Hey there guys!
I know it's been a while since my last post. Well, I've been quite busy, with a job going ahead. Tomorrow I'll start working at IEL. It's been a year and a half without a job (since graduation) and now this time is about to end.
I'm going there to show my skills and to do something for the society, to give my contribuition for a better planet.
Wish me luck, everyone! Ah! Tonight, my mom and my stepdad will be returning to Porto Alegre after a quick trip to São Paulo. I don't know what will be the right time they'll arrive, due to problems at Porto Alegre airport (Brazilian incompetence, as usual...). Anyways, I'll be there to pick them up.
That's all for now, guys. Have a great night and a wonderful day tomorrow, y'all!
segunda-feira, 9 de junho de 2008
segunda-feira, 26 de maio de 2008
Pictures from the trip
Guys!
Finally home, after 9 nine hours traveling. Here are some pictures of the trip, enjoy!
The José Ignacio light
The beach, at José Ignacio
The Gorlero Avenue, in downtown Punta del Estedomingo, 25 de maio de 2008
Punta Diary
Hey there guys!
It's been two days since my last post. Here go some news from my quick trip to Uruguay:
Yesterday, it also was a gloomy day. Lots of wind and light rain, though. In the morning, me and my stepdad went out for a walk. During our wet path, we saw a lot of imported cars, particularly some older ones. Uruguay has no automobile industry, so, the country imports all of the cars which ride in the nation. And the country is also dependant in other areas. There are very few industries here and the country's economy is severely based in the agricultural sector (beef is the main product for export).
Afterwards, we went to a great place to have lunch, called Lo de Tere. Yummy food! And some exquisite desserts too! I ordered a dish called "Más urugayo que nunca" (more Uruguayan than ever, in English), compound of tenderloin steak with green mashed potatoes and leek rolls, and for dessert, an apple cookie. We really had a great time!
During the afternoon, we went to a place called Conrad, which is the best hotel and casino in town. After having a little snack, we went to the casino to play a little. I went to a slot machine, just for fun (I'm not a compulsive player!). I won $27. Not bad...
At night, we went out to eat at a very good place called Bungalow Suizo (Swiss Bungalow). There was a yummy fondue, in three versions: cheese, beef and chocolate. A real temptation!
After that, everybody back to the hotel to get some sleep. On the next day, a ride to the stunning beach of José Ignacio, in the eastern edge of the peninsula.
Today, after breakfast, we took our SUV and drove all the way to José Ignacio. About 12.5 miles (20 km) away from our hotel. When we got there, there was a huge light, to guide the ships along the coast. And a huge cliff, with rocks that provide an espectacle when facing the coming waves. I took some pictures from there, and I'll be showing you on this post. After having lunch at a place called La Huella (the print), we returned to the city.
After some rest, I went myself to the downtown Punta del Este. I walked along the famous Gorlero Avenue, with stores and everything. There's a square, which hosts a handicraft market, where hundreds of local artisans sell their products.
And the best was yet to come: I took a cab to go back to the hotel and the car who drove me back was, none the less, a Mercedes Benz! Yeah, I was in a Mercedes for the first time in my life! It was a 1982 model, with diesel-fueled engine. The ride was smooth, despite the noise.
And that's all for now. Later tonight, we'll have dinner and tomorrow morning, our return trip to Brazil. See y'all later!
It's been two days since my last post. Here go some news from my quick trip to Uruguay:
Yesterday, it also was a gloomy day. Lots of wind and light rain, though. In the morning, me and my stepdad went out for a walk. During our wet path, we saw a lot of imported cars, particularly some older ones. Uruguay has no automobile industry, so, the country imports all of the cars which ride in the nation. And the country is also dependant in other areas. There are very few industries here and the country's economy is severely based in the agricultural sector (beef is the main product for export).
Afterwards, we went to a great place to have lunch, called Lo de Tere. Yummy food! And some exquisite desserts too! I ordered a dish called "Más urugayo que nunca" (more Uruguayan than ever, in English), compound of tenderloin steak with green mashed potatoes and leek rolls, and for dessert, an apple cookie. We really had a great time!
During the afternoon, we went to a place called Conrad, which is the best hotel and casino in town. After having a little snack, we went to the casino to play a little. I went to a slot machine, just for fun (I'm not a compulsive player!). I won $27. Not bad...
