tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30032998372947540742024-03-18T23:45:20.210-03:00Samba Like it HotIntro. to CaRIOca 101.Jasmine Maggs & James Bambergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11623277466543631943noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003299837294754074.post-34719110723432590532011-04-28T00:16:00.000-03:002011-04-28T00:16:59.240-03:00Bits & Pieces of Buenos Aires (Good Airs) pt.1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfYzS3YObsIzgHslwkkztTOXZVqhhFG0NdsowZoWQ3_0XMZmdwGJUCfbkh6uQ8ItRhXzEb0axrvB4fTg11pzlVYDs1sM2NJYuhIlhr277eExnZtm-Vrxsm7DQnPjnO3u2I_nyyWlqTW4-o/s1600/P1110515.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfYzS3YObsIzgHslwkkztTOXZVqhhFG0NdsowZoWQ3_0XMZmdwGJUCfbkh6uQ8ItRhXzEb0axrvB4fTg11pzlVYDs1sM2NJYuhIlhr277eExnZtm-Vrxsm7DQnPjnO3u2I_nyyWlqTW4-o/s400/P1110515.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> "A small, vomitous stomach gurgle expanded into an intolerable, full-bodied anguish. There was no choice for Philbo but to dedicate a bullet either to his own brain, or to the brain of this fellow yammering and pointing at blurry pictures of a drunken Caribbean vacation."</span><br />
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</span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> That is a passage from a splendid novel, one that doesn't exist, about many people's struggle to successfully make their vacation/travel seem even moderately interesting to other humans. It's peculiar that this issue arises seeing as 37.3% of travel (56.8% in Winter) is to instill jealousy in others. Our species travels a lot these days, with insane technology for capturing experiences, and thus we have all become much more difficult to impress. That's not new information, but it demands a reform in presentation methods. I don't wish to sound like a douche sack who's words extend past his ability, but some pointers below could help prevent your loved ones from daydreaming about dipping their face in lava when you start explaining your travels to them.</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_0tZlrwruyOM9QZd2LLlT9My-6Is6jCsgIjrU-nEhevnuAZ2EmIPu5-WrsUIWXOggrGWTKFRMbl91Y4e2Zk8ZavDRszjYKTeahOSqyS3I1c-NpwLdCJDDeiQ_GdtCnKsESL8KBkTm_KJi/s1600/P1110716.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_0tZlrwruyOM9QZd2LLlT9My-6Is6jCsgIjrU-nEhevnuAZ2EmIPu5-WrsUIWXOggrGWTKFRMbl91Y4e2Zk8ZavDRszjYKTeahOSqyS3I1c-NpwLdCJDDeiQ_GdtCnKsESL8KBkTm_KJi/s320/P1110716.JPG" width="180" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_0tZlrwruyOM9QZd2LLlT9My-6Is6jCsgIjrU-nEhevnuAZ2EmIPu5-WrsUIWXOggrGWTKFRMbl91Y4e2Zk8ZavDRszjYKTeahOSqyS3I1c-NpwLdCJDDeiQ_GdtCnKsESL8KBkTm_KJi/s1600/P1110716.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i. While away, try to keep in mind that most major tourist spots have been photographed by much more talented people with much better equipment. If you think a Google search can find it, set your sights on a different target. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ii. Take extra time to make sure the photo is straight and experiment with the composition as sometimes an inch or two of fiddling can slide your image from shittastic to marvelous.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">iii. Keep your camera sheathed when you first arrive in a novel environment. Breathe, absorb, speculate, imagine, converse, have a beer and such before taking 7000 shots. Pay attention, as the photo should never be better than the actual experience.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">iv. Put people who live in that country in your images. Snapshot after snapshot of yourself in front of random stuff offers the same quantity of enjoyment as stuffing wasps into your genitals. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgedaHyCtUmQ_Yk2JM_tJwoK96DwOZ8ZScuCVIdxSvLm2QR-RAWBr9S-iouFoKfcLEv0bHXpggChUXQbmNz7NBTk0ardC8CIMpDJvZwHqw4mdaUfS8jRpPQxVJyG9P6D1tGQEA9BF26Bner/s1600/P1120020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">v. Once you're home, edit your photos and get your story straight. If you took 60 photos of a misty mountain sunrise, show us 2. When you tell your tales, pepper them with your favourite adjectives, try to skillfully apply an adverb and avoid the improper use of the word "like".</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All of that goes out the window for me when it comes to animals. You could show me poorly taken photos of llamas & baby jaguars all day and enthrallment wouldn't dissipate. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgedaHyCtUmQ_Yk2JM_tJwoK96DwOZ8ZScuCVIdxSvLm2QR-RAWBr9S-iouFoKfcLEv0bHXpggChUXQbmNz7NBTk0ardC8CIMpDJvZwHqw4mdaUfS8jRpPQxVJyG9P6D1tGQEA9BF26Bner/s1600/P1120020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgedaHyCtUmQ_Yk2JM_tJwoK96DwOZ8ZScuCVIdxSvLm2QR-RAWBr9S-iouFoKfcLEv0bHXpggChUXQbmNz7NBTk0ardC8CIMpDJvZwHqw4mdaUfS8jRpPQxVJyG9P6D1tGQEA9BF26Bner/s320/P1120020.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">_________________________________________________________</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, these photos and the video were all taken in Buenos Aires in mid February. It's a city that we fell in love with immediately and recommend visiting. I called this post Pt.1 because a number of cool things couldn't fit into a solitary bloggle. The video is supposed to be the real meat of this post, so hopefully all them words up their haven't prevented you from giving it a gander.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">IMPORTANT PART! PLEASE GANDER! </span></b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"></span></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;">IMPORTANT PART! PLEASE GANDER! </span></b></span><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/qsxhmANg2U4" width="425"></iframe></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;">IMPORTANT PART! PLEASE GANDER! </span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">IMPORTANT PART! PLEASE GANDER! </span></b></span></span></b></span></div>Jasmine Maggs & James Bambergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11623277466543631943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003299837294754074.post-19659509608178811482011-04-22T12:45:00.001-03:002011-04-22T12:48:30.971-03:00Samba do Champlain<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEQ7bjaUHX4UsV_3ZgqLAVCQDkFUtKQq4omV36JN1SzK1_VmBuhjY3NqCUgU0YpF4jTniZ96r-oqQqJJ9aMFeqyXZMZU9Hj-JsekpF2pLECWiJ4W1tPYPjLODPUnN-DItCz37Q7h2jZcGp/s1600/Centro+view+record+shop+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEQ7bjaUHX4UsV_3ZgqLAVCQDkFUtKQq4omV36JN1SzK1_VmBuhjY3NqCUgU0YpF4jTniZ96r-oqQqJJ9aMFeqyXZMZU9Hj-JsekpF2pLECWiJ4W1tPYPjLODPUnN-DItCz37Q7h2jZcGp/s320/Centro+view+record+shop+3.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Whoopsidaisy! It's amazing what returning to the employment world can do to one's blog dedication. But, with the weather as shittay as it is, the need to reminisce and bathe in the recorded media of warmer times is absolutely mandatory.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object height="36" width="470"><param value="http://www.divshare.com/flash/audio_embed?data=YTo2OntzOjU6ImFwaUlkIjtzOjE6IjQiO3M6NjoiZmlsZUlkIjtzOjg6IjE0NjM2Nzg2IjtzOjQ6ImNvZGUiO3M6MTI6IjE0NjM2Nzg2LTFhNyI7czo2OiJ1c2VySWQiO3M6NzoiMTIzNzAwMCI7czoxMjoiZXh0ZXJuYWxDYWxsIjtpOjE7czo0OiJ0aW1lIjtpOjEzMDM0ODYzNjk7fQ==&autoplay=default" name="movie"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed wmode="transparent" height="36" width="470" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" src="http://www.divshare.com/flash/audio_embed?data=YTo2OntzOjU6ImFwaUlkIjtzOjE6IjQiO3M6NjoiZmlsZUlkIjtzOjg6IjE0NjM2Nzg2IjtzOjQ6ImNvZGUiO3M6MTI6IjE0NjM2Nzg2LTFhNyI7czo2OiJ1c2VySWQiO3M6NzoiMTIzNzAwMCI7czoxMjoiZXh0ZXJuYWxDYWxsIjtpOjE7czo0OiJ0aW1lIjtpOjEzMDM0ODYzNjk7fQ==&autoplay=default"></embed></object></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The ambitious sound and video editing is slowly chugging along, but today's treat is a track called 'A Hora e a Vez do Samba by the maestro, Martinho da Vila from his 1973 album Origens. This was picked up in Praca Tiradentes from my favourite vinyl street vendor.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The video is actually a time lapsed video of a sunset on Lake Champlain in Quebec from the summer of 2009. The video was originally 20 minutes but it's now sped up into a 3 minute thang. Thanks to our lovely hosts who gave us ample food, beverage, fishing and waterskiing/wakeboarding!</span></div><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/_Phvkrp8YPo" title="YouTube video player" width="400"></iframe>Jasmine Maggs & James Bambergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11623277466543631943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003299837294754074.post-26918168483828702372011-03-19T22:38:00.002-03:002011-03-19T22:43:34.645-03:00A Fast Post of Fast Food<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2DiP9JNaXsAfJRAbgKITpkZ8C7WMhq6paTylwyfPjrcHJp-Ugrp23uMLydXFbYHqGNbXGt0hIJVXUyfX3akRMdPF6ArIXtcWjeGL9iMt_ZSvCWHNse0Y3ghgyquZMVvIwhQnflLjBK9iD/s1600/Food+Fight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2DiP9JNaXsAfJRAbgKITpkZ8C7WMhq6paTylwyfPjrcHJp-Ugrp23uMLydXFbYHqGNbXGt0hIJVXUyfX3akRMdPF6ArIXtcWjeGL9iMt_ZSvCWHNse0Y3ghgyquZMVvIwhQnflLjBK9iD/s320/Food+Fight.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div><br />
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Apologies to our dozens upon dozens of blogizens for the delay, we know it must've been difficult to get up in the morning without a post for the last two weeks. It is true that we are in Canada now, but that will not stop us from maintaining Brazacentric bloggage as the amount of photos, video & sound in need of digesting & analyzing is quite preposterous. There are also 52 vinyl recordings which were acquired and the songs from these will be passed along to thee as they pass through the needle and into the digital age.</span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">_______________________________________________</span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The recording below is a ramble about our disdain for the predominant fast food chain in Brazil, Bob's Burgers. Someone is going to fly up here and decapitate me for saying such dastardly things about their beloved national burger chain, but I feel obliged to try and stop people from consuming thin patties of fetid cat carcass.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><object height="36" width="470"><param value="http://www.divshare.com/flash/audio_embed?data=YTo2OntzOjU6ImFwaUlkIjtzOjE6IjQiO3M6NjoiZmlsZUlkIjtzOjg6IjE0MzU3NDQ2IjtzOjQ6ImNvZGUiO3M6MTI6IjE0MzU3NDQ2LTllYiI7czo2OiJ1c2VySWQiO3M6NzoiMTIzNzAwMCI7czoxMjoiZXh0ZXJuYWxDYWxsIjtpOjE7czo0OiJ0aW1lIjtpOjEzMDA1ODQ2NTc7fQ==&autoplay=default" name="movie"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed wmode="transparent" height="36" width="470" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" src="http://www.divshare.com/flash/audio_embed?data=YTo2OntzOjU6ImFwaUlkIjtzOjE6IjQiO3M6NjoiZmlsZUlkIjtzOjg6IjE0MzU3NDQ2IjtzOjQ6ImNvZGUiO3M6MTI6IjE0MzU3NDQ2LTllYiI7czo2OiJ1c2VySWQiO3M6NzoiMTIzNzAwMCI7czoxMjoiZXh0ZXJuYWxDYWxsIjtpOjE7czo0OiJ0aW1lIjtpOjEzMDA1ODQ2NTc7fQ==&autoplay=default"></embed></object></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh8JQFpFc9cvM6VW4N2ld5SYEkyFC2ivWadL_tVGf0NZ9yHWTf5f41JbkqyXgCF6GwYqsL_kHY9IfROOL3c-MjtKP2lAt4AFABGwLbv4RNT8UvAOsRTsmorO00f95k3YZxh1-I9DjciDAZ/s1600/2777448183_cd3d9ceda1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh8JQFpFc9cvM6VW4N2ld5SYEkyFC2ivWadL_tVGf0NZ9yHWTf5f41JbkqyXgCF6GwYqsL_kHY9IfROOL3c-MjtKP2lAt4AFABGwLbv4RNT8UvAOsRTsmorO00f95k3YZxh1-I9DjciDAZ/s320/2777448183_cd3d9ceda1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">______________________________________________</span><br />
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: auto;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKnpfnTjoJQXC5576nYcqveC6MDm8oYzUNpBowc8YFsnAp24aWEXmwoAcqMsGBx3CG3R5sS6cIDr5N2u02QVrbEKuhvlK2ZzQWzvqn5D7t-m_SiHDZjh2Wulvk4yvbXfUACeu_MHrmmBAi/s1600/DuasFaces-image007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKnpfnTjoJQXC5576nYcqveC6MDm8oYzUNpBowc8YFsnAp24aWEXmwoAcqMsGBx3CG3R5sS6cIDr5N2u02QVrbEKuhvlK2ZzQWzvqn5D7t-m_SiHDZjh2Wulvk4yvbXfUACeu_MHrmmBAi/s1600/DuasFaces-image007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKnpfnTjoJQXC5576nYcqveC6MDm8oYzUNpBowc8YFsnAp24aWEXmwoAcqMsGBx3CG3R5sS6cIDr5N2u02QVrbEKuhvlK2ZzQWzvqn5D7t-m_SiHDZjh2Wulvk4yvbXfUACeu_MHrmmBAi/s1600/DuasFaces-image007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKnpfnTjoJQXC5576nYcqveC6MDm8oYzUNpBowc8YFsnAp24aWEXmwoAcqMsGBx3CG3R5sS6cIDr5N2u02QVrbEKuhvlK2ZzQWzvqn5D7t-m_SiHDZjh2Wulvk4yvbXfUACeu_MHrmmBAi/s200/DuasFaces-image007.jpg" width="198" /></a></div><object height="36" style="clear: left; float: left;" width="470"><param value="http://www.divshare.com/flash/audio_embed?data=YTo2OntzOjU6ImFwaUlkIjtzOjE6IjQiO3M6NjoiZmlsZUlkIjtzOjg6IjE0MzU0MTU2IjtzOjQ6ImNvZGUiO3M6MTI6IjE0MzU0MTU2LTI4MSI7czo2OiJ1c2VySWQiO3M6NzoiMTIzNzAwMCI7czoxMjoiZXh0ZXJuYWxDYWxsIjtpOjE7czo0OiJ0aW1lIjtpOjEzMDA1NDY4NzE7fQ==&autoplay=default" name="movie"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed wmode="transparent" height="36" width="470" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" src="http://www.divshare.com/flash/audio_embed?data=YTo2OntzOjU6ImFwaUlkIjtzOjE6IjQiO3M6NjoiZmlsZUlkIjtzOjg6IjE0MzU0MTU2IjtzOjQ6ImNvZGUiO3M6MTI6IjE0MzU0MTU2LTI4MSI7czo2OiJ1c2VySWQiO3M6NzoiMTIzNzAwMCI7czoxMjoiZXh0ZXJuYWxDYWxsIjtpOjE7czo0OiJ0aW1lIjtpOjEzMDA1NDY4NzE7fQ==&autoplay=default"></embed></object><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first song brought to the computer from the pile of vinyl is called </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;">Nós, Os Gatos</span></b> by <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;">Juca Chaves</span></b> from an album entitled As Duas Faces de Juca Chaves, which came out in 1960. You can listen to it here and if you like it, you can download the 320kps file from my divshare account. Please let me know if you can get it.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.divshare.com/download/14354156-281">http://www.divshare.com/download/14354156-281</a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span>Jasmine Maggs & James Bambergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11623277466543631943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003299837294754074.post-52453497633406012082011-03-01T20:17:00.001-03:002011-03-01T21:08:19.887-03:00A Pickup Truck & Escravos da Mauá (pre-Carnaval bloco 2011)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;">The first bloco (street party) of our Carnaval 2011 experience (in images & video)</span></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/JAO2pjX2jm0" title="YouTube video player" width="480"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">VIDEO: CLICK CLICK CLICK...WATCH WATCH WATCH</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8W4SiY_zB4-xzugQXQw8v8E2Hm-P8GMao06SGyh75HflPv1F2J1d5KObEWCHnitMm2Hfe69eadvH9O86cbBTqxlyINFXN1Ao0cIuxCEUJg6q4W-JjxFlxWG8ld9g94cbdU5JjSTdm6rWU/s1600/P1120372.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8W4SiY_zB4-xzugQXQw8v8E2Hm-P8GMao06SGyh75HflPv1F2J1d5KObEWCHnitMm2Hfe69eadvH9O86cbBTqxlyINFXN1Ao0cIuxCEUJg6q4W-JjxFlxWG8ld9g94cbdU5JjSTdm6rWU/s320/P1120372.JPG" width="180" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Folks of any age, race or hairiness can wear ballet outfits</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNP_IyyqrzhL19vsyMbvTWxDHElWhF2mAV1CvHC38T31ZDlLIkGhX3D8F9ZIPqYaJJp6tmboKZkvNex66uNmLSHn3kBW0FzJ1srKnKoXBtt5p3HOwIcgNv6nIkz3djsBWD1UHypA2kmRQ0/s1600/P1120398.