Thoughts and Observations
I was going to entitle this page, "Thought of the Day", but that implies that I only have one thought per day. ?? But to name this page, "Thought for the Day", would connote that the thought is somewhat profound and worthy of your contemplation. That would also, then, be an inaccurate title. The thoughts posted herin are in no way intended to be thought provoking, insightful or esoteric (although some may be, inadvertently). They are simply and only thoughts about my trip here in Brasil, at random, perhaps meaningless, mundane and of no interest to you, but it is what came to mind at a given moment for whatever reason. In fact, some of the entries are not as much thoughts as they are mere observations, not soliciting any engagement of the mind whatsoever. Hence, my decision to name the page aptly is understood.
I have chosen to share these entries because some of you have expressed an interest in knowing what goes through my head during my travels. This page also gives me a place to record my thoughts and observations for my own future recall - somewhat of a journal - that I would like to share. In fact, this very description of this page is, in and of itself, one of my random thoughts, and I will consider it to be the first post. I will be adding to this list periodically, in reverse chronological order (adding at the top). And, while I write this, I have also just decided to add "occurrences" to the list of posts because some of the things I'd like to share are just that. They don't quite fit into a category of "thoughts" or "observations", though one could effectively argue these occurrences were, in fact, observed. Therefore, I will keep the name of this page as is. By the way, your comments are welcome. [email protected]
I have chosen to share these entries because some of you have expressed an interest in knowing what goes through my head during my travels. This page also gives me a place to record my thoughts and observations for my own future recall - somewhat of a journal - that I would like to share. In fact, this very description of this page is, in and of itself, one of my random thoughts, and I will consider it to be the first post. I will be adding to this list periodically, in reverse chronological order (adding at the top). And, while I write this, I have also just decided to add "occurrences" to the list of posts because some of the things I'd like to share are just that. They don't quite fit into a category of "thoughts" or "observations", though one could effectively argue these occurrences were, in fact, observed. Therefore, I will keep the name of this page as is. By the way, your comments are welcome. [email protected]
• Carnaval 2012 was great!! To summarize...
Trio Elétricos, drums, music, parades, stages, more music, street food (icecream, hot dogs with beets/cabbage/peas, pamonha,
abará, picôlé, x-burger w/egg, churrasco, suco com leite, pastel, coxinha, acarajé, and many other things I don't remember their
respective name), more music, cravinho, more drums, costumes, água de coco, capoeira, merriment, more music, police (in a good
way), busses, gigs, cartage, agua, more drums, farol de Barra, sweet wine (fail), more music, crazy dB, earplugs, photos, dancing,
playing w/Carlinhos Brown (kinda), rodoviária de Cidade Baixa, rain, more drums, trash, Pelourinho, I can't hear my pan, locked in
and can't get out, more drums, bubbles, squirt cans, piriguete 3 por 5, walking, blocos, tourists, volume wars, elevador, more drums!
• FUCKING MOSQUITOS!!!
• I love the beach vendors here, and there are LOTS. It's fun to watch them (men/women, from kids to quite old) as they walk up
and down the beach. Most are shouting out what they are selling, while others ring bells or just whistle. And then there are some
that say nothing - they just figure you'll see them and call them over if you want what they are displaying. You can buy all kinds of
things, some practical and some quite odd - beach balls, sarongs, beach towels, tiny hand towels, phone chargers, phone cases, soup,
bootlegged CDs, sun hats, sports hats, kid toys, large ceramic sculptures, gum, candy, fried fish, tiny bird eggs (hardboiled), henna
tattoos, purses, wallets, little meat pies, shrimp kebobs, acarajé, coffee, beer, water, soft drinks, cocktails, nuts, inflatable rafts,
inflatable pools, and among my favorites are the coconut water, ice cream, fresh fruit popsicles, and barbecued cheese on a stick.
• Three days till Carnaval!!
• I hate when people equate a poor memory with lack of inteligence!
• Salvador is like most other tropical climates... One minute it's sunny and clear, the next minute it's a torrential downpour,
then 3 minutes later, it's sunny and clear (though always hot and humid). I enjoy watching the effects out my window of these
sudden rainfalls. Some people in the streets just continue on like nothing's happening, while others quickly scramble for shelter as if
their lives depended on it. Most street vendors are always ready to cover their wares at a moment's notice with a nearby sheet of
plastic or umbrella, and others seem to be surprisingly unprepared, as if they've never seen it rain in Salvador before. I like the rain!
• It's 11pm as I sit here next to my open window writing, and the silence of the near-empty street was fractured by the sound of
horseshoes in canter on the assphalt. So I looked out the window... Yep, it's a guy on a horse in the middle of the street. Hilarious!
• Traffic! FUCKING TRAFFIC!!!!
I thought a vacation was supposed to be void of traffic?!
• It's tough to blend in and be an inconspicuous tourist, especially at the beach!
Bahia has the largest black population outside of Africa.
• Rookie Mistake. Must remember sunscreen and earplugs. Oh, the pain!!
