tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68669027816048246112024-03-14T03:10:24.452-04:00I've Got A Brazillian Things To Tell You!Deferred from my job for a year, I moved to Brazil to volunteer. This is an accounting of my activities and musings while I live and explore in Brazil.Sandra Stipphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15734707912788417630noreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6866902781604824611.post-25400201771237394202010-08-10T13:43:00.005-04:002010-08-10T14:11:42.734-04:00Just Kidding<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">And my plans have changed once again.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Turns out I am not moving back to Brazil, though I am here right now!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">When I was home in the states I got a call that plans had changed and the office here no longer needed me. So we made some quick plans and I came back here for a few days to get all of my stuff and move back home.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I really would have been happy to work here for more time, but I am also pretty excited at moving home and starting my life up again there!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Part of the fun was seeing my friends and family at home - it was SO nice to be back with them.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Besides being in Chile (which I fully intend to post on as soon as I upload pics) Here is a little of what I did:</div></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizjUcf2EDlS1TOCUmwshDYkSkFIe-60zpUtX_8KHBzL6E9iZvccQtSnsDfqhyphenhyphenemnPGLsUZ0F3JuU5CTVv8xBLw66XnccVo8tT7jO2fsNrOFmF56GAgzrkOBcS73x-CrHjKnne_StBMIlk/s1600/bean.jpg"></a><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJkFDBZPdS_WM58-u125s24vUKTMGMz0ode9pUCY32PPp8WHGPivDgf0WOK1YgU_yMQqeRZTqS-eQyUdF24qtJ9HhyphenhyphenWXWVcnQx9gjPls280XIM07sax67RwIa8Q086OmCt6gFLt_SJgHg/s1600/Santiago,+Chile+588.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJkFDBZPdS_WM58-u125s24vUKTMGMz0ode9pUCY32PPp8WHGPivDgf0WOK1YgU_yMQqeRZTqS-eQyUdF24qtJ9HhyphenhyphenWXWVcnQx9gjPls280XIM07sax67RwIa8Q086OmCt6gFLt_SJgHg/s400/Santiago,+Chile+588.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503842270888790850" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Me and my friend Lisa in Chile. At some point I got all jaunty and started wearing this hat everywhere. I'm sorry.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpLrbEStBkMZlA3kKMfilLxfthaQqv_iV29fSsuBnYlMPzgcF7FifaP2hheLGZxU7euCTkdWWCq-sQD78U_74vCGJSJhwSgSBj5ikxkz1NGxtezPaxVwGnmGJ500V4twNHW2JArERJYdg/s1600/kelbach.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpLrbEStBkMZlA3kKMfilLxfthaQqv_iV29fSsuBnYlMPzgcF7FifaP2hheLGZxU7euCTkdWWCq-sQD78U_74vCGJSJhwSgSBj5ikxkz1NGxtezPaxVwGnmGJ500V4twNHW2JArERJYdg/s400/kelbach.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503840114657565090" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Kelly had her wedding shower. She got lots of nice gifts and I had a great time meeting new people and drinking champagne (In the interest of full disclosure, I did spell it champaign first, then erased it and wrote it correctly) in the morning.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG95fwxGZEYe_5F9__OMnm5_dK_uQKWjgcv8ZPX7LosH9tYWSQ53QHgXKV8VqmgiGlREUzMriZWPIMNus9TmD1LEV0y-AdvogWT1iUi36Zlq-fKPUnqJnuLm8ZWeT2HA6sIJf7Ovk3haw/s1600/natpants.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 296px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG95fwxGZEYe_5F9__OMnm5_dK_uQKWjgcv8ZPX7LosH9tYWSQ53QHgXKV8VqmgiGlREUzMriZWPIMNus9TmD1LEV0y-AdvogWT1iUi36Zlq-fKPUnqJnuLm8ZWeT2HA6sIJf7Ovk3haw/s400/natpants.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503840108621663570" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">I cooked dinner with Natalee. And by cooked dinner I mean Natalee bossed me around, I got stressed out, and we ended up eating basically raw meat stuffed inside peppers and squash. No idea how we didn't get ill. </div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYLcbBDyp_wJpr2UO_MHQG1Q7e_i62MZg-mKNqWmjWpB6F3tIRHPF77DF-Ke4bM_TDoKyyfTjCnobuD8LB5ZPfGgtn5EE7sKjtkDD2KuzIhuE74maobzg2DDi3k61_44l8wOR4jX2B_Jg/s1600/ladies+night.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 162px; height: 121px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYLcbBDyp_wJpr2UO_MHQG1Q7e_i62MZg-mKNqWmjWpB6F3tIRHPF77DF-Ke4bM_TDoKyyfTjCnobuD8LB5ZPfGgtn5EE7sKjtkDD2KuzIhuE74maobzg2DDi3k61_44l8wOR4jX2B_Jg/s400/ladies+night.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503840105709435282" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Went bowling with my friends :)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizjUcf2EDlS1TOCUmwshDYkSkFIe-60zpUtX_8KHBzL6E9iZvccQtSnsDfqhyphenhyphenemnPGLsUZ0F3JuU5CTVv8xBLw66XnccVo8tT7jO2fsNrOFmF56GAgzrkOBcS73x-CrHjKnne_StBMIlk/s1600/bean.jpg"></a><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizjUcf2EDlS1TOCUmwshDYkSkFIe-60zpUtX_8KHBzL6E9iZvccQtSnsDfqhyphenhyphenemnPGLsUZ0F3JuU5CTVv8xBLw66XnccVo8tT7jO2fsNrOFmF56GAgzrkOBcS73x-CrHjKnne_StBMIlk/s1600/bean.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizjUcf2EDlS1TOCUmwshDYkSkFIe-60zpUtX_8KHBzL6E9iZvccQtSnsDfqhyphenhyphenemnPGLsUZ0F3JuU5CTVv8xBLw66XnccVo8tT7jO2fsNrOFmF56GAgzrkOBcS73x-CrHjKnne_StBMIlk/s400/bean.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503842300783378290" style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 302px; height: 400px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Played tourist in Chicago and went to take a self-pic in the Bean!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4T9-NHnnbsRmwl32q6YiHctVqn72V8kqWBjl0VZf49KgVAWU0917zKxFvL8W7TsNNRYZf36SD_TEM5X0gsOClESByPXQeRcs3CrJaiR99ZZrepHaNcAX0TZYpOUQ0WXelNjUkuf-XZ-c/s1600/obama.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4T9-NHnnbsRmwl32q6YiHctVqn72V8kqWBjl0VZf49KgVAWU0917zKxFvL8W7TsNNRYZf36SD_TEM5X0gsOClESByPXQeRcs3CrJaiR99ZZrepHaNcAX0TZYpOUQ0WXelNjUkuf-XZ-c/s400/obama.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503842290494311634" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Bumped into Obama as his motorcade passed me on LSD. nbw.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">But even counting semi-seeing Obama and eating tons of pretzel MnMs, the best part of being home was definitely this:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtOYaCOAmCb-TV3mrXDjpJjygTGmJaUVxwoVFLrKSUUo9hWQ_VsNvrg5pXHyPt7mtzC8OcKT5cOxFo425DMtuulhrikStkcMwuyon905B2Alz_8_zlko9GFVacQ7M-JQh5x1YKWSYmMs8/s1600/ginamark.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtOYaCOAmCb-TV3mrXDjpJjygTGmJaUVxwoVFLrKSUUo9hWQ_VsNvrg5pXHyPt7mtzC8OcKT5cOxFo425DMtuulhrikStkcMwuyon905B2Alz_8_zlko9GFVacQ7M-JQh5x1YKWSYmMs8/s400/ginamark.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503842282164658562" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center;">My good friends Mark and Gina got married :)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Gina was the most beautiful bride I have seen (and Mark looked OK, too) and the wedding was absolutely perfect. It was beautiful and classy and very "Gina." There was also a lot of dancing :)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Congratualtions, friends! And thanks for an amazing evening!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMZB7iueG8eNSTbr_OvWuYVQ_7cILnBARSgioGtYJe3Je1DTAYeqpfmszyq8VfTswcgHfjhRNECu86o7WebJE4bA3RPU6h1BgY976XsVdrZDRJK7H988zFjo62TB7HSAsNGJQC249g8iI/s1600/besties.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMZB7iueG8eNSTbr_OvWuYVQ_7cILnBARSgioGtYJe3Je1DTAYeqpfmszyq8VfTswcgHfjhRNECu86o7WebJE4bA3RPU6h1BgY976XsVdrZDRJK7H988zFjo62TB7HSAsNGJQC249g8iI/s400/besties.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503842276986734178" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 379px; " /></a>These are my best girlfriends from college -- Kelly, Jenny, Gina, Heather, Maggie, and me (I'm not really a giant, I am just wearing killer heels).</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So back home I go tomorrow (just 48 hours here in Brazil). I am headed to Chicago first to find myself an apartment and then to Champaign to spend some QT with my family there.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> My life continues to change daily, but I just try to see each change as a new opportunity; everything happens for a reason and I am certainly enjoying the ride!</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMZB7iueG8eNSTbr_OvWuYVQ_7cILnBARSgioGtYJe3Je1DTAYeqpfmszyq8VfTswcgHfjhRNECu86o7WebJE4bA3RPU6h1BgY976XsVdrZDRJK7H988zFjo62TB7HSAsNGJQC249g8iI/s1600/besties.jpg"></a><div><br /></div><div><br /><br /><div><br /></div></div></div></div>Sandra Stipphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15734707912788417630noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6866902781604824611.post-2457339345008361462010-07-14T18:28:00.002-04:002010-07-14T18:31:14.242-04:00Traveling and a Change in Plans<div>Change in Plans</div><div><br /></div><div>When I decided to come to Brazil, my trip was originally scheduled for September 2009 - October 2010. After the whole visa debacle I ended up landing in Rio de Janeiro, Brasil at the beginning of February of 2010.</div><div><br /></div><div>I originally intended to stay in Rio for one month and then head to São Paulo for the rest of my time. I had originally wanted to be in São Paulo because of the quasi-family I have here, but I fell hard and fast for Rio. After a couple of months, though, the shiny wore off and I realized that while Rio is indeed the Marvelous City, my living situation was not ideal and I wanted to try something new. So I changed plans and headed to São Paulo to give life there a try,</div><div><br /></div><div>I really like São Paulo. The people here and the pace of life is a little more like what I am used to back home. Still, the work I came here to do left a lot to be desired, and I figured I would rather spend my time back in the states with family and friends before I started work in October. And so my plans changed yet again. I booked a ticket home (via a week in Santiago, Chile) for the end of July, just in time for one friend’s wedding shower and another’s wedding.</div><div><br /></div><div>But I should really learn to stop planning things. Because every time I think I have it all scheduled and figured out, something else comes along (I think that I am solely responsible for keeping airlines afloat this year in changed/canceled tickets alone). </div><div><br /></div><div>Last week I talked to a partner at Mayer Brown who put me in touch with our office here, and I was offered the opportunity to work in our office here in São Paulo. Once again, my plans change - but now they are pretty much back to my original intended stay. </div><div><br /></div><div>I am still heading to Chile (I am writing this in the São Paulo airport at 6 a.m.) and will stay a week there with my friend Lisa from college. From Chile I head home and do a 2 week tour of the states (really just 2 states, Illinois and Ohio…3 if you count driving through Indiana) which will include the aforementioned shower and wedding along with seeing friends and family and maybe shopping for an apartment. </div><div><br /></div><div>But then I will head back to São Paulo and stay until at least October working in our office here. I am really excited about this opportunity - the office here seems to have a lot of the type of work I want to do and I think I will learn a lot and get some good experience. I think it would be nice to be home, I am definitely at the point where I could come home and be really happy about the time I had spent here (plus by staying I am missing what should prove to be the best bachelorette party on that side of the equator). But at the same time, I am happy to be staying. I am just starting to make friends and a life here in São Paulo, and my grasp of the language grows stronger every day. It will be nice to see those things through a little more. And of course I couldn’t be more excited about the work opportunity! </div><div><br /></div><div>But of course, I know you are all happy I am staying because it means more blogging from me, right?</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Edit: I arrived in Chile and am here at my friend Lisa's house. We did some walking around the city today and had an amazing lunch at a fish market. We have a full week planned and I am really excited!</div>Sandra Stipphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15734707912788417630noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6866902781604824611.post-21895996869725429242010-07-13T08:19:00.007-04:002010-07-13T15:57:57.982-04:00All The Things That I've Done<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2JzCzDbkuNjEWllJo98tFDuVATJ2oOTu74FbcXTOw0SKPAAkNUTfrPv_LeY_PAf4_bl3V5j6acSdd70dy6GWn6GiIqMrH2Cg5z4NtSrtOAshUtZdOBqLWZof3uGqMe4YdupH3WrNlAMY/s1600/Brazil+029.JPG"></a><div style="text-align: left;">The past couple of weeks have been fairly busy here. I have been spending a lot of time trying to be a tourist and to spend time with the friends that I have made here in São Paulo. So here is a slice of what I have been up to (warning: there is a lot of food and world cup involved, clearly). </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifZ4ko3PIv-avFxOXcJiJxJv66BFZsz3vknBDgcQHK8hD-AdMzrS_r3bhPvxNc7-uEIpICmvpEh_RGm-QwpvDSJFdl0P9YpFtVM1nCRYbdj2F49djIX8gBHNxgTDgGp8UnObnHIcZgagM/s400/CIMG3939.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493366474359570866" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">As previously mentioned, I ate fondue. This is the spread (not including the chocolate fondue with fruit we had afterwards). </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVEpixo5fLOXN8vH5L5rJxGrHUa6P_lRqLF-JjQRPjw-bOFXWdU2jc3oHG8l4y8OxlnHpV9G3Uiq8rZlnaKGaL9QW0ljYfJBDyFtbwTiO2YIjqzLsZmSDLL_jGFdgmnG8F6SK7pdrRmKw/s400/CIMG3938.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493366485763663634" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Tabatha, our gracious host and fondue chef!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM-l3j486JATb9n5I5ABsmkMMbhBqpoRhOjYOZAln5PWN8Yt2vhB03m1508dUPZ_NXsPzFnTe6mrf7PKQ6LvDRtNpfQl_Gid3Li-gAheMAJNo3IAjvlKGxvLyfkWoUl59C7Lf59oM472Y/s1600/CIMG3934.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM-l3j486JATb9n5I5ABsmkMMbhBqpoRhOjYOZAln5PWN8Yt2vhB03m1508dUPZ_NXsPzFnTe6mrf7PKQ6LvDRtNpfQl_Gid3Li-gAheMAJNo3IAjvlKGxvLyfkWoUl59C7Lf59oM472Y/s400/CIMG3934.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493366466268788418" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a>Went to Embu with Monica and Javier. Here I am outside of a cafe where we had some coffee and one of the best brownies I have ever tasted! One day I promise to try to take a picture where I am not wearing one of the same 4 cardigans and where I have actually attempted to fix my hair. Maybe.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQgcKwKJstCTpnzgpWHwMVD4ms4ip6hPP2-tE9nNfIfmrSz22PliNZ5h1LkVL9w_KCR8AS9Rqw0bIeoR1gYkKExWuWn8Bx0Lz-EigZqFt8BUONuYOkZNy8Tjt4F0Yyb2uo_zXgn0VJLcU/s1600/CIMG3932.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQgcKwKJstCTpnzgpWHwMVD4ms4ip6hPP2-tE9nNfIfmrSz22PliNZ5h1LkVL9w_KCR8AS9Rqw0bIeoR1gYkKExWuWn8Bx0Lz-EigZqFt8BUONuYOkZNy8Tjt4F0Yyb2uo_zXgn0VJLcU/s400/CIMG3932.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493366459078212674" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">Facing down just one of the many streets in Embu (Mom, do you remember when we came here?). It is like a 24/7 art fair - but instead of booths there are little shops with things ranging from handcrafted furniture to touristy trinkets. Really a pretty and fun town...that now has a ton of my money.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhghUSAfYboWCt5suKBUzanG-EdBl50r46VKjIpRwwc_0LjIXtFJGRc3xCXxzNyhwOjzdnGkunh2Ld61jgQDIiS4cVvvJLqGHJ9Eta408bfJHpz-RbNkEcoH_kZi2NLHg1udkarxddyAlg/s1600/IMG_4168.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhghUSAfYboWCt5suKBUzanG-EdBl50r46VKjIpRwwc_0LjIXtFJGRc3xCXxzNyhwOjzdnGkunh2Ld61jgQDIiS4cVvvJLqGHJ9Eta408bfJHpz-RbNkEcoH_kZi2NLHg1udkarxddyAlg/s400/IMG_4168.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493366650390299138" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center; ">Javier and Monica also took my to a town nearby to see a Buddhist temple called Temple Zulai. It was really beautiful, and I have a ton of pictures, and we learned a lot talking to one of the guides.</div><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwR4vw3SRbuTn-RmdRWlPjXPgte6i3c1dBwHqcvr4IZGvDp2qyshCVjrtZ1v2xTHpVmPbmz101urlQtpV_ro5D8iOxWUvTXezSPYIM6uyU1PsDoETPawEcPcsO9d98WqMJhyphenhyphencM0kncJuE/s1600/Brazil+012.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwR4vw3SRbuTn-RmdRWlPjXPgte6i3c1dBwHqcvr4IZGvDp2qyshCVjrtZ1v2xTHpVmPbmz101urlQtpV_ro5D8iOxWUvTXezSPYIM6uyU1PsDoETPawEcPcsO9d98WqMJhyphenhyphencM0kncJuE/s400/Brazil+012.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493368966319868562" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDxore0oyagnb8ZI4hrPR7fx7eMUMXso4LqiFPnU6U_I3C_yvLIGq-VxqVLLOBCXNrDVVRqWzhJ5trxuk1y7OssdOyBcl61OhPFe90SOzMlsHaKZCtVazSRAJiMR__Y_jhncqbHIak25o/s1600/Brazil+025.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDxore0oyagnb8ZI4hrPR7fx7eMUMXso4LqiFPnU6U_I3C_yvLIGq-VxqVLLOBCXNrDVVRqWzhJ5trxuk1y7OssdOyBcl61OhPFe90SOzMlsHaKZCtVazSRAJiMR__Y_jhncqbHIak25o/s400/Brazil+025.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493368949012629650" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></a>Here, I am breaking the rules by climbing up on this grassy/stone thing to take a picture. I felt very uncomfortable with this, as I am by nature a rule follower, but Monica encouraged me to go ahead and live a little. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhghUSAfYboWCt5suKBUzanG-EdBl50r46VKjIpRwwc_0LjIXtFJGRc3xCXxzNyhwOjzdnGkunh2Ld61jgQDIiS4cVvvJLqGHJ9Eta408bfJHpz-RbNkEcoH_kZi2NLHg1udkarxddyAlg/s1600/IMG_4168.JPG"></a></div><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGBWeLIOIlWNNpxIHc62DZEkjVG4K_7iQF9Sug4yMkNwaHsOdHRCh8062na4Nx8SEWIDj68oMdylQ3qwMq5r6tPDTQRq65B6UThmOsspl7jylKJlpv6TpxHQqcXwYRMBhFWTmXAykhUAs/s400/Brazil+031.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493368970080992594" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">And then, even though I was cheering for the Dutch (because I like the Hollish, in general), I watched the World Cup final with a family cheering for Spain. My friend Paulo (Fabiana's boyfriend) invited us over for the game and his mom (who is Spanish) made Paella. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">BTW, I fully intend on replacing that BoSox cap with a Cubs one...he just doesn't know it yet.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDwkRho5mOb9sXy2iXfgpylN8hCyJotQO5vwYKx3E5prTb_z1tqAdZFQSH_kLjTnmoZJYrHBqJXeCiIp96iJ8h_LyJFtP8vyfQsl07pwrZbi9IfylF2LNc2jkXgDcZYkl_OTgegQAae6k/s1600/Brazil+038.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDwkRho5mOb9sXy2iXfgpylN8hCyJotQO5vwYKx3E5prTb_z1tqAdZFQSH_kLjTnmoZJYrHBqJXeCiIp96iJ8h_LyJFtP8vyfQsl07pwrZbi9IfylF2LNc2jkXgDcZYkl_OTgegQAae6k/s400/Brazil+038.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493368984057768066" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></a></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "> Oh my goodness. It was amazing. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGlgUgcyW532bdOhhg02n7Hvsl4gwvBaILEDq6ZMN9BS5l5T5oUJckehDmsVCiv2OffQNDbpdx-69arWGTxke2CaC-3vIHf39srSpqEwZwdXBU_2VggzhdLvoqhlZydcusHr7SJFpt5cE/s1600/Brazil+040.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGlgUgcyW532bdOhhg02n7Hvsl4gwvBaILEDq6ZMN9BS5l5T5oUJckehDmsVCiv2OffQNDbpdx-69arWGTxke2CaC-3vIHf39srSpqEwZwdXBU_2VggzhdLvoqhlZydcusHr7SJFpt5cE/s400/Brazil+040.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493369019062290434" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></a>There were also 4 pies/cakes (the 3 pictured plus a cheesecake), including one with a Spanish flag and colors. It was crazy. Crazy ridiculous. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDwkRho5mOb9sXy2iXfgpylN8hCyJotQO5vwYKx3E5prTb_z1tqAdZFQSH_kLjTnmoZJYrHBqJXeCiIp96iJ8h_LyJFtP8vyfQsl07pwrZbi9IfylF2LNc2jkXgDcZYkl_OTgegQAae6k/s1600/Brazil+038.JPG"></a></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2JzCzDbkuNjEWllJo98tFDuVATJ2oOTu74FbcXTOw0SKPAAkNUTfrPv_LeY_PAf4_bl3V5j6acSdd70dy6GWn6GiIqMrH2Cg5z4NtSrtOAshUtZdOBqLWZof3uGqMe4YdupH3WrNlAMY/s1600/Brazil+029.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2JzCzDbkuNjEWllJo98tFDuVATJ2oOTu74FbcXTOw0SKPAAkNUTfrPv_LeY_PAf4_bl3V5j6acSdd70dy6GWn6GiIqMrH2Cg5z4NtSrtOAshUtZdOBqLWZof3uGqMe4YdupH3WrNlAMY/s400/Brazil+029.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493369878991996338" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></a>Me and Fabi. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEMJ8GcCMS0Rmk4f4_vbLFWkNZtbsUYAAR9DXHXP6lJh4zlEaq9weC9xZj28a-Jo0SxGNw-7DGCs4ctrh5m47RlAhthCptEhXgrrLAzWfPL5duzR3OjFWzbTuVLuCXenkvfKkYj0sHXNg/s1600/Brazil+033.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEMJ8GcCMS0Rmk4f4_vbLFWkNZtbsUYAAR9DXHXP6lJh4zlEaq9weC9xZj28a-Jo0SxGNw-7DGCs4ctrh5m47RlAhthCptEhXgrrLAzWfPL5duzR3OjFWzbTuVLuCXenkvfKkYj0sHXNg/s400/Brazil+033.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493369866188285922" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></a>Paulo's niece, Sabrina. She blows kisses at everyone and it is pretty much adorable. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGlgUgcyW532bdOhhg02n7Hvsl4gwvBaILEDq6ZMN9BS5l5T5oUJckehDmsVCiv2OffQNDbpdx-69arWGTxke2CaC-3vIHf39srSpqEwZwdXBU_2VggzhdLvoqhlZydcusHr7SJFpt5cE/s1600/Brazil+040.JPG"></a></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">I also went out to dinner with some other friends and met more new people here in the city which has been nice. It is great to have so many friends of friends that can put me in touch with people down here to get to know.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">Also last week, I went with my friend Rafael to a legal clinic. He is finishing up law school here, and he works in their legal clinic. I got to sit in on a couple of client consultations with him, and it was cool to see how things work down here. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">More to come later...I promise!</span></span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVEpixo5fLOXN8vH5L5rJxGrHUa6P_lRqLF-JjQRPjw-bOFXWdU2jc3oHG8l4y8OxlnHpV9G3Uiq8rZlnaKGaL9QW0ljYfJBDyFtbwTiO2YIjqzLsZmSDLL_jGFdgmnG8F6SK7pdrRmKw/s1600/CIMG3938.JPG"></a></span></span></div>Sandra Stipphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15734707912788417630noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6866902781604824611.post-47694165100943348272010-07-09T18:44:00.001-04:002010-07-11T18:40:55.140-04:00The Dish: Miscellaneous<div style="text-align: left;">With Brazil out, the world cup can officially stop dominating both my blog and my life. So, I have a post here about the other dominating force in my life as of late: Food! Really good food, in fact.</div><div><br /></div><div>To start things off, I went out last week for dinner with Fabiana and some of her friends. I got pretty giddy when we arrived at the restaurant because I realized that it was a sushi rodizio :) A sushi rodizio is the same as a meat rodizio (or churrascaria as you might know it). The point is - never ending sushi. Did you hear that? The sushi doesnt stop!</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIhlQHurZN_LY0DnwONJ7Q-bBAWgVZszvRWUlCAk17Ybh0PWhM0OipRwI7MSOlmjd1bN9g1gcZmNOC2EFumruCP2RzYYpv3MAIR9Qkb0XAufdefMeI0CcTpRx1BJnaLeKRfQzCvzZrrHs/s1600/Brazil+001.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIhlQHurZN_LY0DnwONJ7Q-bBAWgVZszvRWUlCAk17Ybh0PWhM0OipRwI7MSOlmjd1bN9g1gcZmNOC2EFumruCP2RzYYpv3MAIR9Qkb0XAufdefMeI0CcTpRx1BJnaLeKRfQzCvzZrrHs/s400/Brazil+001.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489444283533189970" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Among other things, you get a giant plate of sushi like this. Then, when you want more they just bring you more sushi. One of the most genius things I have ever experienced.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">And then I went out for sushi again 2 days later with Mariana and her boyfriend where I had the best hand rolls of my life. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I also went to a party with Fabiana last week - the party was for a couple celebrating their 50 years of marriage. And the food was amazing...namely the desserts. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The first dessert I have no picture of as I seriously inhaled it and couldn't stop long enough to put the fork down and pick up a camera. It was homemade gelato. Wow. I tried the berry and the green apple flavor. With some chocolate cake. I also had one of these:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie-pse6cH065KrF0CKrkmJ_z0jVpMrvHFzvXFKW1EGid-5u2ONfPSdJKAPWA44U_WXVpPn6NrUSv0ux1pp8R4y6JTMx-mt67e1aTpKHLT23yjQpI3dMA2_pR1sQN6kMNHgHuDy3a2cRbU/s400/Brazil+010.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489444304118622082" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Bem Casado (means something along the lines of happily married). So they say, you make a wish before the first bite and then you will be blessed with it and happiness. I think it is important to make the wish before the first bite because you won't be able to stop after that these are SO good. They are a staple at all weddings here!</span></div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirH01zOkjhkk0kAYN-ZJY3IENDE1CM5_BQOvW2MySAyjMdX7Zfos2rHI4zusyKBUAajeefGZzAAp7qt8dAl-O998qq2can_Hg0GN4g_gnvJBeiZro0CIjEe_8t7UH_cQ1lmngZ12EJUWg/s1600/Brazil+007.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirH01zOkjhkk0kAYN-ZJY3IENDE1CM5_BQOvW2MySAyjMdX7Zfos2rHI4zusyKBUAajeefGZzAAp7qt8dAl-O998qq2can_Hg0GN4g_gnvJBeiZro0CIjEe_8t7UH_cQ1lmngZ12EJUWg/s400/Brazil+007.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489444294212698034" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Speech giving and cake cutting</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD655ARmpo3EKhlLdfwDroqb3ZZnN6dCHnmI3akqQ6xYI83d5bdvuirL09_fHHR9M1hCGK88KhpEMp95wjPcjQAOxQyCeWTQ9HBpsQNQpxOFypLJa0-kBxqeE_F5TVdXA0GfxFG5hs8zA/s1600/Brazil+006.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD655ARmpo3EKhlLdfwDroqb3ZZnN6dCHnmI3akqQ6xYI83d5bdvuirL09_fHHR9M1hCGK88KhpEMp95wjPcjQAOxQyCeWTQ9HBpsQNQpxOFypLJa0-kBxqeE_F5TVdXA0GfxFG5hs8zA/s400/Brazil+006.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489444291268050610" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Fabiana and Paulo</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">There were other amazing eats and events that went undocumented or that are on my camera and won't come off (urgh) such as a fondue (which is pronounced fin-dgee here and always throws me for a loop) dinner party, Arabic food (mmm kibi) and an amazing feast at a German restaurant (though, it had nothing on a Bahama Mama from Schmidt's!) with Fabiana, Paulo and Marta. Also, in my quest to collect friends that went to Vanderbilt Law, I had dinner with a friend of friends that is living and working here in SP also. We went to a nice and seemingly popular restaurant with good bruschetta and even better wine!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">They say that São Paulo is known for the food/restaurant scene and thankfully I am getting to experience it - so far, I would say it is true...the food and restaurants here are fantastic.</div>Sandra Stipphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15734707912788417630noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6866902781604824611.post-3102698875422427032010-07-02T22:09:00.005-04:002010-07-02T22:48:50.805-04:00Brasil Couldn't Get No Satisfaction<div style="text-align: left;">It was a sad day here in Brazil as the Brazilian team was eliminated from play in the World Cup. The Seleção Brasileira lost today to Holland, and as expected everyone is talking about it.</div><div><br /></div><div>In general, the consensus is that this is a really horrible thing to have happened, but that Brazil WILL win the next Cup, as it takes place in Brazil.</div><div><br /></div><div>The other general consensus (salute) is that this was the fault of 3 people. I present them to you, in order of increasing culpability.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU4I0HB2O13N8dsnIvlRcQw6V31t4IgGHDzRuICNaGd1wdSELY5SK1N3ijm3aWVdxNz5xrJwrhsiqdF7KkqDY4_tgLMLC1CjM7D_iej8Uuht-sp4ApNkX6kUY9RPGMaetYSONCv9qIxNA/s400/dunga.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489498637777820578" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 267px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">(1) Dunga - The Brazilian Coach</span></div><div><br /></div><div>Basically, nobody likes Dunga. He was never a coach before this team and thus, the people say, he is completely incompetent. Plus, he waged a huge war against the media and wouldn't let his players talk to the press. This made the people very, very angry. Brazilians don't like when you deny them access to their players.</div><div><br /></div><div>Fun story...you know how even though the rest of the world puts surnames on the back of the jersey Brazil puts first names or nicknames? Well Dunga's name is actually Carlos Caetano Bledorn Verri and Dunga is just the nickname he was given. Dunga is Portuguese for Dopey - as in the 7th dwarf from Snow White. </div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhjhgwIu7VOJwhXceXKECW_GgD3GvA7rgpfAYWK75BT1NVlcKijZeQtr8Zc8lk3c8KorWR9HE07CBPyVVbkknxMnuNTrGCMxhlnajEAyCklr-szq8j1V114beH23H_X1HuhZ1d2byjEV4/s400/felipe+melo.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489497857419331714" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 225px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;">(2) Felipe Melo - Brazilian Midfielder</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">I'll be honest: before this game, I loved this guy. Granted, I knew nothing about him, but I really, really liked pronouncing his name. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">After this game, I abhor this guy. He got in the way of Julio Cesar (the goalkeeper and, more importantly, one of my favorite players (second only to Kaka, swoon) who I think can do no wrong), he scored an own goal in the process of getting in the way of my beloved Julio Cesar, and then he committed a completely egregious fault against Holland's Robben. I get faults and I get faking injuries and I get trying to get away with as much as you can. Fine. But what he did was just really dirty futebol and I can't respect that kind of player. Plus his attitude after the game was pretty annoying. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">On the other hand, Julio Cesar lost gracefully, gave a really heartfelt interview after the game asking for forgiveness from the people of Brazil, and cried (which might have made me cry a little too). I love you, Julio Cesar (you, too, Kaka). </div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnBTV4K9EPMbZ1relzHvPE2I2-IZZ5TfAlDGqgDcLE2vkvWYk6U32Xpt5vvCWtZGBbuB31Htztq-FJpO65DC1OoRKOazSrHVrbUMTvk_BOUtQzDVhKUEBvDPzPuyULzV0lNCSMu5WErWo/s400/jagger.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489498645306227106" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 279px; height: 300px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;">(3) Mick Jagger - British Rock Legend </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">Serious. Every game Mick goes to and every team Mick has cheered for has been eliminated from the Cup. Apparently Mick has a Brazilian kid and so he took him to the game today. All of the journalists have pretty much decided it easiest to blame this one on him (I guess this is legit a thing (well, at least it is according to DeadSpin) - <a href="http://deadspin.com/5578517/the-world-cup-curse-of-mick-jagger">The Mick Jagger Curse</a>, haha).</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But, the real downside to all of this is that, due to a poorly placed bet, I now owe one Dutchman an incredibly nice dinner and evening of free drinks the next time we are in the same country. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I am pretty bummed that Brazil is out of the Cup - I wanted to experience the country as they won. I imagine Brazilians are pretty upset, too, as this means no more days off of work to watch futebol :)</div>Sandra Stipphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15734707912788417630noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6866902781604824611.post-11605934142726947312010-07-01T12:51:00.005-04:002010-07-01T13:23:33.055-04:00Festa or Disney?<div style="text-align: left;">Last weekend my little sister Monique went to a Festa de Quinze Anos.</div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ZkwnQHQ70_U-Ov8CbkgIPAhjODBv8MKlYTK28afZFEP3nLK8OUPxeEzIqqWKIMoHZ4aOTjUpgA48TP7eYwaojdL-qVQwzHwrdfis3BQW6ElKlFbWl_2WzBBNChbWhN3Nqw7czwrnZ7k/s400/Brazil+001.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488984484097073570" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">I really want to go to a Festa de Quinze Anos if it means I get to wear a pretty dress like this! Even if it would be creepy that I was 10 years older than everyone else there...</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">A Festa de Quinze Anos would be the equivalent of a Sweet 16 party. I don't know much about them, though, since I didn't have one...and I have never been to one since my friends didn't have them either. Maybe Ohio is weird? I would love to hear what they're like from anyone who has been or had one.<div><br /></div><div>OK, but to the point. Here, when a kid turns 15 they typically have a big party to commemorate the date. The party is bigger than most we would have - think prom/wedding/some other really formal event. Maybe if you're a reality TV junkie like me you can think My Super Sweet 16.</div><div><br /></div><div>But here is what I learned today: they can also just go to Disney.</div><div><br /></div><div>My Portuguese tutor told me today that in general 15 year olds here are given a choice - you can have a huge party or go to Disney World (she chose Disney).</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifaLzpd2ktDvrMABJdz1vjfR23jUtAkAk9eFgmVhtbZUhfHbvg2WBtTRf9ZHeJIzYotb6ZgxnGeKpMLwQkdkGQBtyVgXEYv7WasBcmUxk9_iz7BfmH0EcAa8xPWWg0wWgLURA8f3fBpPA/s400/Brazil+001.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488984476196885394" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">I don't have a picture of my tutor but I do have a picture of this poster in the classroom where people learn English. Hilarious.</span></div><div><br /></div><div>She said that all of the travel agencies here have standard packages for 15 year olds to all go to Disney together.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have NO idea how this choice ever started, but I think it sounds pretty fantastic - hey Mom, why don't ya take me to Disney to make up for the lack of a sweet 16 party!</div><div><br /></div><div>And now, for a little comparison - Monique at 15 and me at 15 (photo credit to Jenny Lewis). </div><div><br /></div></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg241TSlPlPwnkTM7_8lw4Bt4-NEVFoFe2ePgLLsumsqnjo4LI2jHwXSAId1ESDxYnzfl5VEVSVAXZSJ7Id_U-Hg0ay9EHI9KbOWxagDkO3sMg9zIepck6Uu-Glqcg1PMYr8zA1rxrFECo/s400/Brazil+006.