Eat, Sleep, Train, and DANCE!

My last few days in Rio were nice. I went to yet another football game at Maracanã (Some Canadian I am) on Sunday night. A bit more eventful: Flumenense 2, São Paulo 2. The stadium was much more crowded this time around because the Flumenense are the leading team right now (from Rio), so the fans are even more passionate.. They were waving flags, singing, cheering, swearing, as usual, along with throwing toilet paper and what´s called "rice dust" in the air and onto the field.

On Monday, I had a pretty chill day. I went to some natural reserve with Fabio, where we were supposed to go to the waterfall, but it´s closed on Mondays. Instead, we chilled further down, by the river. We ate jack fruit, which I had never seen before in my life. It is huge, about the size of a watermelon, and supposedly that was a tiny one. Then, by the river, I was eaten alive by bugs. They weren´t mosquitoes, but more like a tiny black fly that bites. I had put repellant only on my legs, and so these little buggers destroyed my feet and ankles, including my tattoo, which was covered with bites. The next day, it was so bad, that my ankles had swollen into cankles! They are only just starting to heal now.

Tuesday, my last day in Rio, was spent on the bus mostly. We got up early to go to the Christ (I guess I am a tourist afterall) at around 8am we left. By the time we got to downtown, it was 11:30 and by the time we got to the Christ, it was probably around 12:30. It was a gorgeous view. You could see all of Rio, and the Christ was massive! It´s amazing to think, last year I was at the Taj Mahal, and now at the Christ in Rio de Janeiro. Man, I love my life!

I woke up at 4:45am the next day, grabbed a cab to the airport, was there with plenty of time. No stress this time. I arrived in Salvador, and so did my backpack! I took the bus to Campo Grande, walked to the academy, on the way picking up the most delicious mango I have ever had in my entire life! I met up with Metrão, who showed me around the academy. I got my own room with three beds (one room is for men, the other for women). I peeked inside the men´s bedroom, and there were clothes on every bed, so I thought, "Man, there´re so many people staying here!" Of course, it turns out it was only two guys, whom had thrown their shit all over the room. That works, so I did the same... I use all three beds, now :) That night we had a capoeira class, where I met some gringos living in Salvador and working. This made me think a little: do I want to stay in Rio or Salvador?

The next day, I explored a little. That was pretty much all I did that day. I bought a book in Portuguese: A cidade do sol by Khaled Hosseini (A thousand splendid suns), one of my favourite books, which I read (in English) while I was in India. It´s really difficult to read in Portuguese, I have discovered, but I will still try my best. I wandered around Pelorinho, which is the historical centre of the city, with so much capoeira! I found Mestre Bimba´s school, got the schedule, met a woman there, who turns out to be the aunt of Professor Reni (who gave me my white cord at my first batizado). Small world! That night, another capoeira class at the academy. It´s such a great deal! R$30 per night, a pretty good deal for a hostel, but it also includes free capoeira all week! They also have a kitchen where we can cook, so really, all I do in Salvador: eat, sleep and train!

The next day, I woke up bright and early, and headed off for Pelorinho again. This time, I went a bit further to Forte Santo Antônio, where Mestre Moraes, whom was a student of Mestre João Pequeno (I think), gives Angola classes. I took my very first Capoeira Angola class: it was tough! It´s so incredibly different from Regional, more than I originally thought. I discovered that I have a really hard time moving my body that way, in that style. I did like how the class began, though: with about 10 minutes of music. They handed me the berimbau, and I sang. It was a great way to start the class! Put a little bit of everything into every class, it was very nice. I, of course, was very nervous, so I had trouble singing and playing the berimbau at the same time. I usually can do it... :( After the class, Mestre Moraes, whom showed up about half way through the class, asked me my name and I resonded with Leoa. He looked at me strangely, like Leoa?!? That´s an animal! So, at the end of class, when we were all sitting and listening to him, he went on a rant about nicknames. He said that they shouldn´t be used anymore, because capoeira is not illegal anymore. He said that those who use nicknames, do not understand the history of capoeira. I wasn´t too crazy about this.... He invited me to take another class on Tuesday, but I don´t think I will go. It´s too expensive, plus, I don´t think Angola is my thing. I don´t think they appreciate those who do both Angola and Regional, because to them, Angola is the only true capoeira. I don´t like this attitude. I will give Angola another chance, but I want to try it again with a different Mestre.

