São Roque e Brasília

This past week I was able to visit two very cool places in Brasil.

First, São Roque.  

São Roque is a small town about 1 hour outside of São Paulo that is known (only here in Brasil) for it's wine and wine museum.  

Of course when I heard of this magical land of wines, I had to take a quick visit.  

Myself, two friends and a professor from school took a quick day trip to São Roque to enjoy some wine tasting and learn a little bit about how it's made.

Museu do Vinho

Always making Mom and Dad proud :) 

The other thing São Roque is known for is that it's the only place to go snowboarding and skiing in Brasil!

There is a small theme park in São Roque called Ski Mountain Park, where you can find "snowy mountains" and practice your extreme winter sports.

Since it doesn't snow in Brasil, or at least not enough for winter sports, some clever Brasilians created artificial snow hills from white rubber.

Just strap into your board, rub some soap on the bottom of it and slide your way down.

Brasilians are very crafty, they don't want to be left out of the X-Games. 

Oh... and don't forget the ski-lift.

Of course I had to ride it. 

Then Brasília- the capitol of Brasil.

 My friend Grant and I were invited to go for a quick visit to Brasília to stay with a Brasilian friend's family to see the city and experience typical family life.

Brasília is most famous for it's unique architecture and "planejado" (landscaping motives), most of which were designed by Brasilian architect Oscar Niemeyer.

One of the most famous landmarks in Brasília is the Catedral Metropolitana.

This beautiful church has 16 white columns supporting the stained-glass sides and inside holds the first cross of Brasília.

Another important landmark in Brasília (and Oscar Niemeyer project) is the National Congress. 

I did go on a tour inside this building, but didn't find it all that interesting, perhaps because I know absolutely nothing about Brasilian politics.

However, I thought the outside was pretty cool and I did get to see the inside of the giant bowl (right) which is actually just a really big conference room with stadium seating. 

A not so well-known church in Brasília is the Templo da Boa Vontage.

This religion is a mixture of Catholicism as well as Spiritualism and has something really unique to offer.

Below is a picture of the inside of the "Templo do Paz" (temple of peace), a large pyramid temple created by the Religão da Boa Vontage.

Inside this temple, people of all religious backgrounds can come to reflect, meditate and encounter a spiritual experience.

Right up my alley.

In the picture below you can see the black and white spiral on the floor, but above that spiral, in the peak of the pyramid, lies a pure clear crystal which is believe to have rejuvenating and cleansing spiritual properties.

So here's how it works:

Walk into the spiral on the dark black marble path:

Signifying the uncertainties, sins, and negative energies in life.

At the center of the spiral where the black marble meets the white, pause:

Feel the pure energy of the crystal above as it cleanses the spirit.

Walk out on the white marble path to the opposite side of the temple:

Signifying enlightenment and the path to God.

When you reach the alter on the opposite side feel the energy of Earth, Water, Air and Fire, the four basic elements God gave the Earth.

Then write your askings, thanksgivings or reflections down and put them in the Holy Sink (far left).

Such an interesting experience.

We also took a tour inside the Palácio Itamaraty which is the Ministry of External Relations in Brasil and home of the offices of some of the most important political figures in Brasil.

The Palace has three large party rooms, none of which can be photographed, and an open terrace all filled with beautiful artwork.

The tour guide didn't find this nearly as funny as I did. 

Also, on our last day in Brasília, the family took Grant and I on a hike about 5 minutes out of their backyard to see their cachoeira (little waterfall).

It was definitely little, but still beautiful and a perfect way to end the trip. 

The trip to Brasília was one of my favorites because the family we stayed with didn't speak any English which forced Grant and I to speak ONLY Portuguese for three days straight.

We felt that speaking English to each other would be rude since they couldn't understand.

Up until this point I have felt like I can get by in Portuguese but not really speak quite as well as I had hoped when I first came to Brasil.

After this week, I can confidently say I speak Portuguese.

Not fluently of course, but pretty damn good if I do say so myself.

Cataratas do Iguaçu 

My most recent journey was a trip to As Cataratas do Iguaçu (known as Iguassu Falls in English, and Cataratas del Iguazú in Spanish).  

Cataratas do Iguaçu is one of the New 7 Wonders of the World and is the second largest body of waterfalls in the world, next to Victoria Falls in South Africa. 

The waterfalls are shared by Brasil and Argentina, so in order to see all of the Falls tourists can travel between Brasil and Argentina without a Visa to experience both sides.  I figured this was a great opportunity to get a new stamp in my passport :)

My friends and I spent the whole day in Argentina, first looking at the waterfalls, then taking a trail hike inside the National Park and finally grabbing a bite to eat in the city center.

