It's Like America, but South

Guess what? We went to South America. I know, awesome. So here is a (comparatively) brief recap of our awesome trip.

There was only one bad thing that happened the whole trip: Delta cancelled our flight out of Chicago and therefore made us miss the first leg of the trip. The tragedy is that the first leg of the trip consisted of Machu Picchu. Yes, we missed Machu Picchu because of Delta. Talk about disappointment. Delta, you're fired. Mike and I eventually made it to Peru and hung out in Lima for a day while we waited for his parents to return from Machu Picchu (their flight wasn't cancelled. Freaking Delta.)

On the bright side, Lima's not such a bad place to kill time. We walked around downtown, went to the Gold Museum which it turns out has nothing to do with gold, saw some Aztec ruins, and had some pretty dang good Peruvian food. (Dad, it's just as good as Inca Mamma's. :D)

So here we are in Peru:

Mike spent a large portion of every night writing a big paper for law school to try and get on a journal. Amazing diligence, Hot Buns. Once we met up with Bob and Deanne, we traveled to Brazil. Our first stop was a city in the Amazon called Manaus. Our sweet lodge was so remote we had to take a boat to get there.
Our lodge greeted us with frogs in the sink. Nice touch.

Bob eating lunch with one of the neighborhood parrots.We made friends with the local wild Amazon monkeys

Then we fished for Piranhas......and caught one! (Actually just our guide caught piranhas. We caught a couple sardines though.)Manaus
We went Caimen hunting one night, and caught a young one.
Don't worry, we put it back after we all took turns holding it.
Some local "Natives" did a traditional dance for us, and pulled Bob into the fun :)
We visited a local "floating village" on the river. Everything is on stilts to accommodate for high/low tide.
Vacation in a nutshell:Merging of the waters! They really don't mix- it's pretty amazing.Swimming in the Amazon! Yes, we really went swimming in the watery home of piranhas, crocodiles, and boa constrictors, and lived to tell the tale.Our last day in the Amazon we went on a Jungle Walk. We saw all sorts of creatures and plants, including these huge (and very heavy) turtles.Jungle swing! These are the same kind of vines Tarzan uses to swing from tree to tree.Goodbye Echo Park!I believe the sidewalk is supposed to represent the merging of the waters.The boat returned us safely to civilization. We then toured the Manaus Theatre in the center of town.Mike has a mission companion who lives in Manaus who we were able to meet up with one night.Our super ritzy hotel :)After Manaus we flew to Salvador, Mike's old mission stomping ground, where he is still known as 'Elder Wilde.'
We consumed a large amount of coconut water, which is exactly what is sounds like- some dude pulls a coconut out of a cooler and cuts a hole in the top with a machete and sticks in a straw and you drink. YUM.


Annarita (one of Mike's converts) and her boyfriend fed us dinner one day.
Then her boyfriend (I can't remember his name...) let Mike and Bob ride his motorcycle- wicked gnarly.
I thought it was interesting to see how some people lived in nice apartments:
Passable apartments...Not so nice apartments...And super run-down holes. I guess that's Brazil for you.You can see the big elevator in the back- it takes you down to these markets on the coast. Very cool.

Fried beans and shrimp - still in the shell. Don't know why I'm smiling.Another family Mike baptized from his missionary years.
Part of the underground crypt in one of the cathedrals we visited.
Our crew with Sara Jane, a girl Mike baptized who kindly showed us around Salvador and prevented the market venders from ripping us off too bad.
I like Brazillian phone booths better.
After Salvador, we went to Iguasu Falls! They really are amazing. See for yourself.
The scene inspires romance to all who encounter it...





Sorry about the sqinty eyes. It was really misty.
You Portuguese speakers out there will appreciate the humor in this translation. (Apparently "leve o brasil no peito" means "keep Brazil in your heart" or something. I like their version better.)The next day we went to the Argentina side of the Falls. I think the Brazil side had more cool views, but Argentina has Devil's Throat- which is simply incredible.We took that little boat for a Maid of the Mist type venture into the water and got appropriately soaked.I am convinced that the bridge you take to Devil's Throat is not safe. But still, it gets you right to the edge.

Brazil is obsessed with pregnant women. Statues like this are everywhere. It's creepy.
Next stop, Sao Paulo! We didn't stay very long, but we managed to get in a trip to il tempio.

The drink of choice in Brazil: Guarana!Their avocados are the size of my head.Some lady trying to sell necklaces to Bob.  I think she needs a lesson in supply-demand economics.
Last stop: Rio! Here we went to the Cristo Redentore statue. Unfortunately, it is currently completely covered in scaffolding. We enjoyed the view anyway.

Even though it was very cold and windy this day, Mike decided to go swimming in Ipanema Beach. And he's glad he did.We stopped by the botanical gardens in Rio. Here we are in a bamboo garden
Apparently we have a lot of smoochy pictures.
Sunset in RioWe found this monkey chilling on our balcony one day. Famously colorful stairs in downtown Rio:
Acai! Travelling to the top of Sugar Loaf Mountain:Smoochy pictures run in the family. :)
Breakfast everyday.The markets in Rio. Brazil's version of Banana Stands.
Braving the rains in Rio.At the National Museum:
Enjoying our last serving of coconut juice before coming home.
I will miss the mangoes, coconut juice, exotic flowers, inviting beaches, friendly people, and cobblestone streets.
Mike is not going to miss navigating the entire country for us. :)


Goodbye South America!
(Here's one last video of Iguazu:)


Phew! Now do you see why it took so long to blog about this?? We did so much every single day, it's hard to boil it all down to a blog post. Suffice it to say, it was the trip of a lifetime. Thanks Mamma and Poppa Wilde!

