Day 17: June 21, 2009

Fresh coconut water... so refreshing...

A view from the lobby...

I woke up early but stayed in bed past my usual wake up time, savoring free time after very busy and exhausing three weeks of travel, requiring us to be up early and be ready to hit the ground running. While my roommate was getting ready, I happened to check breakfast time -- oops, no breakfast past 10:00 a.m. It was 9:00 a.m. so I went downstairs for breakfast, planning to come back and get ready for 11:00 a.m. lectures. Surprise, surprise (and a very pleasant surprise!), lectures won't start until 2:00 p.m. Yeah, time for the beach!

Our hotel is across the street from the beach and there are free beach chairs, umbrellas, and towels! Service, huh? :) We set on the beach, then walked and splashed through the water, then relaxed again with fresh coconut water... Ah, I can stay here, I think... :)

Then we had two excellent lectures and went out for dinner. I was not able to get Internet access last night and this morning and was totally frustrated. Because it was Sunday, tech support was not available and I tried everything. Finally, I took my computer to the reception, hoping they might be able to do something. Amazingly, they did! The guy only closed and opened the browser (of course, I have done that a gazillion times already) and, all of a sudden, Internet connection was established. Yeah, now I can check messages and take care of grades!

Day 16: June 20, 2009

The Opera HouseThis morning, we visited two landmarks: Indian Museum and Opera House. Then we stopped by the laundry place -- and got stuck for an hour! Brazilians are much more relaxed and so a delay is no big deal. When we arrived, we were told that laundry was not ready. It would have been fine if we didn't have to load our luggage and get to the airport. After some negotiations, we were able to get our stuff. One of my shirts was still wet but I packed it separately.

OK, that worked out fine... Then the bus driver broke a handle on my luggage because he picked it up by the side, thus putting all the weight on one side and snapping the metal piece. I don't know what he was thinking but he just stuck the metal piece back and tried to pick it up again! Grrrrrrrrr... Of course, it snapped again -- there is nothing to hold it once it's broken! I finally managed to snatch the metal piece before he tried to "fix" it again, lol.

Having had problems with luggage before, I brought some duct tape (red, lol) and so provided mild entertainment to my group and others standing in line at the airport by fixing up the handle. Zoom forward -- the handle is still there, attached to the bag!!!

Because I was, um, engaged in a very important task described above, I was the last in line for our group. The girl behind the counter took one look at my two carry ons (backpack and small bag) and told me that only backpack would be allowed on the plane; the other bag should be checked with my main luggage. I explained to her that I am carrying a laptop and LCD projector in addition to my personal belongings. She would not budge so I turned around and waived to catch the attention of our program director. He came over and her attitude changed immediately. "Oh, electronica, no problem!" O-K! Here is my observation: Position of power is extremely important in Brazil. I was nobody to her, just another passenger, while he represented authority. Oh, well -- both bags were allowed and so I am definitely not complaining. :)

We were hungry by the time we got to the gate and so bought sandwiches and drinks, knowing that we have a long flight ahead. Apparently, there is no direct flight from Manaus to Recife and so we had to stop twice (in Belém and Fortaleza). Both times we were allowed to leave the plane so it was a long flight -- about 6 hours. In addition, the plane was full for the first two flights and so I was stuck in the middle seat. Fortunately, I was able to move to the window seat on the flight between Fortaleza and Recife, the last leg of the trip. By then, though, my neck and elbows were aching.

We made it to our hotel without any adventures and most of us went straight to bed (I surely did), knowing that we have lectures in the morning. What a long day...

Day 15: June 19, 2009

Coffee in Brazil is very strong and very sweet. It's served in tiny cups. To give you a better perspective, I took a picture with a sugar packet. As you can see, the cup is very small. There are several people in our group who don't normally drink coffee -- yet, they love Brazilian coffee! :) It's strong but not bitter at all; so good... :)

Today we had two lectures -- Amazonia Ecology and Amazonian Folklore/Culture. The first speaker was a Superintendent of IBAMA (Brazilian Institute of Environment and Natural Renewable Resources). The second speaker was really struggling with English but who are we to complain? We came to a foreign country and only learned a few words in Portuguese so far. Brazilians are gracious hosts who try their best to make sure we have a good experience.

After lectures, we had free time so I had lunch with several people from our group, read a little, worked a little... It was nice to slow down a bit... Then we had dinner at a very nice (and expensive, yikes!) restaurant that serves the local food. I tried Tambaqui fish, a local delicacy -- yummy! In the Amazon region, tambaqui is generally classified as either the first or second most delicious fish species. It was served in a broth with vegetables.

After dinner, we stopped at a fruit stand and enjoyed fresh coconut water (I am holding one, as you can see). They slice off the top and give you a straw to drink directly from the coconut. It's very refreshing. Coconut water is the clear liquid inside young coconuts (fruits of the coconut palm), not to be confused with coconut milk, which is made by grating and squeezing mature coconut meat. As the fruit matures, the coconut water gradually is replaced by the coconut meat and air. By the way, coconut water is sometimes used as an intravenous fluid in some developing countries where medical saline is unavailable.

