Belo Horizonte Musings: A Messy Love Letter
i just landed in belo horizonte and honestly i'm still trying to figure out if the hills are a vibe or a punishment. the sky is that weird mix of gray and gold right now, i just checked and it's...there right now, hope you like that kind of thing. the air feels thick because of the humidity, but somehow it's cozy.
the city spreads out like a messy sketchbook, all steep streets and sudden drops. i walked up to praça da liberdade and felt like i was in a museum of old tiles and fountain splashes. someone told me that the square used to be a meeting spot for miners back in the day, now it's just a place where kids skate and old men play chess. if you get bored, Vespasiano, Nova Lima, and Brumadinho are just a short drive away, and you can grab a cheap pastel or a caipirinha in one of those towns.
i dropped by mangabeiras park because the view is supposed to be insane. the park is full of stone benches and a bunch of trees that look like they've been there forever. i snapped a few photos (see below) but honestly the colors on my phone are never as vivid as real life.
the food here is a whole other story. i tried a plate of pão de queijo at a tiny stall near the market and it was melt‑in‑your‑mouth cheesy goodness. someone told me that the best feijoada in town is served on a Saturday night at a place called Casa do Baile, but i haven't been brave enough to try it yet. the city’s culinary scene feels like a secret club you have to be invited to, but the door is open for anyone who’s willing to wander down a side alley.
the vibe is a weird blend of old‑school Minas Gerais pride and a modern hustle. you can hear the hum of construction from the new office towers mixing with the chatter of street vendors selling pastel and coxinha. people here are called belo‑horizontinos and they seem to wear their city like a badge of honor, even if the traffic can get nasty on a Friday afternoon.
the weather today is kind of humid and a little rainy, but the clouds look dramatic over the hills, and i kind of love that. the humidity makes everything feel a bit heavier, but also kind of dreamy. i just checked and it's...there right now, hope you like that kind of thing.
overall, i’m still figuring out how to survive the altitude and the endless hills, but i’m starting to think that the chaos is part of the charm. if you’re looking for a place that’s messy, real, and full of unexpected little moments, belo horizonte might just be it.