Lima to Miami yesterday. Walking from the plane to Immigration we round a corner, get on a moving walkway and what do we see at the end of the walkway but a half a dozen customs agents and a german shepherd dog. Oh, and one young guy up against the wall as one agent tells another one that "it's on his bag and on his clothes." Now imagine how you feel when you are going a few miles above the speed limit and look in your rear view mirror and see a police car behind you. Now imagine how you must feel when you are carrying drugs and come around that corner and see those agents and that dog. That has got to be a major downer.
Anyway, we were only carrying legal drugs purchased cheaply in Lima so we sailed right through and on to see our old friends at the Hilton Miami Airport. Then even though he usually rags on me about being obsessive about working out, Michael actually suggested that I had time to run a couple of miles in the fitness room before dinner. So what does that say about how much I've been eating and drinking on the trip? (It's only the couple of days of illness that may have saved me.) So I get on the treadmill, plug in my earphones and turn on my little, personal television. The channel comes on in Spanish. I'm a little groggy so that throws me. For a brief moment I'm thinking, 'where the heck am I?' In Brazil speaking Spanish in response to Portugese? In Lima speaking Spanish in the face of Spanish? No, I'm in the United States of America. I'm sure of it. I remember going through Customs and Immigration. Yeah, right. The guy with the drug-sniffing dog. That was definitely the US. So why is the TV speaking Spanish? Oh, right. I'm in Miami. Nuff, said.
Anyway, we are home. Got here with three weeks worth of laundry and no laundry soap, but the cats are fine and the house is still standing and the weather is gorgeous and all is right with the world.
Now unless we come across any really outstanding photos to post this is pretty much it for this installment of the blog. But do not despair. Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos are only 3-1/2 weeks away. And new acquaintances at the veterinary meeting in Lima were talking to Michael about speaking in Mexico City and Havana, Cuba which means that next year could include a pretty busy travel schedule as well. So keep in touch. Meanwhile, as they say in Brazil, Ciao. Ciao.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
It was just my imagination - Temptations
OK. Sitting in the first class Sumaq lounge at the Peru Airport. Lord it's good to have 'status' again. And in the interest of full disclosure, I did not want the picture Michael posted last night of the Nazca line image to mislead. Lord knows when we were first told to look out the window and spot the line image of the whale we felt pretty deceived. There are freakin' lines everywhere and no convenient red dot or flashing light to draw your eyes to the line(s) that are making up the image. Quite honestly it is almost as hard at first as picking a constellation out of a sky filled with stars. Add in the banking and turning and the fact that you only have a few fleeting seconds to find the image yourself, try to explain its location to your spouse (without landmarks....how do you say...'hey, it's there. next to that other line. you see, the fat line. no not that fat line....etc etc etc) and then snap a picture before your stomach is churning off to the next image.
In spite of that, since I had the better seat, even though I am not the photographer of the pair and need my reading glasses to even begin to see the display on my cheap little camera, just like the monkey and the typewrite and Shakespeare - I managed to capture images of almost all the images we saw. No I didn't get the whale but that was the first one and I'm lucky I ever even saw it in the first place.
So here is a before and after so you understand. The original view as captured from the plane. And then the CSI-enhanced version.
In spite of that, since I had the better seat, even though I am not the photographer of the pair and need my reading glasses to even begin to see the display on my cheap little camera, just like the monkey and the typewrite and Shakespeare - I managed to capture images of almost all the images we saw. No I didn't get the whale but that was the first one and I'm lucky I ever even saw it in the first place.
So here is a before and after so you understand. The original view as captured from the plane. And then the CSI-enhanced version.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
On the Road Again - Willie Nelson
what Michael thought I was getting him into, but he was pleasantly
surprised. Guess he imagined chickens and pigs and lord know what while the
buses are actually quite luxurious: pillows, blankets, light snack, movies
and wireless internet access. Yes, that is what I wrote. Wireless internet
access. In fact, there is even a little internet business office in the
front of the bus in case you want to send emails, etc but don't have your
own computer with you. (The other photo is the Paracas bus station.)
Exceptionally glad we elected not to drive this route ourselves. It is just
a world of nothingness through the desert. There's an occasional tiny town
but that is it. Even Paracas turned out to be minuscule though they are
clearly preparing for a huge influx of tourism dollars what with
construction everywhere, paver brick walkways and piazzas....starting to
look like Puerto Vallarta. We had a couple of hours to kill so we walked
into town to have a quick bite (but not too much pre-flight) and then caught
a cab to the airport (which is much nicer just small).
