A while back I described the plight of our local taxi drivers. A quick recap: there´s a government crackdown to stop their underground business, initiated by the neighboring city´s mayor and enforced by the police. It hasn´t really stopped the taxi drivers in any way, and the taxi runs continue. Last week we were on …
Repost: Traffic Signs
Another re-run of an older post while I’m away studying in Belo Horizonte. The true irony to this post is that after writing this and then surviving a year of driving in Brazil I returned to the United States and got into my first fender-bender in over a decade. Sigh. Should I take it as an …
Fotocrônica: Off a Truck
There is nothing in this world like fresh, ripe pineapple. Sweet, juicy, sunshine. Today’s deal was five pineapples for R$5.00 (less than USD$2.50). How did we get such an amazing price? They were sold to us off a truck traveling through town. In Brazil you often get deals like this. A trucks flips over, cargo …
Road to the First World
Driving spring rains washed out a bridge this week. We drove this route just a few weeks ago on the way back from the airport. Mind you, this was the good road to take during the rainy season. The bridge is closed to all traffic, even foot traffic. It will be closed for a while …
Speedy
They call him “Speedy.” It fits–fast talker, faster driver. He met us in one of the parks and quietly herded us and another five or six passengers with all their shopping bags to his van. It was clear that he had a silly sense of humor that laughed at everything and no one, and he …
Traffic Signs
The road signs are like driving with your father. “Use luz baixa quando cruza os vehiculos.” (Use your low beams with oncoming traffic) “Evite accidentes. Respite a sinalização.” (Avoid accidents. Respect the traffic signs.) “Em chuva não ultrapasse.” (Don’t pass when it’s rainy) “Só ultrapasse com segurança.” (Only pass when it’s safe) “Use luz baixa …
