Carnival Vacation - Part 2

Carnival Vacation – Part Two

We arrived home from the first part of our vacation late on Tuesday evening.  On the elevator ride up to the apartment, we commented that it really felt like we were “coming home”.  When you live in a new place, whether it is just a new home in the same town, or a whole new country, it sometimes takes a while for it to really feel like home.  I think, after our crazy trip, we were happy to be back in more familiar territory.  But, our stay at home would be short-lived, as we had a second trip for which to prepare.  We were leaving the next day for Pocos de Caldas, the other city where Matt has an office.  We had already planned that trip before deciding to go on our first adventure, figuring that since Matt had to work on Thursday and Friday he could work out of that office, and the boys and I could relax and see something new.  

After unpacking, doing several loads of laundry, and repacking the suitcases, we left at noon on Wednesday for the three hour drive to Pocos – which is pronounced “possos”.  This time we were in our own (rented) car, and Matt was behind the wheel.  Luckily, he knew how to get there, as the GPS was directing us to many roads that didn’t even exist.  I’m still wondering if we just wasted $250 on the two units and Brazil map we downloaded from Garmin!  Pocos de Caldas is a small city (population of about 152,000) in the state of Minas Gerais, which borders the state of Sao Paulo.  It is nestled in the mountains and is known for its hot springs of healing sulfur water.  All over the town you’ll find fountains that are feed by natural springs – both cool fresh water and warm sulfur water.  The center of the city still has a fully operating “Hot Bath House”, where for a few reais you can soak in the supposed healing waters, as well as get massages and other treatments.  

We arrived to the hotel and took in the scenery around us – no tall buildings, no sounds of traffic – just beautiful green mountains, bright and colorful flowers, and the hush of nature.  It was the first time we truly experienced peace and quiet since arriving in Brazil, and brought back memories of being at our camp in West Virginia.  Though our room was small, the Hotel Monreale was great, offering multiple activities (supervised by monitors) for the kids, as well as great fitness and recreational programs for adults.  The kids loved the beach soccer court, the trampolines, tetherball, and the game room, as well as the indoor warm-water pool.  They had a great outdoor pool as well, but the weather was a little on the cool side for outside swimming.  I loved all of the areas that offered respite from busy schedules, including a beautiful reading lounge.  We spent a couple of hours relaxing at the hotel and letting the boys play before heading into the city for dinner with friends, a couple Matt had already met on previous trips.  I had met Fabio, who works with Matt, when he was in Pittsburgh on business; and I was anxious to meet his wife, Fabiane, who is expecting their first child.  We enjoyed delicious pizzas and wonderful conversation, while both boys fell asleep at the table!

The next day, Matt went to work, and the boys and I stayed at the resort.  I didn’t think they would want to participate in any of the activities, since they still don’t understand Portuguese and no one spoke English, but they surprised me and joined the other kids – which left me with precious time to myself!  While they played, I went for an organized hike around the resort and the neighboring farm – the sun was shining and the fresh air felt wonderful!  It was just nice to see blue sky and no rain for a change.  After my hike, I went to check on the boys and was surprised to hear Ian ask, “Mom, what are you doing?” – he was not ready to leave the group.  It was nice to know that despite the language barrier they were having fun.  The next activity on their schedule was “ski-bum-bum” (literally translates into “skiing on your butt” – which involved sliding down a rubber mat on a hill, with soapy water.  They loved it!  After their busy morning, we had lunch and Fabiane picked us up to show us the town and sights Pocos has to offer.  

The most famous “Cristo” statue in Brazil is the one seen in pictures of Rio de Janeiro, however there are many of these all over Brazil, including in Pocos.  We rode to the top of the mountain, where the Cristo stands, in a cable car and were able to take in a bird’s eye panoramic view of the city and mountains beyond it.  Once off the mountain, back in the city, we stopped for ice cream and headed to a local park.  This is where Ian and Alex experienced the highlight of all of their time in Brazil – they got the chance to be up close and personal with monkeys!  The park was full of hungry monkeys that are accustomed to being fed by humans and ate right out of the boys’ hands.  They were so excited and spent 30 minutes feeding them snacks, handing them to mamas with babies on their backs, and tossing them to others as though they were playing a game of “catch”!  Once I was finally able to drag them away from their newfound friends, we walked up a little path (no mud this time) to a picturesque waterfall – our day was complete!

On Friday, Matt worked while I spent the morning watching the boys play, and even let them exercise a little bit of freedom by allowing them to spend time in the game room without supervision.  This gave them another opportunity to interact with other kids who didn’t speak much English.  Being the only American children at the resort, Ian and Alex were the objects of curiosity and had several children playing with them and exchanging new words in their own languages.  It’s wonderful to see them spread their wings a bit and let go of some of their initial insecurities; I also think the best way for them to learn Portuguese is to get involved in situations and activities where they step out of their comfort zone and are forced to communicate in a different language.  

After another abundant and delicious lunch (I ate entirely too much during the week), Fabiane once again took us out on the town, this time showing us more of the commercial side of the city.  Before we embarked on a shopping spree, however, we visited the town’s Japanese Gardens.  The boys loved the fact that they were able to drink from multiple fresh-water fountains, stopping to lap up the cool water spilling from small cascading falls and fountains every chance they got.  Our next stop was the municipal market, where I indulged in buying cheeses, wines, and “doces” – the sweets for which the region of Minas Gerais is famous.  We also checked out the “bath house”, a beautiful old building which also houses a medical museum.  Next time I go, I’ll plan to soak in the sulfur water and schedule a massage!  

Later that evening, we joined several of Matt’s coworkers and their families at the home of his Brazilian boss.  His place was gorgeous, with a beautiful backyard, complete with an outdoor kitchen, bar, swimming pool, and 2 hammocks.  We ate a fantastic “churrasco”, which is a Brazilian barbecue, drank caipirinhas (now my favorite cocktail!), and sang karaoke.  Alex joined Matt in a rendition of “Country Roads”, and Ian sang “Living on a Prayer” with his dad.  It was hilarious to watch and hear the Brazilians singing songs in English at the top of their lungs; I even sang a few tunes, both in English and Portuguese.  Ian and Alex eventually crashed, each falling asleep in one of the hammocks.  We had such a fun evening, and many of the people there tried to convince us to move to Pocos, believing that the quality of life there is better than in Sao Paulo.  It does offer a more laid back atmosphere – quieter and safer – but, I don’t think I’d be ready to move again!  Despite the fact that I loved Pocos, and Matt’s main office is located there, I think Sao Paulo is the place we’ll call home until we head back to the States – but, I’m already looking forward to our next visit.    We got home Saturday evening and joined some friends for dinner, spent Sunday unpacking, and rejoined the real world on Monday.  Suffice it to say that Part Two of our Carnival vacation was very different from the first part of the week – and it was all the more appreciated because of our earlier experience!