From Alberto, April 17, 2000 (more) |
| Hi there, Here are a couple more photos from Campina Grande. After a wonderful, delicious lunch here at the house -filet is about 4 reis a kilo - that's about a dollar a pound or perhaps less. 1 dollar = 1.80 reis. So, meat is inexpensive and the best cuts are served. Spaghetti, french fries, juices - umba (a small yellow fruit) and manga (mango), yummy pineapple desert with cream sauce and - a small salad with corn and peppers and lettuce and olives, and then a siesta. We visited a agricultural collective where they do research on how to grow cotton better. Peanuts and some other crops are their domain as well. Turns out Brazil has not jumped onto the genetic engineering bandwagon just yet and they emphasized how they are trying to control insects and other problems using organic solutions. I was impressed and enjoyed the tour. Tonight we have a big meeting with the Rotarians in town. A couple clubs and media will be there to capture the event. It's been raining lightly since about 2pm and my siesta was spent mostly on the porch listening to the rain, watching the garden (I swear there are some hummingbirds out there) and reading the Jan/Feb. issue of Mother Jones featuring an interesting article about Agent Orange and the effects on Viet Nam. We closed a medical waste incinerator in my neighborhood in Seattle and this article points out how little is being done for the Vietnamese vets - they receive about $7 a month to help them out while US vets receive about $1700. So, got me thinking about the Vietnamese people who live in Beacon Hill and whether or not they have access to treatment at our VA hospital. Something new to work on when I return. On to the pictures and a little cafezinho. Albert in market Lee in market meat market Next stop is Caruaru tomorrow morning at 8am. After 3 days there we will head to Recife for our final 9 days as a team. Alberto |