Rambling Journal

There’s so much rambling and babbling I do in my journal, and if you’ve traveled with me then you’ve undoubtedly seen me with one of my spiral notebooks, or scribbling something down every seven-seconds. Below, is a sampling of some of the things in my journal, and some weather-notations which I check frequently in places I’ve been or will be very soon, an increasingly exciting addiction of mine.


8/19/07 2:43a. Che Lagarto Hostel, Rua Anita Garibaldi 87, Copacabana, Rio.

I ended up giving out a half-dozen bananas on my walk home. There was one kid asking for money, and I offered him a banana, he said he didn’t want it but took it from me anyway and asked for fifty-cents. There was a woman who was very grateful, and a man whose face lit-up so brightly that I began tearing and had to walk away fast, his smile and eyes branded in my thoughts. Here I was, gorging my face in a buffet, privileged, and at the offering of a banana (what is it?) he was, if only momentarily, so happy. I need to do more things like this. Whether or not I see an enigmatic smile that lights up two faces at once, these people are in need, and I’m in a position to help. The bananas or any fruit are nutritious and easy to consume, it does some good if only in a miniscule way, it supports local fruit stands and people picking crops and delivering them etc., but mainly it gives hungry people something nutritious. The only bad thing as far as I can see, is it encourages begging or these people loitering in these neighborhoods, but that doesn’t seem reason enough not to do these “fruit runs” or “banana runs”. Excited about the idea! Gonna do some quick stretches.

Oh and I went to Maracanã stadium tonight where Brazil lost to Uruguay in the 1950 World Cup, and watched two of Rio’s biggest rivals, Flamingo and Flumenense go at it. At the game the energy was so intense, the level of play was whatev but these fans were out of control and there was crotch-grabbing and pointing and something about mothers that I didn’t quite get. I didn’t know the chants but deciphered that all the chanting was basically a combination of vowel sounds and I just got by on that. On the way there we were in this van and this Brazilian guy’s telling me all about the teams we’re gonna see and we’re talking about some other stuff and I’m thinking his English is decent, and I say “hey your English is pretty decent” I mean he’s not making too many grammatical errors, and then he just says “what?” –“Your English, it’s pretty good, better than most Brazilians I’ve met”. “Yo man I’m from Queens”. My turn “What?” “Oueens, brother, New York.” “Oh,” and we sat in silence while I retraced our conversation.”

9/1/07 10:51p. Hostel Bambu

I uploaded all my pics online! Feeling slightly sick, drinking liquids, gonna go get food, maybe call N first then.

Some current weather in Celcius at 10:55p.

Foz de Iguazu, Brazil: 19, fair
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: 23, fair
Bariloche, Argentina: 5, fair
Las Lenas, Argentina: 15, clear
Portland, Oregon: 27, sunny
Boston, Massachusetts: 21, clear
West Hollywood, CA: 29, sunny

Left a message for N. Food? Or Sleep? I’m pricing more flights, and money is a concern…

9/2/07 1:01a. Hostel Bambu, Foz do Iguaçu

So tonight was exciting for two reasons. One, I spent forever on the phone with United MP to see what cities I could fly to, and two, the whole thing was so ridiculous I wrote it up and will surely use it in the novel, or post it as a blog soon. It’s past one, I’m sleepy and going to bed!

9/2/07 10:37a. Hostel Bambu Foz do Iguaçu

The English and one Aussie and one Irish went out drinking and got in late and in the morning were still potentially drunk, or potentially obnoxious. Actually a couple of them are cool. Anyway they’re all going to the Argentine side of the falls today, and I’ll probably get over to the other side later today. I wasn’t feeling great in the morning, so I’ve decided to soak up some of this sun on the deck here, pour through Leaves and get a little color while there’s still some to get. I checked the ski resorts in Chile and Argentina and there’s no snow in the forecast, nothing in the next ten days. The bus to Salta is something like 26hours, and so I’m confused as to what to do.

1:31p.

I read a little while lying out, it got really hot (right now its 29, sunny although weather.com says “fair” and feels like 30). I did some push-ups and curls and back exercises (lat-pull downs) with some equipment they have by the pool, and stretched. Just had a great shower and shave and got an email from R saying he’s on his way, which means he’ll be here sometime tomorrow around noonish I believe. I’m gonna head out and eat in a bit.

