Part Two

Carnaval in Cabo Frio gave me: a sunburn, a cold, and one perfect moment.

I went with Junior and his family. We stayed at his aunt's home, six adults and one child in a tiny room with too few beds and only one overhead fan. They're rich, these relatives, and Junior's family isn't. The contrast was harsh. I infinitely preferred the companionship of the poorer folk. I don't know what it is about money, but it really does a number on people...anyhow, here's the rundown:

Day one: Spent the whole day at the country club, hanging out in the pool, eating fried shrimp pastels, going to the sauna, playing cards. Spent the evening at the country club, where Junior taught me some self-defense and karate-type moves in the water while the more staid members of the club looked on trying to figure out if he was trying to drown me or what. Humorous.

Day two: Spent the morning at a beautiful beach with clear water and soft sand and great waves. I practiced my bodysurfing and caught two waves. The first was the best and resides as the "perfect moment" of my Cabo Frio trip: balanced on the wave, my head up, the foam spinning around my head and the roar of the water in my ears, I flew. And it was like I was a little child and God was swinging me around in circles...and time just stopped. In spite of mounds of sunblock, I fried myself, and someone stole my cheap sandals. Grr. Then it rained after we got home and Junior got sick and I picked up a cold too, so we hung around the house and read books and snacked and told stories. I have now read "The Blue Sword" so many times (upwards of 15) that I have whole passages stored in memory but only this week discovered a spelling/grammar mistake!

Day three: Spent the morning at a white sand beach with nasty water full of reddish-brown seaweed floaties that snagged in your hair and threatened to sweep down your throat with an ill-timed gulp of air...but made gorgeous patterns in the surging waves. I burnt myself again. I decided, decisively, to break up with my boyfriend. We left for Rio...and the whole three-hour trip home I was wooed by Matheus, Junior's three-year old nephew, who likes to stroke my cheek and make faces at me and wink and hold my hand when I cry...

Day four: Made an airport run to get Rebecca's mom who is a proud new grandmother. Came home and talked to Junior, cried until I was better, spent the afternoon and evening with girlfriends, being silly and serious and not having to wash dishes or make dinner. Bonus!

And that has been my Carnaval. So far...because there's still one more day left...