A City Born from a Dream
Having had more than our fair share of dirt roads to last us a while, we headed to Brasília for a little cultural immersion — and a trip to the dentist. It felt strange rolling into a city so clean and composed after weeks of red dust and bumpy tracks. Brasília isn’t a city that grew over time; it was imagined, designed, and built almost overnight — a capital born from President Juscelino Kubitschek’s 1950s dream to move the country’s centre inland.
blending design with nature
Urban planner Lúcio Costa drew the city in the shape of an airplane — or perhaps a bird in flight — its wings stretching out as residential zones and its body forming the Eixo Monumental, home to Brazil’s centers of power. Architect Oscar Niemeyer gave that vision its sculptural beauty — concrete curved like ribbons, floating domes and soaring towers, each building a statement of bold optimism. It’s a city that feels futuristic and modern, with great spaces and green parks. Cold but somehow warm at the same time.
lakeside camp with capybaras
23-26 October. We camped down by the lake, where many other travellers and ‘van-lifers’ seem to park — though some looked a little more permanent . We spent three nights camped just a few feet from the water’s edge. It was quiet, safe, clean and tidy, with the occasional jogger passing by and the sound of gentle waves against the shore.
Groups of wild capybaras wandered freely, grazing on the lawns and leaving generous ‘gifts’ behind. They’re the world’s largest rodents — a cross between a guinea pig and a small hippo — social, gentle, and surprisingly endearing as they plod along in family herds, half in the water, half on land.
laundromat & a chatty dentist
Our first stop in town had been the laundromat, where fate (and a mountain of dirty clothes) introduced us to Christina — a lovely lawyer who spoke excellent English. She’d spotted our truck from her office window and came down to investigate, telling us it was her dream too, to travel the world in a motorhome, and asked all sorts of questions.
When I mentioned that Tim needed a dentist, she immediately gave us the contact for her friend, Dr. Ana M. — an English-speaking dentist who could see us that very evening at 7 p.m.
After laundry and a supermarket run, we parked outside Ana’s office, locked the kids safely in the camper, and went in for what turned into a 2½-hour “appointment.” Or perhaps “conversation” is more accurate. Ana, thrilled to have someone to speak English with, hadn’t used it in years and was in no hurry to stop. Between repeated stories, we learned she was once a national rally driver — Brazil’s women’s champion, apparently — though we didn’t check. She also held twin degrees in dentistry and journalism, had been married (and divorced) to a senator, and her pride and joy, her son, was now, like herself, a filmmaker in Rio. By the end I felt like we knew her life story.
Somewhere between her tales, she did manage to examine our teeth. She assured Tim there was no infection, but plenty of other more “serious issues” requiring reconstruction, and sent us both off for x-rays the next day.
An exhaust repair
Before that, though, came a mechanical detour — Bruce’s exhaust pipe needed fixing. Google pointed us toward a few workshops east of the city, but as we wound deeper in, the streets narrowed and filled with auto wreckers, scrap heaps, and stacked car parts spilling into the road. iOverlander didn’t help our confidence — one review warned of a daylight robbery just months earlier, another mentioned two people killed nearby. Being the biggest thing on wheels, we stood out like a giraffe in a henhouse. Clearly, Bruce wasn’t physically fitting in here.
Plan B was the best. A proper truck workshop that specialized in heavy exhaust systems. After lunch, they welded a new flexi hose (without the aid of safety goggles), sanded and painted it. The repair came to about $350 CAD — not bad for a job done on the spot. On the drive back, Tim noticed the engine brake wasn’t working. Too late in the day to deal with it, we returned to our lakeside camp.
The next morning, instead of heading for the x-rays, Tim was back under the truck — coveralls on, cab tilted forward, shaking his head. Turns out the heat shield had been installed upside down. Once fixed, which took the better part of the morning, as several passers by stopped to chat and watch. Once fixed the brake was back in action, and by noon we were finally at the x-ray clinic.
lots of x-rays
We’ve never had so many x-rays taken — a dozen at least, plus a panoramic image. The hefty price tag suddenly made sense. Still, better to have them done properly.
The SESI LAB – science world
Afterwards, we spent the afternoon at SESI LAB, an interactive science and art museum. The building itself is an architectural gem — sleek, light-filled, and designed to spark curiosity. Inside, it felt like stepping into a hands-on playground of ideas: colour, sound, motion, and creativity all swirling together. We blew giant bubbles, built geometric shapes, tested hearing through bone conduction, experimented with pulleys and prisms, and even had a whispering conversation fifty feet apart through copper sound dishes called the Andromeda Discs. It was fun, clever, and beautifully put together — a rare museum that spoke to all ages.
Back to the dentist
By late afternoon we caught an Uber back to Ana’s office for round two. She reviewed the x-rays in detail, describing her findings. Explaining Tim’s pressing situation and insisting the work should start immediately, and that in three days all would be finished and perfect — for the modest sum of $15,000 CAD.
We smiled politely, explained that we’d first consult my uncle, a periodontist and oral surgeon in London and Johannesburg, and promised to be in touch. Ana was kind and enthusiastic, but she was also a drain — of time, energy. Missing the important piece about having access to ongoing, continued care with a Periodontist back home.
We paid the bill, said our goodbyes, and escaped into the night, heading straight back to our peaceful lake camp. The following day she sent a lengthy text, lowering her price quote and requesting to confirm an appointment that afternoon. (I wonder if she’s needs to make this or next month’s rent?)
National Congress
Before leaving the city — we spent a few hours exploring Brasília’s striking architecture up close. First stop was the National Congress. With our passports in hand, we were allowed inside and given access to the “green carpet zone.” We wandered past press interviews, display area of gifts from foreign dignitaries, a wall of presidents (dating back to what looked like 1786), sculptures, paintings, and an impressive meteorite exhibit — all in Portuguese, of course, but still fascinating.
Cathedral of Brasilia
Google tells me it’s this about the Cathedral. Officially the Catedral Metropolitana Nossa Senhora Aparecida, is one of Oscar Niemeyer’s most iconic creations — a masterpiece of light, geometry, and symbolism.
From the outside, it rises from the ground in a dramatic crown-like shape. Sixteen white concrete columns reaching toward the sky, curved and splayed like hands lifted in prayer. Each column weighs 90 tons, yet the structure feels light, as if floating. Between the columns, vast panels of blue, green, and white stained glass fill the spaces, bathing the interior in shifting colour.
From above, it resembles a sunburst or open flower, a fitting symbol of renewal and faith. Entering is an experience in itself — you pass through a dark tunnel and emerge into a soaring, luminous space where the glass glows and three angel sculptures appear to drift in mid-air, suspended by nearly invisible cables.
Then made our way to a view a few more of Niemeyer’s creations before driving up to the TV Tower. The viewing platform would have offered a perfect view straight down the city’s monumental axis, but it was closed for maintenance.
So glad we decided to come and visit the Capital. Turning onto Highway 070, we pointed Bruce West, leaving behind the symmetry and order of Brasília for yet another different and contrasting town of Goias. Small, old and very colonial village further West.
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