some thoughts

I never did find my Brazilian coffee beans to bring back; it seems that they ship most of their premium crops out of the country (it's a huge export), and while the coffee shops do a good job serving their cafe, it's difficult to find the whole beans. I came back with far fewer souvenirs for my family and friends than I had intended and I never got the sticker for my water bottle. I did, however have a fantastic trip to reclaim some of my independence, and find some brand new amazing stories to tell. I learned to speak my language much more clearly and slowly, and to travel respectfully in someone else's land.

I also took home a very important understanding of prayer. I prayed for a lot of little, and sometimes inconsequential things while I was there. Some were for safety, some for finding a hotel room, some for getting tickets, or arriving on time, or finding my way somewhere, or communicating with someone, or being able to find a cash machine, or internet access. The list of little prayers whispered up to God goes on and on.

In each of these prayers God answered me. He provided every step of the way. He allowed me to find an adventure around nearly every corner. Sometimes he answered them right away and sometimes he let me sweat it out. Still other times he rerouted my plans and made my experience much more meaningful.

I feel like part of the reason I went on this trip was so that I could apply these little traveling mercies to my bigger journey of finding a new place and job. He certainly hasn't answered my prayers immediately and has me anxious and downright frustrated at times. But, he is still there. He's got something planned, and it will be by God's grace that I find a job when his timing is right.

I pulled out some old cards and letters today and found a brilliant card from my friend, Erin. The first year I went to Antarctica, she sent me this great expression of what I had done with my life. I went from a structured and organized life in the Chicago area to a new colorful adventure in Antarctica (and beyond). I pulled it out at exactly the right time; it was a super reminder that I have been able to color my life with a wealth of experiences in places and with people I never would have encountered had I stayed in Illinois. It makes this time of waiting in life much more palatable. I would not change the way anything has come to pass.

o regresso

My return to the United States was mostly uneventful. My flights were alright. I probably slept more on my Sao Paulo to Dallas trip than I ever have before. Customs and immigration went smoother than silk. I had a short amount of time for a layover, but I picked up a bite to eat and some coffee.

I noted I was back in The States by the crabby unhelpful Americans. I find it quite sad, but smile to hope their day might improve by it.

On my flight from Dallas to Seattle, I joined a number of US Armed Forces flying home from Afghanistan and Iraq. That was a prideful American moment when, at the end of the flight, they were recognized and allowed to disembark the aircraft first to cheers from everyone else. There are certainly a number of stories I heard from these men as they looked forward to spending time with their families and friends!

I was also on the right side of the plane to have a spectacular view of Mount Rainier flying into Washington. We flew to the East and North of the mountain on a stunning day in the Pacific Northwest.

Sara picked me up from the airport and we had a nice soup lunch together before she went to work. Then I stopped in Seattle to see Matt for coffee since he was in town to finish his fish research from the summer and a high school reunion. Finally, I stopped to see Dave and Chelsea in the same neighborhood before driving north back to Bellingham. For a trip up I-5, I couldn't ask for a nicer, more beautiful evening.

I am glad to be back in a land where I can understand people and they understand me, but really sad to leave the adventure, the rest, and the trip behind! I had a fantastic time exploring, learning, seeing, and participating in life in Brazil; likely one of the best vacations ever.

I've returned.

the last day

Friday rolled around and I packed up my bags one last time. My flight was at 11:50pm, so I had a day to spend in the city yet.

I called Shaun and met up with him late in the morning and we made plans to visit the Centro area of the city. This is where much of the original architecture remains and also holds the financial district of the city.

We took the Metra to Se. When we walked out of the station we found ourselves right smack in the middle of things. Looking up was the towers of Catedral da Se. This 1920's church was constructed in place of one standing from the 1800's. I think it would have been more fascinating to see the original, but, this building is quite impressive all the same.

Shaun and I walked through quietly and observed the greatness of the building; noting how disappointing it is that the awe-inspiring feelings we had often become common place within these bricks when you visit them daily, or weekly. The focus is then less on looking up towards God, but more on one's self, the function or routine of going to church, and the small busy things that life distracts us with.

