Brazil part 4 — Saudade

Saudade is an amazing evocative Portuguese word that doesn’t have a direct translation in English, although the closest would probably be “longing.” Brazilians use it all the time and it is really the best way I can express how I am feeling exactly a week since leaving Brazil.

 I am not sure right now when I will get back to Brazil but it is very clear that it is on my (ever growing) list of places where I feel the need to return. Brazil was in some ways a difficult place to travel—not least of all because of the language difficulties, but also due to safety concerns (based more on what I had heard rather than what I experienced) and also because the cities of Rio and São Paulo are large and difficult to negotiate. I am even more appreciative of the hospitality and warmth of my friends there as I think about how different my experience would have been had I been on my own for the entire trip. And this feeling of saudade that I have is so much more about missing people than missing a place, although I saw some incredibly beautiful places and sites. But what I am remembering now is Doris teaching me how to use my own camera so I could get a great shot of a full moon…interesting conversations with her wonderful son Leo…Glauco spending a weekend in Rio with me even though he doesn’t even like Rio…Glauco’s mother and aunts talking to me in Portuguese as if I understood them (and eventually sort of figuring out what they were saying)…attending a family barbecue with samba lessons …Bárbara, Jonathan and Gabriel taking me all around Petrópolis…Gisela giving up her room for me….Luã giving up his room for me…Marcel telling me that he hopes we will still be in touch in 25 years after learning that is how long Doris and I have known each other….Eliane taking me all around Rio, including driving me to the Theatro Municpal so I could buy a ticket for a dance performance later that night and then picking up in the subway so I wouldn’t even have to get there by myself…the other passengers on the boat in Paraty who were so worried that I was alone and kept including me in their photos.  I could go on and on…

 So yes, I have to go back to Brazil. And even though I want to see the Amazon and the Pantanal and Bahia and Minas Gerais, I really want to go back because of the people.

Brazil part 3 — Alone in Paraty

On Wednesday morning I took a bus from Rio to Paraty, where I stayed until Saturday, when I returned to São Paulo. I knew that I wanted to have some time alone on this trip, since traveling by myself is a completely different experience than being with friends. This is especially the case when those friends are locals who can help with navigating the culture, act as interpreters, and generally make life easier. Even though I was a bit nervous about being on my own in Brazil because of safety issues and language barriers, I still wanted to have that experience. I chose to spend those few days in Paraty because it seemed like a safe and manageable destination. It is also a colonial city located on a beach. Perfect! And the fact that it is pretty much between Rio and São Paulo also made it very convenient.

My bus left Rio at 10 AM on Wednesday and was scheduled to arrive at 2:30 PM. There was a huge traffic jam leaving the city, and it took about 2 hours before we were actually moving at a normal speed. At first I was disappointed that I had someone seated next to me, as the bus was pretty empty, but my seat mate turned out to be a very nice Brazilian man who spoke pretty good English. He even bought me a snack at the rest stop and pointed out that the woman who accidentally bumped into me was a famous soap opera actress. So I ended up being happy to have someone to talk to on this journey that felt like it lasted forever.

We arrived in Paraty around 4 PM and my next step was to try and find my pousada. I knew it was within walking distance from the bus station but I had no idea which direction to walk. I was so tired that I decided to just take a taxi, but then the taxi driver pointed me in the right direction and told me it was a 4 minute walk. So I walked. The pousada, Por do Sol, (http://www.pordosolparaty.com.br/) was very basic and simple but cute. The staff was very nice, although nobody there spoke English. It is pretty remarkable,but somehow I have been able to communicate. The pousada was located just outside of the historic center of town, so I set out to explore the area and have some dinner. I love colonial architecture and was in heaven just strolling the picturesque cobblestone streets and taking pictures. I had dinner at a cute café and then went to see an interesting puppet show that I had read about in my guide book called Grupo Contatores de Estórias (http://www.ecparaty.org.br/). It was a simple.low-tech production, completely without words and very original. I’m glad I decide to go, despite being tired from the long bus ride.

On Thursday I went on a boat tour to visit some nearby beaches. That is by far the most popular activity in Paraty. There is one big company in town selling all kinds of tours, but instead I went on the boat recommended by my hotel, the Aloha (http://escunaaloha.com.br/). The schooner has a capacity for 60 passengers, but we were only 13. There were 5 couples, 2 women traveling together, and me. All of the other passengers were Brazilian and not a single one spoke English. That didn’t stop people from being friendly, and 2 of the couples in particular, were very concerned that I was alone, asking me something I didn’t understand at first, “Sozinha?” (Alone?) But it was in a very concerned way. They went out of their way to include me, from complimenting my Portuguese (ha!) to asking me to be in their photos, Luckily, the owner of the boat, a lovely Chilean gentleman named Roberto, spoke English (along with Spanish, of course) and he also really took care to make sure I knew what was going on throughout the day.

