Well not exactly sure where to start in describing the amazing three week trip around Brazil that I just took with my parents.
It was the third Fitzy Frolic that we have taken together (first was Singapore in 2003 and then the Netherlands in 2005) but it was the most time I have spent alone with them in at least the last 7 years – without any brothers, sisters or friends to “compete” with!
So here are a few memorable moments:
* Mum and Dad’s flight to São Paulo arriving early, their luggage being one of the first off the conveyer belt and not getting caught in any queues on the way out to arrivals area (then consequently them having to wait for me to get to the arrivals area, hence missing the emotional “here they come” moment.
* Mum’s eternal search in Brazil for a decent cuppa (IE boiling hot water, black tea bag, and cold milk). This hilarious search began at a café near my place where the infamous “cappucha” was invented (IE hot water, frothed up milk like in a cappuccino and a tea bag thrown in).
* Mum and Dad getting to meet my great group of friends here in São Paulo whilst “singing” along to Brazilian country and western music at the Rancho Goiano restaurant. Also the location of Mum’s first (but definitely not last) caipirinha (she soon took up the habit of having two at a time!). Thanks for the spontaneous translations Márcio and Guga!
* Mum and Dad’s pleasant surprise at Brazilian customer service and willingness to round down the price to save having to give over a lot of change to the customer.
* The breath-taking beauty of the Iguassu Falls in the south of Brazil and Argentina, and the breath-taking bargain of a R$7 dinner with a R$30 bottle of wine from the fancy Italian restaurant next door. Literally having our breaths taken away in the boat trip under the falls!
* On the way home after Mum and Dad’s first, and our best, Bahian meal in Foz de Iguaçu, hearing the phrase you never want to hear from a taxi driver in a town that you have only spent 24 hours – “This is my first day on the job. I am borrowing the taxi from my brother. Do you know how to get there?”
* Our stressful daily routine in the Pantanal which went something like this: wake up, breakfast, nap in hammock, activity (horse riding, fishing, boat ride), nap, lunch, nap, activity, nap, dinner.
* Getting up close and personal with the guesthouse’s two “pet” crocodiles, Zico and Pele, as they showed us their jumping ability to catch some fish for dinner.
* Catching 33 piranha fish on the Rio Claro and not losing any fingers (unlike our poor cook, Jacco, who lost a finger a while back to a piranha).
* The reaction of Jacco, who lives in a place where it rains for six months of the year, to the 10-year drought that my relatives have been through in Australia. “We would go louco” was his prediction.
* Watching the beautiful sunrise and sunset on the Rio Claro (and finding the boat that mysteriously floated down river).
* Eating at the Mafia Pizzaria in Cuiabá where they need to bring over an extra table to put your food on because the dishes are soooo big!
* Our wonderful weekend in Brasília with our fantastic hosts, Betina and Marcos, which included an interesting trip to the Temple of Good Will, where Dad had to stop his overt leg showing and put on some good will happy pants.
* Going to the cute old mining town in Goias about 100km from Brasilia called Pirienopolis with Betina, Marcus and his mum and brother, Ivan. We had a wonderful meal at a typical fazenda restaurant with a private beach and then had numerous home-made icecreams from the list of 43 flavours available.
* Mum and Marcos’ mum repeatedly saying the same things at the same time through out the day, just in different languages.
* Hearing the best directions ever in Goias – “Just go straight ahead for the rest of your life”.
* Enjoying the São João (Saint John) festival in Salvador: live concerts in the main square; trying to teach Mum and Dad to dance forro; huddling with the locals under the sponsorship banner when the rain came pouring down during the concert; watching Dumb and Dumber trying for nearly an hour to put aluminum foil on the tray they were trying to sell whisky from; seeing all the little kids dressed up in “rural” clothes, the little boys with drawn-on moustaches and sideburns.
* Observing a candomble ceremony, people going into trances, geeky German tourist very obviously showing his dislike (as if he had tasted a ball of dog vomit) when he ate the acaraje that he was offered during the ceremony.
* The energy packed Afro-Brazilian folklore show in Salvador. If you are in Salvador you HAVE to go!
* Mum’s trauma after using the luxurious toilet facilities on Itapicara Island (off Salvador) – the cistern falling off the wall when Mum tried to flush the floating turd. The antiseptic wipes were even needed for the feet afterwards.
* The amazing work of the Tamar Project in Praia do Forte (80 km from Salvador) where they are rescuing and preserving endangered sea turtles in partnership with local fishermen, who they have taught how to do CPR on turtles when they get caught in their fishing nets.
* The unforgettable ride with the evangelical taxi driver cum real estate agent who gave us an amazing price on the return ride from Praia do Forte to Salvador, but then really made us pay when he played his evangelical music CD three times over during the ride. He also offered us a great real estate investment opportunity in Maceio, which apparently was “quite a steal”. * Meanwhile Dad thought he was setting us up to be robbed and so was thinking of escape strategies. I have never seen three people leave a vehicle so quickly in my life.
* Hearing Midnight Oil playing as we climbed the hills of Ouro Preto to see, that is right, yet another church.
* Catching up on the rebellious history of the people from Minas Gerais at the Inconfidencia museum whilst another historic moment, the first Gay and Lesbian Parade of Ouro Preto, pumped on outside.
* Devising strategies to encourage the shower water to go down the drain and discourage it from leaving the bathroom and entering the room at the Ouro Preto youth hostel. Dad became a squidgy sweeping, dam building champion. He should have been an engineer, not an air traffic controller.
* Testing out my metallurgical vocabulary when I had to translate the tour we took of a gold mine in Ouro Preto.
* After singing the praises of Brazilian long distance buses (blankets, pillows, food, seats that go back 180 degrees etc) to my parents, I had to eat humble pie when we took the line from Ouro Preto to Rio de Janeiro and there were no blankets, pillows or snacks and the grandma behind me complained when I tried to put my seat back. Situation was rectified when we got the bus from Rio de Janeiro to Sao Paulo and all promised services were provided!
* Being driven by the reincarnation of Aryton Senna in a taxi from the bus station to the hotel at Ipanema Beach.
* Seeing senior citizens walking in their budgy smugglers through the city to the beach in Rio.
* Having our nice peaceful breakfast at the botanical gardens in Rio de Janeiro disturbed by screaming school girls and their teachers when they spotted a Brazilian soapy actress snacking beside us.
* Dad’s obsession with Brazilian beer and the stubby coolers they have for tallies. He also became a big fan of the dark chopp.
* Mum frustration with the lack of Brazilian bed sheets that are tucked in under the mattress.
* Our shared frustration with the “entrepreneurial” parking rangers that roam Brazil’s streets looking for customers.
* Realizing that I forgot to give Dad any pocket money when I sent him off for his excursion to the Embraer factory in Sao Jose dos Campos.
As you can see…there were so many memorable moments!!! It was a fantastic trip. Thanks so much Mum and Dad for coming all the way to Brazil. It was wonderful for me to be able to show you my life here and I am so glad that you loved every minute of it. Can’t wait until the next trip!!!