Shaun also noted some colors on the pillars inside the cathedral. I snapped a few photos of these stained glass reflections. There is something very unique and wonderful about being in such a well-structured, deliberately-constructed place. I'm sorry that our culture has lost this sort of fantastic architecture for buildings that can be slapped together in a shorter amount of time.

We also toured through Sao Paulo's "wall street." This area only has pedestrian streets throughout. We also visited a lovely art museum and tried to interpret what we saw. Eventually we found ourselves back at the Metra and back on Paulista for a good-bye.

On my way back to the hotel, I snapped a photo of the colorful tiles that I walked by all week. These colors represented what I thought of Brazil. Very vibrant and colorful!

My trip to the airport was also a bit of an adventure. I started out with early intentions, and am quite glad that I did. First I had to withdraw a little extra money to purchase a bus ticket. Since my bank had been bought out on Friday morning, none of the international banks wanted to take my card. I even went in to speak with someone and could not get cash out of my debit account. Finally, after a last ditch effort to walk up the street to the only American bank I had seen, I forked out a $5 ATM charge and was able to get a little cash.

At the hotel, the airport shuttle was to drive right past and pick me up on its' loop around the city. However, due to traffic, the bus avoided Augusta altogether and left me hanging. The gentlemen at the hotel were kind to speak with. They gave me a coffee and kept me well-entertained while I sat there for the two hours. Only one man spoke English and told me that everyone at the hotel like my smile.

At the end of this time, all four men who had been keeping an eye out for the bus came out to get me in a taxi. I was to go to the bus station at Repulica and catch the bus there. When I arrived, Djerson, the receptionist had called the station to make sure I arrived alright. That was certainly nice!

I ended up catching another taxi with two other folks on the way to the airport as the bus was running late due to Friday traffic and the price was nearly the same if we split the taxi. It was a relief to be at the airport and have some time to collect my thoughts before flying north again!

back to the bustle

I woke up early on Thursday morning, packed my bags, ate breakfast, and walked to the bus station only to find that, again, the bus tickets were sold out for the morning trip to Sao Paulo. That meant I had four hours to spend in Paraty (no complaints there), but it also meant I would be rolling into the city after dark (not entirely comfortable).

I picked up some maracuya "cake" (passion fruit) from a man with a cart of these creamy, gelatinous sweets, but the carts were not out in the morning. After a few raindrops, the morning turned quite lovely. I took advantage of the clear skies to take in the town and snap a good number of door and window pictures from Paraty.

Finally, on the way out of town, I picked up a couple of mangoes, said goodbye to Melissa (our hostess with the mostest at the hostel) and headed off to catch my afternoon bus. Mist and rain couldn't ruin the view from up in the hills looking back at the beach. The trip was beautiful with gorgeous overlooks and so many different colors of green; some that I never knew existed in nature!

The rolling windy roads, the humidity, and the fact that I seemed to catch Charlie's cold made for some discomfort. But, I kept my nose to the windowpane to watch the scenery pass.

I made it into Sao Paulo at 7:30, or so, caught the Metra back to the Consalcao station and walked down to the August Park Suites Hotel where my other bag was still being stored. Djervens, one of the English speaking desk receptionists was there trying to convince me to stay longer than one night, but he did have a room. Relief!

brazil at night

Upon arriving in Paraty, we were greeted a gorgeous evening. The little town was absolutely stunning! I shopped around town a bit by myself. I could walk around these streets for days; although, the cobblestones are easy to trip on if you don't watch your step!

The Misti Chill Hostel and Pousada is great. Melissa knows where to direct people and what is going on in the area. It's a great, clean place to stay and the group of people who are here have been fantastic to talk to.

On Wednesday evening we had a barbecue at the hostel. The food was excellent; so flavorful and well-seasoned. We had salads, bread, potatoes, roasted vegetables, and plenty of meat! The conversations flowed late into the evening about various travels; where people had been and where they were going. Besides Shaun, I only met one other American businessman in Sao Paulo. Most of the tourists come from Europe and find themselves on 'round-the-world adventures for a few months, or a year. I also believe that the visa requirements for Brazil make it easier for those of us from the United States to go to Buenas Aires, Santiago, or Lima.

