We decided to stop in Piracicaba for a day or so to visit an old friend and take a brief tour of the Caterpillar facility. I had never been and Candida was interested in Cat as a significant Brazilian exporter.
We took the opportunity to walk down to the Piracicaba falls on the river. The effects of the rains were quite evident and we learned that about 35 or 40 Caterpillar families had been directly affected.
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| Piracicaba Falls swollen with flood waters |
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| More rushing water |
We walked beyond the falls and discovered an area that is being restored. It was previously a major sugar mill and had been closed in the 1970s but is being developed by the city as a cultural center and museum of the sugar industry. It should be finished by 2013. The big building had a kind of Tate Modern (the Art gallery in London) feel and I think the whole thing will be beautiful when completed.
We stopped for coconut water and a snack of pastel de queijo (a cheesy hot pastry almost like a popadum). Very good and refreshing.
We met Glauco for dinner and had the tour the next morning. Quick but very interesting. Over 5300 full time employees and a huge facility.
We were taken to the bus station by Walter who operates a taxi service for Caterpillar and has done for 25 years. An excellent guy and the one who took me to the airport on my only other Brazil trip back in 2004.
We were going to another sister of Candida's in Aguas de Prata which is in the very NW part of Sao Paulo state. We intended to stay until Saturday but had to get back to Sao Paulo for some time sensitive business for Candida, so our stay was short but very pleasant.
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| View from our room at Nazare's home |
Aguas is surrounded by hills and coffee plantations and only has a population of about 8,000. It is a sleepy place with limited (intentional) development but a larger town about 10km away.
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| Lots of good fresh veg at very reasonable prices |
We visited the market (actually about 3 stalls with fresh veg) and rode around the town for a while. There are a whole variety of houses and styles and oddly enough a very German looking apartment building (maybe 8 floors) on the top of a hill in the middle of town. A little random!
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| Tire pressure monitoring is common on Brazilian trucks. looks like it is an aftermarket system |
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| Trucks also have GPS position monitoring. Roof mounted. |
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