notamissionary

Don`t get your hopes up . .This is not a blog

2009-01-19T11:50:00.001-02:00

With Ginger abandoning the site no one will be blogging here anymore. Sorry. I declare my freedom from blogging and sitting for hours in front of any computer. We did some nice blogging on this site. I will leave them up for future readers but the truth is we no longer live in Brazil. In October of 2008 the Commandante and I moved back to Portugal and we are quite happy here. I will not blog anymore so you will have to pik up travel bits from other Portuguese bloggers. 2 kisses all around. Goodbye, RoseMary

[for current Brasil blogs see - http://gingersflowers.blogspot.com/]

Change in focus

2009-01-08T16:16:00.005-02:00

It is the beginning of another year. We all make resolutions on the eve of a new year and one of mine was to try and make headway in my constant battle to adjust to living abroad. I got into blogging, following Rosemary, not really making my own way. Today with the help of a friend, I decided to move my blog entries to my Flowers and More blog site.
I have declared my independence.
CLICK http://gingersflowers.blogspot.com/ to read new 2009 entries.

Out with the Old and in with the New

2008-12-31T11:51:00.008-02:00

During the five years we have lived in the apartment in Ipanema, we have heard many stories about the two houses and one apartment building sitting vacant accross the street.

It is (or was) apparent that at one point they were quite handsome homes. They had the look of many of the houses that are still scattered throughout Copacabana, Ipenema and Leblon - houses preserved with loving care.

We heard that at one point they were private homes, beach houses or vacation homes for the rather rich that lived in the old central Rio or possibly even Sao Paulo. At the turn of the century (20th) this was the country - incredible thought isn't it? It was farm land, none of the tunnels that ease access to this part of town were there, driving over (hum, driving? maybe coming by wagon or horse, and surely byway of trail or small dirt roads) for the weekend or the summer at the beach just like all Brazilians love do today.

Back to the houses accross the street - we heard that these houses and the building were once a famous school. We heard that all this property was owned by one family. That at one point it was all for sale, and sold and then one of the family protested the sale.

We heard that the government (or the family member or other parties depending on which porteiro was telling the story) wanted the property protected as a historical sight. It (the property) was in limbo.

In limbo means - no maintenance was done. I imagine no taxes paid. One weekend about 3 years ago there was pounding in the dark of night and part of the roof and some of the windows disappeared before the police came. At that point a high white wall went up and was topped with barbwire (razor wire) - so someone cared. (the wall was soon dirty and 3rd world looking)

The three years passed. Even though great expense was expended to put up a fence, iron bars on the lower windows and to post a guard at night, no effort was made to patch the roof and the natural vegetation began to take back the land. Yes, trees began to grow out of the roof. Green slime and other growth began to cover the outer walls, run down the side of the houses generally creating a great eye sore. I am sorry but I didn't take photos of the trees - I was going to one day and never did.

On the 29th of December 2008, an engineering sign appeared, then workers. About 20 workers came and took the remaining roof tiles, all the doors and windows, piping and who knows what else that might be considered recyclable. In less than one day the houses were shells. (the old apartment building was always a shell)ON the 30th a gate in the wall appeared and then a bulldozer arrived and the houses began to come down. Today the 31st, more work with the bulldozer finished off one house, and two men began with sludgehammers on the apartment building.

Now it is clear that this is a very big piece of land. We now can see that there was a large 3 story building at the back, by the archetecture looks mid 70s. Maybe this was added when the school was there.

So now there will be a new apartment building or a fancy hotel inserted in this space. The battle between family members and the government was won through neglect. But no matter on what battlefield it was won - after 5 years of looking at inner city decay and blight in our own front yard, we can only benefit by the taking out of the old and bringing in of the new. HAPPY NEW YEAR! Ginger and Camillo

Video of early 20th century Rio

2008-12-24T16:09:00.003-02:00

Since comming to visit for the first time, to moving here I have always wondered where the term "cidade maravilhosa" came into play in reference to the city that I know now. This little clip helped to expain. the film is 7 minutes long, take the time to watch it through. Thank you Sisi for sending it to me.

Christmas Eve in Rio

2008-12-24T09:59:00.008-02:00

After months of clouds and rain, December 22 dawned with crystal clear, bright blue skies.
Oh joy to the season.

And with the sun came heat and humidity, snarled traffic and bad tempers.

I have to ask WHERE"S the joy?

Yesterday on the December 23, the streets surrounding our Ipanema apartment were so clogged they were at a complete 'horn blowing' stop. The streets were clogged with busses, trucks, tourists (cars) and shoppers (cars). Yes, in the highth of this joyful season large delivery trucks double parked along the steets further testing the tempers, the goodwill (?) of all the holiday shoppers and beach goers competing for parking space. (The free one of course, the parking lots below ground and in the shopping centers are so expensive everyone drives around and around looking for 'just the right' free space on the street). I don't really know of other areas in Rio but in Ipanema the 'lojas' are not big on holiday decorations. The local association of business people line the sidewalks with what is meant to be a cheerful and welcoming carpet. In past years it was red, 'rolling out the red carpet'. This year is was a faded green and after so much rain and muddy footprints it looks a little worse for wear. There are a few stores with glass balls, some with poinsettias, and some with a Santa or an Angel in their front window, but compared with Gramado the frantic aura of noise, pushing and shoving of Ipanema I have to ask WHERES THE JOY?

Christmas Eve - today the number of cars has dropped to a managable number, fewer busses, only an occaisonal delivery truck and what seems to be more taxis. Today the taxis are blowing their horns, but everyone else seems to have lowered their 'rush, rush' mode to holiday mode. Camillo and I walked around the corner and had a Caiprinha to get into the mood. There are still a lot of shoppers, but maybe they are only tourists - the Cariocas have gone home to cook dinner and begin enjoying the time with their families and the remaining tourists are out to enjoy their hot and sunny Christmas in RIO.

Christmas in Brasil

2008-12-19T22:56:00.016-02:00

If you have browsed through my blog entries, you might have found the one I wrote last Christmas when Camillo and I visited Gramado in Southern Brasil.

For me that trip ranks very high on the list of places we have spent Christmas week.

This small town, south of Port Alegre, celebrates Christmas in a very big hearted way. Every street is strung with lights, every shop window is decorated to catch the eye. There is every version of handcrafted Santa that one can possibly imagine. The City Park outside of the city center hosts a Santa's workshop where you have opportunity to visit Santa's helpers' dormitory and Santa's house with his private stash of toys from Christmases past.

And the best, the very best is the Cathedral with its high steeple, brightly lit, and the hand carved Nativity. This is Christmas the way it should be celebrated. With the intent by their family to give pleasure, to be shared with your family.

Merry Christmas
Ginger and Camillo

Back in Friburgo

2008-12-09T20:57:00.012-02:00

From travel to Arizona, shopping, doctors appointments, more shopping, lunching with friends, seeing my grandaughter play volleyball and her dance team dance at the girls basketball games, to cooking, cooking, cooking the Thanksgiving dinner and the final running non-stop through the last weekend in Houston, this two month trip to the USA went by much too quickly.

Marissa's dance team

Making Bread for Thanksgiving

Homemade breakfast cinnamon rolls

Our trip to the Museum of Natural Science that I wrote about in my last entry did not go as expected. Luisa did not join us - she was feeling peaked. The grandsons had seen the first show and immediately tried talking me out of this one. Marissa and I were not totally convinced that we wanted to see real bodies preserved or otherwise. So we did a re-run through the museum, including the display of gems and minerals (I love this part) then we went to two different Planetarium shows and then to lunch. We enjoyed ourselves totally.

While in Houston I also managed to take a photography class and am now all excited about taking 'narative' photos. let me know if you notice any difference in the photos posted.

Now home again in Friburgo, it looks like the end of year months will go by even faster. The first weekend back (is it less than a week ago I returned?) we had our annual December "thank goodness its spring" churrasco. We have gained two new friends this year, both Italians, so Camillo has compatriots to enjoy the wine cellar with. At this year's churrasco there were about 10 more eaters than on our list, I never understand how this happens. Nobody seemed to mind (but me of course) that we ran out of potato salad and coleslaw early on and had only meat and chocolate cake to help them through the afternoon. The food was very good by the way.
On Sunday we went to Creamery Geneve to buy goats cheese and have lunch. the drive on the Teresopolis/Friburgo road was exceptional after our weeks and weeks of rain.

Last Sunday in Houston!

2008-11-30T13:11:00.002-02:00

Gunther von Hagens’ BODY WORLDS 2 & The Brain – Our Three Pound Gem: The Original Exhibition of Real Human Bodies: It seemed as though two months in the States was going to be a long and satisfying visit but it has gone too fast. It has been satisfying. Marissa and I have spent a lot of long hours together. We cooked Thanksgiving dinner together, she made the pies and I, the bread and the turkey with stuffing. Okay to give credit were credit is due, Patty also helped by making the sweet potatoes and the green bean casserole. Luisa brought sweet corn 'something' and her son Brandt brought a pecan pie. WAS all delicious - congratulations all. The turkey was completely gone!

Today my last Sunday in Houston, I will take Marissa, Luisa and Camillo's grandsons Giorgio and Alex to the Museum of Science to see Body Worlds 2. I kept putting it off because this is a display of REAL bodies - granted they are preserved but still.... I have decided that the knowledge gained by seeing it is worth the slight discomfort I feel about the medium used. Luisa and the two boys are very excited - that also adds to my satisfaction - so will do this.

One thing that Houston has (although lacking the beautiful landscapes of Brazil) is fantastic museums. They are world class often showing the same special exhibits as the New York and Chicago museums. And I can read and understand all of the information given about the displays. I can talk to the guides, I can discuss with other museum goers. This option for my days is one of the greatest missed when in Brazil. I will try to leave a review of the show on the blog later in the week - just in case it comes to a museum near you.

The Rose Garden

2008-11-22T00:24:00.005-02:00

Yesterday was one of those beautiful days that no matter where we are, or where we live, we glory in it. The temperature was in the mid 60s, the sky a bright clear blue, the sun bright and warm on the skin. In celebration I drove into the med center area to visit the Rose Garden. The Rose garden is part of the Museum of Natural Science complex. Most of the year it has a pleasant, peaceful air, yesterday it was especially beautiful. The roses were in full bloom and loving the cool weather. The rose beds were surrounded by beds of marigolds and ferns (I would call them Horsetail ferns but they probably have another name.) No matter - the marigolds were as pleasing in their simplicity as the roses were elegant - an excellent garden combination.
I have heard several times over the years that Houston is not a beautiful city. If compared to the green mountains and the blue ocean separated only by a long stretch of buff colored beaches in Rio, it is not the most visual city, but taken by itself, measured on its own merit, it has moments of real beauty.
The neighborhoods, streets lined with old live oaks, their branches meeting in the middle, and in the spring the front yards overgrown with azaleas, street after street of neatly kept homes and boulevards with beds of seasonal

flowers, and many small neighborhood parks complete with bronze and marble statues, all these scenes combine to make Houston a city of clean and comforting beauty.

The Katy Prairie

2008-11-20T16:48:00.006-02:00

To the west and the northwest of Houston is a far stretch of land (Texas sized)called the Katy Prairie. Miles and miles of flat, dry, mostly cultivated grasslands. Yesterday, Luisa and I left the city driving that direction in hopes of finding that the migrating ducks and geese had arrived in the area. Last week we had a 'cold snap' and to the north of Texas there was a full week of snow and freezing weather, this usually heralds in the duck season in south Texas. Flocks of ducks and geese stopping over to rest and feed in the area's many lakes, and natural whet lands of the greater Houston area. They come through on their way even further south - sometimes making it all the way into South America.

Luisa and I went at least 20 miles west and another 20 miles north of the Houston city line and still found mostly new homes, paved streets and fast food joints - in other words more city. About 5 miles out of Katy, after a few missed turns and u-turns in farmhouse driveways and a sighting of two large birds hunting the fields from the telephone posts, we found a man-made lake with naturally growing high grass (an effort to create whet lands) and observation blinds for bird watchers. We didn't find many ducks but we did hear some overhead and with some searching of the high skies were able to make out a flock flying quite high above us headed, YEP, south.

back in Houston and Thanksgiving

2008-11-17T01:04:00.010-02:00

It is apparent to all that follow NotAMissionary, that when I am in the States visiting family I don't write very often in the blog. I find that I don't take pictures the way I do when traveling in other countries either. Maybe it is that nothing is really new or a challenge when I am here. When I am in Brazil or traveling in other countries most of what I see is fresh, mysterious or in contrast to what I know so well. Also, when in the States the tempo of my day is much different. I leave my daughter's home at 7am - when in Brazil we are barely starting our day at 8am let alone up dressed and full of coffee at 7 - first thing I take Patty to work so that I can have her car for the day. Then I exercise, shop, visit, go to movies, out to lunch, vote, go to see doctors, order glasses, go out to lunch some more and shop some more. Until 4:30pm when I pick Pat back up at her office. Then there is cooking dinner, talking, and other activities like volleyball games that I have written about in prior blogs and the day ends at 9 pm here. In Rio at 9pm we would just be going out to dinner

And now we are planning our Thanksgiving dinner. This annual pilgrimage into American tradition is why I try to come back to the States at this time of year. This one day in America represents the best of who we are. Even if the story is told to tell only the good side of our participation in the first Thanksgiving feast, the tradition of a dinner where Friends and family gather to celebrate another year and to give thanks for all we have is a good part of America.
This year will not be an exception - I will cook the traditional stuffed turkey with fix'ns. There will also be a ham for anyone who doesn't really care for turkey, whipped potatoes with gravy, squash, sweet potatoes with brown sugar and marshmallows (I don't like sweet potatoes made this way, but is Patty's favorite so stays on the menu.) home made rolls and this year homemade cranberry sauce. And to top it all off pumpkin and pecan pies.

