Another day, another post. Maya and I went out again. We walk around the broadway plaza area for a while. Then decided to eat at California Pizza Kitchen. THe waiter was weird. Keep trying to make maya order a fancy pizza, instead of pepperoni. He kinda creeped me out. Anyways, after that we went to the band pool party and swam for a while. The band is full of strange people this year. Oh well, certainly won't be boring. Maya was tired so we went home. It was a fun day. So that is about all that has been happening lately. Ok, I will post more when more happens.

wow I haven't updated in a while. Lets see basically not much was been going on. Actually today is that first that that I have actually done anything since I have been back. In the morning my dogs and hi went and huhng out with the marching band. Strange being back. Though the band doesn't sound or look half bad. for only the first week in that is. Then afterward Maya and I went to Fresh Choice for dinner. Then hung out in my car until she had to go home. We couldn't think of anywhere to go. Oh well, it was comfty. *grin*. Fresh choice is cool becasue it is all u can eat. One of the great inventions ever. All u can eat. happyness is never ending food. Well I can't think of anything else left to say. so later all.

Home. God that was a long trip. I think I may have nodded off a few times. I dunno. It is all a blur in my mind. Either way it was sooo long. Nothing to see becuase it was dark. Then we arrived in Dallas. Waited there for an hour. Then another plane ride to SF. That seemed long because it was close to getting ohme, plus was tired, and still didn't feel 100%. Then the 1 hour BART ride home. Basicall putting it in WC time. Got up around 3 am yesterday, got home around 11ish today, all wtih out a good night sleep and feeling a little under the weather. Anyways glad to be home. Huge stacks of mail and a papers on the table. Lots of magizines for me to read. Dogs smelled bad and needed a bath, so gave them one. The pool was uber green, like pine tree green. Dumped 3 gallons of clorine, and filled up out clorine tablet floater. Dad brushed the walls of the pool. still looks icky. Probably will for a little while. Other than that. not much else. Just going to hang around all day, unless be some chance someone call me to do something. or stuff like that. Ok home, ready to do stuff, bye, bye.

well I lied. I get to do one more post form Brasil. We got to the airport like 5.5 hours early (literely). It is 5pm here now and our plane doesn't leave till 10pm. so I am really bored here too. Also for the oast two days I have been feeling sick. Yesterday I puked my gut out completely twice. That sucked. And all the other times, not been feeling sick and tied. I bouth two soccer jerseys. They arte really comfty and soft. hehe. So other than that, not much going on. God I am bored. Can't wait to get back and see Weefle and Willie and Maya and all my friends that haven't left already. Well ok can't think of anything else to write. so yeah. bye bye

Ok, so I guess today is Tuesday right? I always lose track of the days. So yesterday (monday i guess), we took a 6 hour bus ride to Sao Paulo. My dad says the city has anywher form 18-25 million people. Making it one of the biggest cityies in the world, up there with mexico city. A city that size is hard to comprehend. Endless miles and miles (or km and km) of houses. As far as the eye can see. Also that good old Los Angles sight, smog. Large layer of smog can been seen from anywhere. Other than that the city seems quite clean. Though we haven't gone too many places. Monday evening we went to visit some of the people my mom lived with when she was an exchange student here in Sao Paulo. We went and had really good pizza and a nice resturante. Good pizza. It had pepperoni made by a master. I didn't know they had master pepperoni makers. *shrug*. Anyway today we are spending a little time shopping at the mall. Then we are going to have lunch with some other friend, and also dinner latter with other friends too. jooooooy. Oh well, as long as they have good food. This will probably be that last tiem I post here from brasil. We leave tommorow aroudn 10pm. Take a 10 hours plane ride to Dallas. Arrive 6am dallas time. Then a plane ride to San Fransisco after going through customs. Anyways I think I get home about 9am WC time, probably really tired unless I can fall alseep on the plane (probably not though). Well ok. I guess Andre and Jason have already moved into the dorms at Berkeley. Maya has just started band camp. Rod is doing god only knows what. I don't know when DVC starts for him. hmmm. Who is left? Alex Bain is still around till like october. Maybe sylvia? I don't know when Standford starts. Any of cource all my friends still in high school are still around. Ok I think thats about it. Can't wait to see u all soon. Ciao.

