Hee-o

I won't lie, Rio is scary. I'm pretty sure I witnessed a car jacking, saw a brigadeof 12 police cars (semi-automatic weapons drawn) driving towards the favelas, and met countless people who had been mugged. I some how managed to escape unscathed...and want to go back.
In a way Rio reminds me of San Francisco. Rio is about 20 times the size, but the physical layout (being situated on a bay and an ocean) and the diversity some how made it feel a bit familiar.
I ended up staying in Santa Teresa, which is a district set up into the hills, far from the touristy beaches of ipenema and copacabana. It turned out to be the perfect spot for me and the most fabulous hostel I have ever stayed it. (minus this one douche bag Australian guy)
I arrived on Thursday morning after getting 1 hour of sleep due to the 3am departure of my flight to Rio. I spent close to 6 hours on Thursday walking around town, snapping phots and trying to get the lay of the land. I could hardly resist a thursday night out, even if I was practically falling asleep, so I drank my way slowly to friday morning and took from the hours of 8am - 10am to recover next to the pool.
It's hard to sit still when you know there is so much out there to see. My first venture was to find this semi famous staircase in Lapa (the district below Santa Teresa) that a man had spent 18 years tiling, using tiles from over 60 different countries. The staircase is beautiful and its designer lives in a flat right off the staircase and spends every morning sweeping and cleaning his staircase. I attempted to chat with him, but his Chilean accent mixed with the Portuguese he spoke basically made him impossible to understand. He did however give me an autographed picture of a painting he had done and told me to send him some tiles from Seattle, so he could incorporate them into the staircase. Sometimes it pays to be a tourist.
I took in the two biggest tourist sites, the Christ statue and Sugarloaf mountain, during the next couple of days. From the top of Sugarloaf you can watch the sun set right behind the Christ statue which is absolutely stunning. I took about 1,000 photos of it. The Christ statue itself wasn't that exciting but it's interesting to think about how Rio has changed since the statue was built. How much crime, poverty, violence, partying, fear and lust Christ has seen in the streets of Rio.
I also was able to go to 2 games at the Maracaná. The stadium seats 100,000 but apparently has been known to hold 200,000. The games I went to weren't nearly that packed, but I did see Fluminense play. The rivalry between Fluminense and Flamengo is Rio's biggest football rivalry and therefore has the most die hard fans. These people were definitely die hard, most sporting a tattoo of their team on their back or forearm. For 4 hours straight people chanted, sang, drummed, yelled and never once sat down. There was so much energy there, I could barely sit down either, even though I still hadn't slept for more than a couple hours each night. I would love to see a game between 'Flu' and 'Fla' and the totally insanity that goes along with it.
I spent a good amount of the rest of my time laying on ipanema and taking in the local nightlife. Lapa has a huge street party of friday nights that is just absolutely out of control. Everywhere you look there are people dancing in the streets, people selling drinks, drugs, shots, beers, water...enough to keep you going until 8am when things start wrapping up. I didn't make it to 8am but I made a good effort until 5am dancing to crazy techno music under the Lapa arches with as many homeless people as locals.
So now I am in Foz do Iguaçu recovering from 7 glorious days in Rio and one 23 hour bus ride to get here. I would say I will spend this Friday night resting, but Megan (from Salvador) has come up from Buenos Aires to meet me for the weekend and my days in Brazil are limited. Besides, I'm getting used to this no sleep thing.

