Some news!

My wonderful husbendinho had to go away to do a soccer coach course for two weeks. It's the first time we are separated for such a long time since we are married. I miss him so much! And I know it's the same on the other end of the phone :) BUT - as the good old saying goes - Every cloud has a silver lining!! I am staying with my parents-in-law and therefore experiencing Brazil full speed! Since also Thiago's brother is not at home, we are left with my beginner level Portuguese and dad's "I like you mucho, mucho!" It is really fun! And more and more I am convinced that the way how these people work would never work in Europe! And it doesn't need to work! I mean, it's clearly opposite but it's also a way! The key is to get the whole country work in the same way :)

Me and my friend Ilze always made fun of Paul from the Bible :) There is this one place where he writes in one of his letters - "I will visit you and stay for few months, maybe I will stay the whole winter!" And it always was so amusing for us, Latvians - how can you not know how your life will be after a half a year!!!! How can you plan to visit someone, and then just decide to stay for "the whole winter"!! But, I must say - there is a country where this is actually working!!! Every time we have been visiting our family or friends I have experienced the same two things - 1) we ALWAYS stay FEW hours longer than we thought before, and 2) we ALWAYS were deciding if  we want to sleep here or go home! I mean, it has always been an option - "Love, you want to sleep here or go home?" How about: "My dear love, GO HOME!!" But it's good to know that all the homes are open for me :)

The more time I spend here the more I fall in love with Brazilians. They are truly a wonderful and loving nation. The way how they care for each other makes me little jealous in comparison with Latvians. When asked a simple question, Brazilians always take the extra mile to help you in ways you never expected. Even when it is expected, they would do it with so much joy and smile! For example, the waiters in a restaurant. If you order a soda drink, they always bring it in a can. But, don't worry - you don't need to open the can OR pour the drink in your glass - they would gladly do it for you! Actually, it's so automatic for them, it's just something they do with the same hand move as putting down the drink on the table. And if during your meal they notice your glass is empty, they will come and fill it up for you. When in a restaurant, you really can feel like a queen :) I would gladly take this trend to Latvia. Our waiters can get upset if you ask them to bring an English menu or if you ask to take out olives from  your pica. Soon I will put another post devoted for food! It will be good!!! I just need my camera that's with my husbendinho :) 

"Why do something today if you can pay for somebody to do it after tomorrow!"

Recently I came across a very funny but very true video about Brazil! It just couldn't be more true!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMM7OJ_Kj9I&feature=player_embedded

One Year Together

On 22nd of January last year, I first came in the house of my future husbendinho. Now, one year later, who could have thought, I will be in the same place only now not as a visitor but as the inhabitant :) When looking back, we both must admit that it has been a crazy and awsome year! And every morning when I wake up, I just can't apprehend this blessing and gift that God has given to us. To be married to Thiago, is the best thing that could happen to you :) And, it happened to me!!!

I love to do lots of crafty surprises for my friends and loved ones. So, to make this day special, I did some crafts in our house too :) I made a photo wall with our pictures from the last (actually, it's our first:)) year together.

 And, since we both love fresh orange juice, I also made the Juice of the year :) I took 12 oranges, representing each month of last year, and tied a nice note to it. After we made juice of the first half of the year for our breakfest!

The day was trully perfect, because we both got what we wanted! We were invited to see a game Flamengo x America by one of Thiago's business partners! It was an incredible experience! Because this guy is very important and he got us seats in the special glass room where only the president of the club and other important people can go! The place had air conditioning, free drinks and snacks and the best view of the field! Thiago was so happy! And me too :) But we were too shy to take any pictures :) Ups!

And my big joy of the day was a little boat trip to the neighbour city of Nitaroi. Wonderful! We saw some dolphines in the ocean, ate frozen jogurt with three different toppings (strawberries, white chocolate flakes and twix bits :)) and took some pictures!

I do, trully love my husband's family! They are so loving, so sweet! So Brazilian! Every time we share with them our plans, it is so interesting to observe the reaction and conversations in the room. Because suddenly everything is SO dangerous!!!! It is dangerous to go the market, because.. too many people. It is dangerous to take train, because....too many people, to many robbers. We can't go to the Botanic Gardens, because... it is raining. Well, it will be raining....later :) I have been trying to get to the Jardem Botanico all the time since we are here, but there just haven't been any good, not dangerous day for it! And finally last week, we could actually convince my in-laws that the blue sky will stay blue and the sun will not go away! The Garden was so beautiful!!!!! My soul had a real rest, I had missed real nature, fresh air so much! I loved it with all my heart! True, my perfect husbendinho was tiered after the first palm tree, but I promised we can go to the airport watch airplanes if he will take enough beautiful pictures with me and the trees :) He agreed!

