Final Reflections from Brazil

Location: Brazil

Time: Tuesday, November 2, 2011

In Portuguese, the word “saudade” is unique in that there is no direct equivalent of this word in English. However, the renowned, extremely accurate Wikipedia attempts to explain saudade in the following way:

“Saudade describes a deep emotional state of nostalgic longing for something or someone that one loves and which is apart. It often carries a repressed knowledge that the object of longing might never return.”

As I spend my last afternoon in São Paulo packing for my bittersweet return trip home to the United States (and trying to figure out how I can smuggle back four bottles of cachaça) – I am starting to understand what this saudade feeling is all about.

I am going to miss Brazil.

But, before I leave, here are some final, brief reflections from my some travels around this ridiculous country:

Her Name Is Rio And She Dances On The Sand

So I went to Rio.

Arriving in Rio De Janiero (or as the locals say. "Hee-oh Jeejeaierjhoiewreo"), your first thought is "Now THIS is what Brazil is supposed to look like." Palm trees. Beaches. Big Ol' Jesus. Malaria. Everything.

Rio is, without question, a very gorgeous city. Long stretches of beautiful beaches are framed by humongous granite mountains and jungles straight out of Jurassic Park. Atheistically, I would say that the only downsides are the man-made structures (excluding Big Jesus), as every building looks like the United Nations Headquarters or the Contemporary Resort in Disney World. Well, that and the large fat men in speedos (more on that later).

Regardless, on the cab ride to the hotel, it’s difficult not to have "The Girl From Ipanema" playing on a continuous loop in your head. It’s also the perfect way to prepare you for your stay at the hotel, where the "The Girl From Ipanema" will playing on a continuous loop in the elevator.