Big Fans

Hi y'all.
Sorry I didn't blog yesterday. I was up until 2 am on a flight. Anyway... Yesterday, we woke up really early (7:30) to go to the "hippie fest" (by the way, I am still in Rio at this point). It was like a fair that sold everything from purses made out of soda can to art made out of soda cans.  We stayed there for about an hour, then want back to our apartment to get ready for our second game: Belgium vs Russia. The game was pretty boring, until Belgium scored in the 85th minute. After the game, we headed to our apartment to watch the highly anticipated USA vs Portugal game. My commentary on the game: USA played an outstanding game besides the absolutely stupid goal in the 5th minute, a nod giving up the tying goal in the final seconds. If they hadn't have scored, the USA would now be into the second round. Now all we have to do is tie, which seems pretty easy, except it is against Germany, one of the greatest teams around.

Anyway, as soon as the game ended, we rushed to the airport to catch our flight at 23:00 (or 11:00 pm for you Americans) that landed in Recife at 2 in the morning. We got to our apartment and fell asleep. Today was much more interesting. We were woken up by the Mizrahi's and their need to leave so we get there before the game starts. (5 hours before game started).  We were going to see the Mexico vs Croatia game. It was important because the winner moves on, and the loser is eliminated. We left at noon for the shopping mall to get the Mizrahis ponchos because it was threatening to rain all day, but in the end we didn't have to use them (thank god). We got to the game an hour and a half before, like we always do, and sat down in our seats. We found ourselves in the middle of the crazies!!! The game was a lot of fun, and Mexico won which made the Mizrahis extremely ecstatic. The only down side was that I had a huge headache, and I wasn't in the greatest shape, but I made it back to the apartment and took a cold shower (funny story: we don't have warm water. In an apartment building. It's not even an option!) and now I feel much better. I am now lying in bed, blogging to you, my adoring fans, from half way across the world.
With Great Love,
Ben

Big Waves

Dear beloved fans (and mom),
Today was not the most interesting day here in Brazil. The parents woke up at 7:00 in order to bike to the sugar loaf, while we (the kids) stayed asleep. Once we woke up, we went to Ipanema Beach. We played some soccer volleyball, which is volleyball but you can't use your hands, then we went in the water. We could only go in so much because the waves where absolutely enormous, and there was a huge undertow. We were there for 2 hours, then we left to watch the first game. We then walked to a restaurant for lunch,where most of them had pizza, but I had chicken.after lunch, me and my dad went on a bike ride from Ipanema to the end of Copacabana and back, and on the way there we went by the fifa fun fest. It was absolutely packed on the bike path, and we practically had to walk our bikes to be able to get through, but not without a couple of people swearing at us in a couple of languages. After our ride, we met up with the Mizrahis and went to play beach soccer on a beach. Once we were done, we went to Bob's Burgers, which was okay. Now, I am watching the end of the last game and blogging to all of you.
With Great Love,
Ben

Big Jesus

Hi y'all,
Today was a lot of fun. We were woken up by the sleep demons at 7:00 in the morning. We had to wake up early in order to miss the lines to go up to the "big Jesus". Once we got up to "big Jesus", we could see the entire city of rio. From the favelas to maracana. We managed to get there just in time because a fog was rolling in over rio. Once we got down back down the mountain we headed to a really good place for lunch. I would like to take credit for it, but it was my mom who was the one who recommended it. 2 for 2 so far mom, not to shabby. After the delightful steak that I ate, we decided to walk to a hike. A little redundant, isn't it? Our hike was a hike the squiggles would enjoy so much. A hard climb through the jungle over rocks and tree branches. The climb was to the cable car that took us up to the mountain Sugar Loaf. We climbed for half an hour only to find out that we had to buy the tickets on the ground. We walked back and went to the Fifa Fan Fest in order to sell our tickets for the game that we bought but it ended up that we are going to be in Recife during the game. We had 6 tickets, two were ours and four were the Mizrahi's, and we sold them $300 a piece. We then headed back to our room, and now I'm crashing on a couch and I'm about to fall asleep.
With Great Love,
Ben

The Steak of the Ages

Dear beloved fans,
I have been criticized about my work, and I respond to that: it looks like you're SOL. I write the way I want, and you can't do anything about it. You shall enjoy my work or don't read this. I don't care which one.
Now, back to brazil. Today we didn't do much because it was raining cat and dogs Brazilian style.  Barely got to walk around when it was not raining. We did however get into a restaurant down the street from our room that has been packed the entire time we've been here. We sat and had some drinks and some fries. We were going to walk to Copacabana, but it was still pouring, so we stayed here and watched some more futbol. The men went out to wait in a line for dinner, and we joined them as they got to the front of the line. We ate at a very well known restaurant, known for its meat that you get to cook yourself. It might have been the best steak I've ever had. I am right know chilling in my bed, doing absolutely nothing besides talking to all of you.
 With Great Love,
Ben

