last full day

Where do I even start about yesterday? It was such a great day, that I was too tired to blog even a bit about it last night. In the morning, Alanna took us to Mosqueiro, which is about 70km from Belem. There we went to Marau beach, as Tulio had suggested. It took us about 2 hours to get there b/c Alanna got lost a couple of times trying to find the beach, but I didn't mind. The road leading out to Mosqueiro is dotted with many poor houses in fields. I use the term houses very generously here. Really, they look like little more than one room huts. Alanna said that the very poor kids don't go to school b/c they need to stay home and work. Some of the kids that live way out off in the river would have to spend hours each way to go to school.

The beach we went to was way outside of town, which Alanna said made it better. We stopped off at a club that has a restaurant and then steps leading down to the beach. They set out tables and chairs and an umbrella for us. Brandie went in and out of the water several times, but I only went in once. But according to Alanna, we went swimming in the Amazon! Alanna talked about piranhas and anacondas and alligators b/f for I went in, but I didn't see any of those. Then she told me that the piranhas prefer the smaller rivers and that the anacondas and alligators don't come close to shore. Suffice it to say, B went much further from the shore than I did! It was a lot of fun and very relaxing. Brandie stayed out in the sun, but Alanna and I sat in the shade of the umbrella and chatted. We talked about family, school, and get this: the Twilight series! She didn't think the books were very good, which I agreed with. Then we started talking about the movies, which neither of us really like. When we talked about how Kristen Stewart has absolutely no emotions in the movie as Bella, Alanna did a very good impression of her. It was hilarious!

After the beach, we drove into town to try tapioca. Nece had actually made some for breakfast the day before and I liked it, but B didn't try it. I believe Alanna said that tapioca came from a root, but we say it as a fine powder. It is then formed into very flat pancakes, kind of like crepes, with different toppings inside. First we tried tapioca com queijo, which is tapioca w/cheese. I really liked that one. Next came tapioca molhada c/leite condensado, tapioca w/condensed milk. That was really sweet; it was B's favorite. Then came Alanna's favorite, tapioca c/queijo e goiabada, which is tapioca with cheese and guava jam. I know that it sounds like a different combination, but it was actually quite good. We then tried tapioca c/manteiga, tapioca with butter. This is also what Nece had made the other day, and I really liked it. Just plain and simply, just how I like my pancakes. Very good! Next came tapioca de brigadeiro, which had chocolate inside. It was good, but very rich. I was glad we were sharing all of these, b/c I don't think I could have eaten a whole one by myself! Last came tapioca c/doce de leite, which was basically caramel inside. That was pretty heavenly. All in all, the stop for tapioca was an excellent use of our time, even if it made us late for the Brazil game, which it did.

Brandie wanted to go somewhere to watch the Brazil game with Brazilians, so we hurried back to the city as fast as we could, took a quick bathroom break, and then we were off again, looking for a place where we could watch the game and get something to eat. We drove around for quite awhile, b/f finally stopping at the place we had lunch the first day. It wasn't as crowded as most of the bars we drove by, and we could eat there. We didn't get there until the start of the second half, so we were in the car during the first two goals. Even in the car, however, we knew when they scored b/c we could hear the cheering and the horns going off and people setting off firecrackers. We got to see the third goal in the restaurant and the crowd went nuts! It was a lot of fun to experience.

After the game Alanna asked us if we wanted to go to see the party celebrating the game and we said yes. First we just drove through it, which was adventure enough. Part of this main road was blocked off, but even that part the wasn't blocked off had so many people and vendors that it was hard to drive through. Alanna looked for a parking spot for almost an hour, but then she did and we were out in the crowd! It was absolute madness! People parked their cars all along the street and blasted music out of the back of their cars with huge speakers. People were dancing drinking, setting off fireworks, you name it! I've been in crowds before, but this was unlike anything I had ever experienced. We managed to all stay together, and after a little while, we walked back to the car and left.