Friday night

We started out walking around Copacabana Beach. We stoped for some food. Just before we left we started to see lighting in the distance, but no rain yet. So we started walking back to our hotel, watching the cool light show. Of cource halfway there is starts to rain. The rain keep getting harder and harder. So when it really starts comming down we duck into another resturant to wait it out. Really heavy rain, lots of thunder and lightning. It was great. I love rain storms. When it stopped we made it back to our hotel and relaxed there the rest of the night.

Saturday.

just chilling at the hotel until about 9am, when we went to the bus station to catch a 4 hour bus ride to Paraty. Paraty is a small town of about 17,000 on a bay on the atlanic ocean, between Rio and Sao Paulo. We got in around 3pm and got our room in our posada. We wandered around the town, lots of interesting things to see and hear. One interesting thing about Paraty is that when they built it they made it so when the tide comes it the floods many of the streats. When the tide goes out, it make the streets clean. It is quite funny seeing flooded street (have pictures).

Sunday

We went on a 5 hour boat ride ona sconner. It was fun because it was sunny, but not hot. Went around the bay looking at all the cool islands, many of them private with a house on them. We stopped at a couple of beachs to go swimming. Just did a lot of relaxing on the boat. Was a lot more fun than just sitting or walking around the town. This evening we are going to get something to eat and just relax. Tommorow we take a 6 hour bus ride to Sao Paulo. So that about it. I am definetely enjoying the southern part of brail better than the north because of teh weather. In Sao Paulo the high today is supposed to be around 15*C and the low of 8*C. I will let u figure out that convertion. OK not much else to say right now, going to check out other peoples blogs.

After I finished that last post yesterday, someone finally come on AIM. Jason and Andre were at Jason's place so I got to talk with them for a while. They were going that day to do something in Berkeley for the Cal bands for something of the sort. They offically move in on Sunday. Brice is long gone to college they told me. Then latter Maya came on. It was really nice to talk with her, because I hadn't for a while. She seems to be haven't fun getting ready for Band Camp which starts on monday I believe. Thats good. The band always plans lots of cool activities. My favorites are Great America, Camelot (basically stuff with an arcade), Smovie night is fun. Video scavenger hunt is awesome. Band party is good. Basically all good stuff. Sectional activity never works, becuase of our small trombone section. Oh well. Maya will have lots of fun, just as long has she saves a few night to do fun stuff with non MB people. hehe. Today is Brasil my sister and my dad when hang gliding. I didn't really feel like going. Something about running off a mountain doesn't settle too well with me. I kinda have a fear of heights. Stragne because I love roller coasters. and they go high. Only six more days left. Going shopping for some soccer jerseys soon. Other than that not much else going on. Leave tommorow on a 4 hour bus ride to Paraty, and stay there for 2 nights. Then a 6 hour bus ride to Sao Paulo, and stay there for 1.5 days basically, then fly home. Not long now. Latter.

Aaron


::Which one of my odd friends are you?::
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You are Professor X!

You are a very effective teacher, and you are very
committed to those who learn from you. You put
your all into everything you do, to some extent
because you fear failure more than anything
else. You are always seeking self-improvement,
even in areas where there is nothing you can do
to improve.


Which X-Men character are you most like?
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3:10 here....11:10 there. I finally found a computer that has AIM, but nobody is on. WHere is everybody!! I was hopeing to talk to some people, but nooooo, nobody is on right now. So much for that plan. Yesterday we went to corcovado. It is that mountain with the big statue of Jesus on top. Really nice. Great view of a beautiful city. Today we went to the botanical gardens. Lots of cool plant, and most importantly shade. Dad is in a book store, sis and mom at the beach. I am here writing a post, hopeing people will come on AIM. I get home in a week, I think in the morning becuase we have an overnight flight. Anyways, sáll good. See u all good. I miss u Maya.

