Check Your Jacket, Please (a.k.a the Differences between Canada and Brazil)

Last night, I was reminded of something that happened back in 1997. I was just home to Montreal after finishing my degree in England. There were two young Brazilian women staying at our place at the time, both of whom were Girl Guide/Scout trainors in Brazil, in Canada on a two or three week exchange. One night, we headed downtown to go dancing. Walking into the club, the doorman/bouncer asked us to "check our coats". Immediately, one of the Brazilians opened her jacket to show the bouncer. Confused, he pointed to the Coat Check and said that we would have to leave our jackets with the girl at the counter. Highly embarrassed, our guest from Rio explained that when they said "check your coat" in Brazil they were looking for guns or knives, as opposed to simply trying to avoid having a pile-up of bulky winter jackets in the club.

So last night when I walked into the dance club and was asked to check my coat. I caught myself from looking around for a Canadian-style coat check and dutifully opened the sides of my jacket for the bouncer to scan me with a metal detector. We quickly passed the test and were admitted to the club, coats and all, with no further incidence.

Two Brazilian Inventions that the Rest of the World Should Copy

I went out last night with a couple of friends to a dance club in Vila Olimpia. As we were setting ourselves up with our "consumption cards", I realised that Brazil has come up with several inventions that would serve the rest of the world well:

1. Individual consumption cards for restaurants, clubs, and bars: In many establishments in Brazil, patrons will receive a credit card-sized consumption card which has an individual identity number on it. Waiters then keep track of each person's consumption by electronically registering the ID number everytime an order is placed. For places with a cover charge, the charge is also included on the card. Patrons then pay their entire bill at a front cash when they leave. Obvious advantages in my mind include not having to pull out little bits of money every time you order; being able to put your entire bill on a credit card, thus entitling you to not carry around so much cash; and being able to move freely in the club without worrying about settling up with a particular waitstaff. The main disadvantages are that you need to time your exit carefully so as to not coincide with eveyone else's exit. Otherwise, you might hit a nice queue on your way out. Unfortunately for concert-goers this often means heading out before or during the last song. It also means that wait and barstaff do not get tipped, although I am not sure they really get tipped in any case. These cons aside, this seems to be a terrific system. Just don't lose the card. The automatic charge is sometimes extraordinarily high!

2. CD Store listening posts: In most of the larger cd stores, listening posts are set up so that customers can easily preview any cd in the store (as opposed to in Canada where you can usually only sample the chosen cds of the week). Just scan the electronic barcode, and presto, the choosen cd starts playing, as copies or MP3s of the cds are stored in an electronic database. It's a great system for encouraging people to try out new stuff. Of course, stores without these electronic databases also have listening posts, just that they are manned by an employee who will change your cds one by one as requested.

Going Native

Although Brazil is known as the land of shoes, I haven't always found shoe shopping the easiest endeavor here, especially when it comes to sandals. For quite some time now I have been searching for what I would like to call a Good Sensible Sandal; that is, a sandal which is in a nice natural earth-based colour and material, doesn’t have a huge stiletto or platform heel, but has some support to it, and isn’t a sports sandal. You know the type, just something nice with which to walk around town on a Saturday afternoon. Stylish, yet comfortable, and good for cobblestones and uneven sidewalks.

When I was in Buenos Aires, I spent a bit of time shopping and found a perfect pair of Good Sensible Sandals. I rubbed my hands together with glee, quickly tried them on, produced my credit card, and then walked away with the kill. It was only when I returned home to São Paulo that the actual height of the platform heels hit me! It was then that I recognized the telltale signs that I must be going native!

Does Anyone Know Where San Pablo is?

Everytime I wait in the airport to catch a plane back to Brazil from a neighbouring country, I look up at the departure screen to find my flight and departure gate. My eyes scan the airlines and numbers, as well as the destination cities. Invariable, I notice a flight to San Pablo leaving at the same time as my flight and I wonder, where is San Pablo? Why have I never heard of it? In my mind, I imagine a remote town in southern/nothern/eastern/western Chile/Argentina/Paraguay/Venezuela/fill-in-with-Latin-country-of-choice. And then it hits me, San Pablo is Sao Paulo, and this is my flight that they are announcing over the intercom. It gets me everytime!

A Little Piece of Heaven

Imagine driving two and a half hours into the Andes, the last 35 kilometres or so in the dark, on an uneven dirt road with mining trucks barreling past, in a land so dusty that even the plants and rocks at the side of the road have taken on a dull gray colour. Imagine relaxing in warm hot springs, surrounded by the scraggly and barren mountains of the Andes. Imagine heading back to the warmth and comfort of a cozy mountain refuge tucked away into the mountains at what seems to be the end of the universe. Imagine waking up the next morning to some of the most stunning scenery that you have ever seen in your life. Last Friday, my Santiago-based friends rounded up a small crew and we experienced all of this.

