Blumenau, Brasil Tuesday & Wednesday October 18 & 19 1 & 2 Linda McConathy The long anticipated trip to Brasil began at different points and times for the twenty Ambassadors who would be home hosted in Blumenau. Genie and Ed Furber preceded the group by a week so they could explore São Paulo more thoroughly (as only Ed can!). On Tuesday, Marcia Walker started out from Columbia, Missouri, changed planes in St. Louis, arriving in time for the flight with the group. THEN her friend Peggy Glenn began to relax! So sixteen of us left together on a night flight which departed D/FW close to 8 p.m. This group included Jean Baggerly, Linda Doyle, Peggy Glenn, Pat Gurley, Wilma and Dale Jeffers, Linda and Walt McConathy, Londa Spillman, Dora and Ed Stahl, Jerry Tuttle, Stella Norman and Bob Urban, Marcia Walker and Linda Williams. In Miami, Gaby and Mac Mackenzie also left the same evening on a TAM flight to São Paulo International Airport. Everyone seemed eager to get the adventure underway! The actual flight was uneventful with the exception of the captain’s having to take a different route to avoid Hurricane Wilma which was forming in the Caribbean Sea and heading north. We flew near Miami and south over the Atlantic to avoid the effects of the storm. Then the routine of a night flight began with dinner being served around 10 p.m. CST followed by breakfast about 5 a.m. CST. Note: Brasil was 2 hours ahead on these dates. We landed as scheduled at 8:55 a.m. (Brasilian time) at São Paulo-Gaurulhos International Airport. There was a light rain, and the temperature was a cool 59 degrees Farenheit. We navigated the airport with no difficulty, everyone’s luggage arrived, and we took the TAM shuttle to Congonhas Airport for our domestic flight. Then, the long vigil for our flight out to Navegantes began. Mac and Gaby arrived earlier and had checked into a nearby hotel. Peggy and Marcia also took a cab to a hotel so they could recoup. So, the rest of us spent the day playing cards, eating pastries, walking around, eating ice cream (Wilma can tell you how many flavors), talking, window shopping, eating sandwiches or quiche, taking photos, and no kidding, eating more ice cream! Dora and Linda Mc decided to splurge and bought the International Herald Tribune in English for R$10 (just under US$5). In the afternoon we began to keep an eye out for the Mackenzies and Furbers who did indeed show up to be greeted by a tired but enthusiastic bunch of determined travelers. Once Marcia and Peggy returned to the airport, we were all happy to have the complete group to continue on. At last we departed, at 7:10 p.m. on a TAM flight, arriving at 8:15 p.m. at the Navegantes Airport. We were met by a lively group who sang a welcome song and gave us each a flower and a hug! We then took a bus to Blumenau where we arrived at 9:45 p.m., approximately 23 hours after departing D/FW. Who knew we had this much stamina?! Once off the bus, we experienced a wonderfully mild, gentle spring evening, MANY smiles and MUCH talking as everyone welcomed us! We thankfully left with our Home Hosts so we could get some sleep and be ready for the first event at 9:00 a.m. the next morning! Arriving after such a long trip, we were stiff, tired and a little anxious about what the reception would be like. We found banners, smiling faces, a hearty “Boa Noite” and a rose for each Ambassador. Many hosts were at the airport but others were at the Circolo Italiano Club that would be our frequent meeting place for the next week. Some in the FF Club were members because they were of Italian descent. From the CI club we went to our homes for a good night’s sleep. [Jerry Tuttle] Thursday October 20 3 Jerry Tuttle Day hosts Marli and Luis Columbi started the day right with great enthusiasm. Glas Park [Glass Park] Our first stop was at a glass blowing factory. Upon entering the show room we were struck by the bright colors of the glass articles. The factory makes the colored glass “sand” into which molten glass is dipped to add the bright colors. Christina Buhr, of Bavarian descent, is our guide. She reminds us that this is the only factory in Brazil that makes its own colored glass sand. In a back room a master glass blower and his apprentice demonstrated the art of making beautiful glass objects with simple tools like tong and blades. For example, the apprentice sticks two blobs of molten glass onto what is to be the body of a swan. The blobs come from a large ceramic pot that holds molten glass. Two pinches with ridged tongs flatten the blobs and imprint a suggestion of feathers. Two more tong pinches with a little stretch convert the flattened circular blobs into wings. All of these activities are interspersed with twists to counter the tendency of the molten glass to sag. The quickly finished swan is then placed in an annealing oven to remove stresses and slowly cool the glass. The master makes the creation look easy. It is not! After the demonstration, we return to the show room anxious to buy memories. A small museum in one corner of the room displays glass works of art from Bavaria. Christina is justly proud of the quality of their glass products. Casa Amarelho [Yellow House] Our next stop was an outdoor museum named after one of the original German homes in Blumenau. Some confusion arose from the statement that this was part of a University campus. Veronica and José Tafner were involved somehow. We learned later that this Friendship Force couple had started the University a few years ago. There are some 8000 students now in the university! Beautifully landscaped grounds complete with caged birds surrounded the home and a museum filled with machinery cleverly designed for a time when iron and steel were scarce but wood was not. We heard a bird cry, “pea you, pea you”. It brought back my childhood when peacocks lived semi-wild in parts of my hometown. Cervjaria Studbask [Beer Brewery] This microbrewery brews Eisenbahn beer which is very popular in Blumenau. Our guide described the microbrewery niche market. They cater to smaller customer groups who demand beer with more flavor than the bland product of the major breweries. Eisenbahn was named after the keeper of the railroad keys who resided across the street. For a small brewery, the variety of beer manufacturing ingredients from various countries was surprising. Hops come from Wisconsin or Germany where the cold weather produces superior hops. The brewery distills some of the beer to make a more alcoholic product while retaining beer's flavor. The brewery also makes popular liquors in many flavors. A minor point of interest is that the more practical beer tasters, unlike wine tasters, swallow rather than spit out the tasted sample. Following the beer taster's lead we each raised our glasses, said, “Salute”, and drank our free beer sample. Herring Textile We made a quick diversion through the country to view the Herring Textile Company. Housed in a traditional German style home [wooden structure