Where the wild things are

Flying to Manaus in the Amazon was flawless. After my trip to Salvador I pretty much had no faith in the airline system in Brazil. Their lack of punctuality seems to coincide with Brazilians attitude towards life; I'll get there when I get there. (But not the way they drive that's for sure.)
I met some very nice people on the bus from the airport to the town center and after a bit of misinformation from some locals about the actual location of my hostel, I made it safe and sound.
The next morning it was up early to catch our ride to our jungle lodge. 3 hours of a boat/car combo and there we were, in the middle of Juma lake in the Amazon rainforest.
As I am bringing my backpack to our room, I notice that there is a parrot on our roof. I immediately whip out my camera and start to think about how cool it is to be in the Amazon. Next thing I know the parrot is flying around my head. I let out the loudest scream of terror and freak out because I am now bent at a 90 degree angle with a parrot perched on my back. I try to stand up straight but it just digs its claws into my back to try and get a foothold. I whine to get it off me and as the staff at the lodge is laughing hysterically at, other parrot appear out of no where and start imitating the laughter. I must admit it was pretty funny, but at the time I just really wanted to parrot off my shoulder. After Jocelyn snapped a couple of phots, the bird is taken off my back by a staff member. I now have scratch marks that run the length of one of my shoulder blades. hot.
After settling into our room (yes, i opted for the more plush ways to visit the amazon, in a hut in the water with a bed and mattress) we were off on our first tour to a locals' house. When we arrived I was literally in shock, what did I sign up for? Not only did the family sell jewelry in their kitchen, they had a TV and about 5 different pets that they brought out to show the tourists. I became to regret my decision with the plush option. I was not pleased with the live petting zoo that was taking place in front of me and decided to walk around out back and see if I could see something more authentic. Once everyone was done inside with the monkey, parrot, turtle, caymen, and some petite anteater looking thing, they joined me out back and the owner of the house, who also happened to be the local protestant pastor, started to talk about the different plants in his 'backyard'.
Turns out his backyard stretches straight into the jungle. He talked of natural remedies for pretty much everything you could think of. It was fascinating that all of this was steps away from their house and that everyone was so educated on all the different plant life and their medicinal uses. He passed around a plant that was supposed to be a natural bug repellant. All you have to do is rub it on your skin, sounds easy enough so I gave it a whirl. No more than five minutes later I had broken out in a rash and start to get frightened that it might get worse. Thankfully as quickly as it came, it disappeared.
The next day was packed with tours of the waters, piranha fishing (of which I caught none) and caymen spotting (of which I got to hold one!) The caymen spotting was really great because we went out late at night in the complete darkness. The jungle is really creepy, and I was glad to have the protection of the boat. I probably would have stroked out if we had been on foot. The caymen the guide caught was only about 2 feet and we were all able to hold it and touch the skin. Apparently caymens are now protected in the amazon, so they are increasing in population because not as many people are hunting them to make into handbags.
Our last full day we went on a jungle walk which was pretty disappointing. I think it all depends on luck, what you see in the jungle. We weren't able to see many animals besides a hoard of monkeys in the trees. I have decided that if I should ever come back to the Amazon I am taking a river boat deep into the Amazon, so I can see all those animals that only exist in the Amazon.
Speaking of animals that only exist in the amazon, I was able to spot both the gray and pink freshwater dolphins. The pink dolphins are total fattys and I am frankly surprised they can get their enormous body out of the water. buoyancy, eh.
I attempted to probe our guide at dinner time about the expansion of the Amazon highway and his thoughts on its impact. He would only go as far to say that yes the highway was bad, but the Amazon was fine. It will still be here for the next generations. It made me wonder if he is not as privy to the information I get from my national geographic subscription, or if his inside knowledge of a life spent entirely in the rainforest, allowed him to look past the politics.
While I am disappointed I wasn't able to see more, the trip was far more rewarding to my other senses then I ever could have imagined. Being in such isolation makes you remember that one or two other times that you were far from civilization. Those times that when they occurred you thought you would never forget, but have somehow been filed in the way back, behind the hustle of day to day life. I'm hoping I won't forget this one.

Boa Viagem

As I sit here and type this my hours left in Salvador tick away. I had my going away dinner last night at Habibs, and besides a few people who found plastic in their food, it was fabulous.
My last day at work was bittersweet. The kids are too young to understand that I am not coming back, so it was tchau as usual for them. I am going to miss them all terribly. Being with them everyday for the last 2 months has opened my eyes to a lot of things and taught me some important lessons in patience and discipline. They are all such jems.
The nuns wished me a boa viagem, and gave me the addresses of a few other Mother Teresa's in South America. I would like to visit the one in La Paz when I meet up with Lexi, and when I inquired as to the safety of the area it is in, the nuns said it was very dangerous and 'people would make me have nothing.' Then one of the nuns reached into her pocket and took out a Mother Teresa, Virgin Mary necklace, placed it around my neck and told me the Lord would always watch over me. Coming from her, I believe it.
I can't believe it's time to pack up and go. I am meeting my friend Jocelyn in the Amazon. It will be nice to see a familiar face and explore together. I am assuming they don't have the internet in the Amazon, so see you in Rio!

