Safe and sound

I arrived well, never had such a tranquil flight and conections like this time and everything went very smoothly. I was received at the airport with flowers and amazing people, am a guest of wonderful family, have a caring boss and (bonus) have adopted the family dog, Bingo!

I am happy. =)

Small things, Important Stuff

It's been obvious that I've spent the last months saying goodbyes to everybody and everywhere. There are two reasons, though (besides the recommendation that is important to really "leave behind your homeland", as I've previously pointed out HERE). Firstly, the two other times I was abroad, I left many things unresolved in Brazil. These pendencies were prejudicial to me and I wanted this time to have nothing taking me back. Secondly, and this is a consequence of the first wish, I wanted to finish a cycle in my life. It may be that I’m close the thirties and have this feeling of new phase in life. It felt right and I really think it was the best choice I made.

Thus, for the last time, some highlights of the last goodbyes in the last weeks:

·         At the big Goodbye party, I’ve got two little plants. I found this highly interesting, because they were very beautiful but the ones who gave it to me, didn’t mind that I would enjoy them for just two weeks, since I can’t take any vase of flowers with me. They were tokens of friendship that I really appreciated (and thanks to dad, they are in good hands!);

·         We went to a last football match. I support Atlético Mineiro and we won the match, but it wasn’t the best one… I liked to spend some nice time with cousins, brother and his girlfriend and to have some spare time amidst all the craziness of arranging things;

·         One week later, mom did a family lunch to fifty people, which were family plus close relatives. Even grandpa (!) was there, which made it one of the most important moments;

·         I went to granny to bake “Five Plates Biscuits”, which are a traditional delicatessen from Minas Gerais. Yummie plus GREAT TIME with a GREAT WOMAN;

·         We had another small Goodbye party – which was very nice. As in all parties, we took photos, smiled, hugged, kissed, laughed and I’m truly full of gratitude for all amazing friends and relatives that I have;

·         I went with my parents and siblings to dine out – delicious fish and chips… on the Brazilian fashion, though.;

·         Phoned, talked, e-mailed, texted lots of friends – but couldn’t reach a half of all those I wanted to talk to;

·         Had a last bowl of acai-berries cream, a last “pastel com caldo de cana” (a Brazilian pie with sugar-cane juice) with my brother, a last “pão-de-queijo com cafézinho” (traditional cheese scones from Minas Gerais with coffee on the Brazilian fashion) wit mom;

·         Mom took two days off work to be with me. Nothing could crown it better than this. Without her help, I wouldn’t be able to take off.

Well, you see that I really tried to concentrate on people (and food, but the latter was unintentionally – it came with meeting people).

Too big a post, I will write more next about future plans and great expectations!  =)

Happy Easter!!!

If there is something my parents did teach his children is that Easter doesn't have anything to do with the business or the consumption of chocolate. In Brazil, we don't have many traditions to celebrate this date, so they didn't replace anything to the sole tradition spread in this country, which is to pay 120 reais (about 60 USD) per kilo of chocolate in the shape of chocolate eggs - a price that you wouldn't pay for any food.

Therefore, with the true meaning of Easter in mind and maturity already there, I made up my mind to look after the traditions which enrich the life's rituals, like the special occasions.

I could write a huge post about all the traditions I've learnt, but I want to talk about those traditions related to food (although the religious celebrations in community are the most important kind of traditions). And I'm talking neither about chocolate, nor about codfish.

Since I didn't find out about any Brazilian gastronomic traditions (if they do exist), let's have the foreign ones. One of them is the Simmel Cake, a rich English cake of dried fruit covered and filled with marzipan. You can find more about the story behind the cake HERE.

Because there is no marzipan to buy in my city and I don't venture to make my own marzipan, I cover my cake with dark chocolate ganache and put eleven "chocolate" eggs (well, no one would honestly call these terrible low quality thing chocolate, but the producer, and maybe not even them). This is a photo of my Simmel Cake:

Please, take into consideration that this is not a gastronomic blog with professional photos. ;-)

I have true original English recipe - I didn't pick one from the internet. =P It's good that I only eat this cake once a year. [smile]

Of course, end this post listening to the great J.S. Bach to celebrate this day to the most!!!!

