Short flight from bustling, bursting with turistas Rio--and after a 2 hour taxi from the spotless Brasilia airport---i arrived on the outskirts of Pirenopolis, where the landscape became green and lush with gorgeous cloudy skies---The dirt road approaching EcoCentro IPEC is seriously red, pigs scurry and squeeze under the fences as i walked down the stone pathway to the Ponte do Pensil---suspension bridge that would put a smile on Indiana Jones' face---you have to laugh as the bridge rocks and waves as you cross over the stream below----then I entered paradise---

Dense vegetation and beautiful flowers and sweet earthy smells and truly remarkable buildings erupting with  curves and murals and windows made of bottles, and giant termite mounds and toucans and hummingbirds and the smell of seriously good cooking---this is IPEC. And because i arrived in the middle of Bioconstruindo---there are over 100 teachers and learners of all ages making things like mosaics and ceramic pots and adobe bricks, natural paints and bamboo houses and ferrocement pergolas and rammed earth common houses and super adobe entryways...No powertools here of course, only the sound of pounding clay and grinding stones with the constant background of friendly chatter and latin laughter---6 of the Living Routes Permaculture students are already here and working side-by-side the Brazilians--- covered in red earth and learning by watching and doing and bits and pieces of spanish and portuguese and english---

Here are just a few pics to start...