I know, I know this is gluttony, it is big in the greatest of American BIGS. But everything is so good.

This weekend we went shopping for the ham and turkey - can't wait until the last minute because you end up with something you don't want - so we went and fought the Sunday shoppers (the biggest grocery shopping day in the USA) You can't imagine the mess. It was reminiscent of shopping at Zona Zul in Ipanema. Narrow isles, big shopping carts, people blocking the isle while the deciding on one of too many options, and lines, lines, lines. But we completed our mission and are ready to start the feast.

? Can there be this many different cheeses?? How to decide?

Road Trip - Arizona II

2008-10-28T13:38:00.006-02:00

After picking up my sister in Flagstaff, we drove my rented, bright-red Dodge Charger to Phoenix. I don't know if you are supposed to be able to pick your rental car but I generally say "I need enough power to make it up the black canyon highway" and they'll give me a car with reassurances that it will 'make it with ease'. I have learned (finally) that the people at the rental counter really don't listen, or don't care what your issues are, they just pass you down the line. This big, bulky super-duper charger had no GRIT when in competition for road with the big semis. If you travel in the western USA rent a foreign car - American cars Drink gasoline for breakfast with no reserve energy for when it is needed on the steep grades.

But back to my road trip.

I found that I have a really large family in Arizona. Oh, I knew they were there but have not spent time exploring who they are, too keeping in touch, of feeling that I belong with them. Speaking with each of the children, enjoying their enjoyment of the occasion.

I go often to visit my mother but basically stay in Prescott for the week. With Candy along - Candy who remembers everyone and all the streets where they live - urging us along, Mom and I saw my sister Nancy and her two children and their 4 children. I can imagine that Mom's great-grand children will remember the jokes, the laughter - the gathering for lunch and dinner of a family they had never met.

Mom, Candy and I drove into Phoenix proper to see my Aunt Carol - Mom's
only living sibling, and Aunt Rosa her one remaining sister-in-law. I haven't seen them since the mid 70's when I lived in Phoenix with my small children. This trip was truly a trip home. (Aren't they all beautiful?)

Road Trip - Arizona

2008-10-26T11:26:00.008-02:00

I have written before about being in Arizona (USA) to visit my mother. I come - always once a year and sometimes like this year, I make it for two visits. I love Arizona. I lived here as a child and young a teen and it often feels more like home than Michigan where I was born, Houston where I lived for 30 years or Brazil where I have been for nearly 6 years. Arizona at first glance seems barren, dry and colorless (especially if I compare it to Brazil), but as you travel through the state the seeming barren landscape becomes a land of diverse Eco-systems, with a pallet of muted colors that soothes, calms. This effect may be only for me because of the 'home again' aspect of travel in Arizona, but I think it is the quietness of the colors and the heat of the sun that warms and calms the spirit.

I flew into Phoenix and drove to Prescott on Monday. Tuesday I collected my mother early and together we drove to Flagstaff to pick up my older sister, Candy. She came across country from Michigan via Amtrak to join us for a week. While Mom and I waited for her arrival, we drove even further north. Taking highway 89 north out of Flagstaff with the intended destination - Page at the damn for Lake Powell in the extreme North East corner of Arizona. Highway 89, right after leaving Flagstaff, goes through miles of what appears to be worn down, eroded volcanic ash fields. Sculpted by wind and rain these miles of gray, light pink and purple leave you feeling as though you have left this planet. Any geologist that reads this can correct me if they want - I'll publish any comments - but the look of the landscape was to me of an ancient land. About 35 miles from Page, I saw a sign - 89A to north rim Grand Canyon - I made a last minute, executive decision to go that direction and made a very quick left-hand turn onto the well-maintained, two lane highway, that winds and dips, curving around a long stretch of red cliffs - the road was long the scenery exquisite
To tell the truth we stopped and took photos and then went on, not realizing that we were ON THE NORTH RIM. We ended up almost at the Utah border before realizing that we should turn around and make our way back to Flagstaff.

Supermarkets American Style

2008-10-13T21:50:00.003-03:00

Unless you have shopped in a supermarket (grocery store) in Brazil you may not appreciate this blog entry. When in Rio, Camillo and I generally walk about a block and a half to the ZonaSul (SouthZone) supermarket. We walk up and down the 10 rows, which includes a cold meat and cheese counter, a fruit and veggies area, a fish area, and a small snack area - then you stand in line that usually twists and turns through the fruit and veggie area, blocking other shoppers to have your veggies weighted, on a good day you then stand in another line of at a minimum 10 people which takes another 15 minutes to work your way to the front, you unload your 10 - 20 items (not many because we are walking back home and carry our sacks and do not have them delivered) from the shopping cart - then we leave the cart in everyone's way because the carts are too big to fit through the checkout lane - on a bad day there are at least 5 carts blocking the people trying to unload their groceries. !total chaos!

Today Patty and I stopped at the FoodAramma supermarket on the way home from work. This 'smallish' market is about 4 miles from her house and the only way to get to the store is by car. The parking lot in front has wide diagonal parking slots - about 100 of them. This being a Monday and not a peak shopping day, I would say there were only about 50 cars out in front. Inside the store seemed empty - the 50 or more people that belonged to the cars are swallowed up inside. The fruit and veggie department had the most people. It is about the size of the total Ipanema ZonaSul market. The isles are clear, the checkout quietly going about its business. Like in ZonaSul about half of the checkout stations are closed (off peak day). But in this case it means 7 of the 14 lanes are open. We enter the check out lane, put our items on the conveyor belt as the person in front of us pays for his groceries, and in 5 minutes we have paid and are headed for the car. No music was playing - lighting bright, isles wide and clear and clean - checkout painless. Shopping for dinner groceries in the USA.

first day home -

2008-10-06T22:09:00.005-03:00

I arrived in Houston on Friday morning - 5:20am) but really didn't get into 'I am at home mode' until Saturday morning. Patty (my daughter) and I got up at 6:30 to take Marissa to her school to catch the team bus and then we drove into northwest Houston to watch her volley ball (Volie) tournament. This is her first year on a team (7Th grade) and from what I could see really enjoying it. The girls played 4 games!. Unlike most of the teams they played, there were only 7 of them so no rotations out to rest. My favorite and as far as I am concerned the best player is number 44 - in the very least she is the most beautiful.... (she did not pay me to write this - it is truly how I feel.) All the players improved their serves before our very eyes. As a team they have some work to do on understanding that while the ball is in play you keep trying to hit it back across the net - there were a few 'where did it go?" expressions and boy did we all (the parents watching) have fun with that. By the way they won 1, lost 1, and tied 2 - came in 3rd out of five teams - I would say that was excellent for a first season.

More about things to do in Rio

2008-09-28T10:51:00.014-03:00

In what is likely to be our last outing as a group of friends living in Brasil, Camillo, Rio Rose and the Commandant, Sissi and Antonio (and I behind the camera) spent yesterday exploring Santa Teresa. It was a little dark, threatening rain and cool for Rio but - speaking for myself only - a totally enjoyable day. We visited the Museu da Chácara do Céu (r. Maurtinh Nobre, 93, tel. 2507-1932) This Ultra modern home of industrialist Raymundo Ottoni de Castro Maya, completed in 1972, now houses his personal collection of art and books and has several rooms preserving the furniture and decorations of that era. It is more than worth the taxi ride and the R$2.00 cost of admittance. To the side of the museum - using the same parking lot - is the Centro Cultural Municipal Parque das Ruínas - this
remains of a house built in the forest has been preserved and enhanced with an interior metal staircase that circles to the top of the home and gives you a 360' view of Rio.

Lapa

Centro

Gloria

Santa Teresa

After the walk through of the museum and the 'ruins', we made a quick stop at our friends, Rosa and Paulo, to see how their new home is progressing. They are at about 5 years from having bought the land and three years into construction and the house is almost complete. I think it will be many more years before it is full of furniture, my impression is that each piece will have to be choosen with care in order to enhance the house's remarkable architectural design. For me the concept of a house, complimenting the surrounding city and forests, no real boundaries between inside or outside is the ultimate of living with nature.

Santa Teresa is a small microcosm - a totally unique experience within the city of Rio. I think it would be great fun to go to Lapa and catch the trolley - hanging on all the way up to Santa Teresa, get off, have lunch at one of many small restaurants and then take the trolley back to Lapa.

hanging by the toenails....

2008-09-24T09:52:00.003-03:00

In Rio and waiting for the days to pass so I can travel home to see my family, I walked to the end of Ipanema, the end between Ipanema and Copacabana called the Arpoador. Climbing around on the rocks and enjoying the ocean sights and breezes, taking photos as I always do - I thought this cactus as an apt metaphor for LIFE , my life in particular. How do you like that? Its roots clinging precariously to the rocks, its flowers delicate and its fruit sweet (well I can take poetic license here), its protective thorns dangerous but not deadly, this desert plant growing in the land of palm trees - thriving because it is designed to survive despite its location, despite the weather, surviving because it draws nourishment from its surroundings. Possibly this is a lesson I could learn.

Real winter in Nova Friburgo

2008-09-18T16:51:00.007-03:00

In order to tell what month of the year it is for real, I count six months on my fingers - so September in the southern hemisphere is Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, March in the northern. Even after five years here my system needs this reality check to know what the weather should be doing.

For nearly a month we had hot dry weather, summertime temperatures, then three days ago it turned cold and whet again. Last night there was another thunderstorm and the temperature was a very cold 12c. I wore two sweaters trying to be warm.

Around 3 this afternoon the sun came out chasing away the low clouds, fog and drizzle and hopefully these past 3 days will be the last of this year's winter in the mountains of tropical Brasil.

Houston - Home is still there

2008-09-14T11:52:00.011-03:00

As Ike moves north and by the end of today off the continental USA, only the clean up and reflection are left to do.
All my family is safe and sound in Houston. This morning still without electricity, they lost tree branches and the brand new backyard fence but as far as the really valuable - we were lucky.
From all I read in the Houston Chronicle online yesterday (all day yesterday - I did nothing else) the damage will cost a bundle but all the damage is superficial.
(Eric Kayne: Chronicle - http://www.chron.com/)

(Johnny Hanson: AP - The remnants of Murdock's Pier and Hooters are seen along Seawall Blvd. in Galveston, Texas, Saturday, Sept. 13, 2008 after Hurricane Ike hit the area. The Flagship Hotel is seen in the background.)
Galveston lost some famous landmarks and there will be some time (months) before the downtown JP Morgan Chase building is back up and running with all its windows replaced but these are only buildings, and boats, and fences, and trees not hundreds of thousands of people. They got off light in the areas that count.

James Nielsen: Chronicle
The Chase Tower is heavily damaged as hurricane Ike moves through the area.

Word From Home

2008-09-13T09:40:00.003-03:00

This Saturday morning no word is coming from home. Houston metropolitan area has nearly 4 million people without electricity. no electricity, no computer, or telephone. My daughter, granddaughter and grandson are in Fort Bend county just west of the Houston city line. They have a cell phone so I will call later - they were without electricity at 5 pm yesterday - 12 hours BEFORE Ike was to be over their home. All we can do is wait....

Winter in Nova Friburgo

2008-09-10T15:41:00.010-03:00

(note: remember to double click on the image to enlarge and that our house is on the Mury - Lumiar road just west of that little blue line going almost straight north)

In past years I have spent July, August and September freezing .... well a tropical styled freeze with the temperatures in the teens - (11 to 17c or about 52 to 62f) - but it can feel pretty cold in our unheated house. This year and for the past month it has been 22 to 27c (71 - 82) a real and prolonged heatwave. This is are usual December - March temperatures. This being dry season, we have had day after day of hot, dry weather and it is very much out of season. It makes me a believer in Planet Warming.
Taking advantage of this hot dry weather, and continuing our project of eating in unknown, out-of-the-way places, on Sunday Camillo and I took the MP for a ride out past Lumiar and had lunch. Basically out in the middle of nowhere there is a restaurant named the Prooosit. (Estalagem Conde Redondo)

Estalegem? is this another word for Pousada?

The grounds and the little Chalets were very nice - upscale - well maintained and if I didn't have my own house in the mountains I would stay a few nights at the Conde Redondo.

This restaurant was about 10 KM past Lumiar - so about 35 km from our house. The service was a little slow, maybe you might say really slow. They tried hard, never leaving us to feel that they had just forgotten about us, but we still waited an hour past appetisers for the food. To be fair they had a very big crowd, we didn't call ahead, they gave us free salads as an apology and they had really good drinks so we didn't suffer. The food was good enough to warrant the drive, I liked very much the ambiance, we will try again soon to see if the service problems were unusual. Try it.

More about things to do in Rio

2008-08-31T14:26:00.009-03:00

It was Sunday morning in Rio and raining very hard.
What to do?

We went to the Municipal Theater in downtown - central - Rio. (Theatro Municipal do Rio de Janeiro) for an eleven am concert. OSB Jovem or Orquestra Sinfonica Brasileira (The Brazilian Youth Symphony.) It cost one Real and a wait of twenty minutes in a line in the rain to get in. I would say this is the number one entertainment bargain in Rio.

The orchestra of young people (students of music) plus several pieces played by an all drum band was an enjoyable way to pass a wet morning. The theater is under renovation but truly beautiful.
The main staircase in white marble is breathtaking, the gracefully curving handrail is made of green marble. This building is a must see in Rio. The people in the photo are all strangers - I waited to get a clear photo of the stairs but all the other visitors to the Theater were eager to take their photos also so I gave up - Hope no one sues me for using their picture on the blog.

