Today, im gonna start telling you, right from the start, what it is that I will write about. And that is, in the spirit of the blog - Brazil. Furthermore, I'm going to write about visiting Brazil. And one more thing, I'm going to write about tourism in Brazil.
Now, tourism in Brazil is really not different from tourism anywhere else. And actually this post is inspired now by anything Brazilian, but rather about something much more European - that is Spain. Now, as of late, I have had to re-define my traveling plans, though I have, since I can remember, wished to travel to Europe, I have yet to do so. Thus, I found myself having to decide, would I rather visit Europe? Spain? or go back to Guatemala (where I was born), or to Brazil?
Astonishingly, I am reading a very curious book - Países, Gentes y Cosas (Countries, Peoples, and Things), by Julio Camba. There, in chapter 30 titled "El fracaso del turismo" (Tourism's Failing) lies a quite particular - at times maybe erroneous, but quite enlightening way of looking at tourism and over all at traveling. Thus I shall translate! (at the bottom, my thoughts and conclusions)
Circular bills have failed, cheap hotels and guides as well. Tourism has failed. The tourist is an impermeable man. the spirit of the different countries he goes through never penetrates him. He is a man that takes notice of nothing, nor does he involve himself in the life of the inhabitants. He does not influence them, nor lets himself be influenced by them. He crosses entire cities, without leaving a single trace behind him. A nobody selling handkerchiefs, or a drug seller are infinitely superior to the tourist and do a lot more than him in matters of comprehending the different countries in the world. Tourism has failed even in literature. The reader should by Travels through Spain, by Gautier, compare it to The Bible in Spain, by Borrow. Gautier traveled to Spain as a tourist, to see the picturesque Spain meanwhile Borrow went to sell bibles. Well, the truly picturesque book is that of Borrow. Just like Gautier searched for gypsies to describe them, Borrow found himself amongst them, he learned to speak caló, and soon found himself involved in popular happenings of his time, dealing with the politicians of the time.
Thankfully in Gautier's time circular bills did not exist. There exist American families that spend entire years, fifteen, twenty, thirty saving money which they later, thanks to circular bills, spend traveling all of Europe in fifteen days. They see Paris, Switzerland, the Tyrol, Vienna, Constantinople, Greece, Berlin, Italy, Spain, Sweden. They see architecture, Gothic, Romanesque, Byzantine, Arabic; they see painting, sculpture, ceramics, machinery, night-life, natural beauty, historical places. They see everything in fifteen days, and if before the trip they had a vision, more or less exact of Europe, after the trip they have no vision whatsoever.
Circular travels are worthless in their attempt to instruct youth, instead the stupefy adulthood. The type of modern traveler, that is, the tourist has failed completely. In England many people travel now in cars like those of gypsies, who are the people that best know how to travel, with a kitchen bedroom and main hall. In this way, the trips are slow and few things are seen; but they are, in fact, seen well.
Axiom: Wherever you go, reader, seek to leave a graceful memory, or ungraceful: a girlfriend, some friends, some hatred, a rice or fried eggs recipe, or at least a debt.
Now, i must accept, I was only in Brazil for seven weeks, amongst which one was spent in Fortaleza, six in Salvador and a few more hours/day in Iguaçú. If you take the size of Brazil and divide it by the number of hours I spent in the country, you will realize it is insignificant. Truly, I realize that I am as much a tourist as most people. But I will say one thing, this blog, is my attempt to be more than just a tourist. I am dying to go to Europe, but I am dying to return to Brazil. It is a truly split heart, this heart of mine.
The point being, do not just be a tourist, do not just travel for sightsee (if that is what you wish to do, I will not have you turn away), nevertheless, there is so much more out there. Don't just visit whatever country, place, town it may be you have gone to, are in or will go to - experience it. That is, according to my feeble understanding, truly living.
