The Adventures of Alan (aka The Hole) in the New World. Beginning in San Francisco, taking in a good chunk of North America before landing in Brasil. This blog charts the musings of a man on a mission to save the world and find himself.
posted by Alan @ 10:23 AM
1 comments
Here's my guide to essential Carioca Portuguese - its not gramatically correct and some of it doesn't even appear in the Lonely Planet phrasebook, but it'll help you blend in for sure.
o buraco - the hole
uma cerveja faz favor - a beer please
béleza / valeo - local term that's interchangeable for hello, goodbye, thankyou and probably more. very useful and makes you sound more like a local!
tudo bem - how are you / I'm fine / its all good. If you only learn one phrase, let it be this one
mais quente! - its damn hot (should be accompanied with gestures indicating flabbergastment)
more to come...
If you're wondering about the name of my blog, 'The Hole' has become my pseudonym owing to persistent usage by a certain few forcing it to stick. The name arose in 2000 due to an unfortunate typing error in a York newspaper, when the hapless reporter recorded the basketball team's most improved player to be a certain 'Alan Hole'. Not good.
"A friend is one before whom I may think aloud." Ralph Waldo Emerson
"If the scissors are not used daily on the beard, it will not be long before the beard is, by its luxuriant growth, pretending to be the head." Hakim Jami - notorious 15th centrury genius and bighead from Afghanistan
"Seven days without laughter makes one weak." Mort Walker - American comic book artist
What's on my MP3 player (in case you think I have taste)
Jurrasic 5 'Power in Numbers' - very nice harmonious hip hop, lots of variety
DJ Vadim 'USSR Reconstruction' - spooky eastern bloc ninja beats, a few weirdo tracks but overall worth a listen
Best of Toots & the Maytails - Monkey Man! saynomore
You know you should read more books. Try these
Currently reading...
'Tyrant' by Valerio Massimo Manfredi. Epic tale of war, love and revenge, loosely based around the real life of Dionysius of Syracuse. I have to admit to being gripped by this!
Recently finished...
'Rio de Janeiro: Carnival Under Fire' by Ruy Castro. Enjoyable biography of this fine city (if a little biased against other cities, ie London).
'Tuesdays with Morrie' by Mitch Albom. Every should read this book. Very powerful.
'A Death in Brazil' by Peter Robb. Slow burner that turned into an excellently written book about this country. Anyone with an interest should defintely read this.
'The Old Patagonian Express' by Paul Theroux. Father of Louie shows where son inherited the genius with simply the best travel book I've ever read.
'The Game' by Neil Strauss. Infamous guide to the secret world of the undercover Pick Up Artist. If, like me, you're hopeless with women, then worth a read, but retain a healthy cycnism or else!
'The Final Season' by Phil Jackson. Decent enough exposé into the crazy world of the LA Lakers. Only if you like basketball mind.
'Wrong Way Home' by Peter Moore. Very funny travel book, might even make you like Australians.
1 Comments:
Very good photos as usual Monsieur, disappointed to note that the flip flops published are not the ones I bought you for Christmas - shame on you! Also I think I speak on behalf of the rest of the family in thanking you for the shocking photos of us you have displayed for the world to see, I am sure there must have been more attractive ones of us?Although I'm pleased that the last one is one I took - so you see I can carry it off even though I'm just a dabbler.
Missing you tons xxx
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