Ordem e Progresso.

on the river, originally uploaded by Aaron Michael Brown.

In reflecting on the past few weeks in Brazil (and comparing those weeks to the urbane, majestic landscape I find here in Cape Town, South Africa) I can't help but think of the phrase Ordem e Progresso that is proudly displayed across the Brazilian flags I saw flapping in the wind along buildings on Paulista Avenue or enthusiastically waved at soccer games and Carnaval. While "Order" and "Progress" are two concepts that admittedly aren't obvious when seeing either the utter chaos that defines Sao Paulo's pace or the grim realities of life in the favelas, there is some sort of inherent logic to the way the country is modernizing and preparing itself for the next century's commerce and culture. Who stands to benefit from the reinforcement of this "Order" and "Progress?" How are the various actors shaping their country's own order and progress? These questions are especially relevant in Curitiba, a self-proclaimed sustainable ecotopia that makes its money from auto manufacturers and provides ample public transportation so long as you are wealthy enough to afford land inside city limits.

I climbed Table Mountain yesterday, and the view was spectacular. Who on earth thought to build a city on this windswept, jagged peninsula at the edge of the continent?

Hope everyone had a good founders day.