Ouro Preto

Yesterday we decided to take a trip outside the city of Belo Horizonte to the village of Ouro Preto, a small colonial mining town from the 17th century nestled in the mountains. Once the epicenter of the gold and diamond boom in Brazil, it now plays host to tourists attracted by its many churches and gorgeous vistas.
Not only does it have breathtaking views, but somehow the town has managed to achieve that perfect state of charming ruin. The churches are crumbling and mildewed, grass grows out of every crevice, and the interiors are thick with dust and shadows, and yet somehow they are the better for it.

My favorite part was the old opera house. It has the distincion of being the oldest running opera house in the Americas, still in use today after its creation in 1740. Click here to see the rest of our pics.