Well, it´s official. We are in a country where neither of us can communicate in an effective manner with the masses. It sure makes traveling different! We took a bus from Iguazu yesterday and got in to Sao Paolo this morning at 6am, totally exhausted. We opted for a cab to the hostel instead of the subway and a short walk, which was interesting to say the least. Spanish and Portuguese are totally different and reading Portuguese names with Spanish pronunciation can be more confusing than anything. So, our taxi driver, who was very, very nice, got totally lost and didn´t know where the street we were looking for was. 45 minutes and $25 US later, (there goes today´s budget!) we arrived, only to find out that there was no room at the hostel for us. We almost decided then and there to skip Sao Paolo altogether and head to a beach town for the next week. But alas, we called around, found a room, headed back out (this time to the subway), and to the other hostel. By the time we got there, it was about 8:30am, and we climbed into bed and feel asleep until about 2pm.
So now we are up and we took a walk around our hostel. We found this internet cafe and made a new friend in the gal who works here...her speaking no English or Spanish and us speaking no Portuguese. It started off kind of like this:
girl: (something in Portuguese)
us: blank stares
girl: (something else in Portuguese)
us: more blank stares
girl: (something in Portugues, this time slower and more enunciated)
us: blank stares accompanied by smiles, followed by pointing at the computer
girl: laughs at us
us: we laugh back, for lack of anything else to do or say
girl: gestures that she just had an idea and we should follow her. She then points to a sign, posted in English on the wall.
Apparently, there is a state law here that you need to have your passport (or at least the number) in order to register to use the internet. They take a digital photo of you and everything. So,we finally figured it out...got registered, and I think we might even have made a new drinking buddy in the process. :)
So all in all, we will be in Sao Paolo for a few days, then off to the beaches in Paraty, then on our way to Rio. Thanks again to everyone who posts comments on this thing...it´s nice to know people are reading it. You guys are the best! Love you all.
where i've been...
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3 comments:
yeah, I read your blogs religiously every a.m.along with be-mail. it's sort of my cafe con leche ala starbucks but I don't blog back a) because I don't have time- bell is about to ring, b) I really don't want the world to siempre read my comments and c) i would rather e-mail you. have fun chica. besos m.r.
Eu falo um pouco de portugues! Isn't it something when you can't communicate by speaking?! Gives you a WHOLE new perspective. Get used to it- oh. and next time, stick to the subway! Beixos e abrazos!
- Luiz (my Portuguese alter ego)
that and m.r. might actually get busted emailing during instructional minutes. yes i am the union rep police and i will bust her...
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