05/04/04

 I moved to Brasil, Rio de Janeiro to be exact, in 1973. My planned one year stay turned to 20. Brasil taught me the meaning of the word "Saudade" , a word with no English equivalent. Lets just say it is something like melancholy. However because I am a slow learner it has taken me the better part of a decade in Portland to get ready to move back. I am ready!. My ties include the usual suspects from left to right: (top row) Grandson Rafael with his dad Sergio, his mother Gabriela, and his aunt Joanna together with cousin Nina; (bottom row) Maria Amelia the mother of my daughters, Dona Nina the matriarch of the Garcia Alencar clan with Gabriela, and Maria Amelia's brother Francisco Alencar, better known as "Chico".