Street life

This is the local farmers market on wheels. They come by a couple of times per week advertising their goods over a loudspeaker...passion fruit....oranges....mango....banana....
or my favorite....shrimp, without head or shell. We have never actually bought anything, but I find it pretty charming and it always makes me chuckle when I hear them going by.

My B-day

Yesterday was my birthday---B and I drove up to Praia do Forte, north of Salvador, and spent the day swimming, snorkeling and sipping agua de coco on the beach. I felt grateful and happy to be alive and healthy and celebrating one more year of life. This is what it looked like from the place we had lunch:
Later in the day we drove back home and went to dinner with the family at a nice portuguese restaurant. Then, we came home and had birthday cake. I helped make it--wanted to try this recipe for apricot cake (damasco=apricot):


This is what ours looked like:

Sort of, kind of....it tasted really good so we got something right! It was a lovely birthday in Brazil.

I've been listening to...

Elza Soares! It was the 10th anniversary of Jazz no MAM for which she made a guest appearance. I never realized exactly who she was (famous Brazilian samba singer) but I knew some of her music, and it was so much fun to see her live. At 70+ this woman still sings and moves like crazy. She is amazing. She came out in this sexy cat suit type outfit with huge heels (see video--those haven't changed!) and a huge red head of hair. Her hips seemed to know no limits as she did this samba shimmy shake thing and proceeded to shimmy on down to the ground and back up again. All whilst scat singing with each of the instruments in the jazz band as well as performing some of her own songs...fun, fun fun.

Simple Pleasure #1

Fresh, cold agua de coco (coconut water) is by far one of my most favorite simple pleasures here in Brazil. You can buy it on the street or in fancy restaurants, or buy your own coconuts to crack open at home. So, so delicious. I will pass on a tip, as has been passed on to me by several others--it is pronounced Agua de CO-co, as opposed to Agua de co-CO, which on the contrary, is shit water. Saves a bit of humiliation to be forewarned.

Namesake

There are many things here in Salvador that bear American (or English) names: there is an Auto Center, a Jump gym, a Jet Set Dining Club....there is also my first English student, Jorge Washington. I kid you not. He's much younger and cuter than his namesake, however.

Road Rage

Road rage is alive and well here in Salvador. I don't know where all of these people in their little stick shift cars with all of the traffic lights and speed bumps think they are going is such a mad hurry. People are cheerful and happy out of their cars maybe...but behind the wheel is a different scenario. We're going car shopping this weekend, wish us luck as we venture out with the ragers.....!!!

Cozido

Two posts in one day. Motivated by my lunch---I am still thinking about it. We had cozido, a Brazilian dish that *I think* is a traditional Portuguese dish. I am taking a guess as I first had it at a very traditional hole-in-the-wall Portuguese restaurant here in Salvador. Why the love? I will start with vegetables. Scumptioulicious pumpkin, cabbage, carrots, sweet potato, regular potato, some other brazilian vegetables I know not how to spell the names of and...bananas! They are all sort of stewed up with some nice seasoning and meat, served with a spicy pico de gallo style sauce. Come to Salvador...eat cozido....come to salvador...eat cozido...yum.