Becoming part of a local family as Couch Surfers

Before our trip, we sought advise from our respected elderly, Father Giovanni, how we find the presence of God during our two years trip around the world, his left us some wise words after a few second of silence, 'if I were you, I won't take any photos, see the world with your eyes and meet people.


It's a visual oriented world, we can't help taking photos but we try to spend some extra time enjoying the moment.


When we face the stunning Iguazu Fall, after taking some pictures, we spend time sitting there quietly to look and listen. We could have sit there all day, if we could. It's paradise before our eyes...if there weren't hundreds of tourists with cameras, video cameras, cameramen doing business, fences for protection...okay let's focus on the stunning view...it's amazing.


In Buenos Aires, we are glad to join friends and family gatherings of our local friends, chatting and eating.


Argentinians love chatting, people we met on a bus, in a lift, in the street, in a milonga had so much to say, it's a pity that we don't quite understand Spanish.


We heard about couch surfing (CS) back in Hong Kong, with news that a single girl staying in some strangers house being raped... But we are a pair of couple and have nothing to fear, and do found the idea of home staying very interesting.


Frankly, this helps save cost for our two years travel but then we found the CS site have ways to protect their members and its not just about free stays. The main point of CS is not for saving cost but for people in different parts of the world connecting each other. Tourists know nothing about the locals, but travellers connect with them and know each other, a way is to CS.


Every member need to input their comprehensive profile and will have a list of reference. By being a host or a couch surfer, you actually know a lot about the people before you meet! (of course this may be fake, even so, you still need to write a long story!) It's such a great chance to experience life of a local, to share thoughts, food and culture.


For cost saving, we have thought of hitch-hiking along our way as well, there are some bloggers writing their hitch-hiking experience but we still feel at risk and may take very long time to get to our next destination. We'll save it for later until we become more desperate!


We gone crazy when we got our first host! (after sending almost a hundred requests daily, until the list exhausted). It's a family in Medianeira, a small town, one hour bus ride from Foz do Iguazu, in Brazil. It is a bit far away but we are glad having a chance to meet locals.


It's a 30 years old guy, Juracy, who lived with his parent and a dog. He speaks good English and just came back from Rome after staying a few years. His parent only speak Spanish, Portuguese and some English words. His extremely friendly mum, Catalina was from Venezuela and his father, also named Juracy, had spent some time in Russia - all very open minded people, who love to discuss matters including politics, history, culture, cooking and everything. They spare 2 rooms and receiving CS non-stop! It's simply amazing.

our Chinese fried noodles, they love it

We enjoy sumptuous meal made by mummy on the first night and we also shared some Chinese cooking, including sweet and sour rib, dumplings, Hong Kong egg cake... that they loved so much.

Chinese 3 color fried rice

The next night, they were joined by a German and Finland. We went to nearby lake for a swim, meeting Juracy and some family friends and it's like a fiesta every day.


 

Actually CS requests takes time, many prefer full profiles (which means you need to fill up a hundred page of info!!), the fact that you are an experienced CS with a lot of reference from previous CS and hosts, and they expect you to stay for only 2-3 days, so don't expect a week or more! And even if a room 'perhaps' available, it takes time to chat with the host and see if you like each other. They don't expect free stay as your only purpose, so generic request message won't work, do spend time to read the profile and get to know the person. In peak time like Brazil Carnival, Rio locals either host their friends, got CS request half a year ahead or plan to escape and leave some place else for a vacation!! It might be helpful sometimes to look for small towns nearby the big cities.

the couple on the left (Juracy and Catalina) are the host father and mother, a neigbour (Ana) who is the only chinese in the town, raised in Cuba, came and visited us

the white t-shirt guy in front is Juracy, thanks to him we have such a good time at Medianeira

Our stay in Medianeira is absolutely wonderful, I feel like children of the family and it's so quiet and enjoyable. Though our itinerary might not have much excitement, but chatting with the family, supermarkets tour, driving around town, trying out local pastries, cooking at home, a short trip to the river nearby, visiting family friends and have a chat and visiting their house are nice for us.


We are lucky to have two hosts in Rio real soon, which makes up a week there. We are still looking for someone to host us in San Paulo and other cities in Brazil. Keep faith and we are well taken care of to whatever plan He wanna take us.


Now is time to make some Chinese dumplings!