Viva Brazil

Dear followers,
I know that it have not communicated yet, but stuff happens. I have settled down in rio with the Mizrahi's. Our apartment is across the street from Ipanema beach. Also, next to our building across the street is the hotel that the team from Netherlands is staying in. Yesterday, we flew into rio and landed @ 5:30 in rio. We needed to get our tickets for the game, and there was a ticket office at the airport, but it only opened at 9:00, so we chilled out at the airport for 3 hours. After we got the tickets and arrived at our apartment, we watched all the game. Since we were with the Mizrahi's, we needed to go somewhere for the Mexico-Brazil game. We decided to go to the fan fest. It was a big screen on Copacabana beach, and and a lot of people showed up. We had to stay in the back. We watched the game with sore eyes from squinting, sore ears from all the yelling, and sore legs from all the standing. The Mizrahi's were very into the game, expressed by Rami's yelling in Spanish, while I was not so excited. The game ended in a tie, although the game was really close. This morning we slept (me) 13 hours, and my dad was forced to wake me up because we had to leave @ noon because we were going to the Spain-Chile game. Me and my dad sat on the second row of the second level in the corner. They were really good seats. Chile surprised us all with a 2-0 win that caused the World Cup champions from 2010 to be eliminated. The game took up the entire day because we only got back at 7. We went out to dinner and watched the Croatia-Cameroon, which decided if the Mexico-Croatia game we are going to see is going to be interesting, and now it is. As of now, I'm sitting on the couch watching an intense soap opera in Portuguese that I don't understand one bit.
Com grande amor (you can translate it),
Ben

Milly cookies in the Book Lounge

Yesterday was fun. "What do you mean?" I was to tired to blog. That's why.

Anyway..... In the morning we went to Milly's. it was really nice to see her again. She was my dad's babysitter. After all the talking and laughing and hugging and taking pictures, we got some Milly biscuits. "The best in the world" believe me, you've got to try them. Sadly I can't bring any home, so ill just have to eat it myself" what a hardship. 

After, we went to eat lunch at the goat restaurant, and I remember what I watched there well. It was the first day of Group F play, Spain vs Switzerland, the so-to-be winners suffered a loss in the first game. The goal was scored from a low cross from the left side, and a man on Switzerland scored (don't yell at me, I didn't catch his name). Switzerland was wearing white, and Spain was wearing red. The final score was 1-0 Switzerland. Hat was 3 years ago, and I still remember it. I have a very high capacity for useless information.

Last night we went to Mervyn's house. He owns the abook a lounge, a cute cozy bookstore. We went there before we went to eat. We played on their trampoline, and did a lot of other things. The food. I dreamt about it. The sauce on the veggie was amazing, and for dessert, she had pudding. It was the greatest thing I've ever tasted. I forced my dad to get a recipe. 

So anyway.... We stayed out until 10:00, so that's why I was to tired to type.

Bye Peeps

Benny

The Rusta-Mouses of Langa

 Today was interesting. Today we started of like every other day. Waking up and eating. Then , at 9, a guide came to the house and picked us up for a tour of Langa, a township (google it) outside of Cape Town. We went into a couple of places. I will tell you everything that's happened in those places. First, we went to the Cultural Centre (we're in South Africa, deal with it), where we saw a pottery project going on, and where my mom bought a painting that you will see when you come to my house. Next, we walked and talked about everything between. The number of families per room in 1995 (3 in small houses, 16 in a small hostile.  Each family only got 1 bed, so it was sad, but it shows you how much we have that we don't need) to politics (Western Cape is the only province not dominated by ANC (google it)). We then went to the very poor side of town. We went into a hut and saw how small there living space is, but the good side is that they get privacy (put 2 & 2 together). It was funny. There were 2 doors. My dad asked why? Are there 2 houses? Our guide (which was the same guide me and my dad had before in 2010. Small world, huh?) answered that it was only 1 house, but it went to the man's room, so he didn't have to go through the main hallway because e didn't want everybody to see who he brought home.  Later, we were driving ing the Beverly Hills of Langa, and found a person selling 7455 tee shirts. We learned earlier that someone made tee shirts with the area code of Langa, so we pulled over, and now my mom and I now own them. For lunch, we went to a place called Mzoli's Meat, and oh boy, it was absolutely amazing. Crazy good.  I won't go into detail because my drool will slobber up the iPad. Lets just say it is Heaven ribs with Angel sauce. After we got home, we went for tea with some of my dads cousins, Lidia and Bev. Granny Wendy also showed up. It was nice getting to see them again. Shout out to Sam: Ollie asked where you where and if you where coming back. We played on the playground and had a lot of fun. For supper we had Monica and her family come with Theo and May. It was fun, but the best part. We were flipping through the channels, and came across something called Rusta Mouse. It's these Jamaican mouses that are completely stereotypical. It was hilarious. They were like "Jya man" YouTube it. Try not to laugh.

Bye Bye Man

(Bob Marley)

 Benny