{"id":9622,"date":"2018-03-27T09:00:59","date_gmt":"2018-03-27T13:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/snappingtheglobe.com\/?p=9622"},"modified":"2018-03-24T15:02:41","modified_gmt":"2018-03-24T19:02:41","slug":"batman-alley","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/snappingtheglobe.com\/?p=9622","title":{"rendered":"Batman Alley"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a9 2018 Snapping the Globe, L.L.C. All rights reserved<\/i>.<\/p>\n

S\u00e3o Paulo can be a daunting city.<\/p>\n

Roads are congested with traffic and the city is somewhat spread out, necessitating the use of the metro or bus system if you want to get around without the use of an automobile.<\/p>\n

Unless I am traveling to a far part of the city, I do enjoy walking, especially in the neighborhoods south of Paulista Avenue.\u00a0 One of my favorite areas is that of Cerqueira C\u00e9sar with its beautiful old trees and rolling streets (though it can be hard on your feet).\u00a0 I love the many eating establishments and boutiques, leading down to Rua Oscar Freire, the king of shopping areas, with its well-known (and expensive) stores offering up clothing, shoes and jewelry.\u00a0 Another nearby area, Pinheiros has more of a funky vibe and many cool cafes and bars.<\/p>\n

Walking through these two areas\u00a0 brings me to my favorite place in S\u00e3o Paulo…no…not the Havaiana’s store. It is one that I think of when I picture the artistic side of the city…the neighborhood of Jardim de Bandeiras.\u00a0 A bit more rustic, the area has many car repair shops, seedy bars and art galleries and sits right behind the Cemit\u00e9rio S\u00e3o Paulo Cardeal.\u00a0 Doesn’t sound appealing?\u00a0 What’s located there is, though…I promise!<\/p>\n

It is here that my favorite attraction in S\u00e3o Paulo can be found…Batman Alley.<\/p>\n

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In 1980, a picture of DC Comic hero, Batman was painted on one of the walls in the alley.\u00a0 \u00a0Shortly thereafter, local art students began filling the adjacent walls with psychedelic and cubist influenced designs, a tradition that has continued throughout the years, though seemingly gaining more notoriety, most recently.<\/p>\n

As you walk around and past the cemetery, a great deal of graffiti can be spotted on doorways and walls of the buildings and cemetery…some good and some…not so good.\u00a0 But, as you near Batman Alley, the concentration becomes denser and more sophisticated.<\/p>\n

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\"\"The phenomenal thing about Batman Alley is that you can visit each time you are in S\u00e3o Paulo and when you turn the corner into the alley, you never know what you may find.\u00a0 The art is continually renovated and looked after by the community and<\/em> is always breathtaking.\u00a0 Even though it is ever changing, you can still find Batman, so be sure to search for him.<\/p>\n

\"\"From my first visit to this unique area, I have noticed a huge increase in visitors.\u00a0 I’m not sure how I<\/em> found this area, because years ago, it was not very well known to tourists and of course, takes a bit of doing to get there.\u00a0 Today, I observed more foot traffic as well as Uber depositing those too time-pressed to walk.\u00a0 There are many more cafes lining the streets adjacent to the alley and college-aged students and young professionals enjoying the sunshine and a beer or two.<\/p>\n

\"\"The biggest difference, however, is in the alley itself.\u00a0 In addition to the hordes of people attempting to photograph the exclusive artwork, there are the young girls attempting to get the most awe-inspiring pictures for their Facebook profile or for Instagram.\u00a0 There are wanna-be photographers (some possibly real) and their wanna-be models complete with wardrobe changes and props, hoping that the exclusive location (if not the outcome of their work) will give both of their portfolios a leg-up.\u00a0 So unique is the area that\u00a0 I even observed a couple taking their engagement photos here!<\/p>\n

\"\"Every wall is filled with amazing portraits, depictions and different styles of graffiti.\u00a0 If you are lucky, you might even catch an artist (or two) at work.\u00a0 Take your time, dodge the masses and be patient with the photo-shoots…Batman Alley is a place to relish…not rush, and, when you have finished walking through the alley, spend a little time walking the neighboring streets…many more interesting forms of artwork can be found, making the long walk to get there absolutely worth the blisters!<\/p>\n

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There are those who do not care for graffiti as much as others, however, keep this one thing in mind…Batman Alley is more than graffiti…it is an experience!<\/p>\n

For more pictures, check out Facebook, Snapping the Globe and Instagram, @snappingtheglobe.<\/p>\n

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Beco do Batman<\/strong><\/p>\n