Garganta del Diablo (Argentina)

The border dividing Brasil and Argentina runs directly down the center of Devil's Throat, one of the most famous waterfalls of the Cataratas do Iguaçu. 

Devil's Throat is comprised of multiple waterfalls in a circular formation.  

To view Devil's Throat in Argentina there is a bridge that takes you to stand right above the waterfalls.  

I didn't even have to zoom in to take this picture.

Lado de Argentina

One bridge in Argentina takes you right out to stand in front of a huge waterfall.  

Everybody takes turns running out to the far end of the bridge because you get absolutely drenched when you get out there. 

Completely worth it.

While the Argentina side of the Falls offers a more interactive and close up view of some of the large waterfalls, the Brasil side of the Falls offers a more panoramic view to experience the immensity of these waterfalls. 

Lado do Brasileiro

Another bridge to walk closer to the waterfalls, but once again... we were soaked.

Garganta do Diablo (Brasileiro)

Located on the Brasil-Paraguay border is Itaipú Dam, the largest hydroelectric energy plant in the world. 

This Dam is one of the New 7 Manmade Wonders of the Modern World (yeah, I know that's pretty specific but I still think it's cool).

This Dam is 5 miles long and provides 90% of the energy in all of Paraguay with only 8% of the energy it produces.  The other 92% of the energy it produces is used in Brasil.  This Dam is equivalent to 5 Hoover Dams and has enough infrastructure to build 380 Eiffle Towers. 

Itaipú Dam (Paraguay/Brasil)

When we visited on the last morning of our trip the spillways that allow excess water to flow into the Paraná River were open for the first time in 4 months, a very rare occasion to witness in June.

This trip was amazing.  I was able to visit two new countries in three days and brush up on my Spanish, which is improving along with the Portuguese.  

The waterfalls were absolutely beautiful and the national parks provided a great way to experience the Falls as well as the nature around them.

Two of the friends I traveled there with have seen Niagra and Victoria Falls and both said that Cataratas do Iguaçu were more impressive.

This may be my last big trip here in Brasil, but it was definitely one of the best. 

Itacaré 4/2-4/4

The final leg of our trip was a visit to Itacaré, Bahia.  Just a quick ferry ride west and a five hour bus ride South of Salvador lies the most beautiful town I have ever visited.  Itacaré is not a very well-known tourist destination in Brasil and I can only hope it stays this way.  The town is small with cute little shops and cobble-stone streets, and the entire east coast is lined with multiple beautiful white sand beaches.

Just cruisin' on the Atlantic Ocean, watching Salvador disappear.

We spent most of our time on the many small beaches of Itacaré, and there was never more then 15 people on any one beach at a time.  The mood was tranquil, the sand was beautiful, the waves were crashing and the sun came out to play.

Praia Resende

 When sitting on the beach you could turn around a see what can only be described as a jungle of palm trees behind you.

 Taking a little hike to the beautiful beach next door.

 Praia Costa

Aka. Our own private beach (unofficially of course)

Pathway leading from our hostel to the beaches

Pathway from the road to the beach.

Rough life.  I know.

This trip was such an adventure.  

We managed to:

 Visit 3 different cities

In 2 different states

Sit on 7 different beaches

Stay in 4 different hostels (if you include the airport)

And made countless memories that I can't wait to share with you guys when I get home. 

I was so lucky to be able to take this trip with my friends and just to brag a little bit... 

I was the only one who didn't lose something along the way :)

Mom and Dad trained me well.   

Salvador da Bahia 5/1-5/2

Next stop on our trip - Salvador da Bahia.  

Salvador is the capital of the state of Bahia in the Northeast of Brasil.  Salvador was the first capital of Brasil and is the center of Afro-Brasilian culture because it was where the Portuguese first landed in Brasil with African slaves.  

Salvador is extremely hot all year around, is packed full of churches and lined with busy beaches.

Quick lesson in Brasilian travel: Dont Expect ANYTHING To Be On Time! Ever!

Our first night in Bahia we never made it to our hostel and ended up spending the night in the airport.  Why you might ask?

Oh, maybe because our flight from Rio didn't depart until about 30 minutes before we were supposed to arrive in Bahia (mind you, it's a 2 1/2 hour flight).

But here's the best part... Our flight wasn't even considered "delayed".  

Only In Brasil.