Heading out after the workday, we made our way to and through the Cajon del Maipo [The Maipo Valley] southeast of Santiago. After a quick stop at the Refugio Alemán, a wonderful mountain retreat, we got back into the cars and headed the extra ten kilometers to the Los Colinas hot springs. The springs consist of nine cascading pools surrounded by the stark, but incredible beauty of the Andes. The springs are open twenty-four hours a day and the atmosphere at night is particularly stunning. There are no pictures as I didn’t bring my camera, but this is a picture of the road to the springs during the day.

The Refugio Alemán was opened in the 1930s and serves as a base for exploring the mountains, glaciers, and of course, hot springs nearby. They serve hearty, healthy meals necessary for hungry hikers (or for people like us who have worked really hard during the week) and offer a wonderfully relaxed and warm atmosphere. Highly recommended! I only wish that we had had more time to explore the surroundings. But alas, our scheduled wine tour back towards Santiago awaited us!

Santiago de Chile

Santiago is a bustling metropolis of five million people nestled at the foot of the Chilean Andes. On a smog-free day (don’t hold your breath for it), the skyline is a stunning mix of architecture and natural grandeur. I spent a couple of days wandering in and around the city, which is easy to navigate thanks to the fast, efficient, and inexpensive metro. Some of my favourite stops included the following:

El Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino has a pretty respectable collection of pre-Colombian art from across the Americas – from Mexico to Tierra del Fuego. My favourites were the Chemamulles, huge Mapuche wooden statues that were used until the early decades of the 20th Century to accompany the dead in their journey to the next life; the textile exhibit which had several extraordinarily well-preserved textiles starting from 900BC; and the 7000 year old mummies, preserved using a technique of replacing the dead person’s innards with a mixture of plants, a technique that emerged 2000 years prior to Egypt’s mummifying techniques. The Museum is housed in the old Royal Customs House, built in 1807, is also a treat.

The Museo Historico Nacional, housed in the Palacio de la Real Audiencia, holds thousands of items starting from Chile’s pre-colonial and colonial period and ending in the 1970s. Once again, I enjoyed the setting as much as the exhibit itself!

Plaza de las Armas: a fun place to hang out, people-watch, and maybe play a game of chess. The Plaza is also home to local painters displaying their wares. A few blocks away, the Iglesia de San Francisco and attached museum are definitely worth a visit. Fun!

Chile!

I am just back in São Paulo after spending a wonderful long weekend in Chile. Last Thursday was Tiradentes Day in Brazil [Tiradentes -- literally translated as the tooth-puller -- being an independence-related martyr]. Since I am slowly turning Brazilian, I took the Friday "bridge" and headed to visit some friends in Santiago de Chile. While I had originally imagined that we would hang out in and about Santiago, we hit the road on Friday afternoon went into the Andes (near the Argentinian border) as well as the coast. Stories and photos to follow tomorrow.

Benedict

Too shocked to comment.

Brazilian Thongs

Thongs are a way of life in Brazil. Everyone -- from all walks of life and all shapes and sizes -- wears thongs here. In fact, they don’t just wear them on the beach or around the pool, but they wear them around town, on the bus, and even hiking. Since it is my intent to fit in as much as possible, I have decided that I will also wear thongs.

When Nell and I went to Ilhabela, off the Sao Paulo coast (which, by the way, is a wonderful vacation destination), we went on a hike to the Cat’s Waterfalls. Trying to blend in, I decided to wear my thongs same as the Brazilians with whom we were hiking. Nell, on the hand, refrained and wore much more sensible hiking attire.

I must say that it was a little bit challenging navigating the steep, muddy path in thongs, but we made it, and the cool, crystal waters at the falls were well worth it. However, after seeing other Brazilians at the falls who weren’t wearing thongs, I decided to change into something a little more comfortable for the descent. In any case, without further ado, here is a photo of me in my thongs.

Are all (Rural) Canadian Teens full of Angst?

