Month: January 2014

Friday, 31 January 2014 DAY 650 307 MOON 23 NEW 0%
Ezra and Viena have both been reaching out for attention all day long. One of the problems with living here is that Dwana does not feel comfortable going out with the children by herself, except to the local markets. So, I am always involved with giving everyone outside activity. I am very comfortable going out by myself and running the trail and going to Centro with the kids. So, when I am gone in the morning on a run for 4 hours into Centro to buy cashews and Castanas da para, and other things, everyone else is inside. And when I return home, the day has already become too hot to venture for great length outside and there is not really a hospitable place like a park or playground nearby like in Madrid. We think only of air-conditioned places and that means money for the bus and usually money for things spent at the mall. So then, we are inside all day or at least Ezra Viena and Dwana are inside, and our place heats up inside and becomes stuffy. Last night was so hot and stuffy. So, with constant hot and stuffy, lack of exercise, Ezra and Viena go bonkers. They usually trade off days. Today was Ezra’s day to go bonkers. He has exhausted all the batteries with his train. He is dressed for Sunday school n his yellow buttoned shirt and plaid shorts. I wish we had a shaded yard. Go play in the yard. Someday.

Thursday, 30 January 2014 DAY 649 306 MOON 22 WANING 5%
I went for a run early before the temperatures rise to high. I left around 7:00am, but even that was almost too late. The sun comes over the mountains shortly afterwards. I ran a little on the road, caught a bus, and then ran the rest on the BeiraMar and then over to Trinadade and then back home through Joao Paulo and Saco Grande. By the time I arrived home, I was spent and drenched with sweat. Going to be another hot day 40C 104F. The power went off at 2pm just like yesterday. That means no fans. I was running back faster because I wanted to be here when the delivery from Angeloni arrived at 9:00am. They did not arrive until after 3pm, after numerous calls. I stopped calling because the phone went dead with the power outage. Dwana and I were seated in the shaded step enjoying a snack and a warm breeze, when the delivery guy showed up. Finally. Good to be reunited with your groceries. Viena mentioned walking to the big rock at 7pm. The sun was still warm. I said OK. I packed too big water bottles and we took off and made it to the flat rock in less than 30 minutes. Viena is a strong hiker. We lost the big blue water bottle and my core shorts max strength max smell under amour that I stashed near the side of the trail. Hard to believe that someone would take those two items from the side of the trail, but I guess they needed is, or thought it was discarded. I guess I am becoming a little soft on my safety. Let this be a reminder … of the world we live in.

Wednesday, 29 January 2014 DAY 648 305 MOON 22 WANING 11%
I have been eating well and running and reading Scott Jurek’s book EAT and RUN. Scott is also a physical therapist. What a path he has taken. Today is hot, another hot summer day. We missed the 5am bus, but we were able to catch the 6am bus, heading to Praia Brava. The sun was just surfacing from the horizon as the bus reached the Ponto Final. Interesting how quiet the morning bus is. We saw the sliver of the moon and the planet Venus for the sun rise. Tomorrow will be the New Moon. This will be our last moon on this journey. Good to see the smiling sliver. We will see you again in the States. The waves at Praia Brava were bunched up, but we had brought the boogie boards so Ezra and Viena had fun zooming in to the shore on the waves. I should have taken more photos but the sun was already too bright, too bright. I brought the soccer ball also, but Ezra only played with tit for 45 seconds. Not bringing the soccer ball again to the beach. The sun was bright and hot and we left for the Executivo Bus around 11:00am. Relaxing in air conditioning is so nice. At home it was too hot. The power to the neighborhood was shut off, so we left again on the bus to seek shelter in the mall. We saw an alligator laying out by the mall in the ditch, interesting, right by the overpass. The head was about 1 foot long sticking out of the water. We have seen so many creatures on this tip. I did some shopping at Angeloni for delivery tomorrow. We walked back to the Trinidade Terminal just as the sun was going behind Morro do Cruz. We made it home and started preparing for what would be a very hot night.

Tuesday, 28 January 2014 DAY 647 304 MOON 22 WANING 18%
We did not see any monkeys today, but Viena did find a giant rubber ant on our walk to the flat rock, and she has been trying to scare people with it ever since. We also saw a big bee hive in the making. It was pretty eerie staring straight up at all those busy strange looking bees making a bee hive. The bees looked like yellow white bodied bees. The bee hive looked like a big led lamp hanging from the tree right near the cave. We took our time on the walk and had a picnic on the flat rock. There was a good cool breeze. The sun was hidden most of the time behind a cloudy mountain mist, and we were glad. We could look out on all of Florianópolis. We heard the noises of the jungle, the screeching of the cicadas, the songs of the birds, and a natural rockslide somewhere. Amazing! The jungle is so alive. I wish I had just one person who likes to go and explore in the jungle. Not André. Not Dwana. Well, Dwana would if we had child care. Usually I just need to jungle myself out every month. Just over 3 weeks remaining, so I am probably going to stick with the low-risk adventures. Maybe I will run over to Lagoa today on the trail. We will see. Butterflies. Dragonflies. Orange. Red. Ezra is climbing well through the water chutes of red. However, he was the first one to slide and take a tumble. Oouch! Scratch! And yes, we must move on. Move forward. Progress. Smart Intelligent. Funny. You never see that in a Job application. Yes, I did go for a high-risk run in the jungle and the trail did lead somewhere – right back to where I started from, all over again. And I saw another monkey, a bigger one this time. And I saw white butterflies that led me along the trail and guided me home.

