On Monday morning, we visited St. Gertrudes Farm. This farm has been passed down for several generations. It was once a coffee farm and is now a premier location for shooting telenovelas and hosting weddings. The farm was beautiful and I hope to be attending a wedding there in the next few years! After lunch, we toured downtown Araras and saw a cultural center and church. The late afternoon took us to AMCRA (Association of Friends of Children of Araras), a center for children whose parents are HIV positive. They can come to this center for social and medical attention. We then visited Project Abrigo which is a home for young girls from birth to 18. Christine, our "Child Whisperer" immediately found some new friends. Of course I fell in love wiht the only boy in the home, four month old Gabriel. I wanted to take him home with me but between my clothes and Takuo's wife, there wasn't much room left in my suitcase! That evening we had a presentation at Rotary Club of Araras, which was the club of our host families.
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| Christine in the Cultural Center in downtown Araras that used to be a jail. |
On Tuesday morning we visited Usina Sao Joao, a sugar plant. It was very interesting to see the process by which sugar cane is transformed into sugar and ethanol. After lunch (which by the way had Pastel with cinnamon and chocolate), we visited another farm, Fazendo Santo Antonio. This farm was once a sugar cane and coffee plantation. It is now owned by a private family. It is a stunning property with a golf course, stables, beautiful gardens and a private beach. I also had the opportunity to visit a museum in the afternoon designed by a Brazilian architect who is still working at the age of 102. Our second presentation is Araras was that evening at Rotary Club of Araras Sul.
On Wednesday morning we bid farewell to Araras and headed for Limeira. More to come...
Abracos,
Jennifer
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