21h to Beautiful Horizon

It took me 21 hours and an expensive plane ticket t0 reach Belo Horizonte, a city situated in South-East Brazil, in the region of Minais Gerais, just on the line between charming and absolutely dashing, as the city turned out to be the exact meaning of its name.

The city itself doesn't have many turistical attractions if "turistical" for you means buildings, parks and monuments, but it sure does have lots of things to see, to try and feel.

It's colourful, energic, full, diverse and the other atributes that you'd expect me to say while talking about Brazil. Most of the people don't speak English here which makes everything more confusing and attractive. Mysterious but daring and outgoing.

The food? Totally delicious and new! I am eating fruits that i saw on National Geographic for goodness' sake!

The Carnival? Nuts. Celebrating freedom, i guess. Who knows? I don't, they don't, no one actually knows, but it is fun to watch, to take part in, to learn. People are dancing without reason here. They know how to play multiple instruments without studying music or doing it for a lifelong career. They just do it because they love singing together at night, in a random living room. And this is what i actually want to talk about!

The people.

I am no wrong when i say that here i met the most genuine persons in my life so far! With honest reactions and honest words. They present themselves as they are and do not expect you to believe something else.

Coming here, i felt so welcomed like i was already part of it. Instead of "Welcome to Brazil, stranger!", it was more like "Welcome back!". After nearly one month spent here, i am still blown away by their kindness and they way they are treating me: like i am one of their own.

Through their actions, i can be myself around them. I can forget about boundaries or image issues.

I can just be.

They don't have the specific european arrogance. Forgive me, but i have never realized how entitled we are until i came here and i saw how humble people are. We, with our rights, them with their joy!

Because joy is what i have learned in my few weeks here.

There is a lot more to say and most probably more articles will follow, but for now, i will leave pictures in the gallery below! Be kind to one another and we'll meet under my next title!