One of the crew on board our escuna caminante (the boat I was on), seemed to take a liking to me and through some calculated words and careful interpretations, we understood that he was inviting Jo, Charlie, and I out dancing late that night. If I were by myself, I would have passed on the opportunity, but Jo seemed eager to help me learn a few traditional Brazilian dance steps, so at 11pm (Charlie stayed in to sleep off his cold), we ventured out to find the club.

Upon finding my new friend, Junior, we sat down and talked about where we were from, music, dancing, the boat, and such. We communicated through a variety of languages; English and Portuguese, but mostly meeting in the middle with Spanish, and then a good amount of gestures and smiles as well!

Jo encouraged us to try one of the dances Junior was talking about, so I learned a bit of the forro and once I caught on, he also integrated a bit of capoeira (a traditional Brazilian martial arts dance) into the steps. I was embarrassed and hesitant to try, but in the end, I am so glad I had the opportunity to go out dancing with a Brazilian national! He quite obviously knew how to dance!

The day was just a perfect day to spend in a different country; taking in every cultural thing I had in front of me!

breath of fresh air

My second day in Paraty was amazing; nearly perfect. Although the day started out with some spatters of rain, the weather cleared and was quite beautiful.

Jo, Charlie, and myself booked a boat trip out of the town for five hours of the day. The boat stopped in four locations for sun, swimming, and lunch. The trip for five hours was 20 reais (or about US$11), with some extra charges for food and music. Considering I spent somewhere around US$150 for a similar trip in Australia, I felt pretty good about this tour!

I wish I knew Portuguese to figure out where we were and the significance or history behind the places we saw.

We stopped at two islands for the beaches. I strolled in the sand, I beach combed for some small shells, and caught some sun. On another stop we fed and swam with the fishies. The water was a bit on the cool side (since Brazil is transitioning from winter to spring), but I got in and can say I have been in the Atlantic again! At another stop we had a fish lunch. A fantastic man played guitar and sang in Portuguese. At our lunch stop he plucked away at The Girl from Ipanema on his guitar; this is the life!

The entire tour was well-orchestrated. I felt unbelievably gifted with the opportunity to participate in this part of God's creation and do something terrifically out of my ordinary!

paraty

My first day in Parati was absolutely amazing. My new friends from London, Jo and Charlie have adopted me as their new friend here and together we had a couple of things to do while we were here. Our hostel and pousada (old house with rooms for rent) is wonderful; on the beach, near the downtown area, and Mel, the Canadian woman running the place, is a fantastic source of knowledge for us!

The first point of interest was a short walk through town and our day would continue with a bike ride up to a waterfall. Since we arrived at night, we had a whole lot more to look at in the morning when the sun was out!

This town is simply wonderful. There is a class and character about the colonial architecture that invite anyone to stroll their streets. The downtown area is blocked off to traffic; allowing only pedestrians and bikes through. The long white buildings with brightly colored doors and windows are nearly perfect and pleasant in every way. Each room in these long buildings has a shop or restaurant behind it. Many are curious places to poke my head into! The shop keepers are polite, kind, and very helpful. The town is extremely safe and lovely to wander through.

We had our bikes rented and rode 9km out of town and into the hills. The trees and forests thicken as we continue to ride upwards and our legs get quite tired as well! We took a couple of breaks, but eventually made it up to a church; our landmark that we could get off our bikes and find the trail to the waterfall.

It was a short walk, in flip flops and we found a small group of men from Europe gathered at the waterfall as well. This particular set of falls is on a very large rock that has been invaded by algae. This makes the rock extremely slick; very difficult to even walk on. It's also great for sliding down into the pool of water below. Charlie went first and it seemed to be a nice, leisurely ride down. So, I put on my shorts (so I wouldn't get my new white swimsuit dirty), and tried it myself. I actually picked up quite a bit of speed on the way down and by the time I hit the cold water, I was quite exhilerated with the experience. It was a great reason to bike up into the hills!

