Ouro Preto - Black Gold : World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO

Finally me and my wife decided to visit our family in Brazil.
We started from Belo Horizonte the modern capital of Minas Gerais state ( Minas Gerais is General Mines in English).
Minas Gerais territory is larger than France and Germany and is very rich by its minerals: iron, gold, silver, and beautiful stones.
Our family adviced us to visit Ouro Preto former capital of Minas Gerais.
Ouro Preto founded in 1698 during Gold Rush Period and was second capital of Minas Gerais  after Mariana, founded in 1696- first capital of the captaincy of Minas Gerais for a short time.
Ouro Preto is a a masterpiece of Brazilian colonial architecture and is considered the cradle of the Brazilien nation because it was the principal focus of late eighteen century Independence movement inspired by Enlightenment ideas and the American revolution.
Highlights:
* Chuch of St.Francis of Assisi, designed by Aleijadinho, with wood and soap stone sculptures.
* Casa dos Cantos - impressive house of taxes collector
* Museum of the school of mines: a complete mineralogical view in Brazil
* Opera Theater first Opera Theater in the New World functional till today
* Church of Our Lady of the Pilar: a church that marked the culmination ogf Golden Age architecture, with carved works painted entirely in gold.
Before Ouro Preto we visit Mina da Passegem, the largest open to visit mine of gold in the world that keeps secrets and mysteries that enchant everyone.A trolley drives us to the underground galleries, which reach 315 meters in lenght and 120 meters in depth and which temperature varies between 17 to 20 C.The natural lake
( with crystal water with the same temperature opened for diving) inside the mine impresses everyone who sees it.
Since it foundation in the beginning of eighteen century approximately 35 tons of gold ( measured  by authorities without smuggling ) have been extracted till 1985.
My advice is to stay in Belo Horizonte: Royal Savassi Boutigue Hotel www.royalsavassi.com.br
and use a local guide.

Tips from Christmas week in Rome

My youngest son and his girlfriend spent a week in Rome around Christmas, and here are their tips:

• Cinema Metropoline near Piazza del Popolo has shut down.
• Warner Brothers Village Cinema at Piazza della Repubblica has reopened under a different name and ownership. It no longer screens films in their original version, unless it's Italian.
• We highly recommend the 'Risotto con radice' (Risotto with root vegetables) at Nonna Betta Restaurant. It's perfect: Al dente, juicy and the precise consistency.
• The official guided tours of the Vatican Museums worth more than the 5 Euros they cost. Make sure you reserve them at the real Vatican website, and don't fall for any fake site, let alone the "guides" hanging around the entrance. Aim for the afternoon hours (14:30) as it's emptier then. At the end of the guided tour in the Museums, you can continue directly to San Peter's Basilica, thereby bypassing its security lines.
• Avoid the guided tours and audioguides sold at San Peter's Basilica. The first is long and expensive, while the other is annoying.
• Paba Hotel (Via Cavour 266) is well situated next to the Roman Forum and the Colosseum. Its owner, Alberta, is very friendly, helpful and considerate. The rooms are large and quiet (our window faced an internal yard but we were fine with that). If you don't like stiff pillows, the soft ones are in the closet.
• MAXXI museum is just splendid. They host several large exhibitions in their five galleries and three hours may not be time enough to cover all of them. Don't miss it despite its distance from the city center, just fetch the tram or take a cab. Entrance costs 11 Euros, or 9 EUR for students.
• MACRO costs 11 Euros and it didn't have as much to offer as MAXXI, but perhaps that was because they were setting up some new exhibitions.
• Don't miss the ice cream Giolloto, to the north of the Pantheon. Especially the pine nut flavour (pinoli).
• Some of the artifacts at the Roman Forum are difficult to find. You know they're there, but you're not sure exactly where. Consider taking a human guide, or at least photos of the things you're looking for. The Eyewitness Guide could do the job for this one.
• Porta Portese market is huge and you could basically find there cheaper prices for every piece of tourist crap sold elsewhere, as long as you're willing to bargain. Keep your cash deep in your inner pockets as pick pockets are numerous.