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Vol XV-SEP 09
Produced by the British & Commonwealth Society of Rio de Janeiro for the English-speaking CommunityProduced by the British & Commonwealth Society of Rio de Janeiro for the English-speaking Community
BCSBrits in Rio historyAMERICAN SOCIETYJazzST ANDREW SOCIETYClan GatheringRBLNew presidentInC“Let it Rock”
and more:Japeri GolfFilm & Book reviewsCalifornia winery tour
Mus
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Phot
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JACK WOODALL
Driving south from Edinburgh after theHomecoming Games, on a sunny after-noon last July, we crossed the Bordersand entered miles upon miles of rollinghill country, the Cheviots. Few trees andnot a house in sight, just fields full ofwhite sheep and black cattle – butmostly sheep. Who would havebelieved that there was so much emptyspace in urbanized England? The sunshone but the wind was fierce, andevery so often we saw the gigantic,three-bladed propellers of windmillsturning majestically, feeding the nation-al grid.
It was Sunday, and south of Hadrian’sWall we saw a pub advertising aCarvery, so pulled in. But the carveryhad packed up at 6 o’clock, so we set-tled for hot pork and stuffing on abaguette, with salad and crisps on theside. Rooms were £45 per person pernight, so we drove on south. In themiddle of nowhere we spotted a sign,with the red rose of quality, marking a
farmhouse B&B. They had one doubleroom left, ensuite, for £60. It had acomfortable bed, kettle with coffee, teaand biscuits, TV (black-and-white!) andwonder of wonders, free wireless inter-net! Full English breakfast the nextmorning, pleasant hosts, and our fellowguests were a middle-aged couple fromHolland, dressed in shorts, heading offto explore Durham.
We went on to visit York and take awalk in the sunshine along the battle-ments of the city wall, very well main-tained, from the 14th century fortifiedgate of Monk Bar (free entry), with itsRichard III museum, to 11th centuryBootham Bar. There are fine views ofthe huge York Minster cathedral nearthat section of the wall. Trees and largeflowering shrubs abut the wall on theinside, including a fine copper beechand a remarkable yellow Buddleia, withpompoms along its flower spikes.Outside the wall was a grass-coveredmoat, freshly mown.
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From the Editor...
GREEN AND PLEASANT LAND
Ancient houses abound in the city cen-tre, including the King’s Manor, adelightfully restored complex of 16thcentury buildings with serene court-yards (Henry VIII slept here!), ancientexteriors and a completely moderninterior with comfortable cafeteria andCommon Room open to the public. It’snow the Department of Archaeology,Institute of Advanced ArchitecturalStudies (there’s a paradox) and Centrefor Mediaeval Studies of the Universityof York. Above a doorway is a sculptedRoyal coat-of-arms with a reversed N inthe “PENSE” of the motto “Honi SoitQui Mal Y Pense”, carved by a dyslexic16th century stonemason.
The antiquities of York and the greencountryside made for a very pleasantsummery tour and drive back toLondon.
Britis
h C
onsula
teNew PassportArrangements forBritish Nationals inBrazil
What is happening?Passports for British Nationals inBrazil will be processed and printedin Washington from 28th September2009
Why is this happening?These changes are part of a global ini-tiative to streamline the Foreign andCommonwealth Office passport oper-ation; to reduce administration costswhile improving security and main-taining a high quality of customerservice.
What do these changes mean to me?From 28th September 2009 youshould send your passport applica-tion by courier or registered postdirectly to:
The UK Passport Service Centre forthe Americas and CaribbeanBritish Embassy19 Observatory Circle, NWWashington, DC 20008United States
The passport team in Washingtonaim to process all passport applica-tions within 10 working days afterreceiving the correct documentationand fee.
Overall CostThe price of a passport is the same inall our overseas posts. The standardpassport (32 pages) is currently £124,
plus courier fee (payable in USDollars).The average courier postage timefrom Brazil to Washington takesbetween 3-5 working days.
To apply, please visit our website at:ukinbrazil.fco.gov.uk
Swine flu has Brazilian authoritieson alert. Embassy launches traveladvice page
With more than 400 deaths caused by swine flu in Brazil,the pandemic infection has the country on alert. In Rio deJaneiro, a number of schools and universities postponedtheir return to academic activities until mid-August, andhealth authorities are increasingly concerned with meas-ures for prevention and early detection of the new flu.
Aiming at the well-being of the British citizens who livingin or visiting Brazil, the British Consulate prepared anAdvice for Travellers notice, published online and avail-able at the Embassy'swebsite:(http://ukinbrazil.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for-british-nationals/swine-flu).
The embassy advises British Nationals to seek informationabout the swine flu from the Brazilian Ministry of Healthand local authorities and to keep checking for updates tothe travel advice on the FCO website.
The FCO also has a dedicated phone number for all
British nationals who might be concerned about the out-break while overseas: just dial 0044 207 928 1010. The callis free of charge.
In times like these, the British embassy suggests citizens toregister at LOCATE, a service which helps embassy staffprovide efficient assistance in case of an emergency. It'salso worth registering if you're a British resident in Brazil.Obviously, it is recommended that you delay travel if youfeel down with respiratory illness and consult your physi-cian immediately in case of symptoms like intense fever,sore throat, muscle aches and lack of appetite.
