Your correspondent is one of the most reluctant persons to leave home.
For prior to arriving in Rio de Janeiro in the 1970s (!),
I had resided in various parts of the world and know only too well the tears and anguish involved in departing from one place and going to reside in another.
On the other hand, residing too long in one place often puts one in certain ruts which are often difficult to change or get out of.
These few days in one of the most beautiful, peaceful and civilized cities (almost 900,00 inhabitants) I have encountered in Brazil, Joao Pessoa, northeast Brazil, Paraiba state, has made me wonder about where I have been living ,Copacabana,Rio de Janeiro,once one of loveliest places in the world.
Increasing in population and poverty and crime, Rio de Janeiro is not the same city I entered in 1973, when the world knew it due to Tom Jobim´s “Girl from Ipanema,” as glorified by Stan Getz’s tenor saxophone moaning this bossa nova.
Here in Joao Pessoa, I am reminded of a more innocent Brazil of the dreams of many: palm trees, warm water beaches with mild tropical, winds, polite kindness, lovely gals clad in bikinis.
“I prefer Joao Pessoa to living in Los Angeles, “the owner of an Arab restaurant overlooking the evening strollers near the warm-water beaches tells me based on his experience of residing 20 years in LA.
The city is obviously growing with numerous high-rise condos being constructed everywhere.
My question always is “where is the money coming from?” as I have previously visited the dry lands of Paraiba state where intense heat and lack of irrigation has impeded growth and potential richness.
Hopefully Joao Pessoa as it grows will not follow in Rio de Janeiro´s footsteps of expanding favelas, or slums, and politicians who believe the public cash register is their personal bank.

Culture is not always found in the biggest metropoles but often is to be discovered in the smallest and remote parts of the world.
I recall that some of the greatest writers in the United States didn’t come from the cultural capital New York City but rather originated from remote, smaller places: witness Thomas Wolfe, playwright Tennessee Williams Faulkner, Carson Faulkner, Carson others.
Visiting this 40-year-old cultural and convention center named after a local novelist and journalist, Jose Lins do Rego,( in what I liken to this Caribbean of Brazil), I had the impression initially that I am entering a bus station.
The multi-cultural center developed by an architect I once met in Rio, Sergio Bernardes, houses theaters, a ballet studio, a music school, boutiques as well as an underground cultural art museum and cultural space to honor the memory of Jose Lins do Rego.
The author´s novels include what in the USA has been translated to be “Plantation Boy” and were made into numerous national movies.
I guess most of the general public finds these types of small museums dedicated to one illustrious person (other than Elvis Presley, etc.) boring.
But odd me, I find these centers fascinating!
In a museum the size of a large cubicle, there are pics of the author´s family and ancestors, Rego wearing a Flamengo soccer shirt and rooting for his favorite team in Rio de Janeiro where he was a sportswriter, and the author’s extensive library of books (remember them?), an entire section of novels he wrote and placards from the movies made from the stories his imagination and author´s pen (or rather typewriter, remember those) created.
Elected to Rio ´s Literature Academy— in the days when real writers rather than singers and actresses were elected-–Lins was an unknown writer to me but not to those who grew up and were educated in Brazil.
What made my visit to this cultural center also worthwhile was a current show of works of local artist Flavio Tavares, 71. He is considered “one of the most important artists of northeastern Brazil” and even illustrated a novel by Lins.
Reading his biography, I discovered Tavares also studied and gave workshops at Yale University and has had shown in Germany and Israel as well.
His current exposition including neo-“medieval” paintings which incorporate many current Brazil famous and infamous (President Bozo) figures is called “Claustrum.”
The exposition at the Archidy Picado gallery features Tavares´ large telas, or ‘screens.’: FAMILY, CHILDHOOD, YOUTH and HELL.
Viewing Brazilian President Bozo and other villains of current Brazil included in a medieval painting gives me hope that like the medieval age they may disappear forever.

Everything has a beginning, middle and end and unfortunately our stay in this bit of Paradise of northeastern Brazil, Joao Pessoa, Paraiba state, is coming to an end.
Our flight back to so-called Marvelous City of Rio de Janeiro departs tomorrow morning at the ghastly hour of 5am bringing us ‘home’ at 830am.
Imagine the typical American tourist who flies to Miami or Cancun or the Caribbean for a holiday departing at 5 am but that is the local custom in this part of the world.
(I have departed the capital of the Amazon, Manaus, at 3 am but never had a flight at 5am.)
Like most voyages I have made, I reluctantly departed my home base asking myself why am I leaving the comforts of home and now find myself reluctant to return to my home base.
I read this morning of four stabbings during the supposedly prohibited festivities in Rio de Janeiro during New Year´s eve and in this capital city of less than one million inhabitants of Paraiba state I rarely or never see and read about crime, violence or drug trafficking.
What will Joao Pessoa be in the future as this city continues to grow, is my query.
Someone who has resided here for a few years but chose to fly away to the colder winds of North America writes me that “like everywhere there are good things about Paraiba and no so good things. Paraiba is lovely but provincial.’
I agree wholeheartedly but at this late stage of life a part of me prefers the provincial.
I observe that as difficult it is do try to continue pursuing artistic endeavors in other parts of the world, this warm -water haven requires efforts which must be doubled or tripled due to one´s isolation; food favored by the locals is not always to a gringo´s tastes and there seems to be a shortage of international chefs; how many lucrative hi-rise condos can be piled up against the other without resulting in polluted skies similar to Sao Paulo; and for the “flaneur.” or wanderer there, is not as much to look at in this futuristic city other than the lovely warm water beaches, in comparison to the more famous metropoles,
Yet another less critical part of me is very glad the little lady insisted on visiting this lovely part of the Brazil to discover not only not only new sights and sounds but as well much about myself.
Happy 2022!