I remind myself!

There is nothing that I love the most than the surprises of life!

Plans changed!
Life changed!
Trip changed!

Everything change,

but

I remind myself!

Get Together!

I'm still packing. I mean, it's all planned but still packing. It's the make-myself-very-tired plan. In a weird way, it works.

I'm so excited but I already miss my Taiwanese family. I got so attached to the Mania Spa girls that they became my family as much as I love them!

Last night they all came to my house to a little get together party. We had fun! Among wine and cheeses we spent a great time together, took lots of pictures and played with Mei-Hua's girls!

Thanks girls! Thank you for friendship, for your love, for your caress and thank you so much for taking care of my health with such attention!

I love you all! See you guys in August!

Mei-Hua and Ci!
Thanks Ci for massaging me every week for 1 year!

Cheers! Let's celebrate!

My beautiful Mania's girls!

Let's get together when I get back!
There is KTV on my building!

Travel Planning

Things are busier than ever and I'm trying my best to manage everything.

In few days I'm going to leave for almost 3 months trip and I do have a lot to do and I do mean a lot! I have this weird thing that I do need to leave my house spotless before any trip. And as I'm really afraid of airplanes, I stressed myself good cleaning the house on the day of my travel, this way I get at the airport exhaust and as soon as the airplane takes off I sleep off.
I'm doing this for long time and somehow it works!

An issue I'm facing now is packing! Usually it is a pretty easy thing for me, but I'm facing some challenges to do it neat and tidy.
It is a challenging because I'm going to 3 continents: Firstly I'll go to Africa and even though it's the coolest season now in Nigeria, it'll be pretty hot for me. Then I'll go to America, South America folks and it'll be winter in Brasil!

As almost everybody knows, Brasil is a tropical country and for about 2 months or less we have really cold days from central to south of the country. For this reason is very rare to find a house with heat system and this make the few cold days colder. And as I'm very sensitive to cold, I do need to pay attention on what to pack to take "home".

Keep traveling... After spending 43 days in Brasil and meeting my new-born nephew and going through the "to do list" my 6 years old niece Maria Luiza is preparing for us to do together, I'll go to Paris for a week just for fun. In Europe, in August, will be summer time and I want to enjoy Paris almost 24 hours and that means just one thing: walk!

All my "what-to-take" lists are almost ready. I mean, listing everything makes me organized and takes my mind out of things I already listed.

Well, I guess that once again this blog straighted things out for me. I just realized that the packing will not the that challenge as I was previously thinking. After all, I'm going to sunny places even though it will be winter in Brasil. Yeah, I guess that's it!

But besides the packing issue I need to organize my academic term to pack as well. And books! And reading and research materials! And notebooks! And portable hard drives!

Maybe all those worries are just me stressing myself out as usual! But you know proper prior planning prevents poor performance!

I taped this video from the Taipei bridge when the last 2 boats started rowing! I have no idea how to talk about row/rowers properly. I never used those terms, even in Portuguese. Sorry!

It was very windy but I guess you can see how it works.

I loved the drum's sound. It gives power and motivation to the rowers! It is the heartbeat of the dragon boat and it is mandatory during racing events!

Dragon Boat Festival

Last night I went to a Disco to celebrate Ciara's birthday, my dearest friend. I didn't stay long because I had fever. I couldn't believe it! I tried to dance it out, but it didn't work out unfortunately.
Well, since my fever didn't go away and I was the only one dancing I decided to drive back home to watch Barcelona versus Manchester match! Yes, Barça won!

So, I woke up much better today after taking a medicine and sleeping heavily for 11 hours uninterruptedly and since today is a holiday in Taiwan I decided to drive to Taipei to enjoy one of the most popular festivals here, the Dragon Boat Festival!

It happened at Dajia Riverside Park with teams from Malaysia, Philippines, Japan, China, South Africa and Taiwan of course. Even though the day was dark, the people and the dragon boats brighted and colored the day in a wonderful way.

