Salsa is Delicious
2008-03-17 at 09:54 am EliThis weekend was jam packed full of adventure. It started with a gathering of about 6 people at a middle-east restauraunt in Copacabana. The food was ok, if not slightly overpriced (WAY overpriced by Rio standards). Afterwards, we went salsa dancing in Lapa. Lapa is a HUGE party place in Rio. There are bars and clubs all over and people drink on the streets. The food vendors would be sued within minutes if they hit the streets in America. Almost every one roasts raw, unrefrigerated meat over open fires. It is really quite a sight. One thing I learned that night was that I might have some basic rhythem, but I sure as hell cannot salsa dance. It was only magnified by the fact that the people in the club were amazing. I stood around and watched most of the time, but I did get in there to show people that Americans aren´t above making mockeries of themselves.
On Saturday, I made it my mission to get a phone. One thing about taking classes is that you always have friends to hang out with. I have been collecting phone numbers since day one. After I got the phone, my host took me to her brother´s place to visit. He´s quite a nice guy who seemed to take some sick pleasure in offering me all of the food in his house. His wife is an english woman who was hosted by my host not too long ago. They seemed like genuinely friendly people. Mind you, my views on people are largely influenced by whether they offer me food and in what quantities — and these people wouldn´t stop feeding me. I think they were just playing a game to see if they could get me to eat until I passed out.
When I got home that evening, I started making phone calls. Within a few hours I was heading out again to another salsa bar in Lapa. Only one person showed up because the rain was coming down in sheets. Maybe I forgot to mention that part. We had downpours of rain from Thursday - Saturday. Sunday was dry, but still quite cold by Brasil standards. I went to another salsa bar in Lapa for a bit of dancing. My friend is quite a bit better than me, but she doesn´t seem to mind. We were there until they kicked us out at about 3:30am.
Sunday was a bit more relaxed. I hopped on a bus to Ipanema to see some friends. We went to the Hippie Fair to see the handmade crafts. Then we walked on the beach. Usually, you can´t turn around much less walk down the beach. Sunday was a bit different due to the horrible weather we have been having. It may have been cold by Brasilian standards, but I was in shorts and flip-flops.
The day was topped off with some Brasilian meat. I forget the name, but these guys come over to your table with a skewer of meat and a ridiculously sharp (tactical) knife. You pay one price to eat everything you want. It´s really just an excuse to gorge yourself with salty meats. The dudes will cut off some meat for you whether you want it or not. I choose not to argue due to their skills with spears and knives. Once that was over, we peed at the Copacabana Palace Hotel.
That´s my first Brasilian weekend in a nutshell.
I expect a full report on every place that you urinate for the duration of the trip.
Especially if you pee the white pee.
Hmmm . . . Interesting concept: the Copacabana Palace as a Brazilian pit/pee stop. That’s something I’m sure they’d be proud of.
If you take Salsa lessons, you could be as good as those dancers. I’m sure they didn’t learn the craft overnight. That’s something that I’d never envisioned of you - but it’d be AWESOME.