Rainer Dungs, is a long time friend whom I first met at Universidade Santa Úrsula. Full of
wanderlust, he left his university post of official landscaper and sailed around the world, taking several odd jobs in paradisiacal stops. Now he has re-settled in his Nova Friburgo (New Freiburg...) home up the Rio de Janeiro mountains. The property holds the
Eco-Lodge Itororó, where one can have an excellent time reckoning close-up local tropical birds and walk through the Atlantic Altitude Rainforest.
Rainer's father (Fritz Dungs) was one of the most knowledgeable orchid specialists in Brazil having produced together with Guido Pabst, what is probably the
most important work since Höehne,
- Orchidaceae Brasilienses, illustrated with water colours by Margaret Mee. F. Dungs got to know thoroughly well the Brazilian hinterland in his excursions in search of new species of orchids. The Eco-lodge holds Dr Dungs collection of orchids and bromeliads, in a very special way. The plants are mostly arranged in 'niches' on the ground, between rocks, in positions carefully determined by Dr Dungs so as to best reproduce their original habitats... This is all but a miracle, for the Eco-Lodge is situated over 1000m above sea-level, in a climate that resembles more misty Oregon, than tropical Amazonia...! The bromeliad and orchid gardens are surrounded by giant fern trees, primeval Monkey puzzle conifers (
Araucaria brasiliensis) and as a matter of fact, even the bromeliads are giant (
Alcantarea reginae).
Rainer himself is a landscape designer with a degree in Germany, so any improvements he makes in Dr Dungs original property are welcome and intelligently designed. He takes groups of interested botanical parties to trek in Bahia's highlands where there is plenty to see. I guess, all that teutonic background kind of explains his
wanderlust and maybe also why he won't let go of his yellow VW beetle.... Some of the guests are so riled up about it, they beg to go for a ride. Nothing better for off-roads like in Nova Friburgo.
So if you're looking for orchids, or just a log cabin in a tropical mountain, or even an opportunity to brush up your
deutsch and botanical talk, I suggest you spend a weekend at the Eco-Lodge and enjoy the hospitality of Patricia, a real bahiana, and Rainer...!
Sacre Coeur, stands at the top of La Butte Montmartre.
The Place du Tertre is where all the free-lance artists show their works. Many will do a quick impression, sometimes comical of you. This night the place was mostly empty by 8 pm, because of the cold weather, slippery cobblestones and reduced number of tourists. Still quite pretty to look at.