Day 14: June 18, 2009

Today's highlight was a cruise on the mighty Amazon River!
Manaus is where Amazon River (originates in Peru) and Black River (originates in Venezuela) meet; the location is known as The Meeting of the Rivers. Because of different depth, currents, and water density, temperature, etc., they do not mix!!! As you can see, Black River water is, well, black. Amazon River water is muddy. Amazon "swallows" the Black River, by the way. It's so powerful that ocean is pushed about 200 km where Amazon flows out. The depth ranges from 100 to 300 meters and width is as great as 35 miles (about 5 miles near Manaus). More info here: http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/Amazonia/Facts/basinfacts.cfm.

This year, the flood zone is larger than ever. Dry season has just begun so water hasn't receeded yet.

It's difficult to take a good picture because Amazon River is so wide and majestic. It's the second longest river in the world. It takes six days to go upstream and four days to go downstream (6,000 km); three hours by plane.

My dinner -- Creme de Cupuaçu com Castanha e Chocolate (Cupuaçu Cream with Nuts and Chocolate). Cupuaçu is a tropical rainforest tree. Its fruit contains uniquely fragrant white pulp that is used in desserts.

Day 13: June 17, 2009

After an approximately three-hour flight, we arrived in Manaus, Amazonia...

Brazilian churascaria (steakhouse) is quite an experience (there are some in the US, by the way). Waiters are walking around, offering various cuts of meat (beef, pork, chicken, fish).

Yes, more, please!

Thanks, I am so full! :)

Day 12: June 16, 2009

This morning we had a Q&A session with Brazilian Congress staffers who advise and assist members of the Congress. As we were walking to meet a congressman, we met the Speaker of the House who graciously stopped and posed for a picture.

Q&A session...

Brasilia is a futuristic city designed by Oscar Niemeyer who loves graceful buildings. These two saucer-shaped buildings house Senate and House of Representatives.

Another beautiful building -- Catholic church, shaped like a thorn crown.

Brasilia is designed in the shape of an airplane. Cool, huh? ;)

A graceful bridge...

Day 11: June 15, 2009

This morning we had a very interesting lecture on Brazil's economy and then toured special collections library where they have very old books (some of them were printed in the 1600s).

A beautiful sunset over Brasilia...

Brazil's "national" non-alcoholic drink. THE drink is caipirinha but I don't drink alcohol. Caipirinha is made with cachaça (sugarcane liquor) and lots of sugar and lime wedges. Guaraná is made from guaraná fruit and tastes a little like maybe cream soda? It's very good! :) By the way, guarana is an effective energy booster because it contains about twice the caffeine found in coffee beans!

Day 10: June 14, 2009

Today we traveled to Brasilia, the capital of Brazil.

Visual "menu" -- the best way to entice! ;)

Day 9: June 13, 2009

Today went to the coastal city of Santos...

The Coffee Exchange Museum...

Walking down the street towards the Coffee Exchange...

Day 8: June 12, 2009

We have a free day today and so everybody is on their own... After staying up very late every night (chatting via Skype with my favorite person!), it was nice to sleep in this morning... My roommate apparently woke up early but I didn't her until she was heading out. I took my time brushing teeth, showering, etc. and then went downstairs to get my allowance for the next couple of weeks. I will take money anytime! :)

Wondering if breakfast was still served (it was already 10:00 a.m.), I went to the 28th floor dining room. Yes, they serve breakfast until 11:00 a.m.! So I enjoyed a leisurely buffet breakfast -- crusty rolls, ham, cheese, ham and cheese pie (quiche), soft cheese, fruit (papaya, watermelon, pineapple, melon), yogurt, little cheese rolls, and, of course, strong but not at all bitter, fragrant coffee... All tables have an incredible view of the city because one wall is just glass... Very nice...

We were supposed to pick up laundry tomorrow but, since we are leaving early for a trip to Santos (a coastal town), I checked on it today. Even though I had to wait a few minutes (no big deal, people watching is always fun), I was given a nicely wrapped package of laundered and folded clothes.

Laundry by the kilo...

I still had plenty of clothes to wear but I don't like to carry dirty things around. Even if I don't have a chance to do laundry for the next couple of weeks, I will be fine. Having traveled around the world, I learned to pack plain T-shirts in various colors, a couple pairs of jeans, a plain skirt and/or dress, and several plain cardigans that can be worn with a dress or over T-shirt. The key factor here is plain and interchangeable! :) This way, there are many combinations, plus plain clothes are much easier to clean. I also usually bring four pairs of shoes -- running shoes (wear on the plane because they are comfortable and more difficult to pack), dress shoes (again, plain -- can be worn with anything), open-toe shoes that are both somewhat dressy but still casual and comfortable (can be worn with jeans or a skirt, if needed), and flip flops. I always bring lots of underwear and several pairs of socks -- they don't take much space and it's critical, as far as I am concerned. Of course, ubmrella and rain poncho are important, too.

