Before I Go

So I'm off to the green mata on a seven day excursion, to celebrate my birthday, the visit of a friend, and escape the city. I admit to being busy with school assignments, and neglectfully ignoring my blog. So before I go, thought it would be best to entertain the folks with a few random pics.

Here lies the good hill I call my home. Behind me is the steps up to the morro. I've been enjoying my experience here in this bairro popular, though going a bit mad at times at the ignorance that permeates this level of society (i.e. people trying to destroy my ears with all hour of the day and night fireworks, sound pollution, and general hatred toward my gringo kind). Normal things I suppose.

Oh and didn't I tell you. I found Jesus. No joke. I woke up one morning and rubbing my sleepy eyes, stared out into the trash heap that is my front yard. To my utter amazement, I see Jesus' floating head amidst the trash pile.

Look for yourself. Can you find the Christ? This was the picture I took before jumping around my apartment like a ninja, trying to retrieve the head that appeared at my doorstep. My neighbor on the floor below saw me descending the hill, and with his mouth dropped, I grabbed my plaster head and screamed "I found Jesus!". He shook his head and continued to stare at me. Haha. Not going to forget that one.

So it is that Jesus has become the patron saint of my apartment.

I was saving this goody for another post, but ah well, who has the time. So remember my girlfriend (i.e. motorcycle) in the States? I admit to having great "Saudades" for her. In the U.S. any time I got lonely, pissed, or generally depressed I would work on my bike. She was black and yellow and too pretty.

Well, now my reality is different, but who says I can create a little home as I go along. This is my bike after a couple months of work. She his loud as hell, and bright as a bee or wanabee for that matter. This translates, on Brazilian roads, into people generally avoiding colliding into me. All and all, the customization was really cheap. I traveled to some of the poorest neighborhoods to get her painted and fixed up (custom paint job cost me about $50 in total). This is Brazilian economy. The bike (technology) was expensive as hell, but the paint job (service) was beyond cheap.

Let me leave you with this little tidbit. Robadey....family name....rare as hell from a little known corner of the world (i.e. back country Switzerland). Very few of us still around, even though it is a 400+ year old name. So as it turns out, there was a emigration of Robadeys to Brazil many many moons ago. I am determined to root them out. Check out this pic I found on the web, of a little white girl on Robadey hill. Not a bad start if you ask me.

Back in a couple weeks with pics of greenery and relaxation.