Big Farewell Day

Yesterday was the Big Farewell Day. It was simply FABULOUS to meet more than one hundred people and to feel sooo cared and loved by so many. =)

Put your name here if you were there: thank you very very much!!!!!!

If you weren't I don't think I can describe it properly. I was actually out of my rotation line, if it really exists. But it has been one of the most beautiful times in my life. Family, friends, relatives and community friends - even former workmates!

A big thanks goes to Geraldo who organized everything, to Edith & Abilio who played, to Luis for the moving letter, to Tércia for the genial gift, to everybody who wrote messages, who contributed somehow, to the parents who took their lovely children (Ernesto, Gabriel and Mateus), for everybody who took pics (don't forget to send me them), who came to hug me etc. I love hugs.

Well, you see this doesn't give much of a picture, I know. Sorry. Last thing I can tell is that I am now pretty much concious that I am indeed going in just a few days. 12 to be more exactly. =)

Zoo, Bootanical Garden & Japanese Garden

This is probably the last post about saying goodbye to my home town. I'm glad I've spent sometime visiting the most special places for me back in January, because it's sure I wouldn't have any time to do it now.

All these Gardens I mentioned in the title are, in fact, part of our Zoo. Honestly, it isn't one of my favourite places in the city, but my memories about the Zoo were, actually, pretty worse than the ones I have now, so the visit was worth. =)

The place I liked most was the Japanese Garden. However, there isn't a single bank or bench for you to sit down and you can only stay in for 15 minutes. It's not like you can enter and stay there to meditate or to brood over life.

Then you have the Bootanical Garden, which is small, but still the best place to meditate or to brood over life. =P The problem is that the greenhouses were all closed and there are some broken parts in the Garden. Anyway, I left it with one thousand of ideas about school field trips that I could do there... only I won't work here anymore. =(

I suppose most of people who go to the Zoo want to see the animals, special the wild animals. At least in our Zoo, I wish you LUCK. Probably your favourite animals will be taking a nap or having lunch hidden from you. That was the case with all the felines, with the elephants (my favourite ones!) and many other species. Here is a bit of what I could see:

Black lion tamarin

Other primates - I can't only remember which. Any idea?

Poor Rhino...

This one is obvious

At the end, the most interesting part for almost everyone are the exotic birds. Only it's so sad to see them all caged and I won't show these pics here in the blog.

There are loads of pics of the Zoo HERE - the birds inclusive. ;-)

Countdown

Today we start the countdown. In just 30 days and I'll be flying by this time. =)

Yesterday, the Waters of March came... in Bossa Nova's language that means: Summer is finally ending, rain started to fall.

And the riverbank talks

of the waters of March, 

It's the end of all strain, 

It's the joy in your heart. 

To celebrate this, Tom Jobim's Waters of March (yeah, he wrote English lyrics for the song as well).

Mangabeiras' Park

The day I visited Parque das Mangabeiras was perfect: cloudy but not rainy. Therefore, although it was holidays time, it was very quiet, just a few visitors. It was the ideal atmosphere for an introvert who was deadly tired and wanted some time by herself. ;-P

Mangabeiras is the name of a tree specie, which names the Park. The park is a green refugee and what makes it really special is the forest. There are some safe trails to walk amidst the forest... this is the kind of thing that really suits me fine. =)

The Water's Plaza: This is located near the main gate.

Little Waterfall: I just love the music of water falling.

Dreams Lake: it should be called a pond, actually. So small, that the fairies who inhabits the lake must be even tinier than the average fairy!

One of the trails:

Near the Park, there is the Pope's Plaza. Yeah, Pope John Paul came here to celebrate a mass, so the Plaza was named after him. In country where the majority of the population is Roman Catholic, that was a great honour!

Nowadays the Pope's Plaza is a place to held big events, such as rock concerts or festivals. It has a beautiful   panoramic view of the city.

Wanna check some other pics of the park and the plaza? Go HERE!