So, How have we all been? What we did in a week in MG.

So it seems I'm back in the mood to continue with my contribution to the internet. Lets face it - if I don't it simply might not get done.

Where to begin? Well, we went to Minas Gerais - I can definitely recommend that. One week with the family eating, drinking etc. Our whistle stop tour was as follows:

• Hired car - drove to Bela Horizonte (bloody miles)
 

• Stopped at Estalagem do mirante in Brumadinho for three nights for great food, marvellous hospitality, really bloody dangererous steps for kids and a view to gloat about for years to come. In fact, repeatedly risking the lives of your young ones is most definitely worth it.



The View



And The Pool

 

• Visited Inhotim. - Without doubt the most impressive collection of Art installations and Botanical Gardens I have ever seen. Go there before you die. (the website says it all). It needs at least two days of your life, but with a 3 year old and a baby, and delightfully blistering heat, you might be tempted to axe the second day. We were. In fact we did. What a bunch of plebs.

Our lad's favourite. Beetles in the grass.

• Went to Ouro Preto. Did all the stuff you do there, including trying to drink all of their artisanal beer. Not sure about the taste of any of it to be honest, but it turned pushing the buggy on the bastard cobbles into a total pisstake. Think Paraty but with slopes in every direction.



Pint Of Backer's please - oh how I miss the Horse and Groom...



• Went to Tiradentes. Did the train ride, and the horse and cart. Both supplied much joy to all, not least are uncontrollably excited 3 year old madman. Drank fancy Cachaça and finally began to understand what all the fuss was about.
• Drove back to Rio.

If you have a week to kill there are a whole load of worse things you could do......

Or you could just stay at home and get stuck into one of these..... That stuff on the beach might never be the same...

 

  



In The Club....

Who would Jesus be?

So, I joined a football club. Something which will no doubt amuse those that are aware my general total lack of familiarity with the beautiful game in any way whatsoever.

Everyone here is something to the world of the round ball. Its almost like you have to be. Everybody is either Flamengo or Botafogo or Santos or something quite hard to pronounce. This identity transcends class, race or gender, and takes on an importance on a par with remembering your wedding anniversary (unfortunately this is also something that can confuse me)

So when they ask me and I don't know what I am, they kindly immediately initiate me into their baying gang on the spot. For this I am supposed to feel a warm sense of pride and belonging.

Anyhow - we joined Fluminense club in Laranjeiras because we needed somewhere to go in our spare time where our little bloke could cut loose with a marginally reduced chance of getting run over or falling off something. I just got back from a swimming and dossing around in the play area marathon, followed by a meal for both of us for R$14.50 and an inevitable couple of cold Skols. Now this friends, could turn the hardiest of footy agnostics.

What is more, I am confused and dismayed that our little man is showing some considerable interest in the bloody sport too, so in order to avoid an accusation of being  negligent parents, we will probably sign him up for lessons when he turns three in August.

Who would have thought it?