I visited a place called Sítio do Conde where there are about four main streets that cross to form a center plaza. It's a veeery small town! It was a nice change from how big Salvador is, and I was able to have a lot of time to myself. I met a lot of people there, but no one spoke English. It was a strange experience to not be understood, as they are not used to my accent there. I didn't know I had such an aural variation on the question "quanto custa?".
The beach was very strange there. Beautiful sand stopped just before the water into what kind of looked like asphalt. From there it stopped suddenly into more sand and then the waves. The cool part was the little mini-ecosystems that formed in the crevices of these rocks. There were tiny, and fast!, lizard-fish things. That's the scientific name :) And loads of plants, crabs and algae.
The woman who owned the pousada was very nice, but looked very coarse. She was round and had a strange squint to part of her face. She was very willing to talk with me and I found her to be understanding of my accent, probably because her two daughters live in Italy now and she visits them from time to time. She cooked a lovely breakfast for me and gave me lots of hugs. In the resturant that was attached to the pousada, there was a man there who seemed like the head bartender. He was very nice and seemed to giggle everytime I asked him "tudo bem" or to say "obrigada". It was really funny to have him react that way!
I accidently missed the 10am bus to Aracaju so I had to wait around for the 3pm one. By the time I arrived in Aracaju, I was exhaused!
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Tchau for now Salvador
About to head out to the bus station.
I realize have the misfortune of traveling on a hoilday weekend to Mengue Seco. It's likely I will have trouble finding accomodations, so I've got a couple other towns to consider.
If all goes well, Tuesday I will be in Aracaju hanging out with the likes of Raphael, a 27 year old from the area who digs the Sufjan Stevens album Sufjan Stevens invites you to: Come on feel the Illinoise.
From now until then, internet will be questionable.
Don't worry, I'll take loads of pictures!
xoxo
I realize have the misfortune of traveling on a hoilday weekend to Mengue Seco. It's likely I will have trouble finding accomodations, so I've got a couple other towns to consider.
If all goes well, Tuesday I will be in Aracaju hanging out with the likes of Raphael, a 27 year old from the area who digs the Sufjan Stevens album Sufjan Stevens invites you to: Come on feel the Illinoise.
From now until then, internet will be questionable.
Don't worry, I'll take loads of pictures!
xoxo
Friday, October 8, 2010
Last day in Salvador for a while.
Woke up a little late today, but just in time to say goodbye to Lutz and his friend Frank before they left for the islands. What lovely people!
I went through the fridge and feasted on all the food I had left. I didn't want it to go bad by the time I'm back in Salvador in a month.
In the afternoon, I met Marie to go to Parque Metropolitano de Pituaça. It's a lovely park with a huge lake with an island that is the center of the trails. Once in the trails, I felt like I wasn't in a huge city in Brazil. So very serene. We ran a total of 10km. Actually, Marie ran 10km; I ended up walking most of the way. I'm surprised at my lack of endurance in running. Especially considering that I do capoeira. Well... it makes sense... strength vs endurance. yeah.
On the the return walk/run (5km there, 5km back), Marie ended up about 3km ahead. There were many patrol bikes that ran up and down the path, and one stopped me and asked if I wanted a ride to the head of the trail. OK! It was really fun riding on the back of the bike in all of that wilderness! Even funnier was Marie's face when I rode up next to her. :)
We left around 5, and it took us 1h30m to get back to Barra. Marie was nice enough to help me buy a cell phone so I have one for when I am traveling. Her Portuguese is MUCH better than mine! If you want my phone # to send me words of wisdom via text, email me!
To top off the day, I managed to fit all of my important stuff in one backpack as well as all of my stuff I'm leaving at the hostel in one suitcase. Ninja packer!!
I find that the manikins in Salvador are creepy:
I went through the fridge and feasted on all the food I had left. I didn't want it to go bad by the time I'm back in Salvador in a month.
In the afternoon, I met Marie to go to Parque Metropolitano de Pituaça. It's a lovely park with a huge lake with an island that is the center of the trails. Once in the trails, I felt like I wasn't in a huge city in Brazil. So very serene. We ran a total of 10km. Actually, Marie ran 10km; I ended up walking most of the way. I'm surprised at my lack of endurance in running. Especially considering that I do capoeira. Well... it makes sense... strength vs endurance. yeah.
