Brazilian Music Links!

Here is what I am listening to!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bckOyVNzBxc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M79e5ji-53w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NOWQ4tjiNI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcm55lU9knw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wn-7jpGEa9U

Rio Adventures Continued... Buzios, Rio de Janeiro

Apparently there is a set limit of space per blog post... We did not spend the entire week in Rio de Janeiro city, on Tuesday we drove upstate to a small town called Busioz made famous by the French actress Brigitte Bordot.  Here two hours north of Rio, we stayed in a beautiful little hotel sunk in a valley of two mountains that overlooked the ocean. After three intense days of tourism, we stayed by the pool and ocean relaxing in the sun.  While exploring the town on Wednesday we walked by an ocean tour boat sign and we booked ourselves in for the Thursday morning trip.  The boat tour took us by the area beaches and out to an island that was a few kilometres of shore.  At two places, the boat docked and we were able to jump off and swim in the ocean.  With our last night in Buzios we explored the downtown shops and marina and spent a good chunk of time in the Havianahs flip flop store picking out Brazilians sandals for my family! Friday was travel day back to Sao Paulo and the continuation home for mom and man that was hard to watch her go but there is a lot more to explore here and before you know it I'll be back home again with memories of Rio that will last a life time!

Adventures in Rio de Janeiro.

Six days in Rio de Janeiro... it was an unforgettable experience! It began with Mom walking through the doors at the Sao Paulo airport and seeing her in person, instead of a computer screen for three months! In just over an hour we were in the air off to Rio de Janeiro! We arrived at our hotel on Copacabana Beach in late afternoon and after checking out the room and unpacking the immediately went to the rooftop pool and bar! It was pretty awesome! From the roof top we could see all of Copacabana beach, soccer matches in the sane, the Christ Redeemer, Sugar Loaf and the pool side bar had amazing mango daiquiris!  Needless to say, we were there quite a bit! After our mango daiquiris, we got ready for dinner for Mom to meet my professor.  My professor and her friends came and picked us up at the hotel and took us to a restaurant that overlooked a horse race track... It was on the way to the restaurant that mom experienced Brazilian drivers! Dinner was wonderful and I think Mom is resting a little easier at night now that she knows who I am staying with.  Sunday morning we awoke and after breakfast we headed to the beach! We walked up and down Copacabana beach looking at the vendors, watching sand sculptures being built, and soaking up the sun! Sugar Loaf is a ridiculously tall mountain that looks like a loaf of bread turned on its end with the city built up around it.  At the summit, you can see the entire city.  We were told the views were most beautiful at sunset so that afternoon at 3pm we travelled to Sugar Loaf.  We ended up spending three hours at the site, taking our time, soaking it all in and when sunset came we found a secret look out spot that had little crowds to watch one of the most beautiful sunsets I have seen.  Monday was the Christ Redeemer.  After spending the morning by the pool we took an organized trip (because this location was more difficult to get to by ourselves) to the statue.  I was excited to see the statue.  Everyone talks about it and you see it in movies but I had no idea I was going to feel the way I did when I was standing beneath it. You feel so little, and that you are surrounded by this power. Its all in the face.  You see it and you cannot help but feel there is something else going on.  There was a lot of distractions and fights for the best spot to take a picture but there moments when you just felt peace and it was good.  We were not able to spend as much time as we would have liked to at the statue due to the organized tour but while we were there Mom and I witnessed a proposal!! It happened right beside us! I was so excited I took photos of the whole thing! I wasn't sure if what I was doing was right or wrong and if I should approach the couple but I knew if that had happened to me I would want someone to send me the photos that had been taken.  Even though I was already late to meet back up with the tour guide I searched and found the couple and before I could even finish telling them I took pictures of the proposal the new bride was asking for me to send them to her! It was a perfect day! Later that night we went to a traditional BBQ steakhouse and a samba show showcasing the traditional dances, music, and carnival costumes!

Three Months In Brazil!

Well I cannot believe it but I have been in Brazil three months! That means I am half way threw my time here. Time is flying by but there is still so much more time ahead of me! School is coming along well, sometimes I feel like its not working out but desperate skype calls home and my professors reassure me it will all be ok.  The people here are great and are the true makers of this trip.  Case in point ... What better way to spend my three month anniversary in Brazil than with my mama in Rio de Janeiro!!! Thats right at this moment my mama is on a plane to me! Tomorrow morning I will meet her at the airport and we will fly together to Rio! Four days in the city of Rio and three days in a secluded spa hotel in the North will be a divine experience I hope.  But what I am most excited for is our first night, Saturday.  Coincidentally (but are there coincidences..) my professor is also going to be in Rio at the same time.  She has asked for mom and I to join her, her husband, and friends Saturday night for dinner and a real Brazilian tour! They could have just smiled at the coincidence and compared notes upon our return but I am so honoured that they want to take the time from their trip to meet my mom and entertain us both.  I am also thrilled at the opportunity for my mom to meet someone I am working with as I know it will make her somewhat at ease while I am away.  I am so very excited for the week ahead and will tell you every detail upon my return!

Fun Adventures with New Friends.

The same friends that I met at USPiTec conference last week took me to 'the Municipal Market' to eat mortadella sandwiches.  The boys raved about them and telling stories of the times when they were able to eat two sandwiches in one sitting and making fun of the times when one was not able to be conquered. I thought a sandwich is a sandwich but no this sandwich is the size of your head they told me.  We all met at the university and took the subway to downtown Sao Paulo.  Before making it to the Municipal Market, we had to walk through Vinte Cinco de Marco (there is a Wikipedia page for it where you can read about the Chinese smuggler who started it all!) a cluster of streets containing stores owned and operated by the Chinese community that sells items at mostly wholesale but you can buy individual items as well.  Though you must be very careful I was told as half the stuff is fake and will most likely break in a few days... After looking at a few shops and navigating the people throwing items into your hands we made it to the Municipal Market.  The market was inside a very old unattractive building but once you were inside the place was beautiful! Organized so very well, the lower level contained all the vendors who beautifully displayed their fresh produce, vegetables, meats, and desserts showcasing all the colours and smells.  We would walk by and vendors would cut pieces of fruit for you to try to entice you to buy more.  The second level contained restaurants overlooking the vendors below and where the Mortadella sandwiches were to be found.  I still had no idea what Mortadella was as my Brazilian friends could not think of how to describe it in English but when we sat down and I looked around at the other sandwiches mortadella is bologna! Only thinly sliced and containing a much stronger taste. And it was true, the sandwich was the size of your head as there was 80g of mortadella in the sandwich! And then add on the bread and all the stuffings of the sandwich.  It was huge and it was good! My friend and I got two different sandwiches and shared halts so I was able to try two styles.  I have great Brazilian friends!