• I hate when people equate lack of knowledge of a different language ("foreign" language) with lack of intelligence!
• Being on the fourth floor has its advantages. Every night I can see a bitchen sunset from my window!! (I'm looking at one now.)
• It's ironic that I am in the birthplace of capoeira, yet I have seen much less here than I do at home in California.
• I want to use this vacation to chill and relax, but I find myself aching to get out for some real, unknown adventures!! What do do??
• Eleven days to Carnaval!!
• Mosquitos! FUCKING MOSQUITOS!!!!
• Lids with no bowls, and bowls with no lids - it plagues Brasil, too!!
• Ice Cream is an expensive habit here - US$10 per half gallon!! I'm gonna run out of money sooner than anticipated.
• I really dig that, every night, a dude sets up a little BBQ across the street and grills up some hot, fresh churrasco (shishkabobs).
I can see him right now from my window. Any time I got a craving for some kick-ass churrasco, I just gotta grab 3 reais (about
US$1.75) and walk across the street. He's just one of many street-food vendors around, but he's a neighborhood favorite.
Trio Elétricos, drums, music, parades, stages, more music, street food (icecream, hot dogs with beets/cabbage/peas, pamonha,
abará, picôlé, x-burger w/egg, churrasco, suco com leite, pastel, coxinha, acarajé, and many other things I don't remember their
respective name), more music, cravinho, more drums, costumes, água de coco, capoeira, merriment, more music, police (in a good
way), busses, gigs, cartage, agua, more drums, farol de Barra, sweet wine (fail), more music, crazy dB, earplugs, photos, dancing,
playing w/Carlinhos Brown (kinda), rodoviária de Cidade Baixa, rain, more drums, trash, Pelourinho, I can't hear my pan, locked in
and can't get out, more drums, bubbles, squirt cans, piriguete 3 por 5, walking, blocos, tourists, volume wars, elevador, more drums!
• FUCKING MOSQUITOS!!!
• I love the beach vendors here, and there are LOTS. It's fun to watch them (men/women, from kids to quite old) as they walk up
and down the beach. Most are shouting out what they are selling, while others ring bells or just whistle. And then there are some
that say nothing - they just figure you'll see them and call them over if you want what they are displaying. You can buy all kinds of
things, some practical and some quite odd - beach balls, sarongs, beach towels, tiny hand towels, phone chargers, phone cases, soup,
bootlegged CDs, sun hats, sports hats, kid toys, large ceramic sculptures, gum, candy, fried fish, tiny bird eggs (hardboiled), henna
tattoos, purses, wallets, little meat pies, shrimp kebobs, acarajé, coffee, beer, water, soft drinks, cocktails, nuts, inflatable rafts,
inflatable pools, and among my favorites are the coconut water, ice cream, fresh fruit popsicles, and barbecued cheese on a stick.
• Three days till Carnaval!!
• I hate when people equate a poor memory with lack of inteligence!
• Salvador is like most other tropical climates... One minute it's sunny and clear, the next minute it's a torrential downpour,
then 3 minutes later, it's sunny and clear (though always hot and humid). I enjoy watching the effects out my window of these
sudden rainfalls. Some people in the streets just continue on like nothing's happening, while others quickly scramble for shelter as if
their lives depended on it. Most street vendors are always ready to cover their wares at a moment's notice with a nearby sheet of
plastic or umbrella, and others seem to be surprisingly unprepared, as if they've never seen it rain in Salvador before. I like the rain!
• It's 11pm as I sit here next to my open window writing, and the silence of the near-empty street was fractured by the sound of
horseshoes in canter on the assphalt. So I looked out the window... Yep, it's a guy on a horse in the middle of the street. Hilarious!
• Traffic! FUCKING TRAFFIC!!!!
I thought a vacation was supposed to be void of traffic?!
• It's tough to blend in and be an inconspicuous tourist, especially at the beach!
Bahia has the largest black population outside of Africa.
• Rookie Mistake. Must remember sunscreen and earplugs. Oh, the pain!!
• I hate when people equate lack of knowledge of a different language ("foreign" language) with lack of intelligence!
• Being on the fourth floor has its advantages. Every night I can see a bitchen sunset from my window!! (I'm looking at one now.)
• It's ironic that I am in the birthplace of capoeira, yet I have seen much less here than I do at home in California.
• I want to use this vacation to chill and relax, but I find myself aching to get out for some real, unknown adventures!! What do do??
• Eleven days to Carnaval!!
• Mosquitos! FUCKING MOSQUITOS!!!!
• Lids with no bowls, and bowls with no lids - it plagues Brasil, too!!
• Ice Cream is an expensive habit here - US$10 per half gallon!! I'm gonna run out of money sooner than anticipated.
• I really dig that, every night, a dude sets up a little BBQ across the street and grills up some hot, fresh churrasco (shishkabobs).
I can see him right now from my window. Any time I got a craving for some kick-ass churrasco, I just gotta grab 3 reais (about
US$1.75) and walk across the street. He's just one of many street-food vendors around, but he's a neighborhood favorite.
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