At night, we went out to eat at a very good place called Bungalow Suizo (Swiss Bungalow). There was a yummy fondue, in three versions: cheese, beef and chocolate. A real temptation!
After that, everybody back to the hotel to get some sleep. On the next day, a ride to the stunning beach of José Ignacio, in the eastern edge of the peninsula.
Today, after breakfast, we took our SUV and drove all the way to José Ignacio. About 12.5 miles (20 km) away from our hotel. When we got there, there was a huge light, to guide the ships along the coast. And a huge cliff, with rocks that provide an espectacle when facing the coming waves. I took some pictures from there, and I'll be showing you on this post. After having lunch at a place called La Huella (the print), we returned to the city.
After some rest, I went myself to the downtown Punta del Este. I walked along the famous Gorlero Avenue, with stores and everything. There's a square, which hosts a handicraft market, where hundreds of local artisans sell their products.
And the best was yet to come: I took a cab to go back to the hotel and the car who drove me back was, none the less, a Mercedes Benz! Yeah, I was in a Mercedes for the first time in my life! It was a 1982 model, with diesel-fueled engine. The ride was smooth, despite the noise.
And that's all for now. Later tonight, we'll have dinner and tomorrow morning, our return trip to Brazil. See y'all later!
sexta-feira, 23 de maio de 2008
Bienvenidos a Punta del Este!
Hey there dear friends!
After two days, I'm back here to write something. The trip from Porto Alegre to Uruguay took a lot of us and only today I got access to the internet. Wireless, thank God!
Our journey to the Oriental Republic of Uruguay was quite long and bumpy. While in Brazil, in the town of Cristal, southern part of Rio Grande do Sul, we got a ticket by passing in a wrong place. During our trip, we changed our route: instead of crossing the border by the city of Chuy, we went, instead, by the border city of Jaguarão, distant 250 miles (400 km) of Porto Alegre. There's a bridge and, on the other side of the Jaguarão river, is located the Uruguayan town of Río Branco, with brand new duty free shops.
Right after we parked the car, we had lunch. In fact, we tried to have lunch. We went to a restaurant called El Gallego, a place where is served the famous parrillada, the famous Uruguayan bbq. To be quite frank, it was one of the worst places I've ever gone out to eat in my life. Bad service, long time to bring the food. My mom just had the appetizer (a grilled sausage and some fries) and went out to shop. My grandma ate a bit of the asado de tira (beef ribs) but also gone out of the table. We paid 340 Uruguayan pesos ($ 17) but we hated the way we were treated. Arghh!
Afterwards, we spent a considerable time at the duty free shop, called Neutral. There was a lot of good stuff and we bought some good things, from beverages to clothes.
In the aftermath of a busy shopping time, we crossed the border, passing through the checkpoint. Immigration formalities were quick and hassle-free.
From the border, only 250 miles (400 km) more to reach our final destination. The first miles have been driven on a good road. However, in some parts, there were potholes and irregular asphalt.
In the halfway, we passed at the small town of Treinta y Tres, in the middle of Uruguay. We needed to cross that town in order to read the road to Punta del Este.
After reaching the road, we had a safe ride and we arrived in Punta at 7pm local time. For this journey, we're staying at Jean Clevers, a nice hotel located in the eastern part of the town, close to a shopping mall and some restaurants.
Well, it was lot to write and I got tired of writing... there's plenty of other things but I'll tell you during the next days. By now, so long, everybody! Take care y'all!
After two days, I'm back here to write something. The trip from Porto Alegre to Uruguay took a lot of us and only today I got access to the internet. Wireless, thank God!
Our journey to the Oriental Republic of Uruguay was quite long and bumpy. While in Brazil, in the town of Cristal, southern part of Rio Grande do Sul, we got a ticket by passing in a wrong place. During our trip, we changed our route: instead of crossing the border by the city of Chuy, we went, instead, by the border city of Jaguarão, distant 250 miles (400 km) of Porto Alegre. There's a bridge and, on the other side of the Jaguarão river, is located the Uruguayan town of Río Branco, with brand new duty free shops.
