Feliz Aniversário. June 22nd, 2009

Why did my birthday have to fall on a Segunda-feira (Monday)?

Oh well...I must not stay in the house, I must go downtown for at least a couple of hours! When in Brazil - as they say - or don't say... um, anyways...

I got a ride to downtown where I went exploring for a while before I had to catch the 8pm bus back to suburbiaville (Alphaville)

Downtown São Paulo has some RITZY areas. I mean, seriously. WOW. The window displays are insane, the architecture, the brand names: Ed Hardy, Guess, Volcom - and a plethora of insanely priced boutiques that I don't dare enter for fear that just setting foot inside them will strip me of all my riches and leave me a penniless beggar on the streets of São Paulo. That being said... It's really fun to window shop.

So, I stopped in this RAD bookstore - yes, I am a nerd - I LOVE bookstores in other countries. I bought one of Paulo Coelho's bestsellers "O Diário de um mago" - the story of Coelho's journey to the sacred medieval city of Santiago de Compostela. Coelho is one of my favorite authors (I highly recommend "eleven minutes") and it just so happens he is Brazilian, so I bought the book in it's original language along with a pocket-size Ingles-Portuguese dictionary - HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MEEEEE :)

On my way back to the bus stop - I stopped in a posh little cafe to check my email (on my ipod touch - thank you Apple) I got an email that made me cry in a good way, so I sat there on my 27th birthday all alone very very far away from "home" crying into my ridiculously sweet Mocha. It was a very happy moment for me.

As much as I would have liked to "Party Brazilian-Style" on my birthday... I really am content to just be here at my little home-base writing to you all on my Blog. I have some exciting things coming up... I am spending Thursday-Sunday at a Mountain House in "Campos de Jordão" with a group of soon-to-be friends, music, festa, and food will be had by all.

The day after I get back - I'm going to hope on a plane to Rio de Janeiro and spend a couple of days being a tourist (I am dying to visit Corcovado and see the "Reedemer" statue that overlooks the bay) Then on Thursday i'm going to hop on another flight to Bahia and spend four fabulous days there - which is a major dream of mine.

So... Até mais. Thank you all for your loving birthday wishes - this is going to be a great year indeed.

Love,
TJ