Kaptein Caprivi blogs…

We have been absolutely focused on getting our work done. Ty and I have been sleeping less and less, and working more and more. I am not complaining though, we have been doing a lot of work, and everyone has been 100% focused on getting stuff done.

Anyway, done with the boring stuff, let’s talk about the bars

Felippo, who met me for drinks the first Sunday, sent me a list of all the places we went to.

Sunday Lunch
Salve Jorge - http://www.barsalvejorge.com.br/vila.asp

Monday Night
Vaca Véia - http://www.vacaveia.com.br/

Tuesday Dinner
A Figueira Rubayat - http://www.rubaiyat.com.br/figueira/

Tonight is Sunday night, and we just came back from Figueira again. Man, what a fantastic restaurant.

On Monday night, at Vaca Véia, I had my first bad experience as a tourist. This guy, and you all have seen the type, was standing by the bar. He was over 50 years old, wearing a shirt that was too tight and too young for him, with a backpack draped over his shoulder. He was eying us, and soon enough he was standing close to our table, and the next thing we knew he was making contact: “So, are you all foreigners?” So obviously soon enough he was sitting at our table, taking over the conversation, and making a nuisance of himself. the next thing, he asks me where I am from. I say South Africa, and he says to me: “Oh, you have that black problem.”. He’s words hit me like a fist to the forehead, I could not believe that this guy first of all stigmatized me this way, and secondly that he could be so openly racist in front of people who obviously didn’t know. I asked him what he means, and he said “Yes, you have all those blacks in SA”. I said to him you are mistaken me and my country for something else, because we are not like than anymore. I turned away and spoke to one of the guys at the table. He left, only to come back soon after. When he sat down, i told him that I do not want to be rude, but this is a private party, and would he please leave. He then told Manoel in Portuguese that he just got butt-whipped by a South-African. He left, but I could see the guy looking at me from across the way. So, after a long while I go to the loo, and thought to myself if this guy follows me to the loo, there’s going to be trouble. I am certainly not a aggressive person, and would never get aggressive with other people, but something about this guy made me very uncomfortable. Sure enough, I was in the loo, alone, and this guy walks in. He goes: “ahhh, South-African, you come to my country, and you embarrass me in front of other people in my country. Well, it’s good to be around lot’s of friends when you are in a foreign country, because you never know what will happen to you when you are alone.” I looked straight at him, turned around, and walked out.

Fucker.

Manoel told me later that Brazil is very tense about hate speech, and I must admit that his one sentence really got under my skin. I was offended to the point where I feel aggression towards this guy, and for anyone that knows me, this will tell you everything you need to know.