AAHHHH!! I just finished writing a book for you about day 12 - it was really good and quite detailed and very long - I wanted to save it in case something was wrong with the internet so I highlighted it to copy it into word, but once I highlighted it it dissappeared and I can't get it back - therefore, since I already spent 30 minutes on it, not sure how much you will get now - but this is representative of what life has been like for the last 12 days - just go with the flow and don't get frusturated....
Here is Day 12 a day late, but better late than never (which is advice we have learned to live by here in Brazil). We didn't have internet yesterday, so here is the Day 12 update:
After the day 11 (which was basically just day 10 for a really long day) flight adventure and meeting the Teresina Rotary clubs and our host families, packed back up for a four day road trip to northern Paiui. We met for an 8 a.m. departure for Parnaiba, and at 8:45 left for the coast. Piaui has very little coast, but what it does have is quite amazing. It is home to a river delta, which is the second largest in the world. Louisana and the Mississippi is the largest, with the Nile in Egypt being the third largest. But I will leave the delta to day 13 as that is when we actually visit it...
Our van ride from Teresina to Parnaiba was approximately 4 hours. Most of us got some shut-eye during the trip. Upon arrival in Parnaiba, we were met by approx 15 Rotarians in a park where a Rotary sculpture was. After about a dozen pictures (as Laurie once commented, it feels like we are in a wedding party photo shoot every day...) we got back into the van and drove out to a resort property just out of town. The resort property is located on a lagoon with a sand dune around it. The attached picture with the boat and the palm tree is the view from our table at lunch. Lunch with the Rotarians was very good (I don't think any of our meals have been bad yet...) as were the cerveja.
After lunch, two of our hosts took us on an afternoon of sightseeing - first was to a popular beach for a swim. We all went into the ocean (which feels like bath water it is so warm) to play in the waves. The waves at this beach were interesting as they didn't come in directly to the beach, but rather came at an angle left to right - therefore the current was strong to push you down the beach. It took quite a bit of effort to move against the current and to stay close to where our towels were...see picture with the waves.
After our swim and a quick rinse, we packed back into the van and drove around the area to a different beach. This beach was located by the mouth of the river/delta and had much more wind. Apparently the wind is consistent, because there was a windmill farm located there (see picture). After a short walk and watching some teenagers surf, we sat down at a bar to watch the sunset. Our attention was taken by the sight of two sharks and two rays on the beach that some fishermen and brought in. (see picture of shark). The sharks were about five feet long. Since Brazilians apparently don't like shark meat, I'm not sure what was going to happen to them. After seeing the sharks, no one was interested in another swim today! We returned to our table and shortly after Jennifer was approached by a gentlemen who had braclets for sale - he seemed nice enough looking, but as soon as he started talking, it was obvious he had issues. Right away when she didn't respond to him, he got a bit aggressive. Our hosts told him we don't speak portuguese because we are Canadian and so he switched to saying "Hey Montreal" over and over again while trying to get Jenny to buy a braclet - he wasn't any less aggressive so our hosts had us pack-up and leave quickly, which was just a well as he started to get really rude.
So instead of the sunset, our hosts took us to the artisan market, but since it was late, we only had two booths open to peruse. Where the market is is right on the river and here a lot of commerce has occurred over the years - the picture attached of the steam operated crane is located right next to the water on rails - most of the rails have been removed and what is left is enough for tourists to get the general idea...
After the market, we went to our hosts houses to get ready for our presentations - we had about two hours, so it was lots of time to shower, relax, and get some visiting in, although not much english was spoken by our hosts. At 8:30 we went to a house where about four 10 feet by 20 feet tents where set up on the deck around the pool and a stage was placed over part of the pool. It was obvious this house was used to hosting events - it was a beautiful house. Here we were to give our presentation to the three Parnaiba clubs. Just as were about to get started, it began to rain so hard that the noise of the rain drowned out the speakers from the stage, so we were in rain delay mode for an hour. So we sat down to visit and enjoy some whiskey (yes, whiskey again - we have now had the pleasure to try Old Parr, Ballyntine, White Horse, Logan, and whatever Brenda had at the Teresina meeting - all scotches from Scotland...). At about 11, we finally had the chance to do our presentation, followed by a meal and more visiting. Since it is Saturday night, no one was in a rush to leave anyways, so it worked out, plus we did have the tents that kept us mostly dry. The 'whiskey club' apparently meets after the Rotary club is done - and the rule for the whiskey club is that the meeting isn't over until the bottle is done - it seems to be similar rules for the Sao Luis Grande Praira club as well...When we left at 12:45, there was very little left of the bottle, so not sure how late the 'club' met till...
We are spending the next couple of days sightseeing and doing more presentations and then returning to Teresina for vocational visits and a day off, and I believe its safe to assum more whiskey's!!
Boa noite (again...it seems I probably got most of my original post here after another 30 minutes of typying - hopefully you enjoy!).
Note the picture of the motorbike - I love the Brazilians version of a motorbike sound system - you can hear this thing for four blocks away...
More sharks!
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