Eu gosta de festa!!!

Today we went out with the students we met at the university.  They are some of the nicest people I have met here.  We went to the Festa Junina, I believe it is called.  We followed a parade with 10,000 other people.  It was arm to arm walking in the 85 degree heat.  Everyone was sweating profusely, but enjoying themselves even more!  People were holding flags, bull figures, and decorative shapes.  There were also people on stilts with their faces painted all white.

  Traditionally, this celebration was held to honor saints such as Saint Anthony, John the Baptist, and Saint Peter.  For me, it just represented the fun-loving nature of Brazil.  Honestly, if you have 10,000 p

eople walking in a parade in L.A. there would be hundreds of fights in the crowd.  The Brazilians were happy just to be celebrating, they did not bother with petty conflicts.

The parade led down to the Praca de Republica.  Kendra, Dan, Karina, Priscilla, Bie, Joao, and I went into the mix of people dancing in front of the stage.  Everyone there was dancing and sweating and just having the time of their lives.  I know I was at least.  It was something I was so glad to experience.  While the rest of the crew were shopping, we was experiencing this once in a lifetime event.  We met back in front of the HSBC bank at 1 o'clock, but we all wanted to stay, so we did!

In the square, there were hundreds of vendors selling everything from pet goldfish to carved wooden blow dart guns.  Of course, both of those, I wanted to purchase, but since I don't see a feasible way to get a goldfish home, I settled on the blow dart gun.  It will make a great gift for my 13 year-old nephew.  I don't know if his mom, my sister, will feel the same way, but we can hope.  I also bought a carved wooden flute for my father, a pair of earring for my best friend, Therese, and an alligator tooth necklace and an anaconda skin cuff for myself.  I was so excited for the Anaconda skin cuff and Alligator tooth necklace.  Joao explained that the indians eat all of these animals, but not the skin or the teeth.  The give these items to the vendors to make jewelry for sale so nothing goes to waste.  

After the festa (party), we went to the mall to eat and hang out.  Luckily for my stomach, I ate Subway.  I met a new friend at the mall.  His name is Lucas.  He just came over and asked if he could practice his English on Dan and I.  His English was very good.  He was a really nice young guy (he was only 18).  We were trying to tell him that there would never be a party like the Festa Junino in Long Beach, except maybe for the gay pride parade.  He said they have gay pride parades here too.  He actually said "We love the gays here."  It was cute.