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Urca

URCA is one of the most picturesque areas in Rio. It's located around the Sugar Loaf base, and is one of the calmest and safest places in town. Perfect for a photo safari in a hot (I mean HOT) Saturday afternoon, after spending the morning burning on the beach.

 

This white building is the old CASSINO DA URCA. It was one of the most important casinos in this country until 1946, when Government made gambling illegal in Brazil and it was  closed down. Carmen Miranda had been its exclusive artist for years. It was used as television studio and now is a ruin. There are plans to turn it into the Brazilian branch of the "Istituto Europeo de Design" (IED).

COMMENTS
Ultrawei said at 8:00 p.m. on Feb 10, 2007:
Nice pictures!
Experience said at 8:00 p.m. on Feb 10, 2007:
Tabblo ricco di belle fotografie e di particolari interessanti. Stimola la fantasia e comunica voglia di vivere. Complimenti Eduardo
Floridamolle said at 8:16 p.m. on Feb 10, 2007:
Eduardo, you always take so great photos, I love everything, from the angles to the well exposed, sharp colors. That the pics are from Brazil, make them a little exotic too. GREAT!!!
Eduardo.affonso said at 8:26 p.m. on Feb 10, 2007:
ULTRAWEI: Thanks for visiting my tabblo. It was a great afternoon, with a splendid light, so I had to enjoy it.



EXPERIENCE: Grazie, ragazzo! Ho sempre avuto voglia di spendere una giornata in questa regione della cittá (Urca) per fotografare questo Cassino - e sono contento di poter averlo fatto oggi.



ANDERSThanks, my friend. It's funny to think of Rio as an "exotic" place...
Liliana said at 9:21 p.m. on Feb 10, 2007:
Eduardo: cuantas más fotos veo más me convenzo de que es necesario un viaje de ...siglos, nao basta um dia. Ese lugar lo conocía sólo de nombre (¿puede ser que ya hubieras publicado una imagen tuya, una sombra...?). No sé cuáles elegir: ¿el salto del nene...? Una maravilla, en muchos sentidos (las tomas, la construcción, el paisaje, el simbolismo que se le quiera dar...¡¡o la belleza de lo simple y directo del hecho!!), los paisajes contra el sol, ¡¡¡los detales de los edificios!!! (¿es un elegio? Parecen europeos...). Creo que mi foto favorita es la de una balaustrada blanca (¡¡¡tan brasileña... qe me dirás "portuguesa"!!!) con unas hojas muertas, rojizas... No me canso de mirarla, es ... tangible, poética. Me adueñé de ella. Es como haber andado por ahí con vos. ¡¡¡¡Lindísimo!!!!
Mthorne said at 9:24 p.m. on Feb 10, 2007:
beautiful - I love the shutters and diving shots!
Eduardo.affonso said at 9:30 p.m. on Feb 10, 2007:
LILIANA: Bom que gostou! Passei algumas horas vagabundeando pela Urca, como não fazia há muito tempo. Já fiz algumas fotos de lá, postadas no finado Phlog (talvez seja de lá que ouviu falar do lugar). Cheguei a pensar em fazer uns 3 tabblos, separando por temas (barcos, cassino, meninos mergulhando), mas acabei juntando tudo num só. Também gosto da foto das folhas (na verdade, é até fácil saber de quais gosto mais: são aquelas que posto em formato maior!). Vou te dar mais algumas dezenas de motivos pra vir ao Rio, nâo se preocupe.
Eduardo.affonso said at 9:36 p.m. on Feb 10, 2007:
MELISA: Wish I could dive with those kids because it was really hot today.



