Week 2 summary: Enjoying Itajai and Balneario, went on a weekend trip to Ibiraquera, wrote some music and learned some more Portuguese
Shoutouts: Evandro, Luis, Jota, Paula, Anny, Guilherme, Tulio, Pablo, Fernando, Maria Amalia, Duda, Leonardo, Mariana, Felipe, Heron, Colby, Mamae, Papai
Monday, August 27th (Day 7) – Itajai
I go for a long walk around downtown Itajai. I hang out at a café for a while. I go to a yoga class, which is great practice for my Portuguese vocabulary of body parts. I return home, and as I fix myself some dinner, Papai is blasting Hall and Oates in the computer room and taking a nap. Awesome. Later, Paula takes me to her gym, where there seems to be a resurgence of 1980’s fashion trends; the female contingent is sporting a significant abundance of such items as leg warmers and/or neon animal print tights. Definitely saw a scrunchie or two. Awesome.
Tuesday, August 28th (Day 8) – Itajai
It’s a rainy day. I spend the day at home with Mamae and I practice lap steel for a while.
Wednesday, August 29th (Day 9) Itajai / Balneario Camboriu
I run around to a couple music stores downtown and then go to the gym. Evandro picks me up after work to hang out. We meet his friend Luiz, they teach me some Portuguese slang, we grab some beers, and then we go to Jota’s apartment. Jota is a songwriter as well; we share some songs before going out to dinner. At the sushi restaurant, playing music, is an American guy who lives in the area. His name is Colby, and he is very talented. He invites me to play a few songs towards the end of the set, and I do. When I get home, Mamae, who has apparently been concerned by my minimalist wardrobe, has bought me some long sleeved shirts and pants. My family is so generous!
Thursday, August 30th (Day 10) Itajai
I go to the gym, watch a couple episodes of The Newsroom, and run to the lighthouse. As I am standing on the deck overlooking the surf on the lighthouse road, I happen across Colby. We talk a little about music and how long he’s lived here, and he tells me that it took him about 6-7 months to really become fluent. I’ll have at least 6 months under my belt by the time I leave; hopefully it’ll stick. I go to the gym again with Paula. We are going to Ibiraquera beach tomorrow for the weekend with some of her friends, should be fun.
Friday, August 31st (Day 11) Itajai – Ibiraquera
After the working day is done, the caravan departing for our Ibiraquera beach getaway congregates at Paula’s house. We load cases and cases of beer into the cars. Guilherme takes Tulio, Paula, and me in his Volkswagen. We stop at a gas station, remarkable in my eyes simply because drinking is allowed and encouraged inside. Imagine walking into your local Exxon and cracking open a cold one at a cocktail table to wash down some cheesy bread. That's how real tigers refuel. It’s about a 3 hour drive to Ibiraquera (including some more jovial pit stops) and when we get there, the lids of coolers are opened to the sound of Leonardo’s acoustic guitar.
Saturday, September 1st (Day 12) Ibiraquera
Our lodge is on the lakeside, and we take full advantage of the supplied kayaks and stand-up paddleboards. I go for a swim. We check out the beach and set up the slack-line. Linguica, steak, and chicken hearts are roasted up in the churrasco and served from the cutting board. There is a collective nap for a couple hours. Aspiring towards more festivities, Duda, Anny, and I attempt to rouse our brethren from their alcohol/exertion/meat induced slumber. Unsuccessful for the time being, I retreat peacefully to a hammock. Eventually, there is a grassroots movement to play a drinking/card game, the Brazilian version of King's Cup.
Sunday, September 2st (Day 13) Ibiraquera – Itajai
We attempt sandboarding at the dunes. Everyone succeeds to varying degrees, and almost all fall on their asses in amusing fashion, myself included. Felipe faceplants. We return to the beach, only to get Fernando’s car stuck in the sand. Two dignified beach elders (shirtless septuagenarians wearing khaki shorts and perma-tans) arrive to successfully lead our group of slightly buzzed youngsters to victory. We go back to the lodge for more watersports and barbecue. Eventually it is time to say goodbye, and the caravan heads back to civilization.
Pictures courtesy of Maria Amalia
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| Hey, look, 3 beautiful women! ...and that's me taking a nap. At least my other hand was holding a beer. |
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| Olha em frente! |
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| People enjoy music in different ways. |
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Monday, September 3nd (Day 14) Itajai
Sleep most of the day, run to Beira Rio, go to the gym, start watching Game of Thrones, write some music. My host parents have a church group over at night and introduce me to all of them, whereby I practice my Portuguese. One of them looks like my dad, and insists that by the looks of me, I must only be 15 years old. I try to pick out some of the keywords of what he's telling me about his nephew, but then he says something about the 1920's and I'm lost. This is the learning process.
Tuesday, September 4th (Day 15) Itajai
Play guitar, run to the gym, watch Game of Thrones, go to the gym again to take a spinning class with Paula. As we enter there is some strange electronic song playing with a robotic voice chanting "Barbara Streisand". Gotta love it.
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