A Day in the Country

I wake up early this morning as Renato and Marinete are picking me up and allowing me to tag along with them to an appointment in the country. While they are at their appointment I am going to walk through the countryside, which sure beats being penned up in the house like a dog, waiting for his owner to come let him out. Well the truth is maybe this statement is a little exaggerated as I can leave the apartment anytime I want, but with my limited Portuguese and no car to drive, I feel a little like that dog once and a while. I do have plenty of projects to keep me busy as I wait and am happy to head to the park to walk. (Sounding like that dog once again – lol). Well, let’s just say this is a welcome adventure compared to my regular days.

Renato picks me up and we head to their apartment in the city. (remember we had dinner at their home in Mineiros in a  previous post) It is a beautiful second home on the 8th floor of a high rise apartment building. When we arrive the housekeeper has breakfast set up on the patio for us. Renato sits with me for a while as he eats his breakfast of bread, juice, and cheese, but he excuses himself to finish getting ready. As I sit on the balcony overlooking the city, I begin to wonder what life would have been had my family lived in Brazil and not in Rembrandt, Iowa during my childhood. It surely would have been different with a maid and a nanny more then likely. You see, with some many people living in poverty in the country, to hire a maid and nanny to help with the daily household chores is surely affordable. I have not been in too many homes where there is not one. My mom’s life would have surely been different with cleaning and cooking done by hired help. She would not have relied on us kids doing our chores every Saturday. Dusting, vacuuming, and general pick up, but who am I kidding, she probably didn’t really rely on us anyway and went behind us making sure it all got done right. I just remember it took a large part of my Saturday morning and she spent a lot of time cooking for our family of six. It sure would be interesting to travel in a time machine, make a few changes and see how things turn out. Unfortunately that is not reality and it can only be done in our thoughts and our day dreams.

Marinete finishes getting ready and we all load into the pick up and are off. Past Flamboyant Mall, Walmart, the Modern Museum of Art we head into the country. The sahada terrain is different then the terrain on the way to Mineiros. Obviously dry and the trees shorter, it seems like a cross between a desert and forest environment. We turn down a country road full of dust, speed bumps, and bordered by cattle on the other side of barbed wire fence. The trek takes us for a little over a kilometer and we stop at a security station at the entrance of a walled community. The gentleman Renato and Marinete are meeting is at the front gate so follow him through the gated neighborhood. The man’s home has an open floor plan with lots of outdoor living space, like most Brazilian homes. Surrounded by a lush yard full of flowers, fruit bearing trees, and a swimming pool it is very welcoming and beautiful place. The man they are meeting with (I don’t ask many questions about their visit as neither Renato nor Marinete speak much English) greets us and shows us around. (he speaks none either) All the modern luxuries I have back home with the addition of a couple and a pool of course. They begin their meeting and Renato decides to take a walk. We journey down the street we just drove in and passed where we turned to arrive at the man’s home. A little further there is a turn in the road and around the corner lies a lovely pond. This day with its crystal blue skies and wonderful surroundings is perfect for pictures.

  

 

As we walk I take the opportunity ask Renato for a lesson in Portuguese to increase my vocabulary. I reach down and ask touch the grass and motion for a word. We continue this course of learning as we walk and I am introduced to new words like: grass (grama), sidewalk (calcada) palm tree (palmeira) and I am able to reinforce some of the learning I have learned previously like: tree (arvore) road (rua) below (abaixo).  I also put in my repertoire of understanding the Brazilian language the difference between street (rua) and road (estrada) and the differenced between palm tree (palmeira) and coco tree (coqueiro), even though I still do not understand what the difference is between the two trees. They all seem like palm trees to me.

We continue this lesson as we walked. The stroll down the country road was amazing with the sun beating down on us and blue skies all around. I snapped many photos on our journey and the cool breeze was welcome company. I vividly remember turning a corner on the dirt country road and as we rounded the corner a bright yellow canary was singing its beautiful song. Proud and boastful at the top of its tiny little lungs it sang perched on the high wire. A dog begins to bark a short distance down the road at the next residence and the breeze picks up. I noticed our steps on the road, driven by our silence and lack of ability to communicate. How picturesque this setting was. At this point I realized that I was having a wonderful learning experience with Renato who speaks English like I speak Portuguese (very little). Our struggle to exchange a few words forced us to use what little vocabulary we had to express what we wanted to communicate. I think there was only one time when we decided to suspend a conversation for assistance from one of our bilingual friends. I guess we will never know if we communicated one hundred percent correct, but we did ask those bi lingual friends and are pretty sure we got it right.

