Friday, December 27, 1996

Christmas Trip in Brazil


December 25, 1996 (Sunday)
Christmas Day afternoon we went to zoo. We have lunch here.
Shirley, Aida and Xing enjoyed the cycling-boat. A bird dropped a 'sovenior' on Shirley hand.
At night we walked to a University then to 15 street.
Christmas decoration is beautiful.
Shirley bought a cap of Santa Claus for Xing Xing. Xing likes to hold very much the ball of a cap.
Praça Tiradentes (Tiradentes Square) The first square in Curitiba, is walking distant from Cathedral.

Flower Street is the street infront of the HSBC building. Several commercial building beside Flower Street is colorfully decorated.

Botanical garden



December 26, 1996 (Thursday)

We went to Botanical garden. It is a very nice place.

Aida just stayed in the hotel she is not well.

We feed the fishes in botanico.

Beside Botanico Garden is a small Pizza restaurant. Shirley ordered fried fish and rice.


December 23, 1996 (Friday)

At 7:00 P. M we went to foz Brazil to take the bus going to

Curitiba. We have eaten our dinner in foz. We took the bus to

Curitiba at 9:45 P.M. We enjoyed sitting on a nice chair. The

nicest bus (chair I have taken) but I didn't slept well because

of Xing Xing.

December 24, 1996 (Saturday)

We reach Curitiba at around 8:00 A.M

We go directly to hotel near bus station.

At 8:30 A.M we went down to have our breakfast. After break­

fast we bought some fruits and galletita for Christmas. Christmas

usually the shops are close.


Wednesday, December 25, 1996

Largo da Ordem - Old town Curitiba



Large tiles panel of art by Poty Lazzarotto
At Largo da Ordem (Old Town Curitiba)


Poty Lazzarotto
(Curitiba, March 29, 1924 - Curitiba, May 8, 1998)
Napoleon Potyguera Lazzarotto is Curitiba's most known artist.


25th December 1996 Day 2 in Brazil

We came to Largo da Ordem - Old town Curitiba in the evening of Christmas Day of 1996.

From our hotel we took a taxi (R$5.00). The taxi driver dropped us in front the art panel of Poty.

Many years before, the old town of Curitiba (Largo da Ordem) was an area of intense commerce of the city.


Today the area has been developed into an historical, cultural and artistic area.

Here you can find old architecture of houses, buildings and churches; historical monuments, artistic panels, art galleries, restaurants, etc.

The Traditional Handcraft Market “Feirinha do Largo da Ordem” is held here every Sunday from 10:00AM to 2:00PM since 1973. This Sunday market is the second largest craft fair in Brazil, with over 1,000 artisans present each Sunday.

This cultural rich location is a meeting point for locals and tourists.

Christmas Eve in Brazil

24th December 1996 Tuesday Day 1 in Brazil

Transportation is very efficient in Curitiba. In front our hotel is always taxi ready for service. We paid R$6 (Rm 19.00) to get to Flower Street - the street I always go for dinner and relaxation each business trip to Curitiba factories.

Rua de Flores, the pedestrian-only street full of shops and restaurants. Sede da Universidade Federal do Paraná



Attracted by this outstanding decoration in the Flower Street, we each in turn take a snap shot as remembrance.

We were not interested what this shop sales, after all it was closed after business hours for tonight Christmas Eve. We were interested only the twinkering lights against a large panel of real red Christmas leaves.

Big effort put into unique Christmas decorations means serious business behind. True enough, we learn later that O Boticário is the world’s largest perfumery cosmetics franchising network. This shop in Flower Street is only one of its 2,000 over stores in Brazil.




"Flower Street" is the nick name. The official name is "Rua XV de Novembro" (15th of November Street)

A major street in downtown Curitiba. This street is the first pedestrian streets in Brazil inaugurated in 1972.

Here, tourists welcomed with pots of flowers, restaurants and hundred-year-old buildings.

I come here each time for the street artists - the mimes and clowns who interact with those who pass by, who bring back some joy to my heart after a hard day work.

Thought my life in South America is amusing, my work is full of risk and demanding. To satisfy the Taiwanese market's strong demand of "South American Parquet", my job as their quality controller is always under strong pressure.

After a hard day's work, sitting in one of the bench in Flower Street watching the clowns creating joke and fun out of the innocent passing by is a great fun in life.

...Look! A big old fat lady carrying lot of heavy shopping begs coming the way of Flower Street.

