mathieutozer.com

Thoughts taken while spending my ten day exile in the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina.

In summary, I was deported, and had to solve 4 major problems and many little ones along the way. 1) money, I had none (I mean none) when I arrived here. 2) a place to stay. 3) lost luggage which was left in Rio when immigration gave me the boot. 4) getting a new visa for brazil. Plasq and parents helped solve the money problem in shortish order. A kind fellow who had broken his arm in rio who I met in the terminal let me stay with him for the first two nights, then I stayed with some mostly Aussies but some others too at their "Spanish apartment" style abode (in the laundry) for about 5 nights, I met them through a Sydney boy I met in the queue in the consulate. Then I stayed in a bed and brekky for the last 3 nights so I could get some work done. We did a 1.0.1 release of Doozla. So that was accom solved.
The bag was a mystery for 5 days until TAM contacted me by email and they sent it to buenos aires but then I had to pay 100 pesos to get the thing from the airport. Everything was intact and it also gave me a shopping excuse. I'm loving these new addidas red soccer shirt shorts!

And the visa. Well that was the biggest source of anxiety which began with the crushing news at the airport that there was no possibility of entering the country that day, and only ended giddily today in Argentina when the man handed over my passport without comment full to the brim with a spanking new multiple entry 90 day visa. I had a moment and alex took a photo.
Inbetween all that was a whole lot of sweaty running around gathering the required documents, paying the bill, being told it was paid too late and having to wait another 3 days, then going back to get it but missing the pick up hour (there's just 1 hour per day) and then coming back the next day (today) to get it. That's 4 visits folks.

And so here's the impressions I took down as I went through the city.

Plaza cortazar on Honduras

TAxi drivers and bus drivers who smoke

Rooftop terrace parties
Everyone smokes
Endless avenues all filled with bustle and things to see.

Everyone has a longish and straggly looking bit of hair hanging from the backs of their heads.

All the streets are named after countries and cities in Latin America, making then easy to remember and also giving a nice connective touch to the rest of the continent.

The food here is so amazingly good and embarasingly cheap. On Australia day I wanted to have something fancy, but within my new friends I was the only one who wanted to, so it ended up being just me. Had steaks wrapped in bacon with baked vegies after these cheese stick things which were too cheesy to finish.

Incredible how painfully and fervently hungry I got when I had done a workout. 2 weeks without training really took it out of me. It really is like a compulsive habit. Also interesting is the complete loss of appetite from not exercising - I would be unable to finish meals that I would have finished in minutes usually. Nice to see that my body only demands enough energy to meet it needs.

Wondering at how people can tattoo the Nike logo on themselves. I mean just do it is a good motto but really!

What and all that cost me just 27 Australian dollars??

Frustration- I think that because I look American they try to give me coffee which is American style when all I really crave is their wonderful espresso with frothed milk!
Also the napkins are often waxed which is ridiculous.

I think the brazillian immigration consulate really is hell. And that the officials who work there really are satans minions. It really isnt as bad as you imagine, it's worse.

So I'm just going to go and workout and work hard until Friday when I'll go and pick up my now paid for visa.

Being picky with taxis in south America. Ill just let 10 go past if they dont have airconditioning!

It is a shame that I was in such a bad mood about my situation while in buenos aires because it is a beautiful city and my depressed state probably didn't allow me to enjoy it fully.

Spent my last pesos on a sandwich which actually made me gag. The good news is that I bought it from the airport lounge where I am currently sitting waiting for my flight to rio. It basically cost me a small fortune of 450 usd for the flight, but that's the price you have to pay for booking and paying for it in a travel agent half an hour after you get your visa (no questions asked!) and that's at one 'o clock and I am flying at four twenty.

Never have I been so happy to get on a plane! Rediscovered my joy of flying with this one. The clouds and the setting sun were stunning.

This post was composed entirely on my iPhone :-)


- Mathieu

Labels: buenos aires immigration rio brazil adventure

Here I am in Atlanta Georgia, in the land of plenty, eating a Burrito (yay!) overhearing a man talk about how he had to bribe his way out of Moscow, amongst other experiences.

The flight was long (10 hours) but a friendly Aussie was sitting next to me. Strange understanding people around me. Except the girls working in the Mexican Grill, I had trouble understanding their accent! Adorable kind of drawl though.

And the hair do she had! My God! I'm going to try and get a picture.

From the air - all the suburban houses are the same - white walls, dark roofs, flying in, and the contrast in infrastructure against Brazils is stunning.

I flew right over a lot of paradise though on the way, and the Amazon as well.

The power plant coming into Atlanta was right out of the simpsons, complete with the lake sitting right snug beside it.

There was this massive church, surrounded by equally massive parking lots. Only served to increase my morbid fascination with this part of the United States.