On our way driving back to the apt, we passed this dance competition, so Alanna pulled in so that we could look at it. We were standing by the dancer's entrance, and the man guarding the gate asked Alanna about us. B/c he found out we were American, he took us up to a box which was level with the dance floor to see the dancing! We felt like we were dignitaries or something! I couldn't quite figure out the dancing. We saw two groups, and in both cases, the boys were dressed up as scarecrows and the girls had these outfits on that looked like they were made for Bavarian bar wenches, with skirts that stuck straight out a foot from all sides. The dancing wasn't too complicated, mostly just stamping or prancing to the beat. They made various formations with the groups (both groups we saw probably has about 30 people or so) and sometimes danced with partners. There was also one older man that seemed to be the leader of the group. Throughout the dancing, which was done to what sounded like polka music, the whole group could chant/shout. The first group mimicked someone getting married, so in a way, it seemed like a weird symbolic mating ritual. We only stayed for two groups b/c the dances were really long. It was entertaining, however, and so funny that we got VIP seating!

So that was it, our long exciting last full day in Belem. This morning Alanna is taking us to somewhere she works, maybe the zoo, to feed baby manatees and see baby turtles and see the sloths. She says that we can't come to the Amazon and not touch the animals. Then we will come back to eat and shower and then it is off to Rio! I won't have internet in Rio, unless I go to a internet cafe, so I might just write about everything and then post it all when I get back in the US. Wish B and I luck on the rest of our journey!

church

Tonight we had a lovely evening with Lorena and her boyfriend, whose name I believe was something close to Alan. They took us to their church, the New Wine Church. She described it as a community church, not affiliated with any particular denomination. When we got there, she introduced us to a few different people who also spoke English, including the pastor and some members of his family. His one daughter, Sara, also introduced us to her husband and three children. Everyone was very nice and welcoming. Brandie and I sat sandwiched between Lorena and Sara, so between the two, we had a pretty good idea of what was going on.

When I first walked in the church, I thought that there was no way that we were getting out in under three hours. The service started with 30 minutes or more of praise music. Now, those of you who know me know that I am not a fan of praise music, but it wasn't too bad. Sara and Lorena translated the songs, so I at least got the general idea. The leaders of the praise band stand with their backs to the congregation. Sara said this was b/c they were there to worship G-d, not to perform. I really liked that. The room was also very bare. It was maybe the size of a small gymnasium, with stadium seating, but the from wall was bare white. There was a small glass stand for the pastor to use and a big table in the center that looked like the stump of a huge tree. Sara said that the church started out being about the people, but then they became too interested in the beauty of the church. Now they are trying to get back to being about the people.

After the music, the pastor started praying and talking to the people. He talked to the church and how many people didn't bring a friend today, so he was worried about the growth of the church. He talked to those people that came back to church after a long time and was thankful that they were back. He apologized if the reason why they didn't come for so long was b/c the church did not reach out to them when they needed help, etc. He also welcomed people there for the first time and apologized if the reason they hadn't come b/f is b/c of the way many preachers act, wanting only money. This church only had one offering, and it goes to support the church and the orphan children they take care of. Lorena said that they have 10 or so orphaned children that live in the pastor's compound that the church supports.

People were given a chance to stand up and say something, to testify might be how we would put it. Then the pastor preached about how to be a Christian you have to believe. His preaching was interspersed with Biblical verses (all NT) and stories about his life. Then we sang another song and asked everyone to hug each other on the way out. I hugged Sara and thanked her profusely for her help, and I hugged Lorena. Outside, an elderly woman shook our hands and kissed Brandie and I each on both cheeks. Lorena said that she was blessing us.

All in all, I found it to be a very worthwhile experience. The people were extremely helpful and gracious. While the style of the church service is not what I am used to, nor what I prefer, the service was very joyful. I also appreciated the ways the church is trying to be more of the people and less about the show of a service. The fact that they didn't constantly ask for money, which I thought they might, was also an added bonus. I know that we will have more experiences of going to church in Brasil in the coming weeks, but this seemed to be a good first step.

parks, parks, parks

Today we were shown around by Carol and her friend Lorena. John had to watch all the World Cup games today. Argentina was playing at some point, and Argentina is Brazil's biggest rival, or so we were told last night by John and Carol. So it was just us four girls today. We started out by going to the park that is right by the apt, the one Brandie and I tried to go to our first morning here. It was definitely open today and filled with families. I found it to be a combination of a zoo, a botanical garden, and a playground. There were some animals around: turtles, birds, monkeys. The park was also set up to be a mini jungle, with all kinds of trees and plants all around. There were also spots with playground equipment or places for kids to climb around, such as a cave and a tower. When you get close to the edge of the park, you can hear traffic, but when you are in the middle, it is very still and quiet.

