Water and Star Wars

here the water from the tap is suspect. Although the water from our tap comes from a well deep beneath the building, and is fit to drink, we use the filter and the grocery store. We'll do a taste test soon though and find out whether we like well water too.
For most, water comes through a filter or from plastic bottles. Mineral water is really big here, and after drinking the plastic water for two months, our whole family converted to the bubbly water. This too comes in plastic but the bubbles negate the plastic taste. Water, water everywhere- but no where to drink....
For example one often sees water running down the street, in little gullies along the sidewalk- where there is one- sometimes crossing the street creating a deep enough dip that cars go over them as if they were speed bumps. This water comes from fresh springs under the pavement, and forces its way up to the surface. because there are so many of them, architects devise outlets for the water when they design new buildings. So in some areas of the city there is a constant flow of water in the gutter along the sidewalk.
Or in our case, they use the spring to feed the building.

Water is used in copious amounts to clean terraces- bathrooms, kitchens. All are built with drains in the middle of the floor, and water is just splashed around. Then comes a broom with a cloth on the end of it to scrub the surfaces. Some kind of soap is also used, sometimes. Mostly people wash everything down, on a weekly or even daily basis.
This seems especially important now, in the Winter when the weather is so dry. Dust cruises the air, trolling for open spaces to invade and surfaces on which to settle.
But dust is not alone. In fact it might blow past some of the balconies and open windows if it weren't for its sidekick: pollution. I know many people reading this blog will note that I talk about pollution frequently. Let me tell you I do not mention it as often as I clean it away from my face. The pollution here is a little sticky, blacker than dust, and stubborn. Often we sense that rain is coming, then we look out and see what appears to be a gray cloud rolling in. Rain! I say. Pollution, says the maid.

The water is soft here. For those of you who do not know soft water, this mean your skin does not dry out as quickly, and when you wash your hands, the soap does not rinse off easily. Since hot water only comes into the bathroom and kitchen taps, and not into the laundry room, washing machines here wash in cold soft water. Hence, a cycle can take up to 2 hours to run! Wow-

While we lived in NY, I had shirts made for Alex. These shirts did not need to be dry cleaned, nor did they need to be ironed. Eureeka! I thought. Environmentally sound dress shirts that can be cleaned in an hour! And then we moved here, and I could not get them clean in the cold soft water.(yes, I was doing our laundry in the fancy pansy hotel on Sunday mornings at 7 AM- different story)

So, when shopping for a washing machine for our apartment, I bought one of the only models which will warm the water. I think this cycle takes 2.5hours- but in the end, we'll be sitting pretty!

More water:
To clean the service stair wells in our apartment building - a person stands on the top floor ( 23 flights up) with a hose and sprays water for about 45 minutes and then watches as it cascades down.... finally dripping endlessly from stair well to stair well.
Lets hope there is a restroom at the top and he/she doesn't have to make a quick exit down the service stairs....

My driver: Antonio
We hired a driver in part because my license was expired, and in part because I don't speak enough language to navigate my way out of a fender bender.(frequent ocurrences) Until Tuesday night I was in traffic up to 4 hours a day getting the kids to and from school. Tobias has to be picked up at 12, while Zachary is finished at 3 PM.
My driver's word for the traffic is : "oh-orr-hee-vil" the Portuguese word for horrible. but when he says it he sounds like one of the characters from the Adams Family.

Now that we live in Panamby I spend about 30 minutes in "ho-evil" traffic.

When we moved here, we had to leave all our furniture behind. In fact we were given such a small allotment for shipping that we left most of our household items behind. Including things like hangers- which cost a small fortune here- who knew?!

So, once we found an apartment- which we did over the course of our first few days here in the pouring rain with both kids moaning and groaning behind us-- Alex went off to work, and the kids and I went out to buy furniture.
Shop till you drop... yes we dropped over and over and over.
Final decisions and initial bargaining were done with Alex back in the mix. But in between, the three of us, our relocation manager and a driver cris-crossed the city in search of.....everything.

Zachary and Tobias were understandably bored. Thank the stars for the driver who spoke English! He would take them to other parts of the mall or store or find a park for them to run in. It took about about 2 weeks until most of the big items were ordered- couches, chairs, dining room table, breakfast room table and chairs, beds, night stands, stove, etc etc.

We still have things like curtains and rugs to find, but we can live here, and be thankful for a spacious apartment with new stuff to jump on! The delivery of the stuff was quite an experience.
Many pieces did not fit in the service elevator. So, the delivery men brought in a small crane company. These three men came in and installed a winch/motor set up on the balcony. Cable was run down the side of the building to the courtyard below. There the pieces of furniture were cabled and then slowly hoisted up 17 floors to the balcony, guided at the bottom by one man, and hauled over the balcony edge by the other two. It was exciting for the boys! I have to admit I found it pretty cool too.


Zachary turns 6 on Monday! WOW!!!!
There are many ways to celebrate here. A typical Brazilian Family (of the type who can afford to send their kids to private school) invites the whole class, and their families to a party place or to the party room in their building, and the hires in the entertainment, the food, etc. I am told an average bill runs about R 12,000.00 (6-7,000.00 dollars)
Sounds like a plan?
Maybe.
We are opting for a trip to the zoo with some friends we've made here, and a party in his classroom. I found a person who makes cupcakes. Now there is no way they will rival Lori Walsh's gourmet treats, but we'll make do!
We thought about heading out to the shore for a few days since Monday and Tuesday are holidays. When I asked Zachary about this, the look on his face was grim. NO more cars! he said. Okay. I get it. we just moved into our new home, and there is still soooo much to do. they just want to be "home".

Star Wars is the theme these past few weeks. Zachary is begging for more figures. We currently have 2 and a few leggo pieces until our sea shipment arrives, and then I think we'll have a few more- I hope because I can't remember what I packed up in May!

Oh-and a star ship, and well- you know the whole thing...so we'll see what we can find for less than the cost of a plane ticket back to NY. Taxes are the culprit. For imported toys (all toys pretty much) the gov't adds something between 100- 200%.
you do the math.
The tax on sugar made here is 27%- just to give perspective.

Now that we are in a home and have figured out how to turn the boiler on, and not blow up the dishwasher, we look forward to settling in and establishing a routine.
We'd like to find a used piano and start lessons. i want to find a drumming class... and we all want to falla Portuguese really soon!

Here is to Spring Water!