BRAZILLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL CARNAVAL!

Feb 17, 2007

We finally made it to land, was awoken by the stupid voice, at 7 am, after disembarkation headed to the Merkado Modelo something like that, and cruised around their, then went back to the ship for lunch and then went to the market again with a group from my development class for our FDP and did observing and such and looked around did some bargaining to find out how cheap I could actually get things got one guy who wanted 120 R for a painting to bring it down to 40 but then decided I didn’t need it. The tour guide took us underneath the market which is like a dungeon filled with water it was really weird I guess they kept slaves down their to prepare the things that were being sold up in the market. Then headed back to the ship again ate dinner their, and went with Jared Amy Chris Hunter Dan Mia and Roxanne to Bara which is supposed to be the largest biggest best most elaborate Carnival track in Salvador their were just THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS of people and the TRIO ELECTRICOS just kept on coming coming and coming, we got their around 7 and were their till 2 or so, only Hunter who went off for about 20 minutes on his own got his shirt stolen and his hand bitten the story was interesting, its interesting though that none of the locals where any form of jewelry no watches nothing, no bags, purses, strictly clothing and everyone keeps their cash in their pants in the crotch area, and there are militaria policia marching the streets and then there are the other police and every time they walked by they were arresting someone else. We made a bunch of local friends I had a mini fan club going with these 4 girls to our left, and these other girls behind us then we made friends with this family to the right, so they had our backs and showed us their love by giving us these blue and white beads which we are then supposed to give to someone that we care about, and told us all these other inside things and what to watch out for, and they spoke no English to communicating was English but its amazing how much you can communicate threw sign language and the words that are some what similar, learned a few local dances, from the fan club, the Trio Electricos just POUND music, I swear on Psiricos Trio Electrico went by my lungs were vibrating, Psirico was our favorite we were on the side of the streets, which is free then you can buy a shirt and get inside the ropes which surround the Trio Electricos and that costs like $200 for the night, then there are the super special people who get to actually be on the Trio Electrico (started by three guys in the 50s or 60s who drove down the street playing music from their buick and signing) and then there are the camarotes which are like balconies which are only like $100 to get on to and you need a shirt for that also. Then we went down to the beach for a little to chill and their was one guy who definetly barely had a heart beat still and his friends threw him into the water to try to wake him up then about 6 of them picked him up and dragged him up the beach a ways, and then tried to wake him up which didn’t work then the filled up water bottles with ocean water and I don’t know what they were doing with that Im guessing they were cleaning him up. We lost dan but he made it back to the MV I guess he found some other SASers and wandered off with them cause we lost him and had no idea were he went. It was an amazing night extremely exhausting cause we jumped and danced the entire time. It is also interesting cause the streets are really dirty and the buildings etc. but the are is clean I mean as clean as a city can be, and even sitting in traffic the air is no worse than other parts of town and I decided it is because of ethanol, it really makes a difference I think, and its cheaper for them, also there are tons of Brazilians with braces which seems to be a good sign, if they can afford braces they most be doing alright. I guess Carnival in Salvador where it began is much more African influenced than Rio which is extremely flashy and commercial so they say I will get back to you with that one when fellow SASers get back from their.

Feb 18, 2007

Slept in a little to rest up, had lunch on the ship, went to Iguatemi which is the only mall that is open and shops that are open because of Carnival everything in Salvador is closed minus food and the Modelo Mercardo, but of course not realizing it until we got their its Sunday so the mall was closed, but one store was open like Longs so we spent an hour our so cruising around their we bought 2 liter sodas made from Guarana I forget the name and observed bought a CD that consists of all the Tracks from the performers at Carnival. Went to a back which inside was about 75 ATMs no joke it was kinda overwhelming. Then made our way back to the Ship for dinner. Then headed into town with about 10 other SASers until about midnight this time we just went to Pelarinho or something like that it was much ghettoer than last night the Trio Electricos weren’t nearly as elaborate and so we just danced and partyed in the square near the elevator which takes you from the lower city to the upper city. Then we all headed back to the ship we were all just exhausted today due to going allll out last night, and the legs weren’t ok with the fact that we jumped around for 6 plus hours last night, but my carnival CD is super sick had carnival in my headphones after dinner tonight, my hands are not stained black permanently anymore like they were while working at bandits. Once back at the ship Gaylin me Roxanne and Amy chilled for a couple hours on the pool deck telling dane cook jokes and random stories it was extremely entertaining. Tomorrow is the circus!

