Gramado in the Sun

My word was it warm.

Great! but warm.

The last time we visited the German town of Gramado, it was a touch damp to say the least. We had a wonderful time but we ended up buying gloves, hats and umbrellas. No worries this time.

Gramado borders Canela. Both are located high in the hills, a couple of hours drive outside of Porto Alegre.

As you near the entrance to the towns you have a choice...buy shoes now, or buy them later.

Outlet stores line the roads as you arrive and given that, like any guy, I wear things until they fall apart, Clarissa suggested a new pair of trainers. I got two. I know, don't go crazy there David!

After your shopping, which turned out very necessary indeed, we entered Gramado.

Everything was in bloom!

I say everything, because while basking in the spring and nearing summer, Brasilian flowers flourish and none more so than the Hortensia plants that litter the roads and make the approach to these towns as picturesque as you could ever want.

As we drove through the centre of town, it became clear, very quickly that Gramado like to celebrate Christmas as soon as humanly possibly. Driving up on the Thursday of the long weekend, we got to see the lights that would be celebrated on the Saturday, early. Not 'ON', but strung from pillar to post, tree to tree and if they stayed still long enough, quite possibly, car to car.

In Sheffield we celebrate by hanging lights too and we do it early too, but nothing like here.

I love it!

Christmas comes but once a year, so why the hell not celebrate it for a couple of months?!

It's so strange for me to be enjoying the lead up to Christmas in a climate that could easily give me sunstroke, if it weren't for the Factor 30+ sunscreen I layer upon my pasty flesh on a semi-daily basis.

Sadly I failed on this occasion to photograph the flowers or the festivities, but I did get some crackers (ha ha, Crackers) of the waterfall.

That's right folks, Gramado has a waterfall and damn, it's a long way to the bottom!

This photo was taken on the way down...there was still the return leg.

Talking of legs, mine shivered and shook like a Funk dancer (Brasilian music/dance- Google it!).

I love to walk, I'd walk everywhere if I had the chance, but I rarely use the downward muscle bits and descending over 700 steps and then ascending them...well, that was a little much for my spindly appendages.

But thankfully, I had my new shoes! Relief. They are perfect for scaling the heights and observing nature at its fullest. As with here. However, some of the ladies that ventured the distance forgot to pack their hiking gear. Some of them wore those cork-style high heels and I mush say it was with awe and hilarity that I observed some of them teeter and totter down and up the steps.

The waterfall itself...well, there aren't that many words in the English language to describe it, so I'll do my best and show you an image or two.

This is the sight from the observation deck.

This is the sight through the myriad vegetation on the decline.

and this is the sight from the bottom. You can almost feel the spray from the water.

We were in Canada recently and were lucky enough to see a waterfall there too.

It wasn't a patch on the Gramado one.

The falls themselves are located within a natural forest and nature preserve that asks you for R$12 per person to enter.

Pay it!

It's worth every penny.

We wandered, we hiked, we sweated (a lot) and we got to see some areas of natural beauty that save for the weather and waterfall, often made me pause and think of Britain.

I am so very lucky to live in this country.

This appears to be some kind of Caterpillar orgy, best steer clear of that one.

Further on from our wanderings, it'd be fair to say Clarissa and I got a touch hungry.

So, taking advantage of the town and a special price offer, we ventured to a restaurant (one of many) that specialized in Fondue (or Fondee as it's pronounced here).

Wow!

It's a revelation!

I know! I know! Fondue/dee has been around for years, but I never had it before.

But I'll tell you what, I ain't ever stoppin' now!

Look at this!

That's right folks...cheese, meat and chocolate!!!

That's an exclamation mark each.

Wow again.

I have to especially say thank you to Clarissa here, because being a vegetarian, she missed out on the middle course and even ended up doing the table-top cooking for me, as I had the enviable task of devouring all or as much of the meat as I could.

I gave it a good go, but being a self-confessed Chocaholic, I had to leave space for the third course.

The final element of our trip to Gramado and Canela I shall describe regards our adventure on the rapids below.

Clarissa, having gone before, thought it a fun idea to venture outwith the realms of casual walking and chocolate gorging and do something a little more physically exerting...off we went- rafting!

Now, those of you that know me personally and those of you that have in fact been reading this blog, will already know...I ain't that outdoorsy.

Don't get me wrong, I like it when I do it, but I tend to venture over mountains, along valleys and through the skies within the realms of a good book.

This was a first for me.

Look how smooth I look (smooth, ha ha-wet suit, ha).

This is me, paying close attention to my translators relayed instructions.

Rule 1: Don't fall in the water.
Rule 2: If someone falls in the water- laugh at them (we did)
Rule 3: Save the paddle first and the crewman/woman second.
Rule 4: Have a blast! (we did!)

I'll be honest, these were mild rapids, but when there's 7 in a boat and only the instructor, you and your Influenza stricken girlfriend are doing any paddling, it gets to be hard work.

Here is the photographic evidence.

It was great though! I can't wait to try it again.

Another massive thanks to Clarissa.

She has a habit of pushing me into things and so far, they've all worked out pretty darn well.

Cheers.

The Night the Llama Saved Christmas- coming soon...

Due for release at the end of November and available on www.amazon.co.uk.

Aimed at children between the ages of 5-7 years, but all you grown up kids can read it too.

The Night the Llama Saved Christmas, tells the story of Santa and his poorly reindeer.

On Christmas eve, a rather panicked Elf rushes into Santa's office and tells him his famous and beloved team have on the whole, been struck with cold. After making a replacement- Donner out- Gerald in, Santa and his under-the-weather team set off to bring presents to the children of the world.

Sadly, the 'deer can't make it all the way around the globe and have to land in Peru to enlist replacements.

