#193 Nomad Diary. 29 June-5 July 2024. At Brasilia, Brazil. Living with Son Jeremy's Family.

In Brasilia, Brazil are These UFO-Looking Buildings. One is a Cathedral and In The Background is a Museum

Statutes of Gospel Writers Beside the Cathedral

Going Into the Museum is an Experience

Selfie at the Brasilia Museum

A Fourth of July Party for the Embassy Community

Saturday. 29. Darrell made pancakes with Quinn assisting him. Quinn enjoys pancakes with butter, walnuts, maple syrup and cinnamon. After lunch we all walked to a French pastry cafe and had French pastries while sitting outside on clean tables under huge shading trees. We had a small yeasty sweet bread that seemed similar to monkey bread and topped with caramelized milk. We also had an almond croissant. We walked back to the apartment through the tall apartment buildings with sidewalks, green spaces and shady trees. We loaded into the car. Jeremy drove us to the interesting downtown area where there is a cathedral and a museum that looks like a futuristic space center. Then we went to a family home where Andrea is going to take care of the cat during the family’s vacation. After that we went to the US Marine’s compound house where there was an unofficial 4th of July party for the Embassy community. We paid a small ticket for the event and then there were a few food trucks selling dinner and drinks throughout the evening. There was a live band, volleyball sand court and some kids bouncy house toys. There were a lot of families and kids of all ages. We met a few of Jeremy and Andreas' Embassy friends.

On Sunday Darrell, Jeremy and I are Walking on the Closed Highway in Brasilia, Brazil

Jeremy and I Bought Lunch Here

Our Lunch was Chopped Green Tomatoes, Okra Stew, Some Sort of Yellow Porridge, Some Salty Shrimp, and a Fried Bean Flour Cake. It Was Very Different For Us! We Got the Hot Sauce that was Offered.

Sunday. 30. Today Jeremy drove us to the Portuguese church close to his home. At the end of the worship time, there was a woman who was baptized. A few people were able to greet us in english. The songs are fairly easy to follow as they are printed on the overhead screen. Once we got back to the apartment, it was about noon. The three of us took off on a 10 minute walk to the closed down highway pedestrian zone. Jeremy and I bought an African lunch that was interesting. Darrell went on to another location and purchased and ate lunch there. He described it to us when he got back. I took a picture of our lunch. Our favorite component was the bean flour fried bread. Under the fried bread was an okra stew (not Jeremy’s favorite at all!), some small salty shrimp, a manioc mash, chopped green tomatoes, and a super hot sauce. 

Andrea's Current Tile Project

My Tiled Coasters. Some Fridge Magnets of Little Houses that I Bought.

Coffee and Cake Time 

Monday. 1. Today we stayed at the apartment with Quinn while Andrea went to the embassy to volunteer and do commissary work. Darrell and I went to a coffee shop and got Quinn some pau de queijo, cheese bread. We went grocery shopping, fixed lunch at the apartment, played Candyland often, went to playgrounds, and did laundry. We have been thinking about our trip back here in December and how long we might stay then and where we also may go touring in South America in January. 

Tuesday. 2. Most of the day is spent at the apartment. Darrell left for a short time to get a haircut. He came back and said it cost him $6.36! It’s a good haircut too! It is an example of the severe difference in the cost of living here from the US. I walked with Andrea and Quinn about 15 minutes to a grocery store that she wanted to try out. After we shopped for a few items, I took her keys and walked back to the apartment. I made it in time for out online Bible study with a church we went to in England. Darrell has been thinking a lot about our travel schedule for the coming months of December-June. He’s been coming up with some scenarios of where we could go, and possibly what we might like to do. He looked into Amazon river cruises. He selected a month-long cruise as his choice that is in February, round trip out of Miami. I wasn’t too excited about this option because we are spending a month on a cruise ship in November. We are looking seriously at a week-long Alaskan cruise in May. I’m hopeful that our son, Samuel will come on this cruise with us. With this in mind, we have talked about driving up to Vancouver or to Seattle to get on an Alaskan cruise. So Darrell has mapped out a sketch of a road trip for up to Vancouver and back down to the US. We have some place in Canada that we would like to go including Lake Louise. We are still working on what these months will be for us, and it’s taking some effort and some coordinating discussions. Discussions about our tempo of travel and where each of us would like to go.  

Wednesday. 3. Over the next three days we have changed our thoughts about the Alaskan cruise itinerary. We are looking at transatlantic cruises as a possibility. We have got some ideas in mind to visit Ireland and our church friends in Kent again. We are going to keep thinking about our 2025 travel possibilities for now. Today I went with Andrea to the tile class. I worked more on my key holder project and then I glued tiles into 2 coasters. I have one more class next week. While there we had coffee and pineapple cream cake. 

At the Brasilia Zoo Watching Monkeys

At the Zoo in Brasilia

An Ant Trail Made with Seeds was Curious to Us

Evening Outside of Casa Da Siria with A Delicious Meal

This Meal of Darrell's and My Chicken Sandwich Roll was About $10!

Sidewalk with Large Trees Wind through the Apartment Buildings Here

Quinn Climbing at a Playground

Thursday. 4. On the 4th of July we went to the Brasilia zoo. It’s a large zoo and it’s our second time to come in 2 weeks. We were entertained watching some monkeys get into trash cans. There were a lot of school kids here on this day. Darrell and I went out for dinner to a Syrian restaurant in the neighborhood of the apartment. Jeremy’s family went to a party put on by friends. 

Friday. 5. 

Nomad Notes. This week I’ve been mentally counting down our last days here. We have one more Friday, two more Sundays.