Immigration was tough, the guy was really suspicious (just doing his job I know) and I kind of had to tell a fib and say that I wasn't working in Brazil.

Anyway it scares me to think of how much paper is used to wipe American hands here in washrooms, with reels of it pouring out of sensor-matic automatic rollers, not to mention the automatic taps and toilets!

The contrast with Rio is stunning.

There are two other people with Apple laptops right here in this food court.

There are lots of military guys around.

I flirted with the baggage usher lady, when I asked whether I should put some pants on [cause it's cold] she said I could do what I like but she thinks I should stay just like that. LOL I was wearing my shorts (short ones) and my orange adidas jacket. It's was chilly in the airplane boom thingo.

Using first wireless connection since leaving Australia.

The feelings of contrast I'm having right now with the 'developed world' vs the 'developing' is, again, quite stunning.

The teen girl across from me is chatting chit chat to her friend somewhere across the country, asking her friend how to spell Georgia ("Is it with a J?") cause she needs to text this 'dude' where she is. And she doesn't wanna go back to school, Bro. And she's gotta spend 10 whole hours in Salt Lake City.

Last night I went to Lapa with my Volley mates. Carlo(ta) decided he wants an iPod after all, and I also ended up drinking more than I intended, and dancing samba outside the club in the street (so we don't pay for entry) and then going home for 2 hours sleep before heaving myself out of bed, finishing packing (still part drunk) and then getting down the street for a toasted ham and cheese sandwich and orange juice before settling into a taxi to take me to Ilha Governador. The lady in the shop "Hobby" gave me a sad little wave as I settled into the taxi with my bags, I returned it, but couldn't tell her 'I'll be back!!!'. That will have to be a surprise.

I did feel sad leaving Rio, even only for this short time, and seeing all of it [Rio] from my nice window seat all at once made me remember all the things I'd done down there, and all the things I haven't too.

I was feeling a bit blue too because my trainer who I respect very much took a turn on me last night, really sudden, with no explanation. I've got a feeling it's not entirely my fault, but it still is very odd an in my opinion uncalled for. I forgive him already but I will still ask for an explanation for the coldness towards me.
Anyway I won't think about it. The other time this happened everything was normal the next time I saw him. Other friends said he's just 'maluco' and I shouldn't worry.

Now there's a 'bofe' model on his way back from Mexico City, who has a call time at 5.30 tomorrow. He's dressed fashionably in jacket and beret, got the same phone as me, and is eating something healthy looking from "Natures Table Bistro". He's also making smaller small talk than the girl before (if that's possible) to a man friend somewhere back home.

Now the man across from me is talking College football with his wife who is doing her very best to seem interested. Snaps for her! That's love. Maybe it's the Luis Vuitton she's toting? She's kind of a Sandra Bullock. They're talking about the how the pilots and flight attendants are all screwing - meanwhile wives and kids are back at home. "Nasty".

The black guys behind me are talking about shooting squirrels in their Georgian accents. They work for Delta.

They're ringing a bell in TGI Fridays.

Uploading NYE photos to flickr. Some of them (you know the ones - yes the ones with my head in the drink bucket) are quite embarrassing! I'm consciously not editing them though. It happened, it's reality. I'll deal with it. Don't mention it though!

Looking back on my photos from the last couple of months, I'm kind of unhappy that the barber chopped off all my curls! Looking forward to having them back.

Whenever I meet a Canadian or North American, they always think that I'm English, because my accent isn't like other Australian people I've met. This happens a lot. Is it true?

I'd better stick to a budget here [in the US], because I don't want to run out of money at the end of the month again in Rio. And money can get gobbled up quite fast here!

--

Well the check in guy in Rio must have totally been pintosa because he left me a nice surprise tucked in my boarding pass wallet for me to find in Atlanta.

See, I boarded first and turned left at the entrance and sat in first class from Atlanta to San Francisco. And all I did was show a bit of leg! Short shorts investment paying off +++

... Cheeky bugger - now I know why he tucked it right inside the sleeve without showing me! And when I read it in Atlanta I just assumed I was reading it wrong... not believing my eyes!

Mind you this is budget airline first class, and it's really business class, but it's certainly much more comfortable.

--

Ok and a --- for Delta for leaving my bag in Atlanta! The cold here [in SF] when I walked outside was brutal. And of course I was still in my short shorts, as I only had even more garish pajama pants to change into! I ended up chasing down a bus (lucky I was in my running gear now) headed for downtown, and I read my Brazilian grammar book on the way, even though I was only a few hours short of delirium, and I listened and contributed to helping the other passengers get to where they needed to go <3 <3 <3

Off the bus, a homeless guy asked me for change, then asked me if my 'legs were cold, man!'. I told him the airline left my bag in Georgia but didn't elaborate because a) my legs were freezing and I wanted to get to the hostel and b) even now I 'aint got problems compared with this guy. At least I gave him a laugh.

