Dia I can’t remember…

So I got seriously lazy about this blogging thing, because I got seriously busy. Lots to catch up on! I said goodbye to Claudio and Terra after a really, really nice week. Some highlights included baking cookies with Terra and trying to navigate a Brazilian grocery store in order to buy ingredients. Brazilians don’t seem to make cookies the way that we do at home, so it was a nice thing to share. Anyway, grocery shopping was an interesting experience, which made me much more sympathetic towards immigrants at home. Trying to find what you need in another language is hard enough, but in addition to that, everything was in funny containers in strange colors. Brown sugar was a challenge (we found some in the end in the “natural foods” aisle.)  Baking soda was nearly impossible. Even though Terra is a Rio native, and speaks excellent English, we spent a good ten minutes running up and down the different aisles looking for baking soda. We finally asked the lady at the checkout counter where it was, and she helped us out. You can’t find chocolate chips in Brazil, so we substituted with M&M’s. We got home, unloaded our grocery bags, and realized that the flour we bought already had baking soda in it, because it was “baking flour”. Good thing we figured that out before we started mixing. Anyway, the cookies turned out delicious, even though they tasted a little different than they do when I make them at home. I think it had to do with the butter we used, Brazilian dairy products are preserved differently. Anyway, I’ll fast forward through the measuring amounts without measuring cups and just say that the sixty cookies lasted two days! Brazilians love their sugar!

On Thursday night I took my second to last class at Gordo’s jiu jitsu. Ten minutes into the warm up and who walks in but Caleb Khan, my longtime wrestling/jiu jitsu buddy from Albany, California. We knew we’d be in Rio at the same time, working out in the same place, but it still was so weird to see him. Here, in Brazil! I was like, Caleb, don’t you belong to my back home life? Anyway it was awesome to see my amigo, impressive to hear him speak Portuguese and watch how much his jiu jitsu has improved. Shoutout to the Khan man, the 2009 American cup, blue belt Champion! Us Albany High wrestlers are taking over, one country at a time. While I’m on the topic of Gordo’s Jiu Jitsu, I think I’ll mention my celebrity spotting for the week, Rafael dos Anjos, UFC veteran, works out there. I didn’t recognize him at first because he weighs a good twenty pounds more than when he fights, but I was really charmed when I figured out who he is. He has beautiful jiu jitsu (obviously) but also a really nice attitude, I watched him role with a couple of blue belts and he was careful, technical, and constantly helping them improve their game. This proves my theory that the best fighters are super nice guys, because they don’t need to prove their egos. Nice. I really enjoyed working out at Gordo’s academy ( I got to train with a black belt world champion!) and will go back if I’m back in Rio. Let me revise that, when I’m back in Rio.

Friday afternoon I met up with my extended family (we’re traveling in a group of 11!) and the weekend consisted of a couple of days of sightseeing around Rio. Saturday included a walk in the rain forest that was amazingly beautiful. However, half a mile into our hike I hear a thunk and feel something insect like jump onto my back and start to crawl around. I shrieked at the top of my already high pitched voice and ran over to my father begging him to “get it off!” I was totally sure that a gigantic spider or something had landed on my back. Turns out my charming 14 year old brother threw a big piece of tree bark at my 11 year old cousin and missed. It hit me instead where it began to slide down my back in an insect like manner. I flipped out like a little girl in the sand box, and then had to face little bro, who thought the whole thing was basically the funniest thing ever. Hahaha, there goes my tough girl act. We’ll see how much longer my family is going to warn me to watch out for falling tree bark. Good thing we went to check out the giant Christ the Redeemer the next day. It’s hard to be cranky, when you can see all of Rio de Janeiro stretched out in every direction. I think I’ve grown up in one of the most beautiful places in the world, Berkeley California is pretty amazing, but Rio de Janeiro is better. I heard someone compare Paris and Rio saying, “Paris is man’s gift to God, Rio is God’s gift to man.” It’s going to be hard to go home.

I’m in catch up mode right now, I’m a couple days behind, so I’ll have to write more tomorrow. Here’s the teaser for next entry: nightclubs, Ipanema beach (thongs!), and more Jiu Jitsu with Mauro.

Beleza!

Day Four

Fui a praia/ Stupid white girl gets sunburnt.

That’s right guys, yesterday we hit the beach. The weather was warm, but not oppressive and while it wasn’t rainy, the sky was still covered in clouds. Before we left, Terra, Claudio’s girlfriend, asked me if I was wearing sunscreen. I assured her that I had some on my face, and that I don’t get sunburnt that easily. The water was cool without being cold and we played in the waves without going too deep and stretched out in the sand getting warm after a few days of rain. Fast forward a couple hours and I started noticing that the parts of me that aren’t usually in the sun were kinda pink. So much for not getting sunburnt easily. I’m still waiting on a surfing lesson, but the waves have been too crazy for a beginner and honestly right now I don’t want to spend too much more time in the sun until pink fades to tan. I feel like such a classic tourist.

Yesterday I ventured out to Jiu Jitsu class all by myself which was a good experience. Claudio and Terra had a play to go to (a play in Portuguese just didn’t really appeal) and so I borrowed a bicycle and rode the two miles from Claudio’s apartment to the gym. I’ve been getting a little spoiled, Claudio and Terra both speak excellent English, so it was good to get out on my own in Rio and try to fend for myself. I got a little bit lost, on both ends. In Claudio’s neighborhood in Baja, everything looks the same…  The good news is now I know how to cross streets “Rio style”. You look both ways until you see an opening, and then run (or bike) like crazy. The way people drive here is downright insane. 

Anyway, I’ve been keeping busy with more jiu jitsu (surprise!) and I’m looking forward to my extended family showing up on Friday. It’s been tons of fun training twice a day, but it will also be nice to transition to tourist mode and get fat and more sunburnt. Tchau.

Dia dois

So once I finished whining about the weather yesterday I ended up having an awesome day. Claudio and I went to train at one of his friend’s houses. Yes you heard me correctly, people have mats in their houses here. And let me just say, training jiu jitsu in the top room of an apartment complex, with a view of the beach on one side and a deck with a swimming pool on the other is not so bad. Even if it’s raining. Brazilians are so gracious, even to the “americana” (that’s me). I don’t think I’m going to be able to find enough ways to say thank you to Claudio and all his friends that he’s introduced me too have been super nice.

I thought I’d take a minute to make my mission statement, for anybody who doesn’t know what I’m up to. Those of you who’ve been bored to death hearing me yatter on about my Brazil trip for the last sixth months, feel free to skip to the next paragraph. I’m on a three week trip that will take every day of my winter break plus some. My goal is to learn some crazy new jiu jitsu tricks, drink tons of acai and educate myself about Brazilian culture, especially surfing. I arrived all by myself, but in a week I’ll be joined by my lovely family who are here on a family reunion/ tracing cultural roots, mission (my maternal grandmother is Brazilian). That’s when my trip will shift from training all the time, to visiting and being a real tourist. Until the parents show, I’m staying with Claudio, my Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt, Flavio’s brother. Claudio also trains (twice a day!) so he is very kindly taking me with him to the gym where he trains.

A quick update on how the morning class went, for all my fellow jiu jitsuers. Jiu Jitsu really is an international language, because even though I don’t speak Portuguese, I do speak Jiu Jitsu. Everybody was very nice to the americana and I got to roll with five or six different guys. I was the only girl in the class, but I’m used to that, and there are plenty of guys around my weight or lighter. Gordo, the king of the half guard, was there, and he seems like a really nice guy. Because it was my first day, everybody went really light on me which was nice, but I had no qualms taking advantage of it. I tapped one of the purple belts my a clock choke (ha, ha) so I’m sure the guys will pick up the pace on me over the course of the week. Claudio and I are heading back to train some more this evening, so I guess I won’t be getting fat on this vacation.

I’ve been trying to pick up some Portuguese while I’m here, but all my new vocab seems to consist of food or jiu jitsu. I guess that’s what’s important. So far I have: Farofa- word reference says this is toasted manioc flour. I say it’s delicious! Redondo- round, for me a jiu jitsu choke where you roll in a circle. And vamos comer- let’s eat. Close to the Spanish so it isn’t too tricky.

Anyway it’s food and nap time so I’ll be able to train properly later. Mais depois.

Brasil Day 1

Right now I’m as pouty as it’s possible to be in Rio with a view of the beach. It’s raining like crazy and when I checked the weather “Scattered T” storms are predicted for the rest of the week. Whatever that means. I’m in denial because a week at the beach in the rain would be kinda depressing.

On a brighter note, I get to take my first Jiu Jitsu class in Brazil tomorrow morning. I don’t know how it’s going to be, taking a jiu jitsu class in another language, but I’m sure it’ll be a good experience. At least most directions are visual in Jiu Jitsu so it shouldn’t be too tricky.

Yesterday was an amazing introduction to Rio. I took a long Bike ride along the beach with Claudio. The contrast of the water and the city with the backdrop of mountains is simply breathtaking. I’ve seen a lot of beautiful pics of Rio, but the real thing is different. The sand on the beach is so fine it squeaks and the water goes out forever. A cold Acai drink makes the picture just about perfect. I’m starting to understand why Brazilians are so good at Jiu Jitsu. Between the beach and Acai its impossible not to relax. And all the jiu jitsu royalty met has this laid back attitude. There has to be a connection.

Anyway, more later when the rain stops and my jet lag recedes so I write coherently.

Here’s a map of my itinery courtesy of my techie father: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&om=1&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=111565754480209005589.0004793ad89e82f4ee873&z=8