There was a second inspirational point on the walk when we came upon a wonderful old tree with a gigantic canopy. It was simply amazing as a lot of trees in Brazil are (or in the U.S for that matter). I stopped and looked up into the tree and thought: I could lie under this tree and relax for hours. With the cool breeze blowing over my face and sun slightly penetrating the foliage above, it would truly be a wonderful afternoon. I wonder to myself: where did these days of relaxing go? I used to have them but in the bustle of getting ahead I have lost them somewhere. My experience in taking time off to have an extended stay here has truly brought back some of those care free ideologies. I hope I find time to relax and snuggle up under a big old tree in the near future. Our stay under the grand tree today is shorter then I want, but the time to move on has come.

We head back to the house and on the way I snap a ton more photos. The neighborhood is simply spectacular and a treat for one’s eyes. I see a couple of
lots with their “vendo” (for sale) signs out front and make a mental note. Would I like a home here? How peaceful and tranquil it would be. It would be like most of the homes here with their open floor plan and lots of outdoor living space. They are modest homes and I feel at home here. Who knows, maybe I am foreshadowing my own life?

Shortly we arrive back at gentleman’s home and soon it is time to head back to the city. We jump in the pick up and off we go. When we arrive at their apartment (to my surprise as I thought they would take me home) a traditional Brazilian lunch was prepared by the maid. Renato, Marinete, and myself just needed to walk across the street to get something to drink with our lunch and we are set.

After lunch there is a brief conversation about the afternoon and I once again wish I had brought my little translation dictionary along. I thought they were taking me home but as we passed the Flamboyant Mall, Walmart, and the Modern Museum of Art, I realized they had to make a return visit to the house in the country. I really did not care, as there were a couple more streets for me to explore. We arrived and I left to take a walk on my own. I cherished the time to myself and I soon felt like a young boy walking down the roads in Iowa. The sun was bright and hot and the breeze still cool.

Around the neighborhood I walked, enjoying the many photo opportunities and beautiful treasures to be found. I soon began to day dreaming of walking in our grove back in Iowa as a child. Searching to find hidden treasures and making up stories about life. What a wonderful time childhood was and how wonderful nature is.

Soon it was time to turn around and as I began walking back I was met by Marinete. She had come to keep me company on my journey. It was a welcome gesture as there were a few kilometers to walk. The conversation was a little easier as her English is a little better then Renato and we have a couple of discussions. On our return we stop to visit with a man tending his garden. We learn he is a professor and his life long dream is to have a home with a beautiful garden. So upon retiring he purchased this lot, built a modest home, and started to tend his garden. I had noticed him this morning on my walk, tending to his plants. Wondering what his story was and now pleased to learn what it was. Marinete and I say tchau and soon our walk is over. After a quick tour of the man’s home it is time once again to head back to Goiania.

We travel the twenty kilometers (or so?) back into Goiania and soon we are at the entrance of a gated community. Obviously this is a wealthier community with its security guards and well groomed curb sides.  I am not sure why we have stopped but always welcome another peek into a community and way of life I have not seen before.  I soon understand we are stopping to visit some friends of Renato and Marinete. We clear security and after a brief discussion on directions, head down the well manicured street. It is much different then other communities I have visited in Goiania. The house are large, modern, and don’t have fences around them. We drive a couple blocks and take a right and turn into the first driveway. The friend of theirs

greets us in the parking lot (in English) and it is soon shared that she has spent some time in the United States. Her home is beautiful (as you would expect as she is an interior designer) with white textured wall paper and a glass chandeler.  We are immediately offered a tour and I surely do not refuse taking a look.  As she shows us her open living area, she is happy to share that the floor plans for the home are from the Internet. There is actually a home somewhere in the U.S. with the same floor plan. We get a quick tour of the home and back yard. I am reminded of Iowa again as she showcases her flowers: Petunias, alyssum, hydrangeas. These are all flowers I planted many years growing up in Iowa. I remember spending time tending to the flower beds around the house. Watering, weeding, and there were plenty of petunias that’s for sure. She is proud of her flowers (and should be) as they are rare in this subdivision or this part of the country for that matter. She offers a story that her gardener is tired of her neighbors always asking

questions about her flowers and what they are. It is truly one of a kind in her neighborhood. After pasteis and coffee, we hop back in to the pick up for the trip home. She invites me to her son’s birthday party but I don’t think I will be in Brazil at that time, but I sure hope we get to visit her again sometime in the future. Her energy is good and finding someone who speaks English is always a welcome treat.