filled in with brickwork], the company is typical of the industry for which Blumenau is famous. Unlike Germany though, I noticed in the hills around the factory banana trees, some with near ripe fruit. The countryside is reminiscent of Costa Rica. Saint Peter Cafeteria Our bus parked in front of a cafeteria much frequented by local inhabitants. Cars and motorbikes but no motorcycles were parked outside. Inside was a grand food spread that we were to become very familiar with, during the week. The buffet contained a staggering quantity of food items – fresh and stewed fruit, beets, corn, mush, watermelon, rice, pancake [Italian meat enchilada], seasoned raw beef on a bed of water cress, chicken legs, stewed olives, stewed eggplant, three kinds of tropical “sucos” [juices], mango and orange, Maracujú and cajú. For desert we had tapioca in a sort of plum sauce, sautéed plantains, flan, stewed figs, sorbesa [ice cream]. Lutheran Church In 1757, after starting Blumenau, Dr. Otto Blumenau and the 17 original settler families built a "round" church. Originally there was no steeple because Brazil, a Catholic country, did not consider the building to be a true church. The country relented in 1929 and a steeple was built. Each year the organ had to be replaced due to humidity induced damage. Biergarten [Beer Garden] On the bank of the Itajai-Açu River is a park with a Biergarten and very old moss-festooned trees. Dr Blumenau is buried there. Ed Furber and I chatted with a steam locomotive engineer who travels the world going to steam powered train events. He comes back to Blumenau frequently because he loves the people there. Prefeitura [City Hall] The city hall is many stories high and of vintage German house design. Many people use an old steam engine in front of the building for a picture backdrop. The City Hall is also on the bank of the Itajai-Açu River. As we crossed a bridge over a tributary, we could see capybaras [large rodent, pig-like, with a head like a squirrel] grazing on the riverbank. The following description is of a capybara that lived in the lagoon in Rio. "With buck teeth, short legs, and a hairy, 183-pound body, she's not a conventional beauty." Water Station #1 The bus climbs laboriously up a steep hill. On the very top is a three-story building – Water Station #1. Far below, one can see the water source – the muddy Itajai-Açu river. The station is still in use and even contains a water-testing laboratory. I suppose the facility is built on a hill to maintain water pressure all over town. The Floods and Oktoberfest In 1982-3 serious flooding of the Itajai-Açu River isolated the city for weeks and did serious damage to homes and businesses. The people were very discouraged. Someone said, "We need a party!" The world-famous Blumenau Oktoberfest was born. Jerry Tuttle stayed with Décio Moser, Director of Tourism and proponent of the Oktoberfest. There are now three pavilions. In a good year as many as a million tickets to the festival are sold. Salads for Dinner During the afternoon Décio and I peeled sliced and diced so that three of Décio's famous salads could be made. Tomatoes and onions [boiling water was poured over the onions to reduce their sharpness. The garden salad included mango pieces – very good. The third salad was a carrot salad with raisins and nuts. Welcome Party Finally people began arriving for the Welcome Party. Arno barbecued the meats – beef, pork and chicken. Feizoado, black beans garnished with pig tail, ears, ribs, etc. It is delicious served over rice. Caipirinhas made from lime juice and cashasa cane sugar whisky loosened our tongues. A few rousing songs marked the end of a delightful day. Friday October 21 4 Jean Baggerly It was a foggy day in Blumenau town and we were going to the beach. Your Intrepid Reporter hereafter referred to as YIR), though no Beach Bum, was looking forward to the fabled Brazilian Beaches. As usual we met at the Italian Club. People greeted each other in a mixture of languages, Portuguese, German, English and a smattering of Italian, sometimes using two or three languages in one sentence. My! Such Polyglots! But “Get on the bus!” was understandable in any language. Snuggling in together, we headed out of town, following the often bumpy road we’d last traveled in the dark two days ago. This time we were able to see fields of rice, sugar cane, and maize, plantations of banana, grazing cattle and goats, and the scattered farms, each with its own satellite dish. In the distance were the dark tree-lined hills that outlined the lush valley. [[YIR, following a childhood game, named the farm animals seen from the bus window: cow, goat, duck, horse, chicken. Hmm. No pigs!]] The closer we came to the coast, the higher lifted the mist and haze. Ah, there is Gaspar church outlined against the night sky on the hill, last seen in the dark when we were going towards Blumenau. Ahead lay Itajai, the port city for the region. We threaded through the streets, following the traffic signs which YIR found baffling. [["That sign is the international shape for STOP, yet all it seems to say to Brazilians is SLOW DOWN A MOMENT," she remarked to her Brazilian companion. A rueful smile was the only answer she received.]] We stopped at the city cathedral to stretch our legs and inspect the edifice. Then up we went, up to the viewpoint above the city where we stopped for a snack break under the pia de baca tree, a picnic of coffee, bananas, and lemon bars brought from home. There, across the river, the Itajai-Açu, lay the airport into which we had flown, was it only two days ago? Following the coast south, we sped along, passing small resorts. "Avert your eyes," we were told. "A nude beach is coming up." [[Where, where?]] Then, around a curve and down a hill and there, lying before us was – Camboriu! Lining a curved beach of white sand were hotels and hotels and condos and hotels, 25 stories high. It was a Brazilian Beach Poster come to life. As we rode down the one way street [[Brazilian cities feature one way streets: YIR]] we smiled at the shop signs with "interesting" polyglot meanings – "bum-bum" indeed! – and admired the black and while tiled sidewalks with their various flowing designs. Before us lay a solitary mountain, covered in subtropical Brazilian coastal forest, which we were to ascend. Our first destination was the sky-way. Quickly we stepped into a gondola. "Be quiet," we were told. "They charge more for tourists! If you don’t speak we might deceive them!" [[YIP saw only bored attendants doing a routine job—but the command for silence added to the excitement.]] Up, up and away!! Below us lay some wonderful Beach Shacks, complete with piers and pools. [[YIR: I, of course, am above such things, at the moment. Snicker!!]] As we swung silently into the air the trees created a green carpet below us, so many shades of green, so many differing patterns of leaves, such a variety of tree heights and shapes. At the top of the ride we stopped for