I stood in footsteps of Pele and Kaka!!

One thing I escaped from doing on my first visit to Rio in last January was visiting the Maracana stadium. Not that I have something against the ex biggest stadium of the world.. only.. What can you do in the stadium other then watching a game????? Well, I had to find it out last week :) Wasn't so bad! Now it is the biggest stadium in the Americas. Used to be the biggest in the world but China took over :) But it's ok! It still has the adjective - BIGGEST. Biggest in Brazil, biggest in Americas. Because everything that is in Brazil HAS to be THE biggest, THE longest, THE widest, etc. You just keep adding the adjectives or other words that specifies the location :) The jungle forest we visited was THE BIGGEST forest in the center of the city in the world. The tunel we went through was THE LONGEST in the Americas if you put the 3 seperate tunnels together..mmm :) But the Maracana was nice! We stood in the footsteps of all the famous soccer players, saw the big reconstruction works getting ready for the World Cup in 2014 and visited a museum with EXTRAVAGANT english translations :)

Somebody famous.. please dont' ask me who :)

Here it is - the footsteps of Pele!!

The stadium. Being torn down for reconstruction. On our leaving, Thiago said: "I miss my stadium."

Inside a gigantic soccer ball. The museum was very interesting... :)

Here's some example of the amazing English translations :)

As Thiago says "Brazil is the big Mother, everybody is welcome!" In the museum there was a souvenir shop where we bought little Latvi (Austria) - Brazil friendship flags :) Very cute!

"I will have three envelopes, a stamp and a pack of cat food, please!"

I started this blog with a mere wish to share with you the neverending surprises I see every day on this side of the world. And after 2 months of trying to do my best, I have to admit, it is a mission impossible! (Alongside with our Lossing For Winning mission in regards to my husbendinho:)) There is just too much of it! Because everything would deserve to be described in the blog. Starting with the special, in-built WC paper holders, unique restourants on the street corners with 2 plastic tables and few more plastic chairs. Even a visit to a post office finished with a funny adventure - it turns out you can't make a coppy in the post office OR buy a stam.. But you can do it in the pet shop across the street :D Last week we brought our friend Liene to our favourite restourant. And her reaction was a precise coppy of my first visit to this.. place! At first you even don't believe sombody is really enetering these doors not even having the idea of eating here! But, oh heaven, people DO eat here! And eat really good food!

With the pride of Brazil - Guarana... Hm... Thiago gets REALLY upset when I say that it tastes like our Pinokio soda drink in Latvia AND like the Scottish national pride - Irn Bru :)

The receit. This is a self service place. So, you first take what you want, then go in another little chamber with a big oven where you have the BBQ king offering you all kinds of meet. After that you put your plate on the scale, order a drink and enjoy your meel. The number you see on the receit is the money we need to pay.. hm.. my plate was first... BUT i did take some meet for my husband :)

Don't forget to pay!

Enjoying the view :D

And then there is the other side of Brazil. One that surprises you with its beauty. One that takes your breath away. One that reminds you that there must be something more, Someone more, because this kind of beauty just couldn't happen on its own. I wish I could take all my family and all my friends here so you can see and feel what I see and feel. Maybe in future :) But for now - only a little photo report :)

A waterfall in the jungle in the center of the city :)

Rio from the so called Chineese View. Beautiful!

LOVE HIM!!!!

With husbendinho and Lienīte. 

Eating an Acai - a frozen Acai fruit juice. Nice!!

One morning Thiago wakes me up with the Latvian anthem and says - "Now this will be our tradition. We will wake up with Latvian and Brazilian anthems!" Hm..

In the place you can't call any different then PARADISE - Araial de Cabo

We took one of the biggest boats to go on a little cruise stopping only to enjoy some time swimming and sunBURNING on the most spectacolous beaches ever!

I cought him doing THIS on my return from the restroom. Even in the middle of the road there's always a TV screen showing one of the million soccer games going on in one or the other place of the world.