Christmas Eve, Christmas and a few days after!

So I got a tan on Christmas day, to all my friends and family in the Pacific Northwest I wanted to pass that along! Christmas eve party and food shown below was great! Turkey, chicken and potatoes. I felt right at home. Had to take two showers Christmas Eve cause it was so hot!

We went to the beach on Christmas Day and the Day after! The group picture is from Serra Grande a beautiful vista above Ilheus. What Beauty! I saw little monkeys, a huge mama ostrich and swam through swamp water on Christmas day.... It was all spectacularly strange! I have drank so much coconut water these few days I think it is saving me!

Did you all know that you can have Cacao juice? Its sooo good, doesn't taste like chocolate but still great (i took a photo that is shown below, next to a banana fried in dough and covered with sugar!)

I am now packing for the beach house we have rented for new years eve and the first week of january! Its a great place but we are gonna be sleeping like sardines!

beijos

Christmas is in a few days?!

Today i learned (again) how to wash clothes. It is always humbling when you are taught how to do laundry over again....

Last night I went to a great capoeira class and woke up with a very sore behind! I went out for the daily walk around the river and enjoyed the wonderful sun, no one understands why i like to be out in such heat. I still dont have enough portuguese to explain the extreme lack of sun in portland. I got a lot of "oh my gods" yesterday when i went out to run when it was raining...when it was 70 degrees. I guess that means cold here! I even saw a man riding his bike holding an umbrella! Amazing!

I think i am going to go find a dance studio today and buy some repellent. Even though everyone says there are no bugs here they have found me, specifically my legs! I will try and get some pictures of itabuna to post, even though the river is pretty contaminated its very pretty. There is some sweet bird life on the river. There are herons and king fishers everywhere, white, grey, I even think i saw some grey ones! There is some other bird that sorta looks like a chicken... I have name it river chicken. Coconut water is sold along the river for about 60 cents a cup! I am getting a little more accustomed little by little. I am going to go take a cold cold shower...

Pictures of Salvador

Here are some pics of the salvador adventure. A wonderful meal! Beautiful turtles! A trip to the historic district!

We are now in Itabuna were its still hot, but its a lot smaller and I can walk around. There is a river that runs through the town and we are very close to it. There is a trail running down both sides that i walked and ran on this morning. Its very nice and cool in the evenings so I might make it out there later too. I am staying in the house of my Capoeira mestre here, where i will be living as well. I am getting used to the house and everything. Biño, who is my teachers nephew showed me jodie around a bit yesterday which was very nice. I also have wifi here in the house which is pretty special! Right now I am on "vacations", the studying doesnt start till January but I am having a little bit of difficulty with not doing a lot. I lost my toothbrush some how so I am going to go the store and get one!

Giant Turtles!

Today and yesterday I got to make short trips to the beaches here in Salvador. Yesterday Jodie, Dylan and I made it down to the beach for a bit but had a pretty low key day. We made it to a roda last night at a school of the wonderful Contra-Mestre Carol, who is killer. She was having a small end of the year roda for her yound students. It was very fun, I felt so welcome and grateful for such a great time.

Today we made it to Praia do Forte, a beach/reserve/really touristy place. Lots of tourism, expensive places but it was really pretty too. They have a turtle reserve there with all different kinds of turtles that are HUGE! You could fit five of me sitting on the back of the largest ones!!! They were beautiful and I am grateful for the chance to have seen them, especially when they would surface to take a breathe and look at us with those eyes! It was a little tough to see them in there ponds that seemed pretty small but they have helped create a reserve for the birthing grounds and programs to clean up some of the beach. We ate a great meal, a whole grilled red fish! I got a picture of it and will post it when I can. We are packing up and getting ready to leave for Itabuna tonite at 10, which is in an hour and a half here. We are 6 hours later than the West coast of the States! I am still recovering from the trip and time change. I am happy to be able to leave the big city of salvador and get to Itabuna.

beijos

Ist day!

Its just been one day but it has felt like a week! We made it all around town today, sitting in hot traffic but since we rented a car it was nothing like it would have been in the bus. Salvador is huge!!!!! We went up to the Pelourinho today, we got to change money, I meet a really charming parrot. Capoeira wise, there are a ton of schools in the district, it is the historic district. It is really pretty, and really high up so you are always walking up and down hills. We went to meet Mestre Lua Rasta who makes the best instruments around, they where all beautiful! I bought my first berimbua (a instrument used in capoeira) and I love her! :) We went to visit a few schools and were invited to play capoeira a little bit, so I got my excersize I missed from sitting for two days in an airplane! I was pretty nervous (its intimidating when you go to the source!! haha) in the rodas but I think it will be something that will get easier and easier. Portugese is coming along well.

I can't make phone calls right now, cabinas are not as common in brasil as they were in Ecuador. When I am in Itabuna, where I will be leaving for Saturaday night, I should have internet that I can connect to and use skype.

bejos!

The eagle has landed!

Im here! Im safe! Im really sweaty and hot! After the mostly grueling flying expierence I have had yet in my life, I arrived here in Salvador a few hours ago... Its really green, hot and humid. I am staying in the apartment of a friend of my traveling buddies, it is close to the beach and we rented a car so we are heading down to the beach to get into the ocean!

I took a cold shower, but there is no way it could be cold enough! My portuguese is not that great but I think the jet lag and lack of sleep might be making things a little harder too...

Ill let you all know what the beach is like! :)

new adventure

Countdown: 3 days till Brasil!

i am off for a few (6) months to study, play, dance and learn portuguese in brasil!

I will make updates and upload photos when I can-- so if you are interested just keep checking my blog out! I am using the same blog that i used when I was in Ecuador, so all the posts you see below this one are from there (its a bit confusing).

Anywho! I'll catch you all later