I'm so dizzy. My head is spinning.
airport. Flew a half hour to the lines region and then spent the next half
hour twisting from side to side so everyone could have a look at the lines.
Got quite queezy but managed to hold on to lunch thanks to modern chemistry.
Saw most of the more famous drawings. Some were not as obvious as others
and by the time you found them it was too late to get good photos. This is
my favorite...a hummingbird. Then a half hour back to the airport.
The new theory is that they drew them quite small on the desert floor and
then used enlargement techniques just expanding the lines until they were
huge drawings. Then they walked on the surface to pack it down and used
rocks to outline it.
However they did it it was amazing work and beautiful designs that cover
hundreds and even thousands of square feet.
Now we are having a bite and sharing an Inca Cola before we catch the next
bus to Lima...should be home in about 4 hrs and then will pack for our trip
to Miami and eventually home.
Ciao for now
Off to see the Lines
Wake up call set for 5:30A. Up at 3:30A and not able to really get back to sleep.
Taxi at 6:15 to bus terminal. Bus at 7:30 to Paracas. Taxi to airport in Paracas.
Flight over Nazca Lines at 2:00P. Taxi to bus terminal in Paracas. Bus from Paracas at 6:00P.
Taxi to hotel should arrive here again at 10P. Then wake up call at 5:30A for taxi to airport to Miami.
Meanwhile, All packed up with supplies in case I puke....and I've plotted out the dramamine schedule to try to avoid it. Little planes swinging left and then right over each image so that everyone on the plane can get their photos. Plus you know they get a sadistic thrill from making the crazy tourists sick.
Good times. But should be awesome. You all better see some great photos come out of this or I'm gonna be bummed.
Taxi at 6:15 to bus terminal. Bus at 7:30 to Paracas. Taxi to airport in Paracas.
Flight over Nazca Lines at 2:00P. Taxi to bus terminal in Paracas. Bus from Paracas at 6:00P.
Taxi to hotel should arrive here again at 10P. Then wake up call at 5:30A for taxi to airport to Miami.
Meanwhile, All packed up with supplies in case I puke....and I've plotted out the dramamine schedule to try to avoid it. Little planes swinging left and then right over each image so that everyone on the plane can get their photos. Plus you know they get a sadistic thrill from making the crazy tourists sick.
Good times. But should be awesome. You all better see some great photos come out of this or I'm gonna be bummed.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
In Peru
I got sick on the plane from Iguassu to Sao Paulo Friday afternoon. And then had to fly 6 hours again yesterday. Oh joy. Chills, aches, stomach upset. Michael always gets so frustrated with me like I do it on purpose in spite of the fact that I am careful about what I eat and use sanitizing gel constantly. Could be I just don’t drink enough alcohol. Meanwhile, other folks in the group (some who only did the first week, others that did the extension to Iguassu) also reported getting sick. (we went to Iguassu after the other folks left.) So it wasn’t just me. Tried sending him off to dinner with the veterinarians last night without me so (1) he wouldn’t have to keep giving me the evil eye for being sick and (2) so I could maybe recover and be 100% today. But he decided not to go. The time difference from Brazil to Peru is three hours so we'd been up since the equivalent of 2AM. So just room service. Friday night I only had chicken soup. Last night I opted to go for the Minestrone.
Have you seen 'Bridget Jones' Diary'? The bright blue soup she makes for her birthday dinner? Well, my minestrone was fluorescent green. Attempt that on an upset stomach.
Anyway, this morning I am feeling better and starving. Not the 100% I was hoping for but better. It has been suggested that we take the time today to visit the Natural History Museum so that's what we will do.
Probably no great photos unless I get back to the little videos I took of the falls just to try to capture the sound.
Later.
Have you seen 'Bridget Jones' Diary'? The bright blue soup she makes for her birthday dinner? Well, my minestrone was fluorescent green. Attempt that on an upset stomach.
Anyway, this morning I am feeling better and starving. Not the 100% I was hoping for but better. It has been suggested that we take the time today to visit the Natural History Museum so that's what we will do.
Probably no great photos unless I get back to the little videos I took of the falls just to try to capture the sound.