Monday, 27 January 2014 DAY 646 303 MOON 22 WANING 25%
I went on a run to the big rock, a fast run. The run took me 30 minutes to reach the big rock. This would have been a 2 plus hour walk with Ezra at least. The trail was dry since we have had little rain, but the jungle is still so green and thick. It is amazing that we have jungle sound so close to our home. I ran into two horses just grazing on the trail high in the jungle, spectacular creatures. Had I encountered any other beast that size on the trail, I surely would have had to find another way or turn around. The evening sun was still very hot at 6pm. The sunset around 8pm. Ezra Viena and I left Dwana at home this morning and we went on a walk, the circle walk of Saco Grande. First, we stopped at the jungle sidewalk to play some fútbol. Already too hot to run, so we just kicked around the soccer ball. We saw a hawk (I thought it was a monkey) deep in the trees waiting for his next meal. We then walked to the Mall and ate McLanches Feliz and 2 for 1 Açai drinks. Delicious. Gostoso. We continued to Decathlon and jumped on the trampoline and played ping-pong. When it is hot outside, we need to find all the air conditioned places. We finished by going to the Spring Garden and having chocolate chip cookies. The day was hot, very hot. Dwana was missing us. We went and had some popsicles. What would the world be without popsicles. We saw a school of fish in a stream. They must have been fresh from the ocean because a fisherman came over to investigate after we left. Dinner time! I tried reading some before going on an evening run. I received a rare email from Mylon, interesting how parent-child communication evolves. He is probably trying to make plans for his life after graduation just like I am trying to make plans for my life after we graduate from our round the world journey. I hope all is well up there for him in Alaska.

Sunday, 26 January 2014 DAY 645 302 MOON 22 WANING 32%
Today the weather is cloudy skies and drizzle, but warm. Dwana fell on one of the cheap chairs that I bought. Viena and Ezra have been playing so well together. They have been using their imaginations all day long, and peacefully. I have not heard too many “No Ezra!” Letting the playfulness flow naturally! The neighborhood is quiet. I made the first list of the 80 exercises, now I just need a list of 80 stories and then to write those stories. I think I can. I think I can. My knee still hurts from the turf impact of the soccer match 4 days ago. I had fun, but next time I need to stay on my feet. This is our last weekend in January. I am starting to think more about USA and employment and money and being smart. I saw a small monkey in the neighborhood. But I guess that is the lesson to find a place where you think more about monkeys and less about money.

Saturday, 25 January 2014 DAY 644 301 MOON 22 WANING 38%
A big thunderstorm was supposed to strike this morning, so we did not make an early morning adventure, but so far the big storm is just a little storm if you could call it that. Viena and Ezra woke up nice with a hug and a kiss in the morning. We stayed near the apartment all day, only venturing as far as the local market. I did try out the local chicken sandwich last night. The sandwich does not compare to Basilios in the Beco. We had a cool breeze in the evening time. Each time I would mention to Ezra and Viena to go and play fútbol the rains would show up a little more. Dwana is having the last moon of the trip. Hopefully we will be in Florida or beyond for the next moon. I did some reading on the top bunk. I even started reading my old journal entries. How about that? I spoke with Bob last night before he stepped into a restaurant.

Friday, 24 January 2014 DAY 643 300 MOON 22 WANING 45%
Why did the chicken eat all the bugs? Because he did not want the bugs to eat him. We needed a day away, so we hopped on the bus, went past the Waldorf school (bye bye Waldorf school, hello travel school), and we went to the Parque Ecologia do Corrego Grande which is bem perto to UFSC – the university. The day was hot, but that did not stop us. We had to explore a free wilderness park in the middle of the city, with no one using the park. Well, almost no one. The culture of this part of Brasil is in the beginning stages of appreciating green lands like these. Ducks, bunnies, turtles, tortoises, and a S-curved neck bird. A wild grouse was hanging out in the jungle of the city. The parked appeared like an abandoned botanical garden experiment. The hot day must have scared away everyone. We stayed in the shady spots. Viena and Ezra played for a bit on the playground. Ezra made up his own obstacle course just like I used to do when I was younger. We had a small picnic before walking to the air-conditioning of the Shopping Iguatami. What a difference! The walk to the mall went through the campus of UFSC, summer time campus, so not many students running around. At the mall, we ate and walked around and visited the book store. I read some magazine written in English – Fast Company 1000 creative minds, made me think. Dwana and I watched a movie tonight about finding and going after your dreams – and so here I am. But always ask – what next?

