The Amazing Race

My iPhone glared a large white "9:00 Wednesday, May 3" when I opened my eyes and pressed that squishy button at the bottom.  Time to start a new day--the Gringa's last in Brasil.  At least for this trip.  In grandmotherly grey t-knit nightgown/robe, I found sleepy Cecilia with Daniel.  The hand-off happened so seamlessly after many weeks of practice!  Daniel and GiGi went to the rede while Mommy tried to eat some breakfast and Dad tried to catch just a few hours of uninterrupted sleep.  My plan-for-the-day (ha!) was to launder my sheets and remake my bed before leaving.  Simple is not always possible.

C ran downstairs to the market for a few things while Little Man and I had our last quiet date.  Daniel slept the way he preferred--sitting in my lap, facing the same way I did; so I studied his beautiful fuzzy head and listened to the sweet steady purr of his breathing.  I reminded him once more that Jesus loved him even more than GiGi did.  Which is a lot.  God needed to remind me of that fact; soon we would be over 5,000 miles apart, but the Lord would keep us close to Him!

In the same way that a toy car moves down the 8-foot metal slide at the playground, our day began to pick up speed quickly.  The apartment filled.  Cecilia returned with Helio and groceries.  Just awake, Will croaked an offer of coffee to Iris and Doug while they parked their luggage along the dining room wall.  Their flight back to Texas would leave later in the evening, as would mine.  Our plan was to share a taxi and leave the apartment at 5 PM for GIG.  Anna and Troy were there to send us off; and Cousin Elisa arrived with her son Rafael to say good-bye.  Elisa had brought me a necklace with a tiny replica of Christ the Redeemer, the statue that I'd seen from the apartment window every day for the past 3 1/2 months.  Warm lingering hugs.  Sparkly eyes.

I was "the lady who spoke English" to Rafael,
and we practiced his English a lot.  This time
I gave Rafael a big hug and thanked him for my necklace.

Next, Will rounded the corner and handed me a bundle--a gift to me from Daniel and his parents.  It was packed in a cloth zippered bag printed with the wavy black and white pattern of the sidewalks that had fascinated me since January!

The rede was the first of many surprizes
in my black and white patterned bag.

In this cotton bag was a small rede in a soft slate blue with purple stripes.  Under the woven hammock was an assortment of items that Cecilia and Will had picked to remind me of my stay:  C's favorite crackers that had sustained her during long new-baby nights; batata palha--the shoestring potatoes that we had eaten at practically every meal; pleasant-smelling Ruth Coco Soap  (both liquid and bars) used to wash Daniel's clothes; big bars of chocolate like the ones we three 'little mice' (ratinhos) had nibbled from foil wrappers in that special spot on a kitchen counter.

I remembered the days and times that each item represented, and tried to keep 'the ugly cry' from overtaking my face.  But that would be an exercise in futility as I continued to uncover more treasures in my going-away bag.  Tucked in a bottom corner of the bag was the brown Pyrex coffee mug that I had adopted for my drinking cup throughout my stay.  It was tied with a bright green ribbon on its handle.  (The Gringa had gained the reputation of tying ribbons on everything, according to Flora.)

As I lifted the mug from the bottom of the bag, I realized that it held one more precious gift:
Daniel's first pair of magic socks.

The brown mug that I drank from every day was tied with a green ribbon,
and held Daniel's first pair of magic socks.

My breath caught in my throat.  All the memories of all the days at Praia de Icarai 291, Apartamento 1102, Icarai, Niteroi, RJ Brasil flooded over me like tropical rain.  Big, salty, warm tears welled up and fell.  How could God be so good to me?  New friends, new family, new daughter, new grandson, newly-weds, new levels of love and understanding.  God was doing a new thing.  I recognized His hand in every remembrance.

Before the gifting had begun, everyone had agreed that we needed one last trip to Mega Mate for Acai and salgados.  Now was a good time.  I went to my room to change from nightgown into travel clothes. When the Gringa returned to the living room, we all had regained composure--well, at least our cheeks were dry when out the door we all paraded.  Both the regular and service elevators transported the dwindling Gringo Delegation 11 floors down to the lobby.  Chattering, we poured out onto the black and white patterned sidewalk once more, and bunched in two's or three's for the pilgrimage to Mega Mate.

Helio and Iris visited with the Gringa
while we waited outside Mega Mate for our acai.

Sometimes Daniel liked to lay down
and stretch his growing little self.
A newly tiled bench worked well.

After finshing our sweet juices and savory treats, we were on a mission to go to Centro for some redes to take back to the States for Luey, Jo and John, and the Gringa.  I had promised Daniel that I would have a rede at GiGi's house in Texas, and when he came to visit, we would rock and swing all he wanted to.  And I hope to keep that promise to my sweet boy.  But I digress.

A group trip to Centro . . . round trip on a bus . . . 4 hours before our taxi was scheduled to depart for the airport . . . and lunch at Mario's in Centro 'one more time' . . . with some re-packing to do in order to carry home gifts and hammocks.  Logistics were swimming around in my brain.  Post-It notes were still not available, but I could feel that little toy car sliding faster down its shiny ramp.  No, actually I felt like a contestant in that reality travel show The Amazing Race.

The Delegation stopped back by the apartment for some necessary uh, grooming.  Then we took both elevators again, down 11 stories to the street and bus stop.  Our ride arrived quickly; and when we boarded, I managed to sit across the aisle from Cecilia and Will with Daniel for his first bus ride this side of the womb.

Daniel was not thrilled with his first bus ride.

But Dad shielded the sun while Mommy pacified Little Man.

I was feeling much better that day,
but I still kept my diaper-turned-hankie handy
along with my Hall's Extra Strong Black Label cough drops.
Quite the fashion statement, huh?!

In true Amazing Race fashion, after we arrived at the bus terminal in Centro, Iris and I, along with a small group of foragers, went straightway to the shop for our redes.  The non-shopping part of the group went to get a table for the Delegation at Mario's.  While Will ordered Mario's wonderful Bacalhao, we hunters and gatherers scored our colorful woven hammocks and Troy led us on a brisk walk to the restaurant.  Helio insisted that he carry my three purchases, which I was eying to see what size suitcase I would need to un-nest and repack when we got back to the apartment.

Will gets busy saucing up a fresh, hot, fried cod fritter
on the patio at Mario's.

Cecilia and I, the Dynamic Diapering Duo,
work on any flat surface!

I tried to enjoy this last meal at Mario's.  Well, it was more of a drink and appetizer kind of deal, and it was really good.  It's just that Iris, Doug, and I were understandably anxious to get back on the bus to Icarai with enough time to pack our new finds, call and load our Rio taxi, and leave by 5 PM for GIG.  Yes, rush hour in Rio is the same time as rush hour in the US.  I think I may have broken up the party a little earlier than they wanted, but we all made our way on foot back to the bus terminal.  (Sounds a little like that Aussie guy on The Amazing Race, right?  "Make your way on foot to the bus terminal in Niteroi, where you will catch a bus for Praia de Icarai.  There you will find a phone number for your taxi to GIG.")

Well, we made it.  Iris had helped me stuff all three redes in my rolling carry-on, which I had stowed away the night before.  It would still be manageable for the Gringa traveling solo.  Iris, Doug, and I sat quietly in the bright yellow taxi, looking back as it pulled away from the loved ones who waved and blew enough kisses to keep us in flight all the way home.

Afternoon sun was setting over the bridge,
as our taxi pressed through rush hour traffic
to GIG.