Tell me what you think: is it a good or bad sign when you're new Portuguese Tutor calls and cancels on his INTERVIEW...because he had to work late at his other employer? Um, I'll give him one more chance, and then come bad grammar or not, I'm gonna have to go with the other woman.
There's a verb out there somewhere that is aching to be conjugated correctly.
BRAS-ODDITIES
1. Pizza. I already told you that a Pizzaria is really just a buffet table. But get this. When you order up a slice, you get a normal looking pizza except it has to tomato sauce on it. So people ask for ketchup and just apply a bit before each bite.
2. De-Centralized Hot Water. You remember my tribulations with the hot water at the other apt. Well, to explain better, there is no central hot water system. For example, the washing machine does not have hot water. There is a little unit that sits over the bathroom sink that runs to the sink, shower and kitchen sink. But it heats the water ONLY as the water is turned on and stops as soon as it's turned off. Pretty efficient actaully. Some shower heads have little hot water heaters right in the head.
3. Brazilians don't like pollution, but they are pretty quick to throw something on the street. But exhaust from a bus infuriates them. (ME TOO BTW)
FOZ DE IQUAZU
You've noticed the lovely picture I posted above...the suspense must have been killing you.
Now I plan to make a trip there, and see what some call the most perfect waterfall on the earth. OR, I can hold off and wait for someone to come down and see them with me. Which will it be. Let me know by comments or e-mails, but I'm thinking sometime in December.
They're majestic, aren't they...much bigger than Niagra. If you saw the film The Mission, those are the falls that started the story.
OK, off to bed.
1. Ouro Preto is very cool but also very small. It ABSOLUTELY does NOT merit a 6 hour bus ride. I would, instead, as an ex-Mineiro recommend going to stay in Belo Horizonte for a week and from there traveling to see the sights in Minas. Ouro Preto, Tiradentes, Mineiro food, and A SERRA DO CIPÓ. Think waterfalls, trails and the biodiversity of the Amazon rainforest. No shit.
ReplyDeleteOkay, back to writing thesis. Tally Ho...
p.s. good job on this whole actively seeking to improve your Portuguese thing. I HIGHLY APPLAUD YOU. You are already ANOS-LUZ ahead of the crowds of shithead Americans that come down here to live for years and years and don't even bother to learn basic communication skills.
oh p.p.s. at Easter in Ouro Preto, they have a tradition of covering the street with gorgeous designs with chalk and flower petals. That WOULD be worth a 6 hour bus trip, come to think of it.
ReplyDeleteI think you should HAVE to take the bus trip. Remember when you made us all drive down to Mexico to see the famous "blowhole". I was one mad teenager. What a brat I was.
ReplyDeleteHow long are you planning on staying down there? Do you really need to hire a tutor? Don't they have tapes, CD's, DVD's? Maybe the MTC would let you in for a while.....I hear they come out of there speaking portuguese like maniacs.:)
Love and miss
you Brett,
Kristi and Brett. I LOVED the blowhole in Hawaii. I wish I had seen the one in Mexico!
ReplyDelete