Back Rio one more time

Camillo’s grandson Alex and Marissa at the Sunday brunch, merging our two families for a short time.   Alex plays basketball and Marissa Volleyball, and they both are competitive and play with the heart.

Our ten days in Houston were fast and furious.  I saw Patty and Marissa only 4 times and I am sorry about that.  It just isn’t the same to go and stay in a hotel, not in Patty’s home.  When in her home, the contact is daily, I quickly become part of the household, and by the end of the month or so I stay there, we are all glad to see me go home.  This time there was some..... sadness at my leaving.   I don’t know if sadness is the right word.  Here in Brasil they use SAUDADE.  This doesn’t really translate to one word in English – it means missing you, sadness, homesickness all rolled into one word – a word with great meaning.

While in Houston I planned on walking each day while Camillo was in his meetings.  I ended up not walking at all.  Between rain when I had time, and a long list of extras to do I didn’t make it to the parks for exercise and photos.  I did find a new point and shoot and took some photos to try it our, and got the Samsung I bought at the end of last April, sent off to see if the one year warrantee will get it fixed.  If they fix it, I will keep for a backup camera..... More about that need later. 

This visit we were up in the I-10 and Hwy 6 area.  This is our old stomping ground, and even though I have been through it in recent years, I’ve not been around and around like this visit.  The improved Katy Freeway (local name for I-10)  it is now 16 or 18 lanes across, with a toll road in the center, and/or a HOV lane.  No mass transit  like a train or tram with it though..... so in 10 years it will be once again obsolete.  I have to admire though the overpasses and the effort to beautify the monstrosity.   The pilasters under the overpasses are arched and at the interchange between I-10 / The beltway 8 is a marvel. Camillo said, ‘it is beautiful, but where is the graffiti?  Americans have no sense of ART.”   Of course, he was referring to the graffiti in Brasil, on every wall, overpass, and high ledge.  In contrast Houston looks almost too sterile in its cleanliness.   Just went through my photos..... no pictures of the beltway overpass ($*%*&)(),  the one below was taken at Hwy6, from the car window, on a cloudy day, no color, but along the access road in each area of town, there are different colors and emblems.  the 3rd photo was taken in Rio, below a major highway.  (**Brasil doesn’t have beautiful highways nor high budget deficits**)

  

We managed to see on basketball game and one volleyball game, eat in a lot of restaurants most of them good, if not great – how tight my pants are tells me I managed to eat plenty if if not really good.  I ate at ‘sweet tomatoes’ twice – a wonderful soup and salad bar, had two hamburgers, and one hotdog.  for now I am happy.  More later.