Tuesday

On tuesday we took a 2 hour plane ride to famous Rio. So far this is my favorite city. The weather is cooler and the air less humid. That first night we went to one of the famous landmarks, Pao do Azucar. It is there two tall rock formations, with a gondala connecting the peaks. It was mad famous in one of the James Bond movies. Bond fights Jaws on top of the gondala car. This is were it was filmed. The view was spectacular even though it was a little cold which I didn't mind. For dinner I had banna pizza. Yes banana pizza. I know it sound strange but trust me, it is really really good.

Wed morn.

Good breakfeast. HAd two bowl of granola. I love cereal. And tonsof OJ. Also this morning we are doing laundry. Laundry is a very nice thing. So I am sitting here in by bathingsuit and a teeshirt waiting for my clothes to wash. We are staying in a hotel in Copacabana, which is near Copacabana beach and Ipanema beach. Very famous place. Also I think one of the most densely populated places in the world, maybe the most. There are 7 million people in Rio. It is a very beautiful city because of the landscape. Lots of large rock formation randomly pop out of the city.

ok because I am bored... yeah I know I just did the ones of people blogs instead of finding my own...



Everyone remembers the 'faked-orgasm-in-a-deli'
sequence from your kind of movie When Harry Met
Sally. It seems that you're falling for a buddy
or have already fallen for them. Uh-oh. You're
probably caught between the possibility of
having a great relationship and wrecking the
one you have now. You know what they say, it's
better to regret something you did than
something you didn't do.


What Romance Movie Best Represents Your Love Life?
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you're pure. you see everything for the way it
really is, and you treat everyone genuinly. you
are most likely a loner, who doesn't like to
show their true feelings. move on from that bad
incident, and break away.


whats your inner beauty?
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You're from the 80's.


What decade are you from? (50's-80's)
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Teenage Riot! You're a bit shy in the beginning,
but a party animal, allthough you repeat
yourself alot. You're the coolest, and everyone
wants to be like you. No-one really know you
though.


Which Sonic Youth-song are you?
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Fight Club!


What movie Do you Belong in?(many different outcomes!)
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Congratulations! You're a Bunny Hug!!


What Drink Are You?
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Uh-oh - you are "Stop blowing holes in my
ship!" You're a little bit edgy,
honestly, and it's getting in the way of your
natural charm. We understand that life can be
hard, but take a deep breath and have a drink.
Relax.


Which one of Captain Jack Sparrow's bizarre sayings from Pirates of the Caribbean are you?
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Harvard
You're the best -- you know it, as does everyone
else (except for US News and World Report every
few years). You might not be hip, you might not
be pretty, but you're smart as a whip and you
never need to do another impressive thing in
your life.


Which Ivy League University is right for YOU?
brought to you by Quizilla


ok can't figure out anthing else to say or do. I miss u all...

Sunday Evening

Finally something different for once. We decidied to go to a soccer game. It was between Bahia and Fortaleza. Both team were not very good teams but it was entertaining anyways. Ther stadium look like a small roman colluseum. No seats like in USA, just cement teraces. The stadium was only about 1/4-1/3 full so that was nice. It only cost $5 each. It was enjoyable. After that we had dinner then went home.

Monday

Rain. Rain is nice becuase it keep things cool, and the clouds keep me from getting sunburned. yay. yay. yay. Now we are in this huge shopping mall. About as long as sunvalley but wided and three stories tall. Lots of stores and people. I generally don't like shopping. But since it is indoors and I am walking around with my dad it is ok. 'Doin't have to follo my sister and mom into all the clothing stores. So I am just posting from inside this huge mall. Ok. g2g. Not long till I am home. yay!!

Friday in Recife

Didn´t do much, we went into the main part of recife for a little while, but my mom didn´t like it very much so we left. Main just sat around and chilled the rest of the day. For dinner we had crepes. I had mine with ice cream, pinneapple, and cinnamon. It was really good. One this about resturants in brasil is taht service tends to be slow, becuase they bascially make everything fresh. Which on the other hand makes the food very good. Fresh is always better.

