Today, my butt hurts.
Why does my butt hurt?
I guess you’ll have to keep reading.
I’m writing this in the Sao Paulo airport, while waiting for boarding to begin for my nine-hour flight to Washington DC, then an hour-and-a-half flight to Charlotte, a two-hour drive back to Asheville and I’ll be home!
My 6th day in Manaus (yesterday) kicked off with a lunchtime party at Marnie’s new in-laws house, a joint celebration for the birthdays of my new brother-in-law Yan and my father. There was grilled Tambaqui, sausage, and other meat, a delicious fish stew, and a keg of leftover Brahma beer from the wedding reception a few days previous.
More tasties!
Later on in the afternoon, a young girl at the party (who kept trying to speak to me in Portuguese, with very little success) brought out a bag full of popsicles, made from the local fruits – since over the past few days I’d first sampled Cupuaçu juice, then picked a Cupuaçu right off a tree by my sister’s country home, I thought it only appropriate that I should same a Cupuaçu popsicle. It was predictably delicious.
A cupuaçu popsicle.
I took my leave of the party in the early afternoon to sleep for a bit, because I was feeling a bit worn down, and Angelic – one of the new friends who took me to the Boi-Bumbá festival – had invited me to join her horseback riding that night. Angelic (pronounced: Ahn-zhe-LEE-kee) works for the Military Police of the state of Amazonas, as a mounted policewoman. We would be riding around the grounds of the Cartel, the local MP headquarters where the horses were stabled.
Angelic in full parade dress (stolen from Facebook)
When Angelic arrived to pick me up, I kept asking if I should change from my shorts & flip-flops into jeans & boots, to which she kept giving enigmatic responses that is shouldn’t matter. I brought them along just in case. When we arrived at the Cartel and began outfitting the horses, I discovered why…
We were going to be riding bareback.
All I can say is – ladies, if you’re looking for an amazing workout for your thighs and are willing to endure some butt bruises, try bareback riding. I can barely pull my knees together my muscles are so sore, and I can’t imagine how they’re going to feel tomorrow.
Regardless of all that, I had a great time. My horse Comanche was very obedient, and there were only a few times I felt at all insecure riding him. Angelic’s horse Barón had a very proud way about him – he always kept his chin raised high in the air. Angelic commented that he was a stubborn horse, but she liked the way he carried himself. We first took the horses around an enclosed sand corral, then out to a nearby field to feed for a bit. After that we let then stretch their legs a little around the grounds of the cartel, until my aching backside could take no more. We hosed them down, returned them to their stables, and set off in search of food.
My new pal Comanche.
We found nourishment at a late-night open-air food court. Angelic explained to me the different kind of foods that were available, and I chose to order from the place she described as “more traditional sandwiches.” I had an X-burger – a hamburger with lettuce, a fried egg, a slice of ham, and melted cheese. I was overwhelmed by the variety of delicious, greasy proteins involved. It wasn’t until earlier today, on the way to the Manaus airport that Marnie explained to me what an X-burger meant, after I noted the same item advertised outside a restaurant.
The letter X in portuguese is pronounced “Sheez”.
Thus, “X-burger”, when said aloud, sounds like “Cheezeburger”.
Thus far, today has been uneventful, aside from hurried packing this morning and another delicious meal at the house of Yan’s friend Alex. At the airport, while waiting for my flight’s boarding time to come up, I sample Cajú juice, which comes from the “false fruit” of the cashew tree. It was sweet, with an aftertaste resembling toasted sesame seeds. Tearful goodbyes were said before I passed through the gate to the security checkpoint, and I boarded a plane to Sao Paulo.
I foresee no great drama between here and Asheville, so I’ll bring my Brazil diary to a close now.
Exotic foods, a wedding, dancing in the streets, rooftop parties, and bareback riding with a military policewoman… This has been a most memorable experience. I can scarcely believe that all that happened in only 7 days. I hope to return soon, and hopefully next time, I’ll have had time to learn a little of the language!
I can’t express how grateful I am for the hospitality and friendship shown to me by everyone I met. And when I arrive home, I may just have to make myself a Manaus-style X-burger.
To my new Manaus friends: Beijos! Voltarei em breve!