What else? Adapters for appliances (not needed in Brazil), rechargeable battery charger, foldable duffel bag in case there are luggage problems, duct tape (you can even fix a luggage handle), phone charger, and, of course, my laptop! :) About four years ago, I also bought a portable wireless router. It comes in a small pouch (maybe 2'' by 6"?) and contains router and ethernet cord. No installation is required -- just plug in and go! For example, Internet connection here is only possible through ethernet cord; however, because of my router, I have my own network and can curl up on the couch instead of sitting at the table. :)

OK, looks like I have written a travel column, lol. After picking up laundry, I just wondered around the Jardin district where our hotel is located. It's fun to walk around, stop in little shops, etc. I bought a picture book in Portuguese to use during presentations when I return to the USA and a cute heart-shaped alarm clock. They are selling lots of flowers, chocolates, and other gifts because June 12th is Brazilian equivalent of Valentine's Day. So the clock is my Valentine's Day gift! ;)

There are lots of coffee shops around but, until today, haven't see any of them serving coffee to go. It's a very different culture -- if you stop for coffee, you sit down and enjoy, instead of grab and run. It's nice... I don't like sitting by myself, though, so I was happy to get a cup of coffee to go in a little shop less than a block from our hotel.

Girls in a coffee shop...

Now I can sip my coffee and get some work done, in case there is no Internet access next week...
We might go to a music show tonight but we'll see... For now, I will just relax and enjoy some peace and quiet...

Day 7: June 11, 2009

I am tired, can you tell? :) Sipping a cappuccino while waiting for my online course session (last one!!!).

This morning, we had two more lectures -- one on Brazilian politics and the other on Brazilian culture. Both presenters made this statement: "Brazil is not for the beginners..." Yes, their politics, culture, history, traditions, etc. are very complicated and require serious studying to understand even marginally. That's why I won't expand on anything here.

Then we walked about ten blocks to an upscale Arabic restaurant (http://www.arabia.com.br/breve/) and had a wonderful lunch. It was pricey but delicious, with food served in a very nice setting. Apparently, there are more Lebanese in Brazil than in Lebanon so it's not surprising that there are a lot of good Arabic restaurant that serve authentic dishes.

Day 6: June 10, 2009

It was raining all day today... While the temperature has not really dropped (still mid 60s), it always feel colder when it's wet and gloomy. We had two lectures this morning, had a quick lunch, and then took several taxis to the environmental NGO (http://www.sosmatatlantica.org.br/).

When we came back, I was tired of sitting and so took off, just walking around. The area around the hotel is very safe plus it's great for exercising -- very hilly! :) I enjoyed exploring and picked up a few souvenirs to take back to my family. As I was walking back, contemplating where to stop for dinner, I met several people from our group and so we had a good time at the local fast food restaurant. Now need to get some work done...

Day 5: June 9, 2009

Yummy breakfast... Note little cheese rolls on the left -- so good with strong Brazilian coffee...

Very knowledgeable and entertaining guest speaker...

Laundry is starting to pile up...

Post office!

Our tour guide kept telling us about special Paulista (Sao Paulo) pizza so we decided to try...

Choices, choices, choices...

I picked chicken and steak, one slice each. Even though I love pizza and tried many varieties, this one is definitely my favorite. Add a glass of fresh coconut juice and you have a fabulous lunch.

Day 4: June 8, 2009

We had two lectures this morning on Brazilian history and culture. Then we visited the Council on Racial Equality. While Brazilian version of racism is completely different from the US (white/black does not mean white/black because of skin color but rather position). However,there are few non-whites in the position of power. Therefore, Brazil has its own version of affirmative action to ensure equal access.

My first Brazilian fast food...

Day 3: June 7, 2009

We could not find the coffee fazenda (plantation) and so these two guys were our guides! Imagine -- bus following a horse-drawn buggy! :)

Coffee trees... Hey there, all you coffee drinkers! Now you know how the coffee grows! :)

Coffee beans...

Cotton tree "fruit." People used to dry the contents and use for pillow stuffing; very soft.

I had a chance to ride a horse!

We stopped at the Confederate cemetery in Americana.

Day 2: June 6, 2009

A famous monument, reminding Brazilians of their struggle for independence.

This is a high-rise favella (slum). The owner could not pay taxes so the building was taken over by squatters and covered in graffiti.

Fruit and vegetable market!

This lady graciously agreed to pose for a picture! Thank you, Maria!

Day 2 and already problems... Internet was not functioning properly on Saturday, our Day 2 in Brazil; that's why I could not post any updates.

Today we had a tour of the city... It sure is a city of contrasts -- The Jardins area (our hotel) is fairly nice and safe... and the rest of the city -- crowded, dirty, and full of homeless people... Only approximately 1.5% of Brazilians are upper-class... Over 50% of Brazilians live well below the poverty line...