This is my third time in Rio de Janeiro, and I am so happy to be back in South America. I asked my Brazilian husband, Carlos, if he was experiencing any kind of culture shock having been in the states for three years now. He says no, that it’s all so familiar, but there are many things that stand out to me.
We went to an outdoor market today and picked up a pack of cashews (caju) on our way out. In the pack are 4 small pieces of fruit, each with a cashew nut on top. Because….did you know there’s a fruit that grows under the nut?? When I first learned of this 3 years ago, my mind was blown. Any other person I talk to from the states also has no idea this exists. The fruit is too delicate to export, but they have it here in candy, in a delicious juice, and wow, the sweet smell from the fruit is potent! They kind of look like tiny, skinny reddish pumpkins. His mom picked up the pack of caju and asked me if I was familiar with either the red or the yellow version of the fruit. We then laughed as she remembered – neither! We don’t have this! I’m very excited to try it.
Another mind blowing thing I learned from going to the market:
We took a car and fought a lot of traffic moving into the parking lot.
Side note: Carlos describes driving here like everyone is playing a race car video game, and I think that’s quite accurate. Lanes are almost meaningless in several places, and coming into the city yesterday on the highway was just terrifying.
When we parked, we were asked to move to an inside row of cars that was parked behind other parking spaces, essentially blocking several vehicles from exiting. I had to ask as we left how we wouldn’t be blocked in as well. All it would take was one car to park right behind us to box us in.
That’s when I learned that drivers leave their cars in neutral instead of park, and the parking attendants push the cars around as needed to let people in and out.
What?!??
I’ve never heard of this. Sure enough, we left the market and I watched the guy in his yellow vest push back a vehicle like it was nothing.
Incrível.
Tchau do Brasil!
Hugs from Heidi 