That same afternoon, I went back to Pelorinho, and I took another capoeira class, this time Regional, with Mestre King Kong. Now this guy is nuts!! He´s huge (as you can tell by his name) and with crazy eyes... You wouldn´t want to make him mad, kind of like "You wouldn´t like him when he´s angry". His warm-up was killer, I was dying within the first 5 minutes, and then his actual class (which was only me) was non-stop. Non-stop sequences, kicks, sit-ups, ginga, push-ups, and he used almost every movement I know, without a single break to even breathe! I was a bright red tomato within the first 15 minutes of class, and at times, I wondered if he would only stop once I literally passed out. Never, ever would I train with this guy in the summer, I would probably have heat stroke. I almost did this time. I really enjoyed his class, though. It´s a really good one to keep in shape. It shows how out of shape I am... all that drinking, smoking and lazing around I did in Rio, not a good idea. During the two weeks I was in Rio, I did took one capoeira class. During the three days I had in Salvador, I took four classes, and then had a roda back at the academy.. after a maculêlê class and roda. I LOVE BAHIA!

I took so many classes on Friday, knowing full well that I would take no classes on the weekend, that is time to relax. I went to bed early on Friday night (I was fucking EXHAUSTED!) and woke up early on Saturday, then fell back to sleep. At about 2pm, we finally moved our asses to the beach. We didn´t go to Barra, the tourist beach. Instead we went to the tiny Boa Viagem beach, where only locals go because it is somewhat hidden, close to Ribeira (I think). We drank beer, swam, and ate delicious baiano fish. When we came back to the academy, we met up with everyone, drank some beer, played some guitar, drank some more beer... It was fantastic. I realize now that Portuguese becomes much easier when I drink beer. So much more natural. I think it´s because I feel more relaxed and less self-conscious. I love Brazil: the way everyone is so relaxed and chill, it´s so refreshing. Hakuna Matata :)

Sunday, yesterday, we woke up and headed to the beach again. This time we went to another locals´ beach, Buracão. It is a small beach close to Rio Vermelho, where the waves are so vicious that you don´t swim, but you hold your nose, and frantically avoid the dangerous rocks. I didn´t go into the water too much, fearing for my life. We ate feijoada, which we paid WAY too much for, drank beer (when do I not drink beer in Brazil... I don´t even like beer in Canada) and met a nice baiana girl, whose name I have forgotten. Then we walked to another beach, one which was pretty dirty, but we swam anyway, and I slept on the beach which led to a bit of a burn on my back. It was a really awesomely chill day. I love the beach, although, I do like the beach a lot more in Rio. They are cleaner (the water is sometimes brownish here) and prettier. Salvador just has prettier people, I think. :) On the way back to the academy, we stopped at a house near the water, one which our friend, Abacaxi, will be moving into today. It was the most gorgeous view I have ever seen, a cute little neighbourhood, really chill, with a view of the ocean, beach, and sometimes whales! This made me really think: am I sure I want to live in Rio, and not Salvador? We went back to the academy, where we chilled for an hour or two, then Magyver (fuck I can´t spell) and I went out to meet the baiana girl from the beach. We went to an overly expensive bar, where there was live music. Of course, Magyver fell in love with this beautiful girl, and I danced the night away with the beautiful baiana girls that I met there. It´s so easy to approach people in Bahia, everyone just loves to dance! This truly is the good life.

Now, I am searching for locations of English schools, here in Salvador. When I really think about it, I still think I will live in Rio, but just in case, I will look around at schools anyways. You never know what will happen in the next few weeks in Bahia.... I may end up falling madly in love. My plan at the moment is (planning in Brazil doesn´t usually work so well, so this will probably change): I will go to Santo Amaro, about an hour bus-ride away, on Thursday, stay for about three or four days, depending how much time it takes to do what I would like to do there. Then, I might head to Cachoeira, spend a day or two, and then return to Salvador.