"Why every one is looking and smiling at me?" She is wondering but continues walking but a quick check on the zip of her skirt and double checking other obvious part of her dress.
Before long she realized that it was what behind her every one are looking and smiling at. She gave a sudden turn of her head and frightens herself by seeing a short skinny creature with big red nose wearing a too big multi color suit pretending looking for something in the empty air. Now every thing is clear to her, this funny fellow had been following and imitating her walking action all the way as a joke. To release her great unpleasment, her unload the shopping begs to the other arm, held up her big feast and gave a heavy empty punch to the big red nose and continue her walking while the small crown "dropped death" on the pedestrian street with his big red noise pointing toward the blue sky..................

Most by standers amused will smile except a few ill-mannered visitors will give a big laugh like me as appreciation of a good street art well performed.



Located at Tiradentes Square, the beautiful Catedral Basílica Menor de Nossa Senhora da Luz of Curitiba was built from 1876 to 1893, in neo-Gothic style, inspired in the Igreja da Sé of Barcelona. The Cathedral is dedicated and has an image of Nossa Senhora da Luz dos Pinhais, Saint Patron of Curitiba. It was founded on March 29th, 1693 and it is considered the most important construction on Tiradentes Square.


Tuesday, December 24, 1996

We met Santa Claus in Curitiba City

We met Santa Claus in Curitiba City
24th December 1996



On the morning of Christmas eve (24 December 1996) we met Santa Claus in downtown Curitiba. He appeared in a sudden. We hesitated for a moment then quickly realized that the red and white Christmas Father in front of us is whom we have been wishing to see since childhood.

Father Christmas, we learned in stories, only appear to children of good standing ........ and now we stumble right in front of him as he stand  in front of us with a warm smiling face..................

Santa Claus (also known as Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle)  is a historical, legendary and mythological character associated with bringing gifts on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.

After a long night bus ride from FOZ, we arrived Curitiba early this morning, 24 December 1996, the morning of Christmas Eve.  We put up at a small hotel next to the bus station. We came to Curitiba for a 4 days Christmas holidays.

After wash up we were out for breakfast nearby. It was still early and the streets were still empty. As we walked down a quiet street not far from our hotel, a shop house door opened and we saw him, the Christmas Father Santa Claus, walked out of the door with his wife. 

Before, we have seen many department store sales assistants dressed up  for a silly look-alike Father Christmas. But today we met the real Santa Claus.

He had a broad face, and a little round belly.  With his long snow white beard and red gown standing tall,  he was the jolly Santa Claus that we have all come to expect. 

..........Santa Claus hold his gift bag in his right hand, the bag was empty.  Yes, off course its was still empty, but not when the night fall when he will visit each children with a bag loaded with presents.  For now, early in the morning, he is in a hurry with his wife to go shopping for presents before night fall .....................

I asked, in broken Spanish,  if we could have a  photo with him.
Santa Claus answered with a welcoming smile..... Shirley and Xing had a photo with Santa ..... and an ever lasting memories.

As I am getting old it is not the days that I remember, only moments, moments in the memories.... and Santa Claus in Curitiba gave us a memorable moment of Christmas spirit.



To all my dear friends, a Merry Christmas to you. Santa Claus is not a legend, so when you walk on a silent street on the Christmas Day be prepare to meet Santa Claus, for he does appear suddenly to children (and adult) of good standing ........ 



More about Curitiba From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Link : Welcome to Curitiba
Link : Curitiba: Story of a City





1996 Christmas Holiday to Curitiba

23 Dec 1996 Foz do Iguaçu to Curitiba

We are going to Curitiba tonight by bus from Foz do Iguaçu bus station to Cutitiba bus ststion. For 3 adult the fare from Foz to Curitiba is R$175 (Rm560)

Aida, care taker of Chun Xing, is invited to accompany us. After all, for the good work on taking care of Chun Xing, she deserved a holiday outing too.

We had our dinner (R$6.80 Rm21) at the Foz bus station before boarding.

The journey is 10 hours passing through farm and ranch country, hilly with beautiful fields we never able to see in Malaysia.

Driver in Paraguay and Brazil is a respected profession. Unlike in Malaysia where bus and truck drivers are considered as cheap workers (with low pay)


The drives, especially driver of a tourist coutch like the one we are going to travel with, are smartly drassed in uniform. Though without a captain cap, they look smarter then most pilots of our MAS airline.