Thursday, 23 January 2014 DAY 642 299 MOON 22 WANING 52%
I went and played fútbol with André and his co-workers at SuitePlus, interesting dynamics. I scored a goal for the highlight reel. The game was at night, but I sweated more than I do in the daytime. Seemed like a place where guys would go at night. The turf was artificial so most of my injuries were from myself hitting the turf. My right knee has a machucado. I am not going to run today and hopefully my knee will heal quickly. The temperatures have been so hot here lately, hot and clear. In the evening some gray clouds roll in over the jungle landscaped mountainside. This pleasant sight of the evening clouds will be forever etched in my mind. And all the different colors of the neighborhood houses, the blue of the sky, the green of the jungle, and the white of the clouds. Everyone seemed on edge today. The heat was getting to everyone, everyone but me. I tried to just stay away in my little spot and read the Kindle or write. I was able to finish my resume and start the process of looking for a job. Step one complete, I guess. It is interesting the process of seeking work. Where is there a need? I am here to fill that need. Right now, Ezra, Viena, and Dwana need me. I am happy, more than happy, to fulfill this need.

Wednesday, 22 January 2014 DAY 641 298 MOON 22 WANING 59%
We missed the bus this morning at 5am, which left us sitting at the bus stop watching night turn to day and listening to crickets and the sound and sights of other empty buses, about 100 of them, going by on the way to work. I am not going to miss that bus again. The next bus was in an hour. We arrived at Praia Mole around 7am, a little after the sun had risen. We were able to watch the sunrise from the bu. Today is going to be a hot day. The waters of Praia Mole were good and cold. Boa y frio, perfect for body surfing, shallow waters and strong crashing waves to set you to shore. Everyone had fun in the waves and the water. We took frequent dips in the water from the heat. The sand was easy to dig a 3 foot hole, easy to make tunnels. Viena built a small shelter out of her pink umbrella. The hot day of 40C 104F brought out the people, but not crowded like the beaches up North. We left around noon and went to Retiro da Lagoa to take a respite from the sun at Nick and Bia’s house. Ezra played with Noah’s toys, but preferred to just zone out on the TV that constantly played cartoons in English and Portuguese. We made some açai as Bia told stories of the pure açai from the Amazon and how different the taste is. Bia gave us a ride home after the sun had set. It felt good to go and visit Lagoa and Beco again. The Lagoa was full of people fishing and playing long after the sunset.

Tuesday, 21 January 2014 DAY 640 297 MOON 22 WANING 66%
I keep trying to go on runs to buy groceries, but I keep returning empty handed, sweaty, but empty handed. I have been in communication a lot with Mason and Cayce. We are trying to set up our landing back in the States. Who knows what will happen? Brick by brick! I guess I have also been talking a lot to Ira. He flies back up to the slope today. I should try to call him tonight or tomorrow since we will share the same sunset. Cool, for him. Hot, for us. My run was sunny. I was on the road before the sun crested the mountains, which was nice. The sun is too hot. I was able to run a 22:30 5k at the end of the 10k run. My hope is to take 2 minutes off that, maybe 2:30. Ezra and Viena have been playing with the upstairs boy who is around 13, finally a play date. The boy is very patient and playful and smiling a lot. He does not speak any English so they must communicate with expression and hand movements. We have been eating Doritos Taco Salad and making acai popsicles, picole. We have one more inexpensive month here and then back to the expense of the States. And then what! And then what! I have a blister on my second toe from all the running, but the rest of the body is holding up well.

Monday, 20 January 2014 DAY 639 296 MOON 22 WANING 72%
My run this morning was more like a steeplechase, since I had to dodge so many objects. The sun seemed to be sapping my energy. I remember the fried chicken of Taman Negara. I remember the winged night-time insects of Chaing Mai and the cleanup ants. I had lots of thoughts on this run. I was going to go to Angeloni afterwards, but I did not bring enough money, so I caught the bus home. Tired. We still did not have any running water so I had to take another shower with the water hose outside. For some reason the water hose is connected to a different water source. Everyone is happy, must be all the plants we have now. Ezra and Viena are playing with the upstairs boy. Ira called to provide the word about the guy who walked into the Red Sea first before the waters were parted. Faith. Someone had to be first. Numbers. Ira 1344. The water issue is on everyone’s mind, but for us, it is just something else. We have drinking water and running water downstairs at the water hose. By evening, everyone in the complex was happy because the water situation was solved. We went twice to the local store to buy popsicles, a two popsicle day. Ezra and Viena are playing in the little swimming pool that is set up on the porch. I spent most of the afternoon completing applications for once we arrive back in the States. You gotta start sometime. You gotta end sometime.