A hot shower! A little skyping and then I was in bed.

--

Awake from a short but refreshing sleep of 4 hours. Spoke in Japanese to the guy in my room, but Portuguese came out once! What's going on!!!!
Need to practice Japanese more.

Labels: first impressions, travel

I couldnt remember where I was for NYE last year, so I checked my flickr and blog to jolt my memory. I remember now, I played Wii at atariboys place, and then went to the house party at Gearons. Remember getting drunk and mixing really bad cocktails, and seeing some distant fireworks, dancing to JT, and then going home around 4.

This year here I am in Copacabana. It looks as though its going to be quite *maluco* or crazy tonight. My friends, who could probably play volleyball in their sleep, are going to follow through on their tradition of putting on skirts and heels and play in those, for the enjoyment of the millions of passerbys.

The weather is fine, and Ill make sure I get some photos to post.

Ill try to sum up my life for the past few months.
In Octover I moved out of that noisy and expensive apartment and moved into a small granny flat on the ground floor of an apartment where I could stay for free until the 20th of December. I met the owner on the beach!

Moved out of there into another part of town, Gloria, which is closer to the centre of town, and Im renting the place from one of the volley ball players from the beach. Hes in Recife for 2.5 months. Hes old, so the place smells of ammonia, theres no hot water, but surprisingly I dont miss it. Things were going well until the internet stopped working, and the unpaid notice arrived. And what with this being this time of year, it doesnt look as though I will have much internet access at home until... unfortunately I cant say! This is troubling.

Ive been continuing my workouts with Paulo as my personal trainer, and Im settling into the Carioca lifestyle, eating lots of rice and beans, chicken, red meat, as well as guzzling lots of Skol, Antartica and Itaipava, and regrettably my fair share of Coca Cola. Even chocolate has been on the menu here and there. Basically Im not thinking about what Im eating much.

Went to Unidos de Tijuca on Sat night, it was full to the brim of samba dancing pintosas! It was fun and I think Ive got the basic movements down. Need to practice though. I had a personal moment dancing samba with a caprihinia in hand wearing board shorts with hundreds sweating around you while the fireworks went off overhead (and even a few bits dropping into the crowd).The bus trip home was quite a ride and while waiting for it to arrive (buses run all night here) we took this hilarious photo of me lying down across everyones laps with me doing the peace sign at one end and my sneakers sticking out at the other. I had a good giggle before I got on the bus.

THE WEEK is the hot spot as far as clubs go, and 00 (Zero Zero) is pretty swanky too, but theyre both pretty much full of Rios rich elite... and the places themselves, well lets just say that they resemble in atmosphere and music and patronage what you would see in Melbourne or Sydney. Nice, but same same. And they are prohibitivly expensive for most of the poplulation, most of my friends included. I went once to THE WEEK, but doubt I will go again to a place thats like what we have back home (except that the DJs are CDDJs! ugh!) when I can visit things that we dont have, like the Samba schools and the Lapa area street party.

If youre craving more (yeah right) check my flickr photos, they are updated much more regularly than this blog.

Feliz novo ano para vocês.

P.S I can feel my Portugese getting better!

Labels: copacabana, NYE, revelion

Back from gym with Paulo in Niteroi. He worked my legs and abs so hard I puked before I could finish stretching. Must remember to bring along some food! And it was unfortunately in that toilet that doesn't flush, where I left a rather large AGB on Saturday.

Paulo and I have some trouble communicating, but Paulo has worked out that if he posts something akin to a diary entry for me on my testimonial section in Orkut, I can translate it and understand what he was on about in the gym.

Burnt a CD with his photos on it afterwards, and found out he's got photoshop at home and is going to do a wee bit of image manipulation probably. Will be interesting to see what he comes up with. Grabbed a chicken and cheese filled bun, a cup of guaravita, and walked towards the Van stop. Made a point of putting my rubbish in the bin.

The Van ride home across the bridge was interesting. I just made it in to the vanq, and was thus seated on a white plastic stool for 1/2 the trip. The front seat where I sat for the remainder was much more comfy, and I think I like the quietness and the one leg convenience it provides over the ferry and bus route.

Although my senses do scream at me for spending so much time in transit, the benefits are outweighing the time spent I think. I always learn some new words while working out, and have time to mull over them along with lots of other things on the way. It's also time away from my laptop. And my workouts are different from anything I've done before - the change is welcome. He's a good trainer and doesn't let me be a wimp. It's also interesting seeing real Brazilians outside the Copacabana and Ipanema "Zona Zul" bubble.