Feb 19, 2007

Got up way to early this morning at seven thirty and had breakfast before the circus. Took the bus to the circus which was about 25 to 30 minutes from Salvador on the water. We went past a lot of favellas, and some areas that were just extremely poverty stricken. Oh so the circus is a program started by some guy 25 years ago that takes street kids and gives them an opportunity to turn their lives around via the circus. Once they join the program they are required to go to school, then to training, and the supervisors that run the circus, do check ups with the school to make sure of attendance, and the circus provides them with two good meals a day. So once at the circus binno was the head their, and their were five other instructors, none of which spoke English, but its amazing how much you can communicate without speaking the same language. So my group started on the Spanish rope. We climbed about 10 feet up this rope put one wrist threw a loop hole then slide the other down the rope then the instructor on the ground spun the rope and we did acrobatic like poses while flying around the rope. It was pretty rad to me hanging from a rope 10 to 15 feet from the ground. Our next stop was definetly my weakness. We moved on to juggling, which was a little technical for me I struggled with two and then three just wasn’t going to happen, so their was another person in my group struggling as well, so we did partner juggling which we got decent at. I guess a clown is out for a future career. After failing at juggling we went to the trapeze. Where we got up on it did a few things to make sure we were balanced alright then did some things where we were hanging from our feet swinging on the trapeze upside down very twisted around. We didn’t get to fly between them though. Then we moved on to the tight rope. Started on the smallest one which took a while to conquer but them from their life was good, im just gonna throw it out their I was the only SASer to do the highest tight rope on my own no help required. I mean its not like we were 50 feet above the ground the highest tight rope was about 7 feet off the ground but still its about 25 feet long and the tight rope is not very thick max 1/3 of an inch. So their was this one girl in my group not sure of her name but the whole time she had to be first doing everything cause you know she was so awesome at everything and she says im soooo good at this and soo good at that and our last station was the mini trap tumbling area and the whole day previous to that she could not stop talking about oh im so amazing at tumbling I cant wait to do a front tuck blah blah blah blah blah and her voice was killin me too, and I beat her on the tight rope which wasn’t ok with her and she was terrible at juggling which was great. Then so we finally get to the min tramp tumbling station where she of course has to go first, and the guy doesn’t speak English and all she keeps on telling him is that why aren’t we doing front tucks im good at all this other stuff I don’t need to be doing what your telling me and he basically ignored her which was great. And her form was horrible. I don’t know what kind of training she underwent but it wasn’t showing. Anyways we did a bunch of different things off the mini tramp a few which some muscles didn’t agree with and told me that they haven’t been used in 10 years and just cant be doing that anymore. Binno like my form so I guess it was a successful day cause lame girl got served. So after this station we headed to the ending rally where a bunch of us were pulled out of the crowd to build a human pyramid where I was put on the bottom, then they chose me again to do another hum pyramid but this time it was much more technical and complicated. Also their was only one animal at the circus which was this goat sitting in the grass just chillin on its leash cause if you don’t have it on a leash it will run away says one guy I asked why they had a goat and that’s what he told me so I went with it. We then headed back to the ship and the girl sitting next to me on the bus says hi im kris wanna hear a trippy story so I said sure she said this is my second voyage I am the youngest life long learner at 28 I have a doctorate in psychology I grew up in extreme poverty in san Francisco my first voyage was paid for my lots of scholarships and now I have a clown business with thirty employees, which is financing this voyaged. And that its all she said they whole bus ride. Quit interesting I might say. Then got back to the ship around one had lunch their then just relaxed by the pool for a few hours cause it was such a beautiful day, had a couple chicken fights in the pool and just enjoyed it while their weren’t 300 people at it. Then went out to Pelarinho again but went to the left from the square threw some other squares chilled in one of them for a little while, just watching the bands march by the and performers and then headed down a side street further went to the reggae bar for a while, then had two amazing hot dogs then just chilled people watching and enjoying the madness of carnaval. Then made our way back threw the streets down the elevator and back to the MV.