Families were having picnic and riding bikes, guys where playing baseball and/or basketball all along the park and besides watching the race, people where enjoying performance by local artists, and amusing themselves greatly with the many activities settled by the local government.

The Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month and is among one of the major holidays in Taiwan. The festival is an effort to ward off diseases and evil spirits. This is a very colorful tradition that has kept itself stronger year after year, going through centuries to the present day.

During this time of the year, people use to make an especial meal that became a very popular snack here in Taiwan. It's called "tzung tzu". It is said that after the poet-statesman Chu Yuan ended his life by drowning, people began throwing balls of sweet rice wrapped in bamboo leaves into the Miluo River to keep the fish from eating the patriot's body.

It was a lovely day in a very busy week.

I shall succeed

Irises, 1889, by Van Gogh

I am still far from being

what I want to be,

but with God's help

I shall succeed.

Vicent Van Gogh

An especial guest

A green scarab came to visit me!

This month I'm reading a lot about Akhenaton, the great pharaoh of Egypt. Since I was a child I got fascinated by Egypt, Sahara, the Nile and Akhenaton's son Tutankhamen and his wife Nefertiti.

I remember clearly how fascinated I was with those subjects in an early age of 6 years old. When I was 7, in 2nd grade, I was blessed enough to have a teacher who was a historian. She started telling us about the sacred Nile and I remember listening to her as she was telling us my own history. I got completely in trance and I didn't miss one single word. How I loved the melody of her voice talking about Akhenaton. Her eyes sparkled because she was really in love with the Egypt history as well.

Akhenaton was brave enough to introduce the monotheist worship of a God without face, which was symbolized by the sun, Aton. He used the sun to try to explain to the Egypt population that God does care about every single one, just like the sun warms every single person or place without distinction of color, race. But the Egyptian wasn't prepared for such an illuminist and Akhenaton was assassinated as well his wife Nefertiti and his 5 daughters and later also the young pharaoh Tutankhamen and his wife/sister also was assassinated to try to erase definitely the thoughts of this great man, Akhenaton.

I really love everything about him and his wonderful ideas. He was the pharaoh of Egypt 3000 years before Christ and he was a man ahead of his time. All his actions were to promote peace among the men and countries. He freed the slaves but the slaves were not prepared to be free and they got mad on this fantastic man.

By the way in Portuguese, Nile is Nilo the name of my father.

One afternoon my 2nd grade teacher, Mrs. Berenice asked us what was the name of the river that crossed Egypt and one little girl said "It's the name of Leandra's father!". Everybody laughed good and I got very proud. I love to remember that!

Well, one of the symbols of Egypt was the scarab, also known by the name Kheper. Today I was going to change the flowers and I saw a green scarab on a lily. I got completely shivered. I live in the 12th floor and I a scarab decided to visit me in the same day I was finishing a book about Akhenaton.

I love those little surprises and I hope one day Egypt will understand the amazed man Akhenaton was , the greatest pharaoh of all times!

Akhenaton and his family praying to Aton!

The great pharaoh Akhenaton

29 years...

My father Nilo, Marcos my brother and me in Santos Beach, Brasil, 1974

I miss you so much!
29 years already
without kissing you,
without hugging you,
without listening to your jokes,
without cooking for you,
without jumping on you.
29 years already
without you!

My pain has a name

I'm tired! I'm very very tired.
I don't remember being this tired ever before.

I go to the gym regularly, I eat very healthily that sometimes I need to set a photo log to show my doctors what I've ate daily because they don't believe I do eat that health. I go to SPA 3 times a week and besides taking 14 pills daily I have a pretty nice life style.

So, what is making me that tired? I can barely get up of the bad in the mornings and making my bed became a pain. Washing my hair is another story...my arms hurt badly as well. All me hurts!

Well, unfortunately I know why it hurts and it may be the cause I get so tired as well, even though I have a healthy lifestyle. Few weeks ago I was diagnosticed with fibromyalgia and according to the doctor it is on me for quite long.

What can I do than welcoming this long time guest!? All he asked me to do, I do already. The results? None, besides knowing that this crazy and constant pain I feel for very long time has a name and no cure.

