The flights were: Reno, LA, Miami, Sau Paulo, Cuiaba, Porto Velho. A 6 hr bus ride brought me to Ji Parana where I spent the first night, and the next day drove with my host to Ouro Preto, about 10 degrees south latitude, so near the equator. The Brazillian airlines was TAM, and I highly recommend it to anyone. The service was outstanding, the food was great, the planes were comfortable, and they were nicely on time.
The fun began on the bus ride. I brought a little phrase book with me, so found a few words to say to people. Brazilian Portuguese is somewhat similar to Spanish, but has many differences. Two ladies with a kid were telling me something about wanting to put their child seat at the back of the bus behind the last seat, and I said fa lu engleesh? They nodded their heads in agreement, and snatched my book from me to try to figure out something to say back, but couldn't find anything. An older man sat across from me, and when we would get to a new town, I would ask him, Cidade? (City?) He was going to Ji Parana also, as he told me, so I just got off the bus when he did. Then I took a taxi to the transcontinental hotel. The next day I rode by car with my host to Ouro Preto, and then went to the site where I began work on the instrument.
I saw much land cleared of vegetation by use of fire, with trees and vines replaced by cows and grass. Brazil is doing this to make sure they have claim on their territories (they were being eyed by neighboring countries), and to ease crowding in cities, especially those on the eastern coast. I saw very few animals during the week I was there, saw only a little of the rainforest that still stands near where I was at. The sky was smoky during my visit, throughout the whole region. High relative humidity also helped to swell the small particles and decrease visibilty even further. The city air reminded me of the Pueblo air when I was a kid - we used to use incinerators to burn our trash with, and this unmistakable smell permeated the air. It reminds me of what was done in the southern US several hundred years ago to replace the forests with cotton and tobacco fields. It is sad for the natives, plants, and animals who used to live there, as it always is and was.
Sao Paulo is a big city with a ferocious crime rate, a lot of car hijackings and robberies (the lady I sat next to on the return trip had this royal treatment during her stay). However, the rather rural areas of the north were much calmer, and much more level in terms of personal incomes. I saw no street beggars or sleepers, and no rich people flaunting their flab. I saw a thousand interesting things, some of which are in the photos, and had a great time with my colleagues from all over the world.
Many of the foreigners I met were not happy with the US with regard to the big business scandals, the pending attack of Iraq, and the political tinkering done to press US policies. The Brazillian currency is rapidly losing ground relative to the dollar, most say from US pressure to elect the 'right' leader. The most popular likely leader for the next election is a leftist. Many view the US President as being a reckless Texan, though they don't understand the many reasons he wants to attack Iraq (Russia and France have signed agreements with Iraq to develop their oil fields when sanctions are released - not so says the oil tainted president, it's our oil. Remember Harken and Halliburton, short for Ha Ha? These were the big businesses raided in Enron fashion by the President and Vice President. Iraq has taken your mind off of Ha Ha. The president wants to spend 200 Billion, probably thousands of US soldier lives, and probably many thousands of Iraqi lives to satisfy his personal vendetta against Hussein because he took a pass at killing his father. Finally, it is a way of saying, yes something is being done on terrorism - a way to satisfy the vengeful voting public.) It was uncomfortable being an American among so many people from all over the world. I haven't felt this on previous trips, at least quite so much. The world expects Americans to expect them to bow down in front of them, that we are a spoiled, insensitive bunch with fat wallets, big appetites, big bellies, and callous hearts. Of course some of us fit this stereotype more or less pretty well, but those of us that don't still have to carry it around as excess baggage.
The people were modern, yet were also primitive. I saw cell phones and modern cars, horse and buggies and motorcycle taxis. Kids at night screamed through the city streets on motorcycles and bikes. With elections coming up, I also saw mobile parties - a large truck with huge speakers on it, a dance floor on top, posters for the candidates on the side, and music blaring for all to hear. I wished we would do our elections this way - a lot of fun. The food was great, especially the many pizzas with unusual toppings (eggs, peas, things like that). We ate at the kilo bar, pay by the kilo, and had great fresh squeezed juice. Nights we sat outdoors by the street and talked, took in the street traffic, ate, and sipped beer. It's hard for me to believe it was such a short trip, and that it is already over.