Posted in Brazil Facts, Random Musings on 16. May, 2012
Hi all, I’ve been meaning for some time to sit down and write about television in Brasil. As regular readers know, I love Brasil – else why would I be here? But all places have their drawbacks. Brasil’s is its television programming. Now I want to clarify right up front that Brasil has a flourishing [...]
Posted in Brazil Facts, Paraty, Random Musings on 03. Apr, 2012
Hi all, I had to step out to pay a couple bills and took the opportunity to stop by the Lanchonete e Pastelaria across from the bus station. I happen to have a weaken for their pastel chinese de carne, which is a deep-fried doughy pastry filled with ground spiced beef. Just completely wrong and [...]
Posted in Brazil Facts, Random Musings on 01. Jan, 2012
Happy New Year! I hope that you had a great NYE celebration, but aren’t paying for it too much today. As for me, I had a quiet night in with friends. I’m now back in North Carolina at the home of my friend Sean, where I’ll post up for several weeks before heading back to [...]
Posted in Brazil Facts, Random Musings, Rio de Janeiro on 24. Dec, 2011
Hi all, At the moment I am visiting my mom in Hammond, Louisiana, which is about an hour northeast of New Orleans. She’s making me earn my keep while I’m here. On Tuesday I helped her sell an old car she no longer drives. We had planned to turn in the tag (license plate) at [...]
Posted in Brazil Facts, News, Rio de Janeiro on 14. Nov, 2011
Perhaps things truly are changing. Rocinha, the largest favela in Rio and perhaps in Latin America, was retaken in the pre-dawn hours yesterday (Sunday) without a shot. This stands in contrast to, for example, the invasion of Complexo do Alemão about this same time last year, when fighting was fierce and dozens of armed gang [...]
Posted in Brazil Facts, News, Random Musings, Rio de Janeiro on 12. Nov, 2011
Hi all, This will be an historic weekend here in Rio. The BPChoque, the “Shock Troops” of the Military Police – Brazil’s SWAT – will occupy Rocinha, Rio’s largest favela. If you saw the 2008 version of The Hulk, starring Edward Norton, you will probably remember the opening sequence in which a helicopter flies over a [...]
Posted in Brazil Facts, Random Musings on 02. Nov, 2011
Hi all, Today is (yet another) holiday in Brazil, All Souls Day. Most businesses are closed, and I have no classes, giving me a chance to catch up. Monday was of course Halloween but also marked the third anniversary of my arrival here in Brazil. As such, it was a time to reflect. First, I [...]
Posted in Brazil Facts, Random Musings, Tips for Travelers on 27. Oct, 2011
Hi all, OK, today’s post may seem a bit mundane – unless, like me, you’ve found yourself unwittingly robbed of an hour and careening madly through traffic trying to make your flight at Tom Jobim International Airport (aka GIG). (Only to find that your flight of course was delayed, making your hair-raising slalom through cars, [...]
Posted in Brazil Facts, News on 23. Sep, 2011
Hi all, On Wednesday, President Dilma Rousseff of Brazil became the first woman to present the opening address to the UN General Assembly. Rousseff addressed the 66th General Assembly, saying her speech represents the equality of women, a theme of her talk, calling this “the century of the woman.” Rousseff is also seeking to continue [...]
Posted in Brazil Facts, Rio de Janeiro on 07. Sep, 2011
Hi all, It’s very quiet this morning here in RIo. It’s September 7th – Brazil’s Independence Day – and most folks seem to be sleeping in. Brazil’s road to independence was much different the than US’s. Whereas the US fought a long and bloody war – which they nearly lost in the early days of [...]
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