weekend arts and crafts fair in Embu, SP

Monday was an awesome day.  Thanks to our host Sueli, who took on the role of our very own personal driver, we spent the whole day out.  We first went back to the little center of town near where they live, Embu, and walked around for some wonderful pics, and also we became the proud new owners of a handwoven, authentic hammock, that should hold the whole family!!

Then we went to an orphanage named Lar Batista.  This orphanage was one which my grandpa had been very involved in while he was alive.  We had lunch there, and the boys sat together with some other boys, and managed to have some sort of conversation in Portuguese, while they ate.  They also showed us around, and explained a little bit about what they do, which includes a sort of After school program for nearby children who live in one of 5 nearby shantytown/slums.  They teach them music, English, art, amongst other things.  They also feed them lunch.  At the orphanage currently, they have 24 children in this particular facility, but there are 4 other facilities that are supported by local baptist churches….  More on the specifics later.

We then went to a park I used to go to as a kid. Parque do Ibirapuera.  Unfortunately, it was cold and cloudy, with temperatures hovering the low 50′s, so we didn’t stay as long as we wanted.  It was good for the boys to run around.  They did get in trouble for speaking English out in public, though.  We are really trying to get Phoenix on board.  He is still being stubborn.

Going backwards, Sunday was possibly just as good, if not better.  We spent the better part of the day, after a late start, in the center of town, walking around and enjoying an arts fair.  It goes on every saturday and sunday.  It takes over the whole town.  It made me want to live here, just to be able to show and sell my work on a regular basis, in a place where value is given to it.  The art and artisan/handmade stuff was amazing, and so inexpensive that it made me feel really bad, in that they weren’t making any money.   We  drank coconut water straight from the coconut.  We then had a pretty late lunch and went to their night services.

Other random facts:

We’ve been having  brasilian coffee around the clock!  We’ve seen more than a few dogs that have no owners and just roam the streets.  Sao Paulo has much more traffic than NYC, and we spend large parts of each day in the car.  Seeing family is fun.  Poverty is a very real concept, and it makes me crazy that we have so much.  Having fresh squeezed and natural juices is part of the norm.  Yum.  A roast pig has too much fat and too many bones to make it worthwhile eating.  All my family seems to love handmade stuff, so I guess I’m not so weird after all! :)

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