Green Sao Paulo

Everybody told me what a big city Sao Paulo is. Everybody told me that it's polluted. Everybody told me it's dangerous.

Nobody told me about the trees and plants. Nobody told me that there are small houses mixed in with tall apartment buildings, and that many of these have lovely gardens. Nobody told me that it's safe in the way other big cities are safe, if you just pay attention and don't do stupid things like walk around late at night alone.

Here's another view from my 9th floor hotel room. Click on it to see it larger so you can see the orange flowers.

I believe this is an ipe tree, though you can't quite tell how stunning the flowers are.  They come in different colors--is that an ipe outside my hotel window as well? And what's that on the trunk? 

Okay, so maybe the streets are dangerous--these cacti are growing in a wall next to the sidewalk!  Ouch!

Late this afternoon we went to a park that overlooks the city, near a green zone. I loved the shape of the branches on this tree in the park.


Here's a view of the green zone and then some of the city. I'd need a panoramic camera to capture how massive Sao Paulo is (19 million is one estimate I've heard). Once again, if you click on it, you'll get a better sense of the size.

One more of the view.