an amble through the forest of Unipraias Park. Wooden walkways lay before us, leading us through the trees to an overlook of the sky-way, the town, the hills and the ocean beyond. Wow!! Philodendron, ginger flowers, turks cap, and many, many more semitropical plants surrounded us. The master-gardeners of the party were heard calling to each other, "Look at the size of this XYZ! My QRS in Fort Worth is half the size. Oh, oh!!" Soon we were reminded that lunch lay before us (no, no, below us) at Laranjeiras Beach. Once again to the gondolas and over the forest, landing at the beach. We were led between kiosks of universal beach goods to a restaurant overlooking the water. Then came waiters placing before us dishes too many to number, of seafood too delicious to describe, of varieties too diverse to name. It was two hours of piscatorial gastronomic heaven. And at the end there were tiny cups of strong Brazilian coffee, ice cream, and liqueurs. [[YIR recommends combining all of the latter into one incredible dish!!!]] There is little wonder that few of the group succumbed to the lure of the white sands of the beach, but YIR, along with a few others, strolled barefooted beside the lapping Atlantic wavelets to a handy pier and back. Our bus drove us along the beach front of Camboriu, on one hand stood the gigantic balconied beach front dwellings and on the other the sidewalk, white sand and low surf. We stopped for a few minutes to enjoy the locals enjoying the early spring afternoon. Families played in the water, friends walked in the sand or chatted in the kiosks, venders peddled their wares. [[YIR saw the latest in snacks for sale, corn-on-the-cob! Holy Kansas!]] There we said goodbye to Ernani, who had successfully shepherded us thus far. But our adventurous day was not over. With Moacyr leading, we left the coast, driving through more farmland, towns and villages. One town supported a giant mall, 204 stores and outlets selling clothes and textiles, a reminder that the area is one of the worlds primary producers of the same. Then on to the town of Brusque where they were celebrating not an Octoberfest but a Duckfest! [[YIR concluded that it was really a Fest of a Different Feather!]] From the parking lot of a handy hillside hotel we got the Flying Duck’s Eye view of the town and their tribute to the USA, a quarter sized replica of the Statue of Liberty in verdigris green. Back of the road we could see that She stood before a replica of the White House and beside a building topped with Trumpeting Angels! What delights! Can you believe the day had more to offer? Yes, oh yes, for we stopped at the Colonial Coffee House for SNICKS. The first things to catch the eye were chandeliers and sconces hung with teapots, pitchers, cups and saucers, all of a charming blue and while pattern. How perfect for a cafe! And there on the serving tables were wonderful things from the bakery below, cakes, torts, pies, along with soups, savories and a chafing dish or two and, of course, coffee and tea. Was it too much? Of course! Did we snick and sample freely? Of course! Seated at small tables, we nibbled and chatted about the wonderful day. Thank you, F.F. of Blumenau!!!!! Saturday October 22 5 Pat Gurley We had a free morning. Our host, Moacyr took Jean Baggerly and me to see the Cathedral, a very modern structure built of local red granite. The baptistry and bell tower were of the same stone and metal. We walked down to one of the main streets to a craft shop where I bought some ornaments for my Christmas tree. Lunch was a barbecue and pot luck at the Italian Club. We had the usual wonderful, friendly hospitality from our hosts. As we entered we were served sausage with sour pickles and drinks, including beer and caipirhina, a drink made with limes, sugar and cachaca, a liquer distilled from sugar cane. We had several delicious salads and feijoada, a traditional dish made with black beans and pork or sausage and served with rice. The barbecue consisted of chicken, pork, and beef, served in that order in ample quantities. In the afternoon we attended the Oktoberfest parade. There were many bands, dance groups, floats, and several very unique tandem bicycles. A couple of these had at least a dozen pedalers. The parade lasted about 1 and ½ hours. There were people of all ages and ethnic groups in very colorful German costumes. In the evening we went to Oktoberfest. We walked around a bit, listened to a very good band from Austria, then went to an upstairs room to wait for the mayor of Blumenau. We had a long wait, but we were served drinks and hors d’ouvres while we waited. When the mayor finally arrived, Linda presented a framed letter from our Fort Worth mayor, Mike Moncrief. Jerry presented a tray from the International Center. The Blumenau mayor presented a lovely book to our club. A local TV station interviewed some of the exchange participants. We were hot and tired after the long day and ready for a good night's sleep. Sunday October 23 6 Peggy Glenn and Marcia Walker Today is our first FREE DAY with our Hosts. Activities for Ambassadors include: church, voting, eating with the family, visiting their relatives, going to some of their beach vacation homes and just hanging out. Marcia and I started the morning at the Cathedral with our Hostess for 9 a.m. church. It is a very contemporary new church whose picture is seen on many publications. The tall bell tower is very impressive and has become a landmark for the city. Several things were unusual about the church. There was no baptismal font and only two candles in the church. After the service we learned that the baptismal font was outside in a lovely triangular roofed glass structure. There was also another area outside for lighting candles for prayers. We were told this was to reduce the heat in the building which is not air conditioned and to keep the soot from the candles from darkening the building. The only candles burned inside were two large ones on either side of the altar. The bishop is rather new and unpopular, making many changes in the church, all very contemporary in nature. We were surprised to hear the priest’s homily. Sunday was Election Day in Brazil. His message strongly encouraged the people to vote against the referendum which was to allow people to keep guns in their homes. The deacons at the church were all women and the music was guitars. A school is attached to the church. Our Hostess had been sent there from another town over 100 miles away to boarding school as had her mother. As we have already mentioned, Sunday was Election Day. All elections are on Sundays in public schools. The country was voting on a referendum to decide if Brazilians could keep guns in their homes. Our Hosts invited us to go with them after church to the polls. All citizens 16 years of age and older are required to vote. If they do not vote and are not legally excused, they can be fined, lose their passports and not be allowed to work for the government