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNP_IyyqrzhL19vsyMbvTWxDHElWhF2mAV1CvHC38T31ZDlLIkGhX3D8F9ZIPqYaJJp6tmboKZkvNex66uNmLSHn3kBW0FzJ1srKnKoXBtt5p3HOwIcgNv6nIkz3djsBWD1UHypA2kmRQ0/s320/P1120398.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNP_IyyqrzhL19vsyMbvTWxDHElWhF2mAV1CvHC38T31ZDlLIkGhX3D8F9ZIPqYaJJp6tmboKZkvNex66uNmLSHn3kBW0FzJ1srKnKoXBtt5p3HOwIcgNv6nIkz3djsBWD1UHypA2kmRQ0/s1600/P1120398.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>Upon knowing the existence of penis glasses, we immediately went to buy some. There is a button inside so they light up....</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNm_o1tnRriS0Aa0jd_OrFG5N3VEpYeQbsz3ZkUwGFAIIIExHYMD5lau4u_Hr8apudDIW03yyt-4zSjj9LrHgkN66h0hxFhPuRTCaT4kRFyvPg_201wZZD10vYV5EdqDqd68lXcM2YjDTa/s1600/P1120405.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNm_o1tnRriS0Aa0jd_OrFG5N3VEpYeQbsz3ZkUwGFAIIIExHYMD5lau4u_Hr8apudDIW03yyt-4zSjj9LrHgkN66h0hxFhPuRTCaT4kRFyvPg_201wZZD10vYV5EdqDqd68lXcM2YjDTa/s320/P1120405.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">These are the real heroes...the men & women who ensure the party is emboozed.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiifyRSr9g_OSNEzbN8kQH1qMJPhMET9DwMJRlEwROtf7e5qA3lTV2Q0X4RbXuf9PbZC4sMnFDKPqGuqLDooTaFeig_DaawiHbC2B35FleLzp_sNvw520-Q68ozQzA6W_DZXjbCNPHW0sNp/s1600/P1120390.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiifyRSr9g_OSNEzbN8kQH1qMJPhMET9DwMJRlEwROtf7e5qA3lTV2Q0X4RbXuf9PbZC4sMnFDKPqGuqLDooTaFeig_DaawiHbC2B35FleLzp_sNvw520-Q68ozQzA6W_DZXjbCNPHW0sNp/s320/P1120390.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">There are still many little beautiful nooks and crannies where you can escape the madness (avoid the nooks and crannies where you get robbed....we did <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;">not</span> get robbed)</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM2cOdVSeO88pPDYlijxF2iGd32ff5K4gn2WapbWAPPWEKUIBiOkeYeCKiI9HPi9U-NRq3x-R19Eo0RV_HS1ESqxpP9_HWM2vKteyhJUN2age8YIrW-rmxhg0vumhbcAe_J20yyxGL_Cbc/s1600/P1120416.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM2cOdVSeO88pPDYlijxF2iGd32ff5K4gn2WapbWAPPWEKUIBiOkeYeCKiI9HPi9U-NRq3x-R19Eo0RV_HS1ESqxpP9_HWM2vKteyhJUN2age8YIrW-rmxhg0vumhbcAe_J20yyxGL_Cbc/s320/P1120416.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Big trucks carting the talented musicians who keep the rumps bouncing and the crowds singing </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;">------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;"><br />
</span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This should probably be in a different post......but don't want to spam Facebook and e-mail with more things than necessary. Made it in the airport at Buenos Aires & in the air over Argentina, Uruguay and the parts of Brasil back to Rio....featuring Little Dragon, Quadron, The Heavy, Vampire Weekend and Brazilian appearances of Seu Jorge, Milton Nascimento & Da Lata!</div><div><br />
<div style="clear: both; height: 3px;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object height="300" width="300"><param name="movie" value="http://www.mixcloud.com/media/swf/player/mixcloudLoader.swf?v=106"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><param name="flashVars" value="feed=http://www.mixcloud.com/api/1/cloudcast/Mogpaws/bit-of-a-tangent.json&embed_uuid=3d349698-ee49-4ad3-9f52-272cd79d5203&embed_type=widget_standard"></param><embed src="http://www.mixcloud.com/media/swf/player/mixcloudLoader.swf?v=106" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="feed=http://www.mixcloud.com/api/1/cloudcast/Mogpaws/bit-of-a-tangent.json&embed_uuid=3d349698-ee49-4ad3-9f52-272cd79d5203&embed_type=widget_standard" width="300" height="300"></embed></object></div><div style="color: #999999; display: block; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0; padding: 3px 4px 3px 4px;"><a href="http://www.mixcloud.com/Mogpaws/bit-of-a-tangent/?utm_source=widget&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=base_links&utm_term=cloudcast_link" style="color: #02a0c7; font-weight: bold;">Bit Of A Tangent</a> by <a href="http://www.mixcloud.com/Mogpaws/?utm_source=widget&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=base_links&utm_term=profile_link" style="color: #02a0c7; font-weight: bold;">Mogpaws</a> on <a href="http://www.mixcloud.com/?utm_source=widget&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=base_links&utm_term=homepage_link" style="color: #02a0c7; font-weight: bold;"> Mixcloud</a></div><div style="clear: both; height: 3px;"></div></div>Jasmine Maggs & James Bambergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11623277466543631943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003299837294754074.post-21167064495381831142011-02-28T14:02:00.001-03:002011-02-28T20:43:06.252-03:00Two Faces of Iguaçu<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDOsC4qfCFigrjegKARNFEt_v1F90QwVOionBdqtS3QG2fK1ffvINPneMa2kOO6rFsaPo2GefsApoGoBAMNZsom33cSVsTiK0SovD_OH-RlD6hetSQy9cHxVAuWq6-9g9RuXqact-ySW-n/s1600/Iguazu+pic+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDOsC4qfCFigrjegKARNFEt_v1F90QwVOionBdqtS3QG2fK1ffvINPneMa2kOO6rFsaPo2GefsApoGoBAMNZsom33cSVsTiK0SovD_OH-RlD6hetSQy9cHxVAuWq6-9g9RuXqact-ySW-n/s320/Iguazu+pic+1.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After a wretchedly quick but totally tubular excursion to Florianopolis (Obrigado Eduardo e Julia para a hospitalidade!) we took a quick 15 hour bus ride to Iguaçu. We love you Niagara, but, uh..yeah...Iguaçu is just a more graceful and powerful animal. Me wishes to live in it!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyfZZ3DdsneDlszwDQYuZyi6_EW597NcPd1Qc5cSVSS-9EvUgaVM29cZx4PiV1BNpMNT9LZjayVRNvA9-czs9WBuYxDzxfk-qOymj6XwPMaisykuUUY2yV0_2cwgsRH4Ar2Oeqr62wctlz/s1600/Paradise2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyfZZ3DdsneDlszwDQYuZyi6_EW597NcPd1Qc5cSVSS-9EvUgaVM29cZx4PiV1BNpMNT9LZjayVRNvA9-czs9WBuYxDzxfk-qOymj6XwPMaisykuUUY2yV0_2cwgsRH4Ar2Oeqr62wctlz/s320/Paradise2.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyfZZ3DdsneDlszwDQYuZyi6_EW597NcPd1Qc5cSVSS-9EvUgaVM29cZx4PiV1BNpMNT9LZjayVRNvA9-czs9WBuYxDzxfk-qOymj6XwPMaisykuUUY2yV0_2cwgsRH4Ar2Oeqr62wctlz/s1600/Paradise2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Both sides of the falls are monumentally beautiful and when you go, ensure you've been to the toilet because the awe you experience might cause you to evacuate your bowels unwillingly into your shorts. It's with reluctance that we state the Argentine side is better, for we wish not to understate the power of all angles of Iguaçu. The Brazilian side offers an overview of the whole thing, a zoom out if you will, a gander at the big picture.... while the Argentine side allows you into the beast, to zoom in and get up close with the details. It is tourist season, there were a lot of tourists, especially on the Argentine side, but to let that bother you would be a grave mistake.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The video is 86.3% on the Argentine side as a result of us spending more time there, plus the camera finger had been well rested at our lovely hotel in Puerto Iguazu, so it was itching to get clicking.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2PwTvHT1tqJ_bsnC0MnDfjDnKp31feEzxY6_KN0XRPFmNIsyliF2dBjSKHohgkv9iRMczR2bjpNbbsoWRn3ex04wqBRnZlyxMKqLssDR4PAhjg7e_H2wQi1aJimL4QKzU4g0Hi8ICCrVt/s1600/P1110396.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2PwTvHT1tqJ_bsnC0MnDfjDnKp31feEzxY6_KN0XRPFmNIsyliF2dBjSKHohgkv9iRMczR2bjpNbbsoWRn3ex04wqBRnZlyxMKqLssDR4PAhjg7e_H2wQi1aJimL4QKzU4g0Hi8ICCrVt/s320/P1110396.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2PwTvHT1tqJ_bsnC0MnDfjDnKp31feEzxY6_KN0XRPFmNIsyliF2dBjSKHohgkv9iRMczR2bjpNbbsoWRn3ex04wqBRnZlyxMKqLssDR4PAhjg7e_H2wQi1aJimL4QKzU4g0Hi8ICCrVt/s1600/P1110396.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"></span></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The creatures at the beginning of the video are Cuatis (kuatis in portuguese) and they swarm you at the entrance of the park or at any time you wish to engage in snacking. They are basically raccoons but aren't nocturnal, can't climb, aren't as fat and are not less likely to have rabies. Signs all over the park tell you not to feed them or touch them, but 86.3% of people ignore that. Petting friendly animals is instinctual, I suppose. The area also had numerous monkeys, a gazillion stunning avians, mammoth lizards/miniature dinosaurs and creepy quantities of butterflies.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioKAlFDHQjE8Np6h2elWFk5-a34Hm3BBaCNG59zOGdW5bN7_fcrf0WBjibY6dmh1-p5Yy7sBZNv0JGvSBEkdQzhXuWbbVYyaIPuVksCXc47GB7phLRb8ccnAzIxD9WD1vTuZMVxnUXlz38/s1600/Butterflies.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioKAlFDHQjE8Np6h2elWFk5-a34Hm3BBaCNG59zOGdW5bN7_fcrf0WBjibY6dmh1-p5Yy7sBZNv0JGvSBEkdQzhXuWbbVYyaIPuVksCXc47GB7phLRb8ccnAzIxD9WD1vTuZMVxnUXlz38/s320/Butterflies.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The song is a portion of 'Gaio Da Roseira' by Hermeto Pascual. He was unable to work in the fields with his family as a young man because he is albino, and thus developed mad skills on multiple instruments while spending so much time indoors. I feel deep connections to anyone who likes tropical climates but has no tolerance for the sun.</span></div></div><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/2yoLhGbHECg" title="YouTube video player" width="480"></iframe><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/WLX5WLhDUSk" title="YouTube video player" width="480"></iframe><br />
Video 1: Our excursion to Iguazu<br />
Video 2: Other people's excursion to Iguazu in the 20sJasmine Maggs & James Bambergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11623277466543631943noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003299837294754074.post-25707397367491311372011-02-18T11:09:00.000-02:002011-02-18T11:09:02.875-02:00Livin' Large in Angra dos Reis & Ilha Grande<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigkeARNJzqDQtOVmqEdTrjGyQYhEYSe_naDhdjslyUAPSFu6swtId7wkKJh2RFMoTykBrBYoNQxpDdiPtHIVTfbYVCfixbaPM0kNmcKFba7SJIQ0V5zg0OnjBEH13ba4RCzpo1HDCPyJPU/s1600/Cachoeira+scene.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigkeARNJzqDQtOVmqEdTrjGyQYhEYSe_naDhdjslyUAPSFu6swtId7wkKJh2RFMoTykBrBYoNQxpDdiPtHIVTfbYVCfixbaPM0kNmcKFba7SJIQ0V5zg0OnjBEH13ba4RCzpo1HDCPyJPU/s320/Cachoeira+scene.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In January, the delightful unit known as my parents came down to Brazil for a visit. My father has a business associate who also happens to be of high caliber character and he (and his splendid, culinarily gifted wife) invited the lot of us to stay for a weekend at their most phenomenal waterside home. Every evening we were treated to some good ol' home cooking that gave us a proper view of some typical dishes that had underwhelmed us in restaurants but gave our taste buds a sensual massage once prepared by a skilled foodsmith. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhayKNJm00Upmzyv6KLkHc-NyDaFp8Nd7PUm4AmgH2NSpXoI5hTuxzHx0VytJ8-s6b1KpEIiuLIcKDyrBbIIvCULcLh-dFsDMYfOh5QVw7Yw9nQZxe_miOJFtCBehSJtBunsIHLgS1219tD/s1600/Jazz+n+Paulo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhayKNJm00Upmzyv6KLkHc-NyDaFp8Nd7PUm4AmgH2NSpXoI5hTuxzHx0VytJ8-s6b1KpEIiuLIcKDyrBbIIvCULcLh-dFsDMYfOh5QVw7Yw9nQZxe_miOJFtCBehSJtBunsIHLgS1219tD/s320/Jazz+n+Paulo.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">During the days, the boat in Paulo's possession was piloted by a skilled navigator who brought the gaggle of awe-struck Canadians around different points of Angra dos Reis & Ilha Grande. Swimming, oysters, beaches, waterfalls, beer and all that good stuff. The last clip is of the very rainy drive back to Rio.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1R-DeQiE0gY8rcxsu8Fv2F9nOyPeuoj0LszVXvmiEli40wNWsNI2_2czFUPz8OSkKt5PY6_Qt0xNPjdkkUuHyYy8VzuHlGlRxsLBE0iDrBOcWfMt9vYIschLSlDxvsuTfvnclapqefsAH/s1600/Oysters+n+Bubbly%2521.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1R-DeQiE0gY8rcxsu8Fv2F9nOyPeuoj0LszVXvmiEli40wNWsNI2_2czFUPz8OSkKt5PY6_Qt0xNPjdkkUuHyYy8VzuHlGlRxsLBE0iDrBOcWfMt9vYIschLSlDxvsuTfvnclapqefsAH/s320/Oysters+n+Bubbly%2521.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thanks to Baden Powell for the song Petite Waltz from the album É de Lei as it accompanies the video. I don't own the rights to the song, but I did pay for the album and hope nobody from record labels minds me spreading the work of a dead Brazilian music hero.</span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/n5sVWbjVU0k" title="YouTube video player" width="480"></iframe>Jasmine Maggs & James Bambergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11623277466543631943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003299837294754074.post-51191021103835813612011-02-15T18:46:00.000-02:002011-02-15T18:46:20.194-02:00The Discreet Charm of the Bidet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK-mmnolgGxqP-3DuzBT0yg2L7gdvalipRz8_C6Q0vHbzA4JmtvZXtS8lXPVwRcfWA3Bq6NM1g9Y387BL0cbheUlvTL6uCNowhsMN75A_gQusCi0f_MtzEW-hw0eORwPduKFglKVgeizN7/s1600/TOiletHOSE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK-mmnolgGxqP-3DuzBT0yg2L7gdvalipRz8_C6Q0vHbzA4JmtvZXtS8lXPVwRcfWA3Bq6NM1g9Y387BL0cbheUlvTL6uCNowhsMN75A_gQusCi0f_MtzEW-hw0eORwPduKFglKVgeizN7/s320/TOiletHOSE.jpg" width="228" /></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> In Brazil, as with numerous countries, one is well advised to ensure no toilet paper mingles with biological business in the bowl before flushing. Legends tell of those who have tried and experienced nothing but tragedy. Instead, you must learn to embrace the bidets and </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">mangueiras</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (which can mean both 'hose' or 'mango tree') found to the side of any half decent throne in the country. Bathrooms bereft of spraying apparatuses lead to the garbage bins of your worst nightmare.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> As a 9-year old youngster, I discovered the bidet in the lavatory at my grandparents' place of lodging. Curiosity led to an experiment with this novel device, and the ensuing high-pressure aqueous tingle gave me the sensation I had done something morally incorrect. It also dawned on me that I had just sprayed myself with the same thing that cleansed the nether regions of my grandparents. From that point on, I didn't stray from the conventional wiping method until traveling to Asia with my lovely chum, Rebecca, more than a decade later.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDFaFxUUyF90oZ242rOiM-Dfese_GNVQ8GaTNf59RHtL-y0rWqsqLyQ4hMJheKAb5H7ZQ3qYJHj0xyA6ViIcqJJz_QUuR8nFsGCkvHHNIAocLMyN7zWe3kKK0E_vFowQm9dX3CVUImESnB/s1600/P1110414.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDFaFxUUyF90oZ242rOiM-Dfese_GNVQ8GaTNf59RHtL-y0rWqsqLyQ4hMJheKAb5H7ZQ3qYJHj0xyA6ViIcqJJz_QUuR8nFsGCkvHHNIAocLMyN7zWe3kKK0E_vFowQm9dX3CVUImESnB/s320/P1110414.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;">James & Guthrie the Bidet, Iguazu Falls 2011</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> It is only now, as a man of 30, that I realize these devices are truly phenomenal. I do prefer the hose over the bidet as you don't have to move from the toilet and one can control the aim with greater precision. A roll of toilet paper also lasts 2-3 times longer given that you only really need it to do a quick dry. We must have saved 30 reais on toilet paper over the last 5 months. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> But wait! We go back to Canada in a month to a land where the toilets and sewer system are capable of handling waste paper. How can I go back to the barbaric methods utilized for post-defecation clean up after becoming so enamoured with the customs in dear Brazil? And with how much one must spend on toilet paper in the "developed" world, how are we to save enough money for the installation of a spraying device?</span> Please leave comments if you have any ideas about that issue. <br />