Sunday, 19 January 2014 DAY 638 295 MOON 22 WANING 79%
We tried to make it to the jungle soccer filed before the sun arrived, but we were a little late. Even with the 8:30am morning sun, the sun is too hot for the little ones to run around and play fútbol. The morning jungle light was nice. Our running water in our place went out last night, I guess in the whole neighborhood. We walked to Shopping Floripa and then to Decathlon. Ezra enjoyed skating and jumping on the Trampoline, and we all enjoyed being inside and cool with air conditioning. Outside was hot, but we had our umbrellas. We walked by the Spring Garden Center and bought some more plants, a Venus Fly-Trap. Ezra said, “And look! This one even has a fly!” The apartment was still out of water when we returned. Everyone had to take showers from the water hose downstairs. Everyone! Even the slope-workers! Going to be a hot night!

Saturday, 18 January 2014 DAY 637 294 MOON 22 WANING 86%
Sun. Heat. Wind. Waves. Sand. Salt. Sea. We woke up early and caught the early bus to Praia Brava. The huge concert Planeta Atlantica was going on in Canasvieiras so we picked up about 20 Argentines at 5:30am who had been up all night, and they were loud. Their conversations started out gentle enough, but eventually crescendoed into who was going to win the World Cup and who was the best soccer player in the world. All in a bus ride. The funny thing was Ezra and one other guy had passed out on the bus and slept through the entire barulous conversation. Everyone exit the bus except us and the other guy passed out. His friends just left him on the bus. So when the bus stopped at the Ponte Final, the bus driver had to wake him up and he was dazed and confused and alone and had no idea where he was or where his friends were. He only knew he had to leave the bus and walk somewhere as the sun was rising and the day was beginning. We walked to the beach to watch the beautiful sunrise. He walked back along the road, not looking back once towards the beach. The beach was deserted. The sky was absent of clouds. Today was going to be another hot one. We were able to play in the waves. The water was so clear. We saw big crabs in the water and small circular jelly fish. André and Diva showed up right when we were leaving at mid-day. We caught the Executivo bus home. I am learning.

Friday, 17 January 2014 DAY 636 293 MOON 22 WANING 93%
I wish I could paint this jungle sunset from the village where we live. I wish I could quickly and easily transport myself up to the altitudes of one of the big solid rocks to just stand upon and raise my arms and say farewell to the sun. This green, this white, this blue, of the jungle are all so different, than the colors of lands I have seen before. Especially at this hour when the sun gives them shadowed spotlights. So great, and yet so fading. It must be known that today is a Friday and a reason to be joyful for tonight celebrations are allowed, and yet the jungle will remain unchanged. No one walks where we have walked. They do not even think of walking these places, up the trail. The night is closing in. The day will soon be done. This will be the first weekend for the 10 guys sharing a room as our neighbor. How will that go? A helicopter flies directly over the jungle heading to the Lagoa, not looking for anyone, because no one is up there. Even though supposedly 90% of the people of Southern Brasil are descendants from Europe, the desire to discover is not there. Now the colors have been erased and what have we done today. We woke up and biked/rollerbladed along the BeiraMar all the way to McDonalds. No one seemed content with the arrangements, not sure why. All the traffic along the BeiraMar could have been rattling, or maybe just doing something new, or maybe no food in the belly. We came back home and I had lunch with André and his friend who works for the Vice-Governor of the State of Santa Catarina. He and André talked about the good ‘ole days in Austin. And in 34 days is Viena’s birthday in Austin.

Thursday, 16 January 2014 DAY 635 292 MOON 22 FULL 100%
The dog is barking at me from downstairs. He knows I wrongly reported his demise yesterday in the thunderstorm. The boy in the green McDonalds hat walks by. He used to live across the street. Now he lives up the street and walks past his old house every day. The dog is doing down-dog yoga pose. The 16th. A full moon. A separator day. A day of rest. A day of laundry. McDonalds items are held onto here in Brasil as a status symbol like a Rolex watch. We once saw a young kid adult carry around an empty McDonalds fries and drink container for an entire afternoon, just to show everyone where he had eaten. McDonalds is expensive here. The jungle is in front of me and past the jungle is the Lagoa and past the Lagoa is the Atlantic Ocean and over the Atlantic Ocean is from where we came. How many generations did it take to forget where they came from in the beginning. Now, a quick flight will take you back to the homeland, or anywhere else – the age of travel. The dog is now howling a howl I have not heard him howl before. Maybe he is a bit resurrected. The sun is behind a thick layer of clouds that can easily be unveiled when the sun feels like talking. I accidentally made acai popsicles and they were so delicious. Houses of yellow, pink, green and blue cascade up the mountainside. This morning across the street, they had fresh bread and fresh milk. Jungle mist rises. Maybe I will run there today. A girl walks hand in hand with her grandma down the street as a car drives speedily past and another drives speedily around the corner. Tightly, hold on tightly!

