31/12 – Hm…

New Years Eve and the rain is pouring down. Apparently Murphy is trying to make up for his absence during Christmas. This Copacabana idea involves that everyone should be dressed in white for the New Year. If the weather continues like this, it will be the biggest wet t-shirt competition ever on that beach. Still quite a few hours to go though, so all fingers and toes are crossed for some sunshine later on.
Either way, hope you all will have a good one and see you in the New Year.
Gott Nytt År!

30/12 - The easiest girl in town to impress…

...must be me, at least when it comes to activities involving footballs. And there are a lot of those over here. Brazil is all about football. In general, I would almost dare to claim that I’m quite all right with balls as long as I can use my hands. (To clarify that last sentence; that would be canoe polo balls when I sit in my kayak, and nothing else.) However, as soon as my feet are supposed to be part of the action, I’m lost, and I mean really lost. I think even the horse fanatic girls in my primary school class beat my personal best of 11 when it came to juggle a football on our knees. Only thing I did quite well on the football field was the sideline throws, or possibly running up and down the field to make the opponents tired. Preferably, always with the ball as far away from me as possible.
Ok, side tracking here, back to Brazil. If you walk along the beaches here, there are people with footballs everywhere. You’ve mainly got these groups of boys of all ages (they might be men off the beach, but with a football - still boys), standing in a circle just by the water trying to keep the ball alive. And that’s definitely impressive enough for me. I can get totally mesmerized by it and catch myself counting how far they would get sometimes. Probably looks kind of silly, since I’m the only person in the near vicinity playing a ‘one, two, three, freeze’ game with myself when I see a new football circle. And bare in mind, I don’t even need to put any effort whatsoever in to keep my focus off the tanned abs. It’s the football only…one, two, …, 57, 58, …
But (there’s always a ‘but’), there’s something even better than football in a circle. Just like canoe polo, dart orienteering and under water knitting, you can make a combination sport out of football as well. And to blow me off my feet, you’ll combine it with beach volleyball. Keeping in mind, that I also quite admire the skills of playing volleyball with only two players a side, this beach-volleyball-football thing is unbelievable. I have no idea how they manage to play that sport, absolutely great…and very impressive.
New Years Eve tomorrow and Copacabana has been getting ready for days now. Scaffolding being put up and art works fine tuned in the sand. The buzz is about some 2 million people or so, which is probably true. The rumours about U2 coming to play on the beach is probably not though.

28/12 – I’ll buy my next umbrella when the sun is shining.

Everyone’s been telling me that I need to get an umbrella. And as I love listening to other people and take their advice… Erhm…since I normally think that I know better than other people, I didn’t think I would need one. Except for the day on my arrival, it hasn’t been raining, so why would I need an umbrella – duh? It’s just this tricky thing that when it’s raining it’s sort of too late to go and get one. Not only did I get soaking wet buying my umbrella, I probably paid three times as much as I would on a sunny day as well.

The rain is not all bad though, it makes wonders for my running. The temperature drops to some 25°C, no crowds, no prams, no Mr & Mrs Lovebird in electric toy sports cars or four-wheel bikes with the whole family (including a couple of dogs) riding along blocking most of the walkways. Not even other people out running or bikes and no need to stop at the water mist machines or to buy something to drink when you think you’re going to faint from sun stroke. In other words, suits me perfect and I knocked my PB off with 9%.

27/12 - Sore shoulders and burnt calves.

Had my first surf lesson yesterday. Yes, I am very sore today. Yes, I loved it. Nice small beginner’s waves, no crowds and sunshine of course. So not only muscles being sore, my legs should probably stay out of the sun for a couple of days to get back to a healthier colour again. But most of all, I made a very important conclusion already before getting in the water: I need to learn this surfing thing really quickly. I’m already tired of trying to carry those massive yellow, banana looking, foam boards around which the beginners (=me) are stuck with. I want one of those cool, small, handy and easy to carry things - now! Spite having a monkey ratio of 1.03 and being fairly tall, my arms weren’t even close to long enough to get around that stupid board. Paddle out through the breaking waves was nothing effort wise compared to moving that piece of foam the 300 m from the base to the beach. And I thought foam was supposed to be light, that’s the whole point isn’t it? Well, I rather drag my kayak around on metros and airport busses and you name it, instead of wrestling with a beginner’s board for a few hundred metres. Hopefully, I’ll be back out there next weekend again to make sure to work my way away from the tanker size surf boards as quickly as possible.