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watch this cat fumble with the toilet paper. What a waste! With a bidet, it could've been avoided.Jasmine Maggs & James Bambergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11623277466543631943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003299837294754074.post-90653294858297517712011-02-10T13:19:00.001-02:002011-02-10T13:39:46.979-02:00Photographic Nibbles of Ordem e Progresso<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxSOjF72CBW5D4BDy-KWnyJYFF1HyFC24Iz4eq9XwK8VHRYiegAVzSmBupVLw0yre19zEev0M8fr6t9_Z_bw-bxWWMsHCNOg9DbV-MjMcnuV4F8kv5C3fbqUn9GpG9ChPQcoZomOKWZV8Y/s1600/Our+Trip+pt.1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxSOjF72CBW5D4BDy-KWnyJYFF1HyFC24Iz4eq9XwK8VHRYiegAVzSmBupVLw0yre19zEev0M8fr6t9_Z_bw-bxWWMsHCNOg9DbV-MjMcnuV4F8kv5C3fbqUn9GpG9ChPQcoZomOKWZV8Y/s320/Our+Trip+pt.1.jpg" width="253" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A man-made vessel of flight just brought us back to Rio from Recife. Once the sun has risen tomorrow morning, we will be on a similar vessel to Florianopolis, then by ground vehicles to Iguazu Falls & Buenos Aires. In the last number of weeks we have spent more than 50 hours on buses and 7 or 8 on airplanes....less tiring than anticipated due to quality company, enough good music to last a million bus rides and those inflatable pillows in the shape of a 'C' or 'U' depending which way you turn it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory & taste systems of the body have all been thoroughly stimulated in this time and our forefingers are in extremely good shape due to the billions of times they triggered the camera. At some juncture we'll sift through the river of pixels to pan out the gold, but for now we present just singular nuggets from each location we visited.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Click the photos or open them in a new tab to make them big and snazzy. Zoom in on the map above to get a better idea of the route.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;">1. Vila Madalena - Sao Paulo - Sao Paulo</span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Jasmine surrounded by the most grand display of graffiti we've ever seen. We really thought Rio was the center of urban wall art in Brazil, but nothing compares to what we encountered in Sao Paulo. Being there reminded me of the feeling I got from certain substances I haven't put in my body since university.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvBJECP-A1BM16ttv-vSsCH6_jSdoIUh0d50J54Nr8p9H4XqJM9VlfAyR-JlNqyT5sYZrhmNVAmbPMyvsFWfAYBDN6Njuw7meM7FwHLUt8wDTaogqvNypsUl1Qa2RAx7ty0GqYv8ISIuZ3/s1600/P1090809.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvBJECP-A1BM16ttv-vSsCH6_jSdoIUh0d50J54Nr8p9H4XqJM9VlfAyR-JlNqyT5sYZrhmNVAmbPMyvsFWfAYBDN6Njuw7meM7FwHLUt8wDTaogqvNypsUl1Qa2RAx7ty0GqYv8ISIuZ3/s320/P1090809.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;">2. Ouro Preto - Minas Gerais</span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Pretty far from Sao Paulo, but not THAT far from Rio or Belo Horizonte, Ouro Preto is simply gosh darn spectacular. The heaps of beautifully atypical churches perched up on hills, the immaculately kept</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">historic center and the lack of hobos trying to kill you are some of the many reasons to visit here if you get down to Brazil.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgpv7HBi0_P9rtCW4G2syoAVBejcrM-pXOKt-5nkbux-5T7Lrk_XYEg0ecWtUt_XZ_txpGbWTwuQKzgNtHbMePdsBFWxSMBuM9vcduOpBNKPMRtS_uLC0MSqgYS-4VYyaEa1IwygT81bw_/s1600/P1100027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgpv7HBi0_P9rtCW4G2syoAVBejcrM-pXOKt-5nkbux-5T7Lrk_XYEg0ecWtUt_XZ_txpGbWTwuQKzgNtHbMePdsBFWxSMBuM9vcduOpBNKPMRtS_uLC0MSqgYS-4VYyaEa1IwygT81bw_/s320/P1100027.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;">3. Brasilia</span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Jasmine deemed Brasilia essential as a part of her architectural education. I thought it would be lame. The 12 hour bus ride through beautiful nothingness gave us an idea of how out of the way it really is. Turns out that it's a surreal and impressive city with plenty to keep you overstimulated for at least 2 days.</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The presidential home has emus as guards....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5CyS0Q1QNFJ7i87cNkbl9Abdh8wLqN24_NYOlN1AUOVb-fRdd1eDlFHOeAdk1V5lbibw7yi9Q0v4nHjNcqUVg9Mhk5PEQV3x50FjJ62nUddn-UjT-XYo4gcJHJJYkrMMK_hX0RF3LeCF6/s1600/P1100128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5CyS0Q1QNFJ7i87cNkbl9Abdh8wLqN24_NYOlN1AUOVb-fRdd1eDlFHOeAdk1V5lbibw7yi9Q0v4nHjNcqUVg9Mhk5PEQV3x50FjJ62nUddn-UjT-XYo4gcJHJJYkrMMK_hX0RF3LeCF6/s320/P1100128.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;">4. Alto Paraiso - Goias</span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Even further out into nowhere, Alto Paraiso is a great way to understand the geography of the interior of Brazil. It is also a haven for atypical spiritual groups that are fascinating, perplexing and 'unknown adjective x'. It is also the only place where we felt our security compromised.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJjKyOhoL7q7_n_j4cbaqvfOITGRw1rQipt8xdYJNNRXybDcYReiP_xGFhQwrQd4Wm8sde0DFT7x4_VtrB_a0gW0b_YhdOe-EjPDrt-Miff66iei-OfKp5vLahJeSIA9zsY4UV4zPupRBq/s1600/P1100338.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJjKyOhoL7q7_n_j4cbaqvfOITGRw1rQipt8xdYJNNRXybDcYReiP_xGFhQwrQd4Wm8sde0DFT7x4_VtrB_a0gW0b_YhdOe-EjPDrt-Miff66iei-OfKp5vLahJeSIA9zsY4UV4zPupRBq/s320/P1100338.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;">5. Salvador - Bahia</span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Been excited to set foot in Salvador for years, ever since realizing some of the best music on Earth comes from here. While looking out of our apartment window, we did witness a Canadian lose his backpack to the hands of a local thief, but he was acting like a racist ass....so our pity was minimal. Need more time here in the future.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGXMTh0xZaT5VPUdC2a63HPf2g5EuORaOk8kJxRRP2hoQ4wqfq8GIwK1ls9tFNlkVmQGVblciP0ly9pMw3PLMfl9lKclv2oVLbqW-uukBUPBN9yXgmH1hVzGPmQ5yy3JvOU1LHxwmfRNAH/s1600/P1100816.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGXMTh0xZaT5VPUdC2a63HPf2g5EuORaOk8kJxRRP2hoQ4wqfq8GIwK1ls9tFNlkVmQGVblciP0ly9pMw3PLMfl9lKclv2oVLbqW-uukBUPBN9yXgmH1hVzGPmQ5yy3JvOU1LHxwmfRNAH/s320/P1100816.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;">6. Cachoeira - Bahia</span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Instead of going to beaches, we took a bus 2.5 hours inland to the small town of Cachoeira. Quite pretty by itself, but the highlight was a boat tour we took down the river to a small village, the name of which I forget. Our guide got us on the drink wagon at 8:45am and we had numerous hours to soak in a bit more of what Bahia contains.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs3hUhSnrlqjYPYgtiS3xW3MC7IE3Z1B_74pxfNEwsu2skWhIARKMrxw_Hbl8VprZWfX3LOhZXLMYcbt1F3iThiIWePVAx6rtahfpiBFMjFXtGkDmhUAw4eyDy8eGS-KzXBcWB7GUCeeJv/s1600/P1110014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs3hUhSnrlqjYPYgtiS3xW3MC7IE3Z1B_74pxfNEwsu2skWhIARKMrxw_Hbl8VprZWfX3LOhZXLMYcbt1F3iThiIWePVAx6rtahfpiBFMjFXtGkDmhUAw4eyDy8eGS-KzXBcWB7GUCeeJv/s320/P1110014.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;">7. Olinda & Recife - Pernambuco</span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Olinda is a charming nook full of life, pleasantry and debauchery. Recife is ugly, stinky & poor...but somehow we still found it highly enjoyable. The culture is strong here and the people are perhaps more open to different styles of music than anywhere in the country. Again, we only had a tiny taste and don't really know a damn thing.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTEh-MPcpNI_YzYmJhWnjgAVqLpe7tCzcf8y1yvDWJIgYKiAPSB-lZhTHa8iwTeW9_bElZRbJ6q4Nu5j5KU6YSIoctBlIKZAzme7EVyxsxSJrl-Of2NSrZcX6Wdtue5eClhaxoJRukvab6/s1600/P1110136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTEh-MPcpNI_YzYmJhWnjgAVqLpe7tCzcf8y1yvDWJIgYKiAPSB-lZhTHa8iwTeW9_bElZRbJ6q4Nu5j5KU6YSIoctBlIKZAzme7EVyxsxSJrl-Of2NSrZcX6Wdtue5eClhaxoJRukvab6/s320/P1110136.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFkZn4H5S-MFWFmEOqXdyNpGXDWFRZv2vLEur8mTil5qkntsy7p9p_1Rcj9q1uX8nCkJb1YCeJpiIOLdWBUFXi9lq3Vbv2HVlkRJiv6fu2oRIqCIZEROL-QJ-0MLssVO2tXtbFf4-QCyCm/s1600/P1110181.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFkZn4H5S-MFWFmEOqXdyNpGXDWFRZv2vLEur8mTil5qkntsy7p9p_1Rcj9q1uX8nCkJb1YCeJpiIOLdWBUFXi9lq3Vbv2HVlkRJiv6fu2oRIqCIZEROL-QJ-0MLssVO2tXtbFf4-QCyCm/s320/P1110181.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Jasmine Maggs & James Bambergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11623277466543631943noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003299837294754074.post-12632923667144466872011-02-03T13:32:00.001-02:002011-02-03T13:33:51.109-02:00A Night of Cambomble in Salvador, Bahia<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well gents,we are here in Salvador,Bahia, staying in a sweet and very cheap apartment in the heart of Pelhourino, taking about a thousand photos a day, and melting in the heat of this hot hot sun!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We have already been to Sao Paolo, then Ouro Preto in Mina Gerais (an beautiful old colonial gold mining town), then Brasilia (purely for Architectural Observation purposes), then a little town 2 hours north called Alto Paraiso which James did his previous post on.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Salvador has been treating us very well, we have been loading spice on every single meal and snack (except for in the fresh juices of course!) It is crazy tourist season right now, both foreigners and other Brazilians, but nonetheless we have been enjoying this town immensely. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here is where Brazil´s most famous and flavourful cuisine originates- lots of spice and seafood and coconut milk and such, delicious! Also, things like Capoeira, and Baianas (Bahian ladies in traditional dress selling typical Bahian fare and trinkets on the street). And of course, where a lot of Candomble - an Afro-Brazilian religion that incorporates practices and traditions of Christianity, Native Indian, and African elements combined - thrives. We signed up to see a ceremony - unfortunately it was with 15 other foreigners which sucked, but nonetheless it was super interesting. We were not allowed to take pictures or video,so I have attached the following video so you have an idea of what we were seeing.</span><br />
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Both James and I loved it -people going into trances, dancing, the hypnotic rhythms of drums, some cigar-smoking by the entranced, some yipping and singing - muito legal! It is not for everyone though.<br />
Anyways, one more day until we head out, perhaps south or north of here, and then to Recife in Pernambuco.<br />
Anyways, love to you all, and stay tuned for another episode of SAMBA LIKE IT HOT!!!!<br />
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-Jazz ´n´ JamesJasmine Maggs & James Bambergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11623277466543631943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003299837294754074.post-53039661169600007332011-01-29T12:50:00.000-02:002011-01-29T12:50:21.927-02:00The High Paradise of Alta Paraiso de Goias<iframe title="YouTube video player" class="youtube-player" type="text/html" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/0Vj-SsNOKQc" frameborder="0" allowFullScreen></iframe><br />
Salutations most beloved humans,<br />
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Time is short, our rumps are required on the back of a motorcycle to transport us through these arid, tropical highlands of central Brasil to some kind of lovely waterfall. We are now at a wee cafe that serves Internet in Alta Paraiso de Goias, 250km outside of Brasilia (a lot weirder and cooler than we thought it would be), a haven for ecotourism and the center of atypical spiritual groups in Brasil. <br />
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The last while has consisted of numerous lengthy lengthy bus rides to get us from Rio to Sao Paulo to Ouro Preto to Brasilia and to our current location. We are having a small crisis in that the hard drive containing all of our photos from the trip has decided to transform from alive to dead....hopefully we can find a techno-schaman upon our return to bring it back (or atleast the files)... so you´ll have to settle for videos of where we are scrounged up from ze Youtube.<br />
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<iframe title="YouTube video player" class="youtube-player" type="text/html" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/CddpVMD3jYI" frameborder="0" allowFullScreen></iframe><br />
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The second video has that popular Moby track from a number of years ago....if it doesn´t tickle you correctly or it rubs your fur in the opposite direction of how you like it, just turn down the sound and activate a tune of your choosing from iTunes...that´s what I did.Jasmine Maggs & James Bambergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11623277466543631943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003299837294754074.post-12416006345473161152011-01-18T07:13:00.000-02:002011-01-18T07:13:01.856-02:00Hot Primate InjectionIt is 6:43am and the bus station beckons. We are groggy... forgive any errors of wit or syntax.<br />
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For four months Rio has been blessed with our hooves trotting about it's steep slopes and golden valleys, the Cariocas have come to trust us and every morning you can find them waiting out in the garden for us to pet them. I think that means 1) Nobody has robbed us yet and 2) Our Portuguese no longer causes the spurting of blood & cerebral matter from the ears' of locals. But yeah, we're going to the bus station now and we shan't be back for a number of weeks. That's why you get two posts. <br />
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We will certainly plonk up some rambling and images on this marvelous bloog, but without the computers it will be tough to make the highly edited, professional video and audio to which you have grown accustomed. But click below to get a hot primate injection.<br />
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The entrance to Tijuca National Park is a few hops away from our doorstep and it is there we go whenever we have a hankering to view primates, weird birds, big fruit, hefty lizards and an unending assortment of tropical foliage.<br />
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Knowing that there shan't be too many more opportunities to hang out in there, I wandered up with my chum, Nestor, last week and we were successfully able to interact with two species of monkey...including a type I hadn't seen yet.<br />
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This video begins at our home, moves to the middle of the forest and ends up at the Mirante Dona Marta.....a place that I believe is better than the Corcovado because<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;">1) It's not so busy </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;">2) It costs nothing </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;">3) The view is wizzonkulous</span><br />
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Song: Prelude - Hypnotic Brass Ensemble (Choice Cuts)<br />
buy it....the whole disc is amazing!<br />
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<iframe class="youtube-player" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/WvVFDY-hssY" title="YouTube video player" type="text/html" width="480"></iframe><br />
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Take care, we're off to Sao Paulo, Ouro Preto, Brasilia, Salvador, Recife and more!Jasmine Maggs & James Bambergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11623277466543631943noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003299837294754074.post-53522375943230068712011-01-18T03:22:00.001-02:002011-01-18T03:33:11.614-02:00The Beast Beneath the Sheets<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A month or so prior to the current moment, there was an incident involving a horrid creature as we were milliseconds away from being sucked into our pillows to be deposited in dreamland. You are hearing about it now because over the weekend we found out what it was and the overall picture became thoroughly sinister.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">*click*. That's the sound of our lamp being switched off. Peace reigns for a grand total of two minutes and thirty seven seconds until...*tickle tickle* That's the mobile sensation on my left leg beneath the brown sheets that are supposed to protect those who are under them. The feeling occupies a fair bit of real estate down there, and suddenly the brain is fully awake. It demands to know what is down there and implores the swift removal of whatever it happens to be.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4T1R8Vt1GnnKzpCak3ojeZaW-SZSb6cFLtSE-DJf_she9zfKjGUnmhi-A0UODjN2olg3292FbNKeRz2SKOpY6dFjJQdMFWda9drp3VEVpMOxNMwmwv5G54nN2jJ-b3bA5bSASIuY5OF5p/s1600/lacraia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4T1R8Vt1GnnKzpCak3ojeZaW-SZSb6cFLtSE-DJf_she9zfKjGUnmhi-A0UODjN2olg3292FbNKeRz2SKOpY6dFjJQdMFWda9drp3VEVpMOxNMwmwv5G54nN2jJ-b3bA5bSASIuY5OF5p/s320/lacraia.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The light goes back on, the sheets are ripped away, the heavy-eyed but lovely lady next to me enters the curiosity party. The thing is red and it has a lot of legs..... it is 3 or more inches long and is now at the ankle, heading around the curve of the foot. "What the hell is that thing??!" *kick kick* "T'isn't the tarantula or behemoth cockroach previously envisioned. An unidentified jungle beast, it is flabbergasting and I know not how to react. The wise thing would've been to reach for the camera and let it crawl all over me in order to get a successful Youtube video, but instead I flung my foot around like a maniac until it flew to the floor (the creature, not my foot), then I splattered it to a quivering paste with one of the Havaiana sandals near by.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After wiping up the goo with a tissue and stuffing it in the garbage, the next few hours were spent lying in the dark, wide awake, reenacting the scene and imagining that every single little cutaneous tingle was another one, even bigger, coming back to avenge it's brother/sister/cousin/child. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last weekend in Angra dos Reis with my splendid parents, the story was retold during a conversation on Brazilian critters. Our gracious host, Paulo, was able to identify the bed invader as a <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;">LACRAIA</span>....a Scolopendra (psycho centipede) that has a kind of venom which is used to paralyze it's prey. It is not fatal to humans but can inflict serious pain, nausea, vomiting and fever....good times! (chunks of info also from my father's Blackberry)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anyway, that's all. It was on my leg but it is dead now. There are some videos on Youtube, including </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">one of a giant Lacraia killing a mouse.....go see for yourself as I refuse to taint the blog with it.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1OmCsjKyR7CH9unH53p2tQJIo8kjwnipQ3bwHw6nxN4IjVHJ0t38ib1Isqyg86m3gQBaBki8EmFBGE2KsUVjv28jEbkreQQ59OaElqMrKpuqtPS77S6fUc5HH7mYSZ3XXutc_fsiMky0T/s1600/Lacraia-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1OmCsjKyR7CH9unH53p2tQJIo8kjwnipQ3bwHw6nxN4IjVHJ0t38ib1Isqyg86m3gQBaBki8EmFBGE2KsUVjv28jEbkreQQ59OaElqMrKpuqtPS77S6fUc5HH7mYSZ3XXutc_fsiMky0T/s400/Lacraia-1.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>Jasmine Maggs & James Bambergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11623277466543631943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003299837294754074.post-87841361563360412982011-01-07T21:17:00.000-02:002011-01-07T21:17:23.269-02:00The Laranjeiras Session<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbQFIqf9Tk_Iz6HgEagrAggfd6Ee4mqmkpgX1o7GVJsaMn_rZrXv33obmvT37a3j7I4pJ9ZIBtg2SJTmxqgwi1cIsaag269IVssXJA3hrwwu0DjUF-Q8JFOx_DFZdM5EO95aFX8GwVYg8u/s1600/P1080613.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbQFIqf9Tk_Iz6HgEagrAggfd6Ee4mqmkpgX1o7GVJsaMn_rZrXv33obmvT37a3j7I4pJ9ZIBtg2SJTmxqgwi1cIsaag269IVssXJA3hrwwu0DjUF-Q8JFOx_DFZdM5EO95aFX8GwVYg8u/s400/P1080613.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It might have been mentioned, but we only had contact with one person in Rio before arriving.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A disc jockey and record collector of high caliber who was dubbed Marcello when he emerged from the womb already armed with a pair of headphones and an instinct for hunting the hidden audio gems of this world.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The very first weekend after we alighted on Carioca turf he appeared floating outside our window and said "Come forth, children, I bestow upon thee two free tickets to an afrobeat concert at Circo Voador". Our acceptance of said tickets was immediate, and the concert brought us nought but a hearty serving of merriment. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The months have now rapidly slipped by, Marcello has had numerous parties at numerous venues where we got to feel important because our names were on the guest list. In March we'll be returning to Toronto as the effort to find ourselves with an extended visa has gone unrewarded. Knowing that we'd be traveling for the next several weeks and returning home after Carnaval, it was decided that Marcello and myself would take the elevator to his secret audio lair in LaranjeirasBri and spend a healthy number of hours tinkering with records and yammering about our visions on particular elements in the realm of audio. The final product is now available for you to absorb through your ear canals. Do NOT put it in your nose.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><object height="300" width="300"><param name="movie" value="http://www.mixcloud.com/media/swf/player/mixcloudLoader.swf?v=20"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><param name="flashVars" value="feed=http://www.mixcloud.com/api/1/cloudcast/Mogpaws/the-laranjeiras-session-wmarcello-mb-groove.json&embed_uuid=4c261b54-9aeb-469c-a4f8-8fa267eca2f6&embed_type=widget_standard"></param><embed src="http://www.mixcloud.com/media/swf/player/mixcloudLoader.swf?v=20" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="feed=http://www.mixcloud.com/api/1/cloudcast/Mogpaws/the-laranjeiras-session-wmarcello-mb-groove.json&embed_uuid=4c261b54-9aeb-469c-a4f8-8fa267eca2f6&embed_type=widget_standard" width="300" height="300"></embed></object></span></div><div><br />
<div style="clear: both; height: 3px;"></div><div style="color: #999999; display: block; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 4px; padding-right: 4px; padding-top: 3px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><a href="http://www.mixcloud.com/Mogpaws/the-laranjeiras-session-wmarcello-mb-groove/?utm_source=widget&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=base_links&utm_term=cloudcast_link" style="color: #02a0c7; font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Laranjeiras Session (W/Marcello Mb Groove)</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> by </span><a href="http://www.mixcloud.com/Mogpaws/?utm_source=widget&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=base_links&utm_term=profile_link" style="color: #02a0c7; font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mogpaws</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> on </span><a href="http://www.mixcloud.com/?utm_source=widget&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=base_links&utm_term=homepage_link" style="color: #02a0c7; font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Mixcloud</span></a></div><div style="clear: both; height: 3px;"></div></div>Jasmine Maggs & James Bambergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11623277466543631943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003299837294754074.post-1462397333993423402011-01-03T13:48:00.000-02:002011-01-03T13:48:07.198-02:00The Magic Place Between Years<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieOCtVISD0NHdtep9Jr2EjByKPTqG-y4DEkwqcUQMFUxrkj1WsX8CjGC65t5VxqjbepEXSxROZ_ZG3a0YcQZttfnnYAXGw8wyw3hrx6yut0XIHyNje2GH5QRebisKPDv0E148alfCP-GsI/s1600/NYE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieOCtVISD0NHdtep9Jr2EjByKPTqG-y4DEkwqcUQMFUxrkj1WsX8CjGC65t5VxqjbepEXSxROZ_ZG3a0YcQZttfnnYAXGw8wyw3hrx6yut0XIHyNje2GH5QRebisKPDv0E148alfCP-GsI/s400/NYE.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It shall be tricky to articulate the happenings of New Year's Eve because the amount of stimulation applied directly to the brain resulted in our minds(& 2000000 others) being splattered all over Copacabana beach. One will likely be able to find traces of cerebral residue in the sand for the next couple of centuries.<br />
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The amount of money spent on the fireworks display alone would probably have been sufficient to rectify many of the city's poverty & infrastructure problems, but boy are we glad they chose twenty minutes of colourful explosions instead! Rio knows how to party on any day of the year, but New Year's Eve exists on some separate festive strata that left us weeping & dumbstruck.<br />
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This evening is full of traditions too:<br />
</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1) WHITE CLOTHING AS A SYMBOL OF RENEWAL-(</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">rain & waves make white clothes see-through, 70% fantastic, 30% terrible depending on who's underpants and nipples become visible)</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
2) THROW FLOWERS INTO OCEAN FOR CANDOMBLE GODS TO GRANT YOUR WISHES FOR THE NEW YEAR<br />
-floracide ensures luck in the new year<br />
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3)SPECIFICALLY COLOURED UNDERGARMENTS FOR PASSION, WEALTH, LUCK... </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4) SWIMMING IN THE OCEAN / JUMPING OVER WAVES (James used this as a urinal just like 2 million other people, so I refrained from the ocean frolicking portion of the evening)<br />
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5)SWALLOWING GRAPES AND MAKING WISHES WITH EACH GULP!</span><div style="font-size: small;"></div><div style="font-size: small;"></div><div></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;">our vantage point of the fireworks</span></i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It would be nice to tell you more about our specific NYE in Rio, but that would require writing by us </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">& reading by you... but in short, you must experience this at least once in your life as it is truly an unforgettable night!</span></div></div>Jasmine Maggs & James Bambergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11623277466543631943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003299837294754074.post-4878519772146951422010-12-24T00:14:00.001-02:002010-12-24T00:19:01.291-02:00Witness the Christmas<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><object height="36" width="470"><param value="http://www.divshare.com/flash/audio_embed?data=YTo2OntzOjU6ImFwaUlkIjtzOjE6IjQiO3M6NjoiZmlsZUlkIjtpOjEzNTcyNTk2O3M6NDoiY29kZSI7czoxMjoiMTM1NzI1OTYtNzc4IjtzOjY6InVzZXJJZCI7aToxMjM3MDAwO3M6MTI6ImV4dGVybmFsQ2FsbCI7aToxO3M6NDoidGltZSI7aToxMjkzMTU1OTE5O30=&autoplay=default" name="movie"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed wmode="transparent" height="36" width="470" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" src="http://www.divshare.com/flash/audio_embed?data=YTo2OntzOjU6ImFwaUlkIjtzOjE6IjQiO3M6NjoiZmlsZUlkIjtpOjEzNTcyNTk2O3M6NDoiY29kZSI7czoxMjoiMTM1NzI1OTYtNzc4IjtzOjY6InVzZXJJZCI7aToxMjM3MDAwO3M6MTI6ImV4dGVybmFsQ2FsbCI7aToxO3M6NDoidGltZSI7aToxMjkzMTU1OTE5O30=&autoplay=default"></embed></object></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The temperature was 38 degrees Celsius in the Centro area of Rio de Janeiro just a few days ago. Summer has merely begun to warm up the massive oven called Brazil. What better time to go hunting for prezzies and the spirit of a holiday that thrives in the harsh winter conditions of more northern climes? This activity will be pursued after frolicking in the waves and drinking a good number of half-frozen cervejas on the beach over the next six hours.</span><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDWznVAckuFn5OspD6gx4iMjFq9kCX7BvvcsGNqtIlPWiaaaUiVVhUjBKjhp7BQJhLTGt6iy08a_UuBfaqM4aqxhPtR0sE-qbQ_bgfSTcHoYZ_fPTF209T5z0N0201OC5vn48_Y1NwbKiY/s1600/Christmas+Santa+Pets.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDWznVAckuFn5OspD6gx4iMjFq9kCX7BvvcsGNqtIlPWiaaaUiVVhUjBKjhp7BQJhLTGt6iy08a_UuBfaqM4aqxhPtR0sE-qbQ_bgfSTcHoYZ_fPTF209T5z0N0201OC5vn48_Y1NwbKiY/s320/Christmas+Santa+Pets.JPG" width="180" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDWznVAckuFn5OspD6gx4iMjFq9kCX7BvvcsGNqtIlPWiaaaUiVVhUjBKjhp7BQJhLTGt6iy08a_UuBfaqM4aqxhPtR0sE-qbQ_bgfSTcHoYZ_fPTF209T5z0N0201OC5vn48_Y1NwbKiY/s1600/Christmas+Santa+Pets.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> If you are here and writhing in desperation to see something related to </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Natal </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Christmas in Portuguese), then simply wander over to any ol’ shopping center or department store. In some of these places you can pretty much forget that you’re not at Yorkdale Mall or the Eaton Center. However, do not buy electronics or clothing because your wallet will get a thorough milking. Turn on the television. It won’t be long before you find a seasonal flick, a heart-warming show that involves Jesus, or someone in an elf costume encouraging everyone to make a purchase. You may also head over to the Lagoa, Rio’s large lake, to marvel (half in awe, half in disgust) at the 85 meter, floating metallic Christmas tree. It’s not really a tree, of course, but it does emit a lot of light and colour.