Feb 20, 2007

Another early wake up call today all these 0700 hour mornings are killing me, decided to get on a SAS trip to Itaparica island, which was supposed to me a 45 min boat ride from Salvador but it turned out to be a little over an hour and a half to this first island we stopped at hold on here is the description. Sail across the great all saints bay Baia De Todos os Santos which has an area of 1100 square kilometers and contains 38 tropical islands, it binds Salvador on the south. You will travel by private boat crusing the tranquil waters of all saints bay and visiting two island. First stop at Ilha dos Frades a very small island with lush tropical vegetation and beaches surrounded by crystal clear water. Next travel to the island of Itaparica for lunch then walk threw the cobblestone streets and see the 18th century architecture. So that was the description at the first island we watched some Kapuera and just hung out on the beach I was temped to jump into a beach futbol game but didn’t wanna show the locals up and then some guy got his boat stuck on the beach so it was pretty entertaining for such a small island. The boat moved way to slow between islands, once at itaparica lunch was interesting brazilian lasagna and spaghetti and fish and meat and tons of other things and lots of Guarana which is the best soda in the world its made from Guarana which is a berry from the amazon which was created after some child died and his mother buried him and this tree grew from where he was buried or something like that. Then we just cruised the streets of Itaparica for a little while before headed back to the boat this time the boat ride wasn’t that bad just napped the whole way back to Salvador, then headed back to the ship to get some dinner and just hung out and rested up for the big night of carnaval our last night in Salvador. Around ten we headed back to Barra I think that’s how its spelled its said baja so I don’t know if it supposed to be bahia but I thought that was something else any ways, our cab ride their was like being in a scene from bourne identity when they are going threw the streets of paris, quit high speed with extremely sharp turns and tons of back streets, not sure if we were going to make it and their were six of us in a tiny hatch back something don’t know the makes of the car but we made quickly and safely thanfully, then made our way down to the main street, and it was really interesting to see that tonight the crowd was very diverse racially, where as our first night their it was all black and locals but tonight was much different which I found interesting our favorite artist Asa was playing when we arrived so we were stoked to see his trio electrico bloco go by. Then just made our way threw the streets having a super sick time, made it down about 1/2 a mile found a good spot and chilled their made some friends with these ladies who were selling mentos, was in this spot for about 4 hours, it was right near where they were filming for some brazilian tv station so it was awesome, then around three fat boy slims bloco came by which was just enormous and different and kinda weird and it just had masses and masses of people who paid over $300 to be in the bloco which is insane cause it didn’t seem that great but after we survived that rush we stayed in the same spot to see if Psirico was gonna come by still he is our other favorite artist. At around five we headed back to catch a cab at the beginning for barra which was about a mile from where we were threw thousand and thousands of people I heard the estimated four million people partying in Salvador for carnaval or something insane like that it sounds pretty accurate to me. Found a cab that would take all six of us again in their tiny car, and this time the driver drove more normal and we kept on singing our favorite song my Asa but I guess we weren’t signing the right words so the cab driver taught us the right words and we had a little karaoke going for the ride home which took almost 30 minutes, then some how we got to singing American songs and he sang along with us and taught us some of or other favorite brazilian songs, it was probably they best cab ride I have ever experienced. Brealy made it up the gangway do too sheer exhaustion but it was an amazing night in Salvador Brazil for CARNAVAL!!!!.