Later.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Oh let it rain, rain, rain, rain - The Temptations
Between running around South American and posting pictures and blogging about running around South America, I am exhausted. I always knew that travel was for the young....I just always used to be one of the young. I am afraid now that I am sliding down that downward slope to aged.
Mercifully, god in his infinite wisdom, has seen fit to bring rain. Now normally we would be jumping up and down because that means a full cistern. Here, we are not jumping up and down only because we are too sore to move, but we are grateful to have the excuse to not make just one more quick circuit of the walk along the falls this morning before heading to the airport and on to overnight in Sao Paulo.
We have been extremely lucky: sunny day first day to make three circuits here on the Brazilian side with poolside reprieve inbetween, overcast and not so deadly yesterday to run throught the highlights of the park on the Argentina side, and now forced to enjoy a leisurely breakfast and to do nothing at all.
Good times.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Water water everywhere and not a drop to drink
had asked at the hotel here about transportation. No we did not want a tour.
Just a taxi. But no, she says. You should take one of our drivers. He will
take you all the way out of the park, across the border, to the park and
wait until you are finished for your return. All of this for only 300 Reais.
($200). But no, we say. We do not want a tour. Just a taxi. But no, she
says, this is not a tour, just transportation. A taxi will cost more because
it is a very long way. Being the cheap, I mean savvy, travelers and
generally cynical people that we are, however, we did not believe her.
So we took the park bus to the park entrance this morning and approached a
cab driver and inquired about transportation. Leolindo spoke Portuguese and
I spoke Spanish and we verified that he would take us all the way to the
park entrance in Argentina (not just to the line - I do not know the word
for border) between Brazil and Argentina and established that the cost would
be....wait for it....160 Reais Roundtrip. Not only that but he stopped on
the way at a good place to change some money into Pesos (the park entrance
fee is only payable in Pesos - no Reais, no Dollars, no credit cards) though
the boat rides etc can be paid in any currency (Government vs Free
Capitalist Trade Markets). All of this we got from our Portu-Spanish
conversation.
He handed our passports to the immigration agents leaving Brazil, entering
Argentina, leaving Argentina and re-entering Brazil. And when we got to the
park he jumped us out of the car, ran us through the gates and directly into
the waiting arms of the get-you-soaking-wet boat operators for the tour. We
managed to convey that we would meet him at 4PM after he called to verify
what time OUR park gates close since our hotel is inside the park so that we
would get home in time.
He was absolutely right to hurry us in. We had just enough time to take the
boat ride, hike back up the hill, jump on the train, walk to Devil's Throat,
stop for a cerveza and to eat our purloined croissants, cheese and meat from
the breakfast buffet, and get back to the gate to meet him at 3:45P. Got
back here EXHAUSTED...in fact, too exhausted to hunt down the concierge who
had so blatantly lied to us yesterday. Good thing for her, I tell you. If I
had any strength left I would have bitch-slapped her silly.
Now sadly (or not) it is overcast so we won't be walking back to the falls
at midnight in search of a better lunar rainbow. At least it was cloudy an
hour ago and we aren't going to check again....that's our story and we are
sticking to it!
Let's Twist Again Like We Did Last Summer - Chubby Checker
It's pretty styling on these birds.
Pre-dousing
soaked under the spray, why do we already look like crap.... But I know that
you are too polite to ask. Why bother, though, to look good when you are
paying a fair number of Argentine Pesos for the honor of being run under
Iguazu Falls? Besides, it takes a certain complexion to look good in day-glo
orange.
lepidoptera
of butterflies and moths? Well, I imagine any of you who actually know
Michael... trivia freak that he is. But this is a cute one.....the top side
of their wings are brilliant blue with a red dot but there's no getting them
to open them for any longer than a hummingbird's wing-beat so couldn't get
the photo.
Oh and apparently butterfly antennae have a ball at the end and moth's don't
(at least most of the time but there are a few exceptions and some other
issues....for now, though, Butterfly "B", Balls "B").
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Lunar rainbow
Granted I don't think the moon is full until Friday but we decided to just stroll down to Devil's Throat all alone at 10pm to look for the fabled lunar rainbow. What the hell? What could go wrong?
Well first of all, cellphone displays do not make good flashlights. Second of all, it is creepy walking down a completely deserted road in only moonlight.
Thirdly, I don't remember anyone telling me whether to act like a bear or a log in the face of a jaguar attack.