Dr. Quack and a little Habibs for the soul

My ‘cold’ that I mentioned in my last post some how manifested itself into the worst soar throat I have ever had. After several sleepless nights drooling on the pillow and days of painful swallowing I decided to go back to the hospital. I opted this time for the walk-in clinic which is much less expensive than the ER. $40 US in fact.
As I was forking over my credit card the man behind the counter he asked me something to the effect of ‘halves or quarters?’ which made no sense to me. I quickly realized that he was asking if I wanted to pay in installments. Such a foreign idea to me to begin with, especially for $40, but as I reached WAY back into all that useless knowledge I learned in college I remembered that Brazil compounds their interest monthly as opposed to the US that does it annually. Therefore when one puts an amount on their card all at once, if they can’t pay it off their payment probably close to doubles, as I can imagine the interest rate here in much higher than the US as well.
After my quick economics lesson and a short 2.5 hour wait I was finally ushered into a room to meet with the doctor. I tell the doctor that I’m American and don’t speak Portuguese, he responds in English and I am relieved. He immediately launches into a story about my last name and how it is close to the name Hutchkinson that apparently was the name of a gun used in World War I. I smile and try to act polite, but I really didn’t go to chat, in fact at this point talking is somewhat of a strain. He goes on and on about how he thinks the French are rude and how he can speak 5 different languages. Finally he looks at my throat and after about 2 seconds he tells me my tonsils are inflamed, writes a prescription, and painstakingly tells me about each drug and of course a personal note about his life. The whole visit took probably 30 minutes of which about 5 where related to my throat.
So I’m currently all drugged up and feeling great. (Minus the fact that I can’t drink…again.) I’ve been trying to lay low this week and rest up.
I’ve been feeling pretty good the last 2 days and to celebrate me and a couple other folks from the house ventured to Habibs for dinner this evening. I must preface this story with the fact that I have been talking about going to Habibs for 7 weeks now. I pass it almost daily on the way to the beach and grocery store. Other people in the house actually think I have been there many times because I talk about how great it is. I can only describe Habibs as the greatest fast food, yet sit down and be served by waiters, in the World. They even proclaim that on the menu. The Arab-American-Brazilian fusion restaurant comes complete with glass place settings, high-class uniforms for their million employees all waiting on you hand and foot and a super creepy genie as their logo.
I think more people in the house need to be exposed to the greatness that is Habibs so I have decided for my last night out I will go to Habibs where they have a drink special, buy one caipirinha and get a beer for free. Greatest place on earth I tell you.

Carnaval. Wow.

(Warning: There are many run-ons in this entry. and a few swear words)
Fuck. Fuck you to all the people who have molested me in the streets. Who have grabbed me by the hair to try and kiss me; to the countless people who had their hands in my pockets searching for money. But fuck it was amazing.
I want to describe my last couple of days at Carnaval as the craziest thing I have ever seen in my life, but I feel crazy just doesn’t do justice to the utter mayhem of Carnaval. No more will I ever say Vegas is the craziest place on earth. No doubt Salvador’s Carnalval has got it beat.
I have been feeling better since my ‘hospitalization’ (besides the cold I now have from being crammed in the streets with millions of other people for hours on end) and have braved the pipoca crowds twice now. Once on Saturday and again on Monday. Tonight is the last night of Carnaval and I am a bit dissappointed that I wasn't able to participate and see more. But with my energy being as low as it is, and still being on a soda cracker diet, I have to take what I can get, or rather what I can stand. Maybe when I'm old and gray I'll journey back and see how Carnaval has changed....anyway...
There are two different parade routes in Salvador, one more traditional in the down town/historic center and the other just added a few years ago running along the beach, near our house.
On Saturday Meghan (my roommate) and I went to Barra (the beach route) to jump and dance in the street. There have been heavy rain storms for the past few weeks leaving the streets filled with mud. Mix the mud with trash everywhere from Carnaval-goers, and an overwhelming smell of urine and bo and the scene is set. Surprisingly the spirit of Carnaval, the singing of the same 10 songs over and over again just whisks you away, at least for the first hour or so. I think if I would have been absolutely wasted I wouldn't have minded when I caught a guy with his hand in my pocket staring me dead in the eye as if to say 'why don't you have any money in there?' Regardless, dancing in the streets next to a semi truck blasting the music of some braziilian band that everyone seems to love , singing songs I didn't know the words to an hour prior, I'd say its worth it.
I am a bit more hesitant to say my Monday night endeavor was as successful. Gabby and I got seperated from the rest of the group and ended up walking the entire downtown parade route. A walk that would normally take 30-40 mintues took us close to 3 hours. We had death grips on each others hands, because if one was to let go the other would literally be swept away in the crowd. There were points where I actually was making no effort to move; the force behind me so stong that my legs were forced to walk forward to the left and to the right.
A common practice amoung men here is to grab, touch, molest and attempt to kiss any girl they see. As Gabby and I made our way through the seemingly endless mob of people I started to charge ahead during a break in the music. As I broke into a slow walk (the fastest pace I ever went) I realized that Gabby wasn't moving. I whipped my head back to see that some man had his arms wrapped around her waist. I turned and walked against the crowd (not advisable) and in what I would consider something close to a bout of rage, I elbowed the guy who tried to lock me into some sick make-out pose, put my arms around Gabby and did some sort of spin forklift move that freed her.
We finally met up with the rest of the group who had a similar experience going down a side street, that also had a parade on it. I'm glad I went out and was able to see the entire route and party how the locals party, but I'm not sure I would do it again...sober.