So, because of "Brasilian Time", we arrived in Bahia after midnight and there were no more busses running until morning.  Hence, airport sleepover.

My tile bed and backpack pillow were quite luxurious :)

 Since we knew we would be spending a lot of time at the beach in Rio and in the next leg of our trip, we decided to stay in a neighborhood called Pelourinho near Praça da Sé, which is the historical center of Bahia.  This area is full of old buildings and churches and is the home to many cultural festivals in Salvador.

Igreja São Francísco em Praça da Sé

(Yay for SF)

 We came across some people practicing Capoeira and decided to show off our moves.  They obviously liked Zaria the best (probably because she's black), but Grant and I thought we would show them up with our ninja-like arm jabs.  

Capoeira is a form of dance fighting that emphasizes the movement and flexibility of the legs as well as acrobatic technique.  Apparently Grant and I missed this memo.

This is more like what Capoeira actually looks like, but Grant looks a little scared, understandably.

 The city of Salvador has an upper and lower level, which can be easily accessed by pedestrians using this awesome elevator in the center of the city.  This was only a 5 minute walk from our hostel and only costs 15 cents to ride.  The upper level leads right out to Pelourinho while the bottom level opens up to Salvador's famous Mercado Modelo.

My favorite stand at Mercado Modelo.  How cool are these masks?

 The view of sunset from outside Praça da Sé in Salvador da Bahia :)

Rio de Janeiro 4/27-4/30

I spent four amazing days in Rio de Janeiro with two of my good friends from school, Zaria (from Michigan) and Grant (from Australia).  

We arrived in Rio on April 27th and that night we went to see the Rio Ballet Company perform Tatiana live in Centro do Rio, and then spent the evening in Lapa, the downtown/nightlife area of Rio.  

Lapa is famous for Escadaria Selarón, and the Aqueduto da Carioca but at night, Lapa turns into a lively street party lined with bars, clubs and food/drink venders.

Our first night in Rio, living up to it's reputation, Grant was robbed by two transexuals at knifepoint. (Enter heart attacks for Mom and Dad... oh and Miranda).

BUT he was okay and was able to file a police report the following day to send to his insurance.  Luckily for him, the "trannys" only wanted his iPhone (oh American products, so exciting to Brasilians)

Escadaria Selarón (The Lapa Steps): An art project started by Jorge Selarón in 1990.  Basically a collection of tiles that he has been lining these steps with for 22 years.  Now travelers from all over the world can bring tiles from their countries and he will add them to the project.  There is still a lot of unfinished parts, but he calls is "his tribute to Brasilian people" and expects it to be an ongoing project until his death.

Aqueduto da Carioca (after a little bit of rainfall).  At night the street venders set up their carts here as it is in the center of all the downtown bars and clubs.

 The second day of our trip we decided to walk from the North end of Copacabana Beach to the very south end of Ipanema.  Although this was a pretty long walk (especially in the sand), we decided this was a great way to see the two most famous beaches in Brasil, but also to see the people of Rio (aka. Cariocas) and the lesser known beach of Leblon.

Copacabana Beach.  Said to be the most famous beach in the world.

 Ipanema Beach.  Home of the well-known Bossa Nova song "Garota de Ipanema" (The Girl from Ipanema).  Much more beautiful beach than Copacabana but it was a little overcast this day.

 Me with my good friend, Cristo Redentor

 The view from Jesus' platform in the sky.  The beautiful mountains of rio de Janeiro, including Pão de Açucar (Sugar Loaf Mountain) at the bottom right (the tall pointy one).

My trip to Rio was exciting and busy.  Zaria, Grant and I wanted to get in as much sightseeing as possible while also trying to enjoy the culture of Rio since it is very different from São Paulo.  I was able to see all of the sights that I really wanted to see, but would love to go back and experience the rest of the amazing sights and adventures that Rio has to offer.

Mercadão and My Brasilian TV Debut

My class had another cultural day last month, a visit to Pátio de Colégio and Mercado Municipal (lovingly referred to by Paulistanas as Mercadão).

Mercadão is a well-known indoor "street style" market in the center of Sao Paulo.  You can buy meats, fish, cheeses, wines, spirits, fruits and so many other types of food at this market.  My favorite was the fruits. There were so many fruits I had never seen or heard of, so I decided to be a little sneaky.  I walked around to almost every fruit stand I could find and asked for samples.  

Me: "Oi, pode prova este?" (Hi can I try this?)