Next we went to the zoo, which was in many ways similar to the first park, but it had more animals, including three jaguars and a few crocodiles. I had the song "Never Smile at a Crocodile" in my head, except I only remember that first line. I need to be reminded of the rest of the lyrics. There were also some free-roaming lizards (iguanas?). These parks were different from zoos at home, however, b/c some of the animals were able to roam around the park more and the you could get up much closer to some of the animals.

We then went to another park that used to house government officials many years ago. John's grandfather apparently worked for the government a long time ago, and so his dad once lived in this building. Now it is a park for people to walk around. There was a train car which had an ice cream shop inside, so Lorena and B had some ice cream and we all enjoyed the air conditioning.

They took us next to an outdoor Sunday market that reminded me of the county fair, almost. There were many street vendors there, selling their wares. We even saw a tent promoting vegetarianism! We got a card for a vegetarian restaurant in town. It is closed today, but maybe B and I will go tomorrow. There was also live music playing, and a huge mass of people listening and dancing. It was a lot of fun! It was crazy crowded, but we all stayed together. We also saw some Capoeira dancers, which is a sort of martial-arts dance. We even saw a few women dancers, which I had not seen in the footage I watched b/f coming here.

After enjoying the crazy party for awhile, we went to a restaurant to have lunch. It was a buffet, which was good b/c I could find things to eat, but it wasn't an all-you-can-eat buffet. Instead, they weigh your plate and you pay for how much your plate weighs. Another interesting thing about Brazil is they never have free refills on drinks in restaurants. Lorena remarked after lunch that she drank too much and so she was full, but she and Carol split one can of soda! I suppose if you grew up only getting small amounts to drink at meals, you would be used to it, but I am forever thirsty. Carol says that the only place you get free refills is Pizza Hut, b/c it is American.

I know that I've talked about the traffic here in Belem b/f, but I just want to reiterate the sentiment: holy crap. I would never be able to drive here w/o having a heart attack. Not only is the traffic crazy, but you have to parallel park in these tiny spaces...ridiculous! There are people everywhere who help you park and pull out of a space, expecting coins in return. Sometimes they are not necessary, but a couple of times, they definitely were! Carol remarked about her bad driving, but I told her that there was no way I could park in that space.

Also, I don't know if I've said this yet, but the majority of the cars here are hatchbacks. There are some larger SUVs, but there are a lot of smaller hatchbacks, like Honda Fits. I'm not sure why hatchbacks are so popular, but they are. I love being driven around the city and taking in the sites. That might be my most favorite thing. I have a constant inner commentary running in my head the entire time. Most of it I never remember by the time I come to typing it down, but some I do.

Brandie and I are back at the apt now taking a little break. We might go to church with Lorena tonight. We'll see if b is feeling up to it later.

nightlife

Sometime while I was taking a little cat-nap after the long day in the sun, preparing for going out that night, loud music started outside. Brandie and I both looked around out the windows, but couldn't determine where it came from. Carol called to say she would pick us up at 9, so we got ready. When we went downstairs to meet Carol, we discovered that the music came from the patio of the building we are staying in, where they were having some kind of outdoor party. When we got in the car, Carol explained the nightlife in Belem to us. It turns out that most people will go out around 10pm to a bar or a pub to drink and talk with their friends. Then they will go to a party around 1am and stay out until 6am and sleep all the next day. She figured we wouldn't want to stay out that late after being in the sun all day, and she was right! So instead, she thought we would just go to a bar and hang out for a little while. John drove around a few streets that had lots of bars and Brandie actually ended up picking the one we stopped at, which had lots of seating on the sidewalk. Carol ordered b some kind of fish appetizer, me a typical Brazilian drink that I can't remember the name of, and she and John had beer. I also tried the beer b/c it was Brazilian. We had a great time talking about differences b/t our two countries. Carol is very eager to learn new English words and wants to know some of our colloquial sayings. In return, she teaches us little Portuguese phrases and gets quite a laugh out of hearing us repeat them. We asked if she was laughing at our pronunciation, but she said no, she just loves to hear people learning to speak Portuguese. One interesting difference that we had to clear up is what she meant when she said that they would go to a party from 1am-6am. It turns out that they use the term "party"like we might say "going clubbing" or "going dancing" or I would even just "going out." So first you go to a bar to talk, and then you go to a party to dance and meet people. It was really very enjoyable being outlast night b/c it felt like sitting outside on one of our warm summer nights at home. It wasn't too hot;we were all just comfortable. It's easy being with Carol; she is a very vivacious person. She laughs often and talks a lot. John is more quiet and reserved, as one probably must be with a girlfriend like Carol. It was a very pleasant night.

