Day 144... Catching up!!!

So, let me apologize to the few people who have been complaining about my slackness here. This truth of the matter is, I've started missing the fam a bit too much and it's putting a damper on my adventures. Having a rough go of it at work too and my support system being 4500 miles away is a tough one. But I'm going to try to hang in there and do better about enjoying myself! Which means more blogging!

So, let's see: I went home for 2 weeks during the holidays which was awesome! Before that, I spent a day in Sao Paulo with Jackie & hubby and we went to Liberdade, the Japenese neighborhood, and to the Havaiana store. Both were fun; in Liberdade they had an outdoor market and the food was spectacular. I also enjoyed going into the stores, they had some weird food stuff. The flagship Havaiana store was beautiful and I'm not going to reveal how much money I spent there. Rest assured it was a lot!

I've just been laying low for the most part since I got back... I keep wanting to go to the beach but everybody says it's soooo crowded right now. Not so sure I'd enjoy that. So, I've been getting my nails done every weekend (it's super cheap here), and tomorrow I'm going to get a foot massage (also less than 1/2 as much as at home). Other than that, work work work. 

It's hot as hades here right now, and most days there are afternoon/evening thunderstorms that are the likes of which I've never experienced. I enjoy a good storm, but these are almost too much for me! But, after a storm, it instantly cools down about 20 degrees, and I'm all for that!

Had an interesting experience Monday night. My co-worker Patrick from the US was down for a few days and we went to dinner in SJC. It had already gotten the storm taken care of so it was very nice and we sat outside at a bar/restaurant (and had french fries with calabresa sausage & onions... yummy!). So all of a sudden the whole street goes dark and we see flashing coming from some power lines about a block and a half away. It was so bright it was reflecting off nearby apartment building. Then we started hearing this pulsing electrical humming... and it got louder and louder... and then BAM! the thing blew. It was crazy. The power stayed out for a long time, some signals were still out the next morning when I drove to work. Eek!

I also took Patrick on a nature hike... well really just a path around the Sage plant in Aruja, but it goes far enough away from the plant to be between trees on both sides. Unfortunately I didn't consider all the rain we'd had and parts of the path had us swarmed... I got 2 bites but I'm happy to report I don't have the dengue. We checked out the bananas growing (not ripe yet) and FINALLY I saw one of the lagartos everyone has been telling me around... i didn't get a pic, but i found one online that looks about right... Enjoy! 

Sage gave me this as a Christmas (natal here) gift... the chocolates were a-maz-ing but I took the champagne home for new year's and it wasn't so hot.

D

Pizza-flavored ramen... interesting...

I'm not sure this is the same variety of lagarto, but it's close I think. Eep! If I see another one I'll try to get a pic.

For real it has been crazy hot.

I'm getting used to just. being. sweaty.

See Cheryl they really do have them everywhere! We should have tried by the park!!

Apparently coconuts look like a big bunch of grapes when they're still on the stem.

Yep. Those are chicken feet.

Liberdade with Jackie & Rafa

They were cooking up some good stuff at the market on Liberdade. That one chick doesn't look too happy about it though does she??

Liberdade

And then it monsooned...

I think these are so fun!!

Sao Paulo... random. I bought that bag at the street market, I love it!

Mmmm nothing like some fresh mango juice on a hot day...

In the Havaiana store in Sao Paulo

I bought a LOT of Havaianas.

This is all the stuff I took home for Christmas... under the customs threshold mind you!!!