A place blessed by Nature.
The blue tiles brought from Portugal to embellish the sides of the historic mansions of Sao Luis, glisten in the sun. On the other side of the Baia de Sao Marcos, in front of the Maranhao Capital, lies the more sombre but beautiful town of Alcantara with its scorched earth ruins, the colours of which remind us of the regions typical dessert, golden on the outside and coconut white on the inside.
In Lencois, you will find in this unique and magical Brazilian desert, the blazing sun reflecting upon the edges of the lagoons, creating brilliant purple coloured effects. The lagoons are created by the wet season’s rainwater and there are waterfalls and even fish may be found.
Portugal in the Tropics.
A verse taken from the writings of Sao Luis’s most celebrated son, Goncalves Dias reads; “The land of Palm trees, where the Thrushes sing”. Maranhao was founded in 1612 by the Frenchman, Daniel de La Touche, and named after the French King, Luis XIII. Thirty years later, the Dutch invaded Maranhao, but then in the middle of the 17th century, the Portuguese established themselves. It was they who made the most significant contribution to the city, constructing rows of beautiful houses, churches and buildings, including the Episcopal, Leoes and La Ravardiere Palaces and the Casa Graca Aranha. The mansions and smaller palaces are decorated externally with blue, green and yellow coloured tiles, set in star design. The narrow streets between the tiled mansions gained a variety of complex colours and patterns, providing the perfect background for the multi coloured clothes, complete with glass beads, and bright ribbons of the Maranhao “bumba-meu-boi” festival followers. As though this were not enough, the visual effect is further enhanced by festival makers who, wearing bracelets, bangles and tinkling bells, wildly shake their gourd rattles. The noise of the revellers is however, as nothing compared to sound coming from the enormous loud speakers scattered around the city, which blare out Reggae music. From the decibels produced, one can imagine that the sound may reach Jamaica, from where the brightly coloured berets that crown the Bob Marley dreadlocks, much favoured by the Maranhao fans, came.
In addition to history, Sao Luis offers other attractions, including the beautiful beaches. Ponta d`Areia has calm water and soft sand where children circulate, carrying their trays of tasty snacks, including shrimps fried in seasoned manioc flower. The Praia do Calhau is a favourite, as is the famous Raposa beach, some 25km from the centre. This is a fishermen’s beach with many colourful boats. From the homes of the fishermen, you will find on sale, at tempting prices, lacework towels, blouses, two pieces and hats, all made by the wives of the fishermen.
Memories from the past.
From Sao Luis, boats leave to cross the bay to beautiful Alcantara, where visitors normally spend only a few hours, sufficient time to see the historical ruins before returning at 3 o’clock in the afternoon. However, if you are able, it is well worth spending a night in the city to stroll along the stone pavements, chat to the friendly locals who just love to tell tourists about their legends and finally watch the sun setting behind the Igreja do Desterro. With a little more time, you may learn something of the town that was founded in 1682 and was the home of the Maranhao aristocracy during the 18th century. Sadly, today there are only a few reminders of past splendours, perhaps 300 buildings, of which some are badly dilapidated.
Lencois, does it realy exist?
The famous Victorian writer, Charles Dickens once said that the only city that he feared to attempt to describe was Venice. He was afraid of not doing it justice. The same might be said of the natural phenomenon of Lencois. Beware the writer who attempts to describe these exuberant landscapes. Clambering over the wind sculptured dunes, or diving into the lagoons, defies description. Regardless of how many photographs you may have seen previously, nothing will have prepared you for this magnificent park at the ocean’s edge. It will exceed all your expectations. Deserts are normally considered inhospitable and monochrome and even places of revelation. It was, after all, in the desert that God appeared before Moses. Desert sands cover all, even the footprints of the visitors. It is a place virtually without life.
Lencois is quite different. To be sure, during the six month dry season from July to December, people move into the nearby small towns, and from there, make their living from subsistence farming, bur during the rainy season, from January to June, they return to their homes, which they normally find covered by sand, and settle down to living off the abundance of the sea. It is only these people who manage to safely find their way around this enormous 155.000 hectare area, the size of Sao Paulo municipality.
The town of Barreirinhas, 270km from Sao Luis, is the gateway to Lencois. From Barreirinhas, boats follow the Rio Preguicas to its river mouth. Following the example of the river’s name (lazy) enjoy the sight of the children playing in the Maturity Palms on the waters edge and watch people collecting the Acai fruit whilst you sip a cold fresh coconut juice. In the small town of Mandacaru by the river’s mouth, it is worth climbing the old, 35m high, brightly painted lighthouse, from which vantage point you can appreciate the magnificent views. The nearby Cabure beach has strong waves, and strangely, its waters are sometimes saline, at others fresh.
An alternative way to reach Lencois is to leave Barreirinhas in “off roads /four by fours”, following tracks to the Rio Novo. Next a walk, climbing and descending the dunes until you reach the Lagoas Bonita, Azul and Lagoa do Peixe.
The visitor who appreciates the most wonderful sunset in the world, will fall silent. Your body aches from the strains of surmounting so many dunes under the hot sun, but your soul is at peace. As you leave the Parque Nacional dos Lencois Maranhenses, you will hardly see through the dusk, a sign reading: Did you enjoy? Were you touched by the beauty? Did you feel God’s presence? A visit like this, to the kingdom of the dunes and silence is truly one of life’s experiences.