Roo is a real headache
Stuart told me that he loved Jaco city yesterday and today he would like to go to Puntarena beach in other city. We prepared everything to go but them Roo wake up and we told him our plans. This was just enough for Roo. He went on complaining and saying that we did not come here to be having fun every day on the beach. He asked if have already seen Ronaldo and discussed all the problems with him. When he found out that I have done it yet. It was the end of our plans. Roo phoned Ronaldo and organised a meeting in a shopping centre in San Jose. It was sad not to go to the beach but in this point for my surprise Stuart also thought that this conversation was more important. Two votes against one and I did not have choice. We all went to this meeting.

Jaco beach and the North Americans
Gusmao is a brasilian friend living in Costa Rica. He just bought car year 72. We (Gusmao, my brother Ronaldo and I) used his car to go to the beach. In the montains when we were going to the beach the water in the car started to boil because the fan was not working properly. We stop for ? hours to wait for it to cool down. Finally we got in Jaco. This is an interesting place to be. The majority of tourists up here are North American(N.A.). They are desperate trying to learn or improve their Spanish and large percentage of the locals speaks fluent English. So the locals want to talk in English to impress them and sell more. The N.A in other hand would like to have a perfect accent perhaps to get better deal. I found myself in the middle of this situation and I just hided my ability to understand English and tried very hard to put a strong accent in my Portuguese to look like the locals. We were all in a pub together having some drinks (light beer of course) and playing an North American game. I was also trying to be local. The N.A. were straggling to speak Spanish and so did I but because Portuguese and Spanish have some many thing in common I was doing quite well in comparison. They did not pick up that I was not one of the locals. I felt like been a French (you know what I mean don?t you?). It was so funny to see them trying so hard when we could perfectly speak English. Finally in the end of the evening an local had to help someone to explain something for me and she told him in English that the problem of communication in part was because I was not from Costa Rica. She said to him that I was Brazilian bending my Portuguese to make it a little bit similar to Spanish. Once more I did not react to her comments, I felt really good not be speaking in English. Anyway they assumed that I was not able to understand them. Their problem? Stuart and Doo were very naughty today. First Do chose a shirt to Rapha written in English because it was easy to read them Stuart chose one shirt written in Spanish to Felipe just because Costa Rica speaks Spanish. So, Doo changed his made and wanted to buy same shirt with Spanish message as well. I did say to Doo that he could change rapha?s shirt if he wants to. But then Stuart got upset and started to cry and in the end I had to get involved to sort out this fight. I told Stuart that it would be ok if Doo choose something in Spanish but it would not be allowed to have picture of animals like the shirt that Stuart have chosen to Felipe. They both were happy with this suggestion and Doo bought rapha a shirt with Spanish message as well. They had I photo together in the shop where they bought these shirts. Stuart also took other picture in the beach but Doo was not present. Doo run way to the forest and just came back later. On our return to San Jose our car once more warmed up the radiator and the water started to boil. It was 8 pm and we had to walk until we found water to fill out the radiator. This is a quite higher mountain and five other cars stopped for same raison. We arrived home 10:00pm and I am very tied. Doo and Stuart were also very tied and sleeping. I just put them into their bad. Thanks God for that!!!

Costa Rica ? Praia ? Salsa ?Rum
30-degree heat, but it was not even necessary with all these salsa around me. I am already feelling HOT. Beautiful volcanos, mountains, burning larva, people moving in town. Welcome to Costa Rica ? Rich Cost - Gold Coast. The beautiful and sensual way that the ? las ticas? walk though out city centre. It has been so different of what I last saw in Los Angeles. These girls have ?grace? on them. I can see the curves and turns of their tremble bodies. It gives us a good felling. Hooooooooo!!! I am alive. Bradie you should come to this place, it is a good exercise as preparation to GO DOWN into Brazil.

