If you look at a map of the city, Avenida Paulista doesn't seem to be that long, at least not in comparison to other major streets. But with high rise buildings hovering overhead and extra wide sidewalks to accommodate the vast number of pedestrians, a short walk of ten blocks can feel daunting. Along the way, however, you find plenty of interesting sights to take in, including the Museu de Arte de São Paulo Assis Chateaubriand, also known as MASP (pronounced mass-pee by the locals). You can't miss the building: it's elevated off the ground by massive red columns. The architecture, while undeniably interesting in a modern concrete-and-glass box sort of way, is nevertheless gaudy and out-of-character with the somewhat sleek modernism of the towers around it. Add to this the antiques market that seems to simply "pop up" on Sundays, and you have a bizarre, eclectic living piece of art.
While Paulista embodies the strength of the Brazilian financial sector and active consumerism, it's identity seems to be in flux and still in progress. There are the predictable high rise condos and apartments, corporate headquarters, pharmacies, restaurants, and shopping centers, and then there are a few historic structures and parks with expanses of green space that appear to have been left intact for good measure. Later in the afternoon when I walked past the historic building in the first photo below, a hideous transvestite was performing a bad musical number in an equally hideous evening gown. He verbally harassed passersby who took photos without "donating" money, so I didn't snap a photo.
Thinking I actually knew where I was going, I turned left onto the first street after the hospital in the next to last photo above. As you quickly discover, streets have multiple names, and they don't always connect with other streets in logical ways. Alas, I had barely stepped off Paulista and was already lost. So, I opted to follow the signs that pointed to Liberdade, naively assuming that this would take me in the right direction. Up and down steep hillsides I go, my body about to fall to the ground from using muscles that seldom, if ever, get used back home in my daily activities. I continue to follow the signs. Ah, an intersection. Okay, this must be close. But wait, it says to go back in the direction I just came from, but this time down a different one way street. At one point I seriously considered giving up and hailing a taxi. But just as I was about to do so, I noticed a group of Japanese Brazilians walking in my direction with shrimp on skewers in their hands, and I knew that I had to be closer to the market. After three more blocks down the hillside, I recognize the cross street and have a much better idea of where I am. Anticipating that the market couldn't be more than a few blocks away, I walk another twenty plus minutes and finally arrive! The lesson I learned: don't trust the maps. Distances are much further than they appear. Take the subway or take a taxi. There's even a clearly marked subway stop for "Liberdade" that takes you directly into the heart of the neighborhood's business district.
You know you've reached Liberade because of the Japanese lamps that adorn all the streets. São Paulo is home to the largest Japanese immigrant population in the world, and Liberdade has increasingly become a melting pot for a multitude of immigrants from East Asia and Southeast Asia. While those ethnic identities are pronounced in the neighborhood, their integration into the city more broadly can be seen everywhere.
Thousands of people crowd the narrow streets around Avenida Liberdade, and both the booths and the storefronts spill over with bodies attempting to squeeze into narrow spaces. Once inside, it's next to impossible to even see the merchandise, but the exhilaration overrides the discomfort. I opted to skip the food stands since many of the words were far outside my vocabulary (especially lesser-known seafood names). And the heat from the deep fryers was overwhelming. The seemingly endless rows of handi-crafts and touristy items were fascinating. Even I couldn't avoid picking up a few souvenirs, including a Liberdade t-shirt.
After my long walk and a few hours of navigating through the market, I grabbed a croissant stuffed with "frango e quejo" (chicken and cheese) and a cold Guaraná from a kiosk near the subway. At R$4, it was a super cheap and super tasty snack.
I decided to walk a few blocks to the São Joaquim subway station while enjoying my snack. The streetscape was quite depressing, with many buildings abandoned and desperate homeless people living in makeshift cardboard "homes." Shockingly, I saw four young men shooting heroin right in front of me on the sidewalk, sitting on plastic milk crates as though nothing out of the ordinary was happening at that moment.
Having survived my Liberade adventure, I took the subway back to Avenida Paulista. Foolishly, I thought I had enough energy to make the trek to Ibirapuera Park. Based on my assessment of the city map, I had selected the closest subway stop to the park. But, once again, I found the distance was much more than I had expected, so much that I wasn't sure I could actually get there. By that point, I had walked at least 6 or 7 miles around the city, so what was another couple of miles? Seeing the park in front of me reinforced that the physical sacrifice was more than worth the pain that I felt in my feet. I bought a bottle of cold water and a "sorvete de limão" and sat on a bench overlooking a beautiful pond.
After a brief rest, I walked a short distance around the park, stopping into the Museu AfroBrasil and around the Japanese Pavilion. One could easily spend an entire day at the park exploring the other museums and sights on the grounds. On Sunday afternoons, you can experience what life is like for the common Brazilian; you'll be surrounded by thousands of people out with their families, people running and biking and skateboarding, and people simply relaxing beside the tranquil ponds.
The sun was starting to set, so I made my way back up the steep hillside to Avenida Paulista. Although I had a sunburned face and achy feet, I didn't have any regrets pushing myself to see these parts of the city.
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