pedra do pontal - recreio

last weekend we hiked the rock down by our house. this is us.

this is on the trail

this is the view from the top

and this is me making ostentatious locomotions. innit?

mercado municipal /sao paulo

denis & his lovely sis luana

samba! melon!!

stocking the larders

fancy new indonesian fashion fruit (bland, pricy)

cute! lil' piggies!

cod (portuguese delish)

sampa's historic "municipal market" - famous for fried cod pies and gigantic bologna sandwiches. denis took me in february, last we were in the city.

carnaval parades in the sambadrome (sapucai)

Mestre-Sala e Porta-Bandeira (the representatives of each samba school, responsible for carrying the school's flag)

an "ala", or wing of paraders that comes between the floats

detail of a float

Rainhas de Bateria (battery queens - they direct the drummers, and are usually celebrities)

Baianas - the most traditional wing

a float representing South Africa

more Baianas, in homage to african queens

The winning school's first float (Beija-Flor, or hummingbird in portuguese. check out the front part of the car)

details of a float

us in front of Portela's first float (this is the school Denis has been rooting for since he was a wee boy)

pics ('cept this last one) by my hubbykins!

the carnaval has started