an experiment in culture shock

After living in Curitiba for a year our patience has paid off. We’ve finally made a connection to the inside scene. What did this win us you might ask? A three hour fest of destruction and gluttony. Ok, not really gluttony, but you understand. Crabs! All you can eat crabs. We destroyed, we pillaged, we squirted each other with crab juice (on accident of course) and in the end we were full and happy.

This was all thanks to Alex, who introduced us to the Opera de Bambu. A cute restaurant inside the courtyard of a family’s home here in Curitiba. It’s only open from Tuesday to Friday and a reservation is required. There’s a nice salad bar and then all you can eat fresh crabs. Hot out of the boiler. Needless to say it was fabulous and Brazil style cheap.

We will be returning soon and definitely on March 12 for the Oyster and Crab Fest! View the destruction.

Thanks to an amazing display of rain this past week in Salvador, my friends and I were able to gain an expert’s knowledge of the hotel where we stayed. Most of this was done while sitting on the back veranda, overlooking the bay and shipping port of Salvador, drinking enough coffee to bankrupt the small islands of Indonesia. Luckily though we are in Brazil, where they don’t import anything, so I’m sure it was Brazilian coffee. So, no Indonesians were harmed.

Each morning we would all awake around 9 or 10 depending on the previous nights festivities and meet at the breakfast table. We would each eat our breakfast, which was overwhelmingly starchy, and then proceed to finish off as many pots of coffee as the hotel staff was willing to provide us with. Every 15 minutes or so we would have to again strategically move our table so one half of it would not get drenched by rain. All and all the hotel was nice. A little warm, but they had fans. And the bathrooms were extremely cramped, when they were attached to the room. But it was a cute place and the staff was really friendly.

Most of the group has come to the conclusion that we have had our fill of carnaval in Brazil. After two experiences, I have had enough of being a reveller. Next year, will most likely be spent on a quiet beach (if I can find one) with no costumes or loud music. Maybe I’ll go to Peru.

Pictures coming soon.

Well it is our third day in Salvador and there are few words to describe what I have witnessed here. Salvador is beautiful. It is a strange mixture of laid back and frenetic energy, though part of that could be due to the season. The people are incredibly friendly, except for maybe the pickpockets. Knock on wood, none of them have been successful.

Last night, we marched with Olodum, a hugely succesful group with a heavy influence of African music. It was exhilirating, exhausting, tons of fun, and slightly scary all at the same time. But the music was great. And the sights were even greater. The event lasted for approximately five hours. We ducked out at the end, when things started to get really crazy and grabbed a taxi back to the area where we are staying, the Pelourinho.

Pelourinho is the historic center of town. The buildings date back to the 1600s and most of the slaves were auctioned off in this area. Salvador used to be the largest port in Brazil, because of its massive bay, which we can see from the back patio of our hotel. The area where we are staying is pretty calm and quiet at the early hour of about 6 in the morning. So, I guess we couldn’t ask for much more. Haha.

Salvador has an amazing mixture of history, music, culture and fabulous food. They even have spice!! It’s bright and the people are beautiful. The sun is also incredibly strong, not surprising given its latitude. So, I’m sunburned but relaxed, full and having a great time.

I have been a little distracted over the last couple of months, by this adorable little addition to the Welbes clan, named Riley. If you haven’t seen her, click here . This is my main excuse for not writing. I was shocked to discover people actually did read what I was writing, and asked me why I hadn’t updated my website. I had basically started to believe that this was the equivalent of a personal diary.

Anyway. Riley is officially the cutest baby I’ve ever seen. Luckily, I have no children who will feel inadequate by this label. And any friends who have recently had babies who I raved over . . . your children are just as ridiculously cute as they were before; I have merely met a new bar setter.

I have returned from the fattest city in America to Curitiba for a week of rest and relaxation with my Dad and a few days of work. And we are now on vacation again! Woohoo! It’s Carnaval time again and this year, I and a few friends will be traveling farther north to Salvador. Where we will, supposedly, have a fabulous time that will be crazier than Rio.

News and photos to come.