Sunday, September 28, 2008

Sake Caipirinhas

I highly recommend that everyone try the typical Brazilian drink, the caipirinha. It is traditionally made with cachaca, a Brazilian liquor. Add sugar and lime, and you have a caipirinha. Anyone who has ever tried cachaca, knows that is the cheetah of liquors. It stalks you as you unknowingly go about your evening. Then suddenly when you are not paying attention, it pounces, causing you to realize that you have been drinking pure alcohol with a smidgen of sugar and lime to dull the effects.

In Brazil, they've created the vodka caipirinha as well as various fruit mixtures (I suggest fresh strawberry, kiwi, and passion fruit be added). A co-worker recommended trying the sake caipirinha. I was hesitant. Sake? With fruit? Well, I am now converted. The sake version is like a snake. It effortlessly winds its way into your body; you become more interested in its smooth gracefulness. You never smell the power of the sake (unlike cachaca) and while drinking, you can only imagine yourself sipping one while enjoying a sun-filled day on the beach. Oh yeah, it never pounces like the cheetah, unless you disrespect it (and your body).

So, visit your local Brazilian restaurant and ask for the sake caipirinha. I suggest adding strawberry and kiwi as it enhances the charming elegance of the drink. Raise your glass and enjoy the company of your dinner companion.

Friday, September 26, 2008

Interesting factoid....

So, one of the many interesting things I've learned while in Brazil are facts surrounding the cashew nut. While visiting a farmer's market, one will have many opportunities to purchase the cashew fruit. It's a wonderfully pomegranate-colored fruit. The skin is rather fragile (apparently making it difficult to transport and hence, only found in tropical regions), but has a wonderful luster that draws your eye. The pulp is quite juicy, and the fragrance reminds me of a wind on a tropical island carrying the scent of nearby trees. Despite all of these wonderful attributes, the fruit itself, taste rather dull and rubbery.

But I digress...I'm not writing about the cashew fruit...but rather about the cashew nut. The nut is actually a seed of the fruit. This seed grows from the tree first, then the fruit develops around the seed. (The nut is harvested from the green seed seen above). Since the fruit is rather crappy in comparison to its tropical cousins, the cashew fruit is actually harvested for its seed (i.e. the nut).

So, the next time your in Brazil, check out the cashew fruit....

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Ahhh….weekend in Rio


Yes, it was just that…a large exhale of air, filled with excitement and relaxation. There are very few cities I fall in love with, but Rio, I could live in Rio. It’s a city alive with everything. Music, dancing, laughter, beauty, and lots of people enjoying the beach.

It is quite evident that the beach is a part of life here. We have a saying back home—“life is a beach.” In Rio, life is the beach. If you live in Rio, you go to the beach every Saturday and Sunday. Your adult friendly leagues of volleyball and soccer are, you guessed it, played on the beach. It’s election year in Brazil, and I had the opportunities to see candidates campaigning on the beach (because that’s where all the people are). It’s crowded, but not in the, get off of me, you are invaded my personal space kind of way. It’s crowded because that is what you do, that is where you live, that is who you are, and it’s comfortable crowded. Three lanes of the highway that hugs the coast is closed on Sunday to allow more people to enjoy the beach. Add to the beach lots of street vendors with good food, good drinks. You can indulge on a coconut or grilled minus cheese.

Not only is the surf and sand a way of life, but the beaches are simply beautiful. Soft white sand curls between your toes as you watch the surf come to shore. And, it’s clean and safe. There is little land between the beach and the mountains. Normally, the poor inhabit the city, but here, the middle and upper class rule the small amount beachfront property. The favelas are on a mountain. That’s right…the poor live in the suburbs. But mind you, because they live on the mountain, they too enjoy ocean views.

It’s a very relaxed town. There’s no reason to hurry, no reason to worry. I have a great sense of direction, and rarely get lost or turned around. It has come in handy many times during my travels. However, this was one of those cities in which I simply had no idea where I was. This happened while in a cab and while wondering by foot. There I was…alone, female, walking. But the vibe of the city infected me. I had my trusty (and tourist-y) map, found my way, and went on at the slow, but methodical rhythm of my surroundings.

