Pictures still not working

It's terrible the photos won't upload because they're beautiful! Yesterday we hiked to a waterfall across rugged terrain, and today we had a wonderful time at a house on the lake with a garden full of fruit trees, ones I have never heard of or seen. And we saw a stork eat a huge fish and a small monkey steal cookies off the porch. Amazing.


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App troubled

This app isn't letting me post many photos, sorry. I will have to try to illustrate the previous posts separately!
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Fogo de Chão

After the fair, we went to the churrascaria Fogo de Chão for steak. The quality and flavor of the food was insanely good. Waiters in floppy gaucho pants bring steak to your plate faster than you can slice it, much less finish your salad and cheesy pão de quejo rolls. My favorite of the 15 options was the fragelina- the bottom sirloin.

The meat roasts for hours in fire pits. Its weird because the restaurant is so expensive at home, but its the same price here but nobody pays attention because everything is that expensive! Taxes on goods are really high - wine is quadruple price. Insane. Would be hard to cope with that for long. After this we had food comas and slept until the final soccer games of the season started.

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Domingo

This morning we saw an adorable children's Christmas play at the Lutheran church.
Good thing I knew the story because I didn't understand a word.

Then we went for a walk around a craft market outside the TV tower. It was filled with jewelry, wooden objects, paintings, and other crafts like these flowers made from leaves.

We took an elevator ride to the top of the tower for a view of the city. This is the esplanade - with the Congress and government buildings and a catholic cathedral shaped like a crown.

This is the stadium the city is building for the World Cup, even though it doesn't have a team. You can also see the market stalls.


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After this, we went to the churrascaria Fogo de Chão for steak. The quality and flavor of the food was insanely good. Waiters in floppy gaucho pants bring steak to your plate faster than you can slice it, much less finish your salad and cheesy pão de quejo rolls. My favorite of the 15 options was the fragelina- the bottom sirloin.



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Sightseeing

After a breakfast of fresh mango, big papaya, strong coffee and toast, we took a trip around the city. This time I had my camera!

We went to the Presidents House


And saw giant goldfish


And a beautiful bird. There's another one called Jean de 'mud' (insert português word).


And the guards


Mango trees are everywhere. All the trees and plants are huge, mostly because of the 12 month growing season. It's 75 all year long. So there are bouganvillas and hibiscus the size of trees.


We also went to the lakeside called pontão, which is gorgeous.


And doesn't it look like Miami?


There is a famous suspension bridge (ponte!) in the background. Here are Marcio's dad, brother Bruno and future sister-in-law Issa.


Everything reminds me of part France, part India, and part Florida. It's beautiful.

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Here!

Worry no more, I have arrived in Brazil. The flight was less than perfect, but Brasilia has been wonderful. Marcio's parents picked me up and pampered me until Marcio arrived around 6 pm.

Brasilia is gorgeous - parts of it remind me of Miami. The city was planned, and it's shaped like an airplane. Marcio's family lives on the north wing :.). The body is comprised of government buildings and monuments and banks.

I had a three hour nap but still feel like nodding off... That could be from all the delicious cuisine: chicken, beans, rice, veggies and more. So much food! More details tomorrow. Até logo.



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Relay the Delay

We're still on the ground, and everyone is antsy! One hour delayed already :-(


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Brasilia! Agora!

This isn't a sentence that is possible to truthfully write very often, but today I'm going to Brazil. Eu vou viagem no Brasilia. It's still feeling like a surprise despite the fact that the ticket was purchased in July!

I'm going to visit the capital city of Brasilia (not its historic capital of Rio!, alas).

And some special people living there, Marcio's family.

Leaving behind:
Houston's Skyline


And the cat :-( She really wanted to come along to see the jungle cats and giant insects. I miss her already.


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By the Way, I Moved to Houston

I haven't gotten to go on many travel adventures this summer... But there has been a mother/daughter trip to Fredericksburg and two trips to Galveston!

Houston has more than exceeded expectations, it's wonderful having so many restaurants and events and friends all in one city! I live in a quiet third-floor apartment that over looks an offshoot of Buffalo Bayou, so the trees outside look like a rain forest. The graveyard shift has taken some adjustment, but I love getting paid to read the news...

Hope everything is well with you readers out there. The next major posts will be from... BRAZIL. I can hardly wait for December.

Mississippi By Air

The curved bend you see in front of the plane's engine is the flooded Mississippi!


I'm en route to give my regards to old Broadway and several dear friends in New York!

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Location:37,000 Feet Up

Sky Mall Classics & Most Wanted

Sky Mall is my new favorite sit-down comedian. 

(1) "Bigfoot,The Garden Yeti" Statue

"With his characteristically big feet, our more than two-foot-tall Garden Yeti Statue will have guests doing a double-take as they admire your creative decor style! Available exclusively through Toscano, our Bigfoot, the Garden Yeti sculpture commands a unique presence in home or garden." 


