Guatemala

Miami Vice

My Vice with Miami !!!

For all our 8 months of travelling South America we half expected that the biggest culture shock would be landing in the loud land of the United States in the sunny resort city of Miami.

Even though it`s a country we are all too familiar with due to media and globalisation it is still surprising to actually experience it.
Though for us, the experience was short.

The sun wasn`t shining as a cyclone had just swept through the state leaving clouds and rain behind. Still, I was excited to be entering an English speaking again, while Joel was beaming at the thought of meeting his idol, Mickey Mouse at Disney world. Both these notions were fast crushed on arrival as we learnt that Disney world was in Orlando (a land far, far away) and everybody in Miami is a Latin American immigrant, so everyone in Miami speaks Spanish.

While still in the airport sipping our Starbucks we next learnt that we had arrived in Miami on Superbowl weekend- which happened to be held in Miami. We were excited because Superbowl in the U.S`s biggest sporting event and the city was buzzing with celebrities, athletes and activities. It soon dawned on us however, that we were without accommodation in a city full of sports fans from around the country. It was no easy task to find ourselves a bed as everything was either booked out or the prices had doubled. We ended up settling for a room that cost the same as about 8 nights accommodation in Ecuador as that was the cheapest we could find.

Once settled into our hotel we made our way out for South Beach where the pre-game action was. We were so accustomed to the buses of South America- whereby you can go anywhere at anytime- and thought a heavily populated city of the U.S would be the same. But this country runs on oil and everyone loves their cars. All the `vehicles´ are hotted up with mag wheels, tinted windows, glitzy paint job and are the size of a small apartment. Especially all the stretched ones. Stretched limo`s, stretched 4X4`s, even stretched hummers. Buses appeared to be highly unfashionable. After much waiting around and changing buses we made it South Beach to be met by a people parade.

Ocean drive had been closed to traffic and the place was packed with people. It was like being in a P Diddy film clip (who was also in town) with all the homeboys with their over sized clothing and bling-bling, and the booty girls with under sized clothes and over sized sunglasses. Plus all skaters on their boards and blades, the beach babes, the party revellers all glammed up for the big night ahead and the sports fans shouting `Go Bears` or `Go Colts`.

While it was tempting to stay and party with JLo, Fergie, Hulk Hogan, the `tweedle dee` and `tweedle dumb` Hilton sisters, Magic Johnson and the numerous other celeb`s in town (apparently over 1000 private jets were flying in- no wonder the U.S is slow to admit there is a global warming problem), we had to get back to the bus stop for the last bus at 8pm, and opted for a night in our hotel with cable TV.

We awoke on Superbowl Sunday to dismal weather and decided we`d tasted enough of Miami and raced to the airport to make the next flight to Guatemala. While we made it in time to make the flight the staff at American Airlines stuffed us around for an hour so that by the time we were issued a boarding pass the flight was `closed`. We missed it by 3 minutes.

As I write this we are sitting on a plane waiting to take off to Guatemala 7 hours later. We spent a lovely day in the Miami airport cruising from Starbucks to Starbucks (I counted 6). It`s raining outside and the Superbowl kicked off 10 minutes ago and I couldn`t care less.

So if you`re heading to Miami make sure you check the weather first and find out if there are any grand events. I can`t tell you much about the city itself but if you want to know where to get a coffee at the airport- hit me up.

Brazil

The land of the thong - Havaianas and G-bangers are everywhere in this great land!

Entering Rio de Janeiro is was very exotic experience for us after being the cold Andes for such a long period. For one the city is one of the most beautiful in the world. Surrounded by lush tropical rainforest covered mountains that meet the Atlantic´s white sandy beaches. Fresh fruits of mango, melons and bananas are sold cheaply everywhere.

Then there is the people. The women of all shapes and sizes lining the beach of Copacabana and Impanema with their G-strings. They are sexy and know how to dance, everyone has got rhythm and the music - oh. We went out to the nightclub district of Lapa and I have never seen anything like it. The streets are full of people, selling drinks, jewellery, whistles! The typical Brazilian drum bands are playing outside and the neighbourhood is just wall to wall clubs. All different types of music, so you just pick the type you like. We went to a samba club. I have never seen people dance like that before. The amount of shakes per second some of the woman can do with their arse is incredible. And move over Kaluha man - these black sweaty, topless men know how to groove (Katie wanted me to include this sentence if anyone is wondering). It was such a great thing to watch and a little embarrassing to try and dance.