The way down the to town was great; and much faster. We returned with my bike in exactly the right amount of time.

In the evening, I took a short walk on the beach and then the three of us went out for a Brazilian steak meal. We found a restuarant, Netta, upon someone else's recommendation which offered us a discount.

This is a part of Brazil that I am grateful I came to see. The ocean puts me to sleep, the scenery (beach to forest) is simply fantastic, and I am able to feel rested and completely refreshed!

the long bus ride

Yesterday was a long day. I intended to visit the little town of Parati (Par-AH-chee) for a couple of days and hoped to catch the 12:15 bus out of Sao Paulo. Several people said it was the low tourist season and I should have no problem getting a bus ticket. However, after I took the metra about 12 stops and a transfer down the way, found the ticket office and found a man who spoke English, all the tickets for that bus were sold out. The next bus was at 1600h (4pm). It arrived at 2200h.

I bought the tickets and found a couple things to keep myself occupied for most of the time. First, I called the hostel in Parati to reserve a room. Since I arrived late, I wanted to be certain I had a bed.

I also bought a big bowl of Acai. This is a purple fruit original to Brazil and is dark purple. It is blended up into a gelato-like sweet substance and then usually served with bananas and granola. I had it for lunch with some pao du quiejo (cheese bread), and it filled me up. Besides filling me up, the bowl is packed with healthy stuff and tasted fantastic as well!

I like taking pictures of people, but hesistate to do so at times because some peopel are embarrassed, or it is impolite. However, this woman was a perfect subject with the light from a skylight at the bus station coming in just right!

Soon enough, we were loading the bus. There was a peculiar military-obsessed many who was waiting on a black tarp he had placed on the floor with a curious bag he cautiously held with him. He was brushing his teeth, and pacing around and such. I thought he was a bit odd, but he seemed nice enough.

He sat down in the bus, was obsessive about the reclining seats, cleaned the window, put up a plastic bag to block out the sun in his window, constantly adjusted his rings, and performed all sorts of hand and finger exercises.

Fifteen minutes, or so, into the ride, a British woman who I met shortly before came back to sit with me and told her this strange man in front of her had pulled a gun out of his bag. I hesistated to believe her, but he also pulled out some sort of sharp knife-like object and cleaned and sharpened it. He had all sorts of zip ties and thick tape that he ripped into pieces, and he was wearing an enormous climbing harness under his camoflauged jacket which, given the rest of his possession, could have been interpreted as quite explosive.

About this time, the woman in front of me started having a panic attack. She shook uncontrollably, and the British couple and I indicated to three Brazillians around us that the man was packing a gun of some sort. Two of them went to talk to the driver and the other woman consoled the panic stricken lady.

The driver phoned ahead to the police who met up with us in about 10 minutes. We used the woman's panic attack as a medical emergency to pull the bus over; two men had to carry her to the front because she was shaking so bad. Then the local police boarded the bus and talked to the strange man; eventually taking him off the bus. It turns out that the "gun" he was carrying was only an air pistol. While it could have done damage at short range (like in a bus), it was not illegal. The local police called in reinforcements and it wasn't long until we had a regional car, some federal personnel with a total of six squad cars parked by our bus; and one helicopter that flew over.

As it turns out the man was allowed to sit on the bus. Whereas in The States, passively threatening people in this manner would be grounds to arrest someone; particularly on public transportation, in Brazil, this man was not carrying anything illegal and therefore could not be charged for provoking people. He was required to sit in the front of the bus and ended up disembarking a couple hours early to everyone's relief. The situation could have been a whole lot more difficult and I hoped and prayed while we were waiting for things to unfold that we weren't the US and British folks on the international news!