Fourthly I should consider a stealth companion with better hearing and vision because by the time, if ever, that it registered with Michael that the elevator at the viewing platform had coughed back to life, illuminated itself and started to move, Freddy Kruger would have killed us both. (I, of course, was off the wall and crouched down behind it before you could say, 'Ax murderer throws woman over Iquassu Falls'. It turns out the damn elevators must run automatically from time to time just for the hell of it!
Anyway, saw the rainbow - faint and with minimal color but it was definitely there. Will try again tomorrow if I recover from my stroke.
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
Well first of all, cellphone displays do not make good flashlights. Second of all, it is creepy walking down a completely deserted road in only moonlight.
Thirdly, I don't remember anyone telling me whether to act like a bear or a log in the face of a jaguar attack.
Fourthly I should consider a stealth companion with better hearing and vision because by the time, if ever, that it registered with Michael that the elevator at the viewing platform had coughed back to life, illuminated itself and started to move, Freddy Kruger would have killed us both. (I, of course, was off the wall and crouched down behind it before you could say, 'Ax murderer throws woman over Iquassu Falls'. It turns out the damn elevators must run automatically from time to time just for the hell of it!
Anyway, saw the rainbow - faint and with minimal color but it was definitely there. Will try again tomorrow if I recover from my stroke.
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
Red-backed, yellow-beaked, palm tree weaver birds?
Boy, that Michael is a chatty guy. It's small wonder I don't typically let him do the blogging - between his inherent verbosity and his drinking problem....
But we are, indeed, hanging by the pool. Never hang by our own pool, but here we are.
Of course, by my own pool nobody comes around with cold, damp cloths every 30 minutes like clockwork. Or peanuts, or plantain chips, or fresh fruit skewers or smoothie shots....and that's all in the last 90 minutes or so.
Meanwhile, I am relaxing and studying the wildlife. Lots of lovely bugs. One big iguana lizard. Swallows, big finches and these birds. They sound a lot like the red-wing blackbirds we had in California but are bigger and clearly have taken up weaving. They also chaised off (nope sorry, I'm in the chaise) chased off some beige, taupey, whitish missile bird...only way I can describe it. In retrospect my brain didn't even register it having wings...it's silhouette was reminiscent of a cormorant diving (no shoulders, no neck, no beak) only it was shooting horizontally. So if Gordon can ID that one, it will be a miracle (or a credit to my descriptive powers). But I'm sure he'll come up with the real name for the red-backed, yellow-beaked, palm tree weavers.
Oh hey, the guy just came by with another smoothie shot.....life is good.
But we are, indeed, hanging by the pool. Never hang by our own pool, but here we are.
Of course, by my own pool nobody comes around with cold, damp cloths every 30 minutes like clockwork. Or peanuts, or plantain chips, or fresh fruit skewers or smoothie shots....and that's all in the last 90 minutes or so.
Meanwhile, I am relaxing and studying the wildlife. Lots of lovely bugs. One big iguana lizard. Swallows, big finches and these birds. They sound a lot like the red-wing blackbirds we had in California but are bigger and clearly have taken up weaving. They also chaised off (nope sorry, I'm in the chaise) chased off some beige, taupey, whitish missile bird...only way I can describe it. In retrospect my brain didn't even register it having wings...it's silhouette was reminiscent of a cormorant diving (no shoulders, no neck, no beak) only it was shooting horizontally. So if Gordon can ID that one, it will be a miracle (or a credit to my descriptive powers). But I'm sure he'll come up with the real name for the red-backed, yellow-beaked, palm tree weavers.
Oh hey, the guy just came by with another smoothie shot.....life is good.
Pool side
Sitting by pool sipping caipirinhas...translation " instant buzz, drunk soon to follow.
Ciao caio
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
Ciao caio
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
Why Are There So Many Songs About Rainbows? - Muppets
Here at Iguassu Falls. Got in last night and stayed at a less expensive place by the airport. Up this morning and into the park to the Hotel Das Cataratas - now an Orient Express Hotel. It is the only hotel inside the park on the Brazilian side (the Sheraton is inside the Argentinian park). The walkway along the falls starts at the hotel and our room affords a view of the first section.
Left our luggage in the lobby (it was only 9:30A but they apologized for the fact that our room would not be ready for another 40 minutes) and went out walking. Absolutely spectacular. The Devil's Throat Falls are at the end of the walk but we didn't know that so that every time we turned a corner or saw the falls from a different angle it was another Oooh and Aaah and photo op (vertical fireworks on the ground so to speak).