Drivers here receive respect from the public. In one of my bus journey passing a farm village, a boy by the road side with body straight and chest up gave a salut to the bus driver with hand held up infront the forehead. I seen such a couple of other times in South America.


Wednesday, December 11, 1996

Itaipú Dam: The world's largest hydroelectric plant


Itaipú Dam: The world's largest hydroelectric plant.


1.5 Km from the Dam is a zoo that has a display room of stuffed animals. We spend some time in this display room taking photographs
.


December 10, 1996 Tuesday - Text by Shirley Wong
Our Dressmaking Class has an outing today with our professora. And the place ? Non other then the world largest hydroelectric power plant.


Noemi, sussana, Carmen are among us.

Our group had eaten our lunch at 10:30 A.M



In the afternoon went to The Itaipu Local Zoo. We did not spend too long because of rain. We were all caught caught in the rain specially profesora and I were too wet.




Itaipú hydroelectric power plant - the largest hydroelectric power plant in the world. Completed only several years earlier. Build over Paraná River, the river that flow acrosse Panorama Condominium where we stay.

Itaipú Dam represents the efforts of two countries, Brazil and Paraguay.
The dam lies 20km north of Ciudad del Este.

A main draw for visitors of the city.



Itaipu’s turbines still produce more electricity than any other power station on Earth, supplying electricity to Paraguay and Brazil. For this it was recognised as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World.


Itaipu Dam area also include a museum and a zoo.

The zoo houses many of the animals rescued from the forests flooded when the dam was constructed.




Saturday, November 16, 1996

Good Bye Macosur


15th November 1996 Macosur Company officially closed down. Today, the office paid all the outstanding salary to all the staff and workers but without a farewell party.
The sawmill already stopped for half year without new log coming in. Followed by the S4S line shortly after all the remaining raw wood are used up.

17th November 1996 Senior Ramirez came to our house to paid up G65,000 (US$33) he owed us and gave us a warm good bye. After that he carried his 2 bags of all belonging and waited for a public bus by the highway. Moment later he board a bus and with it he left forever.

Senior Ramirez aged 60+ is the oldest office staff of Macosur sawmill who worked for the company almost for the whole life. Now at his retirement age he saw also the company closing down. How much he keep for his remaining life from the company he work for I do not know, but I understanding the intense of his financial difficulty that for the mere US$33 took him half a year to pay up.

And for my whole family, 2 weeks later on 1 December 1996 we started living in a condominium in Ciudad del Este City just 22 Km away. My job continue as usual under the Taiwanese company.

The Paraguay sawmill was later dismantled after the land changed ownership, with only its formal address remain in history record:

MACOSUR S.A.
RUTA 7, KM22,
ALTO PARANA, MINGA GUAZU.
TEL: (595) 064-510


MACOSUR S.A. -
MAderas del COno SUr S.A.
(Timber of Southern Cone)
International and Multinational Private company .. Asuncion .. Manufacturing:


November 15, 1996 (Friday)
Macosur closed. On this day they already paid all the workers.

Sunday, November 10, 1996

November 09, 1996 (Saturday)
Went to birthday of Noemi. The celebration was held on their
Evangelican church. Yee and I are the godmother and godfather of
her 15th birthday.


November 15, 1996 (Friday)
Macosur closed. On this day they already paid all the workers.

Normi's quinceañeras



Normi's dresses for quinceañeras (galas for girls' 15th birthdays)
Normi's 15th Birthday

November 09, 1996 (Saturday)
Noemi's 15th Birthday celebration at their Evangelican church. Shirley and I are the godmother and godfather of her 15th birthday.

Quinceañera Celebration - Celebration of 15th Birthday

The Quinceañera is a celebration of a young girl's coming of age (her 15th birthday). In Paraguay, like else where in Latin America, a girl's 15th birthday is considered an important milestone.


This Hispanic tradition dates back to the ancient native cultures of South America.

This rite of initiation, that is rooted in the customs of the Toltec & Aztec, the Maya, the Quechua and other indigenous civilizations, continues today in the traditions of the present-day Hispanic cultures.

In Latin America's Latino cultures, a girl's 15th birthday, (a quinceañera) , marks her passage into adulthood. This celebration often includes a religious ceremony at church, in which the young lady recognizes her heritage and her spiritual journey.