On the the return walk/run (5km there, 5km back), Marie ended up about 3km ahead. There were many patrol bikes that ran up and down the path, and one stopped me and asked if I wanted a ride to the head of the trail. OK! It was really fun riding on the back of the bike in all of that wilderness! Even funnier was Marie's face when I rode up next to her. :)
We left around 5, and it took us 1h30m to get back to Barra. Marie was nice enough to help me buy a cell phone so I have one for when I am traveling. Her Portuguese is MUCH better than mine! If you want my phone # to send me words of wisdom via text, email me!
To top off the day, I managed to fit all of my important stuff in one backpack as well as all of my stuff I'm leaving at the hostel in one suitcase. Ninja packer!!
I find that the manikins in Salvador are creepy:
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Quatra-feira, 6 de outubro de 2010
Today was excellent!
I had a fantastic lunch, homemade and YUMMY! I had a quick lesson in portuguese related to food and then gathered some great tips on how to cook veggies with a Brazilian edge.
The percussion lesson today was EXCELLENT. I have been feeling unlucky that I wasn't born Brazilian... with a pandeiro in my hand, but today's lesson gave me some strength.
Now, cheap turasco, senzala, e música de Salvador!
palavra.
I had a fantastic lunch, homemade and YUMMY! I had a quick lesson in portuguese related to food and then gathered some great tips on how to cook veggies with a Brazilian edge.
The percussion lesson today was EXCELLENT. I have been feeling unlucky that I wasn't born Brazilian... with a pandeiro in my hand, but today's lesson gave me some strength.
Now, cheap turasco, senzala, e música de Salvador!
palavra.
Monday, October 4, 2010
reacção alérgica
Saturday I went to the hospital for an allergic reaction to cashew nut shell liquid!
A week ago my lips came in contact with it and made my lips swell. They were doing well, and healing just fine, when Thursday a rash started to spread across my face and neck. I'm all about letting my body do it's work on it's own, so I let it be and tried not to scratch. Unfortunately, when I woke Saturday morning my face was swollen, especially around my eyes. I looked kind of like this. Although, actually like this and this.
As I was arranging to go to the hospital Saturday morning, I was fortunate to have brought the subject up to one of the other residents of the hostel, Lutz. He is a German surgeon, and happened to have some hydrocortisone pills to give me. It helped alot, but after 3 hours I felt it was getting worse; minor difficulties swallowing. (!!!)
I made it to a public hospital, and I found it to be unique experience. I was there maybe 30 or 40 minutes and I was seen. Quicker than any US hospital. The first room was a doctor who wrote me a prescription. I told him I wanted a shot, and he said they were going to give me one in the next room. I wasn't weighed, and other vitals weren't read.
The next room was full of people, patients and medical staff. The lady treating me was very nice, but didn't say very much because of our language barrier. I was given one hydrocortisone shot in my arm and two other shots in my hips. The ones in my hips hurt very bad!
After 20 mins, they said I could leave. The cool part: I didn't have to pay anything. Which was nice since I spent about R$110 in taxi fees finding the correct hospital.
Overall, a very interesting experience I am not interested in duplicating!
A week ago my lips came in contact with it and made my lips swell. They were doing well, and healing just fine, when Thursday a rash started to spread across my face and neck. I'm all about letting my body do it's work on it's own, so I let it be and tried not to scratch. Unfortunately, when I woke Saturday morning my face was swollen, especially around my eyes. I looked kind of like this. Although, actually like this and this.
As I was arranging to go to the hospital Saturday morning, I was fortunate to have brought the subject up to one of the other residents of the hostel, Lutz. He is a German surgeon, and happened to have some hydrocortisone pills to give me. It helped alot, but after 3 hours I felt it was getting worse; minor difficulties swallowing. (!!!)
I made it to a public hospital, and I found it to be unique experience. I was there maybe 30 or 40 minutes and I was seen. Quicker than any US hospital. The first room was a doctor who wrote me a prescription. I told him I wanted a shot, and he said they were going to give me one in the next room. I wasn't weighed, and other vitals weren't read.