I just finished reading Saints of Big Harbour by Lynn Coady. It is the second teenager-as-protagonist Canlit novel that I have read in the recent past [the other being A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews]. Saints is the story of Guy Boucher, a hapless teenager growing up in rural Nova Scotia whose life spirals downwards in a vortex of poverty, alcoholism (not his own), violence, rumours, and strained family relations (to say the least). I seem to recall that Complicated Kindness’ Nomi also had her share of teenage angst. Aside from the serious cases of adolescent despair, the books shared several other themes including lack of opportunities for employment (particularly for youth), dysfunctional families, one main dead-end industry in each town, and boredom. Reviews of each have labeled the novels as occasionally dark, but mostly funny. Although I realise that we are talking about fiction here, I can’t help but see a trend, and it really doesn’t seem all that funny at all.

Fire!

Yesterday a fire broke out in the Buraco Quente favela (shanty town) not more than a hundred metres from the Consulate. Prior to the fire, the neighbourhood looked like this. The tall shiny building in the background with Microsoft written across the top is where I work. This picture, which is one that I have wanted to take for quite some time now but haven’t organized myself accordingly, really captures the inequities of the city and the country.

A “during” photo published in O Estado de Sao Paulo, shows the raging fire which destroyed 150 dwellings and displaced 600 to 700 people. I pass Buraco Quente, which spills out onto the street, everyday on my way to work. This morning we altered the route. I was just not sure that I wanted to see the damage. [Photo Credit: Sebastião Moreira/AE]

Santana de Parnaíba

Yesterday, my colleague and I headed out to the small historical town of Santana de Parnaíba, a mere 38 km from the megalopolis. Surrounded by lush green mountains and charming colonial architecture, it felt like we were a world away from the hustle and bustle of São Paulo. Santana was founded in the middle of the 16th Century (circa 1560), and by 1625 had become the third largest settlement in the state of Sao Paulo and one of the headquarters for the Bandeirantes, Portuguese men, both revered and reviled, who expanded the Brazilian frontier in an effort to enslave more of the indigenous population, capture runaway slaves, and search for precious metals and stones.

The historical centre of Santana de Parnaíba is charming and well preserved / restored, with many of the houses and buildings dating back to the late sixteenth and early seventeenth century. The church, Igreja Matriz de Sant’Ana was built in 1610 replacing two earlier chapels constructed in 1560 and 1580.

We had lunch at the attractive and inviting São Paulo Antigo, located in one of the old colonial houses, just behind the church. On the buffet table was a roasted piglet - completely intact - that is until the customers starting slicing off bits and pieces of his back legs. The food, piglet included, was excellent.

Other interesting facts about Santana de Parnaíba:

- Descendants of the man who accidentally crossed European and African honey bees, thus creating the infamous killer bees, run an apiary on the outskirts of town. New experimentations with hybrid bees has led to less angry bees which now produce three times the honey than their predecessors. Brazil’s honey production is now slowly working its way back up following the devastation of the killer bee incident.

- Santana de Parnaíba is also known for artisanal cachaça making. Although the region’s land apparently produces low quality sugar cane, the flip side is that low quality sugar cane produces high quality cachaça.

- Santana de Parnaíba is the jumping off point for the religious pilgrimage route Caminho do Sol [Route of the Sun]. Based on the famous Camino de Santiago de Compostela, the Caminho do Sol is a 230km route which passes through eleven settlements and ends in Águas de São Pedro.

- The region of Santana de Parnaíba is home to the first obstruction (read: waterfall) in the river Tiete, which runs from the interior of the state to the ocean. In 1901, the region’s first hydroelectric dam was built here by the English to power São Paulo’s trams. Currently, Santana's main downfall is also linked to its proximity to the Tiete and hence the river's wonderful perfumey odours which permeate the town.

I Did Buy a Bench!

As it turns out, the woman from the antique fair delivered my bench to the Consulate this afternoon, so I am now the proud new owner of a très chic antique bench for my front entrance hall. On Monday, when I was telling my colleague about the bench and the fact that the nameless and phone-numberless seller would deliver it at some point this week, my colleague enquired whether or not I had informed the seller that on Fridays the office closes at 1:30p.m. Of course, the idea of sharing this information had never even crossed my mind! Fortunately, the same gods of chance were still smiling, and the seller arrived at 1:00p.m. with my bench. Pictures to follow once I get it the rest of the way home. Tomorrow I am heading to the small colonial town of Santana de Parnaíba (founded 16th Century), approximately 40km from São Paulo. Betting is open for whether or not I make any more purchases!

Next Time, I'll Take the Taxi

Last night I had a work dinner which ended at close to eleven p.m. Thinking that I would save the taxpayers a few dollars, I asked a colleague who lives in my neighbourhood if I could hitch a ride back with him. Once we were safely tucked into his car (a bullet-proof jeep, I soon found out), he told me that he was attempted kidnapped the previous night. The rest of the ride was spent listening incredulously to the story of his third brush with would-be kidnappers. Everything was fine, and I arrived home quickly and safely, but next time, maybe I'll spring for the cab! [Kidnappings although not uncommon in São Paulo, are fairly targeted, so normally I do not worry about these things.]

