words, words, words

I have set up an alert to tell me when a news article pops up with “Porto Alegre”. I am usually surprised at what Porto Alegre pops up alongside. Except for when it is about Grêmio or Internacional. The two local/rival football teams are always in the news. Also there are a lot of reports about the World Social Forum which was held here as a response to the World Economic Forum in Davos.

But I was just reading this article because I am interested in the $100 laptop project and Porto Alegre is running a pilot program.

(I’m withholding judgment about the project.  My knee-jerk reaction is that it seems like children could do with food and potable water in a lot of places before they need laptops, but if I had a degree in international development I might have an more informed opinion.  I do think they look cool though, and there is a “Give 1 Get 1” project.  If they will ship to Brazil I will do that,  I would like an indestructible linux machine with built-in grid networking.  I need to read a bit more about the project.)

Fifteen (15) days in the country and I’m ordering takeout in Portuguese! High-five!

I have Susi addicted to Top Chef. If you don’t know anything about it, well, it is probably best if you don’t know.

We are almost finished with Season One and are chopping our way to Season Two.

Of course, we haven’t peeked and looked at then endings. So no spoilers!

Tonight, Susi has announced Top Chef Porto Alegre.
We are going to be cooking for each other and one of us will be going to the Ice Cream Store
One of us, will have to pack their knives… and go.
I’m looking for ideas.
Her favorite flavour profiles include corn, corn and corn, oh and something sweet.
I was thinking of tamarind corn on the cob, with a creamy butternut squash curry soup.
I need a protein. Fish?
Help?

I’ve thought of using subterfuge, a la peanut butter balls. If she can’t give any feedback because her mouth is glued shut, she can’t evict me from Brazil.

Also, we may need a preceding elimination challenge.  We have to figure out how that works… it needs to be a secret, I suppose.

I just read this great blog post by Paul Saffo. For the longest time I’ve been harping about the insane valuations of the real estate market to anyone who would listen. This is a great article about the bursting of the bubble. It give me hope that if we ever move back to California, we can buy it.

There was a parade on Thursday, and it was raning like crazy. That, and the fact that I was telecommuting, meant I watched it from the sofa with a computer on my lap. :(There were hundreds of horses and people dressed in traditional clothing. Basically, all the Gauchos from the park rode through the town (see previous post). Looked like a lot of fun, but perhaps more fun to be in the parade rather than watching it.

I just read this story about a Holocaust survivor who lived next to a former SS Camp Guard at Leisure World in Arizona.   That would make an unbelievable movie or book.

Today we got up a bit late and decided to go and take a boat tour on the Guaíba River. Basically to tool around a bit and see what there was to see. We went to the riverfront with some friends to walk their dogs, and while wandering, we stumbled across a huge Gaúcho Rodeo! Again, this is not the cliche Brazil of palm trees and bronzed dancing women. (Alas) These were people wearing cowboy boots, crazy pants and knives.

Everywhere you turned there was a slab of meat hanging over a fire. It felt bizarre — like a movie set — with all these wooden building that the Gaúcho’s are staying in during the Farroupilha Week. But this wasn’t a theme park or something they put on for the tourists. This was real.

Every year this park basically becomes a temporary cowboy city. And there was plenty of rodeo action to be had. I bought a chicken heart sandwich and a churro stuffed with dulce de leche and we wandered over to the cattle roping competition. There was so much activity it was pretty overwhelming. You had to stay on your toes, as well, because every once in a while somebody on a horse would come careening around a corner through the crowd.

In the pen, where they were waiting, the cows looked really distressed to be involved in the roping competition.  (I say cows, but honestly I didn’t look close enough to tell for sure.)  I didn’t know that it bothered them so much, but you could see in their eyes that they exactly what was going on.  They were going to run across a field full speed, have some joker on a horse throw a rope around their neck and pull it.  Of course, they should have been happy that they weren’t covered with salt and being slow roasted over a fire.

We didn’t go on the riverboat yet, I figure we can do that some other time. Also, I’m keen to see the penguins. (Penguins in Brazil?) Once again, I’ll put up some pictures soon.

Today we went to some of Susi’s co-workers gated community for a churrasca. It was a lot of meat, as per the norm. I ate a few chicken hearts which are very popular here. They taste pretty good, but I don’t think I’ll be getting any at the supermarket. The kids at the BBQ were eating them like they were candy. “Yum, more chicken hearts please!” Never thought I would have heard that. It tastes like chicken, only meatier, and with a stranger texture.

I have found my favorite food in the world.

Honestly, I could eat just Açaí Na Tigela for the rest of my life. Oh and some Sriracha. Maybe I should combine the two and see what the flavor profile is like. I have been trying a lot of Açaí sorbets and this one also has the best texture as well as taste. It isn’t too icy.  It doesn’t have a crunch but is very dense.

We also went to the market to day where Susi bought some voodoo soaps. I don’t think that she is really hoping that using it will bring good luck, or a more handsome man, like the boxes advertise, but she gets them because the boxes are crazy looking. They must have a lot of fun designing them. I’ll see if I can get some photos up. Perhaps alongside the racist snacks and candy.

By the way, this is the lid to the pot. If you see it, you should try it:

Brazil Day 1

For the first few days I felt a bit shaky. A little unsteady walking around, a mix of “what if someone starts speaking with me in Portuguese and I don’t understand them” and “I sure hope I don’t get lost”. After a week here, I feel a lot more comfortable. The people of Porto Alegre are really to thank for that. Everyone has been really nice and helpful.

I’d say that I’m starting to settle in. Part of it is BJJ. I’ve been training at a gym near my house, and I’ve met some nice people. Most of them are pretty high-level in their jiu-jitsu or in vale tudo, but when I start getting frustrated because I am getting tapped out, I stop and practice my Portuguese. Everyone is pretty eager to try out their English though, so we may need to work out some kind of trading system.

It is a bit weird being someplace where you don’t understand people. I grew accustomed to hearing English, or Spanish, and since I speak both of those pretty well, I grew out of practice of having to tune my ear. At the same time, when I walk by someone on their cell phone and understand what they are saying, I get a warm fuzzy feeling. I’m really glad that the people don’t mind making an effort to understand you.

I saw a gaúcho, which is a Brazilian cowboy, waiting for a bus. Perhaps his horse was sick.

I also saw a woman who had just finished exercising, sitting on a bench eating a tub of ice cream. Something that I would probably do.