Words learnt today:
Stretching - Alongamento
tired - Cansado
weight (less weight, more weight) - peso (menos peso, muito peso)

Labels: workout fitness Niteroi

This is Paulo and me posing with the Campy Copacabana cow across from Copacabana palace.
More photos over at flickr! (Click the photo)

作詩：椎名林檎 作曲：椎名林檎

是程多くの眼がバラバラに
何かを探すとなりゃあ其れなり
様々な言葉で各々の全てを
見極めなくちゃあならない
正しいとか　間違いとか
黒だとか　白だとか

何処に行けば良いのですか
君を信じて良いのですか
愛してくれるのですか
あたしは誰なのですか
怖くて仕方が無いだけなのに…

是迄多くの眼がちやほやと
ひたすらあたしを肯定した
様々な合図でてきぱきと
姿を見破られなくちゃあならない
優れていて　劣っていて
数だとか　レヴェルとか

此処に居れば良いのですか
誰が真実なのですか
お金が欲しいのですか
あたしは誰なのですか
何処に行けば良いのですか
君を信じて良いのですか
愛してくれるのですか
あたしは誰なのですか
此の先も現在(いま)も無いだけなのに…

Blogged with Flock

Labels: music, 音楽

I've aquired some 10 rather unsavory nicknames - Paulo took this moment to remind me of some of them last night....

Monday, 22 October 2007 11:05

Com o tornozelo lesionado! Por pouco tempo.... (Paulo)
putaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
kkkkkkkkkk
piranha
vaca
cadela
11:05

Mathieu Tozer
pintoza
11:05

Com o tornozelo lesionado! Por pouco tempo....
nao
e pintosa
11:05

Mathieu Tozer
muitos obrigado vocé
o pintosa
Você vê as fotos?

Com o tornozelo lesionado! Por pouco tempo.... Changed status to Offline (11:06:49 PM)

Labels: chat, portuguese

I love this photo set I took on Sunday with my friends from the beach volley ball courts in Copacabana.

Labels: beach, copacabana, volei, Volleyball

Right before I moved into my much more secure apartment, my iPod nano, Bang & Olufsen headphones, Cannon 8mp IXUS and $300 Brazilian Reais were stolen by a nasty thief from my locker. The story goes...

He checked in during the morning. I was having a lye down as I was feeling fluey and gastric, and he made no effort to be quiet as he sang in the shower and then promptly went to bed, with a sheet over his face presumably to block out the light. Prolly should have smelt a fish, yes, but I was sick.

Went out to lunch, and 45 minutes later came back and it was all gone.

Many sweaty hours spent getting police reports later in Leblon for insurance purposes (which will probably be a story of woe in itself) I made myself forget about the camera and iPod and got on with life.

But then I get this adorable little email from the Tourist Police

YOUR CAMERA WAS FIND

Hi!

We get your camera "CANON ixus 860 IS" with a thief. Please you need come
back here, Tourist Police District - DEAT, to recognized it. If you leave
Brazil, try to contact us to advice how you intent to receive back your
camera, ok?
Thank´s!

My best regards;

Inspector Mergulhão
Delegacia de Atendimento ao Turista

So I just went back and picked it up! No iPod or headphones, they were probably sold off fast. But I was still pretty pleased. The police were happy with themselves too, for catching this guy. He had a sack full of loot apparently.

That's the back story to this post - I wanted to show you the pictures taken by the thief which were left on the card. Delightful!





See them all at flickr

Labels: copacabana, photos, police, rio, theif

Here's me at the start of the parade yesterday.

See flickr for some more craaay-ze photos!

Labels: copacabana, gay, parade, rio

Funny story.

I went to inspect an apartment today. The only contact I had was "Juliana" a helpful lady I've been emailing this week. She's an agent of sorts.

So I arrive at the apartment a little early, and ask the guard for "Juliana". He calls upstairs, then tells me "Não Juliana" I walk outside and loiter for 10 minutes, and some young women upstairs are hanging out the window pointing and saying "Juliana"? Beckoning.

I go in and the guard sends me up.

The apartment is cramped, full of smoke, and there's a telephone cable across the hallway. I attempt to communicate that I came to see Juliana, they sit me down and ask questions in Portugese. They're all lovely, but not one of them is Juliana. One puts down here cell phone and tells me Juliana isn't back till 10 pm, so if I want to see her, I'll have to come back then.

Smelt fish yet?

I ask "Juliana falar Inglês?"

"Não, falar German!"

That's when I knew for certain I was in the wrong place!

I just continued to smile affably, and politely excused myself from this room full of hookers, and went back downstairs. I don't know what the guard must have been thinking then! The real After I had tried to call Juliana from the street phone, which had its walls lined with hooker ads, and my cell phone, all the while with the girls upstairs still beckoning me from above, the real Juliana turned up. Juliana is a young, sweet, English speaking pregnant woman who took me up, explained who I was to the guard, and we all had a good laugh.

The apartment is lovely and I've already put down my deposit.

Labels: apartment Rio De Janeiro