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488984489889500898" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1opWtdu3z9FfwEdT3Z-WHDwsN7xFzaRt8Gm7KbB66eR1md3lsMLS5FtzL_rCvnDlatTpwtyya3ou5QG-kN49iJpQ0zXEDQ6LpMWesrMKj3GqzNy_9IAVTQANrU7NNEKWLyvbFwGlhwvo/s400/me+at+15.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488984472934948530" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 262px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Yeah, life is not fair. Please excuse the fact that I am wearing a sweater vest.</span></span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div></div>Sandra Stipphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15734707912788417630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6866902781604824611.post-73982101694916412732010-06-28T18:08:00.004-04:002010-06-28T18:56:08.350-04:00Minha Familia Brasileira<div style="text-align: left;">I really am incredibly lucky that I am getting to spend time with such an amazing family! They are all people that I like to be with and are all really interesting to talk to. The bonus that theyre fun and very patient with me is the icing on the cake.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiipLIjMZfz8kSQlJB4AKiZPnQGWFXjk7prwML5oO9rsZck5yznOLpSEAR29kdkMz449EQRQ_wxc0ryw3zG9drEHP6VUXeU1Ro7hRxvXZxhNi_Qjt5Usyje3hWJiI1geYyyMOgOCnbKBKo/s400/Brazil+008.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487951737149382082" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;">I look just awful here, but oh well - this is Graça, the maid who is here in the evenings. I sit with her in the kitchen most afternoon/evenings and have coffee and talk with her. I am lucky I have someone who enjoys listening to me babble on in broken Portuguese :) </span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhnNFL1baO3ZtUiXbHJnHMmiyqxmHSayuBTnit4KlMdO7OF0cOx7k-QQj2SvBFlmSwIwlIovLmklfurvQ9dVNQcoridHqRkmAudnKgbOI_ieKWGUL5mNME2hcKW4Y0KlIPJjhn2DpcQEA/s400/Brazil+012.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487951765940889314" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;">My Brazilian family :) Javier, Monica, Alejandro, Monica and Felipe (holding Bobby, the dog). Alejandro left for a 1.5 month tour of Europe so I snapped a pic of the entire fam as he was leaving...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;">I am going to be back home in the USA in just under a month. As excited as I am to get home and see everyone and start my "real life" up again - I am really going to miss my friends and family here. And it might be a long time before I see them again...I need to make the most of these last few weeks :)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Sandra Stipphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15734707912788417630noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6866902781604824611.post-622502805457186892010-06-26T10:15:00.002-04:002010-06-26T11:10:11.805-04:00The World Cup Has Taken Over My BlogI have to admit, my life is pretty much ALL about soccer these days. I learned soccer when I lived in England and followed the Liverpool team. I learned the rules and enjoyment of the game in pubs (in fact, it is because I had learned about off sides using pint glasses that JGB had to clarify the rule a bit for me when I was in BsAs...), and I have continued to like watching soccer. Every four years, that is. <div><br /></div><div>I don't know why Americans, in general, don't watch soccer. I think <i>every</i> child played it between the ages of 4 and 11. So why do we abandon it then and only watch every 4 years when the world cup rolls around? </div><div><br /></div><div>I'd love to say that this time it will be different; this time I will watch soccer regularly during the year. But come on...I fell short of that promise I made myself to follow curling just days after the closing ceremonies this winter. Besides, I need to think about what is the most important: do they even have tailgates before soccer games?</div><div><br /></div><div>I suppose I will just make the most of my next few weeks of daily soccer watching and good soccer related news and websites.</div><div><div><br /></div><div>Speaking of good soccer related news and websites:</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/06/halfway_in_-_2010_world_cup.html">Great Photo Essay</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.collegehumor.com/article:1806657">How to Make the World Cup Better</a></div></div><div><br /></div><div>For the record: Although I am very excited to be in Brazil for the world cup, and I am certainly cheering for Brazil in their games, I am American and fully supporting the USA team first and foremost. As such -- Come on you Yanks and, in the alternative, Vamos Brasil! </div>Sandra Stipphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15734707912788417630noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6866902781604824611.post-68715125826184378692010-06-25T15:43:00.002-04:002010-06-25T16:20:06.504-04:00Soccer and PortugueseSo as it turns out, I only have about 1 month left here in Brazil. Wow, time really does fly! In that one month, though, I am going to try to experience as much as possible and pack in as much more Portuguese as possible! <div><br /></div><div>And of course, I will be watching soccer (futebol). It is pretty different watching games here. In the US we love going out to bars and watching games - but here everyone watches the Brasil games in their own houses with their families. And nothing is open. Today, nobody went to school or work and stores didn't open until 2, after the game was over. I have a language lesson set for next week that we decided would be either Monday or Tuesday, depending on when Brasil was going to end up playing. </div><div><br /></div><div>I will have a couple more of weeks of some language lessons before I go. I found a school that I think is pretty good and I managed to barter the price down a little (which is something I have a huge problem with, usually). I want to get in as much practice as I can before I head home and don't have the opportunity to speak it daily.</div><div><br /></div><div>Not much going on this weekend - I have no set plans but might try to see a few friends. And, of course, I do plan on watching The USA and England games this weekend :)</div>Sandra Stipphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15734707912788417630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6866902781604824611.post-42421223537508265092010-06-19T18:08:00.001-04:002010-06-20T19:46:09.880-04:00Buenos Aires, Argentina<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdmmU1uLYTtyLodoA0BMGxiWv_IYXua_R4tv2qtOdgKvYtAZkfHcCMUiF39LcRMeNIr-GjWYU2SZA7-ivFGVbp4-RzN51bJU835Y9Jvp8PA6w-6lEFwjoPpVnGmBw1We5V5wxA7nXHMYQ/s1600/Buenos+Aires+148.JPG"></a><div style="text-align: left;">It took all of 2 seconds for me to fall in love with Buenos Aires.</div><div><br /></div><div>Last weekend, I went to visit my friend Josh in BsAs. Josh is also a deferred associate working, travelling and learning during his deferral year. We became friends when we interned together and he might be one of my favorite people to talk to in the world! Plus, he is really fun. </div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlTZoErLgavgv-vTgj1v2M_KGEND3CmJrtF-ZdOZCMEQ-9PANMRB_oXlqtcvHhVGUKgjJs1ULERc3jEqurlKR023QZeyYUdIFuDchRd-G7YlZADHA3vgDmx1r_vzOB8E-XdAI2P5P6h_8/s400/Buenos+Aires+058.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484611037936296530" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">This is Josh, or JGB (his initials). He looks like (in the minimum): Mr. Schuester from Glee, Timothy Geithner, somebody on RHONY, and Tio Miguel (Javier's brother). No joke, everyone who has seen a picture of him has said, "Oh wow, he looks lilke____." Feel free to comment with your own thoughts on the matter.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div>When I arrived, Josh collected me from the airport, we cracked open a bottle of red wine, and we started catching up. Before I knew it we were out the door for some Mexican food! </div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgERTphkRwvbqWMw14B0vKzXMV_BBPb73iioclY_FNQTBdh5zdmLD53CDrybVQNRcrvrSXHFDpxijYnZfRjpKzWrwWyvK1UkbvMKDcdMSCr9tvEK0Yo2Zafvrusgl0T-OTp9-I6OyNw5UI/s400/Buenos+Aires+015.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484611788896950370" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Josh is a great friend and all, but we should be honest about something: I came to Argentina for the wine!</span></div><div><br /></div><div>We ate at a closed door Mexican restaurant. Just 6 of us at a guy's house. It was OK. I wanted it to be better (as did <a href="http://iheartbsas.wordpress.com/2010/06/12/i-really-want-to-love-a-closed-door-restaurant/">Gina</a>), but some of the food was pretty tasty and the company was fantastic. I met several of Josh's friends in BsAs including a couple from Australia (<a href="http://iheartbsas.wordpress.com/">Ed and Gina</a>) and Jessica from Chicago! </div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCkcJk_l31cgjBKlsoDqEkxmWjmkipdrC917aeVcucROrveNdd0UwxXzV08J7hjQhOdmAx8R5umexrbF1FtJQqUwcVTQ4t068GzbageE1xWrYSDDFZ5R2eYmfF5bgGWocyzrWPHcNt4eQ/s400/Buenos+Aires+024.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484611801059264402" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">The whole gang posing with our food and Quilmes, which is possibly one of the worst beers ever and will give you a raging hangover if you so much as look at it. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div>The next day we grabbed some lunch at a cafe and walked around Recoleta. We visited the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Recoleta_Cemetery">Recoleta Cemetery</a> -- Given my fear of anything remotely creepy, I was surprised at how cool I found it. It was like a little city of tombs. Among other famous and incredibly rich people, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eva_Peron">Eva Peron</a> (Go read about her. I will wait. Even if you end up in a wiki wormhole. She has a pretty amazing story.) is entombed there. Josh also told me a cool story about a grounds keeper there that worked his whole life to get a spot there and when they finally let him get a plot, he offed himself cause his life's work was complete. Creepy, but interesting!</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2yf-kz4I-mcqzA-Nhgorx_JtJjc3QgcEG1lizp3GghiLnpFPpkXwAXdvyvGWxAFMEgH_S-Qqur1SmFhutjJLz5wxJnBEUqhhVlOMknCM79O_5sAKoOir9Lyw-bhX4azV814PItzwVLgs/s1600/Buenos+Aires+081.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2yf-kz4I-mcqzA-Nhgorx_JtJjc3QgcEG1lizp3GghiLnpFPpkXwAXdvyvGWxAFMEgH_S-Qqur1SmFhutjJLz5wxJnBEUqhhVlOMknCM79O_5sAKoOir9Lyw-bhX4azV814PItzwVLgs/s400/Buenos+Aires+081.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484613412588663202" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCkcJk_l31cgjBKlsoDqEkxmWjmkipdrC917aeVcucROrveNdd0UwxXzV08J7hjQhOdmAx8R5umexrbF1FtJQqUwcVTQ4t068GzbageE1xWrYSDDFZ5R2eYmfF5bgGWocyzrWPHcNt4eQ/s1600/Buenos+Aires+024.JPG"></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">Evita's grave is really easy to find because pretty much everyone in the cemetery is going to see her. We just saw a guard giving someone directions somewhere and followed them.</span></div><div><br /></div><div>That evening and the next we met up with friends and went to steakhouses. Now when I say steakhouse, I am not talking Outback. I am talking massive steaks, amazing wine, out of this world chorizo. It was really fantastic!</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhio1SqG14cuBvxURIn6g3WK6rpVlcUVZRWazfOryi8gWsTxVva_8YC8bfTQTDNVo7q_3eYXSFaEmOqbQYs2nadn8J3jqvgTx5guxibcx3pgtOXbz2npSB2Wgfyj_bDJ6jejR6CZC4cTgA/s400/Buenos+Aires+102.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484615247767967074" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Beautiful.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">We ended up spending a lot of time walking around the neighborhoods, hanging out talking, and watching the <a href="http://sandrastipp.blogspot.com/2010/06/cope-do-mundo.html">world cup</a>. Josh's friend even made us a Russian dinner one night(no photos, oops)! But amidst all of the relaxing, we did find a little time to get some sightseeing done as well.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm1Z389whlQXKmK8ca7IDkawO7bL04BBGeeDXz-P8xzpUPXM635Uc1c-o7kuu2Tg6z7_-x5Xq9yHry4jsogH6_7COLJLjlCK1fih5RrjU_j8EA_xplmKAxoTCp2vpuJAro8cbXQyQdTeU/s400/Buenos+Aires+142.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484617508805423874" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Josh and me in front of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puente_de_la_Mujer">Puente de la Mujer</a> (I just learned it got the name because many of the streets in the area are named for women).</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwH8F3sNlwCoojRu0PmI6EAriUUhSAEChIH2sQSMcdRr_p2fixkU6r26UjTZJTWu8p7e2GQfjU8MRAHo1owgyZ0bxx5hZKYTGSx6AgixWne0M1tJnFbdgK-VWdeq5SCusFK0LXQM_-X4Q/s400/Buenos+Aires+149.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484617515397052962" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casa_Rosada">La Casa Rosada</a> - I guess there are quite a few stories of why it is pink in color...If anyone knows, please share!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdmmU1uLYTtyLodoA0BMGxiWv_IYXua_R4tv2qtOdgKvYtAZkfHcCMUiF39LcRMeNIr-GjWYU2SZA7-ivFGVbp4-RzN51bJU835Y9Jvp8PA6w-6lEFwjoPpVnGmBw1We5V5wxA7nXHMYQ/s1600/Buenos+Aires+148.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdmmU1uLYTtyLodoA0BMGxiWv_IYXua_R4tv2qtOdgKvYtAZkfHcCMUiF39LcRMeNIr-GjWYU2SZA7-ivFGVbp4-RzN51bJU835Y9Jvp8PA6w-6lEFwjoPpVnGmBw1We5V5wxA7nXHMYQ/s400/Buenos+Aires+148.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484619118645529266" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">Every week mothers of those who disappeared or were abducted under the military dictatorship gather here in the Plaza de Mayo to protest for information. I suggest you go learn about it (</span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mothers_of_the_Plaza_de_Mayo"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">here</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"> is always a good place to start. then maybe try </span><a href="http://www.yendor.com/vanished/madres.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">here</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"> or </span><a href="http://www.labournet.net/world/0001/mum1.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">here</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">).</span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">On my last night in BsAs, Josh took me to see a band/drum corps/I don't know how to explain it? It wasn't <a href="http://labombadetiempo.blogspot.com/">La Bomba</a>, but it was by the same producers I think, and I am pretty sure the idea was the same. Either way, it was really cool! My camera was out of batteries at this point, though, so no photos of that night :(</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I really had an absolutely fantastic time. Buenos Aires is a beautiful city, I felt safe, it was easy and nice to walk around, and I would really love to return (mostly for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfajor">alfajores</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malbec">wine</a>, and <a href="http://www.havanna.com.ar/">coffee</a>!) sometime very soon! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBu-2dLtox1EoEgdmHo31Ff4kf_2etROHkp7ZcK8JmbISkxs42cmBaDiYwHwJF5JPJ0lcRyowLKQYN9GlP6718xyHqXTDVVqK_9ddkfWqQE2px2gDTtpdFrnplTB2RPSnlxxF4dgQ6N7w/s400/Buenos+Aires+162.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484617523249206306" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">That is a thumbs up for BsAs!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Sandra Stipphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15734707912788417630noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6866902781604824611.post-89261565510316704152010-06-19T17:09:00.000-04:002010-06-19T18:05:33.159-04:00Festa Junina<div style="text-align: left;">If you were to have asked me when I moved here, "Sandy, what is the thing you think you are least likely to see in Brazil," I might have answered square dancing.</div><div><br /></div><div>Yet today, I saw square dancing in Brazil. </div><div><br /></div><div>Well, it is called quadrilha, but it pretty much looks like square dancing.</div><div><br /></div><div>Today we went to a festival where the kids go to school to celebrate <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festa_Junina">Festa Junina</a>, which is an end-of-summer festival based on three saints. The festival was enormous with lots of big carnival type games for kids and SO many food tents. </div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTpZJOkxAk9tkAS-2Ajwe3lx78ZheFc0VrdCJFio1uFTutkdXdJf8uAvZ_CpjsDlxSvMjAwasreJv-ax4wGYGtPtlmuzoB2t4nzz8x8nRhfQAgR22f7_5Enp8V8Jchgm7BKYnp0_7P_wE/s400/Brazil+003.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484599705189575794" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">I didn't get a chance to check out many of the food tents and choose the best because as soon as I saw the Arabic food tent I knew my fate was sealed. I grabbed this amazing falafel kebab. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv9B9C41n0wzlyb-bv34mG0yOjHRob5QFVYRuxAaShHkHldlDNVVVgEOLbEAaCHqsoS9VuGEZdO4Q1G3sJtrsroIBQbt4y0dDYpU4BzUW3vB7unekucLLusf8j2VFUPoaabKs8bWSvoc8/s400/Brazil+002.