Parque da Cidade

On Sunday afternoon, Dora and her best friend Nara took me on a wedding errand and a 'touristy' stop.

We were on a mission to find out some information from The Church of Sao Francisco Xavier where Cecilia and Will are to be married on April 28th.  Their reservation has been made, but info about flowers, music, and other blanks needed to be filled in.  Off we went!

Our first stop was lunch.
We didn't eat here, but the facade of this building in Sao Francisco
fascinated me.  See all the letters?

The Igreja de Sao Francisco Xavier was built in the 17th century.  It's architecture is Colonial.

Dora and Nara walk on the cobblestone plaza of the church.

The wedding will be outdoors--weather permitting.  Cecilia will enter the plaza through these green doors and walk across the plaza.  Down the steps she'll come.

These steps provide amphitheater seating.
Don't worry--there will be chairs! 

The view from the chairs where we'll be sitting is beautiful with a 'capital B'!  We'll be looking at the priest, bride and groom; and beyond them is Guanabara Bay.

The altar where the priest will stand with Cecilia and Will
overlooks Guanabara Bay.

Fortunately, April 28th will be autumn in Brasil.  The rainy month of March will be past and temperatures will be very temperate!  Pray for no rain on that day.

Stone window frames in this stucco church
were built over 300 years ago.

From the church, Dora and Nara wanted me to see Niteroi from a different viewpoint.  With Nara's little car in first gear, we ascended a mountain--up numerous ear-popping switchbacks--to Parque da Cidade.

Visitors' Center

In the treetops above Niteroi, I caught glimpses of the view.

Clues to the Drama

Sculpture in Parque da Cidade

Niteroi from Above the Treetops

Breathtaking

Rio in the Distance

Two Lagoons

A Lagoon and the Atlantic

Worship in the Park

Nara (l) and Dora (r) have been friends for over 35 years.

The Gringa with Nara

New Friendships
Amazing Views

BTW--see the couple sitting on the broad yellow stripe of concrete?  There's nothing on the other side of that yellow stripe but a drop down the mountainside.  Guess they didn't want to block the view . . .

This was my first day as a Gringa tourist in Brasil.  We had lunch together in Sao Francisco at a cafe that serves buffet style and charges by the kilo.  Great idea--don't know why it hasn't caught on in the States.  Then we stopped for dessert at an ice cream shop that's truly self-serve.  You look at all the flavors, you dip your own choice/s (my two scoops were Mango Sorbet and Ovalmaltine), you take it to the register to be weighed.   After our wedding errand and the park visit, Nara delivered Dora and me back to the Icarai apartment.  There was dinner to be made, and Dora had a special request from Cecilia.