Had my first Rio bus service experience today. Got to where I wanted to go in a shorter time than if I’d been walking, so I guess the main objectives were fulfilled. I’m still a bit confused regarding a couple of things though, but I’m sure I can sort that out once my language skills have evolved a bit further. Along most of the streets where the buses run, you have this bus stop looking sheds. It’s just that that I haven’t really been able to see any correlation between those constructions and where the buses actually stop. Same thing for getting off the bus, not really sure how it’s supposed to work, but I guess the system of just keeping the back doors open when stopping at traffic lights is as good as any. Also, to use the inner lane when letting people on or off seems to be overrated here, just like using the clutch when driving. Just make sure you look out for taxis and motorbikes when crossing the lane to get on/off the bus and to hold on tight to whatever solid things you can find once you’re in it.

26/12 – Pinnekjøtt, flæskesteg and Brazos Bottom Pecan Pie.

So, a Christmas in Rio has passed. First summer Christmas since the New Zealand one in 1999 and the second one ever away from my family. Hard to know what expect but I guess it turned out pretty much as I thought it would be. Had a quiet morning on Christmas Eve, with a swim in the pool and a long walk on the beach. Then back to the flat to try and to catch a few minutes with my near and dear ones at home.
And I have to admit (although it’s a bit hard), that Skype made my day on Christmas Eve. Sure, the holidays should be about actually spending time with your family and keeping the traditions and all that, and the last thing you would want to do is to sit in front of the screen. However, if you can’t make that happen, at least you can try to be sort of semi-present with a web cam. Phoned my family just in time for coffee and Santa and apparently, my brother put his laptop on a pile of cushions on the sofa and abracadabra – it was almost like sitting there with them. It was great to see them open all their presents and see a few surprised faces every now and then when someone had hit the bullseye. An hour and a half and meters of wrapping paper later, it started to look a bit empty under the Christmas tree in Bergsbrunna and I was ready to get going to the Christmas dinner here in Rio. And best of all; it finally felt like it was Christmas. Also, and to give Skype a bit more credit, I don’t think I’ve ever had such a good connection for a video call, and I couldn’t have asked for a better timing for it. Murphy must have taken the day off – good on him.

The evening of the 24th was spent with some fellow Scandinavians in a flat with an amazing view of Rio harbour. For me, a very different Christmas set-up of course, but I kind of like the idea of having the aperitif in the sun on the terrace before you dig into the Christmas dinner. And what a dinner - some delicious Norwegian pinnekjøtt and Danish flæskesteg and of course, excellent company. A while later, I had to put my principles aside for a few minutes when it was time for singing and dancing. At home, it’s not really an issue. No one in my family is particularly keen to sing and dance around the Christmas tree, so we don’t even bring the subject up. But here, no excuses accepted. Everybody dances and everybody chooses a song and I both survived it and enjoyed it to be honest. Thus, all in all, a much appreciated and nice evening.

Yesterday, I was treated with another, for me, new Christmas experience - a proper American Christmas lunch. Turkey, ham, corn bread dressing, cranberries and the lot, all home cooked with a lot of love and effort. For dessert, the one and only Brazos Bottom Pecan Pie, all the way from Texas. A sugar rush out of this world, but hey, it’s only Christmas once a year.

Jens & Lillik and Don & Rosa, thanks so much to you and your respective families for inviting me to share Christmas with you. It would have been a very lonely Christmas without your hospitality. Instead, thanks to you, I got the most international Christmas ever with lots of nice treats.

24/12 – Christmas sushi.

