Recife Curtain Call

This week I returned to Brazil to finish my tour and depart.  It was a bittersweet trip, full of good friends and good byes.

 Yes, please get me outta here!!

One more caipirinha from my favorite spot, Quiosque 6 na Boa Viagem.

Okay, so first, I am so mad this came out blurry.  Second, I am going to use it anyway.  After my caipirinha I decided I really needed a coconut.  I asked for one and he asked me if I wanted it to go.  I said yes, so he dropped an unopened one into a bag.  I asked him to open it, so he did, and stuck a straw in it.  2 years in Brazil, and this is the first and only time I walked down the street carrying a coconut in a plastic bag.  Lol.

Recife's other side.  You know, the side not facing the beach.

My first and only acai in Brazil.  It's a little scandalous, I know.  Thanks RA.  :)

 

One last drink.  Thanks for everything, Brazil.  It has been real.

Bye-Bye Brazil!

After two years, we are saying goodbye to Brazil, and hello to new adventures. See you soon back in the USA and later in the Marshall Islands!

 Thanks Ben & Firyuza for a great night out in Olinda!

Merry Christmas (in November!!)

It will be a few cold months 'til we're back to coconuts and beach days!
 

 Thanks for all the memories!

Recife Zoo & Fun with Aya

Kylie and Aya have had so much fun over the past two years! Today, we headed out to the Recife Zoo and remembered all the good times!

 BFFs

 Parque Dois Irmãos

80 & 90 cms! Almost one monkey tall!

 Best friends shopping at Extra

 Laughing hysterically at Aya's swinging antics!

Putting Aya "to bed" on the slide and singing her a lullaby

The many faces of Aya and Kyliezinha!

Moving Day

Today (and yesterday, and the day before) we packed up our whole house in preparation for our big trip back to the USA and onward move the the Marshall Islands.

 Mt. Boxes!

"Don't take my toys!!" - Quote of the day courtesy of Ms. K

 Celebratory pink champagne in our former toothbrush cups!

 Recife in all of it's summery glory!

 Last views of Boa Viagem

 A sparkling blue ocean day!

 Oh look...a parade!

 Dancing to the beat!

 More parading!!

 Inland view heading toward sunset

 Our Bomfim wishes that didn't come true...

 Man, those are tough little ribbons!

 

 More daddy-daughter parade play time

 The parading continues at full volume, in spite of baby naps!

Happy times!

Sinagoga Kahal Zur Israel

We finally made it!! The most elusive of all of Recife's tourist attractions, and it only took two years and ten tries to get there on a day that it was actually open. After so many failed attempts, Veteran's Day was the day that the stars aligned, and Autumn had a non-Brazilian holiday off at the same time the the museum was open! High expectations were met, and we had a wonderful afternoon date while Kylie stayed home with Lica. 

 We've arrived, and...

...It's open!!

 The Torah

 View of the synagogue from above

 Ceiling details

 Prayers tucked into the wall

 One last look at Recife Antigo

 The RECIFE sign!

Thanks FIFA!

Carnival masks ready to future Halloweens & Mardi Gras!

Halloween!

For Halloween this year, Autumn and I dressed up as X-persons Cyclops and Phoenix, while Kylie was a UW "cheeringleader", complete with Hello Kitty pom poms. I won third place at the Consulate Chili Cookoff and much fun was had by all!

 Daddy-daughter Halloween fun!

 Kylie's costume mash-up

 Third Place Award!

 Mom and dad partying to the break-a-break-a 11:30pm!

Happy Halloween from the Xmen!

Gettin' crafty!

In my continuing efforts to have make every day a worthy of Martha Stewart's calendar, I whipped up a few new projects for little K for our upcoming return to winter!

 NYC Hello Kitty fleece hoodie with attached mittens

 Christmas jammies...

...which Kylie modeled for about 2 minutes and then proclaimed, "Take off! I too hot!!"

 

 Hello Kitty pillowcase, sheets and comforter...

 ...and a matching travel nap roll!

Kylie loves her big kid bed!

(Can you tell there was an online sale on Hello Kitty fabric 8 to 12 weeks ago?) haha!