After a long day, you might grab a drink, and sit on a lounge chair. As you look to the sky, you suddenly realize there is a flock of 20-30 birds only 10 meters circling above you. At first, the thought that you are dead and they are scavengers crosses your mind. Then you realize the birds have caught a draft of air coming off the mountains, heading seaward. They are simply being birds. They are looking down at the human population, laughing, taunting us, because we have no means to fly on our own.

Rio is a city that embraces the outdoors. You see surfboards, runners, bikers, skateboarders, dogs (BIG dogs like Great Danes and Saint Bernards), people walking, children playing. Lots of soccer and volleyballs, lots of laughter and music.

Friday night, I asked the concierge to recommend a restaurant. I wanted something fun, but nothing outland-ish. She recommend a “quaint” restaurant—her word, not mine. Little did I know…part of the charm of the restaurant was breaking wine bottles and dishes (don’t go barefoot). When a waiter “accidentally” breaks a glass, a dish, the whole crowd gets to join in. It was fun and therapeutic. I went to Corcovado. That’s the name of the mountain the statue sits on, and it translates into “hunchback.”

I hopped over to the rain forest, saw wild monkeys and raccoons, went to the Chinese lookout, to downtown, and to Sugarloaf. I visited a couple of street fairs—the best by far was the “Hippie Market.” It’s been in existence for over 60 years and has hand crafted arts by locals. I normally buy 1 or 2 items…but I picked up a number of Christmas gifts here…certainly more than I expected. Saturday night, I went Samba dancing…with one of the schools that participate in Carnival. It was fun (and late). It started at 11PM and I got home at 3AM. Anyone who knows me knows that I’m usually in bed by 10—need my beauty sleep.

This is a not a city that one can simply visit and enjoy in 2 days. This is a place to spend time, to relax, to explore. I’ll be back.




Thursday, September 18, 2008

Rio de Janerio

Well...I've made it. This city is amazing. It's a wonderful mixture of color, architecture, new and old world, music, dancing, and of course--caipirinhas (a wonderful Brazilian cocktail). I have yet to see much of the city, but it's full of Miami color, favelas (slums), Gothic and Renaissance architecture, modern high rises, mountains, and beaches. On my way to the hotel, it was quite evident that football (soccer) is a much larger part of life than in Sao Paulo.

I am struck by the proximity of the mountains to the beach. It gives little room for the city/inhabitants to carry about their lives, however, it seems to work. The roads along the beaches are winding, following the geography of the land.

I am staying on Copacabana beach. It's beautiful. The city meanders its way along the coast line, living symbiotically with the nature that surrounds it. Outdoor sports are prevalent here. Not only is there football, but beach volleyball is ever-present, and something akin to beach football (though I haven't quite figured it out yet).

The rooftop of my hotel has a great (but far-away) view of Corcovado (Christ the Redeemer). I would share my pictures, but frankly they are crap. Clouds descended on the city late in the day, and my photos are no where near share-able.

Tomorrow, I'm off to visit Corcovado, Sugarloaf, downtown, and the Tijuca Forest (think largest natural forest in a metropolis AND ferrel monkeys). I'm looking forward to a couple of days of being a tourist.

Sao Paulo, Brazil

Yes, that's right...I'm currently in Sao Paulo. It's a city filled with great wonders. The people are friendly, the city is huge (16.8 million people, and growing), contains a wonderful mixture of historic beauty and modern wonders. And let's not forget the food...you will never go hungry in Brazil! (I always seem to gain weight...not sure if it's the organic beef or the South American wine). There's a wonderful culture here, filled with family, markets, street traffic (pedestrians beware). I love the fact that last names don't matter here and it's a racial mix of anything and everything.

I'm here for the month of September. Lot's of work to do. Despite the work, I'm surprisingly finding lots to do to occupy the few moments of downtime I have. I've visited Artes de Embu (a quaint town just outside the city), done the typical tourist attractions in the city (I try to stay away from this...but it's difficult when you are somewhere for a month). I'm off to Rio de Janerio this weekend--and really looking forward to it. Sugarloaf, Christ the Redeemer, and the beach...in WINTER.

Being away this long definitely has its draw-backs. I missed a birth in the family...Bronson Thomas. I miss being able to readily dial my friends and family. I missed Hurricane Ike. And news like high gas prices and stock market woes aren't quite the same here in Brazil. Despite the Internet, one simply can't get the same feel for world events when in a country where English is the third language.