A Frog Lunch and a Visit to the Plane Museum

So the morning started off with a plan to visit Madureira Park, but then as the temperature and humidity was rising, and my hang-over was threatening to break open my skull at the thought of standing in a giant cemented "park" without shade, and the plans changed. We decided that sitting in an air conditioned car and visiting the Museu Aeroespatial (about a 40 minute drive out of Barra) would be a better bet for all.

With our route mapped out on google map making sure we drove around Cidade de Deus, Geraldo started to reminisce about his youth and trips he made from Nova Iguacu to Barra da Tijuca with his mom and dad. (For those who live here, this was when the Sheraton Hotel was a camping ground and the Linha Amarella didn't exist) He remembered this one restaurant they would stop at every time they came home from the beach, as it was the first time he ate frog. And lo and behold there it was: Rancho das Morangos. As we walked in we could tell that the place hadn't changed in 40 years and it was still a family favorite. Without any doubt we ordered a frog and offered it to the kid, who looked at it with a smile and said, looks like a little guy, mom! Inexplicably, they both loved it!

Yum! Tastes like chicken he says.

It does look like a headless little guy!

You know me, I was fell in love with the 40 year old tiles on the floor!

Our bellies beyond full as Brazilian lunches dictate, we arrived at the airplane museum just a short drive later. As usual, my expectations were low, given that the train museum excursion was a major flop, but once inside I was quite impressed. Greeted by a bust of the Franco-Brazilian flight pioneer, Alberto Santos-Dumont, the ground floor displays life-size replicas of the first planes he invented, the 14 BIS and the Demoiselle among others, an exhibition of the history of Brazilian Women in the Airforce and a room full of weapons, which we skipped.

There is a collection of airplanes on the runway outside.

The 14 BIS, the first fixed wing aircraft flown by Santos-Dumont on Oct.23, 1906 for which he won a world record.

A "Demoiselle" that Santos-Dumont invented and flew in 1907 around Paris to visit his friends. Imagine!

Beautiful propeller display.

Exhibits of the Brazilian Air-force's role in the World Wars and in modern times can be found on the second floor, but the Santos-Dumont exhibition was my favorite. There are several original artifacts and I was swept up in how exciting it must as have been to be in Paris at that time, looking up into the sky at this man in a panama hat sitting in a basket floating around the Eiffel tower in a giant balloon.

Santos-Dumont flew his first balloon (named Le Bresil) which he designed in 1898

Marketing material for the sale of a "Demoiselle", a mere 7500F which was about the price of a car at that time. Santos-Dumont gave away the plans for free and 50 were produced.

Inside this copper statue is the heart of Santos-Dumont!

It took me a while to get through this exhibit because unfortunately, it was not translated into English, (some of the exhibits are), and the boys had already headed off to the hanger where dozens of airplanes are on display. My boy was so excited to find me and show me everything that he thought was "so cool, mom".

Engines.

Inside one of the planes

We finished our visit just before the rain came down.

I highly recommend this visit to my friends in Barra, it's fun for the whole family, but be sure to read up on the history of Santos-Dumont ahead of time, it's enchanting and incredible! I asked the boy what his favorite part of the museum was and he said without a pause, the engines!!!! (oh, man, like father, like son)