Europeans on a boat

Today Brandie and I took a boat ride along the river. It was an obvious tourist attraction, but it was also nice to be out on the water and see Belem from a distance. The boat went around for a couple of hours or so, and then stopped off at this place for lunch, and then made a much shorter trek back to the dock. On the boat with us was a huge group of Americans, mostly in their late teens to early twenties. Wow, were they loud. You could definitely tell that they were Americans. B and I sat in the back of the boat in the sun and just watched their antics. It was kind of like watching Real World: Belem, either that or one of those spring break specials. The loudest girl also spoke Portuguese, so she was loud in both languages.

When the boat went through a narrow part near an island where poor people lived, this group of Americans got out bags of candy they had prepared and threw them whenever they saw children near the water. The kids would then jump in to collect the candy. At some point in all this, not long before we stopped for lunch, B must have said something to me and the few people near us heard us speak English. It turns out that they thought we were European b/c we were so quiet! I took that as a compliment! It turns out that they are from northern Virginia, near DC, and they are here on a mission trip of sorts. A friend of one woman started a mission down here and they come every year to run a week-long overnight camp for the local children. They have been doing it for about 4 years and this was the first year that they have some of the Brazilian kids who had gone through the camp a few years helping them. Those kids were on the boat with them, but luckily there are three or four of the Americans that speak Portuguese fairly well so that they can communicate with the kids. They have a week of fun first and then an intense week with almost 200 kids at camp.

For lunch, B and I packed quite a bit of food, with the help of Nece and Alanna. We had two apples, two oranges, two sandwiches, two bananas, and one small bad of chips to share. We were both parched, so I tried to order us some water, but they were out of the kind I requested. Not knowing the differences b/t the other choices, I chose what turned out to be tonic water. It was definitely not what we were expecting, but it was cold, so it did the trick.

After lunch, we had some time to kill b/f the boat took off again, so we walked along a path that went a bit into the jungle. When I say a bit, I really mean a bit. But guess what we did see? A freaking huge spider! I think it was a tarantula, but I didn't get close enough to find out. It was on the outside of the handrail along which we were walking. Some of the stupid boys with the American group were poking at it b/f we walked by, which made me a little paranoid that they would provoke it and it would attack one of us when we went by. I really hate spiders and I don't know much about tarantulas, so I just walked by as quickly as possible. B asked me if she wanted me to take a picture of it, and I said no way, not with my camera.

We sat and watched some boys jumping into the river b/f it was time to get back onto the boat. (Alanna said that the waste from our toilets go into the river...I'm kind of curious about how safe that water was.) On the way back, the Americans had a little dance party, with the dancers on the boat trying to teach them the samba. When we were close to docking, the loud woman pulled B and I up to dance as well. She asked us if we spoke English...once again, we were mistaken for being European! Ha!

We were picked up by Carol and her boyfriend John. Tulio claims that she is some sort of a cousin, but she doesn't seem to think that they're related. In any case, she's never met him, doesn't think they're related, yet she is still taking the time to show us around Belem for a couple of days. First we went to get some ice cream, which was closer to gelato than our ice cream at home. Carol wouldn't let me get anything chocolate, but had B and I try two different fruity flavors. I got one kind and B got the other, but I couldn't tell you the names. Carol also makes us try to speak a little Portuguese to order what we want. I think it's amusing for her to listen to us make spectacularly horrible attempts.