This did create quite a comaraderie among the rest of us on the bus, and between Portuguese, Spanish, and English, we came away with most of the story. I have two new friends from London, Jo and Charlie, who are also staying at the lovely hostel I found on the beach in Parati. In all of it, we stayed quite calm and collected. We believe the man was looking for the attention. In addition to being obsessive-compulsive, there were likely some other issues of expressing power and seeking attention that he wanted to see. I don't often post video, but all these police were quite excessive and I had to take it all in on my camera! The event delayed us about 90 minutes, so we arrived in Paraty at 11:30pm.

soggy and sunny sunday

This morning I woke up to pouring rain. This was unfortunate as I was looking forward to going to a futbol game. It turns out the game was quite a ways away and it would have been an entire day's project to go.

Instead, I slept in, had a late breakfast and cleaned up a bit. In the afternoon, the sun came out and I met up with Shaun for a few minutes. On Sunday's people set up shop to sell antiques and crafts on the streets and under the art museum (the picture does not represent how large this gathering is).

I roamed through a few places on the way back, had some dark espresso coffee and a frango (chicken) empanada. The coffee was so strong it was almost sweet. And, I found a grocer to pick up a few items as well.

Some things I hear from my room: car horns, traffic, sirens, alarms, dogs, roosters, laughing, yelling, bangs (I hope those are fireworks), airplanes, cheering, whistling.

a birthday party

Saturday evening was the big birthday party for Shaun's girlfriend, Gabi. They had been planning and brainstorming about this for awhile and very excited to host the event. They both spent a lot of time making a massive four layered cake which tasted wonderful.

To get there, I took the Metra and caught a cab. This was the first place where my guide book has gone wrong. It recommended tipping the taxi driver; when in fact, it's not necessary and he rejected my offer. I won't complain. And, now I am feeling more comfortable with the transportation systems in place here.

The party was at a place called the Ekoa Cafe. This place just opened about three weeks ago and is getting great reviews in a few Sao Paulo newspapers. The Ekoa was built around environmentally sustainable concepts, so even the light fixtures (pictured here) have been made from reused materials. In this case, some old coffee filters. Gabi works in sustainables and environmental projects, so it was the perfect place for her to host her party; and the atmosphere at Ekoa Cafe is warm, inviting, cozy, and comfortable.

Most of Gabi's friends speak English. I have rarely been in a room full of people from so many places and who, collaboratively, have traveled to nearly every end of the world. Many of these people have worked as part of an international student internship program. It's great to see so many people here and they have all challenged themselves by being here and learned Portuguese as part of the process.

There were a couple of "firsts" for me at this party. The first was chimarrao (definitely follow this link for a better explanation); also known as mate. I have seen and heard of it before, but this was the first time I tried this beverage. When I arrived, we were a small circle of people gathered. When one person finishes their drink, they fill the gourd with hot water and pass it along to the next person. This warm beverage tastes like tea. The bomba (straw) draws from the bottom of the cup where the water has filtered through.

This, of course, was my first Brazilian birthday party, and my first opportunity to meet a group of people here. I met a lot of interesting people and heard many unique and interesting stories from all sorts of folks.

After the cafe closed, we went to a pub down the street. The area we were in, Vila Madalena, is known for it's nightlife, so we found a place where the 10 of us who remained to sit around a table together. Most folks got beers, but I was encouraged to try caipirinha (another "first" for me); a uniquely Brazilian drink. I was not disappointed. I ordered the traditional caipirinha with limes, sugar, and cachaca (Brazilian liquor from distilled from sugarcane). Fernanda was enjoying one made with strawberries. It was great and one was enough!

I was a bit worried about traveling back to the hotel by myself, and so relieved when a couple at the party said they would drive myself and two other girls back to our part of town. I don't mind having the transportation figured out for me; rather than negotiating times and taxis. We ended up being dropped off around 1:45am; quite the night of socializing!

a saturday morning out

It is Saturday and after another delicious breakfast, I walked outside in hopes of finding Casa das Rosa; an old house in the middle of the big city. I left this morning confirming the pronounciation of the phrase "Nao falo portugues" (I don't speak Portuguese) with the front desk of the hotel. It instantly became useful when a woman tried to ask me direction (again, feeling good that I'm "blending in" as a Brazilian).