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL-PTWbcLiaQqHrjfmgd-H-U6cv0G-XQNXLp94WjHxJyk76rpEtdkyIFf79NFLyC-iuFoyKaRqx71Dge6u2-mbQL_KQP5CxHdLNR7txl-ViXJJXQ2MEC8Cfor_WoGF8lnUlm_5t6AN_eSL/s1600/Christmas+Price+Tag+Tree.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Centro is a portion of the city that can instill a more genuine sensation of Christmas upon one’s soul. When exiting Carioca metro station, there is sometimes a gentleman who wields a saxophone and honks out familiar carols with an admirable amount of proficiency. His between-carol laughter and indecipherable commentary make the package complete. A few blocks away, a mechanical Santa is perched high on a ledge above the hoards of humans bustling and sweating down below. He rotates and waves happily enough, but if the real Santa decided to come here wearing that outfit, he would be lucky to continue living for more than thirty minutes. Not too many steps away from the robotic Santa, an inflatable Rudolph stands on a mound of cotton inside a giant plastic sphere and looks to the next shop, which has undressed, fake pine trees out front. In this place you can track down all the decorations, cards, presents and personalized wrapping you could possibly require. It is a busy and lively spot that is made better by being able to haggle with the vendors to save a few reais.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL-PTWbcLiaQqHrjfmgd-H-U6cv0G-XQNXLp94WjHxJyk76rpEtdkyIFf79NFLyC-iuFoyKaRqx71Dge6u2-mbQL_KQP5CxHdLNR7txl-ViXJJXQ2MEC8Cfor_WoGF8lnUlm_5t6AN_eSL/s1600/Christmas+Price+Tag+Tree.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL-PTWbcLiaQqHrjfmgd-H-U6cv0G-XQNXLp94WjHxJyk76rpEtdkyIFf79NFLyC-iuFoyKaRqx71Dge6u2-mbQL_KQP5CxHdLNR7txl-ViXJJXQ2MEC8Cfor_WoGF8lnUlm_5t6AN_eSL/s320/Christmas+Price+Tag+Tree.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfaRqCEclxgooUDT8UFdXtckG9N3hZiF83kOHoPGBjQA4g0HbxjYuaNtv9UIeJahPTXrdAlRIwMeyDCEODQVkHjNIai0Nx7HrS5cAit-pCXz-t6ih5VcOOgqu2yYqkwGHROvhnVGv4FjvU/s1600/P1070810.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Around our home, in the upper parts of the Santa Teresa neighbourhood, it is also possible to identify significant evidence of Christmas. Outside a small bar, a woman is demonstrating how an advent calendar functions to her chums and a car tootles by not long after that which contains an elderly gentleman pumping out an instrumental jazz version of Jingle Bells. We also witness a plump lady with tight-fighting garments strolling around with the family dachshund. This pooch is not bothered by either it’s red and green boots or it’s Santa hat. Looking to the distance behind the festive dog, you can view the favela (slum) of Prazeres and see that even in the poor, run down communities, Christmas lights attached to homes are a fairly common sight. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfaRqCEclxgooUDT8UFdXtckG9N3hZiF83kOHoPGBjQA4g0HbxjYuaNtv9UIeJahPTXrdAlRIwMeyDCEODQVkHjNIai0Nx7HrS5cAit-pCXz-t6ih5VcOOgqu2yYqkwGHROvhnVGv4FjvU/s1600/P1070810.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfaRqCEclxgooUDT8UFdXtckG9N3hZiF83kOHoPGBjQA4g0HbxjYuaNtv9UIeJahPTXrdAlRIwMeyDCEODQVkHjNIai0Nx7HrS5cAit-pCXz-t6ih5VcOOgqu2yYqkwGHROvhnVGv4FjvU/s320/P1070810.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> In short, as soon as you try to seek out Yule, you’ll walk right into it. This country is heavily Catholic, and the people here have had a long time to figure out how to do Christmas when most of the population has never encountered snow. In addition, It must be tremendously difficult to feel sorry for someone in Brazil during Canadian winter. The woe of not having quality time with family or receiving presents can be dismantled by hiking through a rainforest to gorgeous waterfalls or gawking at the skimpy swimwear many humans wear to the beaches of paradise. </span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><iframe class="youtube-player" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/nuYE7KRE_7M" title="YouTube video player" type="text/html" width="480"></iframe></span>Jasmine Maggs & James Bambergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11623277466543631943noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003299837294754074.post-60285585840449558942010-12-21T18:19:00.000-02:002010-12-21T18:19:28.475-02:00More Music Than You NeedJust to save you some of the work you wouldn't have done, here's some recent mixes all gathered in one place. Pay attention or ignore them at your leisure.<br />
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This is a mix called The CR8 APEscape for the top notch and musically aware people at Invisible Friends/Cr8Apes that just went up today. With your permission, I'd love to toot my own horn on this one.<br />
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<a href="http://Invisible-Friends.com/2010/12/mogpaws-%E2%80%93-the-cr8-apescape/">http://Invisible-Friends.com/2010/12/mogpaws-–-the-cr8-apescape/</a><br />
<a href="http://Invisible-Friends.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Mogpaws-The-Cr8-Apescape.mp3">Mogpaws – The CR8 APEscape</a><br />
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This is a mix put together for Laid Back Radio out Belgium, a big thanks to them as this has already garnered more than 1500 listens. They host a whole lot of really quality music, worth some clicks and attention.<br />
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<div style="clear: both; height: 3px;"></div><div style="color: #999999; display: block; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0; padding: 3px 4px 3px 4px;"><a href="http://www.mixcloud.com/LaidBackRadio/mogpaws-a-mental-stroll/?utm_source=widget&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=base_links&utm_term=cloudcast_link" style="color: #02a0c7; font-weight: bold;">Mogpaws - A Mental Stroll</a> by <a href="http://www.mixcloud.com/LaidBackRadio/?utm_source=widget&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=base_links&utm_term=profile_link" style="color: #02a0c7; font-weight: bold;">Laid Back</a> on <a href="http://www.mixcloud.com/?utm_source=widget&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=base_links&utm_term=homepage_link" style="color: #02a0c7; font-weight: bold;"> Mixcloud</a></div><div style="clear: both; height: 3px;"></div></div><br />
The mandatory Christmas mix. There is another few days where it may sound good, but on the 26th you'd probably rather vomit blood into your own eyes than listen to all these seasonal jams.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object height="300" width="300"><param name="movie" value="http://www.mixcloud.com/media/swf/player/mixcloudLoader.swf?v=20"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><param name="flashVars" value="feed=http://www.mixcloud.com/api/1/cloudcast/Mogpaws/x-mas-soulnog.json&embed_uuid=d4bdd2a2-eeaa-4224-a813-536223968d83&embed_type=widget_standard"></param><embed src="http://www.mixcloud.com/media/swf/player/mixcloudLoader.swf?v=20" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="feed=http://www.mixcloud.com/api/1/cloudcast/Mogpaws/x-mas-soulnog.json&embed_uuid=d4bdd2a2-eeaa-4224-a813-536223968d83&embed_type=widget_standard" width="300" height="300"></embed></object></div><br />
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<div style="clear: both; height: 3px;"></div><div style="color: #999999; display: block; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0; padding: 3px 4px 3px 4px;"><a href="http://www.mixcloud.com/Mogpaws/x-mas-soulnog/?utm_source=widget&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=base_links&utm_term=cloudcast_link" style="color: #02a0c7; font-weight: bold;">X-Mas Soulnog</a> by <a href="http://www.mixcloud.com/Mogpaws/?utm_source=widget&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=base_links&utm_term=profile_link" style="color: #02a0c7; font-weight: bold;">Mogpaws</a> on <a href="http://www.mixcloud.com/?utm_source=widget&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=base_links&utm_term=homepage_link" style="color: #02a0c7; font-weight: bold;"> Mixcloud</a></div><div style="clear: both; height: 3px;"></div></div>Lastly, a set recorded in L.A. for Dublab by our chum Will Holland a.ka. Quantic...one of the most talented and prolific producers/musicians currently crafting sound. I avoided putting the interview we did with him up because I didn't like the sound of my voice in the beginning, but I'll do a little editing and hook you up.<br />
New n' Old, afro-latin-brazilian funky business<br />
<a href="http://dublab.com/archive/quantic-mix-for-dublab-09-08-10/">http://dublab.com/archive/quantic-mix-for-dublab-09-08-10/</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu6Etv1mgNngziQ1SPCsD1dy2nFRVL2-mTT-GMIzYPBOIQLeqnAS0H8LqjsbTPmXPG4vI2yy0-OSP8lwnDTl2apzKNoi50v2bmOJB8ltje_ltXtXLkA1O74BNlP9DhyphenhyphenIQaRwdcmO5kN3su/s1600/09_08_10_quantic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu6Etv1mgNngziQ1SPCsD1dy2nFRVL2-mTT-GMIzYPBOIQLeqnAS0H8LqjsbTPmXPG4vI2yy0-OSP8lwnDTl2apzKNoi50v2bmOJB8ltje_ltXtXLkA1O74BNlP9DhyphenhyphenIQaRwdcmO5kN3su/s320/09_08_10_quantic.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Jasmine Maggs & James Bambergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11623277466543631943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003299837294754074.post-62697185026138866112010-12-20T11:19:00.000-02:002010-12-20T11:19:37.129-02:00The Short Tale of Favela Claus<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1-tx_pNG2SIo-BK-P_oAyQPutKAZJ_XTt4Ts9OidqO2-0hpM62PRKP47owTNvl7Cf2bDnqt2pI-Xes9TgwpGcUFynSbfLF13sFHpkKr6tJ4ag1njFe9q9GefVYvG_CLe-q8OHSJB6dNRb/s1600/Favela+Claus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1-tx_pNG2SIo-BK-P_oAyQPutKAZJ_XTt4Ts9OidqO2-0hpM62PRKP47owTNvl7Cf2bDnqt2pI-Xes9TgwpGcUFynSbfLF13sFHpkKr6tJ4ag1njFe9q9GefVYvG_CLe-q8OHSJB6dNRb/s400/Favela+Claus.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's sad to say, but jolly Santa probably skips many houses of poor kids who live in neighbourhoods </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">where fat white guys are targets for criminals. This is just a kind of unintentionally morbid Christmas poem </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">crafted while thinking about a Santa alternative who could relate better to impoverished communities, specifically the favelas of Rio. Trying to sound like Batman in the recording was deliberate as my true dream is make the following list a reality.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Adam West </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Michael Keaton</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Val Kilmer</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">George Clooney</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Christian Bale</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">James Bamberger</span></span><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Short Tale of Favela Claus</span></span></b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Saint Nick, this fat man surely you know, he resides in a land with</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Numerous reindeer and ample snow</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He takes but one night to cover the Earth… to bestow, on all, gifts</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And the sensation of mirth.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But peer rather closely, soon you’ll notice some gaps….</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The poor kids get squat from within Santa’s sacks.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One man from Brazil did notice these flaws and attempted to become </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a new hero, one aptly called Favela Claus.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Red & white were the choice of his garments & he stole a small</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Van from the fire department. He spent 1 year thieving toys</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From kids with more money, he procured remote control cars </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And cute, little stuffed bunnies.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This story is short & very much broken, dear Favela Claus</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Would never become a holiday token. Wished as he did, he could never ever commit, intentions and reality are different, you must admit.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On the joyous eve before Christmas, he was highly pressured to party, </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By an unsavory human the locals called Marty.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They sang baile carols & danced real dirty, they stayed up late til much</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Past the hour of 4:30.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Favela Claus didn’t go round the slums like he planned, instead he got so stoned</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That he could not hardly stand.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He lay next to a woman with significant thighs, something displeasing</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To her husband, a man twice his size. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Before the sun came up, in the head he got shot, out came blood,</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Not a little, but a lot!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The curb was a colour, the same as his suit, but the heavy rain fell</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And made it dilute.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When the kids awoke later that morn, they found nothing at all</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And became depressed and forlorn. Thus no gifts did they get that </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Year or others, but not really due to Favela Claus nor their fathers</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">or mothers.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While looking for information on Father Christmas's influence on the favelas, I came</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">across this Globo article from a couple years ago. It's in Portuguese, though.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://g1.globo.com/Noticias/SaoPaulo/0,,MUL238312-5605,00-PAPAI+NOEL+DISTRIBUI+PRESENTES+EM+FAVELA+DA+ZONA+SUL.html">http://g1.globo.com/Noticias/SaoPaulo/0,,MUL238312-5605,00-PAPAI+NOEL+DISTRIBUI+PRESENTES+EM+FAVELA+DA+ZONA+SUL.html</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Jasmine Maggs & James Bambergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11623277466543631943noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003299837294754074.post-84645606513978294132010-12-11T14:40:00.003-02:002010-12-11T15:03:33.188-02:00Terrace Primates<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"></span><br />
<div id="eow-description" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjojgE2HuuFulMoufhsrZyfTxPaRGcqj1gHLtejFdojFoW5tlVwCuDb4hqTfyfQu-5DZgsGkUQPcwq7StxT4ZRKAqQEQN3ukEPRhRZLKkMbFvIJwj5gRTXTH9EHM70o2QmfMJfLFF1nPC9S/s1600/P1070764.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjojgE2HuuFulMoufhsrZyfTxPaRGcqj1gHLtejFdojFoW5tlVwCuDb4hqTfyfQu-5DZgsGkUQPcwq7StxT4ZRKAqQEQN3ukEPRhRZLKkMbFvIJwj5gRTXTH9EHM70o2QmfMJfLFF1nPC9S/s320/P1070764.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjojgE2HuuFulMoufhsrZyfTxPaRGcqj1gHLtejFdojFoW5tlVwCuDb4hqTfyfQu-5DZgsGkUQPcwq7StxT4ZRKAqQEQN3ukEPRhRZLKkMbFvIJwj5gRTXTH9EHM70o2QmfMJfLFF1nPC9S/s1600/P1070764.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The last two days were spent ill at home. While in bed, scarfing down Pepto Bismol & groaning to nobody, several of these little monkeys (micos) appeared outside the window. Jasmine was at class, the house was empty and I knew the ripe bananas in the kitchen could be my only hope for some kind of encounter with another life form that day. Fortunately the stereotype of monkeys liking bananas held true. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The attitude towards these monkeys for many people here is similar to the view we have on squirrels in Toronto. </span></div><div id="eow-description" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Toronto:</b> "Why the hell would you want to capture the moment of a dirty rodent gnawing on an old muffin wrapper?" </span></div><div id="eow-description" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>=</b> </span></div><div id="eow-description" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Rio:</b> "Why the hell would you waste perfectly good fruit & risk getting ebola from one of these annoying scavengers?"</span></div><div id="eow-description" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixjAtBb2I_GfNmCg2MZqXnenNLL7iWmPgTjtzm2FERQ9ED1N_mGUWV3CCTQG9sKgvKdFOstGeTMb2E2dvkMNETuQW0JUDeviK_r9Buj1gjQ2-xDpLS8BKQdnDzdWMkWmSz-jLlZqaKa8TD/s1600/P1070768.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixjAtBb2I_GfNmCg2MZqXnenNLL7iWmPgTjtzm2FERQ9ED1N_mGUWV3CCTQG9sKgvKdFOstGeTMb2E2dvkMNETuQW0JUDeviK_r9Buj1gjQ2-xDpLS8BKQdnDzdWMkWmSz-jLlZqaKa8TD/s320/P1070768.JPG" width="320" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This smaller species actually comes into the urban areas while the larger species just hang out in the national park (which we can still see whenever we want because our new place is right next to the entrance of the park) </span></div><div id="eow-description" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixjAtBb2I_GfNmCg2MZqXnenNLL7iWmPgTjtzm2FERQ9ED1N_mGUWV3CCTQG9sKgvKdFOstGeTMb2E2dvkMNETuQW0JUDeviK_r9Buj1gjQ2-xDpLS8BKQdnDzdWMkWmSz-jLlZqaKa8TD/s1600/P1070768.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span>I'm sorry, but being from a monkiless country makes any form of primate pretty awesome. Their little faces and nimble fingers, their public fornication and thieving nature are truly awe-inspiring things that act as a reminder that we are in a tropical environment (the 30+ temperatures, rainforest, beaches, exotic fruit, subpar transport, slowness, frequency of beer intake, shirtlessness, giant insects, pictures of cold people back home etc.... are also reminders)</span></div><div id="eow-description" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div id="eow-description" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, here's just a small video of our two new friends, Wagner & Wilson, who consented to being put on the internet the moment they accepted my offering of ripe, peeled fruit. It sure did take them a long time to eat a single banana and they refused to hold it themselves, the lazy bastards. </span></div><div id="eow-description" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div id="eow-description" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For: www.sambalikeithot.blogspot.com</span></div><div id="eow-description" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Duration: 53 seconds</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Music: Azaxx - Lounging Place (feat Larry Stabbins) from the great new Shapes 10:02 compilation on Tru Thoughts</span></div><div id="eow-description" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.junodownload.com/products/shapes-10-02/1663393-02/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://www.junodownload.com/products/shapes-10-02/1663393-02/</span></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><iframe class="youtube-player" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/xyZY0pbNozU" title="YouTube video player" type="text/html" width="480"></iframe></span>Jasmine Maggs & James Bambergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11623277466543631943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003299837294754074.post-43096247457518511972010-12-08T23:10:00.001-02:002010-12-08T23:11:17.957-02:00Trem Do Samba (Samba Train)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYXys4Q5z4_EbLz-qzoODWt2LVTxbOTjpKfrtcK3kN6geuh2rYELesqWrdF-JbZyPh6PVzu9UfguytVhz53PoG92b2_EZQpCFjsZHnoAzImGDMEW7GjkhM3p5dHN7mOsfDi_PvFUx1qs-H/s1600/Trem-do-Samba.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYXys4Q5z4_EbLz-qzoODWt2LVTxbOTjpKfrtcK3kN6geuh2rYELesqWrdF-JbZyPh6PVzu9UfguytVhz53PoG92b2_EZQpCFjsZHnoAzImGDMEW7GjkhM3p5dHN7mOsfDi_PvFUx1qs-H/s320/Trem-do-Samba.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="font-size: small;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Transportainment" (n.)</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">: The merging of pastimes or leisure activities with a vehicle in motion.</span></div><div style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ex. i) Cocktail party on a yacht bound for Costa Rica (Yachts mustn't be docked or anchored)</span></div><div style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> ii) Watching a football game with friends while riding a horse </span></div><div style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> iii) High-stakes poker tournaments on hovercrafts </span></div><div style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> iv) Live samba groups in every car of a train destined for Oswald Cruz station, Rio de Janeiro</span></div><div style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Please draw your attention to the 4th example of transportainment, it is the pertinent example for this blog post.</span></div><div style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA7hJHWKDpmHRPLGCF4tDyr0ocuuK19StK09wXUq9RKlX-NAT2br8SDIjpQxeW4YAMzPPWj305jm4WSUIE_s_FtaiUjQN36gmRMJEtPjFqKkvh4_YNrVzvsNg777wKdpyEE56BQUMHaU3h/s1600/trem-do-funk-g-a2-20091120.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA7hJHWKDpmHRPLGCF4tDyr0ocuuK19StK09wXUq9RKlX-NAT2br8SDIjpQxeW4YAMzPPWj305jm4WSUIE_s_FtaiUjQN36gmRMJEtPjFqKkvh4_YNrVzvsNg777wKdpyEE56BQUMHaU3h/s320/trem-do-funk-g-a2-20091120.jpg" width="320" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hopefully when we put the words "Samba" & "Train" together, you can make some kind of mental picture because there's really no time or willingness to explain those terms further. An audio recording mixed with photos & a video have been included to grant you a more vivid overview of the experience. </span></div><div style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There was a mild, throbbing excitement to do a thorough review of "Trem do Samba" because it was utterly fantastic... but something recently crept into the room, came up behind my motivation and slit open it's throat with a machete. Now, the only energy left is reserved for watching funny animal videos on Youtube, like the one Jasmine showed me where a mother duck and ALL her ducklings get blown away by the wind. Heart-breaking and hilarious, just like life.</span></div><div style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, instead of wasting everyone's time, let's just say 90% of this event was completely phenomenal and you should go sometime. I'll wrap up the post by telling you about the 10% that was not so brilliant.</span></div><div style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1) At the meat place, you'll see it in the video, you're led to believe that the meat is delicious, plentiful and cheap. It ended up being mediocre, inadequate and expensive. We're not sure if it was expensive for everyone or we'd been hit by the "gringo tax" that seems to rear it's head semi-frequently.</span></div><div style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVaAlE1BqkDaZWY6SVPf6uos_IZQvSZYDzg16OZijzbJT8Lo4RfBZ7FavsUH7PquwcfbPXlFh-yKMk6yqDDdZH-FWE5fCkeVvwupfodKpj2iqrrOqJrvkZE5slb5a2_f7NDLv-fUkjC3L5/s1600/Samba+Train+Pic+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVaAlE1BqkDaZWY6SVPf6uos_IZQvSZYDzg16OZijzbJT8Lo4RfBZ7FavsUH7PquwcfbPXlFh-yKMk6yqDDdZH-FWE5fCkeVvwupfodKpj2iqrrOqJrvkZE5slb5a2_f7NDLv-fUkjC3L5/s320/Samba+Train+Pic+3.JPG" width="320" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2) We met a friendly, older gentleman who conversed with us at length in Portuguese. We liked him. The peculiar part was when he introduced us to his daughter like this....... "this is my daughter, she's 13, she has a baby." She then fetched the infant, which had probably been born 15 minutes earlier. Why was it so floppy and pink? The awkwardness left when they did. I joke because it's the only way not to cry (seriously!)</span></div><div style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you get through the first 1:30 of video and sound, then be prepared for a special treat at the end. It's included because some things are just too sexy to keep locked away from the world. Also enjoy the unrelated duck-blowing video that is the main culprit for causing a mediocre blog post.</span></div><br />
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<iframe class="youtube-player" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/SEBLt6Kd9EY" title="YouTube video player" type="text/html" width="425"></iframe>Jasmine Maggs & James Bambergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11623277466543631943noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003299837294754074.post-50013125363306916932010-12-02T14:16:00.000-02:002010-12-02T14:16:41.026-02:00O Som Das Armas<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><object height="36" width="470"><param value="http://www.divshare.com/flash/audio_embed?data=YTo2OntzOjU6ImFwaUlkIjtzOjE6IjQiO3M6NjoiZmlsZUlkIjtpOjEzMzkxNzA0O3M6NDoiY29kZSI7czoxMjoiMTMzOTE3MDQtYjNkIjtzOjY6InVzZXJJZCI7aToxMjM3MDAwO3M6MTI6ImV4dGVybmFsQ2FsbCI7aToxO3M6NDoidGltZSI7aToxMjkxMzAzODY0O30=&autoplay=default" name="movie"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed wmode="transparent" height="36" width="470" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" src="http://www.divshare.com/flash/audio_embed?data=YTo2OntzOjU6ImFwaUlkIjtzOjE6IjQiO3M6NjoiZmlsZUlkIjtpOjEzMzkxNzA0O3M6NDoiY29kZSI7czoxMjoiMTMzOTE3MDQtYjNkIjtzOjY6InVzZXJJZCI7aToxMjM3MDAwO3M6MTI6ImV4dGVybmFsQ2FsbCI7aToxO3M6NDoidGltZSI7aToxMjkxMzAzODY0O30=&autoplay=default"></embed></object></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When the gunfire started up last week in Prazeres, we stood by the window </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and absorbed sounds that through our lives have only come at us from televisions, radios and cinemas.</span><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0PGcDztnsZHMofjRNuLnVTR8etV6TJItQlTOAMi3FmeRIehcxbohBFy2f7jZq3AAxUU7ejVmN10oACyn5G2_dRFwbUv_pPDVw98gCUM76QDS8DBXIGtkMVm6dMfBdSz1GBjURvO__h8zM/s1600/P1070541.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0PGcDztnsZHMofjRNuLnVTR8etV6TJItQlTOAMi3FmeRIehcxbohBFy2f7jZq3AAxUU7ejVmN10oACyn5G2_dRFwbUv_pPDVw98gCUM76QDS8DBXIGtkMVm6dMfBdSz1GBjURvO__h8zM/s320/P1070541.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My Edirol R-09 digital audio recorder is never far from reach and it captured some of the bursts of shots over the two most active mornings. We were still drinking our coffees at about 10:30am when people started pulling triggers. See the divshare link at the top of the post</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Truthfully, I was hoping to hear those sounds before coming here. After listening back to the recordings, I don’t care to hear them again. Out of all those flying bits of metal, how many hit a target? Did people just die over there? Did kids just kill other kids? That’s fucked up. Of course, whatever happened over here was nothing compared to what was happening in other parts of the city, and thus it wasn’t covered by any media. I don’t know if we would’ve learnt much if it had.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTh6Qa1JAs-Z283spUxaYtb12Xl8E1gNqdFlGB7u8Fau2Lke2FDiQwbUCFxMF8dvG4pyEVjzckholy1T0QAr75MZIfIHX4h5-iSKsGPhPWWcynG1G8xeM6PzFX2ua0OgKwtE4RJ6qDW7Xf/s1600/P1070540.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTh6Qa1JAs-Z283spUxaYtb12Xl8E1gNqdFlGB7u8Fau2Lke2FDiQwbUCFxMF8dvG4pyEVjzckholy1T0QAr75MZIfIHX4h5-iSKsGPhPWWcynG1G8xeM6PzFX2ua0OgKwtE4RJ6qDW7Xf/s320/P1070540.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I doubt it’s everyone’s feeling, but 4 or 5 people we’ve spoken to said that what happened last week in the city was a good thing because it showed the police actually doing something. They were able to finally take over a big swath of drug dealer territory and the tanks/soldiers signified that the federal government was collaborating with the local forces to assist with the clean up. They said it was maybe the first step they’d seen towards making Rio a suitable place for the Olympics & World Cup. They also made it quite clear that they were avoiding too much optimism. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXo4yFvRctS1Dzf8SxyZHQz6wW3YU2XQLjhBpUzGzEsBCgK7rARYKZ2HRoKD9GOipaQ8zG1aKWHh-sR3Oz5FDs3djYZ8L_Dwjobk2L7ByNb3WoAUg47ev-UK9WZZXl3yc-NAEh-yA75ahV/s1600/P1070569.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXo4yFvRctS1Dzf8SxyZHQz6wW3YU2XQLjhBpUzGzEsBCgK7rARYKZ2HRoKD9GOipaQ8zG1aKWHh-sR3Oz5FDs3djYZ8L_Dwjobk2L7ByNb3WoAUg47ev-UK9WZZXl3yc-NAEh-yA75ahV/s320/P1070569.JPG" width="320" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While recording the bouts of gunfire, a putrid aroma arose that Jasmine blamed on me, but I'm pretty sure it was just the eggy scent of gun smoke wafting in the window. We couldn't make the post too serious now could we? Apologies to relatives and loved ones who interpret the proximate sound of weapons discharging as something dangerous to our well being.</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Photo 1:</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Us bewildered at the window, recording</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Photo 2:</b> Jasmine’s brass monkey’s opinion of the situation</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Photo 3:</b> View of Prazeres favela from our yard</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Photo 4:</b> More professional photo of Prazeres from a great website dedicated to the favela existence</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><a href="http://favelaemfoco.wordpress.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://favelaemfoco.wordpress.com/</span></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdnEDA1LyZhNlhNH-rkUHthMXBQarALYECCjknIFfU6PdQReTYRkZoxLTTI3EnaRtR_qBInv7I_oZg9qhCYZq_Sf21diuSt_-yq98Q5LhrXPWwI07FGmhFncxU5gSclMYE09Q_7qGMHanw/s1600/2010-04-21_ratao-diniz_morro-dos-prazeres00181.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdnEDA1LyZhNlhNH-rkUHthMXBQarALYECCjknIFfU6PdQReTYRkZoxLTTI3EnaRtR_qBInv7I_oZg9qhCYZq_Sf21diuSt_-yq98Q5LhrXPWwI07FGmhFncxU5gSclMYE09Q_7qGMHanw/s320/2010-04-21_ratao-diniz_morro-dos-prazeres00181.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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</div></div>Jasmine Maggs & James Bambergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11623277466543631943noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003299837294754074.post-87709777288001752042010-11-26T21:19:00.001-02:002010-11-26T21:20:58.887-02:00New Abode brings us closer to the Big J, and the Favelas.