Here are a few quick photos. Plenty more to follow.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
What are the odds?
Here at the little (9 gates) airport in Curitiba, Brazil at 9pm in a waiting area that is maybe 1/3 full and I am NOT the only woman in a faux leopard jacket.
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
Jack the Knife - Bobby Darin
Just left Adelar the knife maker again. Michael's camera battery died yesterday so we got no photos. Went back today to get some so he hand-forged another knife and I realized my little camera takes video just halfway into the process so I got some great video and photos of him and Michael and the knife we bought yesterday and then the knife we bought today.
Coz Adelar may live in a small village in Brazil Sol but he is no fool. He had four more facas que estan listas hoy - 'coincidental-ista'. ( OK, I made up that last word.)
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
Coz Adelar may live in a small village in Brazil Sol but he is no fool. He had four more facas que estan listas hoy - 'coincidental-ista'. ( OK, I made up that last word.)
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
Monday, October 18, 2010
Really great day
Today ranked as one of the coolest in a long line of cool days. We had a fantastic breakfast,,,the only folks in the restaurant so great service. I had decided to look for a gaucho knife so we went in to Bento Gonzalvez where we had been told there was a small store selling knives…Closed. So we went driving around looking at the countryside and taking some nice pictures that we’ll post. Went back to the store where we picked out some things including a knife that was OK. Unfortunately for the shopkeeper her credit card machine was not working. While struggling with credit cards I asked where I might find a vintage knife.
She sent us to a guy with “original hand-made” knives. So off we went to Montebello with no real idea where we were going . Just looking for a guy with old knives.
After looking around we stopped at the police office to ask. The woman spoke not a word of English and only a little more Spanish but somehow we conveyed “artisanal knives” and her face lit up. She drew a crude map and told us the shop was 3 km up a dirt road. Again…off we went. Reached 3.2 km and saw no shops but stopped at a house and asked and the guy responded “aqui!” and called his friend. Ext thing we are going around to a blacksmith shop that looked like something from the 19th century. Huge bellows and furnace, hand run drill presses and foot powered grinders. He walked us around and “explained everything in Portugese…not a word of English or Spanish. He took a piece of iron and started to heat it and hammer it and in about a half hour there was a crude knife blade. It takes about 3 days for him to make a knife so he showed us ones he had made…magnificent 12” blade and exotic handle. Not an antique but beautiful. I bought one for far less than a kitchen knife and it will be one of my prizes for many years.
Then back to the hotel for wine and then a fantastic dinner and now off to bed. Tomorrow we head to Iguassu
Good times!
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is? - Chicago
Does Anybody Really Care?
So, I know you have been eagerly awaiting your math quiz for this trip. So get ready for a word problem.
October 15th, 2010 Brazil time is 1 hour ahead of Miami time. A young boy boards a very, slow train in Florianapolis, Brazil heading north. The train is traveling 5km/hour. It is Saturday night, October 16, 2010. That night in Brazil, they change their clocks. But it being the southern hemisphere they do not 'fall back' but rather they spring forward. So Brazil time becomes 2 hours ahead of Miami time. Then on November 7, 2010, Miami ends DST and 'falls back' one hour so that the time difference between Miami and Brazil becomes three hours.
So what did the boy eat for lunch?
Moral of the story: we are pretty tired from having to get up at the previous Brazil equivalent of 3AM to catch our 7AM flight to Porto Alegre and drive north to the wine country. It is overcast and cooler her (it being south of Rio) but we've been out wine tasting. Nobody here speaks English but I keep asking them (in Spanish) if I speak to them a little bit of Spanish, is it possible that they will understand a little. It seems to work and we muddle through basics like what wines do you make? which is your favorite? How long has the winery been here? etc. At a loss for the Spanish word for 'smooth', Michael comes up with 'suave'. Apparently it works.
Lovely hotel in the hills with a fabulous view and a jacuzzi that we may use if we wake up after our 5:30P, post wine-tasting nap. Michael is already well into his. I will be the minute my fingers quit typing or perhaps soooooooooooooooooooner. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
So, I know you have been eagerly awaiting your math quiz for this trip. So get ready for a word problem.