Some weather:

Salta, Argentina: 23, sunny
Foz do Iguaçu: 29, feels like 30
Córdoba, Argentina: 23, sunny and windy
Córdoba, Spain: 34, feels like 33, partly cloudy
Buenos Aires, Arg: 14, cloudy
Santiago, Chile: 13, haze
Lima, Peru: 16, cloudy
Bogotá, Colombia 16, partly cloudy
Chicago, Illinois: 26, feels like 27, sunny

4:00p.

I stuffed myself at Bianco, a churrascoria a few blocks away, telling the guy I didn’t want any meat, maybe just some grilled chicked (true) and mostly salad and I bargained the price down from 18R drinks apart, to 15R with one included. After I ate I wanted to find a place to have a good coffee but everything is closed, not a soul on the streets, as it is Sunday. So I’m back here, I spoke with the Argentines who work here and got them to find the coffee and I’ve made some Ice-coffee. It’s really hot, with a warm breeze even here in the shade and I love it.

7:10p.

Just heard gunshots, which means the sounds I head a couple nights back were gunshots as well. The English girls sitting out here asked the bartender if they were fireworks, and he said no, there’s a favela 5Km to one side, and another the other way and its common to hear shots. I asked about going out tonight, as it’s Sunday, but there’s not a whole lot going on. I’ve also come to learn that a mall is to be opened here in two months, information that, surely will be of great use to me in my future endeavors. Talked to N earlier, I told her about the falls I could tell she was giddy remembering her own experiences. She’s in Cape Cod, going to a concert at the beach.

8:20p.

I just took an Airborne and am feeling okay but have a little mucus. I’m surprisingly not tired, possibly because of the coffee, but considering I was laying out in the sun, and then worked out a little, then masturbated, remembering the faces of girls I passed on the street the first day I got in, then sort of creating their bodies to how I imagine them, or fantasize them, and it started off with one of them giving me head, then it was sex and there were two or three, all brunettes, surprisingly, and then finished with this girl who I talked to for five minutes on the bus sucking me off, but with all her clothes on, and I was mostly just fixated on her eyes, green and beautiful, against the contrast of pale white skin and jet-black hair, probably dyed. Anyway I have some energy now and I’m going to read this poem that I didn’t finish earlier today that’s fairly brilliant.

9/3/07 3:00a. Hostel Bambu, Foz do Iguaçu

Posted The Call, and began writing Leaving Rio. Took a Theraflu going to bed.


9/5/07 12:31a. Hostel Bambu, Foz do Iguaçu

Current weather:

Foz do Iguaçu, Brasil: 28, feels like 27, clear
Buenos Aires, Argentina: 15, fair
Salta, Argentina: 20, clear
Los Angeles, California: 24, clear
Victoria, Canada: 14, partly cloudy


9/10/07 3:30p. on the 59 colectivo, 9 de Julio to Museo MALBA (or a few blocks away), Buenos Aires.

I had a great jog today, around San Telmo where I inquired about space and prices at a hostel on Estados Unidos and Bolívar, ran down to Puerto Madero where I jogged along the river-front and it started to drizzle, and back to the hostel to shower. This morning I was late for breakfast, but possibly because I asked in Spanish they gave me a big coffee and milk and cereal and two seconds later this girl walked up and asked in English and they said sorry, breakfast is over. She looked at me with my bowl, and I just shrugged. I’m all packed up to switch hostels, to something more my onda, but first Malba (Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires)! I’m not sure if it will work out but I’m having K possibly meet me there, now. I said b/w 3:30 and 4, either just outside or in the café. I also sent a message to P, but she probably won’t get it on time. On her Facebook her friend that’s arriving today said “have you met any cool people? NOT including Americans!!” And I was peeved when I read it, but really I was annoyed myself at a group that was in Boutique yesterday, just the same as I was at some Aussies and Irish and English who were still drunk and loud and boisterous this morning when I was eating my cereal. By the way, No, I have never heard of Buenoz Ayreez, nor have I heard of Leemer, Peru (Lima). The other night or morning around 6:53 a.m. one of the guys came back into the room, loud, smashed, pissed, possibly on some brain-inhibitor, was crashing into everything, stammering, tried to climb up to go to the top bunk, which, I can only assume, is actually his bed but who really knows, and then he collapsed-back Smack! onto the floor. And either passed-out or fell asleep or didn’t realize he was not in his bed, but two minutes later he attempted the same feat, unsuccessfully, heaving himself up and during exertion either let out a very small, tiny audible moan or a petite wet-fart, I was too sleepy to decipher which, and mid-step collapsed back onto the hardwood floor. Miraculously, when I woke up he was mostly on his bed, with the exception of one leg dangling off.

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