Book Recommendations

I think most of us bookworms have a list of literature that one has to experience in order to qualify as a person. I know I have such a list. Since I am often asked for book recommendations, I thought I'd share my top ten most favorite life altering absolute best books of all time. (Bear in mind that my own to-read list is approximately 80 miles long, and this list is subject to change.)

10. The Quiet American by Graham Greene

This novel is subtle, calculating, and perfect. It is as superbly written as it is insightful. This novel is for anyone interested in the peculiar politics of morality, the detached discussion of existentialism, the dangers of good intentions, or the brutal story of the Vietnam War.






9. Life of Pi by Yann Martel

Finish it, and it might change your life. Don't finish it, and you'll think it was a elementary, albeit innovative, story about a boy and his tiger.











8. Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

Speaking of magic... I know a lot of people will make fun of me for including Harry Potter, but I think this series is fabulous. So many masterpieces are intentionally made only for the grasp of mature adults, but Harry Potter takes complex, abstract themes (courage, loyalty, bravery, love, evil, and the power of choice) and makes it accessible to kids, helping them both understand these concepts and aspire to good, all while spinning a wildly imaginative and breathtaking tale. I just love me some Potter. (PS- for those of you who would like to see the newly released trailer for the next movie, click here.)


7. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

I love this book for the same reasons the rest of the world loves it: Its hilarity and passion, and its alternately heart-warming and heart-wrenching illustration of honor, innocence, and injustice. Atticus Finch remains perhaps the greatest literary hero of all time for reminding us that some things are worth fighting for, even if there is no chance of winning.
(I struggled between choosing this or Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns, but TKAM won out by a hair. Let it be noted, CST is also a worthy read.)



6. The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis

I love this book for its shockingly obvious description of temptation. Eye-opening and dark, this novel nevertheless inspires the reader to lead a holier life.








5. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

I've been fascinated by the Holocaust for a long time, wondered at its magnitude, been appalled at its destruction. But I have never been so heart-broken by its horror as I was while reading this novel. This is why stories deserve to be told: Because they hold the transformative and revelatory power that enables us to empathize with others whose experiences we have never shared. So read Liesel Meminger's story. You won't be sorry.





4. Othello by William Shakespeare

I love this play for its dialogue on identity, evil, redemption, and choice. It is brilliance spewed on paper (and my absolute favorite Shakespeare piece.)










3. Half the Sky by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn

This is, quite simply, the best (and, I think, the most important) humanitarian book I have ever read. Rather than depress the reader with the enormity of problems preventing women from flourishing in much of the world, the authors argue that there are ways, good ways, to contribute and change the world for the better. Half the Sky is hopeful and determined, not discouraging. Most importantly, it provides strong motivation in its pages for everyday people in the West to act. I wish I could do this book justice with one paragraph. For more information, click here.

2. Peace Like a River by Leif Enger

This book illustrates how a life can be affected by prayer, faith, and love. I love this story for its portrayal of justice, perseverance, loss, and loyalty. I also loved the discussion on the nature of family. Beautifully written, beautiful message.









1. The Giver by Lois Lowry

Yes, the Giver holds the number one spot. For me, This book marked the first time I read not for enjoyment or for escape, but for growth. This book was the first to change me, and thus ignited my literary love affair. I have loved it ever since.








I have a similar list for movies, but I'll save that for another day. What are your favorite books of all time? If you tell me, I'll likely read them.

PS- Believe it or not, I actually have started the Brazil blog post (despite the fact that we are still under attack by the Asian spam.) For some reason, the old bloggity blog is taking about 30-40 minutes to upload each batch of 5 photos. This annoyance is magnified by the fact that we have literally thousands of pictures to sort through. Any ideas on how to speed up the process?

PPS- I have no idea what's going on with the spacing in this post. It's driving me insane.

PPPS- Happy eleven months, Hot Buns!

Vuvuzela Concerto in B Flat

I know, I know, pictures from our South American adventures are coming...eventually. Truth be told, we've been attacked lately by a gargantuan amount of Asian spam, and it's kind of freaked me out and made me a little anti-blogging. I'll return one of these days. This was too funny not to post though:

Out of Whack

Mike: "What day is it?"
Mel: "I have absolutely no idea."
Mike: "Me neither."
Mel: "I'm pretty sure it's June..."
Mike checks the phone and we find out that we are indeed several days into June. We have no idea how this happened.

Clearly, we're still recovering from our crazy last few weeks. Hopefully soon I'll fill you in on Mike's birthday, his 1L graduation, our South American adventures (complete with a persuasive argument on why we hate Delta and why you should too), LOST, last minute trips to Texas, Harry Potter, and our totally awesome tan lines. Until then, we'll likely be asleep.

Peace out.

Old

This baby was born XX* years ago today. And I'm really glad he was, because he turned into this foxalicious stud who later
asked me to marry him.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HOT BUNS!
Love, your biggest fan

PS- I cannot get over how cute Mike is in this picture:

*Actual age undisclosed.

Craigslist Gems

Today I went on Craigslist to hopefully find some lovely, original (and very inexpensive) art to maybe hang in our home. Here's the best that I found:

South Bend's Craigslist just isn't inspiring me for some reason. Besides, I'm not sure Mike would want a painting of Mad-Eye Moody in our living room.

On to merrier things. Mike and I are heading here in 10 days and I am very, very excited: