Seeing
I visited Santos, Brazil over the three-day Easter weekend. It was fun to see where my boyfriend and his family grew up. Santos is beautiful and more laid-back than busy São Paulo, and it is the southernmost place I have ever been.
Smelling
Popcorn! Lots of street vendors sell popcorn in the afternoons and evenings when I’m on my way to and from work. I usually don’t carry cash, but the other day I happened to have something that works equally well: Easter chocolates. Guess who successfully made a trade with the popcorn man!
Tasting
While in Santos, we strolled along the beach and I decided that this was the time to finally try a traditional Brazilian caipirinha. It’s a drink made from sugar cane alcohol (pinga), lime juice, sugar, and crushed ice. I liked it, but it was too strong for my lightweight body. When my Portuguese improves, I’ll ask for it to be half soda water.
Hearing
I’ve been listening to The Fountainhead during my commutes. It really takes my mind off of how much time I spend riding the metro. I'm so close to finishing it, but my loan expired and someone else was in line for it. Curses!
Touching
Wool blankets! The nights have been much cooler as we shift to later in the fall here in the Southern Hemisphere. Unfortunately, it’s not cold enough yet to kill off the mosquito population.
Interesting Links
Do not miss this series of posts about teen-girl representation: About the Girls
Some goodies found on the awesome #VeryRealisticYA
Why I Need a Break From Books About Dead Girls
Can’t Get Enough of that Trope
I'm curious about the Murakami one, The Book of Speculation and Belzhar!
ReplyDeleteI still find Murakami a bit intimidating, though! Which of his books do you think I should read first?
Too bad you didn't enjoy these! I hate it when I don't like a book. I keep hearing a lot of bad things about James Frey's books (and about his organization: Full Fathom Five) that I really don't think I will be reading anything by him.
ReplyDeleteThat picture of Santos looks beautiful. Though if you get a chance, try visiting the beaches at the northeast, they are really amazing. ;)
ReplyDeleteI love popcorn! I especially like the sweet red ones they have here!
I haven't had any personal problems with the mosquitos, but a lot of people are still turning up at the hospital with dengue so it must still be summer. =S
Love those links you shared! Have a great week! =)
Loved this look at your life! It looks so beautiful in São Paulo. How wonderful that you could trade the chocolate for popcorn - I've never tried doing that here before - I wonder if any of the street vendors would go for it...
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting! My visa expires in a few months, and after that I won't be able to leave the country unless I want to be locked out for 6 months! So I'm planning to take some trips inside of Brazil until my visa situation gets resolved. Bleh, redtape is the worst!
ReplyDeleteThanks! That pic is actually from Santos, but next month I'll probably have a São Paulo photo ;) You should try trading, the worst they can do is turn you down. I mean, I didn't even know the verb for trade, I kind of grunted and pointed and smiled a lot. hahah
ReplyDeleteHe has an organization?? I'm googling this right now and hope I will find lots of outrageous things to make me dislike him even more.
ReplyDelete*covers eyes* don't hate me, but I read 1Q84 first and it's still my favorite. I know it's fat and intimidating, but it's not difficult to read. That one or Kafka on the Shore (my second favorite). I'd say they are both different from the types of books that you usually read, but I'm curious to know if you like Murakami.
ReplyDeleteI would pick the Book of Speculation based on that cover too! And that's why I don't let myself go to NetGalley anymore. :)
ReplyDeleteI need to form an online support group for book bloggers who are trying to break their ARC-requesting addiction.
ReplyDeleteI had been doing so well at not requesting ARCs, and suddenly I'm on an absolute binge with them. I'm blaming you. ;)
ReplyDelete(not complaining though; so far they've all been good-to-great, which is helping me get over the ARC slump I was in which is why I quit requesting them. Got burned out on so-so ones.)