or in jobs with strong governmental connections. We were amazed at the process, all done electronically. This election had three choices: yes, no or a button that meant I am here, I voted but I did not want to say yes or no. We noted that different family members were going to different rooms to vote and asked why. We were told that the signs over the doors at the polls told people which numbers would be voting in that room. These numbers were the voter registration numbers on people’s voter cards. After we came home and changed to casual clothes in preparation for going to our Host’s private tennis club, Buena Vista, for lunch and to see our host play in the finals for the club championship. The food was beautiful with many lovely and unusual flower arrangements on the buffet table. Many ethnic foods were represented: duck and red cabbage for the Germans, pasta for the Italians, BBQ for the Brazilians and of course tons of wonderful desserts. We learned that our Hosts were charter members of the club and as 30 year members were no longer required to pay dues. Our male Host who is 65 years old was playing a 32 year old for the club championship. It was amazing to see a man his age playing such an excellent tennis game. The father of his opponent had been a school mate of our Host. What was even more amazing was learning that our Host had only played tennis for 5 years and did Yoga several times a day to improve his concentration. Our Hostess shared with us that until 5 years ago her husband had been a very active and excellent soccer player often traveling with his team to play in Germany. At age 60 he had decided to give up soccer and take up tennis. At the awards ceremony we saw trophies made at the Glass Park we had visited a few days before. Following this ceremony we were taken on a city tour with two other Ambassadors by other Blumenau Friendship Force members. When we arrive home, we discovered that our hostess whom we described fondly as THE MARTHA STEWART OF BRAZIL had invited several members of the Blumenau Club as well as several of the Fort Worth Club to view their home and gardens and sample the homemade liquor made by our Host. Later in the evening after a light supper our Hostess served us champagne and lovely sweets to celebrate the election results and the tennis trophy. The election results will allow guns to be owned legally and kept in homes. Laughingly, we told each other that the best part of the day and the most surprising part of the visit to date was our hostess at bed time asking us for all of our dirty clothes. She explained that Monday was washing day and her maid was really looking forward to doing laundry for the visiting Americans, the first American guests to stay in their home. We tried to say no but were told that the maid would be very disappointed if she were not allowed to do our clothes. Monday October 24 7 Bob Urban We met at the Italian Restaurant parking lot and boarded our bus for the day’s trips. We were accompanied by Hecka and Aldo and Karin. They took us to the Teichmann museum near the town of Pomerode. It was the home of the woodcarving artist Erwin Curt Teichman. Many of his wood carvings were on display in the house and one that was especially nice was that of the "The Last Supper" which hung over the fireplace. His wife who is 92 years old still lives in the house and greeted us as we entered the front door. Driving through a cloudy, drizzly morning, we stopped at the Vila Itoupava cemetery. Hecka told us that all of the graves face toward the east (sun rise) awaiting the time when the souls will rise again. We drove on through the Atlantic Rain forest full of rich, green foliage. Our next stop was the Industria E Comercio Vila Servana Ltda. This was a place where liquor of different kinds is produced. They produce "Casasta" (the national drink of Brazil) under the label “Schluck.” It is operated by the fourth generation of German immigrants. We sampled the different kinds of liquor and many in our group purchased bottles of liquor to take home or give to our hosts. Next we headed off into the mist, past many old farms and dairies, on our way to the Parque Malwee. Park Malwee was started in 1978 by Wolfang Weege for the employees of his company that employed thousands of seamstresses. It is now an environmental haven for wildlife and approximately 3500 trees of various species. We ate lunch in one of the restaurants serving great German food. Of course, there was plenty of meat and sauerkraut, desserts and lots of beer. After this delicious meal, we all waddled along the paths surrounding one of the many ponds. We visited a museum on the grounds with many old farm implements. Then we went to the town of Pomerode where one of our hosts, Hecka, was from. We passed by the Schmidt Porceline Factory and on to a museum that was the home of one of the early German settlers, Carl Weege. Our last stop of the day was at the Karsten (children’s) linen store. The women shopped for all kinds of linens while the men took pictures of the river and rapids behind the factory. At the end of our touring, we met our hosts at the Blu Pizza parlor. The Blu Pizza was a fascinating restaurant with 48 different kinds of pizzas. The waiters came around every few minutes with platters of pizzas and we could choose any or all of these pizzas. The chocolate pizzas were a big hit. This was the end to a wonderful day. Tuesday October 25 8 Linda Doyle Our last day in Blumenau dawned bright and sunny. We visited a school near Blumenau. We were welcomed by 25-30 students poised on the staircase dressed in traditional German costumes. Then all students assembled in the dining/recreation area for a demonstration of traditional German dances. (No Sambas, yet) Once they had finished their dancing, each student grabbed a FF member and taught us a simple folk dance. The music consisted of German polkas provided by the music teacher and two advanced students. After dancing, the FF group was given a tour of the school by a Principal dressed in black leather pants (Godete Modro). Quite a lady. And were entertained by a second grade classroom composed of 26 students, 8-10 years old. The school is in session from February until December 15 with 3 shifts of students. School is 4 hours a day for the basic curriculum . Parents pay for extra tutoring in the afternoon in English or for sports. The students sang several songs in English: a counting song and "Who has purple socks?" I was mystified as to what they were saying until someone clued me in. Everyone in the room had to take a turn responding '-----has purpur socks'(that's what it sounded like). We never did find out who did! Linda McConathy gave a brief speech in Portuguese and presented some of the gifts we had brought. While part of the group taught students the Hokey Pokey, several of us were grilled by 8th graders who were studying Texas. They knew more than we did, that Texas now has 22 million residents, not the 17 million