Wednesday, 15 January 2014 DAY 634 291 MOON 22 WAXING 94%
I ran early in the morning to Shopping BeiraMar and caught the bus back. They bus system is so great here. Today was a day of accelerated blessings, a day at the waterpark, a day riding the yellow executive bus, a day of thunderous rainstorms, a day of complementary meal on wheels, and a day when Ezra once again fell asleep on the bus ride home. The sun was hot when we started our voyage to the waterpark, a sunscreen day for sure. I made a tigela de acai before we left. Viena and Ezra were so excited about going to the water park. We have been riding the bus past this water park every time we go to and from the beach, and this time we finally stopped. Their dream of stopping at the water park came true. “They have a water park at my Dragon School! They have 4-wheelers at my Dragon School!” They both started singing and dancing and did not stop until the clouds of storm came in around 5pm. Ezra and Viena played all day. We went on ride after slide after ride after slide. Viena was so brave on al the rides and slides. I rode on one that I should not have ridden. “Why did the chicken get run over by the car?” “He did not look both ways” – Ezra. “Why did the frog eat all the bugs? He did not want them to eat him!” – Ezra. We ate well today, thanks to being able to sneak in food. Viena’s favorite ride was the Dragon Slide that goes slow and then drops you down a steep slide. Ezra’s favorite ride was the “Indian” slide, but he never went on this one. The rains gathered. The storm clouds formed. A yellow bus appeared out of the traffic to pick us up before the onslaught. The rains poured while we were on the bus. We ate at the local Lachonete and two different people paid for our food and drink. Accelerated blessing! Home sweet home!

Tuesday, 14 January 2014 DAY 633 290 MOON 22 WAXING 87%
I caught the bus into Centro after waiting to hear from Cayce. At Centro, I was able to buy cashews, honey, sandals for Ezra, Brasil nuts, and add some more money to our bus passes. No run today, just running around. We walked a loop today that took us past Shopping Floripa, Decathlon and André’s work. On the way, we passed the field of kites and the field of horses. Ezra and Viena were happy to be walking since they knew that we were going to buy tickets for the Waterpark AquaShow. However, when we arrived at the mall, the waterpark ticket lady was not there. So, we had to walk around the mall and wait. Dwana escaped on her own and when we me back up, the tickets were still not on sale. Ezra loves looking at the video game television. Viena loves pointing out the “dangerous” store. We drank 2-1 juices. We delivered a thank you note to the dentist. We decided to give up on the waterpark ticket lady and we walked to Decathlon to jump on the trampoline and test out skateboards. We wandered around the store trying out as many products as we could. I ran back to the mall an viola!, the ticket lady was there. Success! We kept walking along the road, past the garden. Dwana, Viena and Ezra had some yummy oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and they picked out some plants. We walked past where André works and he came out and greeted us. We then walked past the leaning tower of North Saco Grande.

Monday, 13 January 2014 DAY 632 289 MOON 22 WAXING 80%
We tried to go play soccer at the small field in Centro Administivo, but Brasilians do not really love soccer. The main guard would not let us in to play soccer on the field that no one plays on. “No Pode!” “No Pode!” How can Brasil spend billions building soccer stadiums, but yet there are no public fields for the people to play on. A person must be a member of a private fútbol club to have access to play. So, we just went to our regular place of play in the jungle development. The day was early, but the heat starts early here. We tried playing, but the game did not last long since tempers and attitudes were being affected by the heat. The best matchup we had was Dwana, Viena and Ezra versus me. We walked home and I found some foam packing that Ezra used for a track for his little racing cars. I am pretty amazed at all the imaginative play-sets that Viena and Ezra can create.

Sunday, 12 January 2014 DAY 631 288 MOON 22 WAXING 74%
“Remember! Have fun and be good!” I woke up with a dream about a hip-hop Spanish drug cartel with an exploration hike that went through a slippery grassy place. I did not have any shoes, but that was not a problem. The mosquitoes were out. I was going to go no further. I had to return. I visited a hardware shop. The store attendant in the dream wanted to talk, but I needed an attachment for my 20 liter water bottle. We spoke briefly about music and the low-tone items. I jumped back into the crowded car and started from home. A guy from a neighboring school said May 19th was his next date for skipping school He said his parents were going out of town and to come on over. I said OK, but was not so sure. In the dream I was making my own decisions and having fun. Now, I’ll go on a reality run. I ran to the Floripa Bridge and back with a little help from the bus, around 20km in 2 hours.