Things to do in Rio

2008-08-18T18:25:00.006-03:00

There are the obvious activities in Rio, eating, drinking, walking on the beach, getting sunburned on the beach, walking the lagoa, taking tours, hiking.... okay enough! But the not so obvious activities - the things you have to know were to look to find out about - are sometimes the most interesting activities if you live here or stay for an extended time.

These activities are the ones that Camillo and I seemed never to find. Now that Sissi and Antonio are here in Rio and are eager to do new things all of the time, and seem to be plugged into how to find out about the intellectual side of Rio, we have been finding out about concerts and movies and special art shows. We have actually gone to 3 nighttime shows in the past two months - a record for us.

Last week after leaving one of our favorite lunch spots, they took us to a book store in Ipanema that has brochures that advertise local events. The LIVRARIA LETRAS EXPRESSOES IPANEMA on RUA VISCONDE PIRAJA 276 has out in open view at the front desk many brochures for the public. For example, Agenda Viva Musica! 36 pages of musical events, by the month, open to the public, often gratis, and additional information about featured events and the artists. We also found the Mapa dos artes Rio de Janeiro - a clear, easy to read map of the city indicating the locations of permanent museums and special art show venues. It includes a cross referenced numerical list with descriptions of the museums, including a brief history. These two guides are full of invaluable information for residents and tourist alike.

Apricot Clafoutis

2008-08-14T09:45:00.005-03:00

Here is your chance to delight in this classic French dessert. It is simple and lovely and delicious. A dessert for the health and calorie conscious person. The only real issue here in Brazil is finding the apricots at the exact moment of availability and full flavored ripeness. Tropical climes are not friendly to stone fruits. I recall going to my backyard in Santa Cruz, California and picking them fresh and beautiful . . . .

Apricot Clafoutis

Servings: 6
Preparation and cooking time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
12 ripe apricots
4 eggs
1 cup of evaporated milk (unsweetened)
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons flour (1/2 cup)
zest of 1 lemon
Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees F - 180 degrees Celsius or Therm 6.
Butter 6 individual ramequins.
Wash and pat dry the apricots carefully and remove the pits. Put 4 halved apricots into each ramequin.
In a large bowl, mix flour, eggs and then slowly add the evaporated milk.
Peel and grind the zest of the lemon and add it to the preparation along with the honey.
Continue mixing and pour into each ramequin covering the apricots.
Place in a preheated oven for 30 minutes.
The secret in succeeding a clafoutis lies in the cooking time: after 30 minutes, insert a knife insuring that the preparation is still smooth and creamy (not liquid or compact).

Bon appétit !
Rio Rose

Tattoos and other reactions

2008-08-13T11:52:00.002-03:00

I know that all the expat women in the world have dealt with this problem hundreds of time, but for me this does not help in the least. 'Rio Rose' is finally leaving Brasil. Rosemary and Abel will be moving to Portugal at the end of September. We have been friends and comrades in Blogging for almost 4 years (5?). When I'm down she brings me up and when she is down - well I hope - I help her out. Now what do I do? She will no longer cook for us, she will take her recipes to Portugal and I will WHAT?

To counter this feeling of loss, of panic, of need - I got a Tattoo! Does this seem extreme? For me it isn't. I have always dealt with 'depression' with a new activity, or a new round of diet and exercise, or a few times in the past 'nearly' six years a few days hiding in bed - refusing to eat right - to take care of myself - this time a tattoo seems to me a much healthier effort to change how I feel. So I dedicate my new Tattoo to RioRose and her new adventures in Portugal. (Yep, those are freckles - I have faded red hair, green hazel eyes and FRECKLES everywhere the sun hits)

Bolinhos de bacalhau, Codfish fritters

2008-08-13T09:53:00.006-03:00

Ginger begged me to enter this recipe. I must agree they are great. The original concept came from the Portuguese. The Brazilians took their recipe and improved it, adding more fish and less potato.

We ate them last night on the varanda along with cheeses smuggled from our last trip to Portugal. I made bread and we drank wine purchased at the Lisbon, Portugal airport.

Bolinhos de bacalhau
400 grams of shredded cooked codfish
300 grams of lightly smashed cooked potato
3 beaten eggs
4 tablespoons of finely chopped parsley
1 teaspoon of fine salt

Mix lightly and drop by tablespoons into very hot oil. The batter should be very light and very moist, almost runny looking. Fry until golden brown.

That's it! Better than any restaurant in Brazil or Portugal.

Winter Festival - Nova Friburgo, Brasil (Festival de Inverno 2008)

2008-08-04T17:34:00.012-03:00

Every winter sometime in June / July / or August there is a winter festival in the State of Rio de Janeiro. There are normally concerts, street fairs, street dancing and eco-tourism activities scheduled in Petrópolis, Teresópolis, Nova Friburgo (including Lumiar). (Google Festival de Inverno 2008 for more information) On Sunday morning (August 3), I planned for one of the hikes scheduled by SESC Rio de Janeiro. Sunday dawn bright and clear. I wasn't sure about doing this walk, getting up at 6:00 on a Sunday, taking a hike with strangers (Portuguese speaking strangers at that) and I had no clue of where we were going but I went and I enjoyed.

15 or so of us met at the SESC office in Nova Friburgo, boarded the bus at 8 am and were taken for one hour towards Teresópolis.

This is one of the best choices I have made since living in this country. The hike, taking us through land of small farms, up dirt roads, across horse trails and up some pretty steep grades, took about 4 1/2 hours up to the base of the Three Peeks and 2 1/2 hours down back to the bus, made me once again appreciate the beauty of Brazil.

Fun weekend in Rio - Part 2

2008-08-01T09:40:00.003-03:00

That is the second time this week that I posted before I wrote - sad that I must be getting confused.... if you find this blog not complete - come again later!

Saturday in Rio - I wanted to walk in the Lapa area just outside of the center and visit the antique stores and Camillo (as usual) wanted to eat leitao 'the best in the WORLD' in the center - so we combined the two.

Brazilians love to eat out - literally outdoors. And the more friends the better - we started with plans for 6 and ended up with 10 friends. The leitao can be ordered by portion or in advance the whole pig... but for 8 - we decided by the portion and ended up with enough people to have gotten the complete package....
(Boteco Casual, Rua do Ouvidor.Travessa do Commercio, phone 221 2626.)

On weekends in this area there are many small places open to the locals - some days there is music on the streets and many people just strolling to enjoy the old buildings (that are slowly being refurbished / restored or in the least painted) and the warm sunshine.

This historic part of Rio is quite charming and a must see. Although somewhat tarnished, it hints of the grander that was Rio when the capital of Brazil.
The day was clear and beautiful, the food good, and the friends fantastic.
After a two o'clock lunch that lasted until well after 4:30, no one wanted to walk in Lapa -

I said please 'this was the original plan of the day' so to keep me from being grumpy, we went. Everything had closed down and no music - I did get to take several photos of the wrought iron balconies. And I will go back on another early Saturday to see all the action.

Instead of taking multiple taxis we all piled into Abel's car and returned to Leblon - everyone was still in the mood for ACTION - there was a jazz festival starting... we stopped to see, walk through the crowds and then hungry and thirsty again went to Rosemary's for wine and cheese.
All together was a great day.

A Weekend in Rio (part 1)

2008-07-31T07:52:00.008-03:00

This last weekend we had so much fun in the City of Rio that I thought you might enjoy remembering it with us. When we were staying in the city more often, we tended to do just what we do here in the mountains on a weekend, go to the gym, eat, and watch TV. Now that we are trying to go into the city every other weekend or so, to see family and friends, and by making plans in advance we ended up with a very good time.

Friday we drove the car in - this in itself is a change, we usually take the bus. Camillo likes the bus and I like to drive. Our 'difference' in age showing I suspect. Friday night we had dinner with Paulo and Lenira at D'Amici's in Copacabana (Leme). It was raining, we had to take a taxi (dry law) because we all planned on enjoying wine with dinner and the restaurant is somewhat overpriced (pretentious) [we have a little mental formula for value vs. price that includes quality of food (good not excellent), price of wine (way out of line), service (below good) and general ambiance (very nice - a little crowed for the prices)]. Despite other factors, we had a great time because, 1) we went to have a great time and 2) we love this couple - they are well read and Paulo especially has many OPINIONS! so discussions are HOT! (guess what, I also have opinions!) Lenira and Camillo generally just sit back and watch the fireworks show. This week's debate - education in Brazil - I have a more ground roots outlook and Paulo has a more top down approach. I think teacher education and classroom resources should be improved, and he thinks that the suggested program to give teachers a laptop so they can communicate with other teachers in Brazil is a good idea. This debate was from polar opposites you would have enjoyed it. I still wonder how a laptop in the outer areas helps when often there is no electricity (being changed rapidly) often no telephones (more cell phones than land lines available) and definitely limited areas of Internet connection. See I am still arguing.

Protecting the birds

2008-07-31T07:39:00.006-03:00

In my prior blog, I talked about the birds flying into our large upper window. Tracy posted a comment which I felt important enough to put into the main body of the blog for those of you who may not read comments. Please take the time to read the referenced article. Thank you Tracy! - GingerV

Anonymous said...
Hi Ginger, Sorry to hear about the birds mistaking your windows for a thoroughfare. One thing that I've seen a lot here in California is to place reflectors on the windows. These reflectors are in the shape of birds. Here's a wonderful article by Partners In Flight on the topic:

http://library.fws.gov/Bird_Publications/Glass.pdf

Boa Sorte! Tracy

Unintended Consequences

2008-07-21T16:05:00.003-03:00

This phrase can be applied to many circumstances. For example, laws drawn by politicians with good intentions (or not) attempting to solve a social problem only to create havoc of untold proportion in another area or to another group. We find ourselves innocent of the intention to do harm and still have unintended consequences.

Over 20 years ago Camillo designed and built our house near Nova Friburgo in a Swiss/Italian style. He designed in a large window that was to bring in sunlight, sky and create some heat inside the house. It lights the loft area during the day and brings us unmeasurable pleasure when the moon rises above the house and when the clouds turn pink or yellow with the sunset.

But now that we basically live up here year round we have found that while we enjoy the light and the view, small birds see our reflected view as part of their domain and when doing their evening insect hunts, crash into the window going supersonic speeds. Generally they fall to the veranda, sit in stunned silence for 30 - 45 minutes, shake their heads in confusion, then fly off with a huge headache (I am sure) to find their families. And occasionally, usually the hummingbirds, don't make it - we have to scoop them up with deep regret.

We've thought about it but can find no solutions to this problem (aside from removing the window and putting in wood which would be costly and possibly ruin the structural integrity of the house), we have to just live with the unintended consequences of the damage we do to our bird-friends from the local forest.

More Brazilian Cooking

2008-07-16T18:33:00.003-03:00

Rosemary found this video on the internet - maybe it will be out next experiment.
Fish Muqueca - Click here for the most popular videos

New friends

2008-07-12T18:52:00.004-03:00

Meet Sisi and Antonio. (testing their
Caipirinhas, and Sisi with Camillo) They are newly arrived in Brazil and to Rio. He is Italian and she is Chinese. They met while he was on assignment in China and have now been to many countries to live. She puts me to shame. They have been here less than 2 months and she can already talk with the taxi drivers, in the restaurants and to anyone else who will listen to her. They like to eat good food and drink fine wines so they will fit in our wide circle of Brazilian, Portuguese, Italian, and American friends. And being younger and full of excitement about being in Rio, we look forward to having them generate plenty of energy to make us get up and out. We will re-see Rio through their new eager eyes.

Bobô de Camerão - one year later

2008-07-11T14:06:00.015-03:00

On June 17 & 29, 2007 I wrote about Bobô de Camerão, my experience eating it and RioRose and my experience trying to cook it. I explained how the recipe that we posted did not work well and promised that we would take a lesson on cooking this shrimp dish - and pass along the results. We had to wait a year but finally arranged to have a lesson. [I have to be honest - Rosemary and Abel were unable to get up here from Rio in time to stand in on the shopping and cooking lesson but did get here in time to taste all the goodies.] With this effort we served 8 people. The lesson was given by Terazinha, our neighbor in Stucky and a transplanted Carioca. Friday afternoon Terazinha took Camillo and me to a vegetable market in Friburgo that was the 'tops'. I have been shopping in Friburgo for 5 years, the town isn't that big and I didn't know this market existed. Then we went to a fish market - we ended up buying the shrimp, some Trilha (don't know what this is in English), octopus, red fish, and salmon. (For future meals to be cooked by Terazinha - she promised!)
Saturday morning we started the cooking at 11:00 for a 1:30 lunch. Terazinha says, "this is not a scientific experiment but something cooked from the heart." You have to remember that she speaks 99% Portuguese and I speak 95% English and this is what I understood - so no complaints! This was a pre-qualifier because she didn't measure anything.... Except for the shrimp, all the amounts are my estimates from seeing when she added them together
The ingredients she used was basically the same as the recipe posted on June 17, 2007. Shrimp, (500 gm per person w/Heads) manioc root (about 2 Kilo), red peppers (2 cups diced), onion (one cup finely diced, green onion (1/2 cup) ), tomatoes (=- 2 cups), garlic (2-3 cloves, finely diced), cilantro (1/2 cup), celery leaves (some), coconut milk (1 1/2 200ml bottles), dende oil (3-5 Tbls), salt to taste (2-3 teaspoons). It is useful to clean/chop/dice and otherwise prepare before starting to cook.
Peel and cut the Manioc and put in a pan with cold water ("no salt - do not add salt to anything until adding 'to taste' at the end") boil until tender (Just like you would for mashed potatoes), drain remove (stem) fiber from center of pieces - mash, set aside.

