Election day

Today is elections. And the world has come to a screeching halt in the city. Since voting is obligatory, the streets were packed with people all day. All the candidates were making a last ditch effort to attract voters. (AKA handing out enough little squares of paper with candidate numbers and pictures on them to everyone who walks by. I collected enough pictures in a half mile walk to wallpaper my mae's apartment.) The voting post near my house is the high school so there was a constant stream of people in and out all day. And a couple carloads of military police in case anyone got rowdy. Also, because of the voting alcohol sales were prohibited after yesterday afternoon. But for some reason that didn't apply to bars. So everyone was either voting, at the beach, or hanging out in bars all day. Almost every store was closed so people were out and about. It was almost like a holiday.

And apparently this whole business won't really be over after today either because elections are run on a 50+1 system. So to win candidates have to get over 50% of the vote (a bit of a challenge in a very divided field of over ten candidates.) Top two have a runoff in November. Good thing because I have gotten so used to the political cars and slogans I might feel a little lost without them.

I spent this Saturday at a beach house north of Salvador. It was quite a contrast from last weekend's MST excursion. It was the family house of a friend of a friend and was far enough out of the city that the beach was nearly deserted. (I mean Oregon-in-winter style only about fifty degrees warmer, with sun and coconut trees instead of clouds and pines.) Quite a relaxing change from having to be on guard against vendors and potential robbers on the city beaches. I hung out there most of the day and then...went KARAOKE-ING at night! Yes, I know a little bit ridiculous but very fun. I went with a couple friends and the host family of my friend Alison. Her mae is a big karaoke fan (though I don't think she really likes the singing aspect, more the looking at how ridiculous everyone else looks part of it.) Anyway the music was really fun to listen and dance to because everyone picks their favorite songs to sing so everyone knows them. And in between karaoke singers they would play a (very) random assortment of songs. Carnaval music to American pop/hiphop. So we got to show some people a little gringa style dancing. Not to mention that they really enjoyed watching us make fools out of ourselves singing "Dancing Queen." It was hilarious, I am sure. Three American girls in cowboy hats dancing and singing onstage. We got some decent applause - hopefully not out of pity.

Oh and apparently three sunscreen applications don't cut it on some days in this here tropical country. I seriously was more thorough than I have ever been on the sunscreen front yesterday...and the Brazilian sun sucked it right out of my skin and burned me anyway. I only look like a lobster in a couple spots but it does make sitting a bit painful. Perfect for class. I guess it was bound to happen at some point. Now I know the wily ways of the sun and won't let it bite me again.

Oh and I am glad I took full advantage of the amazing exchange rate while it lasted...goodbye dollar once again. Although it makes it hard not to spend the money I exchanged. I walk around and everything seems so cheap because I get to halve the price in reals to get the price in dollars. I am trying to remind myself that overweight bags are NOT cheap on the return leg of the trip but that is so far away and things are cheap now. Instant gratification is hard to deny.

Oh and for any guys that are out there...here is the best way NOT to pick up any girls. I was at the beach for a bit today, reading and sitting on a towel with some friends. This surfer came over and sat next to me and started talking, telling me about himself and basically how awesome he is. He let me know he wanted to take a walk down the beach with me. I declined and he said I should probably wash myself in the ocean cause I looked a little sandy, and that he would come with me. I declined, telling him I wasn't sandy, I was fine and he proceeded to pick up some sand and put it on me. Then he told me I looked like I needed to wash the sand off. I told him I was fine and that I really wasn't interested, especially in someone who would do that. Needless to say it didn't work out the way he would have liked. Instead I got some acai berry sorbet/yogurty stuff with bananas and granola. Much more exciting.