The entire boat ride was 5 hours, including one stop to snorkel with some fish (I stayed on the boat and took pictures), followed by visits to 2 secluded beaches. There was also live music on board through the day and a full lunch prepared on the boat (for an additional fee). When Roberto came by to take my order for lunch, instead of my name, the sheet of paper just said “gringa.”  That literally made me laugh out loud. He did cross it off and write my name but I think I preferred gringa. The weather that day was absolutely perfect…blue skies without a single cloud, along with a stunning landscape, nice people, and beautiful music. Overall it was a fabulous day.

Throughout the day, I was chatting with Roberto, and it turned out that he was driving to São Paulo on Saturday, the same day I was planning on taking the bus. He offered me a ride and seemed to be very happy about the idea of having company, even offering to show me some other beaches and sights along the way. I told him I needed to check with Doris in São Paulo about our plans for the evening and what time she wanted me to arrive. But I also was starting to think that might be a completely crazy idea that could lead to headlines in the news about a tourist being attacked or murdered. It makes me so sad to even think that way, because I know I am a pretty good judge of character and I think it would have been fine. But it turned out that Doris had a dinner planned for me to meet some of her extended family that night, and had I gone with Roberto we would have arrived too late for the dinner. In all honesty, I was happy to have a legitimate excuse to decline his invitation and stuck with my plan to take the bus. The way I had left it with him was that he would stop by my pousada that evening and I would let him know then. I could tell he was disappointed that I wouldn’t be joining him, but we spent the evening walking around Paraty and having a snack together, We spoke almost entirely in Spanish which was a treat for me after struggling so much with Portuguese, and I enjoyed hearing about his interesting life and this recent project of buying the boat and running the tours, after retiring as a mechanical engineer.

Friday I had a full day to spend in Paraty with nothing scheduled. I had been told about a beautiful beach nearby called Trinidade but to get there I would have had to do another tour or take a local bus. I wasn’t in the mood for either so instead I decided to explore some closer beaches on foot. On my way, I stopped at a fort which had some nice views of the city, and continued on to a beach called Praia do Jabaquara. It was almost completely empty, such a change from the crowds on the beaches in Rio. I just set out my new canga (sarong) of the Brazilian flag and lay on the beach listening to the sound of the ocean. I realized that I couldn’t remember the last time I felt so relaxed. I hung out there for a while then walked to another beach called Praia do Pontal, closer to town. This one was slightly busier, with restaurants and hostels along the beachfront. For the price of a passion fruit juice, I was able to use the bathroom and relax in a beach chair in front of the restaurant. At both beaches I was befriended by dogs (strays?) who curled up by my side or under my chair. So sweet!

Eventually I returned to town, had some lunch, showered and rested at the pousada before heading back out to wander the streets of Paraty and take some more pictures.

My evening activity on Friday consisted of eating some pretty bad Japanese food and drinking a very good caipirinha at a big area full of food vendors that was associated with a festival taking place at one of the churches in town, Festa do Divino. After eating, I took my drink and sat outside the church listening to really beautiful choral music and watching the local activity. It was very different and interesting way for me to spend my last evening in Paraty.

Saturday morning I set off for the bus terminal and the 6 hour bus ride to São Paulo. I was lucky enough to be sitting next to John, a very nice Brazilian guy who has been living in California since he was a kid, and we had a good time chatting. The ride itself was beautiful and the time passed quickly. Before I knew it, I was back at Doris and Luiz’s house in Saõ Paulo with the realization that this vacation was coming to an end. Paraty was an ideal destination for me to spend a few days on my own and decompress and wind down. It was really hard to leave there and it will be just as hard to leave Brazil.

Brazil part 2 — New and Even Newer Friends

After a great start to my trip with 5 fun days in São Paulo, on Tuesday April 30, I took an overnight bus to Petrópois to spend a few days there with Glauco and his family. He met me at the bus terminal Wednesday morning at the ungodly hour of 6 AM. I then had about an hour to rest before setting out on a day trip to Rio de Janiero (1 hour away) with members of his family in a rented 15 passenger van with a driver. We made a stop at the airport for Denys, another friend Glauco had met in New York last year who came to Brazil for a research project. Our group of 14 visited Ipanema and Copacabana beaches, and ended the day with a visit to the Christ the Redeemer statue, where we were treated to beautiful views of Rio after initially thinking that we wouldn’t be able to see anything due to thick fog. It was a really a nice day overall and was great to get to know Glauco’s family better. I had met some of them when they visited him in New York last year but others I met for the first time on Wednesday. Some spoke more English than others, but everybody was warm and friendly.

