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Monday, October 14, 2019

Portuguese, Feijoada and Futball 1980

Portuguese, Feijoada and Futball

October 14, 2019

Portuguese is the language and feijoada is the national dish -- at least one of the national dishes -- of Brazil.  But, the national passion is futball or soccer.

So, you fly a family of young Texans to Campina Grande, Brazil back in 1980 and what happened?  Did they barely survive or did they flourish?

We all tried to learn a smattering of portuguese and it helped some but was of little use when watching local TV or bargaining at the market.

Learn how to forage

Ellen standing on Jimmy's shoulders while picking coconuts. 
 
How our refrigerator was delivered  


Pat and Ellen eat lots of banana manzanas
Ellen, Jimmy and Pat find the local coconut pub
Brian, Jimmy and Pat salivating over Churrasco beef 

Source of Churrasco beef at Jet-Set Gledson's Ranch
 
Sampling the national fejoada bean dish -- something like a Brazilian mulligan stew 
 Ellen finding alternate modes of transportation with Gal Gledson



Where to find the bread man who comes by every morning
Once you get to know him, he offers to sell you a pistol.

How to haul stuff home from the market 


Learn how to rest and sleep in a hammock.

Rooms come with hammock hooks built into the walls.
Meet the neighbors

These neighbors were also our landlords and lived upstairs.

And, the Giles Family from Peru

Mr Giles was also visiting professor at EMBRAPA Cotton Research Station

Beach in Recife where Jimmy demonstrated his canny ability to walk on water.

 

Tour the arid, scrub-brush countryside of the state of Paraiba  
Replacing pneus (tires) ruined touring the countryside

Brian eyeing the sugar cane and Hacienda
Celebrating the festa de São João with foguiera fires in front of every home 
Enjoying the coconut decorated waterfront at Joao Pessoa

Ellen dancing with her Dad to Forro band music in Campina Grande
Starting the Corrida de Foguira street race in Joao Pessoa
Sassy girl from Iponema -- Ellen showing off her Kitten Band shirt



Watching the harvest of tree cotton in the Sertao (outback)
Observing the winnowing of coffee beans at Londrina
Enjoying the beautiful beach at Rio de Janeiro
Visiting Christ the leaning Redeemer at Corcovado

Our visit to Brazil lasted only 3 months of summer and was much too short.  It's a huge country with lots to see and do, but now it was time to return to Texas to start school and get back to work.  Oh well!

Table of Contents:  https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/6813612681836200616/3382423676443906063?hl=en