Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro: 25oC, hottish, sunny, and slightly overcast. Rio is experiencing a relatively warm Autumn, with temperatures averaging 22 and 26 degrees Celsius. It feels warm in the sun but cool in the shade. I recently watched a video on YouTube from someone in England who was saying that they were experiencing scorching weather, with temperatures reaching 29 […]
Tuesday the 13th of June 2023:“Reflections on Time and Aging: A Tale of Two Old Pupils”!!!
Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro: 25oC, hottish, sunny, and slightly overcast. It is Tuesday, and my first class back with an old pupil. Dona Vera, I think she is eighty-four years old; she had fallen down a month ago and broke her arm and shoulder. She was rushed to hospital by her next-door neighbour and her maid and went immediately into […]
Monday the 12th of June 2023:“Challenges and Adaptability Living in Rio and Life”!!!
Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro: 26oC, hot and sunny. Just a note from yesterday: I do not think that my ex-wife and my daughter really appreciate living in the south zone of Rio and the sacrifices that go into and are needed to maintain them there. If you ask them, yes, they will act in a way of appreciation, but I […]
Sunday the 11th of June 2023:“Sunday Barbecue in the Periphery”!!!
Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro: 28oC, hot and sunny. OK, it is Sunday, and the flat is full of women. Sunday is usually a sacred day for me, on which I either like to do something for myself or stay quiet. As the flat is full of people, mainly women, I thought it better to accept a barbecue and birthday invitation […]
Saturday the 10th of June 2023:“The Importance of Food and Hospitality in Brazilian Culture: A Saturday Celebration in Rio de Janeiro”!!!
Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro: 28oC, hot and sunny. It is Saturday, and today will be a full house. Yasmin’s aunts, Nalva’s sisters, and one of Yasmin’s cousins, Caio, will be coming to commemorate her birthday. I got up at 7 am and worked out for about an hour and a half at the park. On the way back, I had […]
Thursday the 8th of June 2023:“Exploring the Intersection of Faith, Government, and Personal Growth”!!!
Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro: 25oC, hottish and sunny. It is Corpus Christi, a religious bank holiday that I do not know what it represents in the Roman Catholic religion as I am neither Catholic nor very religious. Traditionally, the Brazilian population was Catholic, with the most prominent Catholic following out of Italy. I believe today that the Catholic following has […]
Wednesday the 7th of June 2023:“Yasmin’s Sixteenth Birthday”!!!
Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro: 24oC, warmish, sunny, and slightly overcast. It is Yasmin’s birthday; she is sixteen today; where has the time gone? The issue in the morning was that as she had school in the morning, I wanted to see her before she went, but I did not want to miss doing my exercise. So, I got up at […]
Tuesday the 6th of June 2023:“Reflections on Brazil, Family and Survival: A Birthday Eve Story”!!!
Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro: 25oC, hottish, sunny, and slightly overcast. It is Tuesday, the eve of Yasmin’s birthday, and two days before a long bank holiday. On Thursday, it is Corpus Christi of the Roman Catholic religion, and Friday is a dead day for many people. All government offices and institutions will be closed, and only the poor will have […]
Sunday, the 4th of June 2023: “Sunday Reflections in Rio”!!!
Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro: 24oC, hottish and beautifully sunny. I am writing this entry one day late, on Monday, June 5th. I am writing my journal at 9 a.m on a concrete bench and table in Carmen Miranda Park in front of Aterro and the Bay. The only benches with tables in the park are on an elevated hill overlooking […]
Saturday, the 3rd of June 2023: “Circus Tarpaulins and Delicious Food: A Unique Experience in Flamengo”!!!
Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro: 24oC, hottish, sunny, and slightly overcast. What an enjoyable Saturday! We went to a new cooperative outdoor food truck that looked more like a circus tent from a distance. Since I have been living in Botafogo/Flamengo, I have noticed that at the weekends, a food truck with circus tarpaulins is erected in the square at the […]