Right after we parked the car, we had lunch. In fact, we tried to have lunch. We went to a restaurant called El Gallego, a place where is served the famous parrillada, the famous Uruguayan bbq. To be quite frank, it was one of the worst places I've ever gone out to eat in my life. Bad service, long time to bring the food. My mom just had the appetizer (a grilled sausage and some fries) and went out to shop. My grandma ate a bit of the asado de tira (beef ribs) but also gone out of the table. We paid 340 Uruguayan pesos ($ 17) but we hated the way we were treated. Arghh!
Afterwards, we spent a considerable time at the duty free shop, called Neutral. There was a lot of good stuff and we bought some good things, from beverages to clothes.
In the aftermath of a busy shopping time, we crossed the border, passing through the checkpoint. Immigration formalities were quick and hassle-free.
From the border, only 250 miles (400 km) more to reach our final destination. The first miles have been driven on a good road. However, in some parts, there were potholes and irregular asphalt.
In the halfway, we passed at the small town of Treinta y Tres, in the middle of Uruguay. We needed to cross that town in order to read the road to Punta del Este.
After reaching the road, we had a safe ride and we arrived in Punta at 7pm local time. For this journey, we're staying at Jean Clevers, a nice hotel located in the eastern part of the town, close to a shopping mall and some restaurants.
Well, it was lot to write and I got tired of writing... there's plenty of other things but I'll tell you during the next days. By now, so long, everybody! Take care y'all!
quarta-feira, 21 de maio de 2008
Trip to Uruguay
Dear friends,
Tomorrow morning, I'll be heading towards Uruguay to spend the Corpus Christi holiday with my family. As I said before, I'm going to Punta del Este, a celebrated beach in the Uruguayan coast, an hour away from the country's capital, Montevideo.
A lot of people from Brazil visit there, a peninsula in the eastern part of Uruguay, the last big place before entering the River Plate basin. This destination is famous for the wealthy and famous people who pack its streets and fancy places with charm and sofistication. And also a lot of retired persons from Europe live there, spending their days in a calm place, with cheaper prices compared to their home countries.
Due to lack of available seats in flights from Porto Alegre to Montevideo during the Corpus Christi weekend, we'll be traveling by car. The distance between my hometown and the Uruguayan beach is estimated in 500 miles (800 km) and can be done in 8 straight hours. However, we'll stop in some places during the road trip, including a stop in the border town of Chuy, famous for its duty free shops. Of course we will enjoy this opportunity to buy some good things, much cheaper than buying at stores in Brazil (our prices are high due to the high percentage taken as taxes), and, of course, the time to clear Uruguayan immigration and customs.
Tomorrow, I probably won't be able to access the internet. I may have a little time to browse at the hotel, but I'm not sure yet. I'll take a photo camera with me and pictures will be taken and posted here. Well, I hope you all have a great day and I'll write more later.
Bye, everybody!
Mr Gabriel
Tomorrow morning, I'll be heading towards Uruguay to spend the Corpus Christi holiday with my family. As I said before, I'm going to Punta del Este, a celebrated beach in the Uruguayan coast, an hour away from the country's capital, Montevideo.
A lot of people from Brazil visit there, a peninsula in the eastern part of Uruguay, the last big place before entering the River Plate basin. This destination is famous for the wealthy and famous people who pack its streets and fancy places with charm and sofistication. And also a lot of retired persons from Europe live there, spending their days in a calm place, with cheaper prices compared to their home countries.
Due to lack of available seats in flights from Porto Alegre to Montevideo during the Corpus Christi weekend, we'll be traveling by car. The distance between my hometown and the Uruguayan beach is estimated in 500 miles (800 km) and can be done in 8 straight hours. However, we'll stop in some places during the road trip, including a stop in the border town of Chuy, famous for its duty free shops. Of course we will enjoy this opportunity to buy some good things, much cheaper than buying at stores in Brazil (our prices are high due to the high percentage taken as taxes), and, of course, the time to clear Uruguayan immigration and customs.
Tomorrow, I probably won't be able to access the internet. I may have a little time to browse at the hotel, but I'm not sure yet. I'll take a photo camera with me and pictures will be taken and posted here. Well, I hope you all have a great day and I'll write more later.
Bye, everybody!