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484599213558006802" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">There was also some pretty good meat on sticks. And everyone knows that all food tastes better on a stick! We also had really good coffee and some amazing cake, but those were eaten before I could get a photo!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div>We had lots to eat and passed the time with good company and conversation :) I still don't understand everything being said around me but it is getting better. I talked with Marlay, basically my Brazilian Grandma, today, and I can understand SO much more of what she says than I did just 2 weeks ago (which is great because she is a riot!) so that makes me pretty happy.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVGb35VDx7U-a6iQA-J2TjZlmPi3Lv8Wle6eeykZakml4uhPvm0iZta5RwevkvunWWV2qQHZwfy7QDEkbQR3Qhddbw6y5s-2vTtlB-MFBdVLqCjk0I_3E9hLvjpBNiE7D8OymXL9nsbUg/s400/Brazil+001.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484599206885349202" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">This is like maybe 1/5 of the total space and people that were present. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div>Mariana and her boyfriend Silvio showed up and we went over to check out Silvio's brother in the quadrilha. Which, as I mentioned above, is square dancing. Down to the checkered skirts and straw hats - square dancing!</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgupAIicqa57utOmRFCK4g_pkFeXEJFlvziYakO2-_i24hUm2cLASpbR5FNPSdr5i8knTcj9I2cI0U7_upvpUK8vKLaczA1dtu8ZXADXbwOpdzbGg4iIzNKlTB0P6hFN_F3GKYxeQWWBeU/s400/Brazil+006.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484599225450807618" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">I know, I know. You didn't believe me that it actually was square dancing in Brazil. Here is the photographic evidence. I'll throw a video of it on at the end here, too!</span></div><div><br /></div><div>One of the saints celebrated is São João (St. John) and his day celebrates marriage. So, the quadrilha cetners around a bride and a groom. At the end, the boys and girls separate, and the bride throws her bouquet. The girl who catches it then has to go get a boy from the boy's side. And this is all done by 16/17 year olds who must be mortified about it! Luckily, it seemed the girl who caught the bouquet had a boyfriend who she picked. I know this because (a) when she caught it all the other boys roared laughing and jumped on him and (b) they kissed. </div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ViEtR1nM0iLZYL_p29or-HumjOJjWIRL71TlxbOVMAKmaoO4JvYWQPCrNnN60jEiXKJf_og-4qc35e260olJbnIZ6Bwt7b-xV6jCOFKBX9O5V31q1Pf0VR9kb91cVwwuMWufrGWyzFM/s400/Brazil+010.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484601971843591442" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Throwing of the bouquet. I just really couldn't stop giggling.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Today was one of those days that makes me so happy that I moved to Brazil. I am learning a new language. I am having new and very different experiences. I am learning so much about my self and about other places and cultures. And I am getting to spend time with really amazing people. Most of my family was together today, and I when that happens I miss them even more. Today, though, while I missed them it was fine...because I got to be with family here.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkbhANWlAjIng7E-Fu4FcbLU4NqMu2qG1ijoYETTe4DWOKI4rTpGMcblfG-EnC7eCAwb4_Y6WJvP6eGnJOn-qsUS7vm2IUipPNKkHrRlGo0Kl9Lnax2BHMUvnWMW7boxOSpMfp1Uod4Vg/s1600/Brazil+004.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkbhANWlAjIng7E-Fu4FcbLU4NqMu2qG1ijoYETTe4DWOKI4rTpGMcblfG-EnC7eCAwb4_Y6WJvP6eGnJOn-qsUS7vm2IUipPNKkHrRlGo0Kl9Lnax2BHMUvnWMW7boxOSpMfp1Uod4Vg/s400/Brazil+004.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484599733095480914" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">Monica and Monique</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_3Vjs6AXNL8bEERZy0OjgU8JcWaMcyyChTPE66y-H_tkc_9rjcQEwEE0xF68wZS5XKILxb8U7_OT7jdc7T4omXVnquc_pWI7gEOGuBY3HsBtC7-0ePQrRi1alTMykgxQoZIy9UDGFpJ4/s1600/Brazil+014.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_3Vjs6AXNL8bEERZy0OjgU8JcWaMcyyChTPE66y-H_tkc_9rjcQEwEE0xF68wZS5XKILxb8U7_OT7jdc7T4omXVnquc_pWI7gEOGuBY3HsBtC7-0ePQrRi1alTMykgxQoZIy9UDGFpJ4/s400/Brazil+014.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484599728487496674" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">Monique and Javier</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYDBSgceEcBxPFE9kN4Innvkqs1bnAJDcGUwAtTdypu9O2sZPwN8VnOGPPLvhtQlSNvyLJKMUx9QwDoBVh1ohukzi86Qquw_FnnPJjIQYrECH4dnXETHvFrhVE0vSKHROHCTE-ioUOnOQ/s1600/Brazil+013.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYDBSgceEcBxPFE9kN4Innvkqs1bnAJDcGUwAtTdypu9O2sZPwN8VnOGPPLvhtQlSNvyLJKMUx9QwDoBVh1ohukzi86Qquw_FnnPJjIQYrECH4dnXETHvFrhVE0vSKHROHCTE-ioUOnOQ/s400/Brazil+013.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484599719435551906" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">Monique and Marley<br /></span><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTpZJOkxAk9tkAS-2Ajwe3lx78ZheFc0VrdCJFio1uFTutkdXdJf8uAvZ_CpjsDlxSvMjAwasreJv-ax4wGYGtPtlmuzoB2t4nzz8x8nRhfQAgR22f7_5Enp8V8Jchgm7BKYnp0_7P_wE/s1600/Brazil+003.JPG"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwk05-CyuaJ0lSg7rog1T7KPmzM5KNY3hBqCc5gbDK7J1AAtC8YCj6IAKC2iiZ6oKq-NxiKiSjjrlSt6Q1OYVwEp67h4AHBf2UpJcxnThS9ThPDaGJ0Oer-tBxeHhd_-e8XHFXvMEgQ7M/s1600/Brazil+012.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwk05-CyuaJ0lSg7rog1T7KPmzM5KNY3hBqCc5gbDK7J1AAtC8YCj6IAKC2iiZ6oKq-NxiKiSjjrlSt6Q1OYVwEp67h4AHBf2UpJcxnThS9ThPDaGJ0Oer-tBxeHhd_-e8XHFXvMEgQ7M/s400/Brazil+012.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484599250379481746" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">Me with Mariana, her boyfriend Silvio, and their friend</span><br /><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAzPPQPpovzT02IDar26oy58O3nFeUcTCBOIM9P5Pg52EdW7CUuHeQKTHfu2QxwIcod0Xv3fodv5waER5FP3c0s6rosLis4YzY6qvtyQAGjG_doMPDQkTvi4AwrTx5tQ_ojpGZI6OPwlQ/s1600/Brazil+010.JPG"></a></span></span></div><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwOIZVw51Sd3Ndh8e7jFn8kKIZR_1fmFDH6pstiKM-ny6SI5ARTy39fUPOxIQnr8A105E-lqK6Am4TYaEna1A' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><div>Here is some brazil square dancing for your enjoyment. I don't know why, but I was just so tickled by this, haha!</div>Sandra Stipphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15734707912788417630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6866902781604824611.post-53525928584474617002010-06-17T16:36:00.000-04:002010-06-18T13:37:02.442-04:00The Dish: Minas Gerais<div style="text-align: left;">I promise that I am continuously taking pictures of neat food that I am eating to post about it for you, but I am really forgetful. As a result, I have a backlog of these sorts of posts. I hope to get some of them up soon...and there is no better time to start than the present so here we go!</div><div><br /></div><div>When I moved to São Paulo I went out to eat with Javier and his friend Luis Carlos to a restaurant that serves traditional food from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minas_Gerais">Minas Gerais</a>, a Brazilian state. The only thing I knew about Minas Gerais was the Minas Cheese that I like putting on sandwiches! </div><div><br /></div><div>My love of the cheese should have tipped me off, because Mineiran food is great! It is sort of best described as farm-style cooking. Real comfort food, for sure. Here is the bad part, I mostly forget the names of everything we ate. Oops! But I have pictures. </div><div><br /></div><div>We had rice and some sort of bean puree with sausage in it. Mmmm sausage and black beans = :). We also had bisteca de porco and couve Mineira (which was kale and really tasty). And then there was also fried pork fat, which I was not a big fan of! </div><div><br /></div><div>Maybe it was the restaurant overall, but Mineiran food gave me the feeling of a big family-style meal on a farm, albeit a Brazilian farm!</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjSGsRaZKoMI4cYMgySZbQC0uHCzEpkCMKKolPeiHwBxnz1K_InZ_YH0vVBRwV7_PcSYWjLB6D3EjiwJbwNaaf1AR-3T0BMmy-P6MSQdvFm9OVpkMnnapv-Ttxl9_B6wf7Ok6SWaPeBg0/s400/Brazil+072.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483831920483551218" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Felipe and the patio area of the restaurant. The place was really beautiful but sort of tucked away off the street. I don't think I would have recognized it to be a great restaurant had I just been walking by. There is also another little patio area on the other side (so opposite this one).</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTA2-zwquHdCYfRC7ntBLbbVPmyzsBDaqAg2NI9zJHXyVMc5LZyuAYeKk8XXrAfsvRiJKpKbXU3hyphenhyphenDBc8gLRkQ2Fmdt7ofurIq7uFRtxsvbhwEC2pJ6GjkACm9zD88_kMFm3KBnXGIL7I/s1600/Brazil+069.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTA2-zwquHdCYfRC7ntBLbbVPmyzsBDaqAg2NI9zJHXyVMc5LZyuAYeKk8XXrAfsvRiJKpKbXU3hyphenhyphenDBc8gLRkQ2Fmdt7ofurIq7uFRtxsvbhwEC2pJ6GjkACm9zD88_kMFm3KBnXGIL7I/s400/Brazil+069.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483831913326650978" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center;">The food...well, some of it! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtWInGBxSYe-zydb5eiqIEwg_pkYJzDSAWxSdIPIMYfbLfcwCpAzgCsRy6oS-oxe4B1QacH328CG4N2i-cNqVkOTd-oOrYj7TxJp4oFZQAItFQu2KjwwS5izWOC2jbD8KAYr32tUxGU20/s1600/Brazil+062.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtWInGBxSYe-zydb5eiqIEwg_pkYJzDSAWxSdIPIMYfbLfcwCpAzgCsRy6oS-oxe4B1QacH328CG4N2i-cNqVkOTd-oOrYj7TxJp4oFZQAItFQu2KjwwS5izWOC2jbD8KAYr32tUxGU20/s400/Brazil+062.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483831906064939410" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">The interior. I wish I had a better shot of it. I think I felt really "farmy" about the place because it looked really "farmy" (tables, art, walls, etc.).</span></div>Sandra Stipphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15734707912788417630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6866902781604824611.post-34834110303402835652010-06-16T21:35:00.000-04:002010-06-17T15:27:48.677-04:00A Copa do Mundo<div style="text-align: left;">As most of you probably know that right now the World Cup is going on.</div><div><div><br /></div><div>In Brazil, I think you would have to have been born yesterday to not know that it is happening. And even then, I'm not so sure. </div><div><br /></div><div>I was actually in Buenos Aires, Argentina (more on that later) when the Cup started. I watched many of the games and am once again remembering that I like soccer (futebol here)...a lot! We actually missed the first 5 minutes of the Argentine game, and since the goal was scored in the first 4 minutes, we actually "heard" the goal instead of seeing it. The noise from the streets was awesome when they scored!</div><div><br /></div><div>We also had a lot of fun watching the USA/England game at an ex-pat bar filled with both Americans and Brits. It was hard for me to hide my love of the English players, but I still chanted USA along with the best of them during the game. And no matter which country they were from, EVERYONE cheered when they showed David Beckham on the sideline. </div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU1iuHJ9de0X5y-Nz8hdKP0Y4R-HIWOR84EHmO_HexND_GaVb1MlvQuGqVEDRDUj4ObBXOkFAGyV-ItdMeEbQgTYFNbkgEJfIw1LsNFLhpI8KlpPqRPjwbza9EmS1GJDIdCzfF6HPyKKw/s400/Buenos+Aires+043.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483820130143618626" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">Getting pictures was difficult. Getting into an ex-pat bar that wasn't already at capacity was even more difficult!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzPcmrSL3palqN7fCJYimJ92MXiePSa4c-Bbl4zryye9T9T_XqH5_4bBOQPNmv1H1WKmzLx4VEmwFoAbrV29w' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div></div><div><br /></div><div>The National Anthem sounds so much cooler during the Cup at a bar with tons of other Americans. </div><div><div><br /></div><div>On my return home, my layover in Porto Alegre, Brazil thankfully coincided with the Brazil match. I found a table at an airport restaurant - there were chairs and TVs set up everywhere for people to watch. I threw on my Brazil shirt from my carry on and laughed when the man at the next table over commented on my action with a "now Brazil will win easier," and a thumbs up.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoeZyqcoqkLYYBdy9Iw2GbTFEJprlNEExX0Zn1YcuNZu6h-1EbU6dn5j6AZ5CdYnuLYZtIg356omBwrYUl_2bvWOKS4m_eu1aZ66MHkiCyZdr-wg7zJfVVcAPp8vtHDmZJdMx_shQ7IyU/s400/Buenos+Aires+163.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483818200401252274" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center; ">One small portion of an airport crowd</div><div><br /></div><div>Though it is just the beginning of the Cup, I feel like it really is everything you would imagine it to be like here. And I love that. Don't tell America, but I'm really sort of hoping Brazil wins this one.</div></div>Sandra Stipphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15734707912788417630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6866902781604824611.post-2684263507734790782010-06-06T11:02:00.001-04:002010-06-06T13:10:46.242-04:00Some São Paulo Exploring<div style="text-align: left;">Exploring Sampa is a little more difficult than exploring Rio was - the city here is much more spread out, and I don't have a car. But luckily I have friends who don't mind taking me around!</div><div><br /></div><div>There was a holiday last week so Javier and his friend Luis Carlos set out with me to do some sight seeing! Our fist stop was the <a href="http://www.cidadedesaopaulo.com/sp/en/what-to-see/sightseeings/205-mosteiro-de-sao-bento">Saint Benedict Monastery</a>. This ended up being fitting because of the holiday - <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corpus_Christi_(feast)">Corpus Christi</a>. We were just checking out the inside of the church when the all of a sudden the mass processional began. We stayed for a little of it and then ducked out the back - On the way out, I managed to trip over an altar and face planted in front of everyone, so that made my visit even more special.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdVvPRULu3SFc4gaMrsD93-9BV_Axtn2NB7sG9hKF6fSN3r01Z2zGejYQhOaw2mpr7yHGuwA42b9XuKmEAwKVNZQi1VPfpzbtLMy0FBBzNCTQm2DUrKAEPj0RxOBGC1UxHnzI_KGj9by0/s400/Brazil+048.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479688854917606002" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;">A view of the entrance to the church from the outside. It also extends quite a bit more to the left of this and the back. I actually remember coming to this church before when I visited São Paulo a while back which was really neat since my memory is generally horrible!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRbMaQ7HuNLiCYIst5zcfBgSJKsmca2nNIdx9rKMniKq8VnE2RN9Y3gss1zkReGjc0MGCbdxxHdmz6FNpo9vZT_BTnhYg47wOY-w9qNcIV5DeKKCtXFk3edvDtotMyBlFdxY5Fmuzd8ZM/s400/Brazil+035.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479680849407135682" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Here is me being completely disrespectful to the monastery and my religion by snapping a quick picture during mass. If God brings it up to me, I'm going to play the foreigner/tourist card.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">After seeing the monastery we walked down Rua 25 de Julho (a bustling street with tons of really cheap merchandise/clothing vendors) and headed over to the Municipal Market (<a href="http://www.mercadomunicipal.com.br/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">Mercado Municipal</span></a>). This place is amazing, guys! It is a HUGE farmer's market in the city - there are tons of stalls with the most amazing fresh produce, cheese, meats, and nuts. Th</span><span class="Apple-style-span">ere are also tons of little restaurants, cafes and food stands mixed in, too. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE4-7D6-RO5VN1mJW7Ci4V9TgUKSMVivrmh20BmCn9ppnlWx2FO5NJwN6gm2VM_OnaY48ILcuSqt9jXaTSN18IN4qyglATJe19PXyMjUBNkUNULYiXLBZae_u2ZESP6cvImOraecEsszA/s400/Brazil+037.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479680854109592562" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Here is one of the rows, decorated subtly with the Brazilian flag...you know, in case you forgot where you were?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghsQQiEc1hqZjCKczlWpBg9Ru8soMBbZ1JI-zV-gu-3GlkpXTqoUKh3k4vQXmqdcpluif0ovcKmMHLgpOVW7TeQLkJLL6roZZK6xGndkX2I2C3q-2Pz4dPMokZvvj1aRm6yx9QUNGPMkY/s400/Brazil+041.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479680847659467314" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">I am not exaggerating at all when I tell you that I had a sample of each and every one of these fruits. It was ridiculously tasty - I was seriously in heaven. And I mean, who doesn't like free lunch!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8F7wA1RMJkwoieqNjeC1WvuZ-7xHwAQhhv5rWiwJS_18IaYf5ilRkII_-HDeH_1vFSsNR-6TYfTHbW4FvK2bvi4T7NjFDv_zWj57TVqnQ7vmYpnoVPJ2Z9hkvn3cDfj989R2ledSQhos/s400/Brazil+040.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479684999780739042" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; " /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">I don't remember the name at all, but this one was SO good - a really mildly tart taste!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX_aU58kXOWX4q2jReFo1uA64RzN8OwBvExWfyPLr09Bt177i4wQ38M93TbEBXoumTeyf2aMMVzBO_W6Ty-sQx8kPrghibLdlKNvbod2ZZYa3IAijp7JbfMoKLooiVw2fhfDvxA0P3udk/s400/Brazil+045.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479685013502868146" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">I wish I could tell you that I ate one of these bad boys, but I was too full from the fruit. So I took a picture as a reminder to go back!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">After we left the market we did stop for lunch and then headed to see some museums. I have no photographic evidence of this, though, as my camera was in the car - whoops! Our first stop was the<a href="http://www.museuartesacra.org.br/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"> Museum of Sacred Art</span></a>, which is full of religious relics and artifacts. It was so cool to see all of the really old altars and artwork. The <a href="http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Museu_de_Arte_Sacra_de_S%C3%A3o_Paulo"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">museum</span></a> is located in a monastery (yeah, I am practically a monastery expert now) and there is also an exhibit of nativity scenes. This was the coolest part, I thought! One room houses nativity scenes from artists all over the world - the different depictions and styles of art were really impressive. Then another room houses the largest nativity scene I have ever scene - it depicts a small town in Rome and only a tiny part of it is the nativity scene we think of. The rest shows life in this place - it was so impressive. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We tried to go to 2 other museums but so did a lot of other people - the lines were really long so we decided it would be best to come back another day! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiLJpnwlpC0WuSpNtb-yQFe0gct4Y0kNOgmN3fGm7C1qFA7rF7aZxIzT3q-LGNYZ4URNYwl6Df5ncXS8zKIUKmYKz4SPdebfmi7kD-tx85V6DV6M5b5kBrq0TYPhvtYDwFvY4nqhYyMCs/s400/Brazil+050.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479680835340352450" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;">We ended up at an enormous bakery, instead, where we had coffee and pao de queijo :)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">This weekend I also did some exploring of night life in Sao Paulo :) I went out with my friend Fabiana (Roberto's sister, who lived in Champaign for a while too - for those of you playing along with the Brazilian/American connection game at home) and her boyfriend and friends. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It was really nice to see a familiar face, especially one that was so kind and so fun. We both agreed that it was a bit strange to have known each other in the US and to now be hanging out in Brazil speaking only Portuguese (and of course we both agreed that we missed Hobby and wished he was there). We went to a bar for appetizers and drinks and we ended up dancing into the morning - I had so much fun and it was great to hang out with such welcoming new friends!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm2QdrgZ_wlB2FX7_yEy3Ww3bF5CGgE7XiabEA7ArWcfkg82feo20xj6Z5pbEjjV0_2n4acN7D_sKVNFPJMIFIeq9EMAZEgDJAEN_z4HSFvC8KTl1w9ybRuIr90DpwOrHX7bNojyrwobY/s400/Brazil+052.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479685004876420194" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Me and Fabiana</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYmgp2EVzJYrFpthP0drLvZM7G1olkYf72BxBq9iUCaLHffxAQFQs8Gf44sqbzvrwYLpzWNoX5UzuLh3Z0fN8fzt2Fnw1OO1C_Di93lR-fEyk_Wobil0uE3h558vdauu1TE67XwprDnDs/s1600/Brazil+061.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYmgp2EVzJYrFpthP0drLvZM7G1olkYf72BxBq9iUCaLHffxAQFQs8Gf44sqbzvrwYLpzWNoX5UzuLh3Z0fN8fzt2Fnw1OO1C_Di93lR-fEyk_Wobil0uE3h558vdauu1TE67XwprDnDs/s400/Brazil+061.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479684993229717938" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a>Me and Paulo, Fabiana's boyfriend</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8zM7imoULgj0B8jxdnAzyeAUZG_Sb0ohSFxNL0MSyuPaauiAQ98SE0PdnI-Q4AHVQz87ZST4Wa0yOH-yNErhyN78M_Fj9V1K7mluJAxjfD_0zRbXKTNcYc8M0IBh4rXK5HuJ076fy-F8/s400/Brazil+059.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479685014900243810" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Fernando, Diego, Paulo, Fabiana - Everyone was so nice and fun...They made me so comfortable that I sort of had the overwhelming feeling that I knew everyone already</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">I have an exciting trip ahead of me this week - on Thursday I am heading to Buenos Aires, Argentina to visit my friend Josh! I will stay there through Tuesday and can't wait to get to know the city (read: eat a ton of meat and drink a ton of wine)!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><br /></span></span></span></div>Sandra Stipphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15734707912788417630noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6866902781604824611.post-73463630395195880612010-05-31T08:36:00.000-04:002010-05-31T09:24:56.833-04:00All Settled In<div style="text-align: left;">Well, I have been here in SP for about a week now, and I am feeling all settled in. Everyone here has done plenty to make me feel very welcome and at home! </div><div><br /></div><div>I am currently living quite some way from the CDI office here and am without transportation. Sao Paulo is huge and not the easiest to get around in without a car. So I am doing my work from home, currently, and I really don't mind that at all. Alejandro did suggest that it wouldn't be too expensive to get to some places by taxi, though, so I might try that. After all, if I go see a movie in Portuguese it counts as studying, right?</div><div><br /></div><div>I did actually see a movie this weekend - Javier, Monique, and I saw Sex and the City 2. It was in English with Portuguese subtitles, so I tried to follow along with the subtitles as often as I could; it was pretty funny. Some of the things just don't quite translate so well - things that are really funny in English fall a little flat in Portuguese, I think, because of the way it is translated or written. But my grasp of the language is not perfect, so I could be wrong!</div><div><br /></div><div>On Saturday night, I went to dinner with Javier and his friend Luis Carlos. We had really good pizza and even better conversation. It is nice that as my Portuguese comes along I can more meaningfully participate in conversations, even if I am not understanding 100% of everything that is said. It really helps that everyone here is so patient with my language skills!</div><div><br /></div><div>On Sunday I got to spend some time with my friend Mariana, which was fantastic! We haven't seen each other in over 3 years (since Christmas during my 1L year). Let me back up for those who don't know. When I was a senior at U of I, Mariana was an exchange student in high school and stayed with Todd and Gail (my Aunt and Uncle). Mariana is the daughter of Gail's Brazilian sister Flavia. It really is one huge Brazilian-American family we have here! Since I lived so close I was able to get to know Mariana and she has since been like a sister to me. When we visited Brazil 3.5 years ago, we stayed with Mariana's family. She came and picked me up and we had a really nice time at her house talking, catching up, and then eating lunch with Flavia. It is so nice to know that I have a a good friend so close by to hang out with while I am here!</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPTiPc-Tv4e85HIeBiLfR6ECN9e-ENvf71vJLxdvvPl24cFrKNBJ-jfSbr-umfj91VrbkdnZFQcrskMfXEsvv4gmHjUu6jcTCWfSZbGrzbBOqr2u5bUJbcLTbDrLX9ubsPiMg0-hSrwoM/s400/Brazil+004.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477419101618818322" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Mari loves having her picture taken :)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWIz6WwBDcWk6PbsQTkNLg6llbtw_DouM7yswccCnmSctClI38d9vnnIl1-3p07IwkNe48Uk1c_NSZ2XjrPgshBRPB8UO51lAyF_85C0viiqSCrG-OYIdopVj-CtW9FppNoAUbS5qtUCM/s400/Brazil+006.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477419107567570498" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Seriously happy that I get to spend time with this woman!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div>When I talked to my mom on Sunday night, I realized that it was the first time in almost a week that I had spoken an entire English sentence out loud. Weird! One great thing about all of this Portuguese is that I am completely exhausted by holding conversations and I sleep like a rock!</div><div><br /></div><div>The only downside to São Paulo appears to be my allergies. In Rio they pretty much disappeared, save one or two random occasions. Here, though, they seem to be in full force. It is likely because there is a lot more pollution here or at home than there is in Rio? </div><div><br /></div><div>So I am planning this week to try to find some ways to get out a little more and see some things both by myself and with the help of friends. I am also planning a little trip to see my friend who is living in Buenos Aires, so I am really looking forward to that. </div><div><br /></div><div>I hope everyone is having a good Memorial Day - I will admit, I am a bit jealous of the boating/cookouting/general summer holiday fun everyone is likely having today :) </div>Sandra Stipphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15734707912788417630noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6866902781604824611.post-36516324956026183412010-05-24T20:03:00.000-04:002010-05-24T20:31:43.043-04:00Moving to São Paulo<div style="text-align: left;">I think most of you know this already, but for those who do not - tomorrow I am moving to São Paulo.</div><div><br /></div><div>You may <a href="http://sandrastipp.blogspot.com/2010/04/sao-paulo-recap.html">remember</a> that I visited there about a month or so ago. You may also remember that I really loved it. So after some thinking, I decided it was the best decision for me to go there for the remainder of my time in Brazil.</div><div><br /></div><div>Originally, I had planned to stay in Rio for just one month before moving on to São Paulo - but I liked Rio so much that I stayed. But just because one place is great doesn't mean that another isn't also! </div><div><br /></div><div>While I love Rio de Janeiro, going to São Paulo is just the better fit for me right now. I am so looking forward to spending more time with Monica and Javier's family, learning a new city and culture, really working on my Portuguese (they don't speak English to me at all in São Paulo), and enjoying my last couple of months in this country. </div><div><br /></div><div>So what am I going to miss the most? The water...</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ4pOT1Cof5RQEB5zGU_lx9WtK9XrF8suTQUS_eJikFvchHzblpGpV-XJ_WPTJaz80CTjaxTszRK56w0kwj-UuI5lfdZO1E_zN0h1YLAMVPho9Rl3ZrOJIJT4-O0k3hT3IvDN7Ak242a0/s400/Brazil+-+Mom+304.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474995923924739458" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Goodbye Copacabana Beach - just 4 blocks from my house!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5LulfQESbr5cu-GEaOvdzIkUD8GK5dULH_3S261hEoH5Gy3EuUV85btq9hrpssRmLTnvO2t8Xv-2FLU7rdoGldJUugmjO1Xv6KP9ORVJAN1G0M3aSxDi2QKUTj4DhxqIzsk5LIe50AjA/s400/Brazil+042.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474995932721369554" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Goodbye Ipanema Beach - where I spent many afternoons at Barraca do Joel soaking up sun and caipirinhas!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht-ndRbMHAAIEbFNw74CDhvUAH5J5yoo8jaQYorFeugtgA6jLW9ozGcUz-Mh5FWUjtrhARDOvepXuphmBg6BAUP4un6erwGjyACWR0tUo01Zo9ZGa6KeF3b0vvdxNn7K2eccuTEPaLtTQ/s400/Brazil+-+Steinborn+079.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474995929492981842" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Goodbye Lagoa - this one is the hardest for me...this is where I learned to run. Each turn around this beautiful lake made me love running a little more.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9mjUQiOJIVgA-QaT7sB3_mpAhs0nt-pazF2Yf7KPhdoC0KoqcLsTWPbeY91nlGQ7ZK8HqWNTYEbJPxWncBvznjOAoWc8q2mwcisueUDt-9_EJJnhQlYgA1hyZ0rp0Zb-3vx-XlZNk0KM/s1600/Brazil+050.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9mjUQiOJIVgA-QaT7sB3_mpAhs0nt-pazF2Yf7KPhdoC0KoqcLsTWPbeY91nlGQ7ZK8HqWNTYEbJPxWncBvznjOAoWc8q2mwcisueUDt-9_EJJnhQlYgA1hyZ0rp0Zb-3vx-XlZNk0KM/s400/Brazil+050.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474995940685940498" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a>Goodbye Floppy -- though he is a dog and not water, I will miss this little guy, too.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div>So I am all packed and ready to go - I'll catch up with you in São Paulo :)</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcfuhLxjp3peSesy_q1Q8DbWrQmcNkFFoqXzo7a9IBu86f1BWSBFgvTgrYa8Ki7aR30_LXx8CH7rA_VXEW5LqFs9rg7v4ne6bWjdrA7MOr-zBKl1BWyrLPoiVEmY6xr165uc2O2Flzh_k/s1600/me+beer.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcfuhLxjp3peSesy_q1Q8DbWrQmcNkFFoqXzo7a9IBu86f1BWSBFgvTgrYa8Ki7aR30_LXx8CH7rA_VXEW5LqFs9rg7v4ne6bWjdrA7MOr-zBKl1BWyrLPoiVEmY6xr165uc2O2Flzh_k/s400/me+beer.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474993679894783186" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Just pretend like this is me giving a cheers goodbye to Rio (I think I am actually giving a cheers to an impromptu afternoon happy hour with mom)! </div><div><br /></div>Sandra Stipphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15734707912788417630noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6866902781604824611.post-18378747371616494792010-05-23T19:00:00.000-04:002010-05-23T19:48:34.363-04:00The Mom Edition - Part 3, Salvador da Bahia<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKgzgTTmz9UhhCLunpduSOFl35LERY8da9zPF0JfXgxnaASfrzc37fbVBkwB8KtCyItOrZVBsDfe-OxmhVMteV1XewNKIbxgeVVHMm76Dab6snnmvjs7R_OgbSVnsyQxM_p1EibP1foYo/s1600/moqueca.jpg"></a><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">The theme of this leg of the trip may have skewed a little bit toward being exhausted! Nevertheless, we really enjoyed</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"> </span><a href="http://www.bahia-online.net/history-bahia.htm"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">Salvador da Bahia</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">.</span> It is a really historical town with an impressively rich African culture. It was so neat to see all of the different art and architecture.</div><div><br /></div><div>We arrived in Salvador really late and upon being collected by our guide and subsequently dropped at our hotel - we collected ourselves and dropped into bed! The one perk was that this was a pretty nice hotel, which was very welcome after our basic lodging in the Amazon!</div><div><br /></div><div>Our full day in Salvador began with a half-day tour of the city with our guide. He was really knowledgeable in the history, which made for an incredibly interesting tour. To get the tour started, we went for a capoeira class. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capoeira"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">Capoeira</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"> </span>is an afro-brazilian sort of dance/martial art/really awesome. For a long time it was banned in Brazil because they were afraid the slaves would use it to fight. So slaves went off and practiced in secret - but they didn't to it in preparation of a fight; they practiced capoeira as a way to stay incredibly fit so they could escape should the opportunity present itself. </div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTJ8YJb0GXVYeg11563uwo6H316bP5RrfD58uey1UscCWNWdRw_IY4zMwkJ3nZrxHF3gwm1HjVLgWsar7i5ydEFmaNotXCgJSHw8_r88lg8tUY0EsMhAoXSP3tnULSfXsBC5Igdj-Ui1Y/s400/capoeira.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474607904717243826" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 340px; height: 284px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Here we are practicing capoeira at our class. Just kidding. Mom took pictures but I refuse to let people see them. Although really fun, it was pretty sweaty and embarrassing. So just pretend like this is us, OK?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">I decided that I love capoeira, and I am really looking forward to finding a class to take before I come home (and maybe even back in the Chi, too). The big problem with this class, though, was that we didn't really know about it. I looked really cute that day, too - My hair looked nice, and I had on a cute tank top and white shorts. Then I got incredibly sweaty playing a sport in a basement that could've doubled as an oven. So I had to walk around the rest of the day in white shorts that were basically see-through because I was sweating. Gross. And I apologize for telling you that, but come on...it is pretty funny. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We visited all of the old part of the city and it was so beautiful!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEz72vZSWTcixxOorZPtel2f4qYLx7UMoOSbUAoh5bKRwWl9ibNInRiAaMSjWEL6sqxSJHuut_fZenKoDj0a3L2i5ViVLWSa_sC91EiEyRox7AoQ-eh2d_7xaeTP8crHGNe7rP1ul3XuE/s400/Brazil+-+Mom+820.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474607421741701490" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">The city has a really old European feel to it - the stone streets and building style. Salvador is also the most colorful city I have seen, by far. EVERYTHING is painted a vibrant color.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCPyF_dSbJ0m_CNOi2ltcAYkEHHEUztRZbBhtLTJZV8nvno0VINXCyX2vqykTYhVPeQbycBaqkfzEPV-Ww9J7PXiZ408kUyYrlE6x4hm00J1yGlyYibeCq-nZALRu3QmGSUFpPzF2SmSg/s400/Brazil+-+Mom+262.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474607400906570002" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">This baroque style church - Igreja de Sao Francisco was stunning. It was built by African slaves who, subsequently, were not allowed into the church. It was built so ornately to remind people why they should be good - to get to paradise. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2VWj46NCGsXgJQsWyMg7QJ652eu_97Fskx3goVoh42M5N6dVVXmrG9wJkHA0Upl2yGGHRbQ4Yf7612f-8mv972d5GyD9VkSg70fu8DorKPcHQPsQwVfbrrW-RAb9D_FlPdHKJGlt9EqA/s400/Brazil+-+Mom+289.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474607403198465602" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><a href="http://www.jorgeamado.org.br/ing/jorge_biografia.htm"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">Casa de Jorge Amado</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">. </span>This building, which sits at the head of a large square, was originally a slave market. Now it is the site of a foundation by Jorge Amado, a famous Bahian author.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZW7nWyIGlWfE8Qq32T19qI2GlbH2okReEPZZAJ3UUkWpmtJb8peYrXe3gz5rBpGe8XFr85P_oxMPyemMzTYFduFoLMvJAOhEPzAFMlE3QI02Umk0Y_DJG5RfjarR55morJZhsyaT2uhM/s1600/Brazil+-+Mom+813.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZW7nWyIGlWfE8Qq32T19qI2GlbH2okReEPZZAJ3UUkWpmtJb8peYrXe3gz5rBpGe8XFr85P_oxMPyemMzTYFduFoLMvJAOhEPzAFMlE3QI02Umk0Y_DJG5RfjarR55morJZhsyaT2uhM/s400/Brazil+-+Mom+813.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474607415788611090" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px; " /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">Salvador is set on a little peninsula, and it has a gorgeous Sea.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">Now the pictures have gone all tiny-like on me and I don't know why. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiISlfSGYkvN3QGSxgJerYNnfLXP0OlOE3yvkyP0jpYMyGwqmSH8RCpIafjYKeptiShg16DYHNEY92lyA18ke3_JJdNf1Mu-I-zWwfW_OoOQyY1gj-kyw7OVZfiHHs6OBqWswPkSnOqsq0/s1600/salvador+elevator.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiISlfSGYkvN3QGSxgJerYNnfLXP0OlOE3yvkyP0jpYMyGwqmSH8RCpIafjYKeptiShg16DYHNEY92lyA18ke3_JJdNf1Mu-I-zWwfW_OoOQyY1gj-kyw7OVZfiHHs6OBqWswPkSnOqsq0/s400/salvador+elevator.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474611112431081586" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 98px; height: 130px; " /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">Salvador is built in two parts - one is up high and one is down low. And there are a few elevators around the city, like this one, that connect the upper and lower parts of the city. This is really cool.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw2Ippk8E-LPH4wwxAFqRRc7RfZUuqKQUk7PkYZiCjpo9ZfMSbESUsvs3tfkwkxmHW4USG1xjGs4VOOVHlpw6Fixyqo5QiJBskH2y_CA9tHE5NjT8YtRVKSW8HjONobawYdKWfJSLhgZ8/s400/pool+salvador.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474614677259748290" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 130px; height: 98px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">After all of our touring we spent the rest of our day here. And pretty much the next day until our flight, too. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">Yes, there was a ton more to see in Salvador. But we were really tired. And it was quite nice to stay by the pool!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">We did have one really nice dinner out - we went to a traditional Bahian restaurant. Poor mom had to order a steak because it was pretty much the only thing on the menu that didn't at one point live in the sea (that's for you, Gail). But she was a good sport going there with me so I could partake.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKgzgTTmz9UhhCLunpduSOFl35LERY8da9zPF0JfXgxnaASfrzc37fbVBkwB8KtCyItOrZVBsDfe-OxmhVMteV1XewNKIbxgeVVHMm76Dab6snnmvjs7R_OgbSVnsyQxM_p1EibP1foYo/s1600/moqueca.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKgzgTTmz9UhhCLunpduSOFl35LERY8da9zPF0JfXgxnaASfrzc37fbVBkwB8KtCyItOrZVBsDfe-OxmhVMteV1XewNKIbxgeVVHMm76Dab6snnmvjs7R_OgbSVnsyQxM_p1EibP1foYo/s400/moqueca.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474614687298805538" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 130px; height: 98px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">This is what I had for dinner - and it was beyond ridiculously good. There aren't any words. Well, there are...but I am going to save them for a later post dedicated solely to this dish!</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw2Ippk8E-LPH4wwxAFqRRc7RfZUuqKQUk7PkYZiCjpo9ZfMSbESUsvs3tfkwkxmHW4USG1xjGs4VOOVHlpw6Fixyqo5QiJBskH2y_CA9tHE5NjT8YtRVKSW8HjONobawYdKWfJSLhgZ8/s1600/pool+salvador.jpg"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiISlfSGYkvN3QGSxgJerYNnfLXP0OlOE3yvkyP0jpYMyGwqmSH8RCpIafjYKeptiShg16DYHNEY92lyA18ke3_JJdNf1Mu-I-zWwfW_OoOQyY1gj-kyw7OVZfiHHs6OBqWswPkSnOqsq0/s1600/salvador+elevator.jpg"></a></span><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><br /></span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhhLOJsMi6NnGSev-WB5blk175Y48mcUugij1nELN6Gi_oq0vb1sxYgIwjfIFzyiQuaEfybFGrYxxa52c74H8_hPKVuXn92Wz4zn0tj4-XWJyov5E-CX325vjlmfibfrImPzebN5TKQ8A/s1600/best+of+us.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhhLOJsMi6NnGSev-WB5blk175Y48mcUugij1nELN6Gi_oq0vb1sxYgIwjfIFzyiQuaEfybFGrYxxa52c74H8_hPKVuXn92Wz4zn0tj4-XWJyov5E-CX325vjlmfibfrImPzebN5TKQ8A/s400/best+of+us.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474609518202042994" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">Us at dinner. If you ever find yourself in Bahia, I suggest you go to Yemenjá, this restaurant. Delish.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">I feel like I have left out a MILLION things, so I am going to throw up another post here soon. No words, though - this one is going to be a photo-essay. OK, so there will be </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">some </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">words, but I promise to try to keep it to a minimum! </span></div></span></span></span></span></span></div>Sandra Stipphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15734707912788417630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6866902781604824611.post-61237834767126476082010-05-20T18:33:00.001-04:002010-05-21T01:04:54.418-04:00The Mom Edition - Part 2, The Amazon<div style="text-align: left;">For our trip to the Amazon we flew from Rio to Manaus and managed to score an exit row. For each of us! We were collected at the airport, put into a van, and driven to a dock. Waiting at the dock was a tiny little wooden speedboat to get us to the lodge. I thought Mom might freak out, but she actually did OK! Outside of Manaus, there is 1 road in the Amazon - they use the rivers as roadways.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh48NQAwduWf94SbySikZ4glp6lc3TMfQ0X3l2yj4h4zeyW86C3afNcZSeoEPvN8zus44e1e4Aw_Wwjq0ih-YL3tFasR3kFejdksPo5-fweQldArsfFyNkSA5lxJdtGIh89KpXQ1iFnYtI/s400/manaus+boat.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473485338357852994" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Upon arrival, the most important part of the trip occurred -- I met Iurys. Iurys is a native Brazilian Indian - he grew up in a tribe but left at the age of 24. He had the most AMAZING stories to tell us about his life, including the ceremonial contest he had to pass as an initiation at the age of 19. Also, I fell in love with him. It was a pretty intense crush and I am certain he returned the sentiments. Mom was embarrassed of me.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8KbClSkL1O2KLpWhWtBhZC-7_v3ebyYdFKfGBl1-DlYL3dEP-U862J0hoLY7jPDSEkqP4K1713UdItJz1O3i1rTygfKRuAraTfzblBb0kvrMDUvlk3wiVom5tqBZmPvylZolneC1rBT8/s400/iurysfireants.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473487980906649794" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Here he is putting fire ants of some sort onto himself. They do this and then rub it all over so that they smell like nature and other people and animals can't smell them coming. I am pretty sure he made this demonstration to show me his strength, though. Le sigh.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNbf6BJnI0h3h-3lpJnfZ7zds3qaapBYOzTd6jImWvJN9d2lw6BZe8itUd7OLl9RevihLfTIcSGcWZ_X_4YsJT6LI-s6_kvZkzWV9pN3OHRsItzajqlgOlmi4XYyThaiG0g1xi5GssBI8/s400/Brazil+-+Mom+028.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473489341781927122" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Also, he has a machete. And I now have an inordinate amount of pictures that look just like this. I mean I might even be a little embarrassed about how big of a crush I have on him.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We jumped into activities at the resort right away with Pirana fishing.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVqrYlpnx75FFaNf4j2eGmz3D09rC1uMr7FegNYMfvzEGlswITfqvW84npBENe3S2lLqJMxY-QaOnCsH8fIinyXaihAHB42Rebt-zw9UMXBIOxHQqTInScQmnL5olMKUD8u1bTCISoPug/s400/Brazil+-+Mom+044.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473582184828977778" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Look at those teeth - vicious! Interesting fact: The word pirana in portuguese is piranha. Piranha is also slang for prostitute.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Nobody besides our guides caught any pirana, but we did manage to catch an alligator (sort of). Apparently one alligator knows where Iurys takes people fishing regularly.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Iurys called him over just like you would call a dog over and held a Pirana above his head. [At this point I was paralyzed with fear as it was about 1 foot away from me and I was dangling a fishing pole with raw meat on it right in front of his face.] Iurys then told him to jump and the gator flew up out of the water, grabbed the pirana, and swam off to eat it.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmIXjx8CsMxoQlxq58jjf0Ups__i82bb6nAdRRQ_yP_-ESLyMdQ9pBOqm_BQo6CtXQtXwfoNW8RagjQzHFmGLPQCdj95a_DyhxSdy6kjMeAui0dvU7-h6bFsk067PUXnjspTALU5K34y8/s400/Brazil+-+Mom+038.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473489347420544194" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">I became un-fear paralyzed to snap photos, though! This guy sat and waited until he was told to jump before he grabbed the pirana. Now I want an alligator and I want to teach it tricks, too. Please mom?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">After dinner that night mom and I headed down to the little bar...by ourselves. We had NO idea where everyone was, and we actually started to get a little worried that we had 4 days of staring at each other as our only entertainment in store. This place was remote so it wasn't as though we could go find a restaurant or anything else. As it turns out, we did have pretty much nothing to do each night - but only because we did so much each day we were pretty exhausted and wanted to sleep! We ate dinner each night (the food was actually horrible here) and played pool (which we are both horrible at) before crashing fairly early. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We did a hike through the forest which was beautiful. We learned a lot about different plants and wildlife. Iurys taught us how shoot a bow and arrow and a blow dart. And we just got to be out in the beautiful jungle!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiydHXBEve8KfSYg_H4lmEzlcj6uNp1ISSG46X8QiOCvyXGd1MPb79G8YAi30nc3DpQ6k3yy_Mhub-mKFTa6t-O5FRDphsSr_bzum68ojuhxu-Ie63ZgBvzz1nylE4BcyDv2ZwwnCTfda4/s400/Brazil+-+Mom+083.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473537980447001842" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">SO green and lush! It actually rained during the entire hike, but with the canopy you couldn't really even tell. I came home really muddy, though!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">We also visited a native village and at night we went in a canoe ride to look for alligators. The paddle canoe put us level with the water and if someone even thought about moving the boat would rock a ton. Once I got past the whole dark/alligator/I could fall in feeling, it was actually amazing. The little canoe got us back into parts of the river I would have thought to be inaccessible, but that were absolutely beautiful and so serene.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">One day we took a day-trip to the meeting of the waters. It is the point where the Rio Negro (Black River) and the Rio Amazona (Amazon River) meet. Because the rivers are different colors, PHs, temperatures, and speeds, the water from the 2 don't mix. It is actually really neat to see. We stuck our hands in on the way back (we took a speedboat tour back) and you could feel the difference in the water immediately as you crossed over.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-eIPWnuLCci2nIqKLeg3s8IwC4fOvNSt1AYDzsrubUFa053i9A0ytICQfEeaMw65sSSN8Ir5Opiz-iV2V3zEnNylaLojyKJcCqZ03rwGLVZmlsSm9kSE2_iJUIgNAZh5RL4ZUiD7KKms/s400/Brazil+-+Mom+588.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473549191633130402" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">On the way to the meeting of the waters one of the tour guides grabbed a Boa out of the water and proceeded to let everyone hold it and pass it around. I was the only person who could not get over the fact that we had just snatched a snake out of the Amazon River and it was completely normal and an OK thing to do!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgffitiWscXcMjXq_Zhd54MWiCUcgStBCDDyFO8yGxLjau-78YIR3cEySQCPITyuve3p53HzG3d6TMtgvr5tiEl_ZjDrGNXBBGGddf4SJ7MpEUUeYJqGagPZdWrBaFQgVX8Gy6XBW8uPWM/s400/Brazil+-+Mom+663.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473549202484250386" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Pretty neat, huh? And it is even cooler in real life. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijTMGtfuY3xO29oupKPuwQmbQqQehE5X7nHpfduEuAkK9lJwEnhnRdEoYbKrhH4lYwNBkVBC8UpKt5nkIk0-YnDHyN3ekux7IQpHPIh4Ar2w6lkOlaCAheY1bGjlWMUVNHBNPcUhP83t8/s400/Brazil+-+Mom+787.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473549206241791426" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">I may or may not have tried to steal this dog (and maybe a really cute baby, too. nbw.) - He was precious.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh413mD2zb8AjqckxHtDiYYhTk46ya6r1drJUKv5eOZVmEt4RQer4OY2sEGSbzF6Ylbtj8vJK4Hk1V3aCooKK2FI5Plg9t0MMqvOkF1tNpYcbrZuzJPxHvqGHXTOenuTAzCBmcM1rZMotU/s400/Brazil+-+Mom+146.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473549208850907970" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">The houses all float and everyone has a canoe. Iurys told us that in these water villages the first thing you learn is how to swim and the second thing is to paddle a canoe. We saw a kid no more than 4 driving a little motor-powered canoe. Crazy. Iurys also said that you have to keep your chickens up in high cages because anacondas like chickens. We then saw small children swimming around underneath the chicken cages. Safe, no?</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4eWboh6HclhKW2GfsmVD8p34Fqb935b0TAMgFK5377TMcGsMc8v4qxTZRddTe8hHCWismdp57vljQmDcVAKa7WWrNJ8zBYpMW1QN1QVJHT6IWUJTuOWPv5H8osqt_uQsZjACU0kzFCOY/s400/Brazil+-+Mom+130.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473549211620035090" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Iurys basically just ate the whole time - everywhere we went he was plucking berries and seeds and whatnot from plants and popping them in his mouth. He never stopped eating. And he just kept telling me to try it all, too. Some of it tasted horrible! But this was actually really nice - tasted like the fruit version of a sweettart! Samantha you would LOVE it (and I even said that to mom when I was eating it)! </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Because I love him, I ate everything he told me to try - it is no small wonder that I did not end up in the hospital with some sort of poisoning. But his mother is a healer back in his tribe so I would have been OK. I swear I am not making this stuff up. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Our last day brought the most exciting of our adventures - MONKEYS! Just across the river is a reserve that was part of our resort - the Manaus zoo was apparently FULL of monkeys and the situation wasn't safe or healthy for them. So the owner said hey, I have this place and I want to rehabilitate these guys to the wild. The zoo said yes and now we have a monkey reserve. They feed the monkeys 20% of their daily food and they are left to forage for the rest like regular monkeys. Oh, also, they are adorable.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgThhXzvJdtMozLsSjeVQx4MLIb2KvM69jpBDoqk0UaKP4QOcIknIcDWiSrdU5RTZ90jqdZCWSrAujBah532LisDrzotPd1c04RdkKEzxEEAXRqDMt22quosh7bgxfYJKNTL94GuTzGxD8/s400/Brazil+-+Mom+199.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473576717447254002" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">See, pretty stinking adorable, right? This is Patricia. All of the monkeys had weird American names like Amanda and Tony. Patricia just liked attention - you would give her a nut and she would sit there and let you pet her while she nibbled on it. But honestly, if someone gave me a jar of peanut butter and I was allowed to sit there and eat it I would let them pet me too.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGUr3nNRvd-xeI7FqNQy1hRVwZkdKL1wQYWPNYIektjupAwds308ZlpYbWUxCqVPrg-9TMbwpRd4bxMHTvXR-MaNGlRyujAPHm7KWwP0o7L5JmsfjatsgDcvVRhMbxYBWCJy3wnM7Y3sg/s400/Brazil+-+Mom+226.