October 15th, 2010 Brazil time is 1 hour ahead of Miami time. A young boy boards a very, slow train in Florianapolis, Brazil heading north. The train is traveling 5km/hour. It is Saturday night, October 16, 2010. That night in Brazil, they change their clocks. But it being the southern hemisphere they do not 'fall back' but rather they spring forward. So Brazil time becomes 2 hours ahead of Miami time. Then on November 7, 2010, Miami ends DST and 'falls back' one hour so that the time difference between Miami and Brazil becomes three hours.
So what did the boy eat for lunch?
Moral of the story: we are pretty tired from having to get up at the previous Brazil equivalent of 3AM to catch our 7AM flight to Porto Alegre and drive north to the wine country. It is overcast and cooler her (it being south of Rio) but we've been out wine tasting. Nobody here speaks English but I keep asking them (in Spanish) if I speak to them a little bit of Spanish, is it possible that they will understand a little. It seems to work and we muddle through basics like what wines do you make? which is your favorite? How long has the winery been here? etc. At a loss for the Spanish word for 'smooth', Michael comes up with 'suave'. Apparently it works.
Lovely hotel in the hills with a fabulous view and a jacuzzi that we may use if we wake up after our 5:30P, post wine-tasting nap. Michael is already well into his. I will be the minute my fingers quit typing or perhaps soooooooooooooooooooner. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Everybody Samba!
Bucket list: Dance the Samba in Rio de Janeiro.
Check. Check.
Yesterday after two final professional meetings, we went to samba. Big business during Carnival (to watch the competition, seats in the samba stadium run towards $500US each) samba dancing is also just good fun on a Friday night.
I, of course, put my new shoes on and we went out and cut quite a rug!
Heck, we stayed out until ... Wait for it ... 11:30PM!
We were Brazilian party animals, I tell you.
Today, up to see Christ the Redeemer. Luckily I drank only one caipirinha, one pepsi and two bottles of water and didn't injure anyone on the dance floor so I'm not actually in need of any redemption.
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
Check. Check.
Yesterday after two final professional meetings, we went to samba. Big business during Carnival (to watch the competition, seats in the samba stadium run towards $500US each) samba dancing is also just good fun on a Friday night.
I, of course, put my new shoes on and we went out and cut quite a rug!
Heck, we stayed out until ... Wait for it ... 11:30PM!
We were Brazilian party animals, I tell you.
Today, up to see Christ the Redeemer. Luckily I drank only one caipirinha, one pepsi and two bottles of water and didn't injure anyone on the dance floor so I'm not actually in need of any redemption.
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Obladee oblada
You say potato. I say potato. You say Obrigado. I say Obrigada.
Apparently Portuguese is the only language where 'thank you' has a masculine and a feminine form as it pertains to the person offering the thanks not the person receiving them.
So I say Obrigada. And Michael says Obrigado.
That's your lesson for the day.
Meanwhile sorry for no photos. Long day again but you aren't missing too much yet.
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
Apparently Portuguese is the only language where 'thank you' has a masculine and a feminine form as it pertains to the person offering the thanks not the person receiving them.
So I say Obrigada. And Michael says Obrigado.
That's your lesson for the day.
Meanwhile sorry for no photos. Long day again but you aren't missing too much yet.
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
Pillow menu
Now this is different. On the night stand here at the Sofitel in Rio there's a little booklet on the night stand. It is titled, 'Pillow Menu.'
First guess was room service menu for eating in bed. Wrong. It is actually a menu for the purpose of ordering alternative pillow options.
Inside the brochure it reads: My bed. Customized sleeping. ... To make your stay memorable and for a perfect night sleep, choose your own special pillow from our menu. ... Our pillow menu allows us to cater for each individual with a range of six different types of pillows.
Then it goes on to suggest different pillows for back sleepers and stomach sleepers, etc. They only fall shy of suggesting wine pairings.
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
First guess was room service menu for eating in bed. Wrong. It is actually a menu for the purpose of ordering alternative pillow options.
Inside the brochure it reads: My bed. Customized sleeping. ... To make your stay memorable and for a perfect night sleep, choose your own special pillow from our menu. ... Our pillow menu allows us to cater for each individual with a range of six different types of pillows.
Then it goes on to suggest different pillows for back sleepers and stomach sleepers, etc. They only fall shy of suggesting wine pairings.
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
Long day
We started out early yesterday with two site visits with Brazil's largest HMO. It's an HMO but a very high quality one with minimum 30 minute office visits and a gorgeous cardiology facility. The VIP room is nicer than any hotel room I've ever stayed in (whether I was paying or somebody else was).