Saturday, 11 January 2014 DAY 630 287 MOON 22 WAXING 67%
Viena loses another tooth. Viena and I have been reading Alice in Wonderland. Before I forget, here in Saco Grande they like to take their caged pet birds on walks through the neighborhood and drives and out to eat. Last night the thunder crashed. We were supposed to have late afternoon thunderstorms, but I guess they arrived in the early morning. I slept on the top bunk last night, not wanting to wake Viena or Dwana. I seemed to dream non-productive dreams and something about April 30th, almost like a warning of collisions of thought. We will see. I made watermelon juice. I think both the watermelon and the acai were bad from Bistek. Next time, I will visit BIG for delivery. BIG is the Brasilian Walmart. I went with André to Decathlon and to the BeiraMar. Viena just lost her tooth. Now, Ezra has a plan not to brush one tooth so that one tooth with “gunk” will “fall right out!” I ran back from BeiraMar Shopping, not sure of the distance. Calma! Calma! Calma! The day was hot. The run was hot. A guy had 10 beds delivered to his apartment with a refrigerator. This appeared like something Dad-Dad might do in his younger days.

Friday, 10 January 2014 DAY 629 286 MOON 22 WAXING 60%
“There are stars out! One is twinkling at me!” – Viena at 4:45am. We are on our way to sunrise somewhere, just waiting at the bus station. We are now at the beach, Praia Costo do Santinho. The bus ride was dark, quiet and relaxing. The only drama was a guy who wanted to ride the bus without a shirt. Ezra fell asleep on the ride, like always. We arrived in time to watch the beginnings of the sunrise. Many colors were in the sky. A few fishermen were trying their luck. The bus turn-around is the perfect place to watch the sunrise, but the bus must keep on going and we were able to stay. The sunrise was clean, very few clouds. A big golden sun showing up to start the day. Ezra even noticed the pink sky. The day was warm before the sun arrived. We ate our breakfast of oatmeal and diced up mango. I finally mastered filleting a mango. The water is clear and cold, refreshing and salty. The shoreline in front on the bus turn-around is uneven, so next time, we need to walk a little further on down the beach. A guy was juggling fire sticks during the dawn, with his friend accompanying him with the guitar. I am almost certain that they have been awake all night hanging out on the beach Dunes of Santinho. Today is so much different than our last few days, 2 day spent at the dentist and 2 days spent at Policia Federal. Today is clear and will be hot all day. This is a great way to begin the day. At mid-day, still the sky is absent of clouds. More people are on the beach now, but nothing like Ingléses or Canasvieiras. People like to bike this beach. There is probably a good jungle trail on either side. We caught the yellow Executivo bus on the way home. Yes! Dwana was happy. We all were happy. Ezra passed out on the sidewalk before the bus arrived. The air-conditioning felt nice on one of the hottest days of the year. We really felt the heat when the bus dropped us off. We had to stop and eat at the local lanchonete before the bridge crossing. We spent the remainder of the day inside. I was the first one to fall asleep at night.

Thursday, 9 January 2014 DAY 628 285 MOON 22 WAXING 53%
Today we went on our second trip into Policia Federal. This time, just barely, we came away with what we needed, a Visa extension. So, now we are good to stay in Brasil for the remainder of our stay, until February. Yes. The front desk guy made the mistake of not handing me four tags numbers when I showed him that I had 4 passports. He said I only needed 1. Turns out I needed 4. It all worked out. The main guy made me sweat it out by telling me my paperwork to complete my paperwork in less than 1 minute. That saved me about 4 hours and 40 Reais. So the way this worked out was I woke up at 5:30am and caught the bus into Trinidade and BeiraMAr where I ran to the bridge and back to Policia Federal to start waiting in line in front of the building by 6:45am. I was the first in line. I had to wait another 90 minutes for the tags to be handed out. Then I ran back home, took a shower, ate something, and gathered everyone. I went by and did some shopping at Bistek for delivery and told them to deliver in the evening. We all caught the bus back to Angeloni where we again waited another 90 minutes, but it all worked out. The groceries were not delivered until 10:00pm, another mix up. But now we have food to take on an adventure tomorrow. I slept on the top bunk.

