celebrate brazil

...and the things I learned while I was there.

+ Baby ocelots are painfully adorable (and extremely difficult to photograph).

- It's really scary to have your name announced over the PA on an airplane, especially in a language that you don't understand very well.

+ Toilets with a bidet-spray-thingie are pretty much the best invention of modern plumbing.

- When you buy an airplane ticket, the name you give them really should match your name on your passport.  They seem rather un-fond of cute nicknames.

+ Jaguars really do want to be friends with me!

- Don't cross the street and expect traffic to slow down for you.

+ Caipirinhas are extremely alcoholic.

- There exists a cheese that withstands the heat of grilling without melting.

+ Fresh fruit make the best juice ever.

- Money can fix a lot of problems, but it can't buy you ranch dressing if it doesn't exist.

+ "Dessert pizza" sounds foul but it it actually pretty tasty.

- Straight up mayonnaise isn't the worst salad dressing in the world, but I certainly don't recommend it.

+ Don't worry, you guys! Wal-Mart really does exist in Brazil.
*groan*

- These things (pictured above) are pork rinds, I guess, or close relatives of them.  But they did have the name of the city where we stayed right there on the bag.  Kinda yucky-tasting.

+ Shoe string fries are pretty addictive no matter what you call them, whichever language is on the bag.

- Green peas come in a bag, you guys! I was floored.  If I find a veggie in a bag, and it's not fresh, I expect it to be kept frozen...but no...this just hung out on the shelf.  Much like the milk, before it's opened.  (I had no idea that you could even DO that to milk. It's always in the fridge section at our grocery store.)

+ So, we thought this would be just like crushed red pepper flakes, which we use at home when we cook...but this is WAY hotter.  I'm just saying, a tiny pinch in a pot of food made my eyes water while I ate dinner.

And THAT, my friends, is how I celebrate learning things from traveling. For Mary, of course.


P.S. All those foreign food package photos are for you, A-M.  The grocery store was a serious challenge!