now let me explain the kissing.kissing at salvador is as standard as caipirinhas--and i don't mean kissing your partner. i mean kissing strangers. this came as a bit of a shock to me--yep, this shocked a new yorker.the men would come up to you--"posso eu beijo-o." i would reply, "no falo portugese." then they would say, "english?" "sim." "you are very beautiful. can i kiss you?" for some of them, this was the only english they knew. if you said, "no," they would ask you why. if you had a boyfriend, well, unless he was right there in sight, that's not a good enough reason. "don't you want to experience a real brazilian kiss?" they were very persuasive, and aggressive. they didn't take subtle or nice let-downs, but kept trying. "kiss meee, kiss meeee."the gandhys (according to the guys i talked to) were started in the south of brazil to protest racism and to promote peace. now, "gandhys believe in peace and love. especially love." if you see the blue beads in the picture above, they would exchange a string of beads for a kiss--and really would try to get a kiss out of every woman that walked by! meanwhile, they were dressed with turbans, long white outfits (white skirts and these tied white tops) and sandals. they were bizarre but funny.kissing is this weird element of carnaval. people will just grab each other and make out. i couldn't believe it--suddenly, my friend is next to me, the next minute she is making out with some random short brazilian guy. and then he's gone and she's saying to me, "let's grab another caipie. mine's almost done."what else could i do but the obvious--get another caipirinha. i didn't need an excuse, and if my friends want to celebrate or ignore a kiss, well, drink up!author's note: i did not kiss this man in the photo. i had some random person take it. i did not even speak to him. being a gandhy, i knew he would happily pose. he didn't even try to kiss me--very un-gandhy-like. i also succeeded by leaving carnaval without kissing a single gandhy--not something many carnaval-goers could brag about!
i went to salvador for the infamous carnaval. it was all that and more. i can't describe it with words because that is all it would be: just words. i cannot even begin to explain the insanity...the intensity...the energy...the fun!
each day is a party...here would be a typical day for me...because i am crazy, wake up at 8am to go for a run (marathon training!). come back, shower, eat. maybe take a nap. walk around in the afternoon with friends, watching local bands storm the streets with their 
instruments...maybe do some reading or relaxing or chilling with other people in my hostel, or sit outside and watch the musicians parade by, or walk along the pelhourino or campo grande circuits, enjoying the music, jumping up and down to the music, following the trucks like the popcorn we are...in the evening, shower again (so hot!) and start getting ready...if in a camaroche or bloco, try to modify the shirt so it isn't SO ugly, put makeup on (because it's carnaval!), grab something to eat (a major task at times for the vegetarian!), get a capirinha (honestly, is there anything else to drink in brazil?! i probably had more capies than water!)...head out in a cab to the barro-ondina circuit or walk to the campo grande...join up with my friends, get some capirinhas, chat with the locals...avoid the gandhy guys trying to kiss me ("i have a boyfriend!" "where is he? can he see us?" wtf?!), toast each other...have too much fun...when it's done, you have the saddest feeling but know you just had one of the funnest weeks of your life.
pick which version:quebra 1
quebra 2quebra 3i think my favourite time singing this was pre-fat boy slim/dj marky/layo e bushwacka bloco where this supercute gayboi, felippe and i just started singing this at the top of our lungs!quebra ae asa!
so carnaval finally ended. i never thought it would. cairpirnhas, dancing, axe, i love it!
basically, it~s like a week of constant street parties. samba bands frequently marching past my hostel, drumming groups, dancing, it~s over. i~m really into axe music now, and can sing along. i~m probably going to head out and buy a couple cds later this afternoon.
last night was the best night. it was fat boy slim with layo e bushwacka and DJ MARKY! you know who i was there for! mr marky himself! i paid 260 real for my tickets and they were up to 400 real at the end and it sold out. it was basically like zurich~s street parade with thousands of brazilians and gringos dancing in the streets. when the drum n bass came on, i of course got a little bit crazy with my dancing, but so did others. heaps of fun. i ended up going to bed at 730 this am if that~s any indication.
otherwise, the carnaval week was just nuts. the bands did circuits around the pelhourino district, and i would hear noise from my hostel from about noon until two am. it was just nuts. the carnaval was everywhere.
carnaval also brings out this thing in people where they just want to kiss you. i.e., a guy says something, i say, ño falo portugese, he replies, english, i say sim, then he says you are beautiful can i kiss you. i say no and he asks why not. when they start to get upset and ask why not i tell them it~s because they are ugly.i~m mean, haha but i~m getting sick of these annoying guys!
i had some weird swollen ankle thing. at first i though it was an allergic reaction to a bug bite but rebecca (my roommate who~s doing an internship on tropical diseases in forteleza and is in med school) read the packet of malarone and one of the possible side effects is fluid in the legs. i finished my malarone yesterday and the swelling appears to have gone down. i went to a pharmacy and they gave me some stuff too. i just love getting medical assistance in foreign countries. between rebecca~s portugese and my translation book and the minimal english of the pharmacist, we were able to get it sorted out. oh and crista, i had to skip running yesterday and have been decreasing my running during this. i knew i wouldnt run that much, and there certainly have been no twelve milers or twenty since ive been here.
i~m feeling really sad. for me traveling is a way of life. going home after such a short holiday--i dread the thought, esp the five million questions at work. i know im going to isolate myself. t and i talked abt going on the big trip i~ve always wanted to do with a heavy focus on asia. we~ll see...hopefully!
right now, i can~t get into my email for whatever reason. frustrating b;c i paid in advance and now i~m not using it all. but that~s the deal for now, so if i~m not responding to your emails, that~s why.
so another night in salvador (there are still drumming groups making the circuits), some kiwi caipies and maybe a fun things tomorrow--i leave for rio in the afternoon. i~ll be home tuesday.
i know i sound bratty with my whining~~~i~m so glad to be here and knoiw i~m lucky to travel but at the same time, i~m sad to leave. i miss you all and hope everyone is doing great. i know sad things have happened at home but i love you!!!
now let me explain the kissing.
instruments...maybe do some reading or relaxing or chilling with other people in my hostel, or sit outside and watch the musicians parade by, or walk along the pelhourino or campo grande circuits, enjoying the music, jumping up and down to the music, following the trucks like the popcorn we are...in the evening, shower again (so hot!) and start getting ready...if in a camaroche or bloco, try to modify the shirt so it isn't SO ugly, put makeup on (because it's carnaval!), grab something to eat (a major task at times for the vegetarian!), get a capirinha (honestly, is there anything else to drink in brazil?! i probably had more capies than water!)...head out in a cab to the barro-ondina circuit or walk to the campo grande...join up with my friends, get some capirinhas, chat with the locals...avoid the gandhy guys trying to kiss me ("i have a boyfriend!" "where is he? can he see us?" wtf?!), toast each other...have too much fun...when it's done, you have the saddest feeling but know you just had one of the funnest weeks of your life.