After ice cream, Carol and John took us walking to a large outdoor market down the street where Carol showed us various typical Brazilian food and items. Then we drove to a little park near the water, which led to a fort. Yes dad, you read correctly, I went to a fort today! We walked around there for a few minutes and then B and I each tried coconut water. B really liked it, but I just thought it was okay. It tastes like water with a faint taste, kind of like our sports drinks at home, but not even that strong. It doesn't taste enough like anything in particular, but it has too much taste to be plain water. Carol told us that she usually has chocolate ice cream and had soda instead of coconut water. She's just making sure we try new things! We drove around the city for a it, and then she dropped us off home. We are supposed to go out to a bar tonight to go dancing, so B and I just have a few hours to kill here in the apt b/f we go out again.

By the way, I am very, very red from our excursion on the boat. I wore sunscreen and reapplied twice, but I unfortunately forgot my chest and legs, and now those are crispy. That just kind of sucks b/c now I a very warm and not feeling 100%, but I do want to go out, b/c this is probably my only chance to do so in Belem. Maybe I'll take a nap to boost my energy.

an afternoon in Belem

Alanna came by to pick us up around noon so that we could go get some lunch. First she tried to take us to this place to exchange our money, but it was closed b/c of the Brazil game. Let's just reflect on that for a moment. In the US, most people don't understand soccer and many have no desire to watch it. But even for sports that we do love, such as American football, baseball, or basketball, have you ever heard of everything shutting down b/c of a big game? That's the way it is here. Traffic was significantly less than when we were walking around before the match and so many businesses were closed. The vast majority of the people are clad in yellow Brazil t-shirts and there are Brazilian flags everywhere: on cars, on balconies, etc. Some streets actually have green and yellow streamers overhead. There were outdoor parties in various locations throughout the city for the game.

Driving in Belem is also interesting. Some people don't stop at red lights. There are also motorbikes that don't really drive in lanes; they just pull up in-between cars, wherever they can find room. On some of the main streets, you cannot make left turns; you have to turn right and then make a u-turn to end up going the way you want to be going. I'm glad Alanna is doing all the driving!

We had lunch at a restaurant called Capone, which had pictures of Al Capone on the napkin holder. It is a buffet place with lots of choices, including a make your own pasta bar, so we ate well. For dessert, Alanna ordered us each a sampler plate with many different things. The center kind of looked like flan, except that it was really good. There was a chocolate mouse and an acai mouse, as well as a couple kinds of fruity ice cream. The center thing dipped in the chocolate mouse was amazing! Mmm.... We definitely ate our fill! Afterwards we walked outside the building along the river before heading off to our next stop.

We went to Mangal das Garcas, which was a park with birds and other animals. We first went into a butterfly and hummingbird house. Normally, I wouldn't go into an area full of butterflies, but Alanna had already bought tickets for us. It was actually very nice, with not a high concentration of butterflies. With the hummingbirds being there as well, I couldn't help thinking that my dad would be in heaven. After leaving the butterflies, we walked about outside, looking at all the birds, including one huge bird. I have no idea what kind it was, but it was tall and white and had a long black beak. Alanna said that it is a dangerous bird. We also saw lots of ducks playing in the water and two huge turtles. Then we took an elevator up to the top of this tower to look around at the park, the city, the river. Alanna said that Belem is a small city, but it is significantly larger than Louisville, which is what I would consider to be a small city. Apparently I need to adjust my thinking. Alanna took a couple of pictures of Brandie and I, but she wouldn't let me take one of her. Maybe I'll convince her b/f we leave in a few days.

After the park, Alanna took us to exchange money. By the time we got done with that, it was raining. Apparently it rains here almost every afternoon. We were thinking of going to a flower festival that starts at 4, but b/c of the rain, Alanna took us back to the apt. She suggested that we have a quiet night of sleeping tonight, b/c tomorrow she thought we could go out dancing. Brandie and I were both tired, so we agreed.