Saturday

Hung around in the morning, the took another one hour plane ride to Salvador. Salvador is a city of about 2.5 million, a little larger than fortaleza. The hotel we are staying in is basic, but has quite a few channels on the TV which is cool. In the evening we just went walking on along the road by the beach, looking for different place to eat. We ended up eatting in a italian pizza place. Good pizza. Pizza here is the thin crust kind, but still very good. After that went back to the hotel and watch a Whoopie Goldberg movie where she becomes the head coach of the New york Knicks. She is really good and funny. Sleep.

Sunday

Got up in the morning at ate the buffet breakfeat at the hotel. Good OJ :). Got a nice taxi driver to take us on a driving tour of parts of the city, for only about US$14. Better than walking definetly. He dropped us off somewhere, and have been walking around looking in shops and church. Now we foudn this internet cafe where I am now posting from. Salvador was the colonial capital of brasil. Also the main central for the slave trade here.l So there is a very large black population. A lot of the town in very poor. Also the city in very religious, since BR is the world largest catholic nation. There are over 350 church in the city. They say there is one for every day of the year. To me, that is over kill. But it is true, everywhere we walk tere are chruchs. Some only like a block or two away from eachother. Like Starbucks in Seattle. Anyways I guess I have to go now. Only about 11 says left. Bye Bye

hey everyone again. Lets see on wednesday, in the morning we went back to teh mercado central to buy some stuff, then sat around for a while in the hotel. In the early afternoon we took a 1 hour plane ride to Recife. The hotel we stayed in the that night was quite fancy. We are actually stay in a area/small town called olinda. It is really really old. so all the building are old. We walked around the town for a while (ugggggg). Looked in a 1500's church. The next morning we packed up becuase we had to changed hotels. So today we are staying in the posada. It is 300 years old, but stilll nice. We did more walking around (uggggg) and ate some more (good good). So now I am just write in my blog. So yeah. My mom says we are doing a little of everything. A little beach, and little walking, a little culture (e.g. church), a little traveling, and a little food. So that mean I am like only 20% happy here. At home there is food, friends, no walking everywhere (car), no culture/history lessons, and not much traveling. So really cant wait to get home. Still hot a humid wich sucks. never feel clean. *dreaming of home* bye bye

Monday 2:00pm

*grumble* Iam in such a bad mood right now. Just got off a 5 hours bug ride. Sick of cramped seats. Sick of the sun. Sick of the heat. Sick of bouncy bus rides. Sick of my mom. Sick of my sister. Sick of traveling. Sick of hotel rooms. Sick of planes rides. Sick of portuguees.Sick of not being consulated of our plans here. Sick of being with my family. Sick of not being able to be on my own, or with my friends.Sick of Brasil!! The only plane rides I will be able to stand now, are the one that get me home. I am ready to go insane. I am ready to blow my mind!! I need a hug...

Went out to dinner again that evening. Great food, but after finished eatting, had to sit there for over and hour while everyong else talked in portuguess about stuff, I dont know what. More just sitting... I am doing that a lot here and I don´t like it.

Tuesday

Fresh laundry is a plus today. just have to sit around this morning until my dad comes back from lunch. the only thing I do this morning is write this post. After my dad bets back going to the beach (bleh bleh bleh). The in the evening we are going to walk around, just walk and find some place to eat. (bleh bleh bleh). I don´t want to go. Tommorow we leave for the next stop on our visit. Recife. Going to spent I think 2 days there. I wanna go home... see my friends... still pissed off about not being able to see 3 of my best friends off the college.!@#$!@#$!@$!$!#. Oh well... two more weeks to go... bye bye

Hello, I am posting here form Jericucuara (i think thats how it is spelled). It is a world famous beach, supposed to be one of the 10 most beautiful beached in the world. Would be nice if it wasn´t for the heat. Anyways yesterday (Sat.) we just hung aroud the hotel for most the day. In the evening we took a 5 hour bus ride to a town near Jeri. Then we took a 4 whell drive bus accross there sand/dirt roads. The ride was a combination of the Baja 1000, Indian Jones ride, those ride where the seat moves around. The truck we were in make ``old smokey´´ look like a new mercedes benz. Was really really bad. It was definetely an adventure. Disney aught to make a ride of taht at disneyland. Anyways... today we just spent the day at the beach and climbing the sand dunes and relaxing in hamocks at the posada (hotel thingy). Lots of wind surfers out, but I prefer the sade so I don´t get skin cancer. We head back to Fortaleza tommorow. I hope u all are having lots of fun for me there. I wish they had AIM on these computers so I could talk to someone for a little while at least. Missing u all so much. Bye Bye.