<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Oi Gente,</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">James & Jasmine here; update from Rio is that we've recently moved a couple of days ago - still in our beloved Santa Teresa neighbourhood, but this time way up in the mountains, on the way to the famous Corcovado - or 'Big J' as we've taken to calling him.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> Our move has brought us closer to some favelas; from our bedroom window we have an excellent view of both big J, the mountains, and Prazeres, the closest favela. The first few days we were here were somewhat interesting; lots of intermittent gunshots throughout the morning. Then Tuesday, a whole slew of them. Later, we saw the 'BOPE' (the police force dedicated to infiltrating the favelas) go in, and then go out.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> Since then it has been quiet over there, although today is Friday, and we expect to hear some crazy loud Baile funk blasting from there later on tonight! Our housemate Aglaia, tells us that since buying the house, there has been very little disturbance from the favelas until now.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">It was later that we started hearing about all the police forces invading the favelas in the north zone of Rio, and the subsequent retaliation by the drug gangs they are trying to drive out of the favelas. Military tanks have been going in, cars and buses have been burnt, highways and major roadways blocked in Vila Cruzeiro which the BOPE is trying to pacify, and a few incidents in the wealthier Zona Sul area, and in the Centro</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> The tally that they have been reporting is as follows :</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">23 deaths, 96 burnt vehicles and 192 injured 25 dead, and over 100 people arrested. Rest assured friends and fam, besides what's mentioned above, we haven't seen any burnt cars, or been affected by what's been going on - we too are just seeing the images and video on the news. We're safe and sound; and planning to stay that way!</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> To go back to our new digs, we are very happy about the place - although we are only renting a room only now, we are with a very lovely Brazilian couple, and an equally nice Mexican Photography Student. The house is large, old and charming, and up in the hills with great views, breezes, and with a feel of real-life in Rio. Take a look at the pix below and see for yourself!</span></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
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<object height="300" width="400"> <param name="flashvars" value="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Fsambalikeithot%2Fsets%2F72157625336574763%2Fshow%2F&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Fsambalikeithot%2Fsets%2F72157625336574763%2F&set_id=72157625336574763&jump_to="></param><param name="movie" value="http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=71649"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=71649" allowFullScreen="true" flashvars="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Fsambalikeithot%2Fsets%2F72157625336574763%2Fshow%2F&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Fsambalikeithot%2Fsets%2F72157625336574763%2F&set_id=72157625336574763&jump_to=" width="400" height="300"></embed></object>Jasmine Maggs & James Bambergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11623277466543631943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003299837294754074.post-48680888043893410582010-11-26T16:16:00.001-02:002010-12-03T00:38:20.681-02:00Excursion to Buzios<object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" height="28" id="divplaylist" width="335"><param name="movie" value="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=13332396-e8a" /><embed src="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=13332396-e8a" width="335" height="28" name="divplaylist" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed></object><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The last long weekend (feriada), we abandoned Rio, snagged a bus and aimed ourselves at the expensive but lovely beach town known as Buzios. Despite not having more than 12 minutes of sun and an abundance of soggy precipitation, the excursion was a positive one. The Buzios tourism website describes the place thusly……</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;">Just 105 miles from Rio de Janeiro, a pleasant 2-hour trip takes you to the peninsula of Búzios, whose more than 20 magnificent </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;">beaches and crystal-clear water contrast</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;"> with the exuberantly sculptured landscape and exotic vegetation, which a prodigal "Mother Nature" has privileged with a wonderful year-round summer.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxGW914ubSPoLf6ztdRSwuTnfCrTLC7aKqJkkqJTdK3x8P-Qd8jwA0y2tyJvU3MqSl-gsAD0TtdQ-DLBZKEtWATzpIDlgLa1KXYaMSv3-ra08YhgiDczjXNCTksOJ3rlS8yDT-SQMhdBH_/s1600/P1070367.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxGW914ubSPoLf6ztdRSwuTnfCrTLC7aKqJkkqJTdK3x8P-Qd8jwA0y2tyJvU3MqSl-gsAD0TtdQ-DLBZKEtWATzpIDlgLa1KXYaMSv3-ra08YhgiDczjXNCTksOJ3rlS8yDT-SQMhdBH_/s320/P1070367.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To alleviate some potential financial pain, we decided to lodge ourselves in a 6 person hostel room. <o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.yellowstripehostel-pt.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;">http://www.yellowstripehostel-pt.blogspot.com/</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(pretty decent place run by Argentinians)<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We crossed our fingers and hoped that the other 4 inhabitants wouldn't be youngsters wishing to self destruct, scream and fornicate while us oldies were trying to get some quality shut-eye. They turned out to be decent human beings, although one individual’s feet provided an aroma that inflicted great anguish on our innocent nostrils. The only feasible explanation for the smell was that he’d cut open the carcass of a decaying mule, stuffed his feet into the putrid innards and marinated them for a week before coming to the hostel.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Buzios Highlights:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> 1) Scooter Rental<o:p></o:p></span></b></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jasmine's idea to rent a scooter was the best thing in the world despite it eliminating my goal of renting a horse. The name of our trusty metallic steed was Lord Scootsalot and our love for him was palpable. We scooted not just hither, but also thither. We felt the spatter of the elements on our faces as we cruised to beaches and up the hills to take in the smashing vistas. We made people drive around us due to our inadequate velocity.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> 2) Boat Tour <o:p></o:p></span></b></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We took a boat tour. The tour involved caipirinhas, tootling to beaches & islands, going for little swims and talking to an old Chilean guy about the good seafood in Santiago/how sailing is beautiful because there’s no sound of motors. The scenery engulfed the senses. Thumbs up for boat tour.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3) Muqueca in the mouth</span></b></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Food here was mostly pleasing, but reading the menu prices sometimes made us soil our undergarments. The Muqueca (a traditional yummy fishy, shrimpy, spicy coconut stew + rice & farofa) at one spot, name forgotten, was likely the most delightful thing we have nourished ourselves with since arriving in Brazil. The fact that the meal was fairly priced boosted the pleasure of the experience.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></o:p><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Buzios Weirdlights</span></b></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> 1) Festa de Buzios<o:p></o:p></span></b></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Buzios had a music festival that weekend. This excited us… but shouldn't have. We ended up being a group of drunken gringos wielding big cups of alcohol in the middle of an evangelical pop rock concert. It took us ten minutes to realize that we were the only ones drinking, and that the singer was preaching about sins and how we needed to fully dedicate ourselves to the Lord. We absorbed the surrealism for about 15 minutes until things got too awkward and we started to worry that the crowd would end our lives with a pelting of rocks.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2) Mammoth Snails<o:p></o:p></span></b></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The size of the Buzian snails is startling. They weren’t on any menus, which is something a savvy restaurant owner could capitalize on. 3 of those things with a little garlic butter would be enough for a meal. You could easily charge like 10 bucks, too! Stepping on one would be disgusting!</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRl3z4CU42DemIW0vFThfWfHsafPU13d2yXY4M-qMAgSGj6AohGaP1uDTSD4PvQ7CCNJgIqfKZt7Mk2LOniiwe_Q8ygxxAhbQCM-GRoB_Y0D2ryuFNGYJ3g29o-_1eCRx2YUTyz5qEF-Qo/s1600/P1070433.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRl3z4CU42DemIW0vFThfWfHsafPU13d2yXY4M-qMAgSGj6AohGaP1uDTSD4PvQ7CCNJgIqfKZt7Mk2LOniiwe_Q8ygxxAhbQCM-GRoB_Y0D2ryuFNGYJ3g29o-_1eCRx2YUTyz5qEF-Qo/s320/P1070433.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> 3) Nightlife<o:p></o:p></span></b></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Surely there are cool, little spots to visit with good music in Buzios, but they alluded us. For such a pretty place, it provided a massive buffet of sonic vomit that made us want to weep. Some songs from the bars gave me the same feeling that I got as a child when my parents told me our cat, Snowy, had been crushed and deleted by a 4-wheeled road monster. I won’t get started on the club, Pacha, that was charging 80 reais ($50!!!) to walk through it’s doors of mediocrity. We didn’t go in, but a lot of people did. Maybe if one were younger, single & desperate for action, you could find yourself in a mind state to pay such a fee.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Suddenly, all interest in continuing the blog post dissipated and was replaced with an urge to look for the possum (gamba) that lives in the garden.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">End</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<object height="300" width="400"> <param name="flashvars" value="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Fsambalikeithot%2Fsets%2F72157625517492594%2Fshow%2F&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Fsambalikeithot%2Fsets%2F72157625517492594%2F&set_id=72157625517492594&jump_to="></param><param name="movie" value="http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=71649"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=71649" allowFullScreen="true" flashvars="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Fsambalikeithot%2Fsets%2F72157625517492594%2Fshow%2F&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Fsambalikeithot%2Fsets%2F72157625517492594%2F&set_id=72157625517492594&jump_to=" width="400" height="300"></embed></object></div></div>Jasmine Maggs & James Bambergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11623277466543631943noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003299837294754074.post-64124604885826157812010-11-24T17:49:00.002-02:002010-11-24T17:58:11.000-02:00Brazil - Who knew?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIx2NcXx379I9pwKIc7MkPXZt5UKHXT51EdGbjMAqpqQxYt6FpfngNLbUcSbPz5zQfaLUst5zAhdXmptfmk3c_GeYdFXrI_puaHOsfuknGzdaVGNoiwdHDEfDhecySGvQ1YQajcwjz7GRO/s1600/m6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgelBRyGvmN9I4-8s1LVXWQQB4C88SAJThVlJZpZfLhzA2V_fRb-cUR3_j1lCtAJmK8rdTFViryS7vEK9leHxocqmX5V57f7wmdl4NXwHmitWdNxN6_vqUGkx3CYDeUPh5gAGN6QFqTnDq9/s1600/ShoeSmitten-11468-full.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgelBRyGvmN9I4-8s1LVXWQQB4C88SAJThVlJZpZfLhzA2V_fRb-cUR3_j1lCtAJmK8rdTFViryS7vEK9leHxocqmX5V57f7wmdl4NXwHmitWdNxN6_vqUGkx3CYDeUPh5gAGN6QFqTnDq9/s200/ShoeSmitten-11468-full.jpg" width="200" /></a><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIx2NcXx379I9pwKIc7MkPXZt5UKHXT51EdGbjMAqpqQxYt6FpfngNLbUcSbPz5zQfaLUst5zAhdXmptfmk3c_GeYdFXrI_puaHOsfuknGzdaVGNoiwdHDEfDhecySGvQ1YQajcwjz7GRO/s200/m6.jpg" width="200" /><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In Brazil there are cute shops in the malls called 'Jelly' by <a href="http://www.melissa.com.br/en/produtos/busca">Melissa</a>. Here you can find awesome, all-plastic shoes - think Jelly shoes circa 1980's but with much cooler designs, patterns and styles. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jelly Shoes are all the rage here - at first I was not so into them, but like all things, after a while I found myself wanting to get a pair! In Rio it rains quite a bit, and the streets are pretty dirty, so if you have sandals on, your feet get pretty grubby and so do your shoes - plastic therefore makes perfect sense, as you can wash them easy-peasy.</span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-re8047-lUMOzvsPnPXx4TemrUHPglgY8IoH5MzjF_gyEo9B1O_uSQUuo-8069tlblFIV03UAL8Z2qgcdKs5OSlADEa3uoASZKU0jJvFwllZmn6dAriJjEva-BjmWYC1ZBa5e5uf5HT4X/s1600/melissa_flower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-re8047-lUMOzvsPnPXx4TemrUHPglgY8IoH5MzjF_gyEo9B1O_uSQUuo-8069tlblFIV03UAL8Z2qgcdKs5OSlADEa3uoASZKU0jJvFwllZmn6dAriJjEva-BjmWYC1ZBa5e5uf5HT4X/s1600/melissa_flower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-re8047-lUMOzvsPnPXx4TemrUHPglgY8IoH5MzjF_gyEo9B1O_uSQUuo-8069tlblFIV03UAL8Z2qgcdKs5OSlADEa3uoASZKU0jJvFwllZmn6dAriJjEva-BjmWYC1ZBa5e5uf5HT4X/s200/melissa_flower.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1BbUGFVP4MNhrZNx159FAZFRZLFU2bWo-qYb_MD96JuW_nbxGLhHrU1S-CAQEW1RYd-TUMKBo-ESexczx5F0HaADrtfeZj_tOq0C4x1KLIODw1A-y5PwNbAW8XXHMgEH3v1TEgnAldHNI/s1600/melissa-campana-iv-silver-glitter-17348548.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="107" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1BbUGFVP4MNhrZNx159FAZFRZLFU2bWo-qYb_MD96JuW_nbxGLhHrU1S-CAQEW1RYd-TUMKBo-ESexczx5F0HaADrtfeZj_tOq0C4x1KLIODw1A-y5PwNbAW8XXHMgEH3v1TEgnAldHNI/s200/melissa-campana-iv-silver-glitter-17348548.jpeg" width="200" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have yet to buy some, so I went to browse online. Upon some research, I realized the Jelly shoe was in fact invented by the Brazilians, who knew?! They were apparently first brought to America in 1982 at that year's world fair, by a company called <a href="http://www.grendhausa.com/">Grendha</a>, which was a new business joint venture between an already existing Brazilian company called Grendene, and an American businessman. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another Brazilian company '<a href="http://www.melissa.com.br/en/produtos/busca">Melissa'</a> these days creates the more stylin (and more expensive) Jelly shoes as mentioned above. Here is list of designers that have designed for Melissa (Zaha Hadid even!):</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: italic; line-height: 15px;">Jean Paul Gaultier</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 21px;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 21px;"><ul class="designers-list-menu" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.4em; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><li style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: normal; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.melissaaustralia.com.au/index.php/retail_store/designers/vivienne-westwood.html" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: normal; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Vivienne Westwood</span></i></span></span></a></li>