In the States I have never seen shrimp sold with heads, etc. but maybe can be found the Chinese or Vietnamese markets. In Brazil, you buy with heads, tails, skins - the whole shrimp. For this dish you buy 500 gr per person, then have them cleaned in the fish store - no need to be macho here, just let someone else clean your shrimp, and bag all the goodies to take home with you to cook the 'caldo de Camerão' 'shrimp soup' or 'broth', for use in the Bobô. The 'Shrimp soup' - in large pan put heads et al, cold water up to where you can see it around the shrimp parts, add cilantro , tops of green onion and celery stalk and tops. Bring to gentle boil, boil about 40 minutes, drain 'soup' into separate bowl, set aside and discard shrimp parts (I am trying to be sensitive here for any Expats that may be reading this - but get over it! - the results are really good). While the manioc root and shrimp soup are cooking, put a small amount of oil in a large, heavy skillet, use just enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. When oil is hot, turn heat down and add onion and garlic saute on low heat until clear, but not darkened. add peppers continue to stir, add tomato pieces - stir constantly until all are tender - then stir in about 2 tablespoons of Dende oil, [you'll love this] add 'mais or menos' 100 ml or 1/2 bottle of unsweetened coco milk. From here on you really need a helper because while this is being stirred constantly you need to puree the manioc root.

Put small amounts of root in the blender with several ladles of shrimp broth. Puree, then add more root and more broth as needed until all the manioc is pureed. (this should be the consistency of whipped potatoes but will be stickier)

Combine sauteed vegetable mixture and shrimp in a large pan and heat until shrimp becomes pink. "this is very important" About 8 minutes - DO NOT overcook or they become tough -

Put the pureed manioc root into ANOTHER large pan, add about 5 ladles of shrimp broth and the 2nd half (100 ml) of the bottle of coco milk - Salt to taste....(?)(+- 2 teaspoons) ... stir continually until well heated adding more shrimp broth as needed one ladle at a time. Add more salt to taste - again 1-2 teaspoons and another 1/2 bottle of coco milk and a touch of dende (another tablespoon?). This mixture should stay the consistency of cake mix - sheeting from spoon --- not clumpy (I know what this means I hope you do!)

When ready to serve, add shrimp mixture to manioc mixture and re-heat adding a bit of shrimp broth if needed to keep that 'cake mix' consistency. Serve in large heated bowls with rice - ADD a nice white wine AND GOOD FRIENDS! (a notation - I made a green apple crisp for desert and it went over quite well) I HOPE I DIDN'T miss anything important.

corrections and other housework

2008-06-27T09:28:00.005-03:00

In my blog about Civita - I said that at one point the monks were 'air lifted' in a wicker basket. Camillo says that is wrong - 'that I never told you that' 'that you are confusing it with someplace in Greece' - where we have never traveled - but that he may have said, ' this is like..." and I didn't catch the qualifier - it is really possible that this is the case so we looked, and read, and debated, and came to the conclusion that I am wrong in my memory of what Camillo told me over 16 years ago. There was never a (documented) wicker basket episode for Civita! There was a natural land bridge that at several points over time was destroyed by earthquakes, landslides and other natural geological disasters, and was rebuilt by man several times to keep the city accessible, including the current bridge shown in my photos. I can see that Marissa did not get her detailed, scientific characteristics from me - possibly her mother? (Earthquakes - they don't just stop do they?? They keep reoccurring?? to this little town set atop a very little peak???)

I want to talk about culture - but will wait a bit - after five days in Rio I am still groggy and tired. I have been in my past very judgemental when older people I know quit traveling ... 'you have to go, go, go until you can't'. Now I have to admit that I am beginning to understand. The cost of everything seems way too expensive, the distances from plane to train or taxi seem way too long, the changes, adjustments, delays are almost insurmountable, and it takes too much energy to recover from the trip (not the sightseeing) home. I begin to see that my travel experiences are finite.

GingerV

Back home - but with memories

2008-06-25T08:07:00.007-03:00

I know you know I am back in Brazil
but there are a few follow up comments I want to make. My old feet encased in practical boots (which were great by the way, but hot) and Marissa's feet shed of tennis shoes and in more fashionable slides, were both showing signs of fatigue. This was reflected in our frequent stops for sodas, on a park bench, under shade trees.

On our last - extra gifted day - we went back to the Spanish Steps, walked around all the surrounding streets, looking but not going into the very posh stores. Then a climb up the steps and a short walk to the lookouts at Villa Borghese to view the city one more time, and then after lunch near the hotel, a nap and a shower,

another walk to see the Cathedral - Santa Maria Maggiore , - You think you have seen everything - the most beautiful - the most inspiring and then you find another secret place. When we arrived around five on Saturday afternoon, the church was open to the public (tourists) but was having a service. Swelled with tourists, and the devout from the neighborhood this service was --- Beautiful. The choir and one of the Priest were singing the last of service. The haunting sounds echoed through the church - tingled - starting in the back of my head and traveling all the way down to my tired feet. If I lived close, I would go every Saturday at five just to hear this music. I've said it before and will again I am sure but - FANTASTIC!

Home again!

2008-06-24T07:27:00.004-03:00

I can't say that the trip back to Brazil was uneventful. There was confusion in Italy setting up Marissa's flying as an unaccompanied minor. No one seemed to know the rules and there was total chaos in the area where the children are held until travel time. We ended up having terrible connections in order to travel to Paris with her, and then found that she had to be under airline control from start to finish. The Paris airport is a HUGE, unwieldy monster. Someone with all the right intentions designed it but it is confusing and focused on moving the masses not on helping the individual. What a mess.

Upon arrival in Rio at 5:30 in the morning, one of our bags did not arrive - in fact about 12 people did not have some of their luggage. Apparently there is a process to xray incoming baggage and, of course, no one is told. When there is a question about your bag - they pull it aside and set it inside customs, of course, no one is told. You stand at the conveyor belt and watch bag after bag circle around, for an hour and a half, then when you start asking questions they say get in line (by then forty miles long) and when you get up to customs ask about your bag..... what a mess - bottom line arrival at 5:30 - out of customs at 8:30 - home and in the shower by 9am. Even with all the things needed to be adjusted to, and accepted, in my opinion the trip was a success and it is good to be home.

Final day in Italy

2008-06-21T18:28:00.006-03:00

As far as I know tonight we will be on our way home tomorrow.

Today we went for two short walks and ate very lightly in preparation for the long day tomorrow. No matter where we have been or plan to go next, Italy for me is one of the most beautiful places you can visit. There is family, and food and around every corner, down the next street you will find another pleasure, something new to see that will please your senses and make you wish for another week, or a month or even a small apartment to call your own. GingerV

Curse or Blessing

2008-06-20T20:45:00.007-03:00

Whether we want it or not, we will have an extra day in Rome. Apparently the Italian air traffic controllers are on strike tomorrow. Why not wait until Sunday when we would have been home safe and sound...? NO it has to be on Saturday. Yes, we are getting an extra day but jeez no one is paying for the hotel, the food, the transportation or the LAUNDRY that we will have to stay just one more day. (You can't even imagine the cost of a load of laundry in Europe) Today, as it was to be our last day, we had another special meal with Camillo's sister Mirella, popped the cork on the last bottle of champagne, had the last special wild strawberry desert, visited the last ruins on VIA Appia Antica - and now - we will have to walk one more street, eat one more delicous Italian dinner see one more interesting sight - like the police Chariots at the train station - is this delay a blessing or a curse?

More information and bit and pieces

2008-06-19T13:40:00.007-03:00

I promised you more information about Civita when back in Rome - and we are back in Rome. Can you believe we have only one more full day. The time here has gone very fast. Civita di Bagnoregio (reading from an Italian guide book) dating back as far as 396 BC (before Christ) - is situated between Viterbo and Orvieto not very far from the famous hill top city of Montefiascone (est, est, est). (two 1/2 hour drive north of Rome's center) Now there is a walkway but back in 'the old days' the monks were lifted up in wicker baskets. If you can find you way there it is well worth the effort. Do both Montefiascone and Civita in one day.

Now on to Venice. Marissa says this is her favorite and of all the places we have seen she wants to go back there. Can you imagine no cars, buses, motorcycles - just people - thousands and thousands of people. One day I counted 3 large cruise ships - you know those 4 or 5 deckers - they come for the day and belch out tour groups and individuals - wandering, eating, shopping and generally getting in the way (my way of course) - I got up at 7 am to get out and take photos before the 8 am crowds began. Marissa was supposed to join me but she slept through the alarm....

As we often do we do not make reservations for Hotels. This leaves us able to change plans along the way. We take the trains (another story) and when we arrive, we go to tourist information and get a hotel. This sometimes backfires and we end up with too expensive or just barely comfortable but this time in Venice we ended up at the Concorda. Comfortable rooms, good location, good breakfast, a little stuffy (full of themselves) but (for Italy) mid priced, and a pleasure. The gave us a snack and a coffee while waiting for the room.... this says it all.

We are all a little tired, but our next stop is Florence

The missing days

2008-06-16T13:00:00.007-03:00

To remind you of what has already happened in Italy - first day - the tomb of the unknown solder, Colosseum, walking, walking, walking, Trevi fountain and dinner -- second day - the Vatican, Sistine Chapel, the Castle of st. Anglo, the Pantheon, more food, more walking. Third day - the Spanish steps, Piazza di Popolo, and the villa Borghese, more walking and more food. Fourth day - Frascati AND MORE WALKING AND MORE FOOD. Now to the missing days -

Fifth day - tour to Pompeii - I hate tours and this one did nothing to change my mind. We paid god awful prices to be taken to Pompeii - we were gone for 11 hours and spent only 2 1/2 HOURS rushing around in Pompeii - actually only two hours walking the ruins and another 30 minutes waiting for people to buy ice cream and take a toilet break or two. The trip from Rome to Pompeii is about 2.5 hours each way - plus the 2.5 hours in Pompeii is a total of 7.5 hours -- that means four hours were wasted picking up and delivering the 'local guide', stopping at junk sales shops and 'touring' the docks of Naples. I hate tours.

Day 6 - Camillo, Marissa, Mirella and I drove to Civita (I will have to give you the full name when I am back in Rome and have all my notes with me) - I guess I should say Mirella drove and we rode, making it a very nice trip for us and maybe a little hard on Mirella.

Every time we go to Italy we make a point of visiting the little mountain top village. It is beautifully preserved medieval town with a long and very interesting history.

(Seems Marissa is getting a bit worn out - wonder why?)

yep! that is the walk up to the city. then an hour to walk around all the little side streets, have lunch in anyone of a dozen little bars and restaurants - then back to Rome. This is off the beaten trail, usually not crowded with 'tourists' and very much worth the drive there and back, if Mirella is driving, of course.

Day 7 - a four hour trip by EuroStar to Venice. time for a nap before dinner - more about the train and Venice tomorrow. GingerV

Frascati and other family gatherings

2008-06-13T17:40:00.007-03:00

Yesterday, (note that I am behind by several days because it is hard, and expensive to be on Internet) we spent the day with Camillo's family. We visited Frascati where Camillo went to high school, had his first sweetheart (s) and lived through an Allied (USA) bombing of the city. September 8, 1943 the Allied bombers flew over, dropping hundreds of bombs in an attempt to wipe out the local German headquarters - that building still stands today. The rest of the city lay in ruins. Camillo, his little sister, his brother and his parents survived, 6000 other innocents died(total population at the time 12K). I never read about this action in an American History book. Frascati is a charming little town - not overrun with tourists, and of course, no ancient ruins. But bakeries and meat markets still operated by the mothers, fathers, and grandmothers. About 5 KM above the city is Tuscolo - an archaeological site, still being uncovered by students from Rome's universities - for your enjoyment - another photo of my beautiful granddaughter.

Wednesday - Thursday and onward

2008-06-12T13:14:00.009-03:00

I now have some sore spots on my feet - I can't imagine how many miles we have walked - though I know I have earned them. Wednesday we walked from the hotel (the train station just as a reference for you) to the Spanish steps to the People's square (Piazza del Popolo) through the Villa Borghese - walking around the Temple of Diana to Borghese to the museum and out the back side - over a hill or two (which mean down and up several times) and back to the hotel. Lets see, we left the hotel before 9:30 and arrived back before 4:30 - six hours? if you take out lunch and a stop for Marissa's power- something- drink. You all realize that Rome was built on 7 hills. and that if you walk down a street you either have to walk up another or take some stairs to change levels.

first day in Rome

2008-06-10T18:56:00.004-03:00

The best laid plans can very quickly become a mess. we were to meet Marissa in Paris and finish the trip into Rome together - well that happened but Marissa spent five hours alone at the CDG wondering why we didn't come and find her and I spend nearly two hours running all over the airport asking Air France personnel where they had taken her. They brought her to the connecting flight okay - but what a mess. Air France personnel are either poorly trained or lazy - one woman actually told me - step aside I have others to help - I leaned over her desk and in her face said and I NEED HELP NOW - she just stared at me and refused to talk.... I will send this note into cyber space.... do not fly Air France they are more expensive and have no concept of customer service.!
First night - we went to Camillo's sister's for dinner, an eating marathon but all fantastic. Monday morning Marissa, Camillo and I walked down Via Nazionale (the hotel is near the Termini train station) and visited the tomb of the unknown soldier, the Colosseum, and the Trevi Fountain, then walked back to the hotel.... taking photos all the way - about 5 hours of walking while still jet lagged, then a long nap before dinner at 8:00,
Today - Marissa and I went to the Vatican, the Sistine Chapel, St Angelo's castle, the Pantheon, lunch at a very bad sidewalk cafe and a walk back to the hotel. - today 8 hours.

endings and beginnings

2008-06-06T19:41:00.005-03:00

Orchids in the Greenhouse.
YES!! I finished my monograph and did the presentation. The paper took hundreds of hours and thousands of worn out or out of use - brain cells. BUT I DID IT. I have to admit that I wanted to quit many times and my support team, Rosemary, Camillo and Bebel (advisor) just ignored my groaning and kept saying how great I would feel if I finished. They, of course, were right.