The Power of a Real

Forty reais (one real; two reais) is the equivalent of approximately C$20 these days. Here is what it will buy for you in São Paulo:

- 80 Lacta Chocolate bars from a street vendor;
- 20 local bus rides;
- 13 750mL bottles of Brand 51 cachaça (the sugarcane alcohol used to make caipirinhas). Check out the website, it is hilarious -- and do enter your country and birthday ... ;
- 4 tickets to the movies;
- 2 all-you-can-eat dinners at a local Churrascaria (drinks not included);
- 2 bus tickets to the coast, plus two coffees while waiting for the bus to leave;
- 1 750mL bottle of Santa Rosa Special Reserve cachaça;
- 1 order of stuffed squid at Banana da Terra in Parati (okay, Parati is not São Paulo, but my mouth is still watering from that meal!); and
- 1 taxi ride from Jardims (cool part of town) to Santo Amaro (home sweet home).

Tempting Fate

This past weekend, a colleague arrived from headquarters for a week’s visit to São Paulo. Since it is his first time in Brazil, and hence São Paulo, we met up on the weekend for a bit of sightseeing and good eating.

First stop was Terraço Itália, just off of Praça da República. Loyal readers will remember Praça da República as the spot where my last colleague to visit got pickpocketed. Never one to stand still, I suggested that we tempt fate and return to this exact location. Fortunately, the gods of chance were smiling upon us, and the trip was uneventful. However, to follow up on my São Paulo from Above post, I must say that the view from Terraço Itália, on the 42nd floor of the Edifício Itália is incredible. And in fact, is far superior to the view from The View, which is only on the 30th floor. Even after having seen São Paulo from above on many occasions, I was breathless. So many skyscrapers, for as far as the eye can see.

Another stop on the weekend was the Sunday Antique Fair held next to the Museu de Arte de São Paulo, on Avenida Paulista. Although I just planned on browsing, I ended up buying an antique bench for my front hall. It is just perfect for sitting down to put on one’s shoes. At least I think that I bought it.... I paid a deposit of R$50 (it was all I had -- a true indication that I had not intended to spend money this weekend) and gave the seller all my work contact details so that she could delivery it sometime during the week, at which point I would pay the balance and take the bench home. The seller took all my details and wrote me a very elegant receipt for the deposit, stating that the balance would be paid on delivery. This morning I realised that perhaps I should have written down the seller’s name and phone number as well! Well, I have faith ... and if not, I always know where to find her again next Sunday!

After browsing the antique fair, we headed back to Praça da República for a look at the Sunday handicrafts fair. Again, the gods were smiling upon us and we survived unscathed. Although, I may have to return next week to buy a painting that I adored....

Helen Emily

Yesterday my family gathered in Toronto to bid a loving adieu to my grandmother, who passed away earlier this past week. Although I did look into the possibility of heading home for the funeral, the logistics of returning to Canada for such a short time were complicated. It is hard to miss a family event such as this, and in the end I participated by writing a little something which my brother then read at the ceremony.

My grandmother was an amazing person and so many happy memories revolve around her and all the terrific times that my immediate family as well as all of my aunts, uncles, and cousins have had while visiting her. At least once a year, the entire clan [an original twenty and growing (we are now somewhere near thirty)], descends on Toronto, coming in from all kinds of far away lands – Montreal, Ottawa, Vancouver, Victoria, California, Maryland, England, Japan, and now Brazil – to celebrate Christmas, Thanksgiving, or a family event.

Heading to my grandmother’s for the holidays was such an engrained tradition, that one year when I was informed that my family would be spending Christmas in Montreal, I wondered whether or not we even knew how to make a turkey. Apparently we did, but my mom wasn’t too happy that I questioned this!

I will miss my grandmother and the warmth with which she always welcomed us into her home and into her life. I rest assured though that the traditions will continue and her presence will live on in our family gatherings and our daily lives. Already the cousins are dreaming up the next encounter ....

Eighteen Million and Still Small

This past Sunday, I met up with a Brazilian friend at the very simple, yet very delicious, restaurant Bioalternativa in Cequeira César. Vegetarian and organic, Bioalternativa (which for residents or future travellers, also has a location in Higienópolis) is a wonderful little spot for a buffet lunch. Well, apparently so thought the rest of my friends in São Paulo. First we ran into the local coordinator of one of our organic agriculture projects. Good to see that that he lives by the spirit of the project! A few minutes later, another good Brazilian friend walked in for her late afternoon lunch and ended up joining our table as she was on her own. So there you have it: eighteen million people, thousands upon thousands of restaurant choices, and I manage to run into most of my São Paulo friends on a single outing to one restaurant!

