Petrolina (PE) – Oasis in the Wilderness Northeast

Factsheet 4×1:

Date: 18/06/2012 the 22/06/2012

Saímos of: Lençóis – BA (Chapada Diamantina)

Destination: Petrolina, PE

Distance: 505 Km

Travel Time: Almost 8 hours (considering the stops for lunch, supply and some photos).

Path: Sheets come out and then we took BR 242. After approximately 90 Km caught BR 407 straight to Juazeiro and Petrolina. (Good roads! Only 16Km stretch of dirt with, due to a reform in this section).

Where to sleep: We camped in the parking lot of the Inn River in Belo side of a road where we negotiate to pay only the breakfast for $ 6,00 each um =)

What we eat good: Specialty of the Northeast: the Carne de carneiro! We were very well received in the excellent restaurant: Goat Roast Angelo. They also eat traditional fish from the region: Surubim and Tambaqui - not award winning restaurant Mary Fish.

Filled Tire : as paradise dunes of San Francisco no municipality of New House.

Tire murcho: wait for more than 30 min a boat crossing the Juarez to return to the beautiful island of Rodeadouro.

The heat felt in Petrolina transcends to that radiated by the sun. It could be perceived in every conversation with the friendly people in various places where we were. The prosperous Valley San Francisco charm with its natural beauty, culture and gastronomy.

The trip to Petrolina arose by chance. In the beginning of our planning the idea was we left the Chapada Diamantina to the city of Bushmen, not Tocantins, for visiting Jalapão (Bushmen is an entrance to the municipalities of Jalapao). But two days before we left the Chapada we realized that Google Maps has always pointed to the very city of Bushmen out of their original point. The entrance to the Jalapao is around 300 km from Palmas and Google Maps pointed Mateiros almost on the border with Maranhão Tocantins: but 800 km from its original point. Thus, go to Jalapao mean losing that time to learn more about the Northeast. And that was not what we wanted.

It was about 18 hours when we crossed the bridge that joins the Presidente Dutra city of Bahia to Pernambuco Petrolina Juazeiro. The cities are divided by the Rio Sao Francisco that brings much prosperity to the region, making them a true point outside of the curve in the middle of the dry hinterland of the Northeast. Petrolina, more developed, presents indices of model city: with 95% of basic saneamento and the title of largest exporter of fruits in the country, the city is still second largest producer of wines no Brasil!

In stark contrast with the rest of the region. Contrast this by noting that we were already in the BR-407 that cuts the interior of Bahia. Lean animals, adobe houses, but 10 rivers and streams dry and at least 6 tank trucks during those 500 km were the portraits of a region battered by the last major drought 55 years old. But as we approach Juazeiro and Petrolina that scenario gradually changed. It was the prodigal sons of the Hinterland!

Tonight, hungry and after we run for over an hour in search of a parking (hotels in the region) so we can camp, we went to the very famous Bodódromo almost 20.30. Throughout the city the tourist signs indicate (actually this is a point which drew much attention: the city is very well marked with signs!) how to get to this street that houses typical restaurants that are the most famous delicacy sertaneja: the carne de Carneiro. That's it! Aries! For although the name of the place refer to Bode, the Mutton is softer and the animal can give birth up to two times a year. After we parked there had not doubt which restaurant to choose: with all the tables occupied and a delicious typical music being played live, Bode went straight to Angelo's Barbecue. It, logo to enter, we talk to Angelo (restaurant owner and, today, honorary citizen of Petrolina!). Very nice, he told us his professional career by founding the restaurant 2003 (Bodódromo existed since the September 2000). After you count the Expedition he offered us the main dish of the house as a courtesy: Beef and lamb on skewers with rice, beans drover, macaxeira fried (cassava or manioc for some), vinaigrette, mashed yucca and a delicious mush goat!

Morning. It was the day we make the traditional trip to the Wine Route. The clock read 6:50 a.m. and the day dawned with many dark clouds. "Paulistanos" typical, we could imagine that time would. Innocent mistake, were in the Hinterland!!! At 9 am the thermometer already marked 27 ° C and the sky was blue without clouds. We left the path of Vitivinícola Santa Maria, the 63 km from Petrolina. 'Viti' is relative to the cultivation of the vine and 'wine' in the manufacture of wine. The Santa Maria wine is one of the major hits in the Wine Route, which has other options (for example: the visit to the farm Ouro Verde, Wine producer Gaucho Miolo). Our guide in Santa Maria was the Valdemir, one of the oldest employees and that is there from the time that the farm was still managed by Brazilians. There are 10 years the wine is managed by the Portuguese group Rio Sol conducting several studies in the region, with support from the University of Lisbon. There, addition to the award-winning wines engarrafarem Rio Sol, also make the wines and the regional Rendeiras Valley Winery, focused on public NORTHEASTERN.

