28/ April and May: animals, nature and pasta sandwiches.

Yes YEs!!!!

I'm back on the keyboard to give all the fresh and not so fresh news...

Well, since the last post a lot has happened:

Elicia (who left back to US to sort her student VISA, but who is back tomorrow, after more than 1 month) and Eevi adpoted a cat.
He was christened by Eevi, and now responds to the name of: Smigol. (Yes, taken from the "My Precious" creature from Lord of the Rings) That's because, when Elicia found him outside the door, he was only a tiny little wet shaking thing!
He is now a fully grown teenager, and his favourite past time is to attack feet.
Here's some pix of him when he was still all fluffy and cute:





That last one is with Eva, Cari's lady dog. She is a real lady, check out those beautiful eyes:



And this is the beautiful (and crazy) owner: Cari, who when she's not painting eva's paw nails red, is a live statue:





Cari, Eva and me (guess the right order...)

Yessss, that's defo a bit of double-chin here, but what do you expect when I get urges like pasta sandwiches?

mmmmmmmm...

...My big highlight in April was that Isla -pronounce Aila- (who I used to live with for 2 years in London, before I came over here...) arrived from Venezuela and stayed for more than a month! It was lovely to have her around, Isla is such a positive brilliant and inspiring English rose!

Whilst she was around, she got stuck straight into working as a volunteer at the orphanage (she is a teacher by trade) which was really motivating for me, to chat with her and get her ideas on board to my own social projects...
But of course, her visit wasn't all about work...We did a fair bit of hanging out with Eevi (in fact them two became very good friends, in the time they spent together whilst i was being busy working on all the projects, the slackers!)

In the streets of Barbalho:
Soso

Isla

Eevi


We also hooked up with new friend Rob, whom I met via myspace (Rob's myspace)... we ended up hooking up, the 1st night being gradual debauchery from Pelourinho to Circo Picolino...









Rob, a great man: awesome to have met you!

But we're not just about getting really pissed and dance like fools, hell no!
We also went out of Salvador (thank the lord for thaT) and go check out some nice quiet nature in Bahia.
Our friend Tarsis (who in his spare time makes wooden toys) took us out to his favourite spot: Santo Antonio, up on the Literal North, where we camped in the sand dunes... happy days...














Look at the despaired expression on my face having to go back to Salvador! It says it all really!

Another trip saw us travel for 7 hours in a bus to arrive to the magnificence that is Chapada de Diamantina. I highly recommend that anyone who visits Brazil goes there: it is now at the top of my list of possible places where I would like to live.
The photos really don't make it justice.










The whole trip was quite an experience, having started by being robbed of my tent and mobile phone and Isla's favourite jumper by 2 guys on a motorbike on our way to take the bus!

But that was a great lesson, as we ended up meeting a group of very great guys, 2 of which (the brothers Naum and Tiago Bandeira) happened to have some land in Capao, offered us a tent to camp in on the set up of their campsite, where we had some of the best food I have eaten since Italy... We hung out with them the whole time, they shared with us their favourite local spots (Rio Preto, Cachoeira da Fumaca): Naum and Tiago, Joao and his dad, Tiago, and Pri: it was a fantastic and magical experience!

Tiago happens to be an amazing samba singer and guitar player, I could have listened to him sing and play for hours, by the campfire...


Naum just wrote a book -which Joao did the design for- about undiscovered Prehistorical paintings in Chapada, check his website HERE

Amazing people in an amazing place...

... Back in Salvador, Eli, the landlady from my old house (!yes! I've moved out, more about that in a bit) and Tarsis decided to open a bar downstairs from the house, with the name of "Maria Bonita" (from the real story of the gaucho cowlady gangster woman)
Here's a few shots of Isla's last night there, just before she got her cab (boohooooooooo... I really didn't want her to go! Come back Islaaaaaa!!!)






Orders taken from the bar!


A few days after Isla left, the laveleee Ben (from Ryhthmic Uprising , whom I met when I first arrived in Salvador) came over! Woohoo! Once again, it was a breath of fresh air to have him around, and get inspired by the awesome work he does (Rhythmic Uprising is "a documentary project that seeks to empower a movement of artists who are using local traditions to elevate the quality of life for at-risk children in the culturally rich region of Bahia, Brazil" ...Ben's own words...)

He also does great impressions, such as: "pretending to be on the phone"



The landlady

The cheese vendor

The cheese eater


... Now, Ben's left, Isla's left, and I have moved out of Eli's house to the house of the Association "Arte Naif" I have started to work for: it's about 5mins from Eli's house and bar, so I get to see everyone a lot!
My new house is lovely, and it's nice to have people around to visit, like my ex-housemate Chike or eevi and her sis Silva...









This is the start of my new life.
Selma, the woman who created and coordinates the Association is a very inspiring woman: since I have met her, my plans of social, educative and creative work have come to life, and I am now a Graphic Design teacher for kids from different bairros of Salvador, as well as helping out daily at the Association, and helping out other social projects with Design...

Next blog: all about this new start!

XXX