Anyone heard about Christmas sushi? Neither have I, but I think that’s what I would call my dinner last night. Ok, it was just a Wednesday, but the evening before Christmas Eve deserves some more respect than macaroni cheese or instant noodles I think. Unfortunately, there was no point in thinking about trying to bake a ham or something like that, since I would need an oven to succeed with that mission. Pickled herring might have worked cooking wise, but I’m quite sure getting the ingredients for that belongs to the advanced Portuguese class. Take away sushi you can manage with a big smile and pointing at pictures.

Started the long Christmas weekend with a run on the beach – which my calves are thanking me big time for today. Premiere for my Vibram Five Fingers shoes, which I bought a couple of months ago. Kind of weird feeling, sort of nice and almost like wearing no shoes at all, but perhaps not the most ideal footwear for running on the beach. Well, if you’re planning to make your own beach at home, it might be. A few runs a week and you’ll have brought enough sand home within a month or less. Conclusion: Barefoot or runners next time and the Five Fingers will be saved for non-sandy conditions.

Assuming the weather stays just as magnificent as it has been for the last few days, I think I’ll spend most of today outside. Go for a swim to start with perhaps, cook myself a nice brunch and then relax with a good book on the beach. That would be a Christmas Eve as different as could be to the normal story (which I will miss like crazy once we get to the evening hours) and it should be a perfect easy day to make me ready for a Scandinavian Christmas dinner tonight. Have been promised that all the Danish and Norwegian traditional stuff will be there and that there won’t be any excuses to get away from dancing around the Christmas tree.

Finally, for those of you who are fortunate enough to spend Christmas with your loved ones, don’t forget to also let them know that you enjoy and appreciate their company. I will for sure miss being around my family today. Wherever you are and irrespective of how you’ll spend the next couple of days, I hope you will all have a really nice Christmas with lots of nice food and perhaps a couple of good surprises as well.

God Jul, Merry Christmas and Feliz Natal from a beautiful Rio!

21/12 - Murphy messes with Christmas.

On a calendar candle, the printed dates on the candle cover some 10% of the circumference of the candle or so. Why is it then, that the wax always runs down at just those 10%, and only there, covering all the numbers with melted wax? And when you try to remove the wax, the numbers will of course come off as well – always. How am I now supposed to know when it’s Christmas?

A colleague of mine told me that the Cariocas aren’t too worried about getting high quality food; they’ll go for the whole dinner experience instead. As long as the food is ok, the set up, the company and the concept of the restaurant is the primary thing. Last Friday, I think I managed to get it all though. Beautiful seafood and lots and lots of it, excellence service at one of the most different and cool restaurants I’ve ever been to. (Marrakech kitchen on Valkendorfsgade in central Copenhagen would give them a good fight for the trophy though.) Marius Crustáceos on the Copacabana beach front is like nothing I’ve ever seen or experienced before.
The whole place has got this piracy and ship kind of feeling about it and the seafood buffet is bigger than anything. Every now and then the owner showed his face, quietly walking through the restaurant, making small comments to the waiters and taking notes. Have also heard that if you’re lucky, you’ll see him throw plates around the place – maybe next time. It’s not very often you can honestly claim that using the ladies room is an experience itself, but in this case it’s true. The floor is covered with stones and the ceiling and walls are totally covered with stuff - vases, dolls, marine details, glasses - just pure stuff. Apparently the male version isn’t less impressive…all as of my French colleague, and company for the evening, of course.
Only comment for improvement came from my colleague about half way through the dinner. He concluded that some waitresses would have made the experience even better, but I can’t really see the big deal with that. This 100% male staff concept suits me just fine and who doesn’t like having pirates pouring you wine and serving you fresh cooked lobster at the table? So those of you, who consider coming and visiting, make sure to put some dinner money aside for Marius. I’d love to take you there – all of you.

http://www.marius.com.br/
http://www.marrakech-kitchen.dk/

20/12 – Photo opportunity and almost like snow.

He was back yesterday morning, the guy on the roof. Seems to be a Saturday morning work crew. Same story this time, including giving me a stomachache. Hopefully, I’ll never get comfortable with watching things like this. There was a slight safety improvement compared to last week though. His mate on the roof was wearing a harness. It wasn’t tied in to anything, but perhaps he gets the same kind of security feeling we all got when learning to ride our bicycles. When we thought dad was still holding on, keeping our balance, but when he in fact was standing at the starting point with his arms crossed watching us being just fine on the bike. I don’t want to think about what will happen to the harness mate on the roof when he realises that no-one is holding on to his bike anymore though.

If you lie on a beach and put your ear against the sand (preferably with a towel in between), close your eyes and listen to the people walking past. Then you’ll hear that the sound is almost like the wonderful sound you get on a really cold, dark and beautiful night when walking on a snow packed road with the stars glistering above you. Not quite the same sound, but almost. And close enough for me to drift away for a second and pretend I’m at home with all this snow around me. Can anyone please make an extra snow angel for me back home? Tried in the sand, but the waves kept washing it away.
For those of you who have near and dear ones, who you usually chat with using a web cam; I was part of an interesting experiment today, which might be of your interest. It has now been empirically confirmed that you can fit the whole family in front of the web cam, even with close-ups. And whatever you do, don’t forget to bring the cat into the picture as well. The pets are easily forgotten when it comes to internet communication, but I’m very sure they appreciate it just as much as we humans do.
Förlåt mamma och pappa, men kunde inte låt bli…det var dagens bästa skratt, men skönt att se att MissAnn är sig lik.

First dip in the ocean today by the way, very nice, very warm, very big waves.

Update 22/12 - Tack Jesper!

19/12 - Make sure your kids behave.

Location: Bike/walk way around Lagoa.
Time: Saturday evening at 18.37.
Kid on kick bike.
Dad on skateboard behind kid.
Dad tells son to watch out for people on bike/walk track and behave.
Kid has full control of kick bike and is riding nicely along the side.
Dad looks at Brazilian girl who bikes past.
Dad drives into grass with skateboard.
Dad almost falls and stumbles off into side fencing when the skateboard comes to an immediate full stop.
Kid stops in a controlled manner and has to wait for dad.
Bi-effect: Caroline is about to run into a light post due to difficulties focusing on her own running and trying not to crack down with laughter.

19/12 - The real Rio?

A taxi ride feeling like a play station game, swooshing past the other cars, and with red just being a colour like any other. A small gate through a wall, a set of stairs up to the bar and the dance floor packed with people. The live band is nothing silly as a 3-4 men band, if you’re gonna play, you play it properly, with 10-12 people. The stage is almost as packed as the dance floor. Samba tunes, sweat and happy dancing people. This must be the real Rio!

17/12 – Lunch = 482 g.

Seems to be a pretty common concept over here. Normally some kind of buffet where you grab a plate and fill it up with what you feel like eating – so far all normal. Then, at the check-out, they weigh your plate and charge you a price strictly based on the weight, irrespective of what you’ve chosen for lunch.

It’s actually quite unbelievable that we haven’t really adopted this concept in Scandinavia, and especially in Sweden – The world’s capital of fairness. Or maybe we have, and it’s just me who hasn’t been around enough. Anyways, the majority of the Swedish population would absolutely love this. Remember what a relief it was when some supermarkets starting selling strawberries as of weight (as all other fruits and vegies) and not as of the “I haven’t overfilled the paper box at all” litre system. No arguing about if you’re entitled to two chicken breasts since the first one you got was smaller than your colleague’s one or not. If you want two, you take two, and pay for two. Easy as that!

Trying to make the flat feel a bit more like home. Leaving some clothes out here and there, on the sofa, over the back of a couple of chairs etc. Dirty socks on the floor. Shifting some furniture around. Leaving a bag on the dining table or some tissues on my bedside table. All to get that home feeling when you open the door to your flat after a day at work. However, it’s kind of hard when the cleaning lady nicely puts everything back to where it should be every day. *pling* Dagens I-landsproblem! Chairs neatly pushed in, clothes properly folded on the bed, dishes put away and so on. So instead of feeling more at home, I feel bad for having caused her extra work – and that wasn’t the plan really.
However, as long as she doesn’t touch my three Santa fridge magnets I got from my grandmother before I left, I really think I should just enjoy the luxury.

Now when I come to think about it, melon was probably not the most clever thing I chose to put on my lunch plate…

15/12 - Amil’s Muscle Beach.

Haven’t paid the gym at my own apartment complex a visit yet, but in case I won’t be happy enough with it (which would take a lot though since it’s for free) I think I’ll join Amil’s Muscle Beach. Seems to be a down to earth kind of place, on the beach, not at all focusing on showing off your big guns (yes, this one is for you Robbo) to everyone walking by on the beach or on the sidewalk. Also seems like an excellent place for a gym in this kind of climate, no shadow, no AC – all pure nature…erhm…sun… So not only will you get fit, but also tanned while working out. Couldn’t be better, could it.

14/12 - The universal language of drugs.

Paracetamol, that’s all you need to know. Forget about polite Portuguese phrases and if you understand what they ask you at the counter or not. Just learn the proper name of the drugs you need, and you’ll be fine. The advanced course recommends you to write the size of the pills on a piece of paper, or possibly using sign language for it. Don’t bother for anything smaller than 750 mg though, they won’t have it anyways.

It was actually harder on my nerves than I thought it would be to try the washing machine in my new flat for the first time. Especially since I haven’t taken any part whatsoever in installing it, I can’t really see any hoses going in or out from it and I know that the knifes which were put in the flat was not meant to be used for cutting anything. So far, so good though. No water on the floor, it seems to be enough water in the machine and no neighbours complaining yet.

Highlight of the day (eh…not that hard perhaps when home sick in bed, but anyways): Finally found the switch for the AC. It mysteriously stopped while I was watching the DJ dancing around in pink tights and lip stick at the Christmas party on Friday and I haven’t been able to get it going ever since. Well, I couldn’t even find anything that I could try to get it going with. Until tonight - Kazaam! And there it was. This nice, white, plain switch, just like the ones you would install for a lamp, sitting (read hiding) behind this small sticking-out-thing on my bedroom wall, facing the balcony. Not going to enter the discussion about how clever the placement of such a switch is in a flat you’re putting up for rent in a city where the temperature won’t drop below 20° C even during night. I found it, it’s working, and that’s all that matters.

13/12 - What would a Samba Lucia look like?

It’s not like I’m supposed to leave in a week, thus, there’s no stress with the tan. Let’s be less Scandinavian tourist for a bit and not fry myself to a crayfish colour right away…even though I know it will turn into a nice tan in a few days – very tempting though...

Don’t know how they do it, but no one is wearing sunnies here. My eyes hurt after 5 min without them, but these people keep playing football on the beach and walking along without sunglasses or caps. Must be because of the gorgeous dark brown colour of their fantastic eyes. Me want too…

I wonder if anyone has ever counted, but there seems to be more helicopters over here than in Aberdeen even.

Hoppas ni fick några goda Lusse-bullar idag förresten. Och fick lyssna på lite lågstadieelever som sjöng Luciasånger till frukostkaffet - njut i så fall!

Mental note: 5 pm is way too early for a run – alternatively, bring some money to buy some agua (have forgotten the little word to go in between here) coco along the way.

Portuguese progress: fosfora (Should probably be some `´or stuff on some of the letters, but hey, I’m a dummy beginner still.)

12/12 - Who needs a harness?

Had just prepared my breakfast and was on my way out on my balcony to enjoy it, looked up and froze. Here’s this guy, standing on top of the opposite seven storey building, on a 40 cm wide ledge thing sticking out from the corner of the building. Just like that, wearing his track pants, t-shirt and sneakers, and that’s it. Perhaps, it’s just me having gotten an extra fuzzy eye for safety from my working environment, but in this case I don’t think so. Even a daredevil, adrenaline junkie might have thought this one to be a border case. And as if this wasn’t enough, he’s holding on to a rope, lowering it down to his mates on the ground, who then wiggle around with it down there. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure out that you don’t need a massive pull to make the guy on the building loosing his balance. Even being some 30 meters away I was afraid of sneezing or dropping my cereals and scare the crazy man.
Next time I’ll try to snap out of the shook a bit quicker and sneak out my camera and take a picture. It would easily make those mass e-mails circulating with people using drilling machines in swimming pools and glad wrap as face protection.