The next room was full of people, patients and medical staff. The lady treating me was very nice, but didn't say very much because of our language barrier. I was given one hydrocortisone shot in my arm and two other shots in my hips. The ones in my hips hurt very bad!
After 20 mins, they said I could leave. The cool part: I didn't have to pay anything. Which was nice since I spent about R$110 in taxi fees finding the correct hospital.
Overall, a very interesting experience I am not interested in duplicating!
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Long hot day
Today was a good day for using Portuguese... I still find myself primarily using English, but slowly I am feeling more confident when I use what little Portuguese I know.
I dislike the bus system in Salvador. If I was going to a tourist area, I'd have ten buses to choose from. Since I am not, I get to wait for an hour for the bus. I was SO late for my aula de percussão. Jorge was very lovely and didn't hold me accountable. I was just happy to be out of the heat by the time I arrived at his house. The sun was monstrous today, and I found myself quite irritable.
For lunch this afternoon, I had what was one of the best meals I've ever eaten. Red-fish baked with heaps of vegetables and a side of beans and rice (not your La Napalera beans and rice!). Sorry, I really don't do the dish justice by this description. The meal way joined harmoniously with an ice cold Bohemia, a view of the sea, and an engaging conversation with Lucas (an inspiring Brazilian I've had the pleasure to get to know).
Also, just heard from Alex, (a friend at the hostel I am living) that Kelly Green may be making a trip here sometime. Ask her for details, but I think she's doing recording, shows, and some studying while she's here. Muito legal!
Eu não gosto de turismo, mas é como as pessoas ganham dinheiro.
...mas eu não gosto dinheiro!
I dislike the bus system in Salvador. If I was going to a tourist area, I'd have ten buses to choose from. Since I am not, I get to wait for an hour for the bus. I was SO late for my aula de percussão. Jorge was very lovely and didn't hold me accountable. I was just happy to be out of the heat by the time I arrived at his house. The sun was monstrous today, and I found myself quite irritable.
For lunch this afternoon, I had what was one of the best meals I've ever eaten. Red-fish baked with heaps of vegetables and a side of beans and rice (not your La Napalera beans and rice!). Sorry, I really don't do the dish justice by this description. The meal way joined harmoniously with an ice cold Bohemia, a view of the sea, and an engaging conversation with Lucas (an inspiring Brazilian I've had the pleasure to get to know).
Also, just heard from Alex, (a friend at the hostel I am living) that Kelly Green may be making a trip here sometime. Ask her for details, but I think she's doing recording, shows, and some studying while she's here. Muito legal!
Eu não gosto de turismo, mas é como as pessoas ganham dinheiro.
...mas eu não gosto dinheiro!
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Minor allergic reaction; GREAT fruit smoothies!
I finally bought one of these (Obrigada Lucas for taking this lovely photo!). I should have looked it up before! Apparently, the liquid from the shell where the cashew nut hangs out, is an anacardic acid, similar to poison ivy, oak, and sumac. Hopefully, the small amount I put on lips won't make it bubble up like some of the nasty pictures I googled.
(Yes, I feel that "googled" is a legitimate, past-tense verb.)
In awesome news, I helped make some really GREAT fruit smoothies! água, manga, mamão, abacaxi, goiaba, polpa de açai, polpa de caju, leite condensado, e leite de coco. JOY.
Today, I started work on the plans for my youth world ensemble project. I'm super excited! I have a lot of ideas yet to work out, and I need some help writing for some grants, but they'll all be worth it in the end. Feel free to email any ideas if you have them!
(Yes, I feel that "googled" is a legitimate, past-tense verb.)
In awesome news, I helped make some really GREAT fruit smoothies! água, manga, mamão, abacaxi, goiaba, polpa de açai, polpa de caju, leite condensado, e leite de coco. JOY.
Today, I started work on the plans for my youth world ensemble project. I'm super excited! I have a lot of ideas yet to work out, and I need some help writing for some grants, but they'll all be worth it in the end. Feel free to email any ideas if you have them!
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