Feira de Santana

Yesterday Joice, Taynah and I traveled to Feira de Santana Joice’s hometown where her mother Regina, sister Heidi and aunt Vanda all live. We left the traffic of Salvador at 5:00 but not before getting rear-ended Joice’s neighborhood. Joice’s neighborhood Brotas lies on top of a steep hill. The neighborhood has a guard keeping watch at all times of the day. The guard is not armed and he is hired by the neighborhood. Brotas has a lively atmosphere with shops selling clothes, restaurants selling Chinese snacks, Bars selling beers and English schools selling English. At the bottom of the hill is a busy automotive district that sells both new wheels and semi-new wheels as the signs advertise.
As we left Salvador the apartments gradually turned to more modest residences and finally to huge unruly favelas. After 20 minutes of driving through the outskirts of the city, after the shipping yards, meat-packing factories and gas stations ceased to appear any longer we were in the country or as its called the interior.
Brazil doesn’t have to try hard. When it’s beautiful it’s gorgeous. The people, the landscapes, food and culture are all amazing. When its ugly its hideous. The favelas, poverty and pollution. However this car ride was both. In the front seat Joice and her sister were catching up cursing at the inexplicable driving of their fellow Brazilian motorists. To my left was nothing but lush green countryside complimented by purple-hued clouds a dark red sunset that was complimented by the occasionally lazy rive or stream that only added to the view. To the right were the random favelas shantytown one room shacks built on the side of a hill clinging for support.
I fell asleep and woke up in Feira de Santana passing through the sleepy streets and bar after dimly lit bar. We arrived at Joice’s mother’s house on a quiet calm street. All the houses have locked gates so when we arrived we honked the horn and Heidi Joice’s sister came out and let us in. Joice’s sister, mother and aunt all came out greeting us with big hugs, smiles and for me introductions. Joice was worried about her mother being shy but she is really friendly and outgoing even though she is dubious that I speak or understand Portuguese at all.
Joice unloaded her stash of illegally imported chocolates and cooking on to the dining room table that looked like somebody raided the candy aisle at CVS. The women of the house quickly devoured the chocolate and made me feel at home. The house is modest with bare white walls only interrupted by painting of Bahia, catholic paraphernalia and baby pictures of Joice and her sisters.
The house is clean and well kept with a fruitful garden in the back that provides fresh grapes and even pineapples. As expected by Joice, her mother and aunt instantly insisted that I being eating grapes from their garden.
I watched some TV with Joice’s sisters while dinner was being prepared. This would be my first introduction to the world of Brazilian Soap Opera novellas. Heidi and Taynah were enthralled by the complex dramatic plot of Duas Caras (two faces) that is about a sneaky conman who gets plastic surgery to change his appearance. I had a slight idea of what was happening.
Dinner was served around 9:30 and I guess I’m special because Heidi asked why they were setting out the good plates and silverware. The dinner was huge. There was freshly prepared squash soup, rice with carrots and onions mixed in, brisket with a deep brown salty gravy, left over turkey, fresh bread and Joice’s favorite beans flavored with cuts of meats.
I ate and plopped myself down on the couch and watched the news with Heidi and Taynah. I understood the news much better than any of the television shows I’ve seen so far. I quickly got tired and went to sleep at about 11:00 without brushing my teeth.