Nossa Paz - Bees!

Just a quick post to say I am still doing well. I've been helping with sanding and putting glaze on woodwork, and the usual garden chores of weeding and watering and planting. A huge highlight of this week was going to visit the bee hives near the farm. We collected honey and I later jarred it. So neat to see!

 

Nossa Paz - "Our Peace"

 

Not too much new to say in this blog... just wanted to post some pictures. Above is the garden at Nossa Paz, full of vegetables like leeks and broccoli, as well as manioc and new seedlings of kale and carrots that we've planted. The second picture is the view from a hike nearby the farm - a great place to go and watch the sunset.

This past week we have been busy with the usual weeding and watering, as well as clearing a huge grass patch for coffee, corn, etc. to be planted. The couple from England (Charlie and Rob) and I were alone for the weekend and did the sunset hike, as well as walked to a beautiful waterfall nearby where you can swim. Also made pizza in the home-made pizza oven (see the pic below!). They left Monday, and Simon and Lux returned from a trip to Sao Paulo with two new wwoofers, Henji (from SP) and Paul (from France). Below is also a picture of me planting my guava tree - each volunteer plants one tree in their memory.

Man-made pool/lake at the farm

Me, Charlie, Rob, Simon and Lux

Nossa Paz Farm, Itapeva, Brazil

I have now moved on from carnival and the big city life in Rio to a farm outside of the small town of Itapeva, two hours north of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Unfortunately, the internet at the farm is pretty spotty, (internet comes through a phone hooked up to a laptop and the best place to access it is sitting at a table and chair in a forested area overlooking the rolling hills - quite picturesque but not super reliable:) but is otherwise quite beautiful!

There´s a nice big garden and a man-made pool/lake to go for a swim after a long day clearing areas or planting or weeding. It´s a nice change to work outside and use my muscles, but after a full day I´m definitely exhausted! There´s also a friendly couple my age from England volunteering at the farm as well, so it´s been nice to have company for different jobs. We start our mornings off with Qi Gong, which I am enjoying learning.

I am sleeping in a little camper away from the house and it´s a nice change from the dorm to having my own space (though not the same as good old Black Beauty) and luckily none of the huge spiders or biting ants or mosquitos have made it in yet! I´ve also been learning some tasty new recipes, including banana chutney and pea/mint soup.

I don´t seem to be able to upload pictures at this point as the computers are a bit wonky, but I will try to add some of the beautiful farm soon!

Rio - Lapa Steps, Museum, Carnival!

The delicious Acai drink

Though there have been carnival street parties every weekend leading up to this one, carnival has officially begun. It's been pretty fun going out every day/night this weekend and coming across a different party. Friday I went with a big group of people from the hostel (3 from France, 2 from England, 1 from Brasilia, 1 from Sweden and 1 from Rio) to Santa Theresa where we walked and walked in search of a non-existent party.

We slowly lost people or they left, and we did find some people drumming, but eventually went back down to Lapa, where there was a great light-show with older English music in a street between some buildings. Saturday I went to another bloco here in Botafogo with 2 guys from Southern Brazil, and a girl who works at the hostel and her friends. It was another big group and lots of fun - and we were supposed to get water thrown at us so I wore my bathing suit... but there wasn't really any water. And then yesterday I went with the 2 English guys and 1 Swedish guy to the Sunday Market in Ipanema and to a few street parties in Lapa again.

Because there was nothing during the week, I took it easy most nights, and did some touristy things or went to the beach during the day. I also visited the huge, cheap Saara Market area and got a red nose, polka dot skirt, bubbles, and a purple wig with polka dot hat for my costume as a clown.

Tuesday I was back downtown where I went to the famous mosaic Lapa steps, the huge Candelaria Church, and the Museum des Belas Artes, which had a great modern gallery of Brazilian artwork. I usually don't take pictures in museums/art galleries but this one had so many beautiful pieces.

I have about 4 outfits so often wear the same thing over and over

Museum des Belas Artes



Jesus and the adultress

Huge wall painting called "Slave Ship"