巴西家庭之旅 - 下集

個火又唔勁,用來將牛骨飛水嗰煲水要成三個字先滾，有兩個couchsurfers (一個德國人,一個芬蘭人)九點半到，好彩有幾個壓力煲可以將排骨炆焾,又用另一個壓力煲煑牛骨湯，最後出爐有炆甜酸骨 (真好,可以用哂樽紅醋, 唔洗搬咁重)、番茄薯仔牛骨湯、牛骨湯煮飯、奶油津白。 九點九開飯。其間聽Juracy同嗰兩個女仔講德國及芬蘭歷史，仲比嗰兩個女仔多。餐飯當然啲餸無哂，剩番的飯仲可以留低日後炒飯。嗰晚吃得太飽煮得累，沒有出去跳舞了。

第三日起床有些晚，吃過沙樂美腸飛碟，Catalina媽媽話我哋昨日已經煮咗嘢，今日由佢煮。食食下飛碟，個德國女仔隻手俾隻chou chou 咬到，原來隻狗喺佢兜食物附近係生人勿近，嗰女仔隻手踵哂，有發炎跡象，但唔同人有唔同反應：個女仔都算鎮定，無叫，只係按住傷口行開，但面青口唇白、阿仔手掩面好苦惱咁樣、阿媽用番皂洗傷口，其實都好，之後我用自己私伙綳帶包佢個傷口止血及吸濃，但阿媽問過佢嘅朋友Ana做醫生個仔，佢話唔駛包，成塊綳帶拿走，嘥我心機兼嘥料。

之後我哋去嗰個醫生屋企，以為可以幫傷口做啲嘢，走到上去十樓(已經係當地少有啲高樓)，原來係陪Juracy為醫生講解去羅馬旅行嘅心得，後者對個傷口無乜點理。可能佢工作時間以外唔可以做工作嘅嘢掛？或者佢覺得無乜大礙...

之後我有得揸車，原來阿仔無車牌，佢揸車嚟接我地都只不過係偷雞，我有國際牌，適應一下左軚就膽粗粗揸上去高速公路，去附近一條河玩。喺公路我揸到限定100km都俾人嫌慢，下下要揸120，仲要入小路將架自動波當四驅車咁揸。去到條河，原來係一個家庭露營地，條溪啲水普通，喺乾旱嘅當地已經係難得玩水地方，我哋浸下水就揸車番屋企，媽媽已經煮好晚飯，有傳統嘅豆同飯、煮牛扒、沙律，仲有薑檸檬汁，簡單滿足的一餐吃得很開心。

最後一日無水，呢個地區無乜雨，就算喺一個大湖及大壩附近，都可以制水。其實媽媽平時好環保，洗碗廢水會叫老公攞去淋花、啲廚餘會用嚟做肥料、膠袋會洗過再用、用過嘅檸檬會用嚟洗碗。我用咗啲冷飯炒飯，一家食得開心，跟著成個晏晝無乜嘢做，只係上網，我準備煮苦瓜炒排骨(其實無鑊好難炒嘢，只好用阿婆留低嘅古董大鋼盤，唔係好受熱，炒唔起火氣)，M想用埋啲粉做水餃，因為無粘米粉做蘿蔔糕我就炒白蘿蔔算了，再加甜棘排骨。所有人都吃得高興，唯有白蘿蔔剩下，呢度啲人唔係點慣食，我哋就打包之後當午餐。

 

第五天我哋晨咁早要回Foz do Iguacu, 成家人早起同我哋送行，好感動。

呢個係一個很充實嘅巴西家庭體驗，多謝Juracy一家。我哋會番來探你哋呀。

巴西家庭之旅 - 上集

經過個半小時的車程, 兩旁的田地在落日下閃耀?  車廂在冷氣下舒服極了, 好為之前在烈日的街上給龜殼壓累了的身體充電. 終於來到 Medianeira, 幸好車站的公共電話可以打地線, 就聯絡上Juracy. 他駕車來接我們, 一個稚氣未泯的大個子, 他的英文不錯, 和我們溝通不難. 他和父母住在車站附近兩三條街的屋裏. 我所指的屋, 真的是屋, 單層, 有花園有車房, 一進屋, 熱情的媽媽給我們大大的擁抱, Juracy的爸爸也叫Juracy, 走出來不容易在興高采烈的媽媽身後找個身位和我們握手。Juracy的父母只懂少許英文, 他便幫忙翻譯。 為了方便分辨兩父子, Juracy在爸爸前被媽媽叫Juracito (the little Juracy). 母親Catalina是委內瑞拉人, 她在我們來之前已經預備晚餐, 我們當日沒有去看Iguazu瀑布, 早些出發來Medianeira, 不要一家人等我們吃飯. 和我們打招呼的還有一隻chou chou有十二歲, 也不年輕了.