So I invite you all, wherever you have gone, go back. Wherever your heart is telling you to go, go. For my part, I know I will be going back to Brazil, and if you ever need a guide, let me know maybe we can travel together.
Now, tourism in Brazil is really not different from tourism anywhere else. And actually this post is inspired now by anything Brazilian, but rather about something much more European - that is Spain. Now, as of late, I have had to re-define my traveling plans, though I have, since I can remember, wished to travel to Europe, I have yet to do so. Thus, I found myself having to decide, would I rather visit Europe? Spain? or go back to Guatemala (where I was born), or to Brazil?
Astonishingly, I am reading a very curious book - Países, Gentes y Cosas (Countries, Peoples, and Things), by Julio Camba. There, in chapter 30 titled "El fracaso del turismo" (Tourism's Failing) lies a quite particular - at times maybe erroneous, but quite enlightening way of looking at tourism and over all at traveling. Thus I shall translate! (at the bottom, my thoughts and conclusions)
chapter 30
Tourism has Failed Circular bills have failed, cheap hotels and guides as well. Tourism has failed. The tourist is an impermeable man. the spirit of the different countries he goes through never penetrates him. He is a man that takes notice of nothing, nor does he involve himself in the life of the inhabitants. He does not influence them, nor lets himself be influenced by them. He crosses entire cities, without leaving a single trace behind him. A nobody selling handkerchiefs, or a drug seller are infinitely superior to the tourist and do a lot more than him in matters of comprehending the different countries in the world. Tourism has failed even in literature. The reader should by Travels through Spain, by Gautier, compare it to The Bible in Spain, by Borrow. Gautier traveled to Spain as a tourist, to see the picturesque Spain meanwhile Borrow went to sell bibles. Well, the truly picturesque book is that of Borrow. Just like Gautier searched for gypsies to describe them, Borrow found himself amongst them, he learned to speak caló, and soon found himself involved in popular happenings of his time, dealing with the politicians of the time.
Thankfully in Gautier's time circular bills did not exist. There exist American families that spend entire years, fifteen, twenty, thirty saving money which they later, thanks to circular bills, spend traveling all of Europe in fifteen days. They see Paris, Switzerland, the Tyrol, Vienna, Constantinople, Greece, Berlin, Italy, Spain, Sweden. They see architecture, Gothic, Romanesque, Byzantine, Arabic; they see painting, sculpture, ceramics, machinery, night-life, natural beauty, historical places. They see everything in fifteen days, and if before the trip they had a vision, more or less exact of Europe, after the trip they have no vision whatsoever.
Circular travels are worthless in their attempt to instruct youth, instead the stupefy adulthood. The type of modern traveler, that is, the tourist has failed completely. In England many people travel now in cars like those of gypsies, who are the people that best know how to travel, with a kitchen bedroom and main hall. In this way, the trips are slow and few things are seen; but they are, in fact, seen well.
Axiom: Wherever you go, reader, seek to leave a graceful memory, or ungraceful: a girlfriend, some friends, some hatred, a rice or fried eggs recipe, or at least a debt.
Now, i must accept, I was only in Brazil for seven weeks, amongst which one was spent in Fortaleza, six in Salvador and a few more hours/day in Iguaçú. If you take the size of Brazil and divide it by the number of hours I spent in the country, you will realize it is insignificant. Truly, I realize that I am as much a tourist as most people. But I will say one thing, this blog, is my attempt to be more than just a tourist. I am dying to go to Europe, but I am dying to return to Brazil. It is a truly split heart, this heart of mine.
The point being, do not just be a tourist, do not just travel for sightsee (if that is what you wish to do, I will not have you turn away), nevertheless, there is so much more out there. Don't just visit whatever country, place, town it may be you have gone to, are in or will go to - experience it. That is, according to my feeble understanding, truly living.
So I invite you all, wherever you have gone, go back. Wherever your heart is telling you to go, go. For my part, I know I will be going back to Brazil, and if you ever need a guide, let me know maybe we can travel together.