Wednesday, 8 January 2014 DAY 627 284 MOON 22 WAXING 46%
We went to Policia Federal in the afternoon but no success. We returned and we went to play soccer in the rain. On the bus ride into Policia Federal, right in Saco Grande, we saw a body in the street covered with a white sheet. This is just one of the many stories that we never find out what happened. That is the crazy thing. We never find out the end of the story, the rest of the story. What happened to the girl on the motorcycle who hit the wall? What happened to cause this person to die in the middle of the road in the middle of Saco Grande? We walk this street all the time to go to the mall. Dwana and I both looked at each other as the bus just drove around the body as if it were a parked car. What a way to start you day. We were dropped off near Angeloni and walked the short distance to the Federal Police to try and renew our Brasilian Visa, but no luck. I guess you must show up Bem Cedo, very early, before 7am to acquire a senha or ticket to come back in the afternoon. Oh well. We went to Angeloni and had lunch and then caught the bus back. In the evening, we decided to run to the jungle development and play soccer. The skies were darkening and had been cloudy all day. Ezra said he saw lightning. You could tell a storm was coming, but I thought it would not erupt on us. I was wrong! 10 minutes after we arrived the storm unleashed another torrent, and we spent the next hour watching lightning strikes and listening to thunder booms over the jungle in the comforts of the bus shelter. The rains lessened and we made our way home. Rain leaked in our place.

Tuesday, 7 January 2014 DAY 626 283 MOON 22 WAXING 40%
We went back to the dentist. We went to the mall. When we came back we went and played soccer. We walked home through Saco Grande. Sounds like déjà vu. I made some fresh orange juice. We had early appointments with the dentist near Shopping Floripa. We saw the bus go by up the hill past our place so we hurried our things so we could catch the bus on the downside. All the exams went fine. We then went to the mall to eat and walk around. Ezra likes watching a pirate game and a game called Gran Turismo 6, a race car game. We discovered a juice place at the mall that has 2-1 juices before 11:30am. We also ate a tigela de Açai. Not much sun was out on the walk home. We ate some rice and beans at home. Yummy! I took Ezra and Viena and we went and played at the Jungle development. Today I did not feel like running. My legs were lethargic. We played soccer. Ezra and Viena ran my last lap with me and Viena almost beat me to the finish line, almost. Ezra likes biking to the jungle development, but does not ride his bike once he is there. Viena and Ezra built a little shelter out of the bricks. I talked with Mason and with Cayce about options for the USA.

Monday, 6 January 2014 DAY 625 282 MOON 22 WAXING 33%
We walked to the dentist today, and believe it or not, that took all day. We walked past the health office and I could have seen a public health dentist for free, but I found another dentist near Shopping Floripa that could see me without any wait. I just had them place the crown back on. We all were walking and Dwana took Ezra and Viena into the mall while I was at the dentist. I returned with a full set of teeth and had a tigela of Açai. Ezra had been crying for some type of a Mud-Car purchase. Some days he does so well just looking at stuff, while other days not so well. He is crying now. We have had a long day, but not really. We just walked the loop of Saco Grande. We did not cross a mountain pass or walk down a hot sandy coastline to an uncharted beach. We did not catch an omnibus and ride all over the island. We just walked to the dentist and back. The return trip back took us along the highway. Oh, we played again in the Decathlon store, skateboarding, bicycling, and soccer. Great store! I did not buy anything. We arrived home around 5:30pm and were out the door again by 7:00pm to go and run/play soccer at the jungle development. MY times are improving for the circuit. Today was not as hot and I was able to complete the circuit in 34:45. My hope is to keep this pace of improvement going and be able to sign up for the Alamo Half on the 23rd of March. That is my goal.

Sunday, 5 January 2014 DAY 624 281 MOON 22 WAXING 26%
The day was dull. Today is the last day of the revelion holiday. They day was grey without a hint of heat. We stayed inside all day. We woke up late after recovering from last night’s late cab ride home. I tried to speak to as many people from back home to wish them a happy 2014. Ira seemed to be the one who wanted to speak the most about the accelerated blessing that will come his way in 2014. I mentioned to Dwana that ours is already happening, all you have to do is look. Here is one of the blessings: a mobile air conditioned library. And more fun items that just show up in front of us. I am glad for our continued health. I took a late evening run at sunset. The sun had finally showed at the end of the day. The green jungle was showcased with a spotlight. I ran up and down and back and forth in the jungle development. The skies with sunset clouds changed into shapes. Viena and Ezra had curtain forts set up on the beds.

Saturday, 4 January 2014 DAY 623 280 MOON 22 WAXING 19%
I went on a run late in the day all the way to the bridge in around 72 minutes, somewhere in between 7-8 miles, I think. I last 5k was marked, so I could keep track of my pace. The rains were falling all day long, like a constant drizzle. This was our first drizzly day. We stayed inside and read or did artwork with glue and noodles and beans and watched the rain come down. The day was cooler and we were without the need of the fans. Today was a much needed cool Brasil winter day in the beginning of Summer. Ezra has been not listening and has used this day inside to test each of our temperaments. We caught the bus to Shopping Floripa and enjoyed walking around the mall, the toy store and the sporting goods store. André joined us and looked at bikes. Ezra had fun riding a scoot bike, a skateboard, and playing a racquet tether game. We all piled into a cab home. Ezra was tired and had a shoulder ride up the hill. The washing machine hose came undone.

