WEEK FOUR: Oh, the jewels of Piaui ...
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By Sylvere and Martha Coussement February 13, 2003
• WEEK THREE: Sharing our room with lizards and tree frogs • WEEK TWO: Nice, unusual barge ride • WEEK ONE: Off to a good start
Related photo galleries:The Coussement Travels
PIRIPIRI, Brazil -- We had planned to report this week on our hunt for opals and the resort city of Fortaleza. It has been a busy and exciting time so we have decided to break this report into two columns. Changing plans is not unusual while traveling in South America. Although we try to firm up where to go and what to see, plans are often derailed by the unknown or “the local knowledge" that we glean from people we meet. There is so much to see that, unfortunately, time will not allow us to experience all that we would like. Some of the uncertainties are in the form of road conditions and the lack of road identification. It is dangerous to travel at night, because of the roads, the numerous stray animals and robbers. We always plan alternate stops in order to secure ourselves and the car before dark. As a last resort, should a breakdown or impassable road prevent this, we carry sufficient equipment and supplies to spend the night in the bush. Other little issues show up to create more fun. How about a young female cat who comes into heat earlier than expected? Talk about howling! Also this week Mia, one of our fox terriers, seems to have contracted a tropical disease. We are happy to report that the veterinarian services here are excellent, and she is on the mend, while the cat was “fixed" on Monday. A comment on the equatorial heat and humidity while all of you shiver in Alabama. Five days into our trip, we started feeling the full effects of this region. Well, almost all of our family, except, of course, for Flamenca, our Venezuelan cat. The natives that we meet and see never seem to perspire. On the other hand we need only take a few steps away from the air conditioning to be quite wet. The sun's intensity is strong, to say the least. Our little car attracts a good deal of attention, since Buicks are not distributed in this country. I describe the size as ëlittle' with tongue in cheek. The cost of gasoline in Brazil is high (nearly $3 per gallon at the present time) and the quality is poor (they use as much as 26% alcohol in their mix), so gas mileage suffers by as much as 20 percent. The auto industry of Brazil has adjusted by marketing cars much smaller than ours and which are far more economical to operate. Our car has been serving us well with little maintenance in the 2,800 miles that we have driven on this trip. We give credit, in part, to Jack Leigh and his technical people who advised us on its preparation and spare parts list. Our drive from Sao Luis to the small town of Piripiri, in the state of Piaui, was without mishap, but punctuated by complaints of frustration from our cat. Using this town as our staging point for the opal mining region, we selected what was reported as the best lodgings in town. It is a good thing we did not select the worst. Although very clean, insect control is not an affordable option for these folks. Fortunately we carry spray cans of insecticide for just this use. By morning, our room and hallway looked like an insect battlefield. The little town of Pedro Segundo (population 21,000), in the hills of Serra dos Matoes, is the center of the only opal mining in South America. There are 30 active mines, all mined by hand, and the quality of the opals are rivaled only by those of Australia. They are manually cut and polished to draw out the very best of a particular gem. The brilliance and colors of the stones dazzled us. The jewelry design and quality were outstanding and the prices very good. We had good luck and made contact with a gentleman who is the premier dealer in opals for this region. Juscelino Sousa and his group at Opalas Pedro II were selected to craft a large mosaic representation of the map of Brazil made up of opals. This was an inauguration gift from his state to the new President of Brazil, Lula de Silva. Speaking of prices, now is the time to travel in Brazil. With the current strength of the dollar, very good lodging can be found for $25 per night, and good meals as low as $2 per person. Upscale dining will generally top off at $20 for two including cocktails and wine. The history is rich, the beaches magnificent, and the people are friendly and warm. All of this country is a great tourist destination, whatever area is chosen. Next week: Fortaleza and the dichotomy of the northeastern Brazilian culture.