Brasil x Canada

May 31, 2008 - On the last weekend of May we rented a bus and a bus driver to Seattle, with about 45 other Brasilians, to see a soccer game between the national teams of Brasil and Canada.


We left around 9:00am on Saturday, and never have I felt more like an alcoholic drinking beer when normally I'm eating breakfast; or sleeping. The bus ride up was a blast. It was a 60mph party on wheels, with many people playing instruments and the rest singing. I may be wrong, but I believe I played an instrument at some point. Sou um gringo.


We arrived to Seattle around lunchtime and had reservations at Ipanema Grill (a Brasilian churrasco) for like 1,000 people, but we got there early so we walked around a bit. We got to see the famous Pike Place Fish Market, many local merchants, and even the very 1st ever Starbucks. As Starbucks was my home away from home during my west-coast trek, this was important for me to see. Whether you like them or not, they made it possible for me to do what I did. It was, of course, a madhouse there.


We met for lunch and I ate a few pounds of meat. Then I felt like sitting somewhere soft and stroking my belly and making old man noises. But, Poon (Bryan) and his wife Erin live in Seattle and we invited them to meet us, so we met. It was raining and Ana needed a rain jacket so we went shopping. I tried some on for her. We then convinced them to come to the game with us..


Finally, game time. And it was a fantastic game.. Brasil won 3-2. The 60mph party on wheels simply moved from the bus to the stadium; everyone brought their instruments and songs and played all throughout the game.. What a blast. A somewhat scary moment during the game when Boi had a little much to drink and fell over the seat in front of him and literally started rolling down the stadium. Luckily a couple of tall guys broke his momentum so nothing fatal happened.


Good times, good times.



The bus ride up - Chris, a UFC fighter, starting the pagode



Bus


Market in downtown Seattle


Inside the original Starbucks


The front of the original Starbucks



Transvestite superhero(ine)


Brasileiros (e um gringo)


Qwest field - during the game


Puget Sound was just behind Qwest Stadium


Hi


Paulo, the organizer


Daniel, Fabiana, the lead guitarist from ZZ-Top


Puget Sound view from our seats


Since Ana's family was watching the game back in Brasil, Ana made a sign to try and get on TV. No luck though..


After the game, a lone fan ran across the field with some kind of flag. Security didn't like that. To display their power, several large men converged on this poor fellow and squashed him into a piece of coal. Then we used it for a churrasco.


Qwest

Churrasco

6/16/2008 - The house was finally broken in on May 18 when we invited friends and family over for a Brazilian barbeque. People (a few of which are chefs) showed up with meat, beer, a little helicopter, and when the meat and beer seemed to start dwindling, more people showed up with more meat and more beer. It lasted all day and basically left me with a food hangover on Monday. All day people brought beer, I would drink it, they would bring meat, they would cook it, I would eat it... This is certainly something I could get used to.