Yesterday, beleaguered by barking dogs, of which there are a great number, both tame and wild. I wrote a scathing piece on how they sound, disrupt your peace, or wake you, often all of the a over. Is there anything worse than dogs competing to bark the loudest, from every possible direction. Sometimes, if you let it get to you, it's like being crazy, in a mad house. You must find a way to ignore the noise, especially when, as the night before, they howled like wolves at the full moon, for most of the night. This, I hasten to add, is with ear plugs in, which obviously are not big enough. No one stops them, quiets them or seems in anyway, aware of them. Apart from this household of mostly Gringos...who all moan about them sometimes, where are the noise abatement laws we ask, where are the dog catchers? Of course, there are none, the dogs, many are good looking dogs, even pedigree breeds run the streets. Are other Gringos responsible for leaving then when they move I wonder. How else are many of the wild ones pedigree in appearance? Unless they just have exceptional genes here in this country, somewhat unlikely I think.i mentioned how most houses have dogs, even they join in the noise with no censure. It's a measure of the easy going attitude to everything here.
So, today I want to speak of some of the more positive things in Brasil. Although even as I say that, I know when you speak of Brasil, half of its charm is the third world aspect of the place. Including the attitudes you meet and the general colour around the streets, around the life lived there. I have only been back here for a week after an absence of several years, so am still in something of culture shock. It does take some getting used to, as at first the place looks to be poverty stricken, sort of washed out by the sun, overgrown by the green. You see derelict huts, yards looking abandoned, than realise they are homes. Your mind is still on western time, workmen coming on time when you call, jobs done properly, people answering phones. Whilst here, those things seldom happen, if at all. You must remember the manyana attitude, even at the same time as everyone is looking for every opportunity to make a buck. Often, they hope from your pocket. Once they know you though, they do their best. Of course I'm generalising, people come in every type as they do the world over. Mostly, they work to live, whereas in the west we live to work. Or, more honestly, have to work hard to pay the raft of bills we have here. Whether it's what we prefer or not. Money is king, we need things, here, they are happy with very little. A space to sleep, food in their bellies, their family. If you can somehow find a middle ground, then you have it made. You can live the good life here very easily, which many Eupeans do.
Some unchanged from the seventies when the hippies first found this peninsular, that looks like an island, and acts like an island. Nothing wrong with island living by the beach, under the lush foliage they thought. Many are still here, living side by side with many others from all over the world, who discovered it too. I think we all like the colour of the place, the way every little traditional shop is painted a bright colour. Yes of course the heat fades the colours, but cannot detract from the charm. Some of the newer streets ar paved with tessellated chunks of white/ cream marble, it looks beautiful. The older ones with grey stones, a little like European cobblestones. Of course it's interspersed with chunks of concrete, or pebbles. They make do here, with roads on which traffic runs a nightmare of hand made speed bumps, rough repairs and holes.
Yet if you want something off the tourist map a little, almost anywhere in the body or coast of Brasil will entertain, and captivate you. Discover any of the small towns, with their little shops, where there is plenty of tourist stuff to buy. Or, plenty of artistic locals or Gringos selling all sorts of art work from leather bracelets to oil painting of colourful local traditions or places. Sample the local food, the deserts all made with condensed milk and utterly scrumptious. The array of small savoury or sweet pastries, the balls of cheese bread, best eaten hot. Or, sample the salads, the meats, not all with beans, all sorts is available. If you use a self service place, where you go around the loaded table, helping yourself. The food will be weighed for cost before you eat. A great way to stop anyone taking more than they can eat. Or any of the other foods creeping in, such as Italian, Argentinian, or even Japanese and sushi bars. There are little cafes every few yards, of every type and standard you need.
Yes, like the dogs some things are strange to us, but isn't that why we travel? You will meet at least a couple of speaker vans trolling the street. Advertising at blasting volume the latest party venue or other place you must see. You may see a Brasilian horseman, always a smart, small, lean man on a beautiful graceful horse. Riding as if born to the saddle, just as prone to appear in the middle of town, with spare horse on tow, as travelling accross the campo, the local green space. Of motor bikes and cars there is every kind. Most carry passengers of some kind. Even very small children, with crash helmet now, belted to its Father, or driver will zoom past fearlessly. There are motor cycle taxis too, bright green, who will take you anywhere for not much money. Ordinary taxis usually have assorted passengers sharing the cost. Local buses run around the town and up and down to the Balsa, the ferry, going to the mainland as often as there is enough people to go. All night on the hour too, so travel is fairly easy and cheap if you want to exert your self in the heat or rain.
The nicest thing Is that people are friendly. If you smile, they will smile back. If you try your broken Portugese even on a small child with its Mother, both will respond. A child yesterday even offered me a sweet, just so cute, I thought. Safety, well you hear the tales of robbery, and danger but I can only say, as long as you are sensible, don't walk around flashing big expensive watches, or jewellery, no one takes any notice of you. I, a woman have and will walk anywhere I want to go. The last time I was here, some of the local young men I got to speak to through my son even escorted me home in the dark whenever I wanted to go. So much did they want it be safe for me! Although even alone, I found no trouble. I think the running dogs boast more of a danger than any robbers. So, as long as you have a loud voice you are alright. It works for me anyway.
Visit Brasil, enjoy it's difference....more from me as I acclimatise. This...is just a taste.
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