This was my first Brazilian road trip. Our route out to Aguas was as thrilling as I-95's run through South Carolina. Highways in this part of Brazil and their surroundings look surprisingly similar to the US South. Anyway, part of me felt good to be back in a car at Christmastime. My family always celebrates in the rural town of Keysville, VA. Aguas wasn't that different.
But there were the Municipal Fountains. We met our hosts in town and they took us by to see. The fountains are a city-owned indoor/outdoor pool. Not for swimming, though. If you're there, you're looking for healing. Faucets around the pool were labeled with placards (in Portuguese and English) that explained what their water could help you with. One sign read:
"Alameida Salles Waters
-Sodium chlorocarbonate alkaline ph 8.5 - radioactive.
-Indicated for treatment of: heartburn, gastric acid imbalance, diabetes, kidney stones and facilitating digestion.
-Recommended intaking 50 to 80 ml after meals, no quantity limits.
-Durability seven days off the source.
NOTE: It is not advisable to varius types of drinking water exist only once a possibility of gastrointestinal upset."
If you're ever in Aguas de Sao Pedro, look for the Fontanario Municipal.
We rode in our hosts' SUV out to their farmhouse. It was a 10-minute trip across dirt backroads, which had saturated into mud from rain the day before. As soon as we were in the sticks the driver turned on Alan Jackson. I felt about as close to home as a Virginia Boy in Aguas can feel. "I'm Loorrrd and master of a fewl's Taj Muhhall. Oh, hoo says you can't have it ulll?"
Miles later we arrived at the farmhouse. It was a beautiful plot of land with a great two-bedroom house, pool, pool house with another bedroom, barbecue area, another indoor/outdoor living area, outdoor kitchen and five or so hammocks. Roosters shuffled around the grounds as did Rivers, the family dog. Limes and mangos could be picked from trees right in the yard. A small pond was home to some of the biggest frogs I've ever seen (about the size of two fists).
It was 10:00 am by this point and time for breakfast. The schedule for the rest of the day consisted of cooking, drinking, eating, cooking again, killing time, eating and cooking again. It was about 80 degrees out.
As the lone American and newest addition to the family, I stood out a little bit. Dani's great aunt took particular interest in me. Even though she spoke no English and my Portuguese is what it is, it didn't stop her from telling me long stories.
She saw herself as a clairvoyant and talked at length about my horoscope and the past life where Dani and me originally met. She also (playfully, I think) threatened me if I should ever leave Dani. She had faith I wouldn't because I'm not Brazilian. "Brazilian men are dogs," she said. She was my favorite one there.
"You're not sleeping tonight."
We barbecued through the day. I ate mandioca right out of the pot. I grabbed a one-hour nap in a hammock and Dani and I watched the first half of The Lost World: Jurassic Park inside on cable. In the evening, we all played bingo and perhaps did some low-stakes gambling. I blew about five Reais.
The whole day led up to midnight. In Brazil, Christmas Eve is treated like New Year's Eve. Probably bigger. Kids don't rush to bed here. The family gathered around the outdoor table at midnight, held hands and said the Lord's Prayer in Portuguese. Then they said amen and shouted "FELIZ NATAL!" as loud as they could. The next move is for every person to hug every other person and wish them a Feliz Natal. They were a joyous group.
Midnight dinner was served. The tradition here is to eat a meal, usually turkey, right at midnight. The turkey was great and familiar. The rice and cheese dish was spectacular and the cold half-pie-half-ice-cream dessert was surprisingly hard to push away from.
With 21 people and only three bedrooms, you can guess that the sleeping situation was a little tight. Dani and I pumped up our air mattress and climbed on board beside the bunk beds where her parents and cousin slept. It was 2:00 am by now and there were a few snorers in the house. Mix in the rhythmic 4:00 am cockle-doodle-doos outside and there wasn't much sleeping to be had. I'm a light sleeper and was luckily able to snag a few hours.
We did a Secret Santa game in the morning. The budget for gifts was very low, which made the game more fun because there was a lot of silliness available for the picking. I ended up with a blue t-shirt with cutoff sleeves (and I'll be wearing it in the gym just as soon as I hit publish on this post).
We made it back to Sao Paulo in time for me to Skype with my own family, three hours behind us in Keysville. They had just finished our traditional Christmas breakfast of fried oysters, quiche, country ham and biscuits. Presents were opened. I spoke to each person on the phone. I told everyone I missed them. They missed us.
My first Christmas away from home. Certainly my most interesting. Even if it's not to Aguas de Sao Pedro, everyone who gets married and moves away goes through the "new Christmas." It's part of growing up. Staying up all night. Gathering around the dinner table. Taking the hand of the girl you love and trust. Closing your eyes. Praying.
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