This evening, we had a bon voyage dinner at the home of our friends Phil and Susie where we were joined by other friends William and Inga. The dinner was excellent, the wine superb and the company marvelous. Did I mention that William is half Brazilian and a font of knowledge on the country? After I outlined our itinerary, William mentioned that Salvador was going to be a lot like Ghana--slow moving and with an African flavor, especially on the music. I also learned that Brazil is an energy independent country thanks in large part to sugar cane and subsequent ethanol production.
While in Brazil, we will take a field trip on an Amazon Riverboat where we will sleep in hammocks. William recommends sleeping diagonal in the hammock, and I'm grateful for any tips that will keep me from falling out. Our trip will fly to Manaus then a 30 min bus trip to the boat. I have to say that seeing the enthusiasm of a countryman made me feel more excited about this trip. I'm stocking up on mosquito repellent.
William also recommended a black bean dish. The beans are peeled and cooked as a spicy dish.
A few safety tips were: stay in groups and use street smarts. I think this means don't leave anything valuable lying around or flash money. Oh yeah, don't wear a ball cap. That will make you stand out as a tourist.
The population is made up of many mixed cultures, but in contrast to our cultures, they proudly prefer to see themselves as Brazilians. I can't wait to meet some of them.
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You may not want to be known as a tourist by your ball cap, but you sure do want to keep your head from being burnt to a crisp...
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