we guessed. (Note for future exchanges, study your Texas Facts.) School and parents had prepared a feast of Brazilian dishes including hot dogs, sliced, in buns, open faced sandwiched with hard boiled eggs sliced on top and a multitude of calorific desserts. Our afternoon was free with most of us trekking to the bank for more Reais because of our shopping sprees. Many of us got to meet extended families. I got a two hour personally guided tour (in Portuguese) of the library in the Regional University. The Farewell Dinner was held at the Casa Amarello (Yellow House), a 100 year old house with a colorful history. Now a school of Gastronomy, it was originally a hotel for herdsmen accompanying cattle to market. Later, a place where people were hidden during a revolution. Dinner was cooked by students (ASSELVI - Escolade Gastronomica da Universidade) and included an assortment of traditional Brazilian dishes. Before dinner we were serenaded by a group of 8 blind singers – – Voices de Coracao. Linda thanked them and the Host Club for a fantastic week. During dinner we were entertained by a slide show of Brazilian and Texas scenes and a young man, Teco Dolphante, played the guitar and flirted with the ladies. Songs included Funiculi, Bese Me Mucho, Perhaps, Volare, Brazil, Ipenema, Lili Marlene and New York, New York. An impromptu serenade was provided by Jerry%apos;s host. Exchange directors exchanged gifts for the clubs (Book about Texas and a symphonic CD vs a Glass plaque with 3 blown glass angels representing the colors of the Brazilian Flag. We concluded the evening singing Let there be Peace on Earth. This was a fitting conclusion to a wonderful week of fun an fellowship with the warm and friendly folks of Blumenau. Foz de Iguaçu Wednesday October 26 9 Dora Stahl It’s 5:30 AM and our host Arno knocks on the bedroom door and says – "es tiempo" - it’s time. Arno prepared breakfast – papaya, peach juice, milk & coffee, whole wheat bread, and Ursula our hostess supervised. We arrived at the Super Center parking lot at 7:00 AM where our bus to the airport was parked. At least 30 hosts were present. There were hugs and kisses in English, Spanish, Portuguese, German & many tears. After last nights fantastic Farewell Party we were not ready to leave, I feel we are just getting acquainted. It was an emotional parting. The group waves and sings "Cielito Lindo – Ay Ay Ay Canta y no llores, Porque cantando se alegran cielito Lindo los corazones". The translation is: "sing and don't cry, hearts are happy when you sing." Every exchange has its wonderful people. However the Blumenau Friendship Force club could be a model for our organization. It is well organized, warm, friendly, and has a happy atmosphere. We were escorted to the airport by Marcyar the Exchange Director, who guided us through the check-in process. Sitting in the airport waiting room, my brain is loaded with the excitement of the events of the wonderful exchange week. I’m sad but totally filled with "Blumenau love." We arrived at Foz de Iguassu airport and were met by Jaoa Battista Swanke Justo, our great Brazilian English-speaking guide. We stayed at the Western Hotel and had a very nice room. After a short rest we left at 8:00 PM for a show and dinner at the Rafain restaurant. Approximately 700 people from about 8 countries were in the restaurant. We enjoyed the Folkloric show preformed by artists from several South American Countries. They performed songs and dances from Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, and Mexico. For me the Tango was tops! The food was a great "Churrasqueria buffet" featuring at least six different kinds of spit-roasted meats. We returned to the hotel at 11:00 PM for some beauty sleep. Thursday October 27 10 Ed Stahl Iguaçu means Great Water and that's what it is. The Iguaçu waterfalls consists of 275 falls along the lip of the falls. The lip is almost 2 miles in length. Iguaçu Falls (ranks 8th among the world's top wonders) is rivaled in mightiness only by Victoria Falls in Africa (ranks 14th). After breakfast at the hotel wearing out bathing suits under our clothes, we board the bus to go to Argentina. Our guide Jaoa Batista collects our passports and gets us across the border without our having to get off the bus. We wait 45 minutes; there are at least nine busses in front of us. The Argentinean agents don’t stamp our passports. While still on the Brazilian side we passed two large fields of busses that have been confiscated by the Brazilian government because they were caught smuggling goods into Brazil from Paraguay. The smuggling had gotten completely out of control and so the government finally stepped in to stop it. The two fields contain hundreds of greyhound type busses. The owners could get the vehicles back by paying the fines, but of course since they are crooks they just leave the busses to rot. Our guide said that the amount of smuggled goods was in the Billions of Dollars per year. Our bus driver is Francisco Africula. We are staying in Foz de Iguaçu (Foz means "mouth" and Iguaçu means 'big water'). As we drive across the bridge over the Iguaçu River our guide points out that we can see three countries from the bridge: Brazil, Argentina, & Paraguay. After crossing the bridge we are in the Argentine town of Puerto Iguaçu with a population of 30,000. Prior to the collapse of the Argentine peso it had 100,000. Both sides of the border still have half-completed buildings rotting in the sun and rain due to the collapse of the Argentine peso. Background Information from Batiste – Brazil ranks number one in the world for the export of soybeans, sugar, chicken, and they also export a lot of beef. Trivia Observations of the day: Maria highly recommends seeing Itaipu Dam and Power Plant. Peggy checked out the costs for today’s outing in several books and the costs that our guide presented are equal to or lower than those shown. Jerry announced to the group that in case of trouble with the police they should contact "Moi" (Ed Stahl), since he has extensive experience with Latin American police (having been stopped by them in almost every Latin American country 40 years ago on his first trip to South America. At the border crossing on the Argentine side a large government sign says, "Las Malvinas son Argentinas" (The Falkland Islands belong to Argentina). The Argentine peso is close to the Brazilian raiz in value. At the park, we see hundreds of butterflies while waiting for the train. Our first viewing of the falls was from several wooden walkways. Our guide tells us that the normal river flow at this time of year is 400,000 gallons per second (gps); today luckily we have about 1,000,000 gps. Each view of the falls is spectacular, but the 'piece de resistance'" was at the end of the walkway as we looked down into the Devil's Throat. The Devil's Throat is the most spectacular part of Iguaçu waterfall. I could have spent the whole day there just gazing into the boiling caldron as root