Month: April 2008

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brazil zero moment

Capoeira Boys on a Beach in Brazil

Capoeira Boys on the Beach in BrazilOriginally uploaded by mgharris
We came for the sun, the vibe, the comfort of their native country for our Brazilian friends, and for the capoeira.

It’s Josh Garcia’s favourite sport and has got him out of more than one tight spot when it comes to dealing with enemies. And capoeira forms an important part of the plot for book 3.

So we came to see capoeira in it’s natural form, on the beach, in the streets of Brazil. Okay we didn’t see it used in rough Rio neighbourhood streets as a fight, but we did catch plenty of graceful displays, both rehearsed and impromptu.

Here’s a lovely photo that my husband snapped earlier this evening, as the sun was going down.

Categories
brazil

Being and Doing

Boy on a raft in Sao Miguel de Gostoso, BrazilOriginally uploaded by mgharris
Serenity, I’m told, requires a balance between Being and Doing.

Some people know how to Doing rather well; they get up early and go for brisk country walks with the dog, or to the gym, they hit their morning workplace with a sense of achievement already under their belt. They can structure their days around all manner of routine or even productive tasks. Such people, apparently, are good at avoiding bouts of depression, having already adopted exactly the kind of strategies that many psychotherapists suggest for lifting oneself out of temporary misery.

But are they happy?

Because it is also important simply to Be. You know, as John Lennon said in answer to a question like “What do most want to achieve?” – “I want to be here, now”. Or Elaine from Seinfeld who once confessed to have spent an evening doing “Literally nothing. I sat in a chair and I stared.”

Well any good holiday needsa balance between Being and Doing. I’m not very good at Being, usually – I feel there has to be a certain amount of Doing in order to earn the Being.

In the most peaceful, restful beach resort I’ve ever known in my life in the tiny town of Sao Miguel de Gostoso, I have been working on Being. And it kinda works…I feel a bit more serene, that’s for sure.

I did take some photos though, like this one of a`little boy rafting out to the fishing boats on the gun-metal grey sea. I made three beds. I watched the kids a little.

Mainly though, I did Being.And it’s not bad!

Categories
brazil

Sunset and Hormones at Sao Miguel de Gostoso

Sunset Sao Miguel de GostosoOriginally uploaded by mgharris
Out for the afternoon stroll through the heady urban delights of Sao Miguel de Gostoso in Rio Grande do Norte state, Brazil, we happened across this fabulous sunset.The trip through town – a single street lined with colourful bungalows and coconut trees – was livened up considerably for our daughter by the sight of cute young Brazilian guys whose heads turned to check her out.

“I love it when guys check me out,” she murmured to me as she and I walked slowly down the avenue. Meanwhile I nervously adjusted my sarong in case their gazes accidentally strayed. “Look at that one,” she laughed aloud, identifying one of the boys with a flick of her finger. “He’s actually stretching and flexing his muscles in front of me! He likes me! OMG he’s so hot… When we walk back I’m going to give him a Look,” she said. And then set about considering which Look from her repertoire to deploy.

“How do you know this stuff?” I said, amazed. “I didn’t know any of this when I was fifteen.” She replied, deadpan, “Instinct. And I’m just a lot sexier than you.”

Actually my mother could have taught my daughter a thing or twenty about how to mix sex appeal with (apparently irresistable) vulnerability. But sadly she passed away before my daughter was born. So my daughter has to resort to discussing such matters with her mother-the-geek.

I sneakily took a photo of the boy she likes. He was wearing a blue sleeveless shirt that showed off a fairly beefcakey physique. He’s around 18 and has a dimple in his right cheek, which made her swoon. We have decided to refer to him as Blue Boy.

Categories
travel

Downtown Maracajau

Downtown MaracajauOriginally uploaded by mgharris


This is Main Street, Maracajau, where the town’s three beachside restaurants and small stores, as well as a rowdy-sounding English language school can be found. The entire town seems to exist from servicing the few busloads of tourists from Natal who roll up for a spot of diving/snorkeling on the nearby coral reef.

We stayed several nights in this tiny beachside haven, watching scorchio alternate with rainstorm. I fell asleep under a palm tree and now have the outline of three palm fronds burned onto my tummy…

Now we’re leaving, going somewhere even quieter…!

Who knows whether there will be BlackBerry access. Prepare for blog silence. Meanwhile, wishing you a fun weekend, wherever you may be!

Xxx
Emailed from my BlackBerry®

Categories
travel

Dengue, Flood and Rain

Dengue, Flood and RainOriginally uploaded by mgharris


I woke this morning to hear what sounded like a political message being sent out over a loudspeaker in a passing van. Listening closely I realised that the announcer was warning residents of Maracajau that there’d been an outbreak of dengue fever and that there was beginning a program to eradicate the larvae.

Suddenly the mosquito bites we were all covered with took on a new significance. There have been 20 recent cases of dengue just in Maracajau, which is pretty much a one-street town…

It’s the rain and floods that have made it worse. Today is the second fully rainy day we’ve had. But it has rained every day, as well as the blazing sunshine.

I don’t much fancy getting dengue. It’s supposed to be like full-on influenza but worse. After two weeks you think you might die and after three you don’t care if you do.

(But you usually don’t.)

We are now covered with the strongest insect repellent the pharmacist would sell us.

I like the tropics in the rain. This is going to be a great place to set a Josh novel. Great fun for me to write, I mean. Let’s hope that translates to the reader!

This entry brought to you via a very lazy author sitting in a hammock, watching rain falling into the pool.
Emailed from my BlackBerry®