Where did Thursday go??

Well today was more the sort of day that I am used to. We left the hotel at 8 this morning and returned at 7:30 this evening.

First stop was at an college in the older part of Natal.

There were speeches made by all sorts of important people about the project over the past few years. Mostly in Portugese with very quiet English translation ... mostly I couldn't hear.

Ladies dressed in lovely costumes did an entertaining dance for us at the end.

Then we walked to another room in the building (but arrived late as we didn't really know where we were going) ... there was a group of young children that played the xylophone and recorders. What we did hear was wonderful.

There were 2 women brought to Natal from each of the 13 states that have been studying in the project. They have published a book that tells the stories of many women and how this has changed their lives. All the women that were at the meeting were signing the books for us.

Then we piled onto the bus and were whisked off for lunch to an amazing location by the ocean. In case you haven't figured it out yet ... almost every place in by the ocean with an amazing view.

Then we piled back into the bus and drove to the other college more central to downtown. Here we sat through some more speeches. This time we had the headsets for English translation, so it was a bit easier to listen ... I only nodded off to sleep once! Nearly broke my neck. No Pictures of this part.

All the people who spoke were supposed to be a total of 20 mins ... it went on for 3 hours.

At the end another group of high school students came in to perform for us. All students in grade school must take music ... from the very beginning. Grade 1. It is mandatory!! What is wrong with our school system. ... Anyway, they were GREAT.

There were booths set up at this college as well. The women from the project and from each state set up their work. It was pretty amazing. These are the partners for fashion, two teachers and the director.

This was one of the first women I met. She is from the first graduating group. The women created this packaging for the things they sell.

Bus back to the hotel. Dinner at 8 downstairs. I am ready for bed now ... and not hungry in the least.

Wednesday seeing Natal

After breakfast we were scooted away in an air conditioned van. Me, Michael, Jim and two ladies who live here ... they were the best guides we could have had! Our first stop was to the place that was first settled in Natal in 1598.  It is a fort, built in the shape of a star, named after the 3 wise men that came to see Jesus and because it was constructed around Christmas. ... the first photo isn't mine ... as there was no way to get that high up, but I wanted to show the shape. You can walk all the way around the top. In some places the walls are 15 meters thick to be safe from attacking cannon balls!

It is pretty neat. When the tide is out there are small pools of water around the fort, but when the tide come all the way in, it is like a giant moat all the way around. It was pretty cool to walk around inside. There are no rules, you are aloud to walk anywhere you want ... there was one set of stairs call the "less one" stairs ... so named because if you fell off them walking down, the town would be less one person ... ha!

Except for the one rope around this stone. Apparently people were carving parts away from it and making tea to drink, believing that it would bring great fortune to them. Originally it stood at the first place they landed, similar to the flag on the moon ... sort of claiming their spot. Now it lives inside the fort.

The stone part around the outside is where they slept and ate and kept prisoners. The large white tower in the center is the chapel. The stairs you can see going up the side leads to the room where they kept all the gun powder ... safe from the humidity so they say!

Here we are standing on the top ... city of Natal (which means Christmas in Portuguese) is off in the distant background.

In the breeze it is really quite pleasant. After the long walk back along the walkway we stopped for a coconut drink. He keeps them in a cooler of ice with the sides cut off like a cube. When you are ready to buy one he cuts a hole in the top for a straw. It was very refreshing.

I took this one when he didn't know, so he is smiling.

I was trying to get him to smile here but he wouldn't!

I'm not really that short, he was standing up on the rocks.

Then we went to see the worlds largest cashew tree. It covers almost one hectare of land. It doesn't grow very tall, but spreads out touching back down to the ground and rooting itself. Apparently they have tried to grow another tree like this but have not had any success. It is the only one.

I don't know if you can tell from this picture, but they have built a boardwalk all around underneath the tree so that you can walk around it. They also built a tower so you can climb up and take a photo from above.

There are little markets everywhere. The one we went to here had all sorts of great crafts. One of our guides was trying to discribe something to me about how these cloths were made. She went running off to find the lady who makes them, but she was gone to lunch. Usually you can watch her while she work ... but look at what she was doing! Bobbin Lace!

Last stop before lunch was where the dolphins swim and we actually saw 5 of them out in the water. This was a bit of a cove with cliffs, mostly so far we see dunes and sandy beaches.

I couldn't get a photo of them, they were too quick for me! 

But the view was spectacular.

Tuesday was a blur ... It must be Wednesday!

OK ... so yes it was definitely worth it. 

Look at what I woke up to this morning!

Our flight from Toronto went as usual, no surprises. We spent a bit of extra time in Toronto de-icing the plane and as a result we were late landing in Sao Paulo. No big surprise we missed the connecting flight to Natal. We spent the next 6 hours in the air port lounge eating and drinking and talking about all sorts of things. Lots of laughs, I think mainly because we were all delirious!

Last night we checked into the hotel at 11 p.m. ... it was dark of course so we had no idea what things looked like. Each of our rooms has a balcony facing the ocean. It was the first place I went when I got my key There is a continuous sound of waves crashing. Lovely!

They are coming to meet us downstairs at 8:30 a.m. to take us off to who knows where. There is supposed to be a fair with women from the project selling some of the things they have made. I am going to get dressed and head down for breakfast.

I will leave you with two more photos from each direction out my window. The morning sun shines directly into my room, so this isn't the best time of day to shoot the view ... I am sure you will get the idea.

Toronto Air Port

Craig and I arrived at 4 pm, Monday, at the Toronto Pearson Air Port.

I gave Dad a call. Erica is making Broccoli soup, Mary is knitting and Dad was playing solitaire and being summond to grate some cheese. All is well in the GTA! (Great Toronto Area)

Craig and I sat bravely for 2 hours at the gate ... waiting for what I know not!

Then we had a GREAT idea. We paid $30 and went to the VIP Lounge. For $30 + tax, you can sit in comfy chairs, eat all you want and drink all you want for 3 hours ... so after 2 glasses of wine I am feeling VERY comfortable. I asked Craig to take a photo of me writing in my blog ... He took one photo and my camera went dead. After I saw the photo I decided that it took all the pixels I had to take a shot of me looking like I weight 500 pounds! I will have to buy some more batteries and I am not sure they make them strong enough to take any more photos of me ... maybe just landscapes!

 

We catch our flight to Brazil at 10:50 p.m. 

When we leave this special room at 9:30, we will meet up with Michael and Yvette! 

And then spend 10 hours flying south.

Good night Emily and Brent ... 

I guess good night to Casey, TC, Cody and Chris as well. 

Although I am sure they won't be reading this.

Good Night World!

Lets try this again.

Time to dig out my summer clothes and get ready for another adventure. I am confident that this time my bags will allow me to travel along with them to Brazil, that no weather will delay flights and that I will arrive at my destination of the furthest eastern point of Brazil, ... Natal.

Here are some images from the internet.  

I cannot believe I will soon post pictures that I have taken myself. 

It looks so beautiful.