At Pedro's in Belo Horizonte

We were welcomed into Pedro's family with open arms and a lot of hospitality. Pedro is a friend of Marine's, who also did a semester abroad in Saarbrücken in the same year. We had our own room with a bathroom, a huge luxury for us. Plus, for the first time since we embarked on our journey, we had a warm shower - delightful! But even better was the food. Pedro's mother, Helene, spoiled us with cheese, homemade meals, desserts, fruit, sweets, and much more. She was so happy to see us enjoying it all. And we savored all the Brazilian delicacies to the fullest.

At the same time, Helene took care of us around the clock. She even did all of our laundry (!). After always washing our hands with cold water until now (Grandma, if only you could see how we struggled...), we gladly accepted this luxury.

On the first day, the "beautiful horizon" didn't present itself in the best light. It rained heavily without stopping. Helene spent the whole day with us, and we drove to the small colonial town of Ouro Preto. Sightseeing by car was a completely new experience for us. But with such "awful weather," we hardly dared to step outside. Unfortunately, every city is only half as beautiful in the rain, but we still enjoyed it. In the evening, we went out to a Lebanese restaurant together with Pedro and his girlfriend. The food was excellent.

On Saturday, we went on a girls' tour with Pedro's girlfriend, Marina, and she showed us the most beautiful places in the city center. At the top of the city, we finally got to see the beautiful horizon as well. The city definitely lives up to its name.

For a late lunch, we had a family gathering. Having a meal together in a family setting in Brazil was truly wonderful.

Belo Horizonte is also called the bar capital of Brazil by the locals. So, of course, we wanted to taste the nightlife as well, but Helene first equipped us with appropriate outfits. A thousand thanks to her for making everything possible for us.

Among the numerous bars, I also discovered a Bavarian Hofbräuhaus with a beer garden. Pedro told me that the German restaurant was so overcrowded when it first opened that they had to close it again. No one expected such a big rush.

On Sunday, we went to the Mineirão, an essential destination for all football fans. It is one of the largest football stadiums and also the legendary stadium where Germany defeated Brazil 7-1 in the 2014 World Cup final.

The state of Minas Gerais not only produces excellent cheese but also the popular Pão de Queijo, which is special cheese-filled rolls that are very tasty. Marina taught us the secret recipe from Pedro's grandmother, and we baked the best Pão de Queijo in all of Brazil!

Belo Horizonte is a beautiful city where you can live, eat, and go out well. We felt very comfortable there, largely thanks to the warmth of Pedro's family. We had wonderful days and I found very dear new friends. I hope to see Pedro and Marina again soon.

Family dinner at Pedro's house.