開心地飲過冰凍的啤酒 (全家人都喜觀飲啤酒) 當天晚餐是咖哩肉醫意粉, 煮小扁豆,及沙津, 小扁豆像切開一半的小青豆, 用豬肉, 洋蔥, 薯仔煮, 很易飽, 是Juracy 特別叫Catalina看食譜學來煮的, 他說這是巴西的傳統食物,我們定要試, 她還特地調一種有薑及薄荷的檸檬涷飲, 薄荷是她在花園自己種的. 之後他們想帶我們去跳舞, 但我們經過一天勞碌, 又想上網 (Juracy特地買了一個wifi router, 我幫他安裝好, 大家happy, 阿爸唔駛同個仔爭電腦上網, 可以一齊用自己電腦上網, 而我們也可坐收漁人之利,開行兩部電腦勁上)把瀑布之旅放上網, 便捥拒了. 原來他約了自己朋友蒲吧, 那麼高消費的事就免了,


原本我們睡Juracy的睡/書房 (裏面的床只是一張梳化床), 他在父母的套房打地舖, 我們表示不好意思, 但他說較喜歡有冷氣的套房. 其實當晚也有另一對couchsurfers (Juracy都幾好客) 來但行程延誤了, 所以我們就睡了另一間原本安排給她們的雙人房一晚, 當晚也悶熱, 幸好有風扇, Catalina 建議把大風扇向窗,把蚊吹出,其實我一早就燒蚊香...


第二天我們起床, 已經見Catalina煲咖啡, 桌面放了面包和芝士. 吃過早餐, 我們開始了在Medianeira的超市觀光, 買些我們煮中餐的材料. 去了三間超市,各有平貴,阿媽同個仔都無帶錢(我估唔會老馮掛), 我哋去第一間較貴的超市買咗大部份嘢: 青紅黃椒、白蘿蔔(之後M先發現唔夠粘米粉)、洋葱、牛骨、茄子, 之後去另一間買芽菜,成港幣廿蚊斤,好貴...但呀仔鐘意食,又可以用嚟炒麵, 買。去最後一間,阿媽有account, 唔駛我哋俾錢, 買咗排骨, salami. 番屋企成一點，快快炒咗個面，大家吃得很開心。

食完午飯個鎮唯一一個中國人Anna嚟探我哋,佢喺廣東五十年代去咗古巴(當時係唯一出國方法),做餐館工人至退休,跟做醫生嘅仔去到巴西定居,而家已經七十多歲。佢帶咗自己種嘅苦瓜，可以整苦瓜炒排骨(但係無豆豉,到時improvise啦). 跟住陪佢行去佢個女屋企，見到佢孫女,就嚟讀大學,都幾靚架.有兩隻好大隻嘅狗, 我哋睇下佢種苦瓜嘅花園,同時發現有一棵喺樹幹生出似提子狀嘅莓子. Anna 同我哋傾到唔捨得我哋走,但係我要炆排骨要多啲時間煮飯. 之後我哋走路回家,經過Juracy朋友一家人坐在屋外談天, 原來?家人老婆婆過世, Juracy 感到震驚,我們又喺度坐嚟傾, 有個後生仔讀英文同我哋練習. 就嚟天黑我哋先走到, 成七點半先開始煮飯.


我得番個半小時煮飯,又要煲牛骨湯又要炆排骨,點煮呀?

Foz de Iguazu, starting the Brazilian side

After visiting the Iguazu, we went back to Puerto Iguazu, got on the bus and went to Foz de Iguazu, the Brazilian town near Iguazu Fall. We took off 3 blocks ahead and had to walk 6 blocks to the youth hostel. To Maria, it was really tough, finally we got the HI hostel. It was Maria's first time in a youth hostel, for shared kitchen and bathroom. (M: I had been in summer camps staying in dorm or minzuku in Japan with private room and shared bathroom, no kitchen, but camping in youth hostel, with locker is my first!) The grassland was good for camping. There was also wifi. The cost was not cheap though. For camping, it cost R$17 per person (1R$=HK$4.6). There was also a small swimming pool. The staff were friendly and could speak English well. It was a perfect place.