Of course the questions kept coming back to quality control and peer review of the doctor's and their medicine and the answers kept coming back to the cost efficiency, but what did you expect?
Then off to the domestic airport where we could wear our shoes and jackets through security and did not have to remove every lotion bottle and electronic item from out bags so things went smoothly even with 40 people.
Only a 45 min flight to Rio. Just enough time for Michael, and a half a dozen other men, to fall in love with the blond flight attendant with the perfect nose and flawless skin.
Landed in Rio in what was apparently uncharacteristically clear weather with Christ the Redeemer looking down on the City. One is immediately reminded of a South Africa and Table Mountain (on a littler scale).
On the bus and straight up (well technically it takes two trams) to the top of Sugar Loaf Mountain to enjoy the view. Then back down half way for a little cocktail party with caipirinhas which made dinner (which we still had) superfluous and redundant.
A long day but a nice one.
Pictures to follow. Gotta run.
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
Of course the questions kept coming back to quality control and peer review of the doctor's and their medicine and the answers kept coming back to the cost efficiency, but what did you expect?
Then off to the domestic airport where we could wear our shoes and jackets through security and did not have to remove every lotion bottle and electronic item from out bags so things went smoothly even with 40 people.
Only a 45 min flight to Rio. Just enough time for Michael, and a half a dozen other men, to fall in love with the blond flight attendant with the perfect nose and flawless skin.
Landed in Rio in what was apparently uncharacteristically clear weather with Christ the Redeemer looking down on the City. One is immediately reminded of a South Africa and Table Mountain (on a littler scale).
On the bus and straight up (well technically it takes two trams) to the top of Sugar Loaf Mountain to enjoy the view. Then back down half way for a little cocktail party with caipirinhas which made dinner (which we still had) superfluous and redundant.
A long day but a nice one.
Pictures to follow. Gotta run.
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Smart men, babies and great food - not necessarily in that order
Sorry to have been incommunicado. Yesterday was a full day of professional meetings at both public and private hospitals so not much interesting to discuss. And not a lot of great pictures from todays visits to the cathedral, the park and the art museum though we did go to the Snake Farm where they milk venomous snakes to make antivenom.....woo hoo. Good times. Say hello to the pretty snake.
But we did learn that at the public hospital they try to have only 'natural births.' There was just something about the way they said it that made me think that they were not just making the distinction apart from caesarian sections. And I was right. They meant natural as in absolutely no drugs whatsoever. No epidurals. No nothing. However, their average birth weight for babies is only 2-3 kg so perhaps the ease of delivering a 5.5lb baby makes the drugs irrelevant. Anybody who's had a baby want to chime in?
We also found out that when women are engaged they wear a simple band on their right ring finger. And when they get married they wear a (the same or a different on depending on the disparity in their finger size) simple band on their left ring finger. Seems that separate engagement rings are not the norm and nobody has explained to these poor women that they can put in for diamonds.
Finally, Michael and I just got back from a fabulous meal. The guy sitting across the aisle from us on the flight down is a pastry chef in Rio. He recommended a restaurant called DOM here in Sao Paulo. We didn't have internet access to look it up but went ahead and made a reservation. Well, Gary Danko eat your heart out. They claim to be rated the 18th top restaurant in the world. We weren't expecting the quality (or price) of the dinner but it was amazing. Four course tasting menu with cheese course and dessert and a bonus course thrown in for good measure. Ummm ummmm ummmm.
Tomorrow we have meetings in the morning and then fly to Rio so tonight we have to pack. More later.
We also found out that when women are engaged they wear a simple band on their right ring finger. And when they get married they wear a (the same or a different on depending on the disparity in their finger size) simple band on their left ring finger. Seems that separate engagement rings are not the norm and nobody has explained to these poor women that they can put in for diamonds.
Finally, Michael and I just got back from a fabulous meal. The guy sitting across the aisle from us on the flight down is a pastry chef in Rio. He recommended a restaurant called DOM here in Sao Paulo. We didn't have internet access to look it up but went ahead and made a reservation. Well, Gary Danko eat your heart out. They claim to be rated the 18th top restaurant in the world. We weren't expecting the quality (or price) of the dinner but it was amazing. Four course tasting menu with cheese course and dessert and a bonus course thrown in for good measure. Ummm ummmm ummmm.