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473576740914000818" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">Iurys told us that this little girl isn't very polite - she just kept trying to climb up me and they had to pry her off with the stick. Here's the thing, I didn't mind!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAzpqOvueSsfGUKqhUa38dBx_UO4z95SXuSmq6xN-fKgX2Qpe8GKsP8pAuwv1-3KaqEoGXsktQTgmhDcIvL2RdLz3S_dOwF3r7ujcZM9t2H194yIg1GOCDClZ0xoGt68YhzrMxyz_eZ4k/s1600/Brazil+-+Mom+221.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAzpqOvueSsfGUKqhUa38dBx_UO4z95SXuSmq6xN-fKgX2Qpe8GKsP8pAuwv1-3KaqEoGXsktQTgmhDcIvL2RdLz3S_dOwF3r7ujcZM9t2H194yIg1GOCDClZ0xoGt68YhzrMxyz_eZ4k/s400/Brazil+-+Mom+221.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473576736996839330" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a>They fed the monkeys while we were there. They all ran over but took their time starting to eat - they eat in a hierarchy with the Alpha Male (Tony, he is the fat one on the right here) going first and the red-faced monkey (there is only 1 and they semi-adopted him into their little monkey family) last. See the baby? 3 months old :)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Epu5BSfMXiswwt22xe4JjAtHHyc31nLLaYwpaMRZgitoN1nhIrPMoA2g1N494KgHebACaYmxTdDGjEKYLmPoNC4fFtcMrz2kGVszjb33lW86IViQamoHvRmYiAZ_FnN9tcKCl0hxQMU/s1600/Brazil+-+Mom+204.JPG"></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Epu5BSfMXiswwt22xe4JjAtHHyc31nLLaYwpaMRZgitoN1nhIrPMoA2g1N494KgHebACaYmxTdDGjEKYLmPoNC4fFtcMrz2kGVszjb33lW86IViQamoHvRmYiAZ_FnN9tcKCl0hxQMU/s400/Brazil+-+Mom+204.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473576729324087362" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Moms isn't so down with the wildlife - so instead of touching the monkey for a photo she opted to be in the general vicinity of the monkey for a photo. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">After the monkey visit we headed straight to the airport. I said a sad goodbye to Iurys and since our flight wasn't for several hours, she taught me how to play rummy. And we played rummy all the way to Salvador!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyNSQw-ZOtj4rWd6SV7Hr1KZzVaA2YsUQt1YNMO8HdUPqMev_qOCEr30Ga8VAkkYjRBEohlrj9raCj3uDx7uq1lje_C2P7myQgNgeBFa22Vyypx4aI8dc44ICpsSpuy6DmJYZy5Uliyg/s400/Brazil+-+Mom+241.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473579984233591314" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">This is us sad to be leaving the Amazon. This was our third attempt at a sad picture. If you think this one is bad you really should see the first two.</span></span></span></div>Sandra Stipphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15734707912788417630noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6866902781604824611.post-76286266122153048072010-05-17T18:52:00.000-04:002010-05-17T20:34:31.771-04:00The Mom Edition - Part 1, Rio de Janeiro<div style="text-align: left;">Because these posts end up long enough as it is (I need to remember how to write concisely before I have to go be a lawyer and whatnot), it is best to break the trip up by destination. As such, The Mom Edition of the blog will come to you in three parts. Here is part 1, Rio de Janeiro.</div><div><br /></div><div>I couldn't have been more excited when my mom arrived! We walked around and got her a little acclimated, got ourselves a little pedicure, and then got a little lunch. She had a hot dog. Naturally. We took a stroll down Ipanema beach and back, but it was ridiculously hot so we decided to head back to the hotel and go to the pool. Except as it turns out our hotel didn't have a pool like we thought. Back to the beach, where we sat at a stand and had some beers and watched the waves :) </div><div><br /></div><div>We spent her first night here at one of the nicest restaurants in Rio with Paulo and Claudia - I don't even have the words to describe it. I ordered lamb which came on the bone...but I just looked at it wrong and it fell off. awesome. It came with roasted artichokes. double awesome. One of the best restaurants I have been to, hands down (Sam, you would adore it!).</div><div><br /></div><div>We did our touristy stuff on her second day here. Which also happened to be the cloudiest and haziest day she was here. Which was awesome since the touristy stuff also doubles as the "really sweet views of Rio" stuff. But we made the most of it! </div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0SOpgKsS_NDKaSr_LF8Ij8kPMJDgtULbjtiGiWJvjNX4HC32FKXxr2rblk0MA_NPqe5s1iN_2kzxRTQ6_pbmS6I4IL8uhcA_v3qBDx9E6yZ7jE7QQ5RiSiRES-YVtDkGlN1ijTIvfWIU/s400/Brazil+-+Mom+303.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472394809441616066" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">I inherited my love of self pics from my mom. I did not inherit my incredibly large head from her. Honestly, look at how huge my head is. Weird. Anyway, here we are starting a day of touristing.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKUf6dzpBwvofovcwxm1qc5A1UoI6u4IFMFJvaJUYyvL8-hOShh1z5L8KBsQBgNE73CEC8w4h5MDmyJEDbqCov4kTnNA1sQQjn3Tzs0gC4D_3W8jpRHfi70X1qAoY2YhLQi7jlnshIXGc/s400/Brazil+-+Mom+374.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472394811111158018" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">The hazy/cloudy cable car ride up to Sugar Loaf Mountain.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIVb58rNdDX2l3RkFT3IgkAl6TSnYZL_6607md4oDdiG_kMEsKMFMiCrK2tPPSSgokltCjdIPrg2T3rW6oi2SdhWhuPFoZPx5CRAfllC-k1i5dqJQaMTAATBYKjg8S-JCtoptG1jFBiNg/s400/Brazil+-+Mom+341.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472394822615628834" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">The monkey I found at Sugar Loaf. This is peanuts compared to the monkey pictures that will come with the Amazon post. In fact, maybe I should do a post dedicated entirely to monkey photos...</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7FCXpPRYLguSvt7Iw9dbTyYO7PgTBtMXymMk1_Vl7-Gd23QueQ9hyxNISYFQzHfCtFNAxETI_EAuAWEG3nasOmjsrjqztmotP6rjqVuBBbmecBNlr-xm_DwtQrLZ5zxfrrHkD_CpHdF0/s400/me+mom+christ.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472396301886373394" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Us visiting the Christ statue. I figured you would rather look at us than at another picture of the Big Guy covered in scaffolding.</span></span></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div>Afterward, we hit up the beach for a bit and had an impromptu happy hour at the bar next to the hotel. Then we went to <a href="http://www.pizzariaguanabara.com.br/">Pizzaria Guanabara </a>(a famous pizza place in Rio that has incredibly tasty pizza and stays open all night). Seriously so good :)</div><div><br /></div><div>On our last full day in Rio we took a long walk on the lake. I had to pretty much drag Mom away from the dock where you can get a duck boat. Afterwards, we headed downtown to catch the red bull air show that was in town at the Flamengo beach. We ran into some of my friends and had lunch first - at Subway. Rest assured, it pretty much tastes the same here. We got to the show right after it ended, so that didn't really work out. We ended up taking a walk and then hitting up the bar next to our hotel (see this becoming a theme?). </div><div><br /></div><div>We ended this leg of our trip with a Mexican fiesta. I had mentioned to Paulo and Claudia that my mom loves (understatement of the year) Mexican food. So of course they threw a Mexican fiesta for her! Mexican food is really uncommon here in Brazil. In fact, I overheard one of Claudia's friends, tortilla in hand, asking how to make one of these tacos. When she was done, her husband asked her, "what is that?" Sigh, I have so much to teach these people.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGxu1ZvPgcvrrost1TbNndPPhhEjm8tTxoMdaIuq8u639QkIOPcRPKU1qpYjXWPGyWfVqJJldfBsLpk6TXZjKzwJmiGRjfzTHzc0oKdMLtTb8FbCpbVyMSQgJuD6JumhsRQwRCkPc_nuE/s400/pretty+us.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472398336012787186" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Ready to hit up the Mexican food - which included 7-layer dip made entirely from scratch :)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">And the next morning we got up early and boarded a plane to Manaus to begin our tour in the Amazon!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Sandra Stipphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15734707912788417630noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6866902781604824611.post-91878150461966724782010-05-15T20:29:00.000-04:002010-05-15T20:42:02.536-04:00I Survived The Amazon!<div style="text-align: left;">Just a quick note to let you know that I am, in fact, still alive here. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">My mom was here for 10 days and we did some travelling in Brazil (Rio, Amazon/Manaus, Salvador, Rio again). </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We had so much fun and didn't really have any time for emailing, facebooking, or blogging. But I have recaps to come of what was the best vacation I have ever taken! Thanks for coming, Mom...it was amazing!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">To tide you over, here is a picture of me and a monkey :) (and possibly my future husband...but more on that later....)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz_9MJwZN_3M48AMUgjF6530XK5jH64IPsDzJ8paW5LH6n-h0sXEljAlYenh2uoL4lr-A-juBse9FqepXkkQ6xH4hVWHpRs8wG-udES6wfJx7d0dirNCMnT8aMyqQarNRMAPLROX5GdXw/s400/Brazil+-+Mom+211.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471660796869298530" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div>Sandra Stipphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15734707912788417630noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6866902781604824611.post-89861067264205749482010-05-01T09:13:00.000-04:002010-05-01T17:23:34.310-04:00The Steinborn Edition<div>Last week my friend Jenny came to visit! </div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI0m9u0lKJ7ves8BzqTMMAAIRqeFZ5V1IZfShJ5jAFO6cpgEACEWZfaIbO50NKjNUb5Oor14Vfx7dGEXc3C2PhSRKYwu73Vk7ArhVEcD5BzF4XnIVGJRNx_vCbNDIWuTFJtay0tw9ZkCg/s400/Brazil+-+Steinborn+090.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466290143105159890" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;">Here we are on top of Corcovado - in the background is the mountains called Dos Irmaos (Two Brothers). A random french men said he would take a picture of us and it pretty much turned into an ANTM photo shoot with us sitting and posing on a ledge. This is our best fierce.</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "></span><div><br /></div><div>Jenny is my friend from Chicago (we met in college, she is a <a href="http://www.deltagamma.org/">DG</a> too) and it was SO nice to have her here. She is fun to hang out with, she is easy to please (all she wanted was a tan), and - most importantly - she brought me things. Things like some clothes that I bought online and had shipped to her house, a new <a href="http://www.apple.com/ipodnano/">iPod</a>, and - again, most importantly - some<a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jif-Extra-Crunchy-Peanut-Butter/13039032018"> peanut butter</a>! </div><div><br /></div><div>We did a lot and also made a lot of time for relaxing :) She arrived on a Thursday, and Paulo and Claudia were so amazing to take me to the airport to get her - yay no cab fare! They took us home the long way so Jenny got an impromptu tour of the city - we even went into the city center and stopped at a beautiful monastery. After getting checked into our hotel we went to the beach! And then the next day, we went to the beach! </div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlJyQm3pons8qZHhAsJNUHixb9QmkIDHBQkWyqslhJx3wMr649wiHGCoLTHK6XC0nWnvNyCuUlBoCzhWJZe5_7RGGGjnz8SUl1yUeHlOS45IhZdUO0rt9pLUtlBj-YiGJNzdTL-CmQtGE/s400/Brazil+-+Steinborn+037.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466290162293586706" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3333FF;">Us at Ipanema beach. With <a href="http://www.cookbrazil.com/caipirinha.htm">caipirinhas</a>. We might have had more than one. And we might have ended up pretty sunburnt. But we for sure had a really great time!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">It did rain a bit on Saturday, so we ended up spending the day shopping! Sunday was spent by the pool on our hotel's roof, and Monday we did all of our sightseeing. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtlXJOjQ7_aR0MFFuG_CfLPKBVRMqWUb4Ilvq1WnvAQ1iS9AM4_9b_yB7AefTDTBSwdY40jCRK_WFqJCw_-OrpgAjfaL6IqVZHhgisGvnYDmQm_Z-ni7ZmpHX8H3ES8Sm0yutQRveMVHk/s400/Brazil+-+Steinborn+086.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466290146109103346" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">We saw <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ_the_Redeemer_(statue)">Christ the Redeemer</a> at the top of Corcovado -- he is getting a facelift, thus the scaffolding. Don't worry though, they put a picture of Christ's face over his actual face so it is pretty much the same thing, haha (and yes, I took a picture of myself being the Christ statue in front of the Christ statue, but it is on Jenny's camera - I might post it later!)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiKECEDAMgYBTwT7rfC95Mf-8wzcCIT1XE9VzEvf64d5NWluiY6OQltFohsJrvYEWp1t4zp2AOhZ6ixdSVmH53tWR_kq7xL2E9gyt6Siy9cWrPGq0dg7JupyMwyLKI6q_555YI_8efKVc/s400/Brazil+-+Steinborn+098.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466290155647402146" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">We saw the tiled <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escadaria_Selar%C3%B3n">steps of Lapa</a> - they really are very cool. The artist - <a href="http://selaron.net/Matos/english/selaron.htm">Selaron </a>- has collected tiles from all over the world and created this beautiful work of art. But it is probably best known for being featured in the Snoop Dogg and Pharell video - <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLsx1kDKEzQ">Beautiful</a>. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">And we saw other things that day - the cathedral, a small waterfall, the Tijuca forest, among others - but pictures of everything would make this post even longer than I know it will be! It was a fun day but really long! And our tour guide was basically the craziest driver in the world - Jenny had at least 1 heart attack and I think I still feel nauseous! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">On Tuesday we got up early and flew to Foz do Iguassu - home of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iguazu_Falls">Iguassu Falls</a>. The falls, or cataratas (a fun word to say in Portuguese), are located on the river that serves as the border of Brazil and Argentina (Paraguay is right there, too, and we actually saw (but forgot to photograph) the place where 2 rivers and 3 countries all meet - pretty neat! The falls are massive - I have never been to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niagara_Falls">Niagra</a>, so I can't compare, but I ended up pretty impressed. Actually, the falls are a series of 275 individual waterfalls spread out over 2.7 Km. Normally, the river is about 25 meters deep - but because it had rained SO much the week before we were there, the river was up to 60 meters deep (I know, I know, I don't get the metric system either...but you can appreciate, at least, that the river was over double what it normally is). Because of this the falls were VERY full and VERY powerful - I think that was the most impressive part. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But, because the falls were so full, a lot of the normal walkways were closed off because the falls had overtaken them! Although it meant a slightly limited viewing (normally you can walk a bridge out to the middle of the river and be nearly surrounded by the falls) it gave us the opportunity to make it through the parks quicker - which meant we had time see both sides! We saw the Brazilian side on Tuesday afternoon, and on Thursday morning we headed over (with a lovely driver named Pablo who helped us with all of our immigration procedures!) to Argentina to see the falls from that side! I can't say that I have a favorite side, they were equally impressive but in very different ways. Brazil offers a more panoramic look, while Argentina puts you right in the middle of the falls - up close and personal!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><br /></span></span></div></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo-Of-FJ7BKm7gDUePolZult9D9USo3LJ_5bMA1L6UiMfv5-NC_aPGPAkDhhgf1cn9zMD11GB5Y9MN_jPyD8FwZgDiHgD3J2ply2StIqBpOuGbDcgBDWFmH61h32DVHMJIOOjjBL7z4Mc/s1600/Brazil+-+Steinborn+152.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo-Of-FJ7BKm7gDUePolZult9D9USo3LJ_5bMA1L6UiMfv5-NC_aPGPAkDhhgf1cn9zMD11GB5Y9MN_jPyD8FwZgDiHgD3J2ply2StIqBpOuGbDcgBDWFmH61h32DVHMJIOOjjBL7z4Mc/s400/Brazil+-+Steinborn+152.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466291276910294434" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">A view from Brazil</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJC1ZLe7mmWbn0KlrqWcr4VwoblTBU5yPr_kSsqDjfZVlF7fPdXCy6g1pprU1JMM00vfQ0PnevRGikVbTVxwuCAga1Nz57YJEYb__N2Vjh5LY40MoRXizQlkj0Zi_GnMkABl3kOd4fhyphenhyphenE/s1600/Brazil+-+Steinborn+149.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJC1ZLe7mmWbn0KlrqWcr4VwoblTBU5yPr_kSsqDjfZVlF7fPdXCy6g1pprU1JMM00vfQ0PnevRGikVbTVxwuCAga1Nz57YJEYb__N2Vjh5LY40MoRXizQlkj0Zi_GnMkABl3kOd4fhyphenhyphenE/s400/Brazil+-+Steinborn+149.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466291266837944690" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Again, Brazil</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggi9NLLERBKayJ4oqUiqp09MCpWklTTXG1v44V2oLqJK3VuFWjru6mMA__XEpoNdq-sxiByXq1xnWgeEtTR2SQmEY0rWZgAdaXGzPdLTxiWzrvF7gXejy7L8_5xSFmmGQFtcCGWeGTSmk/s1600/Brazil+-+Steinborn+136.