These ornate pavements are one of the distinctive features of Brazilian cities, and consist of millions of pieces of stone which have been hammered gently by hand to form designs varying from perfectly straight lines...
...to perfect circles. Like so many things, I often wonder how many people take them for granted, walking over them every day without appreciating the workmanship involved.
Some shops, companies and public buildings have "personalized" designs, with the establishment& #39;s name set into the mosaic.
Outside the main Post Office in Niterói. The letters "ECT" stand for "Empresa (Brasileira) de Correios e Telégrafos", or "(Brazilian) Mail and Telgraph Conpany".
"Calçadão da Cultura", or "Cultural Promenade"; however, the only "cultural" thing left in the area is a book shop.
"Casa das Fechaduras", literally "House of Locks"; a large store which sells not only locks but also door handles, hinges, mailboxes, nameplates etc.