We meet Luiz for dinner where I share my thoughts about my walk with Renato and how good that is for me. How I need to focus on broadening my vocabulary in the Portuguese language. We end our day by driving to an ice cream shop for a cold frozen treat. I deserve it after all the walking this afternoon. Since arriving in Brazil over a month and a half ago I have not stopped to enjoy one of my favorite treats.  Ice cream is definitely a great exclamation point to this day.
(Read - "Off to Mineiros")

Are you ready for some FUTEBOL?

Good morning all. It is another sunny day in Goiania and I can see where they say it is the dry time of year. There are a few clouds in the sky but definitely no rain. I am very thankful that the evenings get cool or I could quickly change my mind about Brazil. Since I am in Brazil and this country loves its “futebol” (soccer in the U.S., but I will call it “futebol” in respect for my current location), I figured I had better attend a game. Fortunately Luiz’s nephew is a regular at the local stadium and there is a state championship game this afternoon and I have plans to see what it's like. (side note: these are professional teams)

You see, every night before heading to bed, I get to watch a little bit of this sport from my bedroom window. When I first arrived in Brazil I was surprised that they would begin playing a game at 2:00 A.M. I have come to realize that there is not many times of the day where you cannot find a game being played below my window. The fields are actually a part of a futebol school,  so all during the day and into the evening there are guys of all ages down on the field practicing and playing games. Dreaming of someday being the next Ronaldo or Pele.

To Brazilians futeboll is almost a religion. The country is full of professional futebol teams similar to sports like basketball, football, and baseball in the United States. Their players making salaries like professional sports players in the U.S. However, the sport was not always popular in Brazil as in 1914 they could barely get a national team together.  The rise of the futebol can be credited to several players who have inflamed a passion for the sport throughout the country. Starting with Leonidas de Silva who was the first person (a Brazilian) to score 4 goals in a World Cup match. The history of Brazilian Futebol rise then continues with a great offensive duo of Pele and Garrincha. These two stars lead the Brazilian team to World Cup victory in 1958, 1962, and 1970. (*Garrincha had retired before the 1970 win). These victories instilled a desire in young Brazilian’s all over the country to become like them. Then in 1994 the Brazilian team with players such as, Dunga, Romario, Bebeto, and Cafu clinched the countries fourth World Cup. In 2002 with players like Ronaldo, Rivaldo, and Ronaldinho, (the three R’s) they won their unprecedented fifth World Cup. So, as you can imagine, expectations are high for those playing on the Brazilian national team. (thanks again wikipedia)

During the last World Cup in 2010, I was actually traveling through the United States sightseeing with Luiz and some Brazilian friends. When it was game time we had to stop and find a television showing the game. (not that I minded as I enjoy a good futebol game) If it was morning we would request an late check out from the hotel and started late as to not miss the game. The Brazilian team ended up being knocked out in the quarterfinals by the Netherlands. My traveling companions were truly disappointed and a little depressed this day.

Now, back to current day and my trip to the Goiania’s Estadio Serra Dourada Stadium which is an important venue in the city.  Inaugurated in 1975 with a capacity of 45,000, it is home to all the important games of the region and the upcoming rematch between Brazil,s national team and the Netherlands (remember they eliminated Brazil in the 2010 World Cup)  We have driven by the stadium earlier in my visit and it definitely is not post card material or kept at a level that invites people to attend.  I understand there are current plans for renovating the stadium as it does serve its purpose and could use a spruce up. After a pre game lunch at Kabana's with Yasmin (one of my futebol game guides) and a couple of friends (whom like Luiz, are not attending the game). We head over to Luiz’s brothers house to meet up with my second  futebol game guide “Paulo Vitor”. Dressed in neutral colors when I arrive to their home, his nephew hands me a green jersey to wear in support of the Goias team.  I am not much of a jump on the band wagon guy traditionally, but decide it must be part of the experience and I am going for the experience.  We head out all decked in green and as we are descending in the elevator, it stops on the 7th floor where there is a kid (around 12 or 13 years old) waiting for the elevator wearing red and black. (other team)  He opens the door and upon seeing the three of us wearing all green,  decides to wait for the next elevator. After a little assurance from us that it is OK, he changes his mind and gets into the elevator. The elevator stops a couple floors later and the kid gets off. As he leaves he informs us that we are spending our time in vain (of course in Portuguese so I am relying on translation from my futebol guides). We chuckle and continue on the elevator to the parking level.  We laugh a bit about his hesitance to ride the elevator with us as we head to the car.