beer colored water poured into the Devil's Throat from three sides. After watching the spectacle for some time Dora called my attention to the birds seemingly flying directly into the falls maybe 50 feet below the lip of the falls. It turned out that they are swallows and they nest behind the falls. From our vantage point it seemed impossible that they could even get through the falling water. It must make the first flight of the fledgling birds a very exciting flight indeed. On one of the lower level walkways we got a chance to try out our rain gear and get all wet. (The word awesome was used many times this day.) Then we walked down to the river's edge below the falls and took the boat ride. The guide said the boat was a Zodiac, which to me means an inflatable, but these boats appeared to have at least a rigid upper structure. The boat was powered by two 250 horsepower outboard engines and seated about 30 to 35 people. Racing right up to the base of the falling waters was, well, Awesome, as well as very wet, but hey, that’'s what we paid our money for and it was well worth the price, which I think was $45.00 US. In fact the extras for the whole 3 days cost just $115 per person. The boat ride, the Itaipu Dam and Power Plant tour and the Churrascaria dinner and folkloric show were $45, $35, and $35 respectively. It was the best $115 I had spent in a long time. The Argentine side has the best and most varied up-close views of Iguaçu Falls while the Brazilian side has the best spectacular panoramic view. But to really see the falls you must see them from both sides. On the way back to the hotel we stopped at a market to buy vittles – beer, wine, bread, cheese, and cold cuts. Back at the hotel our gracious Exchange Director invited us all to her room (404) for snacks. Most of us wound up making it our dinner. We had bread, cheese, meats, and my Blumenau German sausage. During the party a severe thunderstorm with torrential rains caused a power outage, which gave Linda Doyle a chance to show off her new LED flashlight. She turned on in less than 30 seconds after the room lights went off. Soon other lights were scrounged up and the party continued for some time. Linda Williams and some of the others were eating in the dining room when the lights went out. She said the emergency lights came on and they were able to finish their meal, but the elevators weren't working so they had to walk up the stairs - a fate worse than death. Finally the lights came on again. Happy and tired, most of us went to bed at a reasonable hour – some did not. P. S. - Two days later we viewed the falls from the Brazilian side and were treated to seeing the falls at flood stage. Our guide estimated the flow at 4,000,000 gallons per second and said it was the highest flow he had ever seen. That's a whole lot of water. Friday October 28 11 Dale Jeffers 9:06 AM - Rained most of night. Changed itinerary to tour Itaipu Dam on the Parana River. Itaiopu means the rock that sings. There are 72 different ethnic groups in Foz de Ingaussu. The first road was built in 1940. In 1963 the agreement to build the dam was made between Paraguay and Brazil with a 50:50 split on ownership. The 18 turbine generators supply 95% of Paraguay needs and 25% of Brazil's needs with Paraguay only using 5% of the production. Two other generators are currently being installed. The Parana river has a 360 foot drop in 100 miles feeding the power plant. This provides 2 and 1/2 million gallons of water per second. The water above the dam is 360 feet deep and 775 feet above sea level. The water drops 180 feet through the dam. The dam is 5 miles wide with 1 and 1/2 miles being concrete. The turbines go from 70 ft. diameter to 30 ft. diameter to increase the pressure at the point of entering the generator blades. The area sits over the Guarini Aquifer which is the largest in the world. The United States has a military base in Paraguay, which is not popular with the residents, but could be in an effort to thwart terrorist attacks on these resources. 11:37 AM - Drove by confiscated buses caught by Brazilian authorities carrying goods from Paraguay in which the taxes were not paid. There were several hundred in one lot. The smuggling is estimated to be 1 billion dollars per month. 12 Noon - Artesanato and Chocolate Caserio shop. Very nice but a bit pricey. 1:00 PM - Lunch at the Super Muffato super market. The food was good and very reasonable. Two meals and a drink for $5.00. 1:55 PM - First sun of the day, but the tour company needed the bus so we returned to the Hotel at 2:10 PM. 6:45 PM - We met for social hour before dinner at the Hotel. 8:15 PM - Music by 3 local Indian men who also sold musical instruments and CDs. Jerry Tuttle and Peggy Glenn demonstrated they were playable, but needed a little practice before going on the road. Saturday October 29 12 Stella Norman This morning we ate our delicious breakfast that has been served at the hotel each morning. Breakfast is the usual large assortment of fresh fruit, eggs, sausage, and all kinds of bread and jams. The fresh fruit is always my favorite. I notice today there is a large assortment of people eating breakfast. There are Japanese and even a nun. Ed Stahl was asking people if they would like to have his beer left from the night before at the party in Linda and Walt's room. He soon had someone who would take them from him. Joy Parrish arrived yesterday after her horrific ordeal with the flights out of Miami due to the hurricane. We checked out of our hotel. The bus is due to leave at 9:30 a.m. our usual time. My massage that I had received the day before was not on my bill but when I mentioned it to them and it was soon added. Plans for today are to visit the aviary and then to see the Iguaçu Falls from the Brazilian side. We drove through the outskirts of town. The weather was cloudy but dry. We learned from our guide that the falls were discovered in 1541 and there was a movie made here starring Robert De Nero and Jeremy Irons. We pass over the Iguaçu River which is 1.6 miles wide. We arrive at the Foz Tropicana Aviary. Two large parrots greet us at the front gate. Dennis Cronkamp founded the aviary. There were birds represented from all over the world and especially from Brazil. The walkways through the aviary were lined with beautiful flowers and trees and other tropical plants. Sounds of the different birds could be heard. There were also displays of reptiles, snakes, turtles, iguanas, butterflies and hummingbirds and tarantulas. One blue parrot landed on Bob's hat and proceeded to chew the entire seam loose on the front bill of his hat. After the trip through the aviary, we came to the gift shop which had some nice and unusual gifts that were modestly priced souveniers. Many of these items were made with bird designs. As the bus drove off headed to the falls, we could see colorful hammocks for sale and a helicopter pad. Joy took a ride over the falls in the helicopter. We arrive at the