Tomorrow we have meetings in the morning and then fly to Rio so tonight we have to pack. More later.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
We have arrived
As always, thank heavens for Michael's status so that we could upgrade on the flight down. And thank heavens for our flight attendant, Steve, who was fairly forcing the champagne on us while we waited for a late departure.
The challenge came when we had to be sure that 40 people made it through the one hour line at immigration and then the one hour line through customs. Clearly they need a bigger airport here in Sao Paulo. Some 15 million people and only 12 immigration lines and four baggage carousels for all the international flights.
While making sure that everyone in our group had their luggage and were moving ahead of us ... one woman hadn't found her bag. So she described it to me - black with pink and white polka dots. I found one. But it was black and pink with white polka dots - what are the odds? So finally found the black one with both pink and white polka dots. Whew!
Well, they just brought the bags up so time to hit the fitness room. This might be my last opportunity for a few days.
More later.
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
The challenge came when we had to be sure that 40 people made it through the one hour line at immigration and then the one hour line through customs. Clearly they need a bigger airport here in Sao Paulo. Some 15 million people and only 12 immigration lines and four baggage carousels for all the international flights.
While making sure that everyone in our group had their luggage and were moving ahead of us ... one woman hadn't found her bag. So she described it to me - black with pink and white polka dots. I found one. But it was black and pink with white polka dots - what are the odds? So finally found the black one with both pink and white polka dots. Whew!
Well, they just brought the bags up so time to hit the fitness room. This might be my last opportunity for a few days.
More later.
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
Friday, October 8, 2010
Isn't it Ironic? - A. Morrisette
We made it to Miami which was not entirely a given since storms had caused cessation of ferry service between Anguilla and St Martin for three days, and even the airports on both islands were intermittently shut down.
But here we are feeling pretty content in the Hilton. (We don't head on to Sao Paulo until tomorrow.)
So what do we do? Of course we check email.
And what do we learn? We learn that the 'hit' reality TV show, The Bachelor, is coming to Anguilla to film an episode in conjunction with shooting a Sports Illustrated swimsuit spread featuring those same bachelorettes!
And when is this happening? October 21-27th.
And where will we be? Iguassu Falls and Lima, Peru - not Anguilla.
Poor Michael. Bad enough that we were in Cairo when Jimmy Buffett played a concert in Anguilla, but now this!!!!
Poor Michael. But he's putting up a good front. After all, he says, it's not like the bachelorettes are actually models and actresses hoping for their big break by pretending to be looking for love in the context of a TV show. They are just average, run of the mill, girls next door really searching for true love. How hot can they look in bikinis, right?
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
But here we are feeling pretty content in the Hilton. (We don't head on to Sao Paulo until tomorrow.)
So what do we do? Of course we check email.
And what do we learn? We learn that the 'hit' reality TV show, The Bachelor, is coming to Anguilla to film an episode in conjunction with shooting a Sports Illustrated swimsuit spread featuring those same bachelorettes!
And when is this happening? October 21-27th.
And where will we be? Iguassu Falls and Lima, Peru - not Anguilla.
Poor Michael. Bad enough that we were in Cairo when Jimmy Buffett played a concert in Anguilla, but now this!!!!
Poor Michael. But he's putting up a good front. After all, he says, it's not like the bachelorettes are actually models and actresses hoping for their big break by pretending to be looking for love in the context of a TV show. They are just average, run of the mill, girls next door really searching for true love. How hot can they look in bikinis, right?
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Hey I put some new shoes on and suddenly everything's right - Paolo Nutini
Anyway, these are the Brazil-going shoes that Michael just brought back from the States yesterday so I might blend in with the locals. And leopard prints are so chic this season.
Getting ready for the next adventure
We are packing today for South America so I thought I should brush up on my blogging skills.
This trip will clearly be more civilized than Rwanda and probably not quite as culturally diverse as, say, Israel. I will endeavor, though, to keep you entertained. If nothing else there may be tales of Michael's appreciation of the Brazilian female form (at least if my friend Dianne's reports prove accurate).
Happy Trails.
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
This trip will clearly be more civilized than Rwanda and probably not quite as culturally diverse as, say, Israel. I will endeavor, though, to keep you entertained. If nothing else there may be tales of Michael's appreciation of the Brazilian female form (at least if my friend Dianne's reports prove accurate).
Happy Trails.
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