TAMMY: Well, with the global heating, you'll soon know what is a really HOT summer! But what took me to this place today was the perfect light. I'm glad you enjoyed these sights of Rio.
Leftofcenter said at 11:03 p.m. on Feb 10, 2007:
this is downright cruel Eduardo!! in some parts of the world we are at -22celsius up to our knees in snow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! beautiful pictures very dreamy again, of course it's Rio!! tks for sending some warmth our way!! Annelies
Abking said at 12:01 a.m. on Feb 11, 2007:
Boats, beach, old building, water, diving, history-I liked it all. Thanks for the visual tour.
NavyMom said at 1:40 a.m. on Feb 11, 2007:
such vivid colours. like i could reach out and touch the water and the green leaves
Akeke said at 1:46 a.m. on Feb 11, 2007:
Thanks for the invitation! Great!
Jasontengco said at 4:33 a.m. on Feb 11, 2007:
great pictures!!!
Liliana said at 7:13 a.m. on Feb 11, 2007:
Por supuesto, las imágenes son exquisitas, ¿como podrían no gustarme...? ¡¡¡Y sobre Río, aunque haya decenas de motivos, siempre hay uno por sobre todos!!! :) Sólo me queda una duda: ¿vos fuiste con algún excelente motivo o simplemente para pasear y sacer fotos...?
Anjad said at 7:40 a.m. on Feb 11, 2007:
Thanks for sharing this interesting Tabblo, Eduardo. Wonderful shots!
Liliana said at 8:56 a.m. on Feb 11, 2007:
Las fotos de botes ya son un clásico, colorido, vital, tuyo. Las que me sorprenden con una especie de nostalgia, de algo como fuerade lugar son las del casino: esas paredes muertas, vacías, de una elegancia pasada, frente a una playa tan popular ...
fique pensando, va mail.
Liliana said at 8:56 a.m. on Feb 11, 2007:
"Fiquei" y no "fique", que sería imperativo, ¡perdón!
Cruising said at 9:24 a.m. on Feb 11, 2007:
WOW! One of the places I have always wanted to visit was Brazil. And you are just increasing my love and curiosity to make that trip. This is so beautiful. Thank you very much for sharing.
DEE-Trow said at 10:19 a.m. on Feb 11, 2007:
Eduardo, what a wonderful variety of pictures. I love the way you laid this all out. It is beautifully done! Hope you are doing well!
GryphonHeart said at 10:51 a.m. on Feb 11, 2007:
Aw... You never fail to show us such great shot Ed. Simply love them. Love the way you captured the moment, with the people and things around. Keep them COMING!!
;P
Pkeener said at 2:11 p.m. on Feb 11, 2007:
EDU I agree with SIMON. You really captured the moment...the closeups on the wood grain and the blue window/door? are among my faves...the last captures of the boy diving off the rocks is like a mini movie, or a view thru a movie-ola machine. Also, the one with the sunflare in your lens is cool AND I really like the closeup of the colorful leaves in the corner. Your Tabblos always take me away. 'brigad :)
Siagian said at 10:01 p.m. on Feb 11, 2007:
Eduardo these photos are really good. beaches and boats are interesting, but the decay is ironically very beautiful.
Katkee said at 11:44 p.m. on Feb 11, 2007:
~yes i love the irony, too~the boats are so colorful and the way you framed the window shot with the leaves on the branch~and i always love you windows~i
Eduardo.affonso said at 6:07 a.m. on Feb 12, 2007:
KATE: Thanks! I decided to take these pics when I read the old casino will be restored and I wanted to register its decaying beauty. I'm sorry those leaves on the branch will be removed...



WOODY: This beach is very popular among poor people, because the water isn't that clean (it's not open sea, it's inside Guanabara Bay, which is very polluted) - but it's beautiful anyway. Where else one can swimm looking at the statue of the Christ on top of Corcovado?
Liliana said at 3:22 p.m. on Feb 12, 2007:
Eu escrevi "va mail" mas foram...cem !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Liliana said at 3:23 p.m. on Feb 12, 2007:
¿"Cem" es 100...? :) I hope!
Jillcdunn said at 6:37 p.m. on Feb 12, 2007:
Really fantastic photos Eduardo! The photos of the old architecture with the bright contrast of the green leaves is so beautiful. You live in such a beautiful place and you take such gorgeous photos of it!
Maq said at 10:54 p.m. on Feb 12, 2007:
Wonderful scenes on this tabblo. Really nice!
Lassetr1 said at 1:49 a.m. on Feb 13, 2007:
You did it again....
Mei_shoo said at 4:41 p.m. on Feb 13, 2007:
These are so beautiful!
Jigs said at 9:07 p.m. on Feb 14, 2007:
My fave of all these — and it's so difficult to choose a favorite because all your shots are wonderful — is the one with the reddening leaves on the ground by a balustrade or balcão. Lovely! ... I thought for a moment that the name "Urca" was a Brazilian derivative of orca or whale. But I guess I'm wrong. Does the name Urca have a meaning?
Eduardo.affonso said at 9:39 p.m. on Feb 14, 2007:
You're not completely wrong, JIGS: Urca is not a whale, but has some relation with the ocean. It's kind of a ship, used by Portuguese navigations centuries ago. I had already posted on Phlog some photos taken on that neighborhood, about one or two years ago (ships, the Sugar Loaf etc). I'm glad you liked the "balaústre" (or "balcão" - your Portugese is still much better than my Tagalog).



MEI SHOO, RETA, LASSE, CHRONO: Thanks! You all are very kind.
Eduardo.affonso said at 9:42 p.m. on Feb 14, 2007:
JILL: Rio is really a magnificent place to live. A little bit violent for my taste, but... nothing is perfect!



LILIANA: Tinha gostado do "fique pensando"! Mais como sugestão que como imperativo.
Love2laugh said at 10:36 p.m. on Feb 14, 2007:
Eduardo - your eye for catching the beautiful and artistic beauty is amazing. Not everyone would see things the way you capture them through the lens. Beautifully done. I'm glad to enjoy it too though, without sharing the heat. Rio looks gorgeous. I've never been there, but any time I have seen pictures or movies done there, it's breath taking. Thanks for sharing some of your world with us. Sheila
Liliana said at 9:25 p.m. on Feb 15, 2007:
Obrigada!
Nina1960 said at 7:48 a.m. on Feb 16, 2007:
I love the environment in the photograph.
EMA said at 5:43 p.m. on Feb 16, 2007:
Very nice photos! I love the diving ones!
Eduardo.affonso said at 10:26 a.m. on Feb 19, 2007:
Thanks for your comments, EMA, NINA & SHEILA: Rio is really gorgeous, and I'm glad I can share its beauty with you.
Setu said at 1:46 p.m. on Feb 19, 2007:
nice shots ! old & beautiful !
Chaitiamma said at 11:01 a.m. on Oct 8, 2009:
Extremely nice !!!
Tishfish said at 5:57 p.m. on Oct 10, 2009:
I wish I had those worries about burning on the beach. It's getting cold and damp here now. I love the play by play of the fellow jumping off the cliff.
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