In Northern Europe, and also in most other countries I’ve visited, there seem to be an unspoken, but well accepted, natural law which sets the relation between the amount of fabric in your swim wear and you age, or possibly body size. In general, the size of your bikini would be directly proportional to your age and size and at a certain combination of age and size; the bikini will turn into a bathing suit even. However, the Rio population has totally missed out on that. No bikinis or Speedos are too small, no body size is too big, no boobs are too low and no backs too hairy to show. But having said that – man, the people are beautiful over here!

11/12 - Você fala Inglês?

The importance of learning Portuguese is quite obvious and came down on me pretty right away. After less than 14 hrs in the country; the phone rang on Friday morning. A presumably very polite man said something in Portuguese…repeated it about 5 times, cut the sentences down to some key words…tried again…and so on, and I had absolutely no idea what he was talking about. Was it a question? An emergency? Information? No clue whatsoever. After a few minutes he’d been able to track down an English-speaking colleague who kindly informed me that a breakfast basket was waiting for me at the reception. Don’t want to miss out on treats like that in the future just because the English-speaking guy is having a day off.

10/12 - Sun rise in Paris, flooding in Rio and bullet proof windows.

Never thought the most beautiful view I would get in Paris so far was at CDG airport, but have to admit, sunrises are quite nice everywhere, irrespective of the things around you. Offshore cranes, helipads, gas flares or terminals and aeroplanes, it’s still something special about it. However, the remote light houses with dolphins at the horizon still beats them all.

On arrival, Rio showed one of its less good sides, rain, rain, rain and more rain. By the time I was dropped of at my home to be, the streets were flooding and the water was pouring down like in a shower. At least the weather can only improve from this and compared to some of my new colleagues I shouldn’t complain. Nothing was dripping from the ceiling in my flat, and my bed was still standing on a dry solid floor, and not floating around on it’s way out on the back porch.

Don’t know if it should be comforting or worrying, but apparently it’s company policy that all employees should travel to the airport in bullet-proof vehicles. It’s kind of James Bond coolish, as long as you don’t think about the reasons for why this was implemented in the first place.

The flat made a good first impression on me, hotel like of course, but nice set-up with guest room, two bathrooms, washing machine and most things you could think of. And luckily enough, someone made sure to equip my kitchen with five pair of scissors, just in case the first four might brake when I’m trying to cut something.
I wonder if you can slice tomatoes with a pair of scissors? Might try since a knife that could cut anything but butter, does not seem to be part of the standard Brazilian kitchen equipment.

December 2009 photos

Close to paradise...
Avocados the size of a handball and mum, I’ll promise I’ll come home with at least 25 of those exclusive leather/wooden/braided/yarn/bead bracelets you think look so nice on me.








What if...
What a smile, what a hair, what a beautiful person. And dances like a god. If I only had a descent camera which I would dare to bring... I have one, but too afraid to loose it (read having it robbed off me) to bring it. But if…you would see the most beautiful happy dancer on a picture here instead of this text.

'

Has absolutely nothing to do with travelling...almost...

...but four of them makes me laugh until tears run down my cheeks, one makes my tears run without the laughter, five just makes me smile and feel happy, seven of them get the adrenaline pumping and my jaw to drop down to my knees, four of them give me goosebumps all over and three of them fill my heart with longing for the other end of the world. Enjoy!

“När jag kommer tillbaka till rummet har någon varit där och piffat till sängen för natten. Täcket är uppvikt, så att jag sjäv ska slippa denna obarmhärtiga kraftansträngning. … Min säng är ett hav av manglat tyg, böljande och stärkt om vartannat. För en sekund överväger jag att sova på golvet, det känns så brutalt att låta hela kroppstyngden falla ner och krossa det fluggiga konstverket. En kvart senare sover jag djupt, inbäddad intill orörlighet med armarna längs med sidorna och på rygg. Bara på hotel sover jag så här.”

Marcus Dunberg om att sova på hotell