As someone I love says...a problem without solution is already solved! That's my case!

Now that I know my pain has a name, I'm resting more. Sometimes as today, I move my office to my bed and I work comfortably with my legs up. My mattress is hard enough to not provoke any discomfort of long hours on it.

But what has helped to be able to rest my legs and work at the same time is the great shabby chic bed tray that my friend Vivian found at Piin store at Metro mall in Jungli! It is perfect! The base of the tray lifts, giving me a good inclination to rest books or my laptop on it.

I'm trying my best to stay away from more medicine and I don't like pain killer whatsoever. Sometimes I rather support the pain than taking it. Really!

Thank God I'm living in Taiwan and I have the greatest massagists ever that take a very good care of me not just in the professionals level but as very good friends. They are helping me wonderfully!

Oh God I'm feeling exaust today emotionally and physically! This is a hard week for me! The day is gray, the sun is on vacation! Good to stay home, resting the body a little.

Once again...

What a lovely day!
I had fever all day long, then I had a small car accident, then I came home and another earthquake hit Taiwan again! And I'm not being redundant. here!

I will never get used to earthquake. Never! Taiwaneses keep saying to me that it is normal, but I really can't take it. I get scared, very scared indeed, every single time I feel the floor under my feet shaking. I feel really terrified when I see the chandelier swinging. I feel extremelly uncomfortable when I see my desk moving by itself.

When Taiwan shakes I shake also. It has a terrible impact on me. I really, really can't take this constant shakings.

Happy Mother's Day

My babe is gonna have a babe!

My babe is gonna have a babe!
Marcelo my little brother, Marly my sil and Márcio my nephew!

The Machado Family

Vô Ribeiro and Vó Cotinha! Their 50th anniversary!

Last week in Tupaciguara,my hometown, a great event was performed by the Machado family. It was our 2nd great reunion. The first one was in 2006 and I was there to enjoy my aunties and uncles and cousins that I love so very much! Oh God they are the funniest ever! Unfortunately I couldn’t go this time.

According to Zezé, a cousin of mine and the reunion organizer, Márcio my nephew will be the 160th member in direct line of Vó Cotinha and Vô Ribeiro, our grandparents. (Vó is short for vovó and it means grandmother. Vô is short for vovô and it means grandfather in Portuguese). My father is/was the youngest male and the first one to go...

My grandparents, paternal ones, had 9 kids and those 9 kids multiplied good!

We are that kind of family that visit each other often, go to birthday parties of the 5th or 6th generation and we call them cousin, because they are cousins of course! We know their full names, we know even the in-laws of the cousins.

I was blessed enough to have all my aunties, uncles and 1st generation cousins very close to me, physically and emotionally when I was growing up! During the time I lived in Tupaciguara, my home was in the same block as my grandparents and this was the best thing that could ever happen to me. I will never forget the flavor of Vó Cotinnha's meals. I will never forget the sound producing by my Vô Ribeiro making butter from scratch. I will never forget... So many delicious memories!

My relatives, especially my aunties, they made my childhood unforgettable! In a bunch of 6 aunties and 2 uncles you can find every type of personality but if there is something that link all of them it is their comic vein! It's impossible not to laugh really good when joining they companion or when they are all together! They are so funny and they love to embarrass themselves in a naive, agreeable way that is so unique! They are really the best!

I got few pics from the last reunion and I mixed them with pics from passed ones. It was a very enjoyable experience for me, to mix those especial moments in my life!

Well, we are just great in every single sense!

Sons, daughters, sons-in-law, daugthers-in-law and great-grandkids
of my grandparents

Sons, daughters, sons-in-law, daugthers-in-law and grandkids

of my grandparents

From left to right: Uncle Joubert and his wife auntie Maria,
Uncle Didin and his wife auntie Teresinha,
Uncle Milote, Auntie Amélia,
Auntie Hortência and Luci, my mother.

