THAT LOOK

by Daniela Hayashida (Brazil)

I didn't expect to find Brazil

It was mid-January. Summer Vacation. The sun warmed my expectation to visit the largest waterfall in Goiás. It was not the first time that my husband and I ventured into the Brazilian savannah, but we still did not know that gigantic waterfall. Until that moment it was just fun: first camp; waking up to the singing of macaws; toucans strolling across the sky; rain, sun, rainbows in a single day; chat with people from different regions of the country; bathing in natural thermal pools and diving in crystal clear water ... It was to continue like this, if it weren't for that look ... Last conference: bikini, shorts, towel, camera, food for the four-hour trail, slippers, boot for the dirt road, neoprene sneakers for quick drying after crossing, baton, anti-allergy, first aid items, sunscreen ... if I was prepared? It was supposed to be, if it weren't for that look ... Empty road, only one car in front of us. Forty minutes of swinging on winding paths blessed by lush landscapes around you. We went slowly, contemplating and recording through the eyeball, the most inspiring and unforgettable images that we could. I sighed happily and thanked the calm that was setting in that triumphant moment ... Suddenly, a river blocked the passage. It had rained the day before and a water spout caused the river flow to rise. If we give up? Of course not! There was a lot of motivation in the luggage. The fact that the rental car is not a room for four, made us park before the river and experience the generosity of the couple who were in front of us in a truck. The god of travelers never forsakens, does he? At least that was what I thought before looking at that look ... We arrived at the farm. Walk, walk, walk ... up and down in the woods, up and down in the mud, up and down the gigantic stones ... Finally I was introduced to the waterfall of a hundred and eighty-seven meters of fall. Would it be the culmination of the trip? Oh, it would be, if it weren't for that look... Return. Feet tired but grateful. We chose not to have lunch there. To get to the car, we would face another two kilometers of walking in the sunny countryside, since the other tourists would try the local cuisine. Halfway there I came across that look, the one I wasn't supposed to meet ... A gigantic bull was aiming at two helpless people in order to protect their calves. The backpack fully equipped in that field that the leader belonged to was of no use. We stopped under intense sun, only extolling the king of the cerrado. His gaze never left a second. Every move was read as a threat to their offspring. We waited for the moment when the big guy succumbed and it was in that interval that we decided to go across the road. Wrong choice. The animal mooed and called his entire troupe. There were too many. I couldn't tell ... In the blink of an eye, all that remained was to run from the herd that had already started the race. On both sides only native forest - no trees, no fences, no hiding places. I ran more than I could take. My husband was screaming loudly to command some respect, without stopping running. Did not work. When I turned around, that look had multiplied in pairs of smoky eyes ... I had already imagined the headline in the local and national newspaper saying that a couple of tourists were stomping on their feet, without travel insurance ... Unfortunate time that I came across that look ... After almost falling a few times, due to the tight leg, I saw the solution: a gate. I passed. I stopped. I took a breath. Cry. I laugh. The animals reduced their trotting and returned to grazing quietly. The leader, on the other hand, continued to stare at us through the massive wooden gate. Today, when I think of the trip to Chapada dos Veadeiros, with so many natural beauties, I can only think of that look ...