Hey everyone from Brasil!! I guess I should tell you how its been so far. I have been keeping for a of journal, so when I finally get online now I don´t have to think about what to type much. I left my house 6:30am on Tueday. One of Sara´s friends drove us to BART. We took BART all the way to SFO. We had some spare time there do I wandered around and bought a Logic puzzle book to do on the plane rides. It was a 3hr flight to Dallas, but had to wait and extra hour on the ground becuase some other plane stole our gate. Our flight out to Dallas to Sao Paulo, was delayed leave becuase of some military plane. Dand Bush sending our troop around delays our plane *grrr*. We finally boared the flight and left Dallas at 8:15pm their time. That flight was 10 horus long. I only got about 30 min of sleep. The food (dinner and breakfeast) wasn´t very great. The seat were cramped and the cabin cold. So baically I pass the time doing ym puzzle book and stare at the seat back in front of me. I had to sit next to my mom which was also annoying. So I finally arived in Sao Paulo at 8:00am their time (4 hours ahead of ours). Went though customs and all to make sure me weren´t terrorists. We took a thrid plane ride to Fortaleza, 3 hours long, where some BR friends of our live. They drove us to the hotel they own and took a nice rest time there. It is basically a block form the beach. They live in an really fancy apptment, that takes up the whole 23rd floor of and building right on the beach front. It is really amazzing. Beach->Road->Appt. Wow. So ome other stuff... My mom likes to think she know all this stuff about BR, even though she hasn´t been there in over 18 years. So she keeps reminding me of stuff, it get really annoying. Drivers here in BR put California drivers to SHAME on the crazyness meter. They speed, and lanes? What Lanes? Really have to watch out for u will die. They don´t stop for anything. Death trap. They drive really small car similar to teh old VW bugs. Many model that u can´t get in USA. That part is cool. The city is gorgeous and huge. Like 2 million people. From the air all the houses ahve red tile roofs. By the ocean lots of 24 story (thats the maz) buidlings. More tall building than SF. The ocean is warm and beautiful. That evening on the day we arrived, we walked along to beach to our BR friends appt. for dinner. Family walked slow to enjoy the senery. I hate Walking slow like that!! Tall building on my right, beach on my left. It is something u don´t see in America. We finally got there and spent the next few hours sitting on their balcony talking. Well they talking in Portuguess, and me just sitting and stareing again. Its royaly sucks not speaking Portugess. Just have to keep smileing and noding went people talk to u and hope parent translate for me. The food here is great. They can cook!! Guarana and pugging!! *Floats in air* Guarana is the only drink the equals orange jucie my my world, and if u know me, that mean a lot. Andre know the joys of it. *grin* have to find some in California, and let people taste it. The next day Thursday was a little better. I was well rested and had a big breakfeastin the hotel. We went to a large 5 story markey with lots of little stall where u can buy free stuff. That was fairly fun, because it was indoors, so not too hot. Lots of great colors, red, oragnes, green, and yellow. Really cool. We had lunch there. drank fresh squizzed pinneapple juice. Nothing like what we have here in America. In the evening we tooka boat tour of the bay. Got to drive off the boat and go swimming in the ocean. The water is warm and salty. The boat ride was peaceful. Then we went back to our friends appt. and took showers. and sat and *talked*. I got sat there again. We went out to dinner in teh rain forest cafe type place. Great food again!!! We went back to the hotel for the night. This morning we went to another area with lots of shops. That sucked becuase it was hot and very crowed. Parent also thought it would be fun to do some cultural stuff, like visit and 1910 teater. I hate that kind of stuff. Ok stuff random stuff... Its is way to hot and humid here. I hate to heat. I couldn´t live here. I really wish I was at home most of the time. I miss my dogs sooo much. I miss all my friends (both types) soo much too. I have to get off now. ]
Thinking of u all,
James