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At around 8.30 this morning on the way to our Rio volunteering job, Marju and I were treated to a bit of excitement in the form of a fire at Cantagalo Metro station in Copacabana.
Thick brown smoke was pouring up the escalator at the main entrance to Cantagalo on Xavier da Silver. Several dopey Brazilians were still using the escalator, which brought back memories of watching the Kings Cross fire on TV when I was young. Rather pensive to enter the metro at all, Marju and I walked around to the other entrance which is conveniently located opposite a fire station. A gaggle of Rio’s finest were hanging around the entrance, so I went over to do my duty
Continue reading Fire at Copacabana metro station
If you are considering sending a parcel from England to Brazil I have some advice for you. Don’t expect it to arrive any time soon!
My mother kindly sent me a package of random things you can’t buy in Rio, thanks to Brazil’s crazy high import taxes, (which are around 60% when you add the import duty, import sales tax and maritime transport duty together) on 5th May 2010. The parcel was sent via airmail at a cost of £59. It’s not particularly big, nor does it weigh much, but air mail isn’t cheap.
Today is June 2nd and the package still hasn’t arrived…
But…thanks to the new (or at least new to me) international package tracking service and reference number, which
Continue reading Sending a parcel from England to Brazil
Following on from last weekend’s very unbrazilian party, this weekend we went to a very brazilian party – a capoeira graduation party for the kids at our community centre – Tatiane Lima in Batan Favela in Bangu, Rio.
The party was held across the road from the main centre in what appeared to be a garage converted nicely into nightclub with dancefloor, bar, seating area for families and stage for VIP dignitries (us whities). We arrived early to make hotdogs for the kids, then headed on over to party. The night had been organised to celebrate the graduation from some of the kids from one level of capoeira to another.
For those who don’t know, Capoeira is a traditional
Continue reading Tatiane Lima capoeira party
It’s happened to us all right? You’re standing at the edge of the road waiting to cross, when an old lady with a bunch of shopping bags looks at you forlornly for an arm across the road. You help yeah? It’s the natural thing to do; help an old dear across the road. Forgives you for your sins yeah? If you are in Brazil, here’s a tip. IGNORE THEM!
A few hours ago, I was sitting at a small red-rooved Guanavita bar on Copacabana beach, just outside the Othon Hotel having a caipirinha, when I heard the screech of heavily breaking car tyres. Marju had been cheekily using the facilities in the Othon and was due back any second so I turned
Continue reading Never help a Brazilian across the road
The colour of clubbers skin is not something I often think about when I go out on a friday evening (i’m usually too wasted for such cerebrally challenging topics!) I once went to an RnB night at the Ministry of Sound in London, where my friend remarked he and I were like 2 grapes in a bowl of plums – a reference to how we were the only people with white skin on the dancefloor. I was moved to remember my friend’s throw-away comment this weekend when we went to a one-off club night/party at the Museum of Modern Art in Rio – only this time because I was a grape in a bowl of, well, grapes of an identical
Continue reading Would Obama party at the MAM, Rio?
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