Friday, 3 January 2014 DAY 622 279 MOON 22 WAXING 13%
I am dripping with sweat. We are in the jungle development playing soccer. My shorts are soaked with sweat. Ezra says he is dripping with sweat too, but not like me. Two dogs are acting as spectators for our soccer game. A mosquito is on Viena’s leg. Dwana is offering spicy gum to everyone. This is our personal playground this summer. The sun has just come out to show our shadows. I am glad I brought our umbrellas so we could hide from the Sun. I ran the 5 laps in just under 40 minutes. Ezra had fun playing soccer. I can hear Viena chomp her gum. Ezra likes that we have lots and lots of toys that we brought today. We brought a dump truck, bouncy balls, and little guys. I had a good banana Açai smoothie this morning. Yesterday while walking back from Cacupé Ezra said, “Dad, we need to go to a different island to look for my dune buggy. But it’s not on the island of Israel because they have too many guns on that island. At my Dragon school we used binoculars to look and saw that they have too many guns there.” Viena set up the paints for Ezra and they painted a beautiful picture and then Viena quickly spilled the wash paint water all over the floor. Then the rains came and Dwana yelled, “Foley! Foley! … The Clothes! The Clothes!” I never know what to expect after her exclamations.

Thursday, 2 January 2014 DAY 621 278 MOON 22 NEW 0%
We walked/biked to SESC at mid-day. Umbrellas were definitely needed. I am not sure why we did not use umbrellas for shade protection earlier in our trip. SESC is about 1.5km away with broken sidewalks along the way. We love talking to all the big dogs that come up and “greet” us along the way. Today is hot, but SESC has plenty of shady spots. They have two playgrounds, an affordable place to eat and playrooms that have art and all sort of toys. I have been teaching Viena how to play chess. Ezra has been tired and crabby today. He woke up demanding chocolate milk. When he did receive some chocolate milk, the milk was soured from being out of date. The winds are blowing strong today. A guy is mowing the grounds with a masculine big hat. Viena is playing with some of the toys and wooden toys. A dad is trying to snooze in the corner. A mom is on her phone. The heat takes energy away from them all. I need to make a dental appointment. Now that 2014 is here, the reality of what 2014 will be for me, for us, has quickly taken shape. And yet what else might pull on us. I am going to try and run more, Yes, and place my body in better shape to run. I still have my 108 day program and this is the 2nd day of the second quarter of that program. I give myself a “C” as far as meeting the essence of the VIENA-EZRA. We live a magical life. We found a portable library and then we were visited by and invited to go see a witch’s house – casa das bruxa. We are sitting now on the shores of Cacupé. Ezra and Viena are eating meat slices and smiling at a newborn baby with a little diaper. The clouds are heavenly with a bright, swirl, dark swirl. Hopefully, we do not have any thunderstorms on the way home. “I’m a big baby!” Ezra says, as he chows down his third slice of meat.

If you like Pina Coladas, getting caught in the rain

JIMMY BUFFETT

Wednesday, 1 January 2014 DAY 620 277 MOON 21 WANING 1%
Happy New Year. Happy New Moon. Happy 2014. I woke up at 4:30am and we had just enough time to gather our thing and catch the bus along the highway. Cars were honking at the girls walking home from their night, but they did not honk at us. We were just starting the day, not ending the night. André tried to join us, but missed the bus. Our bus driver was very very tired, and kept swerving. We saw a crazy aftermath of an accident on the highway. I was glad to be safe on the swerving bus. We just arrived at Praia Brava and the sun was rising right near the south rock. A good reference point since now the Sun is returning to the North, and as the Sun goes, we go. We were able to watch the sunrise before the sun slipped behind some low-lying clouds. There were no horizon clouds so we were able to take in the full sunrise before the sun ticked behind so low lying clouds. Beautiful! Worth the early morning escape. The water was wonderful, cool and refreshing but not as cold as Galheta. We met Philip an American with a little baby boy. It was good to talk to an American. Viena and Ezra absolutely loved playing in the waves. Shallow water! A few tents were scattered on the beach to avoid the at least 400 Reais a night lodging fees. When we arrived on the beach the beach was virtually empty. There were people leftover from the night, completing the party all night on New Year’s Eve and bring in the New Year’s sunrise. When we left the beach, the beach was packed. The bus trip home went flawless, hot but flawless. Ezra and Viena slept on the bus in both directions. Dwana and I were jealous and I was quite happy with a family that wants to begin the year by waking up at 4am to catch a bus to go to the beach. A great way to start 2014!