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April 17, 2006

Sprung

I've been silent. It's feeling like spring here on the Cape. Our big news is that Michael and I seem to have bought a house. I won't go into all the details here just yet... maybe on the next installment. But that's been taking up some of my time.

So, more on that later. For now, more about Brazil. As I mentioned before, every single place we went was sublime, and obviously the country rocked my senses in such a way that I haven't wanted to do anything since returning--in addition to house-hunting, that post-vacation lethargy is one of the reasons I haven't posted anything here lately. Plus, I'm still in a slight funk because of completing the novel, and I've also had a lingering flu (picked up on my last day in Brazil, I'm afraid).

As I mentioned a few posts ago, we spent time in Sao Paulo, Rio, and Salvador. Above and below are some photographs: (1) Portuguese guidebooks & maps, courtesy of our Rio host Jess Taylor; (2) Sao Paulo bus station trash bins; (3) Ipanema beach coconut chopper; and (4) my #1 favorite lust object, out of all the Brazilian lust objects I saw... I'd had a few beach caipirinhas, so wasn't shy with the camera, and he was kind enough to let me drool and take his picture(s).

Below: (6) Michael & I with our Sao Paulo friend Marcones; (7) My sunburned legs after our first 12-hour stretch of walking in Rio; (8) on the Salvador beach, where we gawked at all the (9) kids diving off the rocks.

Below: (9) and (10) Rio: a view toward Copacabana and Pão de Açucar (Sugar Loaf) mountain from Ipanema beach; and then a look down upon Rio from that very mountain the following day when we braved the scary tram ride to the top. And (11) and (12): Shots of the Pelourinho section of Salvador... I only wish I had some photos of the capoeira show we saw.

By the way, the Mysterious Skin film played in selected areas of Brazil not long before we were there. Unlike most non-US countries, Brazil opted to translate the title: Mistérios da Carne. Below is a Brazilian poster for the film, along with a couple of shots of Brazilian graffiti, stuck here for the hell of it.

Okay, I'll break here. My sunburn has faded. I think I've adequately worked off all the moqueca and caipirinhas that packed a few pounds on my ass. Now my desk and workspace are both an utter mess. I have about 10,000 emails and phone calls to answer. But it's spring. Soon I'll be editing my novel. Soon I'll be working on a new screenplay. And I've finally made the step away from rents and landlords and have bought a house with my boyfriend. I suppose 2006's going pretty well so far.