I would now like to take a moment to discuss the dress of women here in Brazil that I have seen so far. The vast majority of women wear jeans. Some do wear skirts and a very few wear shorts, but most stick with jeans, even though it is hot and humid. These jeans are typically paired with high heels, even when boarding a plane. I'm curious about the jeans. When B and I went walking this morning, we both wore shorts. When B asked Alanna what to wear to lunch, she suggested jeans. B asked if we could wear skirts, and Alanna said not short skirts. So we wore skirts and tops b/c we are hot, and just the thought of putting on jeans is too much to handle. By why jeans? I find it hard to believe that it is a modesty thing b/c ever woman wears jeans so tight they look painted on and tops that often leave little to the imagination. I'm just curious...

our first half of a day in Belem

Last night I got a full night of wonderful sleep. I got up before Brandie, so I decided to go ahead and take a shower. I got all my stuff ready and turned on the shower…and water came squirting up over the glass doors! I quickly turned it off. Turns out there is a hose attached to the shower head which has another tiny head out of which also comes water. I moved it so that it was pointing down into the shower and tried again, successfully. After a refreshing shower, I sat out by the big windows in the main living area and read while waiting for Brandie to have breakfast.

Nece, the maid, had laid out a nice breakfast for us. We each had a grilled cheese sandwich, which we have decided is probably going to be our go-to meal while in Brazil, some fruit and frosted flakes. There was also this bottle of what turned out to be liquid yogurt. Brandie enjoyed that, but I have a problem with liquid yogurt. I have never been able to stomach our go-gurts or the like in the US either. But, I still tried a little bit. I am trying new things, however, b/c I never know when I might fall in love with a new food. For example, in Israel I loved the sesame cakes they had at many of the hotels, so much so that I even took a bunch home with me! I am on the prowl for this trip’s sesame cakes, if you will. I also tried a new fruit, either a mango or papaya, we weren’t sure. Anyways, when I picked it up, I noticed that it smelled like perm solution. I made Brandie smell it and she agreed. I had already touched it, so I decided to eat it…and it kind of tasted like perm solution as well! I ate a large portion of it, hoping to get over the smell, but I couldn’t. It makes me wonder if there is extract from that fruit in perm solution, and so those of us who have never had the fruit before, don’t realize its fruit origins. I also had a few pieces of fruit that looked like very large grapes. They were a bit tart, but good.

Now I am sitting by the windows again, typing while Brandie takes a shower. When a breeze comes, it is actually quite cool sitting here, but when the breeze fails to come, it gets rather warm. There are two cats here in the apartment, two fluffy cats, one of which is all white and the other has some gray. The name of one is Oliver, but we can’t remember the name of the other one, so I call it Kitty or Bernie, which is the name I have given it. We are going to leave in a bit to go to a zoo down the street. Then we will come back here and Alanna will be taking us somewhere. Hopefully we will be able to get on the internet soon as well, so that I can actually post these entries!!

the first couple days

Brandie and I had quite a couple of days of travelling. We were supposed to fly out of Cincinnati Wednesday morning, getting to Miami around noon, giving us time to relax, maybe go to the beach, etc. Then we would be up early in the morning for our flight from Miami to Manaus, and there to Belem by 6ish Thursday evening.

Things didn’t start off well from the beginning. First thing at the airport, one of Brandie’s suitcases attacked her and she got a huge gash on the back of her leg. We had to perform some emergency first aide in the midst of the line to check in! :-P (I will have you know that Brandie’s cut is healing nicely, in case you were concerned.)

Then came struggle #2 for the day. I had called Delta a couple of days before leaving to talk to them about their baggage limits. On domestic flights, they charge for any checked bag, but not on international flights. When Brandie and I got our tickets through the travel agency, they couldn’t book our domestic flights to get to Miami for us, for some reason, so I did that separately. So I called Delta with the slight hope that we could get the baggage fee waived since we were actually going abroad. Lo and behold, the Delta representative that I talked to said that they have some kind of agreement with TAM airlines, which was what we were flying into Brazil, and so they could check our bags all the way through and TAM baggage guidelines would apply, not Delta’s. When we got to the ticket agent, she first told us that they couldn’t check them b/c there was too long of a layover in Miami, but she called her supervisor to double check. Then she told us that yes they could check them all the way through, but that the domestic fee would apply. Now, $25 for each bag not might seem like a lot of money for some of you, but for a student travelling on a budget, it is! Besides, it was more of the principle of the thing. So I called Delta, while standing in line, and explained the situation. The representative told me that the earlier person had told me that wrong thing and that they couldn’t waive the domestic fee for the luggage. I explained it once again and she put me on hold. When she came back, she told me that if the layover was less than 12 hours that they could have waived the fee, but b/c it is too long she can’t. That was possibly one of the most ludicrous explanations I had ever heard, plus she was now contradicting her earlier statement. And I told her as much. I said that Delta obviously can’t get its story straight from one moment to the next and that I would never fly Delta again. Of course, I don’t fly that much, so it’s not a huge loss for them. Now, I did raise my voice, but I did not swear at this person, but guess what? She hung up on me! Luckily, however, this story has a happy ending. The Delta representative at the ticket counter, whom I was very pleasant with and apologized for being a trouble customer, waived our fees for us on our luggage! She understood that I had taken the time to check up on this and that I was upset. She said she couldn’t control the way back, but she would waive it for the way down. We might have to pay on the way back, but I still count it as a victory! My dad would be so proud!