On Thursday Glauco had to work so he put me in the care of his very sweet cousin Bárbara, her boyfriend Jonathan and her adorable 13 year old brother Gabriel. They took me all around Petrópolis, which is an absolutely lovely city with a European feel. High in the mountains, it was the summer home of the emperors who ruled Brazil and we visited the Imperial Museum and other historic sights.

That evening, Bárbara´s parents hosted a barbecue in their home. I have been to my share of American barbecues but have never seen anything like this. Non-stop meat continuously coming off the grill…just when you are sure that you can’t take another bite, something irresistible is brought to the table. But I think the highlight of the evening (for me, at least) was the dance class from Glauco’s brother’s girlfriend Tatiana, a professional dancer. Glauco was so excited to tell me that she was going to give me a samba lesson at the party, and the only thing I don’t understand is why everybody stood around watching me try to dance samba instead of joining in. At least when you are a gringa the bar isn’t set too high. We also had an impromptu Zumba party followed by some belly dancing and Brazilian funk. And Tatiana even burned a CD for me of the music we heard that evening. I couldn‘t have asked for a more perfect day.

On Friday May 3 Glauco and I set out to spend the weekend in Rio, staying at other cousins´ apartment. It turned out that his aunt and uncle were also there, and it was quite a full house. However, I was given my own room while other people were doubled up on air mattresses and pull out couches. I tried to protest but Glauco said his aunt organized the sleeping arrangements that was the way it was going to be. I was starting to learn that this what Brazilian hospitality is all about and there was no way I would be able to fight it.

Friday night Glauco, his cousin Luã and I went to Lapa, which is an area of Rio know for its nightlife. It was such a crazy scene there with many bars and clubs with exorbitant cover charges and long lines to get in. Instead we chose a less touristy place with cheap beers (for them), good caipirinhas (for me), decent food and great music. We ended up staying out until around 2 AM, which is something I haven’t done in a very long time. Saturday we explored downtown Rio with Glauco’s cousins, visiting a beautiful café, Confiteria Colombo (http://www.confeitariacolombo.com.br/site/) which I had wanted to check out, and we also saw some historic buildings and art exhibits. Then his cousins went back to the apartment and Glauco and I headed to Arpoador, which is the point where Copacabana and Ipanema beaches meet and people gather on a big rock to watch the sunset. We had to rush a bit to make it there before the sun actually set but we got there in time and it was quite beautiful. On Sunday Glauco and I went to Niterói, which he described as the New Jersey of Rio. The nicest way to get there is by ferry and it is best known for its views of Rio. However it also has an Oscar Niemeyer designed art museum which was worth visiting. We did a kind of hop-on-hop-off tour around the city, visiting the museum and a fort, then stopping for dinner. While waiting for the van to pick us up after we ate, we got to see an even nicer sunset than the night before.

I had a great time seeing Rio with Glauco and I was feeling the same way that I also felt in São Paulo, which is that I was really glad to have Brazilian friends to show me around. This is kind of an unusual feeling for me, as I am generally very comfortable traveling alone. I am not sure if it has to do with my limited Portuguese skills or concerns I had about safety (or maybe a combination of the two). But I found both of these cities to be pretty large and hard to navigate, and was very grateful for the help of my Brazilian friends.

On Monday May 6, Glauco had to return to Petrópolis, but before doing so, he took me from his cousins´ apartment to the hotel that I had reserved for the next 2 nights (by taxi, train and subway). It was very hard for me to say goodbye to him, not knowing when we will see each other again. This is becoming a more and more common experience for me, as I keep making friends all over the world. When he left me at my hotel in the Catete area of Rio I was feeling kind of adrift. It probably didn’t help matters that it was a gray, rainy day, and that the hotel (Hotel Riazor, not recommended) was a total dump. It is a shame, because it is a beautiful old building from the outside, but completely shoddy and rundown on the inside. There is no wi-fi, barely any TV channels, the AC in the room is only controlled by the front desk (on or off, that’s it) and most of the staff didn’t speak English. It was recommended to me by a friend in New York who has stayed there and did warn me that it was very basic. I did a lot of my own research before booking and it was one of the only affordable places I could find in Rio. Even my own room in a hostel would have been more expensive. Anyway, it was only for 2 nights so I knew I could survive. I felt kind of like I wasted a day because I didn’t do much once I checked in and Glauco left. There were a few museums in the area and that would have been a perfect way to spend the afternoon, but being Monday, all museums were closed. Instead I walked around a pretty garden, Parque do Catete, across the street from my hotel, took some pictures, had some lunch, and strolled around the immediate vicinity of the hotel. I think I just needed some time to relax, it was just unfortunate that I couldn’t do so in nicer surroundings.

