Dec 10, Saturday
Another lazy morning because it was pouring rain.  By 11 am I decided to go out anyway, this time with my umbrella.   I trekked about 12 very long city blocks to reach Casa das Rosas on Avenida Paulista.  A bit of a disappointment since the roses were not in bloom and it was raining.  I kept walking until I reached the next metro station “Paraiso” and then rode the train until I reached “Santos – Imigrantes”. 

  Casa das Rosas stained glass window

  Church near the Paraiso metro station

 I was heading for the Museu do Ipiranga (also known as Museu Paulista), which was still a considerable distance away.  I figured I would either catch a bus that went along Avenida Ricardo Jafet to the Museum Park, or take a taxi there.   At the bus stop I had my map out and decided to ask a young lady who was waiting there which bus I should take. She asked me if I needed help just as I was going to approach her. She spoke only a few words of English and I could not understand her Portuguese, but she understood where I was trying to go and gestured that I should come with her.  I thought she was going to take a bus, but a car pulled up and she gestured for me to get in with her.   Her husband or boyfriend was picking her up and they indicated that they were going in the direction of the museum and would drop me off.   Luis and Lucy were so nice !  We had a good laugh together.  Luis indicated that his sister, a teacher spoke English, but that he only spoke a few words.  They drove me right to the gates of the museum and I thanked them in 4 languages, shook Luis hand and gave Lucy a big hug.   So NICE !

The Museu Paulista is in a beautiful building which was erected specifically to be a museum in the 1890s.  It was fully refurbished in the 1980s.  Unfortunately photos were not permitted inside, or in the upper balconies that look out on the park.

 Grounds and fountains

 Museum

There were a few paintings of the independence, one entire wing on the construction and refurbishment of the museum itself,  and an assortment of furniture, articles of clothing and household goods that were in use when the museum was first built.   The grounds are huge and luscious, but in need of gardeners to clean up the beds and mow the grass.   Across the way is the Independence Park and Monument.

  One of the many statues that form the monument

  Front view of the monument

It was still early when I was ready to leave, so I walked a few blocks to get to a busy street and waved down a taxi to get to the city centre and the Catedral de Sé.  

 The cathedral and part of the park

  Inside the cathdral

  The choir practicing

Both the interior and exterior of the cathedral are quite spectacular,  and I lucked out because there was a choir practicing for a Christmas concert inside the church.  Unfortunately it is an area full of groups of street people and I did not feel comfortable enough to walk around further than the immediate area around the church.  I located the subway station and decided to head back to the hotel (4 stops along the blue line and 4 stops along the green line).   I stopped for lunch near the hotel .  I found a nice street full of restaurants and coffee shops that is close to this hotel as well as the Ibis Hotel where I will be moving to tomorrow.

 Don't know where this person was heading, pardon the pun !

Although they had predicted only intermittent showers today, they were pretty much constant.   Tomorrow and Monday are supposed to be sunny;  I’ll be able to go to the Botanical Gardens and the Zoo !