Our RioLIVE! activity on Monday, 18 March 2019 was a visit to the Jardim Botânico. This is a huge park within the city of Rio de Janeiro that is connected to the Tijuca Forest, one of the last remaining pieces of the “Mata Atlântica” (South American Atlantic Forest) that existed before the arrival of European colonizers. Over 200 years ago, the Emperor of Portugal, Dom João VI, had the foresight to reserve for his and future generations a large piece of this forest as a nature preserve. Since the creation of the Jardim Botânico, it has been expanded to include species of plants, not only native to Brazil, but also from all over Latin America. During our two-hour visit to the Jardim Botânico, we were able to see many examples of the flora (and even some of the fauna) that are alive and thriving in this immense park. For example, we walked on a pathway lined by incredibly tall palms. We also saw trees with trunks of enormous dimensions. We took photos of one of our classmates, Valeria, hugging the trunks of those amazing trees. We walked alongside a waterfall that drains rainfall coming from the heights of the Tijuca Forest. We strolled through greenhouses containing all types of lovely orchids. And we observed large turtles sunbathing and swimming in a pond. This was an amazing experience and one that reminds us of the importance of the forests of Brazil, not only to the Brazilians but also to all of mankind.
William Owen, United States
Nada melhor do que mostrar muito amor pela natureza em um dos lugares mais bonitos e famosos do Rio de Janeiro, o Jardim Botânico. Nós passamos a tarde nesse lugar mágico onde nossos estudantes de português puderam conhecer um pouco mais da história, geografia e natureza brasileira ao mesmo tempo. Eles puderam praticar o português deles falando sobre tudo que se conecta a este lugar, passando um bom tempo e mostrando amor pela natureza.
Vocês podem ver mais dessa demonstração de muito amor pela natureza na nossa página no Facebook:
Vejam nos links abaixo como são as RioLIVE! do Jardim Botânico:
