Christmas, Navidad, Natal

Sunday, December 24th.
I went to Chris´ to get ready and dress up as Santa. The outfit would not be so bad if the fake beard wasn´t that awful looking and the heat wasn´t extreme. It must have been around the high 80´s or low 90´s. Fortunately it rained hard just before the celebrations and it colled down the air a little.

By 9pm my mother called us and as usual I talked to my whole family and they asked me different questions about life, the weather and when I would finally return for a visit. I wanted to laugh but acted well and pretended I was in US.

The drive from Chris´ to my parents is about 5 minutes and I got more apprehensive. We were expecting only the kids to approach me outside where it was darker. I went inside and suddenly everybody started screaming `SANTA´, `SANTA`, `SANTA`, which was more like `PAPAI NOEL! PAPAI NOEL!!!!´. IT WAS TOO FUNNY. And hard to remain calm. All the kids ran to me and started touching me and talking at the same time. The adults starting to approach, looking at me, taking pictures. I guess they were all trying to find out who santa was because my mother had antecipated it would be a surprise.

One of my cousins, Renato, came too close and noticed. He said `I know this Santa!!!`, and then my grandpa, the last person I thought could recognize me, came close and gave me a big hug. `let me hug Santa!!!!´ My mother told us later that my grandma´s sister made a comment like `Oh my God! Antonio is getting real senile, returning to childhood. I can´t believe he went ahead of the kids to hug Santa!´
In fact, he knew already about the surprise. Fearing for his health, my sister warned him about me coming as Santa. She told me later that when she told him he thanked her and cried a little in her room.

By the time he gave me a hug, I couldn´t hold anymore, I took all the sh@t out, the hat, beard, glasses. They all screamed in joy and it was just fun to watch everybody´s reactions! The kids were a little puzzled, some of them disappointed but we thought they would understand.

The Christmas now is different from when I left. It is much more fun! The kids make it more entertaining. There was a moment before I left when Christmas had kind of lost its spirit. There were only adults in the family and it wasn´t as fun, plus everyone would come late and leave real early.
It was nice to see everyone happy and enjoying each other´s company.

I spent some time with each of them trying to catch up and of course they had many questions about my life in LA.

Anna Bacana

On Sunday morning, Christmas day, Chris planned with my friend Anna to have breakfast. I would come along as a surprise as I had been doing. People always said Recreio (where my parents live now and where I grew up) is far from everywhere but Anna managed to live further away, at Ilha de Guaratiba.

The usual surprise happened when we got there. Anna´s place is very adorable, a rustic style house in the middle of all the green. It was the first time I met Anna´s husband, Rui, whom I´ve had a great time hanging out with and her precious little baby girl, Maria Eduarda. We used the time to catch up and just enjoy the environment, the baby, plus good chat and laughs remembering the good old times.

When we left, we drove up the hills which took us to a beautiful view from the Restinga, the same area I had seen when arriving in Rio and then to the beautiful beaches just a little to the south of Recreio; `Prainha`, `Grumari´ and `Macumba`.
The scenary was GORGEOUS!!!

Caught!

On Saturday Chris and I were supposed to go visit my good friend and former beach volleyball partner, Anna, but the plans fell through because we were not able to reach her. Instead we went for a walk at the beach.

While strolling down the path Chris noticed a car pulled over beside us and kept staring. When I turned my head to find out who that was I froze. It was my cousin´s wife Adriane.

Remember I had not seen the rest of the family and definitely not announced my visit since I was to enter as Santa Claus on Christmas! Damn it! Anyone from the family seeing me would ruin my plans for the surprise!

Adriane was very surprised to see me. It was funny! She is a gorgeous `all brazilian girl`, who has managed to keep an awesome shape after two kids. I love her `sassy` personality. We get along real well. I made her promise not to tell anybody about my return, not even my cousin.

After that fiasco I told myself nobody was to see me before Christmas.

When I got home my sister had arrived and she jumped out of the couch surprised.
She was real emotional and so was I. When I left six years ago, I remember we had had a horrible fight the week before and we were not in good terms.

The Beach kicked my ass!!!

Most of people I saw got emotional, and so did I.
The next day I went to the beach for some volleyball and meet & greet. I was expecting to meet many people, many friends I had left behind.

Things were different even at the beach. Most of the guys I used to play with were either playing with different groups or had stopped going to the beach. I was able to reunite with a couple of them though. They were all very happy to see me and asked me questions about living in US and of course, the volleyball there in comparison with the one played in here.

I played with my brother, who has improved a lot since last time I have seen him playing. He matured and has become a coach. He has opened a nice beach volleyball school and has gethered more than 3 dozens of players, from little kids to old trolls.

My mother who watched our match thought Fred had not played his best, as if he was a little intimidated for playing with me, wanting to show how good he had become. One of the new guys who I had not seen before said `now I know with whom Fred learned how to play volleyball.` It felt good. We won our matches but I found myself in a horrible shape, breathing real hard. The beach kicked my ass and I promised the guys there I would be in a better shape by the time I left.

Her Name is RIO

The flight from Santiago to Rio was quite bouncy. I believe the thick clouds in the sky had something to do with it. When the sky cleared up and the commander announced 15 minutes to land I decided to go by the window and just glance outside.
Luckily we approached Rio through the south side, therefore the breathtaking view of the green forest and blue sea were an espectacle. It could not have been a better welcome committe. I recognized part. It was the Restinga da Marambaia. I can´t think of any city in the world, at least from the ones I have visited so far, with such gorgeous view. I teared.
Soon the plane started crossing inland and then it wasn´t as pretty as before.
Somehow seeing Rio from above after 6 years away made me very emotional.
When we had landed and parked some of the passengers, the ones that rush to get their carry-on luggage could see my swollen eyes. I rememeber some of them staring at me.