Monday, September 16, 1996

September 15, 1996 (Sunday)
Family picnic in Km 36. We bought fish and barbeque there.
The 2 young brothers played with Xing Xing. Xing bath for few
minutes because the water is so cold.
One paloma died and 2 missing.
At night I cooked steamed fish.

Monday, September 9, 1996

September 08,1996 (Saturday)
We went to Km 65 (Mr.Chens factory )together with Fernando and
Mr Chou Chin for asado. The first time I met Mr. Chou Chin.
At night we went to house of Nelson for birthday of the son. I
gave watch as a gift.

Monday, June 10, 1996

3rd Anniversary

“Do you know what PARQUE is? “ A Taiwanese asked me in Hong Kong.
“errrrr…… Flooring !!? Wood plank for the floor !!?.....” I answered with hesitation but with confident.
I got the job. He became my employer. I came to my new office in South America.






Sunday 6 June 1996 3rd Anniversary of our marriage.

Today is our third wedding anniversary. The past few years have flown by so quickly!

3rd Anniversary mean 3rd year in Paraguay. In less then 3 months after married in Hong Kong, we flew half of the globe to this part of South America. It was just like yesterday, but we are already living 3 years in Paraguay....with a first son born in South America .....time fly.



Shirley decorated the sitting room. Cooked and we have guest for our anniversary celebration meal.

We have guest for our anniversary ....... the mother and sisters of Josephina. And the girl sitting on the 2nd left is the daughter of Nelson, the security guide who is on shift at the factory main gate that day.








Sunday, June 2, 1996

Wedding of Emilio and Sonia

June 01, 1996 Saturday

We went to the wedding ceremony of Emilio and Sonia at Church 16Km. We have to be there because we are the god parents of this newly wed.

It was one Monday a month ago (May 06, 1996) Emilio and Sonia accompanied by Jose came to our house and request us to be their godmother and godfather in their coming church marriage ceremony. Shirley delightfully accepted.

"...what should I do as a godfather?" I asked Shirley later.
"...walked her into the church and give her hand to the waiting husband in front the altar...." She is sure of this.

.... And I did that on the day of wedding ceremony of Emilio and Sonia.


Wednesday, April 3, 1996

Birthday of our teacher. Some brought bocaditos like sopa
Paraguayo, milanesa and others. The cake and cokes we contribute­ed. After eating we had picture taking. I asked them to pay me
1000 Guaranies each after developing and they agree.

Tuesday, March 19, 1996

TEXT BY SHIRLEY WONG

March 18,1996 (Monday)

My fist day in
Modista class started on 18th March 1996. The first project for the students were uniforms chqueta (chaleco), skirt and blouse.

April 02, 1996 (Tuesday) First time we used uniform. Birthday of our teacher. Some brought bocaditos like sopa
Paraguayo, milanesa and others. The cake and cokes we contribute¬ed. After eating we had picture taking. I asked them to pay me 1000 Guaranies each after developing and they agree.





Wednesday, March 13, 1996

December 03, 1996 (Tuesday)
I did not go to school. Looking for a house to stay.
December 04, 1996 (Wednesday)
Cleaned the new flat w/ Aida.
December 05, 1996 (Thursday)
Yee and I bought refrigerator and stove from abasto.
Started moving things.
December 08, 1996 (Sunday)
It is Caacupe Day.
Fernando fetch us to macosur. Taking some of our important
things.

Sunday, February 18, 1996

February 17,1996 (Saturday)
Yee was making for the cage of the Loro. I painted it with
color green.

Saturday, February 10, 1996

I paid 30000 guaranies to the man who cut grasses. It should
be 20000 G. only but we paid extra 10000 G.
At night we Yee and I burned some of the grasses. For the
first time it cleared cut all the grasses in the garden.
We have eaten our lunch and dinner in the garden.

Friday, January 12, 1996


11th January 1996 Late Spring. Summer is approaching.

A lazy afternoon in our side-yard. Chun Xing have fund playing his toy, the horse, with care taker Josephina. While at the back-yard Shirley saw the onion she planted is now growing.


The staff quarter we stay is at the back ground - The water tower, kitchen window, bathroom window, bedroom window, and portion of the front yard. The highway is just 50 meters at the left hand side. This is a typical country house in South America.

This back yard is our open living room we spend our time in spring, summer and autumn.

Tuesday, January 2, 1996

to see the green snake and
has eaten 2 birds on the guava tree (house made by Peter).