Reunion 2006
From left to right: Auntie Ione, Auntie Amélia, Uncle Milote,
Uncle Waldemar and his wife auntie Aparecida,
Uncle Didin and his wife auntie Teresinha, auntie Hortência,
Auntie Maria and her husband uncle Joubert and Luci, my mother

Reunion 2006
Almost everybody!

Reunion 1984! My grandparents 60th anniversary

Reunion 1974! My grandparents 50th anniversary.
My grandparents and their grandkids and great-grandkids

Reunion 1975! My grandparents 50th anniversary.
My grandparents and their kids and sons/daughters-in-laws

My father's siblings are:
- Auntie Nida,
(she passed away 12 years ago)
-Auntie Amélia
-Auntie Aparecida
-Auntie Ione
-Auntie Teresinha
-Auntie Hortência
-Uncle Milote
-Uncle Joubert

A delightful lunch!

Yesterday the sun decided to shine making me the happiest woman ever alive. Oh God, I did miss the feeling of sunshine on my shoulders making me happy! Thanks John Denver!

I spent a lot of time outside, trying to get every single ray of light to light my day up. I was in deep need of it. Bright blue sky brings hope to my heart, brings warmness to my life and it makes me feel alive. I may not be a vegetable, but I do need sunlight to feel vigorous and vibrant. As someone once said, the sun always shines and I'm so happy for that.

I'm feeling like a child opening a Christmas's gift, as excited I'm feeling with the blue sky that just appeared on my window yesterday and today. It was/is so blue, so beautiful to look at.

To enjoy my day to the fullest as it were a holiday, I decided to go to a local fish market to have lunch. By the way, Taiwan is a island, and island is any piece of land that is surrounded by water, right? In Taiwan's case it is surrounded by the China Sea - Pacific Ocean!

Even though Taiwan is surrounded by water, it has no beach culture. If I drive for like 10 minutes I'll get to the sea, but not to the beach. Well, there is beach... if you think on a portion of sand where we can see some waves dancing...yes there is beach. But then you look around and you see just industrial port that releases all its trash directly to the sea. It really breaks my heart.

When I moved to here I was so excited about going to the beach like daily. I do love everything about beaches. I lived in a island before, in Brasil and it was amazing. I lived in Florianópolis for 2 years. I just love that city so so much.
When I was moving to here I just had a good "déjà vu" in my life. Living in a island again, what a paradise! Beautiful and clean beaches of Florianópolis were on my mind and I couldn't stop thinking about how great it would be to live in a island-country because living in a island-city, having 42 astonish beaches to choose was absolutely wonderful.

It was a great frustration to see that people don't go to the beaches here. I don't know if they don't go because the beaches are very pollution or if the beaches are very polluted because people don't go to it. I guess if Taiwan had a beach culture the government would care about it.

Well, this post is not about the pollution in Taiwan, it's about having fun under sunlight!

As I was saying, I drove to the fish market to have lunch and it was adorable.

The fresh sea-food was so delicious, the huge shrimps made me extremely satisfied, the fish barbecue was delightful. Oh God, it was melting in my mouth! It was deliciously well grilled to my total pleasure. And the small lobsters was divine. What a meal!
The fried rice is something. I do love fried rice and the way Taiwanese cook the vegetables is very delicious and I'm not exaggerating here right Bluefish!?

After lunch I walked a little near to get to know the place better. The fish market is well built and has a nice square facing the China sea where you can sit and get lost on your own thoughts. The day was very windy and I was very thankful I chose trousers instead of a summer dress. It could be a disaster!

I love when a nothing day becomes a especial day without apparent reason.

Going to the Fish Market, Taipei International airport road

A picturesque welcome to the market!

I love the blue color of the fish boats!

Kids having fun!

I have no idea what the guy was talking,
but everybody was laughing good!

Sea Food! All kinds, shapes, sizes!

Very fresh fishes!

I love how they display the fishes!

The giant shrimps! So delicious!

The small lobsters! Amazing!

Fish barbecue! I want to eat this daily!

Very windy day!

China Sea, and no beaches!