When we settled down it was 7:30pm already. Glad that we have self-made pizza to heat up for dinner. We rushed to the nearby supermarket, which closed at 8pm, to buy beer. We should have brought the empty bottles in the hostel so we needn't pay extra R$2 for 1L beer bottle! We had a good dinner, good shower, good sleep in tent. Thanks to God that there was no rain.


The next day, we were supposed to wake up and go to the Brazilian side of Iguazu Fall, but we did not realize that it was 11am already when we went out (we should turn the clock one hour faster). Seems a waste for the expensive entrance fee if we go to the national park for the waterfall and rush to our host family afterwards, so in the afternoon, we did window shopping in the street of Av Brazil, where Maria bought a locally made sport bra (R$26, while imported one could cost R$120).

We went back to the hostel, go online, packed and missed the swimming pool, then walked to the bus stop to Rodovianria (bus terminal) for the bus to Medianeira, where our first CS host Juracy was). So "lucky" that the bus stop nearby was blocked because of road maintenance and we did not know where the next bus stop was. We had to walk 3 blocks to find one, another torture to Maria with her heavy backpack.


Finally we were in the bus terminal, getting the ticket and hopping onto the comfortable bus, then started our new episode staying with a local family in the coming four days.

Not much tango but lots of local life, such as party

Last week we just went to Salon Canning on Tuesday and La Viruta on Friday. The other night we were busy preparing the trip to Iguazu and Rio afterward. Rio is so full in mid-February during the Carnival. Just a tent on roof top costs 45 Reis (HK$ 225 a night). It is our cheapest choice already. We keep finding couch-surfing (CS, it is to ask if anyone has a couch at home to host). The couch providers in Rio are mostly out of town or have other couch-surfers already. It seems that local people will get away from the carnival if possible, are we doing the tourist thing by getting there at that peak time ? (M: Yes, we are, darling. Afterall, it's a world big event once a year, just be there as a tourist, once, okay?^^)

So far we just find a couch/room at Medianeira, 55km away from Foz de Iguazu, the Brazilian side of Iguazu Fall. The family has a deep history and is very welcoming. Our concern is that it costs 12 Reis one way to get to and fro the fall. However, as CS is about meeting people instead of staying for free, we would like to try by visiting the fall for 2-3 days and then go to Medianeira particularly, just getting to know local people. Wish us luck.

We went to Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires (Malba) on Wednesday, when they had the main exhibit by Carlos Cruz-Diez. The work was amazing by combining simple colors and lines to complexity. The amazing will get boring when seen for too long. (But Cruz-Diez had been playing with this concept for over 30 years!) The more amazing thing was that those "modern art" work on display was created 40 years ago and are still looking very contemporary now. They stay 'modern' as time goes by.


Last Thursday we had a great party with HK tango girls at their apartment. To our delight, we can stay in BsAs for one more week in their apartment by setting up a tent in the terrace outside the kitchen. Thanks Carrie, Anne and Eva. We'll cook good meals for you.

We were nearly robbed in Retiro train station, on Saturday, by cunning thieves who spread some liquid to distract our attention. While we were busy cleaning, my rucksack was opened. Luckily we lost nothing, but I felt ashamed of my low awareness and easy fall to the psychological trap (as Maria said, Monkeys see Monkeys do). In similar situation, we should have ran away, instead of standing there cleaning.

 

We follow the queue and not knowing what's ahead of us!

After the scary incident, we found our refuge by visiting a nearby museum - Museo de Arte Hispanoamericano Issac Fernandez Bianco. It should have been closed at 7pm, but there was still a queue at 6:45pm. We lined up to visit the museum but ended up sitting in a monologue poetry reading/ drama session in the museum (in Spanish). It was good to familiarize with the language, soaking into the dramatic monologue with a good actress emotional performance and melancholy singing (something about a dead child and a sad mother), nice air-conditioning to cool-down, also with art collections around us. Later we found an English speaking church nearby.

Being too tired, we slept through the morning and missed the English Sunday mass and the possible Tigre re-visit on Sunday. After buying the bus tickets for Iguazu and Rio (only 550peso per person), we went to a local circus polo (tent set-up for circus show) at Juan de Garey. The free show was performed by local acrobat (I wonder if they are amateur, it is free anyway). (M: interestingly they give a look of 'lucky! I've made it', after every difficult tricks they've performed in near success.) We joined the locals and kids in applauding and cheering and had a good time.

After French onion soup, it rained and we stayed at home, though we thought about outdoor milonga in Plaz de Derrego.


We haven't packed for moving out on Jan 31. Wish us luck.