Vender: "Não provas" (No sample)

Me: "Não entendi" (I don't understand)

Vender: "Desculpe, mas, não pode" (I'm sorry, but, you can't)

Me: "Ummm, não entendi, por favor, deixe-me tentar" (I don't understand, please let me try)

Eventually most of the sellers got annoyed with me and let me sample at least one fruit.

I tried to find translations for some of the fruits but since we don't have most of them in the US, there is no translation.  

Caju (who knew the nut came from a fruit??)

Jabuticaba (only in the Brasilian Amazon)

                          

Pitaya (Dragonfruit)

Graviola/ Fruta do Conde (soursop? I've never even heard of this in English)

Rambutan (no translation, but YUMMMM)

I, and many other gringos from FAAP, were invited to be in the studio audience for a late-night Brasilian talk show called "Altas Horas".

The show is about 2 hours long, which is a LOT of Portuguese to listen to, but I was able to understand most of what was going on.

Fun fact: You know how in the US live shows always have red signs saying "On Air"...

They have the same thing in Brasil, but they say "No Ar"

The Gringo Section

Special Guests (left to right): 

Débora Nascimento (Novela Actriz)

Andres Torres (Jogador de Futebol)

Poliana Abritta (Journalista do Brasil)

Super Special Guests (L - R):

Zeca Pagodinho (Cantador de Samba)

Seu Jorge (Cantador Brasileiro)

Here are the YouTube links to watch the show:

In part 1 the gringos and I have quite the extensive interview around 40:00 :)

In part two you can catch me towards the very end when the show is ending

Look Mom and Dad! I'm famous!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vn-x6nf9hXg&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFw6oQlrSLI&feature=relmfu

Feliz Aniversário pra Mim

I wanted to write a post to say THANK YOU to everyone who emailed me yesterday and for all the Happy Birthday wishes. 
I also wanted to put up some pictures from my birthday here in Brasil.  
Since my birthday fell on a Wednesday this year and I had a huge Português midterm the next day, I actually spent the majority of the day studying.  A little lame, I know.  
But I had a really nice birthday thanks to a few amazing friends and family.


A few friends from school dropped by my apartment in the evening with a box of really pretty, and interesting flavored, cupcakes.
Left: Chocolate with vanilla sugar frosting and raspberry 
Right: "Frutas Vermelhas" - which means red fruits and I have no idea what the actual flavors were
Bottom: Brigadeiro with pistachio 

One of my friends also decided to create the "Ultimate 21st Birthday Game" to simulate what a typical (drunk) American girl would be doing on their 21st birthday.  The game consists of 7 tasks which needed to be completed in 1 minute and 21 seconds.

Tasks are as follows:

1.  Make a generic "Thank You" speech

2.  Take a birthday shot

3.  Throw up

4. Dance inappropriately to get the boys excited

5. Tell everyone you love them

5.5 Blow out the candle (this one was added last minute)

6.  Eat cake

Since I was still in the midst of studying for an exam, we decided that a taking a shot of water and spitting it out would suffice for Tasks 2 & 3.  

Also Task 4 ended up being a showcase of all my goofiest dance moves.

I have a funny video of this game to share when I get home :)

My roommates also wanted to do something special for me, so they picked up some traditional Brasilian treats for me to try and sang the Potuguês version of "Happy Birthday" which is nothing like our traditional song.  

These are called "salgadinhos" or little snacks. There are many different flavors but these are caju (right) and fish (left).  Yeah... fish. 

Being polite, I tried them both, but I've decided never to be polite again. Enough said.

These treats were delicious, hence the half eaten Strawberry cake, and I forgot to snap a picture until after we devoured most of them.  

Left: "Carolinas" (basically mini cream puffs with different fillings)

Right: Strawberry cake :)

Now to the best part...

I received this package from my amazing friends that made this birthday one of the best I've ever had.  It arrived on the morning of my birthday (great timing) and I opened it up to find letters from all of my dearest friends in San Diego plus some Brasilian money "to buy drinks on them this weekend".  

This little package MADE MY DAY and I am so thankful to all of my friends for taking the time to write me letters and convert US dollars into Brasilian Reais :)

Love you guys!

Jord, Tay, Linders and Emily: Thank you guys so much for organizing this and being such amazing friends/roommates.  I am so blessed to have friends like you guys and so thankful to be living with you next year.

Troy, Kev, Parks, Conman and Chuckles: Thank you so much for writing me letters, you guys are too funny!  I miss you boys and can't wait to see you when I get back to SD!

Maxum: Thank you for my singing card and my gift :) You already know I miss you like crazy.  I Love You.