According to Valdemir, that is has 17 years old, some curiosities highlight the São Francisco Valley relevance in the world production of wines: The first is that the site is the only place in which it is possible to do two to three crops of grapes annual! Much of the region's wine, by the way, barrels exported to Europe and back to Brazil only with the label of the European wine. The second curiosity is that any type of grape can be planted in the valley, fact that there is repeated anywhere in the world. Anyway the most grown are Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Alicante Bouschet and Touriga Nacional.

After the visit we had lunch at the very Fish restaurant recommended Mary. No wonder we hear so many recommendations: on your wall, na logo entry, hung 7 plaques of awards Guide 4 Wheels (2003 the 2009), and several awards Top Gold in polls in Petrolina. It, After talking with the owner Lucimaria, daughter of Maria (foundress), She offered us complimentary Surubim traditional stew and fried tambaqui.

Satisfied, picking the public boat (that custa somente 1 real!) to cross from Petrolina to Juazeiro and walk back across the bridge Dutra.

From the bridge it is easy to observe the contrasts between the two cities, especially those that relate to different levels of economic development. But rica, Petrolina displays its tall and modern buildings; across, Juazeiro has in its scope many popular retail stores. No entanto, walking along its banks, Note that the Petrolina lacked a bit of whimsy and zeal of the "poor cousin". These are, indeed, issues which we note the various cidadezinhas Bavaria to come. The majority, were always clean and looks well planned and organized urban.

On the way one of the rides we saw a great MST camp that cam na estrada à Petrolina.

We stopped and went to talk with the campers. Some children who had just come home from school joined their mothers and grandmothers as husbands and other relatives were in the garden. To our surprise, they reported that, despite the condition, not starved. The purse-family, plus monthly food baskets donated by a local agency, helped to complement the family income, that was basically the work of husbands who received daily hours worked in the fields of the.

Inclusive, the nice Mr Raymond told us that they hardly killed some of his goats, turkeys and chickens to feed: “(…) I create the same is to be able to have here with us right. It is to pass the time ".

We left the camp and around 11am we went to Island Rodeadouro. Access is by boat and costs around $ 3.00 per person. The white sand and crystal clear waters of the Old Chico were very well accompanied by a delicious barbequed fish and coconut water. It was our first experience in a freshwater beach!

Later that day we made a visit to the popular museum 'Anne of frown’ (and the Bodódromo, several boards in the city show how to get). The museum is home where he lived Ana: a highly respected and award-winning local craftswoman (born in 1923) who used the clay of the Old Chico to his famous works inspired by the frowns of old fishing boats. But, more impressive to know their works, is to hear every detail of his life story from the mouth of his own daughter, Maria da Cruz, who lovingly welcomed us!

It was our last day arrived in the region and decided to meet the famous and controversial Dam Sobradinho (mentioned in the song Sa and Guarabyra, of 1977, soundtrack of our video). We witness here who actually has become the hinterland in March.

Sobradinho has the largest artificial lake in Latin America created by the flooding that engulfed the old city, they say, can still be seen at low tide the river (not had a chance to see). But even if the man has "broken nature", the blue waters of the Old Chico, amid such dry, still allow an indescribable look that can best be appreciated at the top of the lookout tower.

Even in the final stretch of the road, just before you reach the power plant, notam-tanks are Alguns pisciculture no meio do lago. We decided to sail with the guys who took care of one breeding to know the creation on-site. An experience quite different!

But the best was yet to come. Lacked the icing on the cake to seal that incredible experience. Without knowing the exact output in the BR-235, asked for several sites to find. Would be more 18 km of dirt road on gravel and end in depararíamos with a small stream of about 50 profundidade cm. Was cross Só. Later we enter into a true oasis in the Hinterland: here were the dunes of San Francisco.

Near the city of Casa Nova and 96 km from Petrolina, they rose in a spectacular view of the imposing Old Chico, not far from Sobradinho. We were alone in that lovely stretch of beach (which is actually a privately owned). And there ended our day with a futebolzinho the river!

Petrolina was certainly one of the most impressive so far, will leave a lot of nostalgia and taste of wanting to return one day!