Brazillian Pastel

The Brazillian pastel is a stuffed savory pastry shell much like an Indian samosa or a Spanish empanadas. They are coo only stuffed with beef, chicken, shrimp, but also eggplant or just plain cheese.

I made some today with store-bought pastry shells. I made three different stuffings: leeks, onions, garlic, sun dried tomatoes and cheese; eggplant with lots of garlic and ginger and fresh basil; and a sweet filing from dates, and cashew nuts, the leek in was my favorite.

Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden or Jardim Botânico

Yesterday was Rio a Day. One of the highlights was our two-hour stroll through the botanical gardens. If you go--I recommend spending an entire day there. The spacious gardens are a true oasis amidst a bustling city.

Sorry, I can't identify all the plants In the pictures...

Bamboo shoots were soft and velvet to the touch...

Pitcher plant flowers...

The Japanese Garden...

In the Orchid Pavillion

Coconut Elixir

Riding in the back of Andrew's pickup, wind zipping through my hair, warm sunshine after two wet rainy days, sipping coconut water with surf thundering in the air. Beautiful Brazil!

Rainy Day Tuesday

Rained off and on for most of last night and most of this morning, afternoon and evening.  It's pretty much a steady monsoon rain. We had wanted to go to the beach last evening and again this morning, but the rain pretty much kept us home all day.

It'd better be a sunny day tomorrow....

Easter Birthday

Easter Sunday was Raphael's birthday. However, as he'd had "his day in the sun" the day before at the lagoon, we spent a quiet afternoon at the Niteroi Naval Club with Cilene and Arturo. It was a sunny and sultry day and neither the swimming pool or the whirling ceiling fans in the restaurant provided much relief from the heat and humidity.

Later in the afternoon, friends Luiza, Eduarda and Artur Pillar joined us and, thanks to Cilene's sweet thoughtfulness, Raphael had a birthday cake and gifts, and the rest of us had chocolate easter eggs.

Bananal Peak Hike

Good Friday afternoon, Arturo, Andrew and I hiked the Bananal trail. The mountainside is thick forest from lush undergrowth to a mass of tangled vines overhead. The trail is relatively easy with a few sections of steep inclines, and a smooth rock surface the last 25 feet or so that the hiker must scale to get to the top of the peak. At the top is a breaktaking view of the surrounding area that includes the rocky inlet right below that is only accessible from the ocean, and of Costão (the bare rock that rises above Itacoatiara beach).

Another route to the peak is by rope climbing the rock - as Andrews has done previously, and as shown in the picture below (which I got off the internet).

The picture below that I took is taken from the rock edge, the spot right above the climber, in the picture above.

Lagoon Leisure 2

Yesterday was such an awesome day, that Raphael voted we go back to the lagoon again today. Here are a few things we did differently:

The main dish was fish instead of crabs; I ate rice instead of fries; Arturo and I built a sand castle then watched the tide wash it away; we carried a beach umbrella over the water to a sandbar. It was a glorious day.

Lagoon Leisure

Yesterday we spent the morning at the lagoon near Itaipu beach. Great white herons, gulls and other carrion birds waited for the tide to bring in their breakfast. After the boys had tired of playing in the water, they settled down to a platter of crabs soaked in a sauce of tomatoes, onions, peppers and fragrant seasonings.

By the time the crabs and beer had vanished the tide had come in and lapped at our feet under the chairs and tables.

Master of the House Arrives

Andrew arrived from London tonight. All afternoon and evening we planned and waited with gifts and good cheer. On the way back from school, we stopped at a bakery where Arturo picked out the cake, chocolate with strawberries on top to serve as a birthday cake for his dad whose birthday it was the day before.

Back at home, we wrapped gifts and wrote a card, and filled the hours making origami bunnies and rainbow colored accordions.

Three generations of Nevins under one roof--a special occasion indeed!

Tomate Pascoa, aka Easter Tomato

The greenhouses of Brazil have perfected the Easter Tomato, to be used during the Easter season. The tomato has these cute bunny ears. 

We bought just a couple as they are on sale for only one day, considered a luxury item, hence expensive. We took turns standing in the long queue that snaked outside the Horti Fruti grocery store.