However, this exotic city also has a very dark side. Only weeks before we arrived the main drug lords whom are in jail (which they basically control) had organised their gangs to torch public buses, killing many innocent people and even blocking roads so that emergency vehicles were unable to help. This was all in the name of better living conditions inside the jail. Then 180 corrupt cops were arrested. One couldn´t be blamed feeling a little intimidated in certain areas of Rio, especially at night and/or near the Favelas.

On the other hand Rio seemed to be a lot safer than Sao Paulo where over 700 murders occur each month some 400 more than in Rio. Bring on Ilha Grande.

We spent a week camping on Ilha Grande a tropical island haven south of Rio. Its beaches were stunning to say the least. We snorkeled, swam and body surfed in the clear waters. The vegetation was equally as impressive and the most dense I have ever seen. The orchestra of cicadas filled the jungle with noise occasionally being disturbed by the monkeys in the distance.

Next we headed north to Itacare, a tropical tourist town with massive surf culture. Camping in the town centre gave us access by trekking through rainforest to several different surf beaches where we spent the next three days riding the modest waves.

Sitting on the boards waiting for the next set to roll in and looking back on shore gave us the realisation we were in a truly exotic tropical paradise. White sand surrounded by coconut palms and different species of lush plants some boasting red or purple flowers. Afro-Brazilians, with their ripped bodies and dreadlocks flipping themselves into all sorts of impossible positions practising Capoeira. Then there was the vendors selling coconut water, watermelon and cold beers to the G-string bearing girls baking in the sun. Not to be left out were the soccer lads, playing volleyball without their hands.

Although touristic, with many people trying to sell us Gringos necklaces, bracelets or a joint, we did enjoy our time here. It was also the place that we stumbled across our first Capoeira performance and I´m still in ore at what I saw.

Capoeira is a martial art developed by the African slaves to fight their oppressors. It was practised in sin with the aid of music and in the form of dance to hide the true training of this fighting style. These men and women can back flip, hand stand, fly kick, somersault in mid air all while dodging their opponents kicks. They are the most flexible people I have ever seen. This martial art is an amazing spectacle and the people practising it would not want to be messed with.

SALVADOR

Salvador in the Northeast of Brazil was our next destination and had the greatest influence of Afro-Brazilian people that we have experienced. The streets were filled with constant drumming and dancing. The big mamas (huge black women) sat on the street corners selling traditional foods and the town was continuously in fiesta mode- party, party party! Although currently a colourful and beautiful part of Brazilian culture its history is very cruel.

The area of the Northwest namely Salvador is where the Portuguese first set foot into Brazil. During their rein they brought over 4.5 million (this is no typing error) 4.5 MILLION slaves to the region. More slaves than anywhere else in the world. In fact the suburb called Pelourinho, were we stayed, is the place were slaves were publicly beaten, killed and sold off. Some men had the job of looking after groups of women basically to keep them orderly. Sounds like a better job than working in the coffee or tobacco fields until you find out they were castrated so that they were not tempted into sexual exchange.

One of the interesting things to come out of this history is the religion of Candomble. Candomble is a conglomerate of African religions from Congos, Angolous, Cabindas, Benguelas, Zaire, etc. All the areas the slaves were originally from. Learning about Candomble was of particular interest to myself as the similarities in beliefs to the Indigenous Australians that I work with in Arnhemland and the Kimberley are many.

Here are a few Orixa (Gods) in the Candomble religion that I found to be similar.

OXUMARE or The Rainbow Serpent
This god is related with fertility and abundance. Oxumare duties include directing the forces that produce the movement and dynamics of human existences.

XANGO the Thunder and Lightening Orixa
If disrespected will provoke death and destruction with lightening bolts punishing evil doers. This is similar to the thunder and lightening spirit Namarragon in Arnhemland or Wandjina in the Kimberley.

IEMANJA the Mermaid or Yuk Yuk in Kunwingu (Arnhemland)
She lives in the depths of different rivers. Mermaids are represented in so many different cultures thoughout the world but that's another blog!

Even with the disturbing past I found the people to be relishing in the present enjoying their roots and embracing their new culture through song and dance. There was no sign of resentment to the Europeans, no ´poor bugga me´.

Our fitting ending to Brazil was to visit the looming statue of Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer). The 60 metre statue is situated on the mountains overlooking Rio. Normally a panoramic view but for us was covered in cloud. The cloud was so thick that we could´t even see Christ properly standing directly below the huge monument. Instead we were left with a silhouette of the imposing figure. A lasting impression.

¨Obrigado Brasil, Ate mais tarde¨

Chau