fun in the sun

As the tan lines already begin to fade and I have SEVERAL hours to spend here at the Newark Airport AND I look out the windows here at snow, I thought I'd better share my last few days of Brazil! This is the view from Erika's balcony (one of Murilo's sisters) during the tourist season. They live in Meia Praia which is actually a neighborhood of Itapema, Brasil. If you look closely, you can see a man selling hats, a vendor pushing an ice cream cart, someone selling beach clothing, another selling corn on the cob (from a little kiosk), and the banana boat business. It is humming with activity!!! Murilo and I walked up and down the beach every day, dodging impromptu soccer, volleyball and paddle ball games. We left the beach and perused through the shopping area too. Our last night, we all went to a local pizza restaurant for a new experience: instead of the buffet idea, you sit at your table with a little sign. While the sign is pointing to "savory" people constantly come by the table with different pizzas and pastas to try (broccoli, shrimp, palm hearts, chicken, I don't even remember all of them). When you change the sign to "sweet" they bring the dessert pizzas (chocolate with strawberries, ice cream, coconut, etc.). It was amazing - I don't think I will eat pizza for awhile though!!

We had an amazing time! The only blight on the whole trip - the security people took my knitting needles in Sao Paulo (grrrr). I guess it is a small price to pay :)