It's now up to Blitzen and Gerald to train a group of Peruvian Llama to take over the reigns and save Christmas for all the little boys and girls of the world.

Can they make it?

Into Thin Air

In keeping with my monthly book reading exploits, my most recent read was this novel by Jon Krakauer, author of Into The Wild- a factual account of his exploits and the results.

Plot: Having climbed for a number of years, Krakauer is given a new assignment by Outside Magazine- Would you like to scale Mount Everest and write about it?

Think about it; you're in your early 40's, wife, kids, life and a latent desire to accomplish a feat matched by fewer than 5000 people. That sounds like a lot, but when you add up the efforts, the loss and the years trying to do just this, it's truly a small number.

While on his climb from base camp to camp 2, 3 and the summit, Krakauer and his compatriots face dilemmas that would make the average, book reading person quiver- myself included.

The real coincidence is that while this story was being lived, another team set about scaling the largest mountain in the world- a team filming for Imax. as such, there is a 44 minute film (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120661/) that goes some way to also account for the events that transpired atop Sagarmatha (the mountain's Tibetan name).

Told initially through back history of the mountain and failed ventures to conquer it, Krakauer then takes us along for the journey, a journey that sees death and disfigurement in droves.

Following publication of his article in Outside magazine and the subsequent book, Krakauer's involvement in the disaster of 1996 received an equal number of condemnations as well as understanding acknowledgements.

It's down to the reader, the experienced climbers and the author himself to make up his or her own mind as to the culpability of the men and women on that climb.

All I'll say is that despite the harrowing nature of the mountain and this account, I feel sympathy for the families, the survivors and oddly enough, I feel a little bit of an urge to start climbing myself.

If you're interested, there's also this documentary series;

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0883680/

D.I.Y with David

That's right. Dad'd be proud.

This literary, artistic, lazy Oik (Yorkshire term for a person lacking drive or manners) has finally been set to work.

I have been assigned the task of sanding and re-painting three pieces of dated furniture and giving them a new lease on life. Cue the music from 'Changing Rooms' and watch the magic unfold.

First was the long legged table. Dark to the point it was almost black. Sanded, painted and now look at the results.

Sorry, no 'pre' photo for this one.

Next came the bau ooo (blanket box and I don't know how to spell it in Portuguese, so- Bau oooo).

Sanded- to the point my arms very nearly fell off (3 hours) and re-painted.

Delightful.

And finally, I think (depends on my next task), the Dresser table thingy.

Sanded, a little (I was advised I didn't have to try too hard with it) and painted (here is the first coat).

Huzzah!

I'm pretty handy, if I do say so myself.

Dangerous Visions 2

Usually I'm quite complimentary about novels I've read, to the point I can be glowing and lack a real objectivity. Not this time.

I've been working my way through a variety of sci-fi shorts that I keep finding in a local book-store and have been delighted with my finds.

Authors from Issac Asimov to Robert A. Heinlein provide a timely, yet timeless outlook on the future of space, travel, the economy, agriculture and every other aspect of modern and not so modern life.

This collection of shorts- compiled by Harlan Ellison, endeavoured to bring together some of 'The' names in alternative fiction and have them create stories that honour the title. Stories that would bewilder, alarm and provoke controversy.

From what I've read, mainly in the introduction from Ellison himself, this was the case, though I can only imagine readers of speculative fiction, as it was often referred to, had less backbone when the stories were published than they do now.

You'd think, with writers such as Larry Niven, Philip K. Dick and Poul Anderson, there might be something in there that would spark a little zest. Only Dick's story- 'Faith of our Father's' contained anything close to the controversy requested.

Shame.

Bugio

When Clarissa was a child, there were Monkeys in the trees outside her house.

She hasn't seen 'em for a while now, but given the sheer amount of nature here in the South of Brasil, they're bound to still be around.

Can you believe it though?

Monkeys!

When I was a kid all we had were Sparrows, grouchy Squirrels and the occasional lost Cat on an outswung branch- mewing in a demented fashion.

My, how life changes.

Bugio or Howler Monkey.

Update

It's been 6 months since I arrived in Brasil.

I have done these things, been to these places and enjoyed even more...

Clarissa, Nirlei, Cezar and I went on a boat ride in the lake and promptly nearly drowned.

Clarissa and I visited Uruguay- our very first holiday together (not counting Wales for a rainy weekend).

Clarissa and I have been to Gramado (a German enclave with fantastic chocolate- really, you NEED to try it!)

The entire family and I visited Canada (it was spectacular!)

We have spent many an enjoyable Saturday/Sunday in the park near our home, observing the wildlife- both animal and human alike.

I have visited the original capital of Rio Grande do Sul- Viamao.

I have gained much needed, wanted and enjoyable employment as an English teacher at the American English Club (AMEC) in Viamao.

I have started teaching Nirlei English too, not that she really needs that much help, it's more the idioms.

I have photographed and blogged numerous random images and not so numerous original thoughts.

I have found inspiration to begin and finish my very first book; a children's story- The Night the Llama Saved Christmas thanks to support from my beloved Clarissa.

I have grown to quickly love our dogs, Pricila and the ever crazy Joca.

I have even begun to learn Portuguese. Slowly, as I'm terribly lazy. Something I am ashamed of, but am aiming to rectify in the coming months.

And most recently, we have moved into our very first home together and despite works that need to be done, I don't think I've ever been happier. Besides, Clarissa does most of the 'handyman' stuff...I do the cleaning (she's awful with a mop).

Brasil is by far and away my biggest and greatest adventure and to be honest, while destiny was never really something I subscribed too, my belief in an eventual reconciliation and life with Clarissa has always been at the forefront of my mind and dreams.

2012 began a little slowly...it's fast picking up!