Mr Gabriel
segunda-feira, 19 de maio de 2008
Interview
Guys, as I told you, today I had a job interview at the IEL. Well, it was a very good moment for me, I felt really pleasant and confident. The institute is still under structuring, but in a short term there'll be a huge opportunity to work there. According to my stepdad's description, the pays are quite good. However, wages haven't been metioned yet. I'm really confident and hopeful to get something to start my life after college, at last.
Next Thursday (May 22), there'll be a holiday in Brazil, called Corpus Christi (just like the beach in Texas), to honor the body of Christ. In our countryside, large rugs, made of colorful sawdust, make a nice way to a religious celebration.
In this day, my family and I will be traveling to Punta del Este, a celebrated beach in the coast of Uruguay. A lot of famous people from around the world and wealthy people from Brazil and Argentina go there, especially during our summer (December to March). The beaches and the hillsides are fantastic, and the views, breathtaking.
We'll be traveling by car, since there were no flights available to the Uruguayan capital, Montevideo (note: this is the nearest airport we can reach from Porto Alegre, since that direct flights into Punta del Este are seasonal only). It's quite a long trip: more than 8 hours, driving for more than 500 miles (800 km). It will be great and there'll be lots of fun. Well, that's all for today, there'll be more tomorrow. So long, everybody!
Next Thursday (May 22), there'll be a holiday in Brazil, called Corpus Christi (just like the beach in Texas), to honor the body of Christ. In our countryside, large rugs, made of colorful sawdust, make a nice way to a religious celebration.
In this day, my family and I will be traveling to Punta del Este, a celebrated beach in the coast of Uruguay. A lot of famous people from around the world and wealthy people from Brazil and Argentina go there, especially during our summer (December to March). The beaches and the hillsides are fantastic, and the views, breathtaking.
We'll be traveling by car, since there were no flights available to the Uruguayan capital, Montevideo (note: this is the nearest airport we can reach from Porto Alegre, since that direct flights into Punta del Este are seasonal only). It's quite a long trip: more than 8 hours, driving for more than 500 miles (800 km). It will be great and there'll be lots of fun. Well, that's all for today, there'll be more tomorrow. So long, everybody!
domingo, 18 de maio de 2008
Soccer match
Well, my Sunday here in the south of Brazil was very good. It could better if my soccer team (Grêmio, in Brazil) scored a goal in an important soccer match for the Brazilian Championship. My stepdad, my brother and I went to see Grêmio playing against Flamengo, the most popular soccer team in Brazil, this afternoon, at the Olímpico stadium, in Porto Alegre.
I'm usually very discreet in a soccer match, I don't usually shout, sing or swear at the referee. On the contrary, my brother is a typical soccer fan: he shouts, sings and swears. But I cheer when my team scores a goal...
Both teams played really good (with Grêmio playing better), but the score remained blank during the whole game (0-0). The fans performed a fantastic show, supporting the team all the time and saying things like "son of a b***h". Anyways, the spectacle was worthy of watching.
That finishes my soccer report for the day. Before I go, there's something I'd like to say: during this fall (in the Southern Hemisphere), we had a lot of power interruptions here in Porto Alegre. Brazil has one of the most expensive electricity prices in the world and a state-owned power company provides a crap of service to the population. They take long to restore the power, and their phone number for emergencies is always busy, disregarding the population. And more: this company is not ready for catastrophes, like cyclones and hurricanes, showing the total lack of care for others. I'm fond of those things, and I think this company (called CEEE) should be privatized and well managed. That's all, folks!
I'm usually very discreet in a soccer match, I don't usually shout, sing or swear at the referee. On the contrary, my brother is a typical soccer fan: he shouts, sings and swears. But I cheer when my team scores a goal...
Both teams played really good (with Grêmio playing better), but the score remained blank during the whole game (0-0). The fans performed a fantastic show, supporting the team all the time and saying things like "son of a b***h". Anyways, the spectacle was worthy of watching.
That finishes my soccer report for the day. Before I go, there's something I'd like to say: during this fall (in the Southern Hemisphere), we had a lot of power interruptions here in Porto Alegre. Brazil has one of the most expensive electricity prices in the world and a state-owned power company provides a crap of service to the population. They take long to restore the power, and their phone number for emergencies is always busy, disregarding the population. And more: this company is not ready for catastrophes, like cyclones and hurricanes, showing the total lack of care for others. I'm fond of those things, and I think this company (called CEEE) should be privatized and well managed. That's all, folks!
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