Have you heard the saying that bad things come in threes? Now you have. Our flight to Miami was delayed for a couple of hours…and then it was cancelled. I laughed. Out loud. Literally. We got a flight to Detroit and from there to Miami, but we had quite a few hours to kill. We went to a restaurant and wasted a few hours watching some soccer (we saw the incredible end to the US-Algeria game!) and then some tennis, and more soccer. By the time we left Cincinnati, we had been in the airport for close to 9 hours! We got into Miami a little b/f midnight, got to our crappy motel in time to get almost 4 hours of sleep. We were on the shuttle to go back to the airport by 5am, and by 7:30am, on an almost empty flight to Manaus.

Ah Manaus! It is a small airport, and I have to assume that most tourists don’t go that way, but fly directly to Rio or Sao Paulo, b/c they didn’t announce anything in English. All the workers at the airport spoke English, so we could ask them questions, but everything was only announced in Portuguese. My Portuguese consists of being able to say “Thank you,” but I used it quite often. After we went through customs and rechecked our bags, Brandie decided she wanted to look for food. So we pulled out our pocket dictionary (thanks, Marie!) and attempted to decipher what was what. A nice guy saw us stand there for quite a few minutes and also helped us. We had figured out what we might want to get, but we hadn’t exchanged any money yet. I tried to ask the workers if they took either credit card or American money, but seeing as how they didn’t speak English and I don’t speak Portuguese, we had little success, although we did find out that they take debit cards. I had a package of trail mix in my bag, so we decided to try again another day. I think it’s going to be quite entertaining when we are finally on our own in Rio in a couple of weeks to see how we manage ordering food, or really doing anything for that matter.

So we get on the plane to Belem and it backs away from the gate, and guess what? It pulls back in. These flights were also obviously for mainly Brazilians, b/c very little was ever repeated in English. The flight attendants only used Portuguese. The captain occasionally repeated his messages in English. Brandie says that it’s good for us to feel like the other, to feel out of place. Luckily for us, however, there were a couple of women near us on the plane who also spoke English, so they translated some of what was being said. Turns out both of the computers on board were not working. The pilots were going to go ahead and fly anyways, but they weren’t permitted to or something. So an hour+ later, we were finally on our way to Belem, the last stage of our journey, at least for a few days.

Belem is also a tiny airport, but we didn’t have to wait long for our luggage. Alanna, one of our guides here in Belem, picked us up and took us to Tulio’s dad’s apartment where we will be staying for these few days in Belem.

So Brandie and I are here, after quite a long two days. Tomorrow we are on our own in the morning, so we might venture to a place Alanna pointed out down the street, and then who knows what she will take us to do in the afternoon. Anything more insightful on my experiences so far will have to wait until another time b/c I am exhausted from travelling. More to come…

about to leave for Brazil!

Brandie and I are leaving tomorrow to begin our journey to Brazil. We are staying in Cincinnati with my sister tomorrow night and then flying to Miami Wednesday morning. We have an afternoon/night in Miami, long enough to go to the beach (hopefully) and then we fly out Thurday morning for Brazil! First we will be in Belem, then Rio de Janiero, then to Salvador in Bahia, and back again to Rio before heading home. I'm not sure how much I'll be online to blog as I go, but definitely stay tuned! I will do my best!