Feb 21, 2007

Got up at around 1030 to grab something to eat before our last day in Salvador, After lunch made my way with some friends to the Modelo Mercado, to try and bargain for some things their, but they would bargain low enough for me so I had to say no, Then headed up the elevator, went to meet some people near the pay phones, in the main Pelerinho then went to the church of San Francisco which was cool I guess it has some gold leaf on its ceiling but it was built in 1702 I believe and was really interesting to see all the different European influences it had from French to Italian to Spanish and Portuguese. Was in the church for about an hour then cruised threw the streets into a music store and got Psiricos and Asas CD’s to add to my Brazilian music collection. Went in and out of some different shops it weird cause it is ash wednesday today so most things are still closed so the whole time we have been in Salvador everything has been closed every day so it was nice to finally see some things opening up again. It was interesting to also see that no one had any jewelry no bags, no cell phones nothing, which I thought was interesting, and I mean they could have an phones but no one talked on their phones in the streets at least. Went into this amazing art gallery with the coolest art it is hard to explain but insane, and expensive, wish could have picked up a piece. Then meet up with some other people helped a friend try to find an internet café cause the one they were at wasn’t working, then found one where we got a number cause they had to make a call for a phone interview, after they were done with the phone interview we caught a cab to the other mall barra shopping, which was like entering a whole nother world, the diversity was much different much more lighter skinned people dressed much nicer and trendier, and more put together with everyone on their cell phones with nice bags, etc. ate dinner at the best sushi place every had a three course meal amazing too bad they don’t have sushi on the ship. Then cruised threw the mall a little while more just observing and finding it interesting that while at the mall instead of them greeting me in Portuguese I guess the figured I wasn’t local they would speak to me in Spanish which is fine with me my Spanish is way better than my Portuguese although I was getting pretty good. I still think that Salvadors air quality is amazing for the size of the city and I am convinced it all has to do with ethanol even sitting in traffic theirs no fumes its amazing I think. It was also interesting to note that the streets were just trashed just tons and tons of rubbish everywhere but this morning it was all gone and cleaned up and its insane that they could clean all that up in a couple hours cause im sure the carnavaling didn’t end until eight or nine this morning, I was really impressed. It also sucks that as soon as I know my way around and am comfortable in Salvador we have to leave. Off at sea for 8 days 9 nights Neptune day is coming up though on the 24th and so it shouldn’t be that bad just hope classes don’t get to hectic.

Feb 22, 2007

Struggled getting out of bed for global this morning we should get a day of rest after each country to physically and mentally prepare for 9 straight days of classes. In global today though the professor who is some how my extended family explained his comment about how blacks are the reason the US doesn’t have the highest HDI in the world, it sort of makes sense but they comment was definitely wrongly phrased. The courses this time also just have so much tension in them, which I feel is unnecessary in my Politics and Memory course we were talking about religion in brazil currently and about how the African descendants are so proud that they have held on to it, and people started just arguing there is a girl in the class who grew up in Ethiopia and she kept on referring to Africa as if it were a country and everyone residing in Africa was the same, And she went off on a bunch of other tangents also, then this other guy informed her that their were about 53 countries in African and we should acknowledge that and I thought that was a great point, then the tension sort of simmered down but this girl is also in my Global Environmental Politics course she’s just too much of a handful. Then in my other class Development Local to Global Perspectives we are talking about these tribes in Africa and other things, and one kid commented about how he feels most peoples lives in the states have no meaning and what is the need for extreme wealth and he covered a bunch of other points, then this other kid I call Bono threw back at him that these tribes are considered to have a low quality of life and they are so uncivilized which well both of them have different points of view but I just don’t understand that if these people are happy why we feel we have to attempt to change their life and make it “better” or to our standards. Mexicans and Nigerians are the happiest people in the world so shouldn’t we be learning from them. Anyways, it just interesting watching people speak in class about these issues and the people that do speak more than others speak as if they should be professing that class and occasionally cut off the professor, just interesting, in business classes these things don’t happen, we just fight to stay awake and leave classing completely confused. The stupid evening announcements came on and we have to advance our clocks an hour tonight and the next three nights, not alright with me I would so much rather do three hours one night and be in pain for one day instead of three.