Cachoeira II: Cigar Factory and the town at night

14 Nov 2009

We crossed this long bridge which is historical in its own right. It was the first metal bridge in Brasil I was told.
We arrived at this famous hand-made cigar place. Cuba is not the only one famous for cigars.

I went out to a little sample garden they have there with several different tobacco plants. They also had these little potpouri-like mounds of different tobacco mixtures and they really smelled amazing!

We were able to see all the different processes that go into making cigars.





Up to the final product! Fred /Fredgy/ our tour-guide and professor holds two out to show the difference.
They had some complimentary coffee, and of course I couldn't refuse.
Many of my friends bought cigars for their parents or partners. We all found it interesting that on the cases of all of these cigars as well as cigarettes that we've seen around, are graphic pictures of deformed fetuses that have been aborted because of smoking. A more lighthearted one is a picture of a man covering his private parts portraying erectile dysfunction also to give the message that these are possibly effects of smoking.
So watch out!




Back near our nunnery my friends and I went out to check out the town. We saw a man painting the hooves of the bull behind me. getting ready for the party of the town's patron saint. Festa de nossa senhora d'ajuda. The sign below "preserve the party of our patron saint and our memory. Play in peace"
Right in that area we met this man with a little boy and a baby in his arms. We started talking about plants somehow. The dad said that this baby loves plants, that he reaches for leaves on trees and grabs them gently to not bruise or rip them. Which really got my and Debbie's attention because she was currently doing research on medicinal plants in Bahia, and he had quite a bit of knowledge about them. He told us he had some at his house and he could bring us some tomorrow. I thought it was a very different feel being in this small town compared to the big city Salvador, he was just so confident he'd run into us again tomorrow and just his way of interacting was definitely a small town feel.

It just got dark as we sat on the edge of a river talking and talking about our days, plans, experiences, hopes and dreams haha.
Then we went out in search of some snack because my friends and I (luckily I'm not the only one for once) were concerned about the whole waking up at 4AM to start the party and not having breakfast offered until 7AM. So we wanted to buy some snacks. I had already finished all the food my mãe made for me.
We had our first encounter with the type of convenience store that doesn't let you in to look around. There was a counter and beyond it you could see everything in the store but you couldn't go in, you just asked for what you wanted and they brought it to you.
We got some amendoim japonese. (japanese peanuts) and yogurt drinks and those big garrafas de agua (water bottles).
We were tired and ready to sleep. On our little convent beds. I somehow felt like I was in the bear house of Goldie locks and the 3 bears.