I could walk up and down Avenida Paulista every day and see a dozen new things, I think. I could have taken the Metra to the old house I wanted to visit, but, instead figured the walk would be good for me.

I have continued to be impressed by the occasionally impromptu and sometimes city-sponsored displays of art. Shaun instructed me to keep an eye out for it. I couldn't figure out if this man was supporting a smoking ban, or hoping the government would reverse some restrictions, but he was excited when I got my camera out. Perhaps I was supposed to pay him for the photo-op, but "Nao falo portugues."

I walked right by the Casa das Rosa because it was not labeled as such. But, this meant I found something else that put a smile on my face. My green logo sensitive eye caught a glimpse of the siren on a Starbucks sign. And, they even had a "Brazil" Starbucks mug! I have my Brazilian souvenier! I took a few pictures; which apparently I was not allowed to do, but the manager spoke English and since I told him I had worked at Starbucks, he let me off the hook. So, I won't post pictures of the store, just of their table-pieces which I thought were creative!

Since I found an English-speaker, two actually (Paulo and Iza), I had them give me directions to the house I was looking for. I took a quick browse around. The Casa das Rosa, according to the guidebook, is "a French-style mansion with gardens ...built in 1935...one of the avenue's few remaining early-20th century buildings." I was most impressed by the number of bathrooms in the house.

I had to post the staircase photo since about 20 people went out of their way to clear the stairway while I sat my camera on the ground and pointed it in the direction of the stained glass. Again, folks are very friendly here!

This afternoon the rain came. I spent the time inside; catching up on this blog. I will have to brave the raindrops and find an umbrella vendor to make my way out to a birthday party for Shaun's girlfriend, Gabi.

cultural and other observations

I’ve been making quite a number of observations about life here. I posted a couple photos that do not coincide with my text; let's just call them "visual observations."

One is that crossing any street is a pretty perilous task. There are few pedestrian signals at intersections. Cars have the right of way, so it’s imperative that one looks in every possible direction before entering the street. Jay-walking is typical even if there is a pedestrian signal. I have been extra-cautious around crosswalks. I try to cross in crowds (a driver won’t plow over 10 people, right), or at least one other person who knows what they are doing.

Some police here sit in booths at intersections to observe the traffic flow. The first one I saw from behind and I thought it might be someone operating the lights, but it’s actually a police officer monitoring the scene.

Many major companies hire security guards to watch their doors. This would be expected at banks and government buildings, I suppose, but I see them outside the bookstore, some clothing stores, and my hotel.

My Spanish, though not helping me with my conversation skills, has often aided me in reading signs and a few labels on packages at the grocer. I can get most of the headlines off of a newspaper. One in fact, Shaun inquired if I could interpret what the headline saidt was the number of vehicle-related deaths in the last year; many (some 700+) due to those perilous pedestrian crossings. I am encouraged by my language skills which I always consider “poor,” and I’m becoming much more confident that I would be able to get along extremely well in a Spanish-speaking country. Smiles still have to be my favorite form of communication!

There’s a national election coming soon to Brazil and I cannot say that I have ever seen such a plethora of campaign gimmicks. Some people have flyers, some wave flags, others ride bikes with posters attached, still others have stickers, some have a motorcade drive through with banners, some wait for red lights and unfurl a huge sign in front of all the cars stopped there. There are so many candidates that they are issued a number and from that number their campaign is run. Shaun’s favorite candidate is 11. Apparently he is advertising well, and that is his birth date.

another day as a tourist

Before heading out the door today, I knew there was nothing to make me look "Brazilian." So, I accepted my roll as an American in Brazil with my capris and Keen sandals (which got all kinds of stares today). I suppose it should make me feel good that I occasionally get asked directions or approached by local folks; even though I just shrug my shoulders.

Today was another exploration day; a day to figure out the city and how things work and where things are. I slept in a little bit and eventually rolled out of bed to find breakfast downstairs. This was no normal continental affair; no cereal and apples here. I saw a dozen kinds of pastries and baked goods, huge chunks of fruit, eggs, bacon, yoghurt, fresh juice, and my favorite, ham buns. And, I had some great, rich coffee, too.

