Drunken ruins

Was it last weekend? I can´t seem to remember. The weeks are beginning to blend all together. I´ve already been in Brazil for a month: I can´t believe it. Things are starting to feel settled. I have my routine. I actually wish I had more to do, more mobility. The most difficult part of being here is lack of accessibility to the regular things I´m used to. I miss my car. I miss being able to jump into my car and head to the university to do my work. Getting anywhere is somewhat impossible, or at least takes forever. I haven´t even been to the university here yet: Universidade Federal da Bahia or UFBA, pronounced úfeeba. I also miss coffeeshops. I can´t seem to get any work done at home, with my bed calling my name and the Brasilian soap operas. I remembered the name of the newest one: La Favorita. About two women, a wife and a mistress of a guy who was murdered...by whom?? That´s the secret! The mistress spent the last 18 years in prison because she was accused, but of course she´s the one we all like so it can´t be her! And the wife (that b*&$h) raised the mistress´s daughter and doesn´t want her to see her. Oh, and the mistress and her daughter are blond so they must be the good guys. So archetypal, it´s a bit embarrassing.

Anyway, what weekend was it? We took a day trip to see some places, including Castelo Garcia Dávila, the most powerful landowner in Brasil during the Portuguese colonial days. During that time, the country was divided into huge tracts of land, and old Senhor GD had the biggest plot, and hence controlled a huge part both geographically and politically. Now his house is in ruins but still amazing. And with a spectacular view.

For a house of this era, it´s very unusual for it to have so many levels. On the second floor the house is divided into two wings, and the young men would flirt with the women through the windows.

The gorgeous view :)

After we went to the Castelo, the director of the program Clara invited us to eat at her house. Her parents live there and she bought the plot next door to build her own house. This was the outside pizza oven and the mini-bar is off to the left. Behind in the picture is a lake where we all got to relax. That´s the bus driver standing guard. He never did relax...but he got to eat.

The official drink of Brasil is the caipirinha made with a local sugar cane rum called cachaça (ch is like sh, and the ç is like an s: cashasa) and is mixed somewhat like a fresh margarita, with limes and with added sugar. Delicious! But, another variation is the caipiroska (see the Russian in there??) made with vodka instead and it comes in a variety of fruit flavors instead of lime, and by fruit flavors I mean fresh fruit from the market or garden chopped up and muddled.

Caipirinha, caipiroska de abacaxi (abacashí or pineapple), caipiroska de acerola (like a big sour cherry)The most interesting and ironic part of staying at Clara´s was the negra staff. All along we´ve been learning about the misfortune of the Afro-brasilian population here, the lack of opportunity, the inherent racism, the suppression of African cultures and religions, and the oppression of the people of African descent. Clara´s family, white, German white, have 2 black women employed to do all the cooking. These must be their children. Not mistreated, by any means. Just...conspicuous after all that´s been said. Can´t figure out quite how to resolve that.