We arrive at the stadium and it is a little chaotic as there is no one directing traffic like in the United States.  People are randomly driving through the lot,  looking for a "good" place to park.  Fortunately since we have arrived early, the parking lot is pretty empty and it is easy to find a spot.  We walk up the hill to the stadium. It's pretty much like any stadium event I have been to, with people herded like cattle to the right gate.  They are assisted by their ticket and the other fans searching for their way. We enter through the ticket gate and Paulo Vitor heads to the security guard and gets frisked. I follow hesitantly as I am not sure they need to frisk everyone or did they motion for him to come there? After realizing that this procedure is for everyone and that is where Yasmin has headed, I position myself for my turn. While being frisked I am not aware the guard wants me to lift up my shirt showing my belt. Fortunately, Paulo Vitor is not far away and informs them I am American and that I do not speak Portuguese .  We all have a little chuckle - security gaurd included.  We get inside the stadium and my guides are discussing where to seat (it is open seating). You see, there is a "family" section and a "rowdy" section. I think they usually sit in the "rowdy" section but they think it may be "better for photos" in the other section (or maybe they are thinking I am old and concerned with me enjoying myself in the rowdy section????). After the short discussion we  find a seat in the "family" section. We are sitting there no longer then 10 minutes when the decision is made to move. I can tell they would rather be on the other side of the field.  I also assure them that I am fine with this move and am here for the experience so bring it on! When we first arrive in the "rowdy" section it is not much different then where we were but soon the stands began to fill in and it gets louder. In our section they hand out (not environmentally friendly) plastic bags and everyone begins to blow them up. Once inflated they rub them to make noise to compliment their cheers and clapping. Several hours before the game, thousands of fans have gathered a distance from the stadium. Led by drums and flag carrying fanatics they parade through the streets to the stadium.  Chanting and making as much noise as they can celebrating their predicted victory.  They begin their grand entrance into the stadium, the crowd begins to chant with them in unison as they make their way to their seats(which they won't use much) in the "rowdy" section.  Taking into consideration that this parade is occurring for both teams on the different ends of the stadium at aproximately the same time. It is extremely loud as everyone is jumping around and shouting their teams chants.  Truly an experience to be in the middles of. The “futebol” game begins and the noise and chanting gets louder. At one point, although I am standing there watching, I am literally bouncing up and down. The stands themselves are moving from the ecstatic crowd jumping around. At this point I appreciate that my guides have prior warned me of this possible situation, but cannot keep from silently hoping the city engineers have checked the structural integrity of the stadium recently. The game is exciting, but the green team Goias is struggling. The apposing team scores the first goal and their crowd goes bananas. I think to myself "I hope Goias scores as I would like the experience of being in the crowd when that happens". The first half ends with a1-0 score and I am a little disappointed - no green score. After half time the military guards with their dogs emerge around the edge of the field, but the crowd has mellowed. It continue to be mellow until about midway through the second half when the Athletico player gets a red card and is thrown out of the game.  That ends up being the only excitement as the game time ticks down and people begin to leave. During half time we have moved down a bit to better position ourselves for our escape and toward the end of the game we head for the door. As we are walking outside the stadium, the crowd gets loud and we find out Goias has scored and now it is 1-1.  I am a little disappointed as all game long I wanted to be in the middle of the eruption of the crowd during a score.  The fact that half the crown has left at this point eases my disappointment quickly.  We briefly discuss returning for the end of the game but Paulo Vitor informs us that this score is of little consequence. That in order for Goias to win the championship they need to beat the Athleticos and not tie them. There will be no penalty kick final, so we continue to the car.  As we walk are treated to a wonderful sunset. I thank Paulo Vitor and Yasmin for being my guides for this experience, I had a wonderful time. I cannot wait to attend my next “futebol” game.

I can now see why Brazilians have a passion for the support and how exciting it can be.


(Go to "A day in the Country")