It's strange to be in a restaurant and not understand what anyone is saying. I’ve taken to a smile and a nod if anyone makes eye contact with me. Although, when I attempt to work at a few words, people get a huge grin on their face. It’s great!

Departing my hotel, I decided to browse around and window shop. I ended up in the Parque Trianon; a little jungle in the city. I even had a spider crawl up my leg while I was sitting there. The parks are very clean and well-cared for; a great reprieve from city traffic. This fountain could be turned on and off. I saw one man fill a bottle from it. The head appeared to be a dog. Dogs are plentiful around this city, so perhaps it's a dog-watering fountain. I don't really know.

The second photo is also in the Parque Trianon. I wish I could say this building is some architectural wonder, but it's really just the "sanitarios" (restrooms) in the park. The building caught my eye.

Shaun and I arranged to meet at a Metra station, so I had my first experience on Sao Paulo’s subway. It went real well and I arrived some time before Shaun and picked up a cheese bun and shot of “café” (shot of coffee for about US$0.30) from a street vendor. Both hit the spot. When Shaun arrived, we walked down to the huge, Parque Ibirapuera in the city that I will likely visit a time or two, again before I leave. There are a couple points of interest in the park and it’s the largest in Sao Paulo.

While wandering through the green space, Shaun recommended that I try coconut water. It’s a syrupy (but not sweet) drink made from coconut milk and water. Apparently, it’s packed full of vitamins and minerals. By the time I leave here, I will be full of those good things with all the fruit and juices I’m eating!

Some of the trees here leave their roots exposed. They put more and more roots out to find water and nutrients to help them grow. I couldn't resist taking a snapshot of one such tree in the park.

After wandering around the park and catching up with stories from Antarctica, Shaun and I walked back to the Metra station at Ana Rosa and left me to myself again. He’s an English teacher and works with businesses before and after the typical workday. There's a restaurant here that I may use as a landmark since Shaun stopped for food there. They are Woody Woodpecker themed. The Brazilians have made this character famous still even as he’s lost popularity in The States.

Shaun pointed out a grocery store, and I dropped in there to pick up a few items and check out their selection. It was really interesting to make my way through the store and pick out what I needed. I found bread, tomato, and cheese and "pao multi-grano" ( multi-grain buns). When I went to check out, there were fresh sugar peas, some walnut flavored wafers, a bottle of water, a can of "Guarana Antarctica" (flavored pop; had to try it), and ½ dozen large brown eggs in my basket (the carton is printed in brale on the bottom and oozed with "green" recycle logos and "organic" claims). I felt satisfied with the grocery store experience.

I managed the Metra again on the way back toward my hotel and as I walked down the street saw a vendor selling corn off the cob. He cuts the corn off the cob and salts and butters it in a container so his customers can take it and eat it on the go. It costs about US$1.50. He was perfectly placed as I still had about 15 minutes to walk and was getting pretty hungry for dinner. I’m also finding myself prone to stopping and indulging in culture while I peruse the city.

I ventured out one more time to a store 1/2 block from my hotel to purchase a couple postcards. The three women there thought it was funny that I did not speak Portuguese and cut me a deal on the cards; called "cartao postal." It probably helped that as she wrote the words out on a receipt, I watched, and read them back to her.

into the city

I cannot begin to describe all the sights I took in today. I took a airport shuttle bus to the city. I waited for an hour at the airport for my bus to come and was impressed at the comfort and service I had on one of the cheaper ways into the city.

The ride was a bit more than an hour. In that time I saw an amazing amount of cultural disparity:

. tall buildings towering over shacks in or around junkyards.
. decrepit prisons flanked with businesses.
. A smartly dressed businessman walking through children begging on the streets.
. imaculately kept gardens with clean sidewalks providing beds for blanketed homeless people.
. brand new volkswagens next to men pulling carts of their goods.