Now we will go to Rome, Venus and Florence for two weeks. My granddaughter, Marissa will join us there. I am really excited about showing this bright, beautiful young woman (12 but definitely a young woman) one of my favorite countries. I will try to put pictures of the trip as we make our way across Italy - try to check on me once in a while to see how the trip is going.

gingerv

Hard work and beautiful too -

2008-05-25T21:07:00.005-03:00

I have been working so hard that there has not been much time or energy left for blogging. You remember me talking about taking a course in Linguistics at PUC-Rio? I am in the process of finishing the final paper. The Monograph! I have spent hours and hours trying to think my way through a 30 +/- page research paper.

I don't want to think it is hard because of my age and surely I have some advantage because I am writing it in English - BUT it IS HARD. Can you image all my classmates, native language of Portuguese, researching and writing in English. They hold down full time jobs, have young children, spend hours and hours reading and doing the homework and in the end travel many miles to attend class. A smart, ambitious group, and beautiful too. Teachers all, I have the greatest admiration for them. Over the past year I managed to take all these pictures but I missed many - sorry to those I missed this blog honors your efforts also.
Kisses - GingerV

Winter Forest

2008-05-11T08:07:00.007-03:00

Contra to what my body and mind are used to, as it often is in this country, it is now winter. In Rio, I don't notice it so much because the temperatures are pretty moderate, never dropping into the freezing range as it will from time to time in Houston, but in Friburgo it can feel pretty cold. In Houston we wouldn't think it cold, in the mid 50s or so but there, there is heat in the house and our house in Friburgo is not heated - in other words it can FEEL very cold.
What is astonishing to me is the colors in the forest this time of year. The QUARESMEIRA (purple trees) is just finishing its show and the 'flor-de-Maio' is just beginning (yellow single bloom). Last year, they were both in bloom at the same time - fantastic - this year they will be separated by several weeks. Right now there are bird of paradise, poinsettias, jasmines and Christmas cactus flowering, the leaves of the caqui are red and all combined, as if compensating for the days of fog and clouds, the color show in the forest is the best this time of year.

old journal entries

2008-05-10T12:48:00.004-03:00

I have been having such a hard time getting photos to upload on the blog - I do not have the patients for things that don't work right - so I try and try - then turn off the computer - then try and try -- I don't know what is causing the problem.

Last week, I spent the week in Friburgo by myself. After five years here it would seem that I could have spent the week in peace with myself and my environment - but I suspect that last week was just as hard as the times when I staid up at the house alone when I first arrived in Brasil. I get all depressed then can't seem to get myself to do what I WANT TO DO - does this make any sense?

Journal entry - June 5, 2003 - The dogs in the valley are barking again - there is one high and on the other side of the hill that has a deep loud bark - I get a kick that they bark every time someone goes by - on foot - which is everyone - all 25 or so that live over on that hill - seems like they (the dogs) would learn the sound of the footsteps and the voices of their neighbors - Maybe they just can't stand the silence and because they are locked behind high walls - they have to give verbal territory markers.

A romantic vison of Brasil

2008-04-24T15:36:00.010-03:00

Over the last couple of years I have written about many things in Brasil that I don't understand, that I don't like, that I see as wrong, and few times, what I feel is right. This morning as I walked to the gym at about 10:30, walking along listening to an 'easy listening' samba on my Shuffle (I don't know the artist or the song title, it isn't important), but as I strolled along, the street bright with sunlight, the colors clear and true, it seemed that the others: pedestrians, bicycles, cars, dogs, the men in black, (no, no the buses I blocked out of my romantic version!), all moved and swayed in a sophisticated ballet - a ballet that followed the rhythm of the samba playing in my ear. Romantic, yes, but the stuff of great cinematography.

There are things I don't understand

2008-04-20T17:23:00.008-03:00

It was April 6 when I have wrote on the blog last. This month has gone very fast. Rosemary is traveling again, Camillo and I have spent a week in the mountains and for 4 days I have not been able to download photos onto the blog.
On Saturday, we drove over to look at the work going on down in the valley. (see government/culture Aug 5, 2007) to see up close what is going on.
It has been more than eight months, and they are still working away. Aparently they (I don't know who 'they' are) have scraped back more of the mountain and hauled away tons of dirt and stone. As you can see a super structure is now being built. This is going to be a SOCCER field. And this looks like concrete bleechers with possible locker rooms below. I would bet that this project will take another year to be completed. What I don't understand is how they will ever get the investment back? The cost of the land, permits, (assuming they have permits to remove trees AND soil which is not a given), huge tractors and other labor, concrete work, actually putting in the soccor field, then maintainance of the field and grounds (although this is not a cultural habit of Brasil - maintenance of the investment, that is). All of this on a narrow dirt road about 15 kilometers from Friburgo. How will people get to these soccer games? Where will they park if they drive? Say the bleechers hold 3000 people that could be 1500 cars driving up the a curving, narrow, rutted country road to PAY to see games. Where this dirt road meets the Muri-Lumiar road there is no light or stop signs, and it is on a rather sharp curve so it is hard to see oncoming traffic, I don't understand the planning of this investment. What is its purpose? [it has been suggested that SAF is building this soccer field and that the owner has LOTS of money and MAYBE it will be used for training of pros but how can you have a training field without houseing, hotels, resturants (bars there are plenty)]- this is beyond my American - 'make money with your investments' mentality. GingerV

Fog, Fog, and more Fog

2008-04-06T18:40:00.006-03:00

Even though it is still summer in Rio, in the mountains it is starting to feel like winter. For two days now it has been foggy with rain. Yesterday in the evening we put a fire in the fireplace and enjoyed the bright flames, Camillo with his pipe and me with my book and rocking chair.

Of course, because it is raining we were without Internet service this morning and with no cable TV this whole weekend. I can't say that it is harmful to us to sit in front a fire with a book instead of watching re-runs all evening on TV. I was also inspired to clean out my desk, cook fried chicken for lunch, load CDs onto the Ipod, and to make caqui (Kaki) jam. This is my first try at using the caqui from our yard. Usually I am so wrapped up in sitting in front of the computer I give them away as they ripen. While cleaning out my desk I found a journal I wrote in my first year in Brazil.

here is an entry made in June 2003

Winter Mornings Damp with dew - leftover night clouds, roosters crowing, saws buzzing - cleaning - preparing for spring. Sun's rays breaking through - valley's clouds rising, holding the morning sounds close to the ground. Sweet silence close to the house - sounds of others drift, coming on the breeze through my window.

In search of a new perspective

2008-03-28T08:34:00.008-03:00

WOW those stars without makeup - takes me back to being 12 again, (way-way back) hoping that someday someone would 'discover' me, my real beauty shining through! Many of these women are more beautiful before the magic wand of the make-up artist was applied but the demanding standards of the public must be met.

I keep hearing, 'been here five years' running through my head. I am finishing up my class, Lingua Inglese, at PUC and the new crop of hopefuls have been asking me about myself. Curiosity about the estrangeira. When I say I have been here 5 years, there is a barely discernable (polite) lifting of the eyebrow. Their thought, ' why then don't you speak Portuguese?' can be heard floating in the air between us.

I no longer try to explain that for the first 3 years I made no effort to learn the language; I was convinced that what I wanted was to go HOME; I wanted my old life back; I wanted to feel comfort again from my world. These are not sentiments that you try to explain to strangers passing through - it is barely understandable by me let alone those that only want to hear that life is 'a polite great'. There are days and sometimes only hours, that these feeling still surface but this class, that is about language acquisition, the understanding of the structure and the purpose of language, has helped me in a surprising way. Did you know that our culture is a very big portion of who we are (of our ego or the I, as Freud called it), and that Language is the most important component of culture - therefore - an important part of how we define ourselves. Oh, the class has talked about many theories about language but this one fit into my particular situation with ease. If the house where you live is different, and the government, money system, music, and noise of the city are different and you give up your language too, who are you? [Like being a two-year-old again and resiting potty training, you don't really understand why, but you know it has to be fought in order to save yourself] How do you resist the impulse to fight this major change in who you are? And now with five years of subtle changes that happen despite my fight to maintain the 'who I am' portion of my life, I woke-up and found myself CHANGED. Now the battle to accept and to understand this newest me begins.

GingerV

celebs with NO makeup

2008-03-24T18:40:00.003-03:00

More of the same for those who need an even bigger boost.

Stars Without Make Up (music by timbaland-the way i are)

2008-03-24T18:40:00.001-03:00

This is dedicated to all women who have trouble with the mirror sometimes. Just remember we can't sleep in makeup and we don't have the benefit of photoshop when we are walking around in public.

Perspectives

2008-03-18T12:00:00.007-03:00

Should my title be perspectives or perceptions?

I am in Rio, on my computer in the apartment, which is in Ipanema off Rua Prudente de Moraes. The Apartment is on the 4th floor and faces the building next door to us. It is relatively back from the road, but none of this makes any difference, there is noise from 5am until about 1 am. Right now and through out the day my window is open to the sounds of the city; there is a very young baby crying, a baba talking loudly to a young boy in the apartment below us, sounds and smells of lunches being prepared, a car with a loud speaker selling something - I can never make out what they say it is just more noise - and finally the sounds of the ubiquitous traffic.

Even with most of the building not exceeding 5 stories and the trees lining the streets the noise is deafening - all day long.

I once read a novel where the heroine was up in the penthouse above central park in NYC, and she 'woke to the sound of the city coming alive', or some such literary phrase. This phrase leaves me feeling confused when combined with the noise I hear outside my window and the resent memories of walking the streets of Manhattan - I had to look carefully through my photos to find signs of heavy traffic in NYC - I don't remember any particular noise.

Maybe there is more noise up in the 'penthouse' then down on the sidewalks, but compared to our diesel driven, gear grinding buses here, the streets of New York where tranquil - the buses there are gasoline driven, and even with the taxi and buses using their horns with aggression, the sounds were non intrusive in the way I find the noise here. Maybe after 5 years in Rio no noise is like our noise! GingerV

perspectives

2008-03-14T22:09:00.004-03:00

Last month Camillo and I spent 3 days in New York City (see prior blogs - travel outside Brasil) and one of the Museums shows that we saw is featured in the March 17 TIME Magazine. I scanned the photo they used in the article to use as a comparison with mine. Cool huh! of course you can tell that the photo on the right is mine and the left is theirs. I don't know if this is the reason for this photo shot being used, but it was only allowed for the 'public' to take photos in the rotunda of the Guggenheim Museum. I would have thought that a photographer from TIME could have taken his camera all the way through the show and that they would have feature the extraordinary 'mud men' sculptures - for me this was the best of the show. My photo was taken because I found the structure interesting not the art - cars with poles of flashing lights stuck through them did not do much for me. To tell the truth I didn't get it. It is not clear but possible the artist CAI GUO-QIANG planned the section of 'mud men' but it is not actually his work because the TIME says, "...Its a replica of more than 100 life-size clay statues that were originally crafted in Shanghai in 1965 as pure Maoist agitprop, ... In 1999 Cai had a team of artisans reproduce the ensemble...." The beauty of these statues and they struggle represented between good and evil, rich and poor, power and powerlessness I could understand. GingerV

more New York New York

2008-03-05T19:16:00.005-03:00

The best dinner - Maria Pia (Italian) 319 West 51st Street
The worst meal (this is hard) - Breakfast at the NY deli across from the hotel - ordered a ham and cheese croissant - it was open faced, the size of a 10 inch plate, the cheese was coagulated, and the ham non existent. two breakfast $46.00
Most impressive - The Met - needs about 6 half days to see it all.
The most Moving - the mud men created by Cai Guo-Qiang "I want to Believe" at the Guggenheim. I was brought to tears - the faces of the Chinese revolution carved in mud - when the exhibition is over they will be broken down and re-created for the next show. A must see.
The most 'different' - the feel of the cold air blowing off the river - no matter how many layers I wore I was cold.
The streets were full of cars and buses and taxis and there was no noise, How is that possible? Rio streets 10 times as noisy maybe the noise was frozen too.

New York, New York

2008-02-29T23:47:00.008-03:00

The lights of Time Square, NYC

I am finally back HOME in Rio and find myself just as happy to be here as I am when I go HOME to Houston - a mystery that applies to my 'between two worlds' blog of several months ago.

On our way back to Brasil Camillo and I spent 4 days, 3 nights in New York City. When we made our trip reservations nearly 4 months ago there were no seats available on the direct Houston - Rio Continental flights, and would have to fly via New York in order to get home - so we decided to make a three day stop. We were in the very expensive tourist center of NYC but enjoyed it anyway. Museums, Broadway shows (Chorus Line) and more people than taxis. In our three days of tourist-ing, we saw the museum of modern art (MoMA), the Met, the Guggenheim, Rockefeller Center including the observation deck on the ROCK, took a tour on the Hudson River around southern Manhattan, TIME square, ate some very bad food, got taken by one taxi driver, ate one very good dinner, got taken by the GRAY LINE City Tours, and almost froze our tooshes off.

One evening it was -6c. I bought a red hat.... but that's another story.

I decided I like the warmth big city Rio better than the cold of big city NY.

