More Thanks and Parting Thoughts on Brazil

• More thanks to my Quilombo (medical boat team) family for guiding me to not be a casualty but even a help to them, all the taxi drivers and tour guides I came across with their interesting views of what it means to be a Brazilian, especially Darlan –of Sao Luiz,; and last but the most important thanks to Ana, the maid at the Fundacao Esperanca where I was housed, who cooked and cleaned for me all the time. What will I ever do when I get back to the States without a maid???
  
  Things I understand now
  -why women wear platform shoes - to stay above the mud and dirt
  -why women never put purses on ground - because of bugs
  
  
  Best scenic destination, little known -Lencois in Maranhao (hundreds of clear blue mineral lakes in pristine white dunes on beaches - spectacular!)
  
  Things I will miss - hugs and kisses, gentileza - gente boa - such good people!, spirit of handling terrible things in life. I will miss all kinds of Amazon fruit we so not have in the US - graviola, cupuracu, caju
  
  Things I will not miss - bugs, heat, trash, noise (cars roaming about blasting political endorsements/advertisements from loud speakers)!
  
  Best thing Brazil has copied from the rest of the world– plastic chairs – durable can survive Amazon, anywhere, cheap
  
  Worst thing Brazil has copied from the rest of the world – Coca cola, Fanta. Gosh, Brazil has a delicious drink of its own – Guarana from real juice!