Monday night I fell asleep around 9:30 PM, so possibly part of the reason I was feeling so lost that day was sheer exhaustion. I woke up on Tuesday feeling energized and ready for the day. I had arranged to meet Eliane, a friend of an old friend. When I contacted Eliane and asked if she would have time to meet, I expected maybe we would have coffee or lunch together, or maybe visit a museum for an hour or two. I honestly never suggested she would plan to spend the entire day with me. First we went to Pão de Açúcar (Sugarloaf) which is a mountain reached by cable cars that offers spectacular views of Rio. Then we walked around Copacabana to do some shopping and had lunch at delicious Middle Eastern restaurant overlooking the stunning beach. Then Eliane drove me to the downtown area so I could buy a ticket for a modern dance performance that she was attending with her daughter later that evening. I also got to meet Eliane’s daughter at the performance and had a very nice evening with them. Even though our seats weren’t together, they met me on the subway, we traveled together, then during intermission I was able to change my seat to be near then, Besides the performance being enjoyable, the theater itself, Theatro Municpal, is absolutely beautiful. If I had already been feeling touched and overwhelmed by the generosity and hospitality of my friends, here was someone going out of her way for a total stranger. That day was a perfect way to end my time in Rio before embarking on the next part of my Brazilian odyssey.

Brazil part 1 — Connections and Reconnections

I have been blogging pretty consistently for the past few years whenever I travel, and it feels weird to have gone so long in Brazil without writing anything. But from the moment I arrived on Friday April 26 until Monday May 6, I have been with friends and haven’t found the time until now. But now I am on my own, and have the time and the mindset to reflect a bit.

So far this has been an absolutely amazing trip. At the beginning I wasn’t really falling in love with the country the way I expected to–although I am liking it more and more as I spend more time here. What has made it incredible is the hospitality and generosity of my friends here who have gone above and beyond what anybody could expect to ensure that I had a fabulous time.

I flew into São Paulo and was met at the airport by Doris, a friend of 25 years and her husband Luiz. I spent the first 5 days of my time in Brazil in their house in a suburban area of this huge metropolis. Doris schlepped me all around São Paulo and I got to see some nice museums, the historic city center, an amazing market and an cute artisan town nearby, as well as eat some incredible food. In addition, I got a flavor of everyday Paulista life and the opportunity to reconnect with Doris and get to really know her funny and intelligent 13 year old son Leo.

I was also lucky that my friend Glauco, who I only met in 2012 when he spent a semester studying in New York, was able to spend part of that first weekend with us in São Paulo. Glauco lives in Petrópolis (5 hours away by bus) and while I knew that I would be seeing him later on in the trip, it was a nice surprise that his schedule allowed him to hang out with Doris and me in São Paulo as well. I am always a little bit nervous about introducing friends to each other (Will they get along? What if they hate each other?) but I had a feeling these two would hit it off. On Friday afternoon (the day I arrived in Brazil) Doris, her son, and I visited the campus of the Universidade de São Paulo, from which she graduated and where her husband Luiz is a professor of statistics. Glauco just got his doctorate from USP in physics and he invited us to his apartment on campus. The walls of his place were filled with notes and graffiti from friends and visitors to the dorm. Doris was reading something on the wall and noted that she had a friend with the same (uncommon) name. Glauco mentioned that his friend had been a student in the statistics department and was a former resident of the apartment. Sure enough, it was Doris’s friend! It is amazing how small the world is and how interconnected we all are. But how crazy that it took me visiting from New York for them to meet and realize that they have a mutual friend.

Also during my time in São Paulo I got to see Marcel, another friend I had met in New York. He, Doris and I spent a really nice afternoon together. When he learned that we had been friends for 25 years, he commented that he hopes to be in touch with us also in 25 years. I really hope that it much sooner than that before I see all of my Brazilian friends! I learned from this trip how wonderful it is to connect and reconnect with old and new friends. I will always be grateful to my wonderful Turkish friend Ayse who taught me this. All of these interactions interconnections are what life is about.