
a dream
Overheard yesterday, hiking to a waterfall to go swimming-- J: Is this a dream? Dan: No. Not a dream. J: (sighing) Because it's amazing.

Lesson #3: Things usually work out (see lesson #1).
Lesson #3: Things usually work out (see lesson #1). We were supposed to have to pay a multa (fine) for missing our bus, but Nina took us to the bus station, and indignantly told the clerk, "These people had to sleep on the floor last night! You won't make them pay the multa. De jeito nehum." (No way.) OK, the woman shrugged. Fine. ("Of course, don't worry, I wouldn't lose sleep over a $7.50 multa, anyway, I'm rich!"). Then we got on the (very comfortable) bus for the seven-ho

Lesson #2: Nina is rich.
Nina, our former next-door neighbor and the boys' surrogate vovo, refused to let us pay for anything--breakfast, dinner, lunch the next day--because apparently she'd come into some money. "I am rich!" she kept declaring. "In August, when you come back to Salvador, I will have rooms for you to sleep in and a new car!" As it was, we happily slept on old mattresses, all of us on her living room floor, and squeezed into her tiny 17-year old Volkswagon, luggage and all. The boys p

Brazil: first lessons
Lesson #1: Be flexible. We arrived in Salvador on Thursday morning after an overnight flight, planning to catch a 1:00 bus at the bus station in the city to Lencois, a 7-hour ride. At the airport we were greeted by our friend Nina, who we'd been expecting, as well as our dear friends Deena and her son Kaimana, who we hadn't. So much for our plans. While we ate breakfast at the airport in a bit of a bleary daze. E, R, and J hit it off with Kaimana as though it had been five mi