Today I went to the market and it was so funny to see all the vegetables placed along the street. All the cooking been made and sold to people as if live was so simple. It remind me what freedom means. People everywhere just taking live easy. My Portunhol (portuguese + espanhol) attracts people and I do not mind it at all. On the opposite, I feel like a STAR.

The other side of the coin is PORVERTY. You would not believe, these city look so old fashion and surreal. People are struggling with the economical situation and we can see in their eyes. I was walking in town and I found myself in front of the ruins of beautiful old castle and it is just in the middle of city. It was locked, nobody around it. It was like if people were trying to ignore it. I could not believe that something so import for the history of the country was just sitting there and they did not even explore it as a tourism site. I thought that they are sitting on a mine of gold and they did not know. I compared how tourism is smartly done in the Aussie land and this people without money with so many resources to be explored. I really cried. I was so passionate about that I went to the city council to talk about it. But, I will tell you all about it when I get there.


We are going to the beach tomorrow. We can even choose between Pacific or Atlantic coast?!? There we go. Atlantic! It will be great man?,

Stuart Little(SL) and Kanguroo (Roo)
Mood:  cheeky
Topic: Going back to Brazil
Hi guys to add some excitement to this trip ST and Roo, Felipe and Raphaelas's soft toy are coming with me for a holiday in Brazil. They are very happy. Roo had a nightmare last night and waked up the YHA in Sydney. ST little of course was so embarassed that today they are not taking with each other. But I manage to place them together for a picture in front of the Opera house. Tomorrow I will be leaving sydney to NZ 1600.

Two days to go...
Everything is almost packed. I just have to fix a few things in the garden for Penny. Visit a couple friends and we may have a beer together.
I received Bradies's CD and James DVD's, They are excellet.

God's day - 2005
Mood:  happy
Today is first day of year and I am very excited about preparation for my trip. HOwever, today I am celebrating God's day. We get togheter to pray and think about the new year and connection and plans for the new year...
It was a great day. Penny's family turned up here at home and we enjoyed the day together.
As they not religious, it must have been at list funny to see a altar in living room with all the food photos and etc...

Farewell from Bruny
Mood:  amorous
I took Felipe to Bruny Island with me today. Adventure bay was great. Felipe and me are in love with the place and we want to buy house to leave there. I know, it is to far a way from work. It is just a dream. It looks like a litle village in Brazil. I maybe to optimistic and looking everything and compering with Brazil. Couple days more and I will be travelling back. This week has been magnificient in Tassie the wheather is so good! Next week I will show kelli and Bradie my new burn Blog so they f'up me though the parties in Brazil. It will be fun.

Phone my mother in Belo Horizonte
Mood:  energetic
I rang my mother today and she briefed me with the current situations in Brazil. She insists that I should be very careful with money. I should not care money with me. She does not know that I do not have money. She thinks that I am well off. It is amazing how all my relatives and friends thinks that everyone out of Brazil have money. Well, They soon will found out. In other hand, I guess that I am much better economically than I have ever been. In some extent it may be true that I should be careful. I do not want to make this 3 mth in brazil to become a hell. It would be horrible if I had all my bagage and presents stolen for example. Any way, I do not want to get into that. Everything will be fine! By the way, I will be leaving Hobart on 15 Jan and I will spend couple days in Sydney and on 19 I am departing from Aussie to Los Angeles. My final destination in this first part of the trip will be San Jose in Costa Rica, where I will meet some friends and my hopefully brother.

My first return to Brazil
Mood:  silly
I decided to create my own blog to let you know what is going on during my first return to Brazil. I hope that you enjoy and have fun in read it. First I am planning a small trip to visit some friends and my brother in Central America. I am not sure yet where I am going to go over there. My friend Gusmao will be in Charge of the plans once I get there. I am planning to meet my brother who has been living over there but I want to surprize him with my visit. I know, it is a bit risky given that he travels between Costa Rica and Panama as part of his work. Any way, Let's go and have look whether or not it will be a success.