Brazilian side of the falls. We stop for tickets and an ATM machine. This one at the entrance of the falls was not working. After I got on the bus, I realized that I had left my journal in the ladies restroom. Fortunately we had driven only a few feet before I realized that it was missing and where I had left it. Bob had also used this book to record his day's activities. Luckily, it was where I left it. Our guide told us that at one time the area of the Iguaçu Falls was private but that Mr. Santo Dumont suggested that this site be protected. In 1939 the foundation was formed. We also learned that swallows build their nests behind the falls and that there are 35 species of reptiles in this area. He said that there were coral snakes here and they were very dangerous. At lunch, we had two choices. One was a buffet and the other was fast food like hamburgers, hotdogs, etc. We opted for the fast food. Bob held up three fingers to indicate he wanted a number three combination. The cashier thought he wanted three hamburgers. Finally, an English speaking person came to get it all straight. We went to the hotel to find another ATM machine. This one was working and while we got money several of our group shopped for jewelry. Finally, it was time for us to leave Iguaçu Falls and head to our next destination of Rio de Janeiro. Our guide Batista helped us get checked in for our TAM flight to Rio. We said goodbye to our guide and to this lovely area. It had been a fun and exciting day - so much to see and do. We are all almost dry from standing in water waiting for the elevator to go up to where the bus was parked and being sprayed at the falls. The mist on the Brazilian side of the falls was very strong and the water was rushing so strongly. It was awesome to see. Many of the walkways that we had used two days before were now under water. It was hard to imagine that all this water comes entirely from the rains. We arrived at Ipanema Mar Hotel. We checked in around 8:30 p.m. Most of us went to the hotel restaurant to eat. (Our snack on the plane was a soft drink and a small package of peanuts.) We finished eating around 10:00 p.m. Our room at the hotel is nice, and thankfully we had a working A/C which we needed in Rio due to the heat and humidity. Now for a good night's sleep and on to the next day's activities. Rio de Janeiro Sunday October 30 13 Walt McConathy The guide for our tour of Rio de Janeiro was Junia. It was raining at the beginning of tour but soon stopped. On our drive to the old part of Rio, we agreed to visit a church where a Benedictine order of monks chanted during the service. The following is some commentary provided by the guide and some observations of mine: Close-up of Copacabana Beachside walk done in black-white-red colored stones - Selection of colors by architect reflect the racial mixture of Brazil. The Copacabana Palace Hotel was established 1927. One of best known hotels in Rio. Architecture is Louis XV. In the 20th century it had a casino. Apparently, only bingo is now legal in Brazil. Carmen Miranda called Rio home. Historical notes - Rio was founded in 1565. Portuguese royalty moved to Brazil in the early 19th century. Princess Isabel in 1880's freed the slaves. Flavellas began at this time to provide housing in Rio. Pedro II tried to preserve the forest. Promoted replanting of forests. 1889 marked the end of the monarchy. In the old part of Rio many buildings used granite quarried from local quarries because of its abundance. Brazil is 80% Roman Catholic. Botofogo was the site of settlement below Sugarloaf. Many forts in Rio were built to protect the bays of Rio from pirates and invasion. Cocovida (Hunchback) is the translation from Portuguese for Surgarloaf. In the Flamengo area, the Republic museum is a fantastic structure. Gloria Church was the Royal Church of Portugal - 1808. Downtown Rio, Centro, ie the old part of Rio. Old buildings are of the Colonial Portuguese style. Old buildings can be recognized by the irregular tile work on the roofs. In the bay, Guanabara Bay, was the custom house (Fiscal island) which was very ornate and lovely. We visited Igelsia de San Benito founded in 1590 in conjunction with a Benedictine monastery. We attended a 75 minute mass to hear Benedictine monks sing (chant). The church very ornate, in Baroque style. Unfortunately the podium portion was under repair. It contains wood carvings with gold filigree. We drove through the historical part of Rio - Narrow streets in colonial colors, yellow and blue. The guide pointed out the theater district. Stopped at Catedral de Sao Sebastiao (Metro Cathedral) - It is of very unique and interesting architecture, a large pyramid (truncated cone). Nearby were the remains of an aqueduct (Lapa aqueduct). Quote from guide regarding the nightclub area: "The Brazilian triangle, the site where all the money disappears." The Opera House is neoclassical in architecture, and is a copy of the Paris opera house. Dinner discussion - $40-50. Priced most people out so everyone was on their own for dinner. The afternoon was free. Almost everyone visited the Hippie market. Hippie market is analogous to an upscale flea market in city park near hotel in Ipanema. Art, handicrafts, clothing, etc. was available. After the Hippie market, a few went on to the Copacabana Hotel. The Furbers, McConathys and Jeffers stopped for coffee. Dale and Walter then walked back to hotel, a long walk. Everyone else caught a taxi and thought the driver was highjacking them when he went through a tunnel which seemed to be going away from the hotel in Ipanema. Fortunately, all arrive safely at the hotel. Monday October 31 14 Londa Spillman Well, today is Halloween. It's one of my favorite holidays. I'm sure it has something to do with the receiving of candy. Halloween is not observed in Brazil. The Brazilians celebrate All Saints day. Today we will visit Christ the Redeemer and the Sugarloaf Mountain. Our first stop at the "Christ" was a little drizzly. There was a small train museum to wander through on the ground level, as we waited for our train to the top of Corcovado Mountain. The Christ was inaugurated 74 years ago. The statue is an image of the faith and friendliness of the Cariocas. With a visit from the Pope in 2003, it was mechanized with panoramic elevators and escalators, making it no longer necessary to climb up 220 steps. At the top everyone could easily see the Copacabana and Ipanema beaches. Our next adventure was to the Sugarloaf Mountain. The cable car was the first in Brazil and the third in the world. It has been running since 1912. The tourist complex includes three stations which are joined by four cable cars, two going between Praia Vermelha and Morro da Urca, and two going between Morra da Urca and Pao de Acucar (Sugarloaf). Urca Mountain is 220m high and Sugarloaf is 396m high. Right before we left the mountain, Pat became our "big spender" by purchasing her gem bird statue. It was very pretty. The Copacabana