Curitiba na Wikipedia em inglês

Procurando coisas legais para postar nesse blog pensei:

– Que tal a wikipedia? Mas  todo mundo vai na wikipedia!

E ai que veio a brilhante idéia! Na wikipedia em inglês ninguém foi ainda!

Passando por lá, encontrei algumas pérolas que irei numerar aqui. Segue:

Curitiba (Tupi-Guarani: "Pine Nut Land)

Name

One theory about the name "Curitiba" comes from the Tupi words kurí tyba, "many pine seeds" due to the large number of seeds of Paraná pines in the region prior to its foundation. The other version, also from the Tupi language, comes from the combination of kurit (pine tree) and yba (large amount).

The Portuguese who founded a village in 1693 gave it the name of "Vila da Nossa Senhora da Luz dos Pinhais" (Village of "Our Lady of the Light" of the Pines). The name was changed to "Curitiba" in 1721. Curitiba officially became a town in 1812, spelling its name as Curityba. An alternative spelling also came up: Coritiba. This spelling looked to become dominant for it was used in press and state documents, but a state decree in 1919 settled the dispute by spelling the city name Curitiba.

Tourism and recreation

Botanic Gardens

Curitiba's trademark, created to resemble French gardens, rolls out its flower carpet to the visitors right at the entrance. The greenhouse, with a metallic structure, has botanic species that are national symbols, and also a water fountain.

The native forest is filled with paths for walking. The Botanic Museum attracts researchers from all over the world. There is a space for exhibitions, library and a theatre.

German Woods

The wood has various features to celebrate and promote the German traditions. There are 38 thousand square meters of native forest, which was part of the old farm from the Schaffer family. The replica of an old wooden church, built in 1933 at the Seminário neighbourhood, with neo-gothic decorative elements, shelters a concert hall called Bach's Oratorium.

Other attractions are the John and Mary path, which tells the Grimm brothers tale, a children's library, the Philosophers Tower, a wooden observatory allowing a panoramic view of the city and the Ocean Ridge, and the German Poetry Square, with a reproduction of the Casa Mila façade, a German building from the beginning of the last century, originally located in the city centre. It's closed for remodeling at the present time.

Japan Square

Homage to Japanese immigrants who settled there dedicating themselves to agriculture. Scattered around the square are 30 cherry trees sent from Japan and artificial lakes. In 1993 the Japanese Portal, the Culture House and the Tea House were built.

Wire Opera House

It is one of the emblematic symbols of Curitiba, with tubular structure and transparent ceiling, of great beauty. Inaugurated in 1992, it caters for all types of shows, between lakes, typical vegetation and cascades, on a unique landscape. The Wire Opera House is part of the Pedreiras Park, together with the Paulo Leminski Cultural Space, where the Passion of Christ was enacted, and hosted many other big events since 1989, and can hold, in the open air, 10 thousand people seated or 50 thousand standing.

Tanguá Park

This park was inaugurated in 1996, the Tanguá Park surprises with its beauty as an example of urban space being re-utilized, on one old complex of disactivated quarries, and it is part of the Barigüi river preservation project joining Tingüi and Barigüi parks. This park with an area of 450 thousand square meters has two quarries connected by a 45 meter tunnel that may be crossed on foot by a path over the water. It can be visited on boat or on foot (hiking). The park has a cooper and bicycle track, snack bar, belvedere and Poty Lazzaroto garden.

In popular culture

Oilman

Born as Nelson Rebelo in 1960, eldest of three sons, "Oilman" is a famous persona of Curitiba assumed by a former college professor on the streets. According to local legend, Nelson was retired from his career for mysterious reasons, although his physics seminars maintained an excellent reputation where he taught at UFPr Sciences.

Nelson's street performing began where he attended college, at the Leontius Cooper school in Curitiba, when with the encouragement of other colleagues he publicly impersonated Elvis Presley, including dress, speech habits, and full musical performance. This happened in honor of the birthday of the college director, at the time of Elvis's death. This was a tremendous local success leading to local TV broadcasts.

However, according to residents of Curitiba, sometime thereafter, Nelson suffered a psychotic breakdown in class. In the midst of a lecture, the romantic interest he expressed for a student was not returned. According to the official version from the college, he retired for health reasons.

Following his retirement, he reemerged on the streets as the "man who smeared oil on himself and rode his bicycle wearing only a tiny speedo". But according to Nelson, his character was inspired by Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, and Steven Seagal. Over the years, Nelson has attracted more than 300 different names for his outlandish street character, such as "Herman Munster", "Underwear Man," and "Hero of Curitiba", the best known being the Oilman.

Rebelo Nelson plans to release a book about his character soon in the future.

INRI Cristo

Curitiba is also the home of Brazilian media personality, INRI Cristo, an ethnic German born Iuri Thais who claims to be a reincarnation of Jesus Christ. He has traveled the world seeking donations until returning to his homeland and establishing a school for his disciples seated on plastic lawn chairs. He is a frequent guest on Brazilian comedy talk shows and boasts of numerous arrests by Brazilian police.

Isso é so um resumo quem quiser ver mais coisas pra rir, e só acessar o link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curitiba