Prescott, Arizona - history preserved

2008-02-20T20:36:00.012-03:00

From ice on the car every morning to a walk in the clear, bright sunlight of the desert this area in northwest Arizona is a delight in contrasts.
The Sharlot Hall Historical Museum celebrating the time when Arizona was a territory, showing a mix of how the pioneer and the native Americans lived - very often not in harmony.
The Rose, a modern resturant set in a house from the late 1800s with its excellent wine list, serving roasted lamb and homemade vanilia bean ice cream with carmel sauce that brought a look of utter delight to my mother's face, the Apple Pan, a cute and cozy hambergur joint full of colorful locals and friendly service.
Historic buildings, many on the national register and the starkly beautiful landscapes with fishing, kayaking and hiking, is enough contrast for all the family to enjoy.

I am back in Houston but for many reasons I will remember this time in Prescott with my mother for a very long time. GingerV

the familiar and unfamiliar

2008-02-17T10:50:00.005-03:00

When I lived in Houston I never paid much attention to the Bromeliads in the garden centers, for all I remember there were not any. Now I am seeing them everywhere - garden centers, Target, and Wal Mart, all have had a wide variety of colors - perfect for brightening cold winter days.

Speaking of which, our readers in Brasil will love this, the day before yesterday we had a snow storm - if my knees had not hurt so much I would have run up and down the street like we did as kids, arms spread and mouths open - enjoying the novelty, the beauty of a fresh snow fall.

Mom and I had to leave an hour early to go get Camillo in Phoenix for fear that the roads would get icy

but by our return in late afternoon the roads out of phoenix were a big parking lot - no one seems to know how to drive in the rain but there was no ice. As we began the drive up the mountain on 69, we were rewarded with a typical Arizona sunset. A day to fill the senses with pleasure.

"Home, Home on the Range"

2008-02-15T12:34:00.009-02:00

"where the deer and the antelope roam" can you remember this song sung by Gene Autry? The day before yesterday while Mom and I drove east out into the countryside this song from my grade school days kept running through my head - and to both our sorrow I finally broke into song. "where seldom is heard a discouraging word and the skies are not cloudy all day ...."

This high plane (5000+ feet) outside of Prescott and just west of the foothills of Mingus mountain, even with the trees stripped of leaves and the grasses bleached white from the cold dry air, is beyond beautiful. The sky is a clear bright blue that now I can remember running free under as a child. The sky is a big blue inverted bowl stretching from where you stand to the horizen - it is the feeling of freedom, oneness with the land.

Below is the complete poem on which the song was based.
"TraditionalWritten By: Brewster Higley
Music By: Daniel Kelley
Copyright Unknown

Oh, give me a home where the buffalo roam
Where the deer and the antelope play
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word
And the skies are not cloudy all day
Home, home on the range
Where the deer and the antelope play
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word
And the skies are not cloudy all day
How often at night when the heavens are bright
With the light from the glittering stars
Have I stood there amazed and asked as I gazed
If their glory exceeds that of ours
Home, home on the range
Where the deer and the antelope play
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word
And the skies are not cloudy all day
Where the air is so pure, the zephyrs so free
The breezes so balmy and light
That I would not exchange my home on the range
For all of the cities so bright
Home, home on the range
Where the deer and the antelope play
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word
And the skies are not cloudy all day
Oh, I love those wild flow'rs in this dear land of ours
The curlew, I love to hear scream
And I love the white rocks and the antelope flocks
That graze on the mountaintops green
Home, home on the rangeWhere the deer and the antelope play
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word
And the skies are not cloudy all day"

This is what holds me to the States, making me feel small and 'compressed' when in Rio. Rio with its smog filled skies, and streets running through tall buildings, fracturing the sky into small pieces and leaving one starved to feel a part of anything.

GingerV

American Peanut Butter: A Minor Miracle in Rio

2008-02-13T08:17:00.005-02:00

Until now you had to have a willing friend traveling from the US to have peanut butter delivered here. What is available is an anaemic concoction so highly sweetened you can crunch on the sugar. No wonder most Brazilians say they would never eat it!

Yesterday I resolved to make my own by roasting tiny Brazilian peanuts in the oven at 300 degrees F for around 10 minutes. I then ground them with a bit of salt in my blender. The more I ground the oilier it became until it was the smooth, roasted, delightfully salted mess we love to spread on toast or make peanut butter cookies with.

Try this recipe. I've been using it for years.

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
1 cup sifted brown sugar, (remove the beads of molasses and put them in your morning oatmeal)
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1-1/2 cups of flour
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Beat it up, roll it into balls and bake at 350 degrees F

They are crumbly and most deserving of the title "biscuit" the British love to use. note: A Brazilian made blender is not strong enough for making peanut butter

"Ma'am, I'm just a cowboy"

2008-02-12T13:38:00.000-02:00

I am in Prescott, Arizona visiting my mother. Walking about the town in the early morning light yesterday, I realized that I feel at home here. The buildings, highways, hills and tree lined river beds remind me so much of Cottonwood, where we lived until I was 14. I suspect that no matter how far we go, or how much we think we have changed, where we first put down roots defines us in ways that never change. I am sure that these two towns have also changed in ways that can't be counted, cable TV, Internet service, five lane main streets, but there also remains a simpleness reminicent of the time when I was growing up, a time when children could run freely along the streets and men were gentlemen. On Sunday, coming in from Phoenix on highway 17, driving east on 69, I had to stop for a soda and a walk to clear my head. The man at the counter of the market had one of those handlebar mustaches. Just to make conversation, I ask him if he rode motorcycles, and he laughed softly and in a gentle softspoken way said, "ma'am I am just a cowboy". No need to be more, no regret at being who he is - understanding of what values defines him - this feeling is what makes us at home in our own skin - then the place - the space - where we live is no longer important.

This little house although not the same shape or color, reminded me of the house the seven of us grew up in - small and poor - and after all these years still representing home.

'more' bigger

2008-02-11T12:05:00.000-02:00

A trip to the local garden center took Patty and I 1 hour and 35 minutes - a 5 minute drive and an hour & 1/2 to walk around. We walked up and down all the rows enjoying the fresh air, moderate morning temperatures and a complete selection of spring flowers, trees and bushes that are best planted now, before the heat of summer.

I bought some bulbs to plant in Friburgo and, of course, more seeds. The seeds I take back never grow into viable plants, but I get warm feelings starting them in the greenhouse. I have started to give the baby plants to Lucia and Manuel to take home. They live down the hill from us and seem to be able to get a vegie or two from the plants - mine grow just enough to allow me to walk around the garden and eat a handfull of peas, green beans or cherry tomatoes, pulled straight from the "vine". This Houston Garden center is another example of the 'bigger' in the States. One that I can't help but fully enjoy -

Rio de Janeiro - 1936 City of Splendor

2008-02-09T09:17:00.001-02:00

Don't expect to find this city in 2008. It was wiped out long ago by dictatorships, military governments, modern unchecked violence, widespread banality, pervasive drug traffikkkking and profound political corruption.

BiG!

2008-02-06T23:08:00.001-02:00

I am now at five years in Brasil. In those five years or 60 months, I have probably spent 6 months here in Houston. This visit, I have started to notice that I now have a different perspective of the States. BIG, and BIGGER. The doctor's office where my daughter works with its long halls, high ceilings, and soft lighing accenting the feeling of space, the new house of a friend - Rhonda and her hustband Terry (no children at home/one very small dog) just purchased this last December has a kitchen the size of our Rio apartment (somewhat exagerated to make the point), the parking garage under the Galeria that has long open drives and parking spots that are easy in and easy out - everything Big! Part of this perception of BIG, is the wide open spaces of Texas, its wide flat plains that are now filled with people, 14 lane hishways, and three story stores that have only one story of showroom floors. BIG! Every shopping center is surrounded with parking spaces - Bigger! Restaurants Big! and the serving sizes Bigger!
It has occured to me that the well publicized weight problems of the North Americans are rooted in the world of BIGGER! In order to not feel small in this world of BIG - they feel the need to be BIGGER!.

visiting HOME

2008-01-28T00:21:00.000-02:00

I will take a minute to say I am sorry that Rosemary gave up writing on the blog - her humorous entries offset my serious nicely and I will miss it if she doesn't come on and make comments from time to time. Back in the USA!

I've been here for three days and think that today is the worst of the Jet Lag. The first days are always so great to be back that I don't feel any fatigue - but today is bad. Droopy eyes, dragging butt, and lagging spirits.

These are the things I miss when in Brasil.

Marissa - Granddaughter - age 12: Carl- Grandson - age 17 (18 in April): Louise a long time friend here celebrating her birthday with ME and her daughter-in-law Lilibeth.

And (but not as much) shopping. The thing now being featured in BEST BUY is flat panel HDTVs - it was just announced that TV transmission will from now on be in HD format only - my understanding is nilch / nada / zip - but it seems if you have an older TV you

have to buy a new one or purchase some special 'black box' to convert the transmission or not watch TV the great American PassTime. This should help China's and Japan's economy right? Prices seemed to be good though - 21" flat panel only! US$229.00 to a 42" Sony US$1300.00 - JEEZ! The NEW National personal debt will now be US$GAZILLION after everyone runs out and charges a new flat panel HDTV. Maybe this was Bush's great economic salvation plan.

A Final Goodbye from RoseMary

2008-01-24T19:27:00.001-02:00

I think every foul, heartbreaking, frustrating thing that could ever be written about the country of Brazil and the state of Rio de Janeiro in particular has been written. . . That is why when I started to write this blog I chose to write about the good things as best I could. Doing so was necessary for me to maintain my sense of humor and mental health. In the last few months I have not been able to blog positively about Brazil. In fact I seem to have lost my sense of creative writing and interest in writing. I also find myself struggling with English as I delve deeper into the Portuguese language. I tried to blog a few times but it all came out wrong and foul and heartbreaking and frustrating.

Ginger has been enthusiastically writing the blog now by herself for many months and I will now turn the reigns over to her by signing off as administrator. It seems only fair. She takes great photos for this blog and for her flower blog, why should I tip the balance into negativity when she has such a lovely thing going.

I wish I could change the name of the blog but I don't have a clue of how to do it and still maintain the readership. As of now I will just move her photo up above mine and make a small addendum to my home page screen. There is a possibility that I will sign on as her guest writer once in a while.

So for now, I thank all the people who have been patient and those who have been loyal readers even when we did not blog. I have enjoyed my online friends and I hope someday to meet some of the readers.

Kisses Always
RoseMary

Lights Out

2008-01-20T08:14:00.000-02:00

All I can say is it is rainy season again. EVERYDAY it rains, sometimes the whole day is cloudy and dreary but generally we have bright sun, beautiful skies and birds singing in the early morning. At about 10 am, the darker clouds start building and by around two in the afternoon, we start hearing thunder at a distance, moving closer and by evening it has either rained and cleared, or is into serious storms. I suspect this has a lot to do with the heat in Rio and the Macacu valley (reserve) pumping inland and up into the cooler air in the mountains but regardless of Mother Nature's reasons, for us it means NO LIGHTS, telephones or Internet. EVERYDAY! we have an outage of electricity at some point. The last 4 days it has happened right at dusk, duration of an hour to 5 hours. For all of you that live in a city, this means dinner by candlelight, solitaire with cards (for you fellow addict - no spider solitaire), no 'law and order' and COLD showers. Compensation, we get to wake to a view of the valley that takes your breath away. The world washed clean of smoke and haze, and the forest a healthy bright green.

All that TV and Computer is bad for your eyes anyway. Yep! bed by nine and awake as the sun rises - that's the way to live(?).

Carnaval 2008 begins

2008-01-14T00:13:00.000-02:00

Meet Tatiana my Portuguese teacher and Paulista, her namorado. They invited me to visit the VILAGE samba school in Nova Friburgo on Friday night.

This was an effort to help me 'integrate' more fully into the Brazilian culture.
Saturday morning I woke up barely able to move. (and I only drank 1 1/2 beers- can you imagine how the rest of them felt.)

I was scheduled for a spinning class at the gym at 10:30 but I had danced until 1:30 in the morning (more like just moved because I can't do that circle movement of the feet thing, that would make my big b.... jiggle and sway from side to side.) I woke up not knowing if I could sweat for the Goddess of fitness on the bike for hour. (I did it with grace if not full energy - my Baptist upbringing demanded that I meet my obligations if I was going to party so hardy.)

This feeling brought to mind, and helped me understand (no-No not fully understand, but at least empathized with) the work slow downs that happen in Brazil from now until end of Carnaval.

One thing I have to say is that Brazilians know how to have a great time, let their hair down, go for the pleasure of the moment - leave all their problems at the door.

Can you think of any other cliches that apply?

I was invited only to the Friburgo Samba school's warming-up party but from now until the Carnaval parade on FAT Tuesday, these Friburgenses, this Brazilian sampling of young and old, rich and poor, will show up at this big warehouse after eleven pm nearly every night, to practice their dancing, sing their new Samba's words until it is etched into their brains, and generally work themselves into a beer induced frenzy in preparation for LENT.

Whether they believe in the denial of Lent or not, I am positive they believe in the release of the BIG PARTY called carnaval and who needs to work during the next two plus weeks anyway.

Christmas - days 3 - 4

2007-12-31T15:00:00.001-02:00

On the 24th, Lenira and Paulo left to meet their family at the beach south of Porto Alegre. We were on our own to celebrate our Christmas in Gramado. Besides the bright lights and cheerful store front decorations, the area around Gramado and Canela has attractions for young and old alike. It is full of things to do. [I recommend that if you make this trip you rent a car - we didn't we hired a taxi for the day... cost as much as a car and gas for 3 days but we didn't have to drive unfamiliar roads, some of them dirt - for the most part there is quite a lot of distance between things and if you want to go slow, not within a time frame, driving is best] There is the teleferico in the Parque do Caracol that takes you up & up, circles the platform and as you head down it feels like you are soaring out over the forest.

