A certain dear Lady from Milan (hint hint) needed train station images.

“Go and get them” was the clear message.
Hmmm, hold your horses and let me mull on this for a moment. Where the heck do I go here in the Brazilian São Paulo and “Go and get them”? Public transportation is a mess in this metropole... Suddenly it dawned on me. Of course!

Estação da Luz!

A gorgeous expansive Victorian train station built in 1901, named "Estação da Luz" (Light Station). Albeit not so conveniently located in the centre, which is one of the ugliest (read dangerous) neighbourhoods in the city of my present residence.

Now, you need to understand that I really do not resemble a typical Brazilian. I am Dutch-sized (1.92m) and stick out in every imaginative way. Dollar signs (Euros if you will) written all over my forehead, hence not really happy to hang out there with an expensive camera swinging around my body.

Not ever making use of the public transport facilities provided by our lovely local government, I pondered how to get there. Taking a car wouldn’t work for the simple reason that I don’t have one. I move on a motorized 2-wheeler. (No, it’s not a Harley Davidson. Lacking the tattoo’s, fat belly and the blond.) But I figured it out and it seemed that with a 15min walk to the closest underground, I could get there, changing lines only once.

And thus my “Go and get them” began. Expensive camera stuffed in the backpack together with the sandwiches and coffee thermos for the travel, and the little Ricoh GR2 in my hand. You never know you know.

I specifically choose Friday late afternoon as there would be (way too) many travellers going somewhere.
What a rare brilliant idea. Arriving at the station, I was stunned by the amount of travellers. A beehive of activity. Once inside the station, I changed camera’s quickly and started shooting. With the sufficient presence of law enforcement, I felt safe enough.

With a smile from ear to ear I spent the next few hours observing and shooting. Happy like a kid in a candy store. I never imagined that this place could be so inspiring.

Thankfully this is a group for images and not stories, so I let the images continue telling the story, I hope you enjoy.

Frans Kemper

*BC is commonly known as Before Corona (AC probably will never arrive)