Today we must be on time. It is a good when we get the call that we start at 10:00 not 9:30. So we encourage our host to leave early anyway. He assures us that, yes, we will be on time in fact that we will probably be the first allowing an hour and 15 minutes to get across town. We start off and traffic is light what a relief. And the it is not so light in fact there is a traffic jam. Time ticks away and I get more anxious in the back seat. I keep hearing it is just a short distance. Yes we arrive at 10:25 and are not sure where we are to be. Yes, we are greeted with - that everyone is noticing we now have a reputation. I tried to calm myself through my meditation practices, but that is really hard in stop and go traffic. I will have to work on that. At least we weren't the last people.
The first thing was to visit the Bio-medical labs where they extract snake and other animal venom to produce anti-venom and vaccines They had samples of all the snakes and spiders they used. Brazil is full of snakes. This is also the hospital where they bring people in Brazil who have been bitten by poisonous snakes. The other part of the facilities was about the development of vaccines. It told the story of first discovering germs and bacteria hundreds of years ago through finding cures to many of the diseases we now control like the plague, and yellow fever, to finding cures for mad cow disease and AIDS. It was very informative. Of course, Zosia and I took the opportunity to look at the birds as the Campus is full of very high trees. Brazil is very tropical, like Florida only the vegetation has been growing here a lot longer in these parks.
Lunch was in a mall and the biggest most extensive food court I have ever seen. The restaurant was fantastic like all the others we go to - It was self-service buffet with hundreds of variety from sushi to all sort of meats, vegetable dishes, salads and lots of desserts.And how fortunate - it had great noon time beer specials where we tried three new kinds of beer.
Next stop the University of Sao Paulo where it cover several square miles and services 100,000 students. We went to the geology school, but I must say our stop at the stone store the day before was much more impressive.We talked with geologists about the formations of gems, stones, and rocks. Zosia and I were tired and we didn't want to go on the walking tour in the heat so I was able to do my meditation for the day. I set my alarm for 15 minutes and Zosia shoot me back to life after 13 minutes thinking it was 30 minutes. We took an auto tour of the campus and got monied-up (getting more cash). Cash seems to flow as fast here as at home.
Off to the farewell party and surprise we are the first to arrive. These people know how to party - they have a bartender and the crepe station ladies, and the kitchen crew. It is at the common room at Valdice's condo.
They have funny hats, goofy glasses, glowing bands around our wrists and fake ties. Now are all dressed up and everyone is arriving. The drinks are beginning to flow. It is fairly hot, as usual. The musician from the first day was there and we greeted each other as old friends - I love these people they are so expressive and friendly. OK, so everything is loud so we all are talking in animated level so we are all excited. Everyone is bouncing around the room greeting each other. Everyone now is eating the crepes and having beers, sodas, and wine. And after a while it is now time for 100 group photos and the presentations.
Valdice reads a glowing tribute to Austin and features Zosia as a wonderful Exchange Director and for some weird reason praised me as somebody special. Zosia gives here wonderful presentation about our visit - We exchange gifts - our club gives them money, they give Zosia a gift and then gives me a gift. The Austin club steps up and sings God Bless America, Yellow Rose of Texas and some other song. Then the choir of the Sao Paulo club put up a keyboard and entertain us with five songs.
We have to get up very early the next day, but now it is time for dessert crepes. So we stay until 10:00 and have an hour drive home. It took a long time to say good bye and kisses and hugs to everyone. At home I pack quickly and Zosia stay up having tea with Iracema until I go to bed. I had to have an eye mask as Zosia was packing until 3:00 am or so. I have to get up at 4:45 am.
W
The first thing was to visit the Bio-medical labs where they extract snake and other animal venom to produce anti-venom and vaccines They had samples of all the snakes and spiders they used. Brazil is full of snakes. This is also the hospital where they bring people in Brazil who have been bitten by poisonous snakes. The other part of the facilities was about the development of vaccines. It told the story of first discovering germs and bacteria hundreds of years ago through finding cures to many of the diseases we now control like the plague, and yellow fever, to finding cures for mad cow disease and AIDS. It was very informative. Of course, Zosia and I took the opportunity to look at the birds as the Campus is full of very high trees. Brazil is very tropical, like Florida only the vegetation has been growing here a lot longer in these parks.
Lunch was in a mall and the biggest most extensive food court I have ever seen. The restaurant was fantastic like all the others we go to - It was self-service buffet with hundreds of variety from sushi to all sort of meats, vegetable dishes, salads and lots of desserts.And how fortunate - it had great noon time beer specials where we tried three new kinds of beer.
Next stop the University of Sao Paulo where it cover several square miles and services 100,000 students. We went to the geology school, but I must say our stop at the stone store the day before was much more impressive.We talked with geologists about the formations of gems, stones, and rocks. Zosia and I were tired and we didn't want to go on the walking tour in the heat so I was able to do my meditation for the day. I set my alarm for 15 minutes and Zosia shoot me back to life after 13 minutes thinking it was 30 minutes. We took an auto tour of the campus and got monied-up (getting more cash). Cash seems to flow as fast here as at home.
Off to the farewell party and surprise we are the first to arrive. These people know how to party - they have a bartender and the crepe station ladies, and the kitchen crew. It is at the common room at Valdice's condo.
They have funny hats, goofy glasses, glowing bands around our wrists and fake ties. Now are all dressed up and everyone is arriving. The drinks are beginning to flow. It is fairly hot, as usual. The musician from the first day was there and we greeted each other as old friends - I love these people they are so expressive and friendly. OK, so everything is loud so we all are talking in animated level so we are all excited. Everyone is bouncing around the room greeting each other. Everyone now is eating the crepes and having beers, sodas, and wine. And after a while it is now time for 100 group photos and the presentations. 
Valdice reads a glowing tribute to Austin and features Zosia as a wonderful Exchange Director and for some weird reason praised me as somebody special. Zosia gives here wonderful presentation about our visit - We exchange gifts - our club gives them money, they give Zosia a gift and then gives me a gift. The Austin club steps up and sings God Bless America, Yellow Rose of Texas and some other song. Then the choir of the Sao Paulo club put up a keyboard and entertain us with five songs.
We have to get up very early the next day, but now it is time for dessert crepes. So we stay until 10:00 and have an hour drive home. It took a long time to say good bye and kisses and hugs to everyone. At home I pack quickly and Zosia stay up having tea with Iracema until I go to bed. I had to have an eye mask as Zosia was packing until 3:00 am or so. I have to get up at 4:45 am.
W
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