My Trip To Brazil And I Promise I Won't Post About Any More Celebrity Trips----Even Though There Were At Least Two More...

I don't want to go on and on about my trip to Brazil.

I just got back from our last band trip for the summer today----to NY, and I am officially exhausted. I don't think that I had re-couped from Brazil, and the sets we did in NY were long and we went late.........and.......well........I guess I have to admit that I am not as young as I used to be.... (Oh, stop laughing----you will feel that way someday too!)

So I am saving you having to read about every minute of the Brazil trip. I am just going to post my observations and then some pictures and call it a day. Better all around for everyone, right?

So, here are the observations that I made:

1. If you are going to Brazil, go someplace closer to the northern tip, as it takes about 14 hours to get to Sao Paulo from Boston. (Ok, so we got a layover to change planes in Houston, but trust me, it didn't help much)

2. Only go on a flight that is NOT sold out! We went down and had lots space to spread out and sleep, as we took red-eyes both ways, but on the way back----it was almost full, and man, was my butt numb.

3. Take the helicopter, if it is offered, to the hotel, as the traffic is horrendous-----you take your life into your hands as the driver swerves and races through motorcyles, small cars,------all the while driving only about 5 inches away from each other. I swear the lanes are RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER. There are no laws-----at least none that I noticed.

4. Do not be a pedestrian in Sao Paulo. They do not recognize them and WILL run you down!

5. Get settled into your amazing room and take a nap before you go to rehearsal----you will feel much better.

6. DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES EAT ANY PIECE OF FRUIT OR DRINK THE WATER! I can not emphasize this enough. I even hesitated to eat some watermelon and fresh papaya, but since they are cut from INSIDE the fruit, I decided to trust it. AND I kept my Imodium AD ready.

7. Take Imodium AD with you. If you read my last post on Brazil, you KNOW what I mean.
Nuff said.

8. Enjoy the beautiful hotel view, but don't look down. There may just be a homeless person living right up next to the hotel-----cardboard house and all.

9. When you are up on the rooftop swimming area, do not be annoyed when you look across the street and see a man peeing on top of the building next door. Just take a picture of it.

10. Do walk around to the shops in the area around the hotel, and try to find something for your hubby and young son, but then feel frustrated, as you can't find anything like tee-shirts or hats with Brazil or Sao Paulo on them. Nope. Not a one. I did find some with the Yankees and LA, as well as Disneyland on them. Hmmmmmm.
Be confused.

11. Also, when you walk around to the various exclusive shops, don't be annoyed when the person working there keeps taking out the article that you touch----just to look at, mind you----to show it to you and speak in Porteguese to you about it. Just smile and nod and
move on. Eventually you just leave, as they keep following you, and you find it disconcerting.

12. Try to ignore the fact that the city kind of smells. A mixture of B.O., cheap perfume/aftershave, and I believe-----a bit of urine.

13. Don't freak out on the night of the gig, when your van doesn't arrive on time and you sit in the hotel lobby for two hours waiting, then decide to forego sound check, as there isn't enough time to get to the venue and back again to get ready.

14. Enjoy working in a gorgeous place with truly wealthy people. I mean, these people make most of the rich look poor.....but they are the nicest people ever. So great to work for, and so gracious. What a beautiful wedding and all the best to Adolfo and Flavia. The gig was an amazing one!

15. Don't worry about staying at the party after the gig until 4:00 a.m., because we DON'T HAVE TO GET UP EARLY!

16. Ignore the perfume and after shave in Brazil,......it is strong and kind of spicy----hard to describe, but ignore the fact that you smell like it after everyone gives you a hug.

17. Do enjoy sleeping in the next day, then watch movies subtitled in Portuguese, as you get ready-----then have a really nice buffet lunch before you go to the airport.

18. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER agree to have your Brazilian saxophone player come with you to the airport when he has had too much to drink. It makes for a LOOOOOONNNNNNGGGG trip to the airport and that, along with the traffic scariness, makes your stomach feel a bit queasy.

19. Try to concentrate when the customs man is speaking to you with a HUGE accent and you don't understand what the heck he is saying! Stressful!

20. Don't forget to use up your "reals"----Brazilian money----as you probably will be left with too much when you arrive home----then what the heck do you do with it? So, to do this, find a few things for your family in the airport. (As they have NOTHING in the hotel or at the shops----remember?) Just be happy that you found something, even though it cost more than you planned. But don't plan on refrigerator magnets for friends, as they don't have any of those. Nope......not a one.

At the airport---Danny and Steve have their passports around their necks----so they
don't get lost.

Then Steve is joined by Dan, the keyboard player.

Here I am----looking rather fresh in my new yellow earrings----remember them---
from Brimfield----I love them!

Even Rick (Rod) is in good spirits----"Oh, yeah..."

The sunrise over Brazil from the plane.....

....and the reflection of the "sweet light" from the sunrise on my face....
after a few hours sleep.

The lobby of our hotel.....

....and my room----with a rotating TV....

....and a living room area.

Rehearsal with Cookie, the Tina Turner tribute act from Vegas----here is Steve
on the drums----and part of Danny on bass.

Dan on keys and Jeff on lead guitar-----getting ready to rehearse.

There's Cookie and Rick-----looking incognito but sounding like the REAL DEAL!

Adolfo with his bride to be, Flavia, and his son with some friends. They came
to listen to rehearsal.

The next day, out on the rooftop of the hotel----look at that view of the city!

Then take a look down to the street----can you see how close the cars drive?

And back around to see the pool with Steve and Rick in the background.

Steve is enjoying the sun with the city for a backdrop.

Danny, Rick and Steve are soaking up the sun.....

....while I find the foilage on the other side of the pool.....

....but then my eye is caught by THIS-----YES-----its the man peeing on the roof.
Uh huh. Classic.

Here is the transformation of Cookie to Tina Turner----pretty amazing, huh?

And here is the girl power---but I look major pale compared to her!

Flavia----the bride----so gorgeous---dancing at the party.

And Steve is in heaven, surrounded by beautiful Brazilian women!

Its 4:30 in the morning, and I still have my "hoochie"......er.....performing eye makeup on----
but looking a bit tired, huh?

After a great nights sleep, a bit of walking around, packing and some good food,
I am looking out my hotel window.....

......then look down and see an amazing church.

You can see the sun is starting to go down, as I take a last shot in my room
before we leave for the airport.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention. There are tons of beautiful women in Brazil----all wearing the tightest pants that I have ever seen----and trust me, they are NATURALLY gorgeous....they don't rely on makeup, like I have to.

But the bottom line on Brazil. Its great to see and experience another country and how they live, but..........I was way excited to walk back into the United States. I was doing a bit of a jig, even though I had had only 2 hours of sleep.

I really do appreciate living here. Yes, I do.


Adolfo mentioned that he wanted to have us back at Christmastime. Would I love to go?
Well, I might feel more comfortable each time I go back, and the people are gracious and warm, so yes, I guess that I wouldn't mind doing it again.



But I may take some Fabreze with me this time.