An Urban Legend it twasn't

Over a decade ago, I heard that the lights on the cross on Mount Royal would turn purple the day that the Pope died. In the back of my mind, I had always assumed that this was some kind of an local-grown urban legend. However, this morning I hopped on the Montreal Gazette's website and only to find out that in fact, it was absolutely true. [photo by Gordon Beck, The Gazette].

On a related note, it turns out that Brazilian Cardinal Claudio Hummes is one of the alleged favourites for becoming the next pope, along with Nigerian Cardinal Francis Arinze. A radical during the Brazilian military regime, Hummes has been archbishop of Sao Paulo since 1998. Although some claim that he has strayed from his roots [others claim that he has not strayed, just that the circumstances have changed], it seems that Hummes has a genuine pro-poor, pro-worker, and pro-landless stance. Here's hoping.

To find out what the cardinals of the world really think, check out the ... What the Cardinals Believe ... website which lays out the theological positions of each and every cardinal around the world. What would we ever do without the internet?

Santa Maria de los Buenos Aires

For the Easter long weekend, I headed to the lovely and charming city of Buenos Aires to meet up with some Canadian friends who are currently posted to Paraguay and Chile. I’ve been to Buenos Aires twice now, and I have to admit that it is one of my favourite cities in the world. I am not alone. While the Mercer survey rates it as 115 out of its 215 cities surveyed, the scientific-survey-which-really-matters ranks it as the world’s sixth best city.

Buenos Aires really is the Paris of the South. Or perhaps more likely, is Paris actually the Buenos Aires of the North? In any case, one of the best features of Buenos Aires is the architecture. The city is replete with wonderful five to six story apartment buildings on wide, shady, tree-lined avenues. Just wandering in the different neighbourhoods admiring the architecture is a fine way to while away a morning or afternoon.

Other fun spots in the city include:

Café Tortoni on Avenida de Mayo, one of Buenos Aires oldest traditional coffee houses: In addition to the café, a small back room hosts nightly tango shows which are a fun way to spend an evening (and a lot less expensive that most other commercial tango shows).

El Ateneo bookshop on Santa Fe (with a smaller version on Avenida Florida): El Ateneo is a small chain which converts old theatres and opera houses into bookstores. The books are set up both on the ground level as well as in each level of balcony while the stage has been turned into a trendy café. Presto! Another afternoon gone!

Teatro Colon: Argentina’s Opera House (which thankfully has not been turned into a bookstore, as much as I do enjoy El Ateneo) took eighty years to build and was inaugurated in 1908. It seats 2,500 and was designed with a mixture of European styles. A daytime tour of the House is a must, with the five floors beneath ground level being just as interesting, or even more so, than the main stage area [the underground floors include the set-building rooms, the costume making and storage shops, dance studios, and a one-to-one replica of the main stage]. On Easter Sunday, we managed to get much sought-after tickets to a performance of Verdi’s Requiem. Well worth the time!

Recoleta Cemetary: I think that land per square metre is more expensive in the cemetery than it is in the rest of the city! While Evita’s grave is clearly one of the main attractions, it is easy to spend hours wandering around the rest of the cemetary marveling at, once again, the incredible architecture.

Plaza de Mayo: No trip to Buenos Aires is complete without a stop at the Plaza de Mayo in front of the Casa Rosada [Presidential Palace], where the mothers of men and women who disappeared under Argentina’s military dictatorship used to silently circle the central monument of the Plaza with the names of their missing children embroidered on white handkerchiefs. The madres started circling the monument in 1977 in a time when all forms of protest and civil society were forbidden. They continue to circle the monument today, on Thursday afternoons, still demanding social justice and democracy building.

La Boca: very touristy, but still fun, La Boca is worth a visit. Developed as a trading centre and shipping yard, and settled by Italian immigrants, the neighbourhood’s aluminum-walled houses have been painted using strong, vibrant primary colours. Artisans set up their wares on the streets and tango is always in the air.

San Telmo Antiques Market: Held on Sundays in the Plaza Dorrego, the market is a terrific place to browse the antiques, watch some tango, and have a drink.

Shopping: Argentina is a bit more conservative than Brazil when it come to clothing, so it was a treat for my northern sensitivities to peruse the shops on Avenida Santa Fe. It's probably a good thing that I didn't have more days there ....