Day 7, August 13 (Monday): Pirenopolos

Waking up after a fun filled day at the disco, everyone was glad that today was a free day.  We had a choice to either sleep in until lunch, or go to breakfast and hit the pool later.  But the main attraction of the day was the trip to Pirenopolis.  Every group participating in the festival traveled 45 minutes by bus to this old and beautiful city.  Dancers who went to Bulgaria in 2005 were quickly reminded.  The scenery was very different than Anapolis, and the complete opposite of the modern-today Brasilia.  The roads and streets were very narrow and almost everything was made from rock and brick.  The city was founded in 1727, and it shows.  Cars and bikes look very out of place, and walking thru that city brings you back in time.  There were many small shops that sold locally made jewelry, clothing, and alcohol.  The city prides itself in its history and most of the houses and roads are all original since the 18^th century.  All the dancers enjoyed buying gifts, eating the traditional food, and most of all, having a break from dancing.  After hours of shopping and picture taking we all retired back to the resort to continue the everyday nightly activities.

Matt Szajewski

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