6.13.11 Dont remember what day it is anymore..
Monday 11:40pm
I think we have been here 5 days but I am done counting. I havent been writing everyday sooo yeaaa thats just not going to happen. Even though I wish I could write every MINUTE!
I will now resume the conclusion of the previous story I was writing about...
we walked next to a demolished building that was left in shambles and then 6 paces later we were next to $60,000 brand new fantsy panty condos. The contrast was unbelievable. We saw this dirty little old man sitting in front of his dirty little old door and I wanted a picture of him so bad- he just looked like he was out of National Geographic. I will always have that image burned in my mind- it was the cutest thing. Anyways we walked and walked until we got to the lunch place. It was a tiny room- well it didnt have a door so its not a room- just a space I guess. But the food was delicious! I loved it. We ate a ton then walked over to have an Acai smoothie! And even though I was stuffed I gobbled that thing DOWN! It was so dang good! I looked in some shops in some cute shops and I was very surprised to see that the dresses were $78! others were about $60 and I was just awed! How can these poor poor people afford to live! Everything is so expensive and no one has money. They all seem to live dollar to dollar. They make a dollar and they buy bread. They make another and they buy milk. The money will always be gone at then end of the month so they never think ahead of save or plan. They just buy what they need at the moment for what ever price it is and then the money is gone and thats it. Its a very different mentality- just so opposite from mine.
Anyways- the rest of the day was fun we took the bus back and on the way home we saw a crazy tranny dancing in the street for money. When we got home and a little while later Zao brought Julia and Eric over. It was fun to meet them! They are so crazy and cute. Then we ate good food and watched stupid Novela with G-pa. And at night we played pictionary with Andre, Debera and Gma. They guessed words in english and Gav and I guessed in Portuguese. It was really fun. Esspecially because Gma was horrible and drawing! Haha. She is so cute! Later that night Gav and I went for a walk up to this little church that over looks the beach. We sat there and namoramos. :) it was great. I thought about how my mom must have done the same thing there with my dad! I have to ask her about it!
Enough about that. The next day was great to! A guy from the ward here (Rony) is a Taxi driver and Gpa had him pick us up here to go to the Christ statue. He came and we drove out there. Driving is always an adventure and just try to save all the images im contantly capturing in my mind. Gav and I were being dork-o-tron tourists.com and snapping away with our camera lens out the window. One of us would video while the other took pictures then we would switch. Rony is a crazy driver as I should have guessed since he a taxi driver- but at least we got there pretty fast. We drive up a very steep hill and I thought for sure that little dinky car was going to start rolling backwards but sure enough we made it to the top. All the while Tia Bethinha and talk talk talk talk talk-ing Rony's poor little ears off. He probably thinks she is crazy but she has no idea. At the top we bought our tickets and waited to get on the little van that would take us to the top. While in like Gav saw some little monkeys in the trees above him! But I didnt see them. When we got to the top we were very excited. We walked up a few steps and saw the view of the city! We couldnt believe how much there was to see! It was incredible! Gav couldnt believe it! His jaw was dropped and he kept saying it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen! We snaped pictures left and right. Then we walked up the rest of the steps to the Christ statue. It was HUGE! We snapped away again and walked around and looked left and looked right and took more pictures then walked to the other side then pointed and looked and took more pictures. It was so beautiful!!!!! the pictures look pretty but its nothing like seeing it in person. The view is all around you 360 degrees of jaw-dropping cityscape! Being up there was an amazing experience. We loved it. We walked back down and looked in the shops a bit but didnt buy anything. We drove back down the mountain and into the city. Then we drove all along the coast. We stopped to buy some drinks and take more pictures and Ipanema beach. There was a little guy there playing his guitar and he played “girl from Ipanema” I was so excited and I made Gav drop everything and dance with me. Despite is grave embarrassment he did it- just for me :) so nice! I love him! It made me really happy to dance out there in the beach breeze in brasil with a live authentic rendition of one of my favorite songs. We then got back in the car and drove along the cost of Ipanema, Leblon, and Copacabana beach. They were all beautiful but we wanted to be walking! Not driving! We saw cool sand statues and soccer games and all kinds of fun things going on at the beach. It was wonderful.
After thaaaaaaaat we drove back towards home and I saw a ferinha so I had Rony drop us off there. We walked through all the tents and I found a bathing suit I liked then Tia Betinha had to go to institute so she left. We walked some more and I Gav patient wanted and I tried on 43 bathing suits and disscused sizes and patterns and materials with the lady who was selling the bathing suits who is also the person who makes them. He was very patient. :) theeeeeeeeeen we walked across the street and I got to buy my FAAAAAAAVORITE thing – pipoca doce (sweet popcorn) and I was SOOOOOOOOOOOO happy!!!! I have been wanting that since we bought our flight here. It is the best food on earth. Yum yum yum. I could eat it all day. Theeen we walked to a big supermarket thing- like the closest thing they have to Walmart. There we walked around and compared there prices to the prices in the states. We bought some junk then – since Gav was completely shopped out- we headed home. We hopped on a Combi and little did we know--- he was a crazy driver. To them time is $$$ and this combi driver HAD to pass every car possible and he would stop as little as possible. He was a 1 man band with an automatic door and a loudspeaker on top of his car. He drive as if he were driving his 9” dilated wife to the hospital. It was hilarious really but not that dangerous I promise. :) We made it home minutes before Gpa had a heart-attack. He was very mad at us for not telling him where we were and even madder at Tia Betinha for leaving us alone out there. Gma said she only wasnt worried because she was praying the whole time. Those 2 ill tell you what. I told him I would have called if I had a phone but I didnt. I felt bad but im not 15 so I didnt think I did anything wrong. Anyways. That all I remember about that. I think it was the best day yet. We had so much fun and we got to be alone a little which was nice. Oh yea I almost forgot. After everyone went to bed we snuck out of the house and walked along the beach. We saw lots of lovers in theirs cars and it was funny. We were jealous that we didnt have a car. We tried to get into this area that was blocked off but Gav saw a rat and almost threw up so we instantly gave up on that idea. It was funny. As we walked back home I thought about my mom again- all the times she must have done the same thing I did- snuck out of the same house and walked along the same beach. With my dad probably! It was cute and funny to think about! I really want to ask her about it!
Well my writs are hurting! But I really want to finish catching up because I am not tired at all. So I will just do it quickly. Yesterday was sunday and nothing fantastic happened- We went to church-ate-slept- then skyed everyone for 2 hours. Literally. Then went back to sleep. Today we woke up and spent 3 hours figuring out what we were going to do and how we were going to get there. We decieded to go to Ipanema beach and to drive Gpas car... buuuuuuuuuut. Well we didnt end up making it there.....dont ask.
Hehehe. Im out like trout. 12:39am
oh yea and i still have to figure out how to put pics on here sorry folks.