In Gramado, there was Santa's workshop and home. You can see where the elves sleep during high season, where Santa reads all the letters he receives, and even tour his wine cellar. There are several places to buy "the best chocolate in the world". You can visit the antique car museum - one of the best I have ever visited - and a museum of the history of the steam engine with miniture working steam engines showing all the ways man has used steam since the late 1880s. And, finally there is a camp grounds and an open cable car in the Parque da Cachoreira, that I took one look at and said, "that is for young people - no way!"
In the end even Santa needed a few hours in the hammock to rest and recover from the holidays.

Christmas in Gramado - end day 2

2007-12-29T19:42:00.000-02:00

After spending the afternoon in the wine country, we finished our drive to Gramado. There was a long line of cars - stretched for miles into Gramado and local people walking. We ended up missing the evening program and parades. It took nearly two hours to find our hotels, get settled and to make our way back to Gramado's center.
The lights, and storefront decorations satisfied, exceeded, all my Christmas past and present memories. There were hundreds of people and cars, everyone in a festive mood: eating, strolling, laughing, lifting their children high to see all the action.

Lenira and I sang Christmas carols as we walked from one end of the main street to the other - at least we sang the words the best we could remember. She found I'm dreaming of a white Christmas on her IPOD, so we sang all the words start to finish. I sang as loud and as off key as I wanted (no real option there) - no one even glanced at me - it was just another part of the show - we all enjoyed ourselves.

My recommendation is that if you want to do Christmas in Gramado - you reserve a hotel room in the downtown center, (6 months in advance) park your car and walk everywhere - OR get there early to avoid the traffic mess.

More of day two - Serras Gauchas

2007-12-29T08:36:00.000-02:00

THE mystery of Portuguese - Serras Gauchas translates into cowboy hills. Except in the restaurants, I never saw a cowboy in these hills. Gaucho is masculine but in Serra Gaucha is feminine because Serra is feminine - this is pronounced Ga USH o - how am I ever to remember these things?

Back to travel - after the side trip on Maria Fumaça, we drove out into the countryside around Bento Gonçalves. This area is predominately German/Italian in heritage. There is no mistaking the differences between Rio de Janeiro and Rio Grande de Sul. The houses are painted in bright oranges, yellows and blues. The vineyards are impeccably kept, streets of the cities clean - everything has the feeling of prosperity and loving care. I think the loving care is more important than the prosperity. Even the most basic homes have a coat of paint, flowers in front of the house and a garden including grape vines in the back. These small gardens and the rolling green hills is what reminds me of Italy.

For the Christmas season though, it was in the mid-upper 70s in the day, the sun was bright and hot, the nights in the low 70s - for me, a Michigander, not at all giving the feeling of Christmas.

Day two - a ride on Maria Fumaça

2007-12-28T16:02:00.000-02:00

A ride on Maria Fumaça was not in the plan - but thank goodness Paulo enjoys impromptu activities because this is too great to miss. While Lenira and I ate breakfast, the guys hustled up four last minute tickets and we started our day. One thing you have to appreciate about Brazilians is their ever-ready ability to have fun. This group started at 9:00 am with a taste of wine (not me - not before noon... too American) and a dance or two on the platform, then loaded up, waving and cheering and blowing mock whistles (this I did - remember when the trains passed by when you were a kid? Woo Woo!)

When everything settled down there were German singers, Italian singers, a comedy skit and, of course, more wine for entertainment. At about 35 minutes, the train stopped for a station break, photo op, wine and more music, then took off again.

There was one crazy moment when we had blocked a road crossing and a line of Semis honked and blew their whistle to greet us as we passed. Totally great fun, a good way to enjoy the back roads without having to drive.

Christmas in the wine country- day one

2007-12-27T19:07:00.001-02:00

Meet Paulo and Lenira, they are from the Porto Alegre area and as wine lovers, had never been to the nearby wine country. They had been many times to Gramado to see the Christmas decorations and programs, and enjoyed telling us about great time they had had. Camillo and I decided to spend this Christmas in Gramado and they decided they would take us there via the wine country.
SO on the 22 of December, we met at the airport in Porto Alegre and after a great lunch with Lenira's sister at A melhor galeteria - Via Vêneto, we began making our way to 'the wine country' of Brasil. I have to admit that Camillo and I have not EVER been fans of ANY Brasilian wine. The reds are .... well I have no words, maybe immature fits, and the white are just okay. But the wine country of Brasil itself - comes Close to having the look and feel of Umbria in Italy - Do you realize how beautiful I mean it is by saying this? Umbria is my MOST favorite place in Italy.

Sorry, I have to back up a moment - the resturant - Via Vêneto a small family restaurant specializing in Galeto - a little roasted chicken, flavored much like a Cornish hen, got us started with a glass of local spumante - it was light, bubbly, cool and refreshing in the heat. A very good start.

Camillo and I generally travel with a loose plan, sometimes with reservation but not always. Paulo on the other hand discusses plans but then adjust them by the minute as he thinks of things we should see. After many hours in the car, weaving in and out of towns of his youth, and stopping for a moment at the Perterlongo Winery in Garibaldi, we arrived in Bento Gonçalves. Once in our first planned destination, it took only 35 minutes to find a hotel to our liking, make plans to meet for dinner, (With both Camillo and Paulo the next meal is of utmost importance.) and to jump into a hot shower.

End Day one!

A little adventure

2007-12-16T19:42:00.000-02:00

Last week Camillo and I went to the Continental Air office in the Copacabana Palace to get my tickets to the USA in February (yippee!, Yippee!). I saw a magazine called 'Eating Out' on one of their tables and I helped myself to a copy. We are Always looking for new places to eat in Rio . We have three favorite places and tend to get stuck in a rut - eating only at the favorites - so the search. To our surprise there was a restaurant featured called Parador Lumiar, practically at our own back door in Condominium Stucky, Nova Friburgo.

This Sunday the weather was fantastic in Friburgo so we decided to take the MP, top-down, and have an adventure (this means that we promise not to complain if disappointed.) We drove to Lumiar to try this place. This Parador/Pousada/fazenda is not in Lumiar but in Boa Esperanca - another fifteen minutes past Lumiar on a very bumpy, roller coaster dirt road. I am not exaggerating! The road starts as a wide dirt road, becomes a narrow dirt road and finally end up a trail that only one car can drive on at a time - all widths are in terrible repair. By the time we got to the narrow, narrow dirt road, we had begun to despair - the ad promised 'a privileged view' and 'that chef Isias Neries matches Brazilian country (fresh) ingredients with contemporary cuisine techniques' so we continued on with a positive adventure like attitude. (I gave you all the bad first because you have to be willing to accept the trip to reap the rewards.)

Finally - we found a one lane private drive lined in Bromeliads and colorful flowers. There are sloping lawns, chalets spaced for privacy and a stylish building that houses the reception area and the restaurant. We both took a big breath of relief. Inside the resturant, from the open patio you can sit to look out over the flower bed and herb garden, watch the cook's helper picking fresh herbs for your dinner.

They have a wine cellar but we decided to try their caipirinhas. GOOD! choice! We shared a starter of fresh made goodies - hot pepper jelly, eggplant, jabuticaba jelly, buffalo mozzarella and more. We shared a green salad with apples/nuts/and arugula. We shared 'Rissotto de Rabada' and finally we shared a desert (a Neapolitan tort - strawberry, vanilla, chocolate delight). We ordered much too much food but everything was excellent and was absolutely worth the bumpy dirt road. (Note that we also shared a special treat from the chef - a small but fantastic mix of coconut/pinapple/sugar desert. We has already ordered the neoploitan tort so we ate both - no problem one was with coffee - no sugar added.)
We have our own little piece of heaven but if we didn't, and needed a quiet place to recharge from Rio City Life - we would spend time in one of their Chalets - as it is, we will return again for more of this Brazilian food. Visit
http://www.paradorlumiar.com/

Missing persons

2007-12-10T09:15:00.001-02:00

I feel I have to apologize for not writing something, anything this past week. I have eaten a ton of chocolates, played solitaire by the hour and written nothing for a week. It is not just this blog, but the paper that is due tomorrow for my class at PUC that is causing my distress.

The paper due is for the section on literary discourse. It is not that I haven't read all the material, done Internet research to clarify the definitions and had my basic idea for over a month - it is that I can't seem to put my mind in order. To combine the concepts learned (well discussed) in class with my idea, is what is driving me to overdose on chocolate. We have gone over (I almost said 'learned' again) so many concepts, written so many papers and made so many presentations that the ideas are overlapping and instead of getting clearer are becoming jumbled. I simply can not find the words to make this paper mine. This is a blow to me - I always have words - but to put the literary work of Hemingway within the context of literary discourse and corpus linguistics is driving me MAD!

Where is Rosemary that is my real question? Have you heard from her? I know she is on a roof top in Rio planting flowers but where is she??

More thoughts from the veranda

2007-12-02T12:32:00.000-02:00

CAUGHT BETWEEN TWO WORLDS

There is a clear distinction in my mind between expat wives and myself. Some of the day to day problems are the same. Lack of language skills, name substitution (cuts of meat, spices, types of flour, which shampoo, MAKEUP!), the constant need to find new friends, and just the need of getting general directions, all add to both our day's feelings of 'disassociation'.

I feel that being expat means temporary assignments, it means your children and husband travel with you, it means that you know the people you meet and learn to love are temporary in your life, while I feel my situation is a lifetime of change from what I knew.

In my first photo, in the extreme left is the building where I worked in Houston on the 23rd floor. The photo brings memories of laughter with the other 'girls' as we walked to lunch. It brings memories of days 7:30 - 5:30 filled with problems to solve and tasks to accomplish. It brings memories of night classes, and lectures on the arts, history or architecture that I was always attending. It brings memories of who I was. It reminds me that I am sitting on a fence watching the ships go by while the rest of the world is learning and growing and changing their lives. It reminds me that I have to find ways of keeping busy that maybe I will learn and grow from - but mainly I will be busy. It reminds me that I am not fully a part of this world and no longer a part of the other - that I am caught between two worlds.

full moon

2007-11-24T08:47:00.001-02:00

You haven't seen anything until you have seen a full moon from the balcony of our house. Last night's display was fantastic. I took theses photos just for you. They aren't the best but will give you an idea of what you are missing. I know that everyone deserves lights but the string of yellow light you can see at the bottom of each photo are the 'street lights' that were strung about 4 months ago along the dirt road that leads back into the forest. For those that walk home at night along this trail of ruts and holes are probably thankful - but for me it is just another example of progress with unintended consequences - we no longer can sit and star gaze because of the glow from the new ground light. It didn't stop my enjoyment of the full moon though, hope you like it also.
gingerv

thoughts from the veranda

2007-11-22T09:41:00.000-02:00

I have been spending a week in Friburgo and four days now I have been totally alone. It can be a period of vast 'aloneness' and at moments, that feeling is almost debilitating. (Don't tell Camillo, but yesterday I spent the day in my pjs and only ate popcorn and watermelon) Today as you can tell I am much better. The hardest part of living in a foreign country is that your family is not here. Their days are abstract for you, not real, not involved. My mother is 86 years old and beginning to fail. I should be there, talking, laughing, enjoying her. My grandson will graduate from high school this coming June. I may not be there. He competes in motocross and I have seen only one competition (I have to be honest I won't go to another - I can't stand it) My Granddaughter, in this photo with my mother when she was five, is now going to be 12. I don't have a photo of her from the past year. What is their life, Their thoughts, Who are they now? No matter how beautiful the view, no matter how many churrascos you enjoy with friends, this is what you miss when you are alone in a foreign land.
gingerv

More cows

2007-11-12T09:37:00.001-02:00

Dressed to kill! shopping in Ipanema. That is not what the plaque says, this is my own interpretation.

Yesterday I took photos of two more and this morning I think I deleted them from my camera by mistake... I will have to go back today only in the rain, to try again.

I wonder a the lack of sense of humor in some people. They become so enamored with themselves that they forget to laugh. There are two brass sculptures of famous men, (I know not who) one at the end of Leblon and one sitting on a bench on the beach in Copacabana. I heard that the one in Copacabana was joined by one of the COWS - and some dry and humorless citizen made such a fuss that they removed it. Just what was wrong with a beautifully dressed lady joining him on his - public - bench enjoying her morning newspaper?

The beauty and the beast

2007-11-08T09:16:00.000-02:00

Now that we have changed to daylight savings time, it is light until about 7 pm (1900) and I am walking to class at PUC in the evenings. There is one area that is very congested with people waiting for the bus and I did not feel comfortable walking through the area when it is dark so I was taking the Metro bus. When walking, I always see things that catch my interest, entertain me if you will. Rio is now having some type of competition of designer COWS. About 4 years ago we had the same type of show in Houston - they are quite entertaining and thoughtful. This young lady (Carioca girl?) struck a cord with me. It is could say women are superficial or it can say that you can be beautiful even with fat thighs and black spots if you take pride in yourself - you have to think yourself beautiful.