<li style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: normal; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.melissaaustralia.com.au/index.php/retail_store/designers/edson-matsuo.html" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: normal; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Edson Matsuo</span></i></span></span></a></li>
<li style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: normal; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.melissaaustralia.com.au/index.php/retail_store/designers/alexandre-herchcovitch.html" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: normal; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Alexandre Herchcovitch</span></i></span></span></a></li>
<li style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: normal; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.melissaaustralia.com.au/index.php/retail_store/designers/zaha-hadid.html" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: normal; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Zaha Hadid</span></i></span></span></a></li>
<li style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: normal; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.melissaaustralia.com.au/index.php/retail_store/designers/gaetano-pesce.html" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: normal; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Gaetano Pesce</span></i></span></span></a></li>
<li style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: normal; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.melissaaustralia.com.au/index.php/retail_store/designers/campana-brothers.html" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: normal; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Campana Brothers</span></i></span></span></a></li>
<li style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: normal; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.melissaaustralia.com.au/index.php/retail_store/designers/karim-rashid.html" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: normal; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Karim Rashid</span></i></span></span></a></li>
<li style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: normal; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.melissaaustralia.com.au/index.php/retail_store/designers/lovefoxxx.html" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: normal; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Lovefoxxx</span></i></span></span></a></li>
<li style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: normal; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.melissaaustralia.com.au/index.php/retail_store/designers/isabela-capeto.html" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: normal; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Isabela Capeto</span></i></span></span></a></li>
<li style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: normal; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.melissaaustralia.com.au/index.php/retail_store/designers/j-maskrey.html" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: normal; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">J Maskrey</span></i></span></span></a></li>
<li style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: normal; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="http://www.melissaaustralia.com.au/index.php/retail_store/designers/judy-blame.html" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: normal; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Judy Blame</span></a></i></span></span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So next time you see me folks, I will most likely be sporting neon moulded plastic shoes -jump on this Jelly revival train with me!</span></span></span></div></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_DuGQCTnC4RF3pSAHfGKJglwZdoNUJPwGmJ0W_vcYWPEC_JjjxRzQFtPaw-hkv3tXvhT5dA8Jx3BXWAQ25OLWQUZZt0UszLF-QpZpoK9keBlzgUtoEsH-7yex67jEyAOB26oul1RHzTXX/s1600/melissa+gaetano+pesce.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_DuGQCTnC4RF3pSAHfGKJglwZdoNUJPwGmJ0W_vcYWPEC_JjjxRzQFtPaw-hkv3tXvhT5dA8Jx3BXWAQ25OLWQUZZt0UszLF-QpZpoK9keBlzgUtoEsH-7yex67jEyAOB26oul1RHzTXX/s200/melissa+gaetano+pesce.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ1CeF0uzPCSnYnJ2Fbm8usBiaSJhuY4NJg1H5S7SH3SN9bytJQvTEAzqS-jSf-W8i-FrwAFNjRh8-ZvbcQMrlg4noFtBfB2qiT2J1LnQL4nZeY4i5BOekOJZqZGsgBhNybXmz0-q8MVV2/s1600/melissa1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ1CeF0uzPCSnYnJ2Fbm8usBiaSJhuY4NJg1H5S7SH3SN9bytJQvTEAzqS-jSf-W8i-FrwAFNjRh8-ZvbcQMrlg4noFtBfB2qiT2J1LnQL4nZeY4i5BOekOJZqZGsgBhNybXmz0-q8MVV2/s200/melissa1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
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</span></span>Jasmine Maggs & James Bambergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11623277466543631943noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003299837294754074.post-2442825486997177472010-11-24T16:38:00.002-02:002010-11-24T17:58:31.785-02:00Religious practice from the Amazon - Psychedelic Santo Daime<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For this episode of Samba like it Hot, we wanted to recount a topic the we had never heard about before until recently. In a discussion of plans for Christmas, a friend told us some friends of hers were coming to visit from California, but that one of them wouldn't be around as she was going to be participating in a week-long religious ceremony that involves preparing a hallucinogenic tea made of the combination of amazonian vines and leaves. What craziness is this? We asked her. She was surprised we hadn't heard about it before. I was immediately intrigued. For some reason, stories of strange religions and cults have always sparked my interest - but strictly for curiousity only - the idea of becoming involved with any such group gives me the heebie-jeebies! </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She proceeded with an explanation of <a href="http://www.ayahuasca.com/spirit/syncretic-movements/santo-daime-syncretic-movements/santo-daime-overview/">The Santo Daime religion</a>. It originated in the Amazon by a Brazilian guy called Mestre Freire who was given the tea Ayahuasca by indigenous people there. This tea with it's psychedelic properties has been used by Amazonian peoples for ritualistic purposes throughout Peru, Brazil, Bolivia and Ecuador. The tea is extremely powerful, leading to visions, and psychological passages and purges. One interesting fact is the tea's properties are only reached by the combination of a particular vine and the leaves from another shrub - each alone do not produce the same effects as when they are combined. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Later, Freire founded a religious community and the religion has spread worldwide - there are factions throughout North America, Europe, Latin America and even Asia! Santo Daime is a mix of Folk Catholicism, African Animism, and South American Shamanism. The ceremonies of Santo Daime involve the making of the tea which they call 'Daime', and the imbibing of it, the singing of hymns and dancing in geometrical patterns, accompanied by marracas and some other instruments and bouts of silence for inner meditation. 'Dai-me' means give me, in following the main dictums of the religion which says 'Give me strength, give me Love'. Ceremonies last for as much as 15 hours, often from dusk until dawn! </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anyways, I have attached here a couple interesting videos found on you tube; give them a looksie if you too are now asking yourself, 'what is this crazy amazonian practice'? The dress itself - with all dressed in white, with crowns and sashes and stars is alone, fascinating! Also note the symbol of a cross with 2 horizontal bars instead of 1. Enjoy!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<iframe class="youtube-player" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/4zFRAUJWo8c" title="YouTube video player" type="text/html" width="480"></iframe><br />
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<iframe class="youtube-player" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/pkNsp4WV0LY" title="YouTube video player" type="text/html" width="480"></iframe>Jasmine Maggs & James Bambergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11623277466543631943noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003299837294754074.post-43234851673800072522010-11-19T13:15:00.002-02:002010-11-19T20:53:52.081-02:00The Mock Robbery of a Bamberger<object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" height="28" id="divplaylist" width="335"><param name="movie" value="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=13238128-875" /><embed src="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=13238128-875" width="335" height="28" name="divplaylist" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed></object><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Particular films, news articles and unnecessary comments from loved ones made me believe that a person like ol' Jimmy McWhiteflesh here would be devoured the moment after leaving the airport in Rio de Janeiro.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"You'll have to use mirrors on the ends of sticks to check around every corner" they would say. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"They will steal your skin and passport, then fly to Canada to live as you." The kids would chant.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Although the poverty is right up in your face here, the threat that was foretold has not, touch wood, contacted us</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">directly. The odd barefoot child has requested change for food and some streets at night get us all freaked out, but there ain't a soul</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">who has tried to do us harm. Oh...well, there was the time our credit cards got copied at an ATM machine and thousands</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">of dollars were taken, but that’s not worth mentioning, really.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At any rate, a few days ago the fear I'd been anticipating finally presented itself, kind of. </span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That afternoon, myself and two other kindly folk, let's called them N-stro & J-town to protect their identities, were strolling towards</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Flamengo station as the day strolled towards being uneventful. We were engaged in chatter, forging a bond, preparing to split off towards</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">differing afternoon trajectories and inattentive to the two characters ambling along in front of us. Those characters, of course, created a reason for a blog post....but first..</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Across from the Metro station, no, above it, </span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">there's a strange and random little forested area that seems to be a campground for a particular group of homeless people. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It has fire pits, wandering chickens and strewn bits of enfilthed clothing/garbage.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The only live chickens we've come across in RJ thus far have been located here. See photo.</span><o:p></o:p></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcrdklMqaCsjuGIpRPhfaTigTTfo9i7OEPwfnrdSfPUEAItsHeMp8ZSLtt-QQOmn4okyRg3OKXYIHXenCn32yBcKaokjZcF20yGq12ihkgrdeRyoP898-yareWKA2ZnxuXhNVLep0Kce5D/s1600/Fake+rob+area+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcrdklMqaCsjuGIpRPhfaTigTTfo9i7OEPwfnrdSfPUEAItsHeMp8ZSLtt-QQOmn4okyRg3OKXYIHXenCn32yBcKaokjZcF20yGq12ihkgrdeRyoP898-yareWKA2ZnxuXhNVLep0Kce5D/s320/Fake+rob+area+1.JPG" width="320" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">So, one of these aforementioned characters, likely from that forested camp, suddenly turned swiftly towards me.</div></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Peripheral vision informed the brain that a metal object was pointed towards the belly and the important guts behind that belly. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He muttered something about dinheiro (money). My heart picked up it's pace, packed it's bags and tried to escape. The higher cognitive functions melted and turned the controls over to my fat, out-of-shape instincts. Real fear, how unfamiliar!! The fellow was clearly from well below the poverty line, he stunk like piss, sweat and dirt. He was wearing filthy blue shorts, and an even filthier striped-shirt with long sleeves. Shoes? I don't think so. His equally fragrant companion had a muddy blanket draped over his head, that's all all recall about him.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Within a second, though, my eyes realized the metal object sticking out from his sleeve looked neither knife nor gun-like and</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mr.Stinky was grinning like an unattended fat kid with an open bag of marshmallows. I had just been fake robbed at small-metal-pipe point.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtEhkiSg1LDAADqCw4dy3qpzgkvh7AgR-E3LxmbvOwHdkrpkvUXGYcXXnp9zzwVqd44nFx182MvA6baNDOdm38yho0xGNhdNBgOktX-qAceJMBlPj7ZGAq4BjDnEH_wjFAfEqcuVQxmxAY/s1600/Fake+Robbery+pic.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtEhkiSg1LDAADqCw4dy3qpzgkvh7AgR-E3LxmbvOwHdkrpkvUXGYcXXnp9zzwVqd44nFx182MvA6baNDOdm38yho0xGNhdNBgOktX-qAceJMBlPj7ZGAq4BjDnEH_wjFAfEqcuVQxmxAY/s320/Fake+Robbery+pic.JPG" width="180" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">"Foi uma brincadeira, cara!, uma brincadeira! heheheheh" he laughed</div></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"</span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was a joke, man! A joke! heheheheh</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then they wandered back their bush lair.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">End of altercation.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Afterwards, the three of us briefly discussed how unfunny that joke ended up being, but after a few hours of contemplating the fragility of life......I changed my mind and decided that the joke was funny after all. The situation had been invigorating, no money was lost and it helped give a bit of joy to some of this country's lost souls. All in all, I wouldn't mind being fake-robbed again some day.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These stick figures drawn on the back of an envelope should help</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">visualize the scenario.</span></div></div>Jasmine Maggs & James Bambergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11623277466543631943noreply@blogger.com3