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggi9NLLERBKayJ4oqUiqp09MCpWklTTXG1v44V2oLqJK3VuFWjru6mMA__XEpoNdq-sxiByXq1xnWgeEtTR2SQmEY0rWZgAdaXGzPdLTxiWzrvF7gXejy7L8_5xSFmmGQFtcCGWeGTSmk/s400/Brazil+-+Steinborn+136.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466291265939118146" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Us in Brazil</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaLHgZOHItzG-o4iqTvpzYQolxH6vVjtY2pSW9zdAsPCrQ7WWJjxO3coIP50NvLofSuXCA0_s1jswlBf-b6pBzhyphenhyphenlAdNhs74TR9WJrJ3ieV0KRr1WFerNnpx9Z56DaqPjY_hSTMigsk-M/s1600/Brazil+-+Steinborn+171.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaLHgZOHItzG-o4iqTvpzYQolxH6vVjtY2pSW9zdAsPCrQ7WWJjxO3coIP50NvLofSuXCA0_s1jswlBf-b6pBzhyphenhyphenlAdNhs74TR9WJrJ3ieV0KRr1WFerNnpx9Z56DaqPjY_hSTMigsk-M/s400/Brazil+-+Steinborn+171.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466290170939578242" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">One trail in Argentina - we were walking over to those falls and I saw this rainbow</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So it was a fantastic trip - but I only have a week to recover and rest up because my mom arrives on Thursday! We have a fantastic vacation planned, plus I am really excited to see her and spend time with her!</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI0m9u0lKJ7ves8BzqTMMAAIRqeFZ5V1IZfShJ5jAFO6cpgEACEWZfaIbO50NKjNUb5Oor14Vfx7dGEXc3C2PhSRKYwu73Vk7ArhVEcD5BzF4XnIVGJRNx_vCbNDIWuTFJtay0tw9ZkCg/s1600/Brazil+-+Steinborn+090.JPG"></a>Sandra Stipphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15734707912788417630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6866902781604824611.post-38562983975862053062010-04-21T21:24:00.000-04:002010-04-21T22:00:58.049-04:00São Paulo - The Recap<div style="text-align: left;">I have to start out with a disclaimer that this post might get a little gushy...but I feel like gushing about how great my time in São Paulo was! As a bit of back story, for those of you that don't know, my Aunt Gail studied in São Paulo, Brazil twice and stayed with the same family each time. There has been a lot of back and forth of Brazilians and Americans with the same families, and me being here is just one more addition to this mix.</div><div><br /></div><div>I went to stay with Monica and Javier and their 3 kids, Alejandro (20), Monique (15), and Felipe (11). Monica is Gail's Brazilian sister. This is probably where things get gushy - this family is amazing. They really are the kindest people I have ever met - plus they were really patient with my Portuguese (always making sure to remember to speak slowly and to make sure I understood and engage me in conversations). I think my Portuguese improved while I was there, because I wasn't allowed to use English at all (except for a few instances, most of which ended in Javier showing off his knowledge of English curse words). </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Monica and Javier</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQDzNiN1FtOGA_sd0NDpL2NXcBM8lXpXJ11eivd_VR0VmdhqwjIGqyIh2T1-H7s56U3buSmYBFfuE4_alxIwGABmtXvzF7HxjZkXf6e8N5of6eelX0bdsR9boiuSx9YGrT4b-NBMnoup4/s400/Brazil+-+S%C3%A3o+Paulo+067.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462772493293209234" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div>On Saturday, we went to a birthday party for Monica's (and Gail's!) dad, Vittorio, at their farm house. This place is ridiculously beautiful. It was really great to see some of the rest of the family that I know but haven't seen for a long time (Marley (Monica/Gail's mom), Flavia (sister), Rafael (nephew). I also got to meet Vittorio (Monica/Gail's brother) and his son, Vittorio. Yeah, a lot of people named Vittorio running around (the first time I have found diminutives helpful in this language -- Vittorio, Vittorinho, Vittorucho).</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">See, gorgeous house, right? I wish I could show you the rest of the place...</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR2bxs4hgXa0CxeR_YnVh8JP5eheyGoBmBxtctPcjVcIbDsmY-WOU1YIFUi_ryIxylUMmPfwekmdw4oPVF7IHpXtC3LxPP2YWqlrPzZIlP8FOqvxKlvoPiKsWy4G1mk0pzOOQuhxB0vQ0/s1600/Brazil+-+S%C3%A3o+Paulo+031.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR2bxs4hgXa0CxeR_YnVh8JP5eheyGoBmBxtctPcjVcIbDsmY-WOU1YIFUi_ryIxylUMmPfwekmdw4oPVF7IHpXtC3LxPP2YWqlrPzZIlP8FOqvxKlvoPiKsWy4G1mk0pzOOQuhxB0vQ0/s400/Brazil+-+S%C3%A3o+Paulo+031.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462772494651168466" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center; ">From Left to Right: Vittorucho, Vittorinho, Vittorio, Flavia, Marley, Monica (with Felipe in front).</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQDzNiN1FtOGA_sd0NDpL2NXcBM8lXpXJ11eivd_VR0VmdhqwjIGqyIh2T1-H7s56U3buSmYBFfuE4_alxIwGABmtXvzF7HxjZkXf6e8N5of6eelX0bdsR9boiuSx9YGrT4b-NBMnoup4/s1600/Brazil+-+S%C3%A3o+Paulo+067.JPG"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy4qoSWn7mzWmjDhN6gmffhLtiP5HFZQfsvBuvfanRx-kznuJVwD4UgQWCOmRks1p7Z8EUUXH4yk15dpIWDjeDKkRk_W7t_s-eblCHgZwjhcStXgHr_toghkSObnjI5vTr4xw0xV_uBbA/s1600/Brazil+-+S%C3%A3o+Paulo+039.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy4qoSWn7mzWmjDhN6gmffhLtiP5HFZQfsvBuvfanRx-kznuJVwD4UgQWCOmRks1p7Z8EUUXH4yk15dpIWDjeDKkRk_W7t_s-eblCHgZwjhcStXgHr_toghkSObnjI5vTr4xw0xV_uBbA/s400/Brazil+-+S%C3%A3o+Paulo+039.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462772484303923154" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a></div><div>On Sunday after breakfast, Monica and I went for a run at this gorgeous park Bosque do Morumbi (don't know if the link will work, but it looks sorta like <a href="http://rodolfolucena.folha.blog.uol.com.br/images/20fptrilha.jpg">this</a>). Monica is one of the most wise and insightful women I have ever met, so running with her in such a beautiful place is on par with a spiritual experience! That afternoon we went to her volleyball game - she plays on a 45+ Masters team and is really good!</div><div><br /></div><div>I went to work with Monica on Monday and worked from her office - which meant I got to see 2 of the Vittorios again! </div><div><br /></div><div>Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo are exceptionally different cities. But both have amazing qualities - it was fun to spend time there. And nice to come back here with some newly gained perspective on life and a slightly more relaxed attitude! </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">São Paulo - from the air (really just a teeny tiny part of a massive city)</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbH_RSsNYf23j3tAYIbV6xfFQDJW2AW-jTELJ1qMzxXTQD9mAdk7vrIGH63XKz5M4R0ChFeN7u4xBGqrs1ttimpX7rGRe28esyynEsFRYWPusDDwK6RQuGMGTDRQl1jcV7f-rEETSaTpM/s1600/Brazil+-+S%C3%A3o+Paulo+022.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbH_RSsNYf23j3tAYIbV6xfFQDJW2AW-jTELJ1qMzxXTQD9mAdk7vrIGH63XKz5M4R0ChFeN7u4xBGqrs1ttimpX7rGRe28esyynEsFRYWPusDDwK6RQuGMGTDRQl1jcV7f-rEETSaTpM/s400/Brazil+-+S%C3%A3o+Paulo+022.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462772506546425506" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Rio de Janeiro, from the air </div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk1qiXLautqMBFECGgM-Ls0ots6S56LF_uj09I0WkSvHkCnvBZUdcfGMxs7xbXmPfAJoDEphQBXbW1fg1WTj7Db3FRsLnvjr7p3CbcOrGNjsmDCq1s0OuXvyctjLMxV0IBSPDSraQyWng/s1600/Brazil+-+S%C3%A3o+Paulo+014.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk1qiXLautqMBFECGgM-Ls0ots6S56LF_uj09I0WkSvHkCnvBZUdcfGMxs7xbXmPfAJoDEphQBXbW1fg1WTj7Db3FRsLnvjr7p3CbcOrGNjsmDCq1s0OuXvyctjLMxV0IBSPDSraQyWng/s400/Brazil+-+S%C3%A3o+Paulo+014.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462772501842158322" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a></div><div>Tomorrow my friend Jenny arrives for a week-long vacation here! We will be trying to take in as much fun and sun as possible while hitting up the good tourist locations here. We are also travelling to Iguazu Falls, which should be beautiful!</div>Sandra Stipphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15734707912788417630noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6866902781604824611.post-87008867496900900332010-04-16T13:15:00.000-04:002010-04-16T15:10:27.830-04:00São PauloJust a quick post to let you know that I am in SP for the weekend! I am here visiting some of our family friends, and I couldn't be more excited. I am certain it will involve NO English, though, so naturally I am terrified. But I am jumping in with both feet and hoping to really improve my Portuguese while I am spending time here. I also plan to head into the CDI office here, so that should be fun.<div><br /></div><div>I had a pretty easy week - finished my planned Portuguese lessons , but other than that the week was easy and relaxing. Will recap my weekend here when I get back to Rio!</div>Sandra Stipphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15734707912788417630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6866902781604824611.post-72447485661709016992010-04-11T20:34:00.000-04:002010-04-11T23:26:11.706-04:00The Dish: Fish Market<div style="text-align: left;">I think I had one of the best (if not THE best) meals I have ever eaten today! I went to Niteroi with some friends and we ate at a Fish Market! <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niter%C3%B3i">Niteroi </a>is a city across the bay from Rio de Janeiro. I met some friends from my language classes and we took the ferry over. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Me on the Ferry to Niteroi (with Niteroi behind me)</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTcIENW33wIzVR_29EuASzZbcr1YOwswcNZYN-adzzkjCE9rino_xcVAu0G0kIb2mLBPSk8RDn8GDSJUrcNAJqZySgAJhrplmnsBGdiX0kthFCDmUezqIuEJIpi8rrTyEP3cKN8jaux4w/s400/Brazil+-+Niteroi+027.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459086685558764114" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">One girl had been there last week and heard good word on a fish market that also had a place to eat. Getting there was difficult (we had to stop and get directions several times!), and it really is away from anything touristy or commercial. But it was well worth the trek!</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">The market itself is rather small, but had loads of great looking fish.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhovi49gZt5dhfl5X2cDxnu9Lhx_PTLNXSEKMSGQuDLA3Yv0biIFjyutwwJiQ-lhDR7A9WQkk0UMvvOnIZztTQmoknBwQyF5QNevmsNWjWaNV2_DLBPqU7g_1sVHs7Q6AC61o267P4xliM/s400/Brazil+-+Niteroi+057.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459075105131208642" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div>The restaurant above the market, though, was where the real action was. It looks a lot like a cafeteria or food court (sans Sbarro and chik-fil-a, though) with tables in the middle bordered by a bunch of small restaurants. We sat down at the luckiest table, because our waitress was fantastic. She spoke very slowly and clearly with us so we could understand her and she was incredibly helpful. When we told her we wanted a recommendation - she recommended we not buy their food! Turns out it is far better (and cheaper) to go downstairs and buy your own fish and then have the restaurant cook it for you. She even came downstairs to point out which stalls were the best to buy from.</div><div><br /></div><div>The food itself was so delicious. You really can't beat completely fresh sea food. Between 5 of us we had 1 kilo (2.2 lbs) of shrimp and just over 1 kilo of salmon - and then the restaurant cooked them up for us with tons of garlic! We also had some rice and beans and a bunch of bottles of beer. And the best part, this absolutely fantastic meal came in at about 20-25R$ (10-15$). Amazing.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">Our 1st course -- the shrimp! Oh my word, so good! Also, I learned how to eat shrimp today. As you can see, these babies still have heads and legs. This is something that I have never encountered before! But, I got the hang of it quickly and was feasting in no time.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP30_gd0eBo_GcNbhnpLbXF00_GVGiks5oPFMptHrWkhgO4q0QBXIM77jwg7hDn-bnAtS8nWPGuNYokw_SZdIs7OIX2StJB6h1zDLYoLCbBHsAK7M1kpzOgDTHDFjulkfI7cfIdO_IO_g/s400/Brazil+-+Niteroi+065.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459081939697010546" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">We demolished the shrimp :)</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDolXFE0VyCMROfOkuihP0OXWr2DGcD3uKEd4xoaQ39cefg6e_MmM3SKv72WRW5kZ_JMoDbYQmlTWMLwhTOuH0cNd2Vid1oG-ItO1VFm5S1Udj4e-qNJdPb0684ofG60nGYRx9QWdyaig/s400/Brazil+-+Niteroi+067.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459081952021775778" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div>I don't have a decent picture of the 2d course - the salmon - because I was honestly so excited to dig in when it arrived! It was fried, which wasn't how I would have ordered it, but WOW. So good! Here is a picture of my friend's plate.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSmQunRzlQjVWs8jSM9qkWWFc6mYGxIUYR2VKYFUWtqSny7tkEmBaA62gMRIzGnlIw6tLJOon-hU6OywkZOAgZEbLJf-NONd3RnuZs7OazOkAmXFrx982wf3rk0izoKNDsULRwyqOiSns/s400/Brazil+-+Niteroi+068.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459081944121967218" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div>So the food was fantastic and the company was even better :) It was a great day in Niteroi.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now that I have a weekend full of good eating under my belt (yes, I intended both of those horrible puns) I am happy -- but need to get in a week of good runs this week to make up for it!</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLF4tIGS3xTeSotwe1I62f_cBKHN7z3ZtItZxR3MWV2df_fhcaB4lNojCCYtEMzP6XgqmSMJOEhLBb14ygFBlsYcNM46Y9Ry9sUYBz6n2ryNutsyUMp5SI6d6OtkHVJAlMcxWCbXXumVI/s1600/Brazil+-+Niteroi+077.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLF4tIGS3xTeSotwe1I62f_cBKHN7z3ZtItZxR3MWV2df_fhcaB4lNojCCYtEMzP6XgqmSMJOEhLBb14ygFBlsYcNM46Y9Ry9sUYBz6n2ryNutsyUMp5SI6d6OtkHVJAlMcxWCbXXumVI/s400/Brazil+-+Niteroi+077.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459081953598002946" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center; ">Me and my friends from school - David, Dustin, Aimee, Darlene</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDolXFE0VyCMROfOkuihP0OXWr2DGcD3uKEd4xoaQ39cefg6e_MmM3SKv72WRW5kZ_JMoDbYQmlTWMLwhTOuH0cNd2Vid1oG-ItO1VFm5S1Udj4e-qNJdPb0684ofG60nGYRx9QWdyaig/s1600/Brazil+-+Niteroi+067.JPG"></a></div>Sandra Stipphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15734707912788417630noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6866902781604824611.post-43258866288605539502010-04-11T19:23:00.000-04:002010-04-11T20:34:01.538-04:00The Dish: Churrascaria<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwVhA14EgNUNfgLb8Yvxow7LmT406mKMlkIMi7bo1ScAmyepA0dDKgmRs3pYgi-XSVtb1-er3CF0X0HRaPik2l1tG-H6KJsFT72aCi3tKEnY3y6TIT9qoQnl3xi7VyvXebb4ppEQxiLEc/s1600/Brazil+-+Niteroi+003.JPG"></a><div style="text-align: left;">The food that I ate this weekend was SO incredible! I went for Brazilian barbecue and I ate at a fish market. In fact, the food was SO good, that I am going to break this up into 2 posts. First, the meat!</div><div><br /></div><div>On Saturday night we all met up at a little <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod%C3%ADzio">Rodizio</a> in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ipanema">Ipanema </a>for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Churrascaria">Churrascaria </a> (Brazilian Barbecue). I think most of you are familiar with the concept, as several of these have opened and become popular in the states, but for those who aren't, it is a total meat fest! </div><div><br /></div><div>You pay a fixed price and then can eat all you want - drinks and desserts usually cost more. There is a huge salad bar with salads and other hot side dishes which are usually really nice. But while those are really tasty, the money is really in the meat. </div><div><br /></div><div>Waiters come around to your table with meat on skewers and just slice pieces off right onto your plate. I felt a little guilty about it as I, in general, am trying to eat less red meat -- but man I just couldn't help it! The way they cook the meat makes it SO good (I swear they feed the cows butter or something) and there is a chance they sprinkle some crack on it before serving it. The only problem is that I can't feasibly eat tons and tons of meat -- so I just take one bite of a slice (and then my friend Darlene would take one bite of mine) and we would be done...so there is a lot of meat wasted!</div><div><br /></div><div>I took a picture of my plate to post - but then I realized that posting a picture of a huge plate of meat is disgusting. Almost as disgusting as eating it - which i did :) Instead, I have a picture here of Dustin and I with some meat mustaches!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwVhA14EgNUNfgLb8Yvxow7LmT406mKMlkIMi7bo1ScAmyepA0dDKgmRs3pYgi-XSVtb1-er3CF0X0HRaPik2l1tG-H6KJsFT72aCi3tKEnY3y6TIT9qoQnl3xi7VyvXebb4ppEQxiLEc/s1600/Brazil+-+Niteroi+003.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwVhA14EgNUNfgLb8Yvxow7LmT406mKMlkIMi7bo1ScAmyepA0dDKgmRs3pYgi-XSVtb1-er3CF0X0HRaPik2l1tG-H6KJsFT72aCi3tKEnY3y6TIT9qoQnl3xi7VyvXebb4ppEQxiLEc/s400/Brazil+-+Niteroi+003.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459032972476634626" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a><br /></span></span></div>Sandra Stipphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15734707912788417630noreply@blogger.com5