I think this is code for "This huge garden ogre will likely frighten visitors and friends. They will be unable to stop staring in disbelief as they wonder why their acquaintance would ever spend over $100 on a statue of a Yeti and leave it outside. No other company would make this product, so we cornered the market in order to prey on tacky Americans."




2.) The "Freedom's Pride" Wall Sculpture

"If God is indeed 'in the details,' then this incredible eagle speaks to the American spirit. Each talon and feather is intricately sculpted by artist Lightfoot, cast in quality designer resin and hand-painted in a three-dimensional work of art that extends more than eight inches from the wall." 

Let's analyze how many fallacies there are in this paragraph... What does God being in the details have to do with allowing a sculpture to speak to the American spirit? This sentence could be boiled down to 5 words but instead it elaborates with rhetorical flair targeting typical soft spots - religion, nationalism, and Native Americans.




3. "The Zombie of Montclaire Moors" Statue

This was my favorite description in the whole magazine. "Not for the faint of heart, this Toscano-exclusive, life-size, gray-toned Zombie will claw his way out of your garden plot, office or family room corner, pleading for assistance with the eeriest eyes you've ever seen. Captured in designer resin with meticulous detail and finished so realistically that you'll swear you can hear him groaning."  

I don't know where to start on this redundancy-inducing, hypen-proliferating, creep-o-inflator of a paragraph. Why are its suggested placement options only garden plot, office and family room? Why not coat closet or guest bathroom?  




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Graduation in 7 Days!

Look at those diploma tubes.

Thanks to Indian Security Strategy

I'm in Evans library writing a paper on India's misguided security strategy known as Cold Start and missing THIS:


The rabbit might also be needing a new security strategy...

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Location:Spence St,College Station,United States

How interested are other people in hearing about my cat?

Because I talk about the Orange Agent a lot. 

To answer this question, Dori referred me to this video...

(I love Dmetri Martin)

The segment at 4:00 has nothing to do with me. 

What option do I have when this face follows me around?

Most Horrible Thing I've Ever Seen

Not only is this monster(ous) truck painted burned longhorn orange, it is taking up TWO handicapped parking spots.


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Brison Park

Not a soul in sight on a busy afternoon


Birds sing and trees bloom


Spring is perfect in this park


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Location:Lee Ave,College Station,United States

Shadows

Street Art

British Bicycle Tomfoolery

Last Day in London...

Well, we're back now following the Charles Dickens Museum

Royal Wedding Walk

And tea at Fortnum and Mason Foodhall

 I have so many photos to post... They weather was gorgeous, and the light cooperated our last day! 

I love this duck because the feathers on top of his head look like a toupee!
There are loads more photo series to post, so stay tuned!

Artful dodgers

Today we were in a museum roughly the same amount of time as a pub. Perfect proportion!

Highlights: Dori's locker key that looks like a duck


The original game of life


And a street photography exhibit!

The others are all documented on my real camera and will be shared later!

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Miscellany

Royal wedding mania!!!
I love the tea towels, plates, mugs, spoons and even tea that have the royal portraits on them. Apparently Brits only want to intensely focus on the wedding during tea time?


Also, in other tea news, look at the world leaders of 'DemocraTea'! Notice Putins wad of cash and Berlisconi's pizza!!


Patriotic 'passion for British' water bottles!


Mom and I in Covent Garden


And a pretty lamppost.


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Marmite un-love

Marmite despite your heart shaped size, I love you not.


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Drizzles

Things I love so far:
- Waking up on this street


- Daffodil and tulip-filled window boxes
- eating at pret-a-manger twice in five hours
- Mom and Dori both accidentally pulling an emergency alarm cord in a bathroom instead of the flusher
- Not being able to identify all the languages swirling in the air
- seeing a vintage bicycle with white wheels and a gleaming brass bell then another bike covered on wrapping paper
- Portland vase and sutton hoo treasures at the British museum
- Fire burning chimneys
- A reason to drink hot tea (it's 40 degrees!)
- This maroon toilet spotted in Trattoria Mondello that raises so many design questions...


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Location:London,United Kingdom

2011 London Cheese & Wine Festival

How could London have known this is exactly what I needed after 8 weeks of grad school stress?

A cheese and wine festival? That's FREE? With talks on chocolate, fromage and olive oil? 

As soon as I think no trip to London could be as fantastic as the one before, the city goes and proves me wrong again. The festival lasts approximately the duration of our trip, and this can be no coincidence!

Midweek in Brookshire

Bridey Bren gave me the honor of being the first overnight guest chez Les Varva.


This was marvelous and included fajitas, blueberry pancakes, loads of catching up


And going to visit Anne and one-month-old Samuel!!! He's adorable and such a wonderful little baby!


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