CM_o/SxmEbUXkShI/AAAAAAAAAnA/sULBFnHG7mU/s400/DSC04144.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411502032121252370" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_e_Oaen3CM_o/SxmEKMiIt8I/AAAAAAAAAm4/-mehy4dGq4s/s1600-h/DSC04146.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_e_Oaen3CM_o/SxmEKMiIt8I/AAAAAAAAAm4/-mehy4dGq4s/s400/DSC04146.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411501737960323010" border="0" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6883306620548367413-5428631974016659756?l=twohoursfromrio.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>J.C. McGowannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6883306620548367413.post-2299698404410641102009-12-04T13:43:00.000-08:002009-12-04T13:45:54.544-08:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_e_Oaen3CM_o/SxmC5QAGrRI/AAAAAAAAAmw/a0cGrL_EbXs/s1600-h/DSC04151.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_e_Oaen3CM_o/SxmC5QAGrRI/AAAAAAAAAmw/a0cGrL_EbXs/s400/DSC04151.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411500347321920786" border="0" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6883306620548367413-229969840441064110?l=twohoursfromrio.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>J.C. McGowannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6883306620548367413.post-4564553474071308402009-12-04T13:28:00.000-08:002009-12-26T16:32:34.697-08:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e_Oaen3CM_o/SxmBAJJ94_I/AAAAAAAAAmI/j3S8jgXa5x8/s1600-h/DSC04212.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e_Oaen3CM_o/SxmBAJJ94_I/AAAAAAAAAmI/j3S8jgXa5x8/s400/DSC04212.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411498266720068594" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e_Oaen3CM_o/SxmAtH7p4wI/AAAAAAAAAmA/6Ux4gsTH5Rg/s1600-h/DSC04217.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e_Oaen3CM_o/SxmAtH7p4wI/AAAAAAAAAmA/6Ux4gsTH5Rg/s400/DSC04217.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411497939974087426" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e_Oaen3CM_o/Szaq_fZ0dFI/AAAAAAAAApI/IuIsGaJOhTM/s1600-h/DSC04213.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e_Oaen3CM_o/Szaq_fZ0dFI/AAAAAAAAApI/IuIsGaJOhTM/s400/DSC04213.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419707209325245522" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e_Oaen3CM_o/SzaqwhIrb7I/AAAAAAAAApA/jou9ZL0IZtA/s1600-h/DSC04072.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e_Oaen3CM_o/SzaqwhIrb7I/AAAAAAAAApA/jou9ZL0IZtA/s400/DSC04072.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419706952092184498" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6883306620548367413-456455347407130840?l=twohoursfromrio.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>J.C. McGowannoreply@blogger.com0