Waiting Part 2

2007-11-02T12:35:00.000-02:00

Swallow
Reddish-bellied Parakeet

while waiting for spring to arrive, spring the way I remembered from my childhood in Northern USA, I think spring Brasil style arrived. Today I woke to the songs of what sounded like a thousand birds. Yesterday, Camillo caught a swallow sitting on the veranda. Our friends and neighbors the green parakeets are back. They try every year to get back into the house and sit and screech at us in frustration when they can't. Our mom and pop team (maybe wild pigeons) are still waiting for their chicks. She has been sitting the next now almost 3 weeks, he stays close by. I haven't seen it happen but he must be feeding her for she never leaves her post. Yes, sometime while my back was turned, spring arrived in subtle ways, now we wait for the rains to come.

Today was cloudy, and windy. Last night we had thunder and lightening, this morning there were clouds in the valley, a sure sign of an increase in humidity, but we have yet to have rain. I can hear thunder again, keep your fingers crossed.

GingerV

Imogen Heap - Just For Now (live at Studio 11 103.1FM)

2007-11-02T12:21:00.001-02:00

Yes, Rosemary is alive. Today I am listening to a remarkable woman sing. Try this! It will give you goose bumps.

The Jequitiba-rose tree

2007-10-26T08:34:00.000-02:00

The Forest is a mysterious and majestic place. On Sunday, Camillo and I drove from Friburgo down to
Cachoeira de Macacu to take pictures of the (springtime) flowering trees and because he had something he needed to show me.

Just north of Cachoeira in the state of Rio de Janeiro's Parque Tres Picos, there is a tree - not just any tree, but a fine, very fine example of the Jequitiba-rosa tree.

After a very bone jarring ride up a dirt road, you can park in a grass covered 'parking lot' and take a short walk through old forest, to see this tree. Everyone, especially those with children, should visit this tree at least once and if possible once a year, just like going home to Grandma. It will inspire instant love and respect for the forest. 40 meters (120+ ft) tall, 19 meters (62.3 ft) around and estimated to be 1000 years old, it brought tears to my eyes and a feeling of joy to my heart.

Waiting!

2007-10-18T17:55:00.000-02:00

Waiting.

Spring is here, I know it is because there are 'spring sale' signs in the windows of the shops in Rio. Just like everywhere else in the world (Well, in the northern hemisphere the signs say 'fall sale' but the concept is the same), when all else fails to give us a sign, the new clothing lines are a sure indicator for a change of seasons.
Now that spring is here, I am waiting for the spring showers to bring the May flowers. Only here it is spring showers bring November flowers. Now that spring is here I am waiting for the smell of warm air mingled with freshly mowed grass. Of course, I wait in vain, there is no smell of freshly mowed grass here. But I can dream can't I?

In one of our pines, just off the patio, there is a "soon to be mama" bird, waiting. And the "soon to be daddy" bird, waiting. And I am waiting for it to feel like spring.

Friday Ocober 12, 2007 in Friburgo

2007-10-13T12:44:00.000-03:00

third world operation - first world objectives

2007-10-12T10:03:00.000-03:00

Camilo coined the phrase "third world operation with first world objectives" and I love it for describing the recycling system in Rio. I don't know if other areas of Rio have this same process, but I know that this is the way recycling works in Ipanema and Leblon. These men with carts go into the commercial areas and pick up cardboard boxes, old or left over construction material, old refrigerators, defunct computers - nothing is too large or too small. for their wooden carts. When full, they pull the carts through traffic, down along the canal to the Logoa. They wait in lines to offload onto a truck owned by a cooperative. The goodies from the cart is measured by weight or volume and they are paid on average of R$40.00 per load. (WE stopped and ask how it works) Then they turn around and go for more, they can often collect 2 or 3 loads per day. This is hard, hot, backbreaking work - but they own the cooperative. They don't beg or steal, they provide a much needed commercial and environment service.

GingerV

the forest, dry season and fires

2007-10-08T15:30:00.000-03:00

Camillo and I returned to Friburgo this weekend after 7 weeks of social commitments in Rio, special assignments for the class at PUC, and travel to Spain. We found it so dry here. The aggressive greens of the forest have turned to droopy browns. The underbrush is deep brown and very crispy looking. Last February we had so much rain that the resulting mud slides left the surrounding hill sides scared and bare. It was common to have boulders just break loose from the wet soil and roll down onto the roads. Now it seems that the dryness is causing the same type of slides.
We keep a 3 meter firebreak cleared around our property's perimeter but we have had in other, less dry years, fire right up to the edge and this year is much more dangerous. Lucia (the maid and source of local gossip) says we haven't had rain (measurable amounts) in six months. As you can see in the photos, the hillsides are now scared with burned sections of forest. This bit of fire burned all day yesterday, not moving quickly but definitely out of control (unsupervised as no one lives there). You could tell that the smoke had crept over the top - a result of smoke and flame the day before on the other side. Incredibly yesterday afternoon someone was burning (from long habit and lack of smarts) trash on the road just below us. Any amount of wind would have swept it right of control. To top this all off perfectly, Lucia also said the the locals who tap into the surface water, don't drill wells or have city services, do not have water at all in their homes - bottom line - there is no fire prevention or fire fighting capability in place. Pray for rain.
GingerV

Just like they tell you, when flying internationally . . .

2007-10-04T12:24:00.000-03:00

. . . arrive 2 hours before departure. For years now, I have thought 1.5 hours standing in line or sitting in a waiting room was plenty of time despite their warnings . . . . Then, we burned up 30 minutes lugging four-70 pound suitcases to the ticketing line. One hour was not enough for them to resolve my ticketing irregularities and get me to the gate in time. As they waited for supervisors to respond in person and on the phone they passed the cutoff time for printing my boarding pass. They needed to reissue my ticket for the following day. Had I arrived earlier they would have admitted their failure and issued the ticket and maybe other perks without cost. Certainly it was their fault? Certainly they could have arrested me for acting annoyed (apologies to Ed Munch) at their incompetence?

Instead, I had to lug my suitcases back to my son`s new home and I had the privilege of paying an extra $150 for today's ticket. They told me they were doing me a favor because it could have been $1500 more. Well, I guess $150 is better than bail.

Exceedingly irate Delta Airlines traveler
RoseMary

To adapt - To adjust

2007-09-29T10:41:00.000-03:00

After returning from a trip whether it be to Europe, to the United States or even a short trip into Southern Brazil, I always find myself not depressed exactly, but with a heavy, distraught feeling of need to re-adjust to Rio. On the surface this does not seem to make any sense. Rio is a beautiful city, in fact

Central Rio..........................................................Central Madrid

the farther away you go, the better your view and the more beautiful the city is. I always look forward to returning. My question here is really about adjusting or adapting and why I would have to RE-adjust on every return. If you look at the meaning of these two words they are basically the same. In fact the dictionary uses the word adapt to define adjust. Adjust (1) to adapt or conform (as to new conditions) and adapt (1) to make fit (as for a new situation) often by modification. This did not help me to understand my feelings, but down a bit at the bottom of adapt there was a section that said.... adapt implies modification according to changing circumstances and adjust implies bringing into a close and exact correspondence or harmony.

Based on this definition, I realized that I do the adapting part well. I can go to the cramped and chaotic supermarket and still remain polite, take a taxi to catch the bus to Friburgo, take the bus to go to the mall and sleep to the sound of buses shifting gears and horns of taxis protesting closely shared space, but I think that I have never adjusted.

There is no feeling of peace, of being at home, of being in harmony with my surroundings. I am always aware of being the stranger on the streets, anything I say in Portuguese marks me as 'Estrangeira' just as the blouses I wear or my sensible shoes, my broad shoulders and long stride do. Maybe speaking the language would bridge some of this need to adjust, it might bring some sense of harmony, but I fear it won't. I fear that only a life in your own country, among the major things that make home home can bring back any feeling of really belonging.

Last day in Spain

2007-09-23T12:14:00.000-03:00

Yesterday morning, we left the hotel in Santiago de Compostela at 4:45 am and arrived in the Madrid apartment at 9:30 am. Camillo went back to bed for a nap and I walked to the Prado/botanical gardens. I wanted to re-take the photos I did in 'RAW' mode last week. I was concerned that I will never figure out how to save those photos and thought it best to try again.

It took me 45 minutes to walk down to the museum. I didn't get lost exactly, I was taking photos of the buildings along the way and just went walking a bit out of my way before I realized I wasn't on the same street anymore. The streets here are like a series of circles, interlocking like cogs on a gear, if you don't go fully around to the other side of the circle, (which is usually a nice fountain or statue that you need a photo of), you end up changing your direction. ANYWAY, I found a sign post with an arrow pointing me the right direction so I was never lost. You have to remember that I need the extra exercise, so I felt good about going for a little out of my way.

The botanical garden here is just as good as Rio's. Rio's is more of a nature walk, natural settings and Madrid's is a formal French garden setting. In Madrid's garden, the Dahlias were at the end of their bloom, but I was still able to find a few fresh blossoms. Some of those above, the white one in particular, were the size of footballs. Fantastic! Madrid also has the better green house than Rio. It is divided into 3 sections, tropical rain forest, subtropical and desert. I was in the tropical forest when the afternoon 'rains' came, I had to protect my camera but managed to catch the end of the misting humidity.

If anyone has interests in more cactus, tell me and I will send separate desert photos. I never realized the variations of cactus - and I was raised in Arizona where the gardens are made up of succulents.

My walked back to the apartment was only 15 minutes, getting back in plenty of time for a rest with my feet up before Camillo was ready for lunch.

I have loads more to say but don't want to put anyone to sleep so will stop now. We leave tomorrow morning and will be back in Rio by Monday evening rush hour. I will have class on Tuesday and Wednesday then we will return to Nova Friburgo for a long weekend. I look forward to getting home - this means it has been a perfect vacation.

GingerV

Return to Santiago de Compostela

2007-09-21T13:58:00.000-03:00

I got a note on the blog that we sound like we are having a lot of fun, but where are the photos of us? I take a few of Camillo now and then but only once in a while give Camillo the camera to take one of me.... but today to prove to you that we are here and, yes, we are having a great time, I have included photos of Camillo joining the Pilgrims at the finish, me enjoying lunch. Camillo with his video camera in front of the Cathedral and .... my contemplation of the view from the Park Alameda (a garden with huge old Oak trees high above the city.) with one of my intellectual friends at the end of the afternoon. We had left the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela until last and it was not the highlight of this visit. To me it was the most commercial of all the churches and Cathedrals we have visited - anywhere. They didn't charge for us to go in like many do, but it was definitely set up to move the tourist through, and not for quiet thought and appreciation.

The city is charming, well maintained and easy to enjoy. Today we viewed the cathedral, walked the small side streets, ate and took a train ride (little bus-like train) around through the streets to try and see all that we could see. For example the train went through the university campus, this is something that was too far out for us to walk to see. The university has a beautiful tree lined campus and some unusual designed buildings.

Galicia - Day tour of the region!

2007-09-20T17:32:00.000-03:00

Tour to Ourense in the Galicia region of Spain. Drop off point, pigeon enjoying the famous thermal waters, Gloria of Santiago Cathedral, view of the Canyon above the river Sil, San Estevo de Ribas do Sil Benedictine monastery (mostly rebuilt in original 10th century style, is now a Hotel), Chestnuts imported by the Romans to feed their soldiers now in bloom, and San Pedro de Rocas. Good Night!

Santiago de Compostela

2007-09-19T15:17:00.001-03:00

Oh my aching feet! We walked up hill and down, for 3 hours today – after a lunch of roasted pork ribs and potatoes, very crusty bread and a robust (I am being nice) red wine. Maybe the feet are suffering from having the body weight more - when going up hills and up the stairs of two museums?

The buildings in old part of this city remind me of Ouro Preto, Brasil, elongated windows framed with granite, churches with double bell towers and some Portuguese words used in shop windows. Apparently they speak a Galician dialect here that is a strong mix of Portuguese and Spanish.

Today, we visited the Museum of the Pilgrims and the Monastery of San Martin Pinario. The upper floors of the Monastery, above the church which is in the late Italian baroque style, house a collection of holy art, science, pharmacy and printing tools from the 16th through the 19th century. Camillo did not climb the five flights of stairs with me and this one time he should have, wait until he read this blog and sees what he e missed!

Spain - another day

2007-09-18T18:05:00.000-03:00

This entry will be short, I am tired and to full of wine to write something interesting. I made several mistakes today, first when at the Museo National del Prado and the Real Jardin Botanico, I took my photos in 'RAW' mode - instead of .jpeg in .nef. I had never heard of this before but it is an option on my new Nikon D40x. At lunch the other day, some young (cute) techy type guy was telling me about 'RAW' and I went into the menu on the camera to see if I had this option, and without realizing it I must have changed my camera to this mode. My photos (I hope) are not lost but I may have to buy a new editing program in order to read the photos. I am using Camillo's computer now and will not try to download the program while here - so you will have to wait for those photos. Second, I convinced Camillo that we should go into a supermarket that is underground, around the corner from the apartment. You can not imagine the culture shock of this market compared to Zona Zul in Rio, or even worse the ABC Barateiro in Nova Friburgo. There were all sorts of foods, organized, clean, no long lines, and no baskets clogging the checkout lines. AND last, I did not take a photo of this wonderful place once past the fish counter. So you will all just have to take my word for it. Maybe I can go back - but I won't be able to buy any thing - I hate loosing my treasures in customs in the Rio Airport - they always seem to catch me with food in my suitcases - my eyes are probably always shifty with guilt. Ginger V

Madrid - Retraction

2007-09-17T16:51:00.000-03:00

I have to apologize - print a retraction. Apparently the Cathedral of Madrid - Nuestra Senora de la Almudena was started in the late 1800s and finished, after delays from wars and loss of funds, in 1993. Camillo ask the man running the elevator to the Cupola for some information, and was given 'bogus information' about the construction. To compensate for my lack of correct detail, I am including some additional photos of the cathedral.
ginger v