Brasil I

Couple of days in Brazil and the world looks different already. Although the Brazilian passengers on the TAM flight from Paris to Guarulhos seemed to be Europeanised to a worrying level, the arrival was the better. After much complaining because we also had a kid on the plane, the welcome in Sao Paulo was as ever. People smiling at you, enjoying when your kid is trawling along on a suitcase cow. And the fact that they have a restaurant called estação Eisenbahn is just great.

Airport staff are also efficient to a certain extent. They do phone round and try to get everything right, unlike their lazy counterparts in most of Europe. When we arrived in BH, we were 2 suitcases short due to a cockup by TAM, but again, the staff were great and very helpful. Immigration was not as much of a pain as it used to be. But it maybe down to a more relaxed atmosphere at Confins. And the fact that it was Xmas day.

The weather was very Scottish. Rainy, low clouds and some fog. But just a couple of degrees warmer. It was not too hot, so no shock in store. And off to the Hotel we went. Taxi driver as chatty as ever, crashed on the roads did not decrease from last time, kids running across dual carriageways in huge numbers still the norm, the holes in the roads have not diminished and the normal liquid hickups of our wonderful boy did not disappear, it just gurgled the other way on the other side of the equator.

We arrived, the family well and numerous as ever, was great to see them all. The beer started flowing pretty soon. And the facilities of the Hotel had to be explored. A swimming pool where cameras were the norm, playgrounds without all the HSE crap, kids jumping into the pools from all sides without some scared shits member of staff whistling hysterically like in Waterworld Leith. No matter how old the kid, they had access to all parts of the pools. In the UK half the visitors of the pool would be in jail by now for breaking numerous ridiculous laws. It was really good to see that people can actually be a bit more relaxed. I even don't get arrested here by talking other kids.

Also loads of animals to play with. Not much of a supervision except for the parents. Again no HSE staff hiding behind the trees or filming from all sides (I wonder how many of those CCTV films end up on dubious networks by those nice coppers who are supposed to protect you).

Sometimes I really wonder why the hell I spend much more time in Scotland. Where I work my arse off without getting anywhere. Where the weather is normally shite and the people have been made total neurotics by the state and the media who constantly tell them how bad everyone is. Off to the fridge to get the next can of beer. Sharif don't like it... Career opportunites, straight to hell.

Goes down well. Even found time to go to the gym and have a long swim. And I love the buffet. Can't get enough of the couve and meat. And the fact that Daniel is not shy to drink vast amounts of beer is very welcome. It is a good life after all. The graft drifts us apart, the grub and the relaxation does the opposite. Where do we find the best balance?

I love the view from the hotel. The views. Hills whereever we see. Some round, some triangular, all with a fair amount of forest. And flooded in rain every now and then. Rain that comes down from the sky. It really chucks it down. And it is still warm. It is like looking at these old perspectives where cut out mountains were stacked on top of each other to create a 3D view.

Good. let's see what happens next. Guess attacking the cachaça I got from Daniel. Maybe build a little submarine. They built one with Russian bubble technology now that does some 180km/h under water. Maybe I find an equivalent in the glass.