First couple of days in Porto Alegre

We arrived in Porto Alegre airport on Monday at about 10:43am after a transfer flight from Sao Paulo. We were greeted at the airport by District Governor Edwardo Werneck, Ingo Seitz, Mario Steffan, Paulo Arpini and photographer Carta Mensai.


Where we were guided into an executive lounge and immediately snapped! Although we were not feeling too hot after almost 22.5 hrs travelling, it was great to have such a welcoming party.

We then went to each of our hosts houses - where some of us slept for 6 hours! and others were shown some sites. Myself and Richard are staying with Ingo and his familly who welcomed us into their home and served us some homemade lasuagne for lunch.

Myself and Richards sleeping quarters.

Living area for guests

After freshing up - In the evening we had a group meeting in Vanessas hosts house - Sergio Thomaz with another delicious meal, just the job for weary travellers. 

In the morning after a good nights rest, we had a very packed day full of activities. 

• We visited City Hall and talked with a representative of the City Council - where we learned that Porto Alegre is a innovative city for participartory budget making - which reminded some of us of the BIG society. They also are hosting the World Social Forum next year - and are very busy at the moment having been asked to host  a cities conference which was cancelled from its planned location of Cairo.
• Underneath City hall we visited a preview of an indian exhibition - which marked indian day in Brazil. Also the cellars were where slaves lived and also parts were used for a prison. We escaped however from there and went upstairs and visited the Governors Office and reception rooms. 

Room at City Hall

• The city hall is over about 100 years old and one of the oldest buildings in Porto Alegre.
• We then were given a tour of the Governors Palace where we saw the state rooms and some of the early cars that the early governors drove, from here the parliment building was not far, where we were introduced to a representative from the President where we were presented with a photo book of the Grouchos area (this seems to be the name which the south of Brazil ;Urgaguay and parts of Northern Argentina are called) Here we witnessed the end somewhat enthusiastic debate and subsequent vote on the admission on of English words into the Brazillian Vocabluary - the deputies voted on a bill and it passed 26-24. We found this a bit awkward as the president preciding over the session of the assembley then introducted us and we had to stand to and raise our hands as each of us was introduced! We hoped that we were a more welcome english invasion!

• We then had coffee at the beautiful opera house in the centre of Porto Alegre before heading one of the cities oldest newspapers which according to the editor was the first to take up environmental issues...... our picture was taken again... and we will post up the subsequent news article soon!

... there are a couple of famous residents whcih I cannot remember the names of a famous poet - and famous environmental reporter (note to find these names and report them back!)

We then attended Rotary Club de Porto Alegre Iguatemi in the evening, where we met more rotary numbers who were very friendly - despite our dubious portuguese!

Then after starting this blog post bed!  Myself and Richard finished this post off this morning - which is Wednesday our Third day in Brazi!

We were greeted in the morning by an article about our visit in the local daily newspaper which we visited yesterday!