Carne Vale!

I’m not sure Carnaval would be complete for me without a trip to the emergency room and a 6-hour stay in the hospital. I would love to say that I partied like a rock star but unfortunately I had some sort of food poisoning/24 flu that had me curled up in the bathroom, sick as a dog for the entirety of Thursday night.
My trip to the ER was pretty pleasant. I went to the private hospital, and it was the first time I had really come in contact with Salvador’s upper class. I am hoping this is my first and last time to the hospital on this trip.
An hour after returning from the hospital and 5 bags of saline later I was ready to go to my Camarote, which is an organized party on the parade route.
I wasn’t able to drink or eat anything at a party that was open bar and fully catered, but still being able to watch the carnival parade and all the crazy people in the street was spectacular.
There were millions of people in the street, some in organized Blocos that followed the semi trucks that carried the different bands but most of the people go ‘pipoca’ (popcorn) just smashed in the crowd dancing around drinking their .50 cent beers.
Most people from Salvador will tell you that Carnaval is very commercialized now and that 15 years ago Carnaval was celebrated how it should be. But for me it was still amazing and definitely unlike anything I have ever seen before.
I am hoping to make up for my less than stellar performance last night in the next couple of days of Carnaval. If not I’m sure Rio will offer me limitless opportunities to party.

The New People

As of Saturday our house has been replenished with new volunteers, replacing the ones that were only able to stay for a couple of weeks. It’s odd having new people around. The age and gender dynamic has changed a bit, now including a handful of men and the average age has probably gone up to about mid twenties.
Last Wednesday a couple of the girls and I attended a soccer game. Bahia (the local team) is in the third division and judging by their performance I would say they are in dead last. Besides the fact that the soccer was crap the atmosphere was crazy. The fans are so passionate about their team and their players. Being some of the only girls there and definitely the only white girls, we were the quite a spectacle. I was interviewed on the news, and during half time there was a huge group surrounding us, trying to speak English, as if we were celebrities.
Friday was a holiday of sorts for the Condomble God Iemanjá. Iemanjá is the goddess of the sea and every February 2nd thousands of people line the streets to give her gifts of flowers and perfume. The morning and afternoon of the festival is mostly people waiting in line to give their offerings, but when the boats carry all the presents out to sea at 4pm a full on block party begins. I was only able to brave the heat for a couple hours in the morning, but in those few hours I saw a woman become “entranced” on the beach, many different parades and hundreds of baskets of flowers being loaded into the boats to go out to sea.
That night we attended the Ballet Folklorico. It was an absolutely stunning performance of the different traditional Brazilian, Bahian, and Condomble dances. They even had a fire eater! The theater is the tiniest little thing and you practically sit on stage as men flip around with swords in their hands. After the ballet we went to dinner at a posh sushi restaurant. I was so excited to have something besides rice and beans for dinner. The food was great and the restaurant jutted right out into the bay, which made for a fantastic breeze and great view.
My activities for the rest of the weekend included a wide variety of alcohol and company. Sunday we went to a bbq at one of our Brazilian friend’s house and ended up staying there for close to 10 hours, talking, singing, dancing, swimming, drinking and more drinking. Needless to say this morning was a bit rough and I have taken the entire day to recover.
I have firmed up my travel plans for post Salvador and will be doing a 4 day Amazon tour with another girl here and then moving on to Rio. I can’t believe how quickly time has gone by.