Day: 42
Weather: 27c
Book: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Location: Sao Paulo (will be in neighbouring Bebedor tomorrow for 3 days)
Here's a few things that are different in Brasil:
[1] Just in case you didn't know already they drive on the other side of the road. The main brands of car are: Cheverlot, Voltzwagen and Fiat. Most of the cars are small. I've only seen a handful of BMWs, Jags or Mercedes. Bikes are prominent and the drive like something out of Mad Max. Complete lunatics. They also have an excellent Metro. Why Ireland hasn't got one, here and now in the '00s still defies all logic!
[2] They don't eat vinger with their chips. They actually find it offensive when you ask for it at a restaurant. Likewise, while they have milk, which kind of tastes like ours, they don't consume it often, in fact hardly at all, and usually only at breakfast. You get a similar look of perplexion if asking for it when dining. Butter comes in two categories, with or without salt. They've never heard of hot port. They don't serve hot drinks full stop. They rarely if ever use pint glasses with their beer instead opting for a water downed glass half the size of a half point glass. With a bishops collar three times the size of one you'd get on a Guinness. Let's call it a quarter glass!
[3] When going into bars they take your name and number on entry. Each table is given a menu and a waiter. Everytime you order they tick your card and then at the end of the night, you queue up at a till and pay your bill. Much better system. Everyone usually looks after themselves, and you don't have to fight your way through a frustrated mob to get the notice of the barman.
[4] They call text messages torpedos. They rarely send them though. The big operators down here are: Tim (my one), Claro and Vivo.
[5] Poverty is rife, and kids are constantly juggling balls in front of cars when there is a red light to try scrape a few coins together. Some of the acts vary from spinning fire sticks, doing handstands and all types of dancing. There is also a fair share of crippled begging.
[6] The police carry guns.
[7] School starts at 7am.
[8] Most of the films in the cinema are in English with Portugese subtiles. Saw Kill Bill 1 this week, understood half the Japanese dialogues.....Cost about 2 euros to go.
[9] Nearly everyhouse I know has a dog.
[10] Extremely hard to borrow money in the banks. About 15% interest. Can you imagine that rate with the amount of mortgages being spitted out each day in Ireland. It would very quickly topple the property market. Inversely, and unbelieveably you can get about 15% interest on your savings. Bascially, if you have money just chuck it in the bank and live off the intereset.
[11] Most of the houses have a maid that cleans and washes everything at least once a week.
[12] Nightclubs open at about 12 and finish at 7am. Monday night can be a big night.
[13] They have excellent non-crust, sliced white bread. Good ideas. I'm sure mother's feeding their young all over Ireland would appreciate it. Makes those toasted fingers a little easier to prepare.
[14] They have big problems with their energy generation. As such, as I guess we should all do, they often just have one or two lights on in an apartment at any given time.
[15] Fridges are twice the size of ours. So are ovens and grills.
[16] In Sao Paulo women nearly all have long hair. Mostly black or brunette. Brown eyes and brown skin is the staple look in the city. To the north dark black skin is more prominent. In the far south east, Porte Alegre, etc the European influence is more pronounced with blond hair and blue eyes widespread.
[17] Most people pay with check books when paying their bill.
[18] The cans of coke come in 350ml not 330.
[19] All the taxis are white.
[20] Unemployment in SP is running at 20.7 compared to 4.4 in our entire country. Not sure what the rate of "desemprego" across the country is.