Going through customs had never been so easy. The whole way through security and luggage didn´t take me more than 10 minutes. As soon as I crossed the sliding doors I saw my mother and my cousin holding this silly sign `Bem Vindo Gustavo`. My mother, as always, wanted me stop right there to take pictures. We all hugged and We all teared together.

We drove by the Yellow Line, a express way in Rio relatively new. On the first section there is a place called Joâo´s Villa. It is considered the most dangerous spot in Rio nowadays, described by my cousin. On one side of the freeway they have drug traffic run by a group and in the other side run by another group. These two groups hate each other. Sometimes they have shooting in the area and bullets fly over the freeway. And sometimes they block the traffic and steal from people inside the cars.

Many things have changed in the landscape of Rio. Many new buildings have appeared. One of the best surprises for me with regards to buidlings were the ones being constructed for the Pan American Games 2007. They look gigantic Stadiums. Rio really needs modern sport facilities. I was very happy to see that. Lots of people here think the Games will be a fiasco because they belive Rio is not ready to receive all these people. I agree in part. I think a lot of things will have to change and lots of improvements to be made, specially when it comes to signage.

In front of my house when it used to be only grass and trees growing wild, a supermarket and a big shopping mall were built.

The first person I saw when I got home was my grandmother, She was laying down on the living room couch watching TV. I just came in and said HI. She almost had a heart attack. She was so happy to see me. Everybody knows I am her favourite. hehehe
She kept saying that was the best day of her life!

Afterwards we drove to my other cousin´s. Both Chris (the one who came to receive me at the aiport) and Dani are like sisters to me. We all grew up together and, therefore, are very attached to each other.
Chris and my mom used the intercom and they out to the balcony to greet them, just like they had antecipated, but I waited inside the car waiting for the right time to go. They finally went inside to open the door and I rushed inside the building.
My mom and Chris went inside the apartment firts and I waited outside, knocking at the door afterwards.
When my cousin Dani opened the door, she couldn´t contain herself. She was screaming and jumping at the same time. It was so funny and emotional. There I met her two kids, my adorable niece and nephew, with who I bonded right away, even though they didn´t really know me.

That night we still went to my aunt´s and came up with different surprises for each person that came in. For my aunt I hid behind the curtains and for my brother I hid under a white blanket pretending to be Dani´s kids.
It was all too funny and emotional!

Mexico City - Santiago Chile

The line didn´t extend that long, the problem was how slow it moved. I amused myself looking at the other passengers, making up their life stories in my mind.
When I finally got to the front of the line, after an 1 hour waiting, a LAM employee approaches me and asks if I was traveling alone. Right away I thought she was going to ask me to stay one more day in Mexico, which I would have said NO. I confirmed and she goes `would you mind flying at a later flight at the executive class instead? The later flight was 11pm, 2 hours later than the original one and would not affect my flight to Rio at all. I wanted to jump and hug her. It was an overnight flight and I could definitely use the extra space! Instead, I didn´t want to look desperate so I just said `yes, I will do it.`
I have to say I am really hapy I got to stay an extra day in Mexico City and visit the Pyramids. They say the Pyramids renew your energies and even though you are completely exhausted by the time you walk and climb around, I have to say it brought me some great vibe and luck.

Mexico City - Part 2

I was still puzzled by the fee Axcel was charging, $120 was so little money, and so I treated him to lunch. I wanted to eat real Mexican food, not Mexican made in LA. It was a very casual setting, just like I asked him, nothing fancy. The smell was delicious and I hoped the food would be just as wonderful.
Axcel suggested the barbacoa plate for me and he would order Carne Asada for himself.
I thought Barbacoa was gonna be something like a Mexican barbecue style. I was mistaken but still the plate was very suculent. The Barbacoa is this young cow steak wrapped inside foil paper and cooked slowly with spices. It was a good surprise I have to say. The bill was $245 pesos.

Back to the road on our way to downtown I decided to give Axcel one more treat. He had been wonderful as a guide so far, plus the fee he was charging was so cheap. I took a big bag of M&Ms, the ones Randy gave to me before the trip and offered him. He was happy and surprised by the size of the package.

We drove by Avenida de la Revolucion, one of the most important and prettiest in the city. Indeed it was very nice and clean, filled with sculptures and mordern art. The independecy monument, a winged woman is also located in the avenue and is a mark of Mexico City.

Finally we arrived in the main plaza, another breathtaking sight. I really didn´t expect that out of this trip. An enormous plaza filled with people walking by and doing their thing. Indian descendents chanting and dancing, young people - the new hippies - playing drums and just hanging out. In one side the Palacio Nacional , familiar to me from Selma Hayek´s `Frida`, beautiful paintings from Diego Rivera decorate the walls of the Palace. Outside, by the right side of the Palace is a gorgeous Cathedral and all around the plaza are other old style buildings all decorated for December and Christmas complete the picture.

Back to the hotel, I asked Axcel to write down his email address and he added his phone number. I was so grateful for the day. I got all my money in Pesos ($140) and gave to him $20 dollar in propina. He looked at me puzzled.
`I think you understood wrong. It was 120 dollars not pesos. 120 pesos doesn´t cover the gas bill`.
I was soooo embarrassed and apologized as many thoughts came to my mind - `I don´t have any money`, `What am I gonna do?`, `Give me back my M&Ms!!!`

Actually, I was embarrassed and just thought that day was really worthy $120 dollars and maybe more. In the end I found an ATM machine that accepted my bank and withdraw the cash...