My destination was Avenida Paulista. This is the "home to some of the city's best hotels, biggest financial companies, and most important businesses," according to my Fodor's travel guide. The book wasn't kidding. The street is a straight wide stretch cut through the city and is an imposing reminder of the economic center that Sao Paulo is in South America. There are plenty of things on and around that street to keep me occupied the entire time I am in Brazil.

After ditching my bags, Shaun and I walked around Paulista and he showed me a few notable buildings and interesting shops. We had a great nutella panini and fresh squeezed, natural juice for a snack which was perfect after airline food! He took me down to the Metra, explained where it went, and we purchased some tickets for my use. We also found a lovely hotel a few blocks from Paulista where I will stay for the weekend. We had a wonderful lunch at a quaint little cafe. The food is extremely flavorful!

I meant to explore a bit more on my own, but rather, found out how exhausted I was once I dropped my belongings in my suite, so I spent the afternoon watching futbol and catching my breath. Tomorrow we'll be off to explore a bit more of the city.

So far, I've noticed that the Brazilian women like tight jeans and siletto heels. And, nearly anyone who I have tried to say obrigado (thank you) to, appreciates my effort. The Brazilians are kind. There was also a city ordinance put into place about a year ago that banned advertising from the city. Once I left the airport, I could tell where the city boundary was when the billboards stopped (thanks Sara for sending me that story). The only advertisements we saw today were people passing out leaflets, holding flags, biking with banners for their upcoming election (yep, I can't get away from the politics, even in Brazil)!

the traveling part of travel

Tuesday evening I drove to Seattle to spend the night with my sister, Sara, before heading off to the airport on Wednesday morning. It was nice to see her and I was glad she could bring me to the airport and use my car while I'm gone. On the way down I thought I saw a fire up in the foothills until I realized it was the moon rising through the clouds.

My flights were great. On the first from Seattle to Dallas I even received a warm cookie from the warm flight attendant. The woman next to me was eying me suspiciously when he passed it over her to me.

The flight from Dallas to Sao Paulo was too long to sit and too short to get any good sleep, but I survived. A kind Brazilian man who spoke English sat next to me and answered a lot of questions and provided some traveling tips. We watched a spectacular orange, now-waning, moon rise somewhere over the Gulf of Mexico. The flight landed early, I zipped through the airport, withdrew some reais from the cash machine (a challenge when the instructions begin in Portuguese), and had time to sit and collect some early morning thoughts before getting in touch with Shaun.

my hero of the week

I have a special verbal award I say to people who have made my day a little better, or who take a step out of their way to do something for someone else. I tell them they are my "hero of the day."

My conversation with the FedEx man went like this:

Andrea:
You're my hero of the week for delivering this.

FedEx Man:
Smiles, scans the envelope, and hands it to me.

Andrea:
I can go to Brazil tomorrow now.

FedEx Man: You cut it that close and trusted FedEx to get it to you on time?

Andrea:
Nod with a, Thank you?! and flash a big smile.

FedEx Man:
Well, have a great trip! Laughs, gets in his truck and drives off to his next delivery.

Phew. I'm going to Brazil tomorrow.

Tonight I am headed to the Seattle area to stay with Sara for the night and then flying out of Sea-Tac in the late morning.

After looking at my frequent flyer miles and determining that I'd like to visit South America (my quest for continents), I considered Rio de Janiero (inspired by Stan Getz' song, The Girl from Ipanema) or Buenas Aires. However, after finding out that I have a friend, Shaun, from Antarctica, living in Sao Paulo, I booked my ticket there. He has kindly offered to let me stay at his place while I'm in the country for a week. This will be a much-needed mental break for me; although, I will continue job searching a bit while there.

Buenas Aires, Tierra del Fuego, and Macchu Picchu remain very high on my South American to-do list, but for another time.

the weekly hope-to-do list

one. get an interview somewhere.

two. find three more jobs to apply for.

three. get my passport back in my hands.

four. laundry and pack.

five. fly to a foreign country.

six. go to a birthday party for someone who I've never met.

seven. walk a lot.

eight. drink amazing coffee from the world's best roasters.

nine. visit the beach.

ten. take lots of pictures.