Brasília Blues: A Botanist's Unexpected Detour
okay, so. brasília. who knew? i definitely didn’t expect to be here, let alone feeling… something. i was supposed to be in the amazon, cataloging some rare orchids, but a funding snafu (don’t ask) landed me here instead. thirty-three ninety zero five eight. the number keeps popping up, like a glitch in the matrix. i’m starting to think it’s a sign. a sign of what? i haven’t figured that out yet.
it’s… weird. like, architecturally weird. all these straight lines and giant concrete structures. it’s not exactly teeming with biodiversity, obviously, but there are pockets. i spent a good chunk of yesterday wandering around Parque da Cidade, trying to identify some of the native grasses. it’s surprisingly peaceful, considering it’s right in the middle of all this… urban sprawl. i just checked and it's hovering around twenty-seven point one eight degrees celsius, with a feels-like of twenty-seven point three four. hope you like that kind of thing. the pressure is one thousand nine, humidity is forty-six. not exactly a tropical paradise, but hey, it’s something.
and the people! i overheard this guy at a pastel stand - seriously, you have to try the pastéis - saying that the best place to get them is at a little place near the *National Congress. Apparently, they use a secret family recipe. i’m skeptical, but i’m willing to investigate. i’m also trying to find some decent coffee. i’ve been relying on these instant packets, which is a crime against humanity. i need a proper cafezinho.
“Don’t go near the Esplanada dos Ministérios after dark,” a woman warned me, clutching her purse a little tighter. “Things get… lively.”
that’s the general vibe, i guess. a little bit edgy, a little bit mysterious. i’m staying in this tiny guesthouse in Asa Sul. it’s nothing fancy, but it’s clean and the owner, dona maria, is lovely. she keeps trying to feed me feijoada, which i appreciate, but i’m pretty sure i’ll explode if i eat any more beans. if you get bored, Goiânia and Uberlândia are just a short drive away.
TripAdvisor has some decent ideas for things to do, though most of them involve museums and monuments. i’m more interested in the hidden corners, the little pockets of green, the places where the city feels a little less… planned. i found a tiny orchid growing out of a crack in the sidewalk yesterday. a catasetum. it was a tiny thing, but it felt like a victory.
“The pigeons here are fearless,” a drunk guy slurred at me outside a bar. “They’ll steal your pão de queijo* right out of your hand.”
he wasn’t kidding. i’ve been dive-bombed by pigeons multiple times. it’s a hazard of eating outdoors, apparently. i’m also trying to figure out the bus system. it’s… complicated. i’ve spent a lot of time wandering around aimlessly, which, honestly, isn’t the worst way to explore a new city. Yelp might help you find some good eats, too.
“Watch out for the drivers,” someone told me. “They think the traffic lights are just suggestions.”
that’s… concerning. i’m sticking to walking and the occasional taxi. i’m also trying to learn some portuguese. it’s slow going, but i can now order coffee and ask for directions (sort of). i’m using this app, Duolingo, but it’s not exactly helping me with the slang. i need to find a local to practice with. maybe dona maria will teach me some phrases. i’m also checking out Brasilia Tours to see if there are any guided walks focusing on the city's flora.
this whole trip is just… unexpected. i came here expecting to be disappointed, to be surrounded by concrete and bureaucracy. but there’s a strange beauty to it, a quiet resilience. and the plants! even in this urban landscape, life finds a way. i’m starting to think that number, thirty-three ninety zero five eight, might be a good omen after all. i’m also looking into some local botanical societies - Sociedade Brasileira de Botânica looks promising. maybe i can turn this unexpected detour into something worthwhile.
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