Palace Hotel was our next stop. The hotel was one of the first to be built by the sea. It originally opened in 1923. It is a sophisticated style of lodging, and has been visited by may politicians and international celebrities, many of whom have their photos hung in the hallway of fame. All of the ladies in our group were presented with a bracelet from "Edward, the jewelry salesman" along with promises of "special treatment" if we decided to make purchase from his store. Lunch was a BBQ at the Churascaria Palace. The restaurant is run by the cutest manager, Danilo. Marlene has decided that he would be the perfect grandson-in-law. It was a magnificent meal. Jerry had a cocktail poured over his head. Or, should I say on his head? Back a our hotel, Linda Williams, Linda Doyle and I rounded out the evening playing cards. We were all the 'big winners'! Tuesday November 1 15 Mac Mackenzie After breakfast the group took taxis to the Banco Do Brazil in the old city. Here we spent about two hours visiting the 'Por Ti America' Exhibition. Everyone considered this an excellent presentation of the history of the Americas. A number of members enjoyed a good lunch in the bank building. The group returned to the hotel and departed for Galeao International Airport for a one hour flight to Congonhas Airport in São Paulo. A bus took us to the elegant Blue Tree Towers Hotel which is a four star hotel. Many of the group enjoyed a leisurely meal in their dining room. Wednesday November 2 16 Linda McConathy Our day began with a bountiful breakfast in the hotel dining room, complete with one table devoted to authentic Japanese food and delicious green tea. We met our guide Hector, and at 9 a.m. we departed for a bus tour. Today is a holiday, All Soul’s Day, so the streets were virtually empty which is amazing for a city with a population over 10 million and at least 17 million in the metropolitan area. Even though museums were closed to us, we had the advantage of moving around quickly and were able to drive to many areas without being tied up in traffic. We began on Avenida Paulista near our hotel. It was once lined with coffee barons' mansions, but today it is a six-lane thoroughfare with a multitude of banks and other high rise businesses. Hector said one building per week is constructed in São Paulo. We passed the Museu de Arte de São Paulo (MAST) and the Parque Trianon, one of the few remaining areas of the original Atlantic Forest. In the Ibrapuera Park, we saw the statue of Pedro Cabral who discovered and claimed Brasil for Portugual in 1500. We stopped at the Bandeirantes Monument in Ibrapuera Park. It honors pioneers and includes 2 horses and a boat. It measures 12 m. high x 50 m. x 15 m. and was completed in 1953. A map at the site tells that in 1506 the kings of Portugal and Spain decided to divide Brasil into two parts by drawing a north to south line. Portugal took possession of the east while Spain took the west. Eventually Portuguese moved west and took over the entire country. Our next stop was a church named Nossa Senhora do Brasil. In the sanctuary there are exquisite blue and white tiles as well as stained glass windows with many shades of green and blues of the sea. Completed in 1813, it is very popular because it is said that all who are wed here have a happy marriage. There is currently a one-year wait to tie the knot. Some speculated that waiting for a year likely contributes to the success of the marriage! We then drove through a high-income area and saw the governor's three-story marble mansion which is on a lovely park-like property. There are houses with landing pads for helicopters as well as private armored cars in this area. Hector said 3% of the country's population hold 47% of the wealth, and the average salary for the population is US$75 per month. "Japanese Town" was one area where stores were open and many people out. We saw a variety of tempting shops from the bus. São Paulo is home to 1 million Japanese, the largest community outside of Japan. The first large wave of immigrants arrived in 1905. The city of São Paulo was 'born' in 1554 when Jesuit Priest Jose de Anchieta built a mission on a high hill in the jungle above the river for the purpose of converting Indians. We made a stop at the Campus de Piratininga where we visited the old college museum. Our last stop was at the main cathedral of São Paulo. A mass was in progress, and the music in the sanctuary was very beautiful. There were many huge columns which dominated the space. The cathedral is gothic style with a dome which is unusual. Driving back to our hotel, we passed the old downtown stock exchange, the most important in South America, and the old municipal theater. We also saw the Luz Train Station, built in 1860 by the English who brought the materials from the U.K. And, finally we saw from the bus the Latin American Parliament, a series of white buildings with sculptures outside. Hector proved to be a very informed and articulate guide! Thursday November 3 17 Linda Williams 7:00 AM - I met Linda & Londa for breakfast at the restaurant next door to the Blue Tree Hotel. The buffet exemplified what we all had come to realize, "We were eating our way across Brazil!!" 9:15 AM to 10:45 - We finished breakfast and, as our luggage was not to be down in the lobby until 11:00 AM, we decided to play cards!! 11:05 AM - Our group assembled in front of the Blue Tree for a group photo. A thank you was presented to Linda & Walt for all their hard work. 11:30 AM - We walked next door to the Art Museum and enjoyed a wonderful exhibit. 12:15 PM - Everyone decided which lunch choice was their preference, as there were several to choose from with varied price ranges. Our group went to the lunch 'weigh your plate' buffet which was a couple of blocks from the museum. 2:00 PM - Our bus arrived and we loaded to bo to the Snake Farm. 2:30 PM - Arrived at the "Musea Instituto Butantan." 3:30 PM - Upon the completion of our tour of the snakes, we went to old downtown to the Brazilian Art Exhibit. 4:00 PM - We arrived at the Pinacoteca Center (means wood!!). 5:00 PM - Our tour took us to the South American Crafts Center, which was designed by Oscar Niemeyer, built 1964-1969. 6:00 PM - Joy caught a cab, as this was her time to part from the rest of the group. 6:15 PM - We are on our way to the restaurant for our final meal in Brazil, then to the airport. 7:00 PM - Eating at the buffet in the O'Caipira restaurant was a nice end to our trip. We spent several hours at the airport shopping --- again!! Friday, November 4, 6:00 AM - The sunrise upon our arrival at DFW airport was spectacular!! Webmaster's note: The original hard copy of this journal had attached to it the words from Rudyard Kipling's "Rolling Down to Rio," from "The Beginning of the Armadillos," one of the Just So Stories. You can find it at the following location: http://www.boop.org/jan/justso/armadil.htm. The format of this journal does not support direct links at this time.