British nationals who find themselves quarantined over-seas should contact their nearest British Embassy orConsulate requesting consular assistance, even if directaccess to the solicitant may be limited due to quarantinerestrictions.
Glauco Paiva Press and Communication ManagerBritish Consulate General - Rio de Janeiro E-mail: [email protected] +55 21 2555 9624 C +55 21 9652 8453 www.ukinbrazil.fco.gov.uk
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Wanted:
Editor for The Umbrella's Around Rio society page.
Must have ear to ground and ability to arrange for good photos.Contact the Editor: [email protected]
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BRITISH &
COMMONWEALTH
SOCIETY After the holidays, the BCS resumesits programme of activities.
The British Community in Rio deJaneiro (1807-1867)An illustrated presentation by DrSylvia Lenz in 2 partsPart 1: Thursday 3rd September 7pmPart 2: Thursday 17th September 7pmSylvia will present in English. Theillustrated presentations will takeabout 80 minutes each with plenty oftime for questions.
Sylvia's first presentation will coverthe early British community in Rioand British visitors to the city.The second part will cover Britishinvolvement with Rio:- the Rio-Niteroi ferryboats- the Drainage System (Rio was onlythe second city afterLondon to install such a system, afteran outbreak of yellow fever hadtaken its toll on the foreigncommunity)- the expansion & modernizing ofthe port, then the biggest in SouthAmerica.
At the Jubilee Hall, behind theBritish church and next to theBritish School & BCS office in RuaReal Grandeza 99, Botafogo. Parkingis inside the gates behind the Hall.Doors open at 7pm with drinks andsnacks provided. The presentationwill start at 7.45pm.
These events are free to all comers.
We only ask you to let the BCS officeknow you're coming (tel. 2537-6695or e-mail [email protected]) so wecan arrange the catering. We also askyou to make a voluntary contributionon the night, the proceeds of whichwill be donated to one of thecharities that the BCS supports.
Christmas Card Competition
Open to you, your children andgrandchildren – come on, have a go!The BCS is looking for some brightnew designs for a new print run ofgreetings cards for 2009. Winningentries will entitle the artist to 25 freecards in their design. Please submitdesigns as soon as possible, and by 15September at the latest. Please callthe office for details.
THE AMERICAN SOCIETYThe American Society welcomes thenew U.S. Consul General of Rio deJaneiro, Dennis Hearne. Mr. Hearne isour Honorary President and we willdo our best to make him feelwelcome.
The American Society is goingthrough a very positive but sometimesstressful transition period. We aredeveloping a new website which hasgone live but is still missing some vitalinformation. We are working hard tocorrect and improve our site.
In August, our Speaker Seriesshowcased a compelling talk about thefinancial crisis by Dr. Peter Robertson.
Almost 50 people attended at theIBEU auditorium venue.
On 10th September, jazz pianist,teacher and author, Jeff Gardner<www.myspace.com/jeffgardnermusic>will be featured as part of our SpeakerSeries, offering a special concert at theIBEU Copacabana auditorium. Therewill be a charitable donation of R$10per person.
Get ready for one of AmSoc's bestHalloween parties ever. An excellentway to meet new people is to getinvolved. We welcome you to joineither the Halloween or Thanksgivingcommittee or Holiday party inDecember. Interested: please [email protected]
We always welcome new volunteers --we have a lot of exciting plans throughthe end of the year. And, of course, wealways welcome new members of anynationality. Email us to let us knowhow we can get you involved.
If you wish to become a member, it isbest to email: [email protected] leave a message at our new phonenumber 2125-9132.
Hope to see you soon at a futureevent!
ST ANDREW SOCIETYThe Gathering 2009
This greatest gathering of the clansin over 200 years took place inEdinburgh on 25th & 26th July. Seeour eye-witness special report onpage 11.
Homecoming Quaich GolfTournamentHeld on 5th September at Tere-sópolis. Watch for a full report inThe Umbrella next month.
The Homecoming Caledonian BallWe're reaching out to all our manyfriends in the area to come and join
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Niteroi ferry
Jeff Gardner
us at the Homecoming 2009Caledonian Ball in the GoldenRoom at the Copacabana PalaceHotel on 3rd October. This will bethe 23rd year that the Iain MacPhailScottish Country Dance Band willplay for us at the Caledonian Ball.Tickets will go on sale very soon.Send an e-mail to Suzan Carter [email protected] fordetails.
Scottish Country DancingIt’s time now to start brushing upyour steps for the Homecoming 2009Caledonian Ball with Audrey andRobin. What better place to practicethan the Paissandú Club? Go alongon any Tuesday night from 7.30pm,tell the man on the gate “Dançaescocesa” and in you go. You’ll beable to buy your ticket for theCaledonian Ball there at a specialdiscount price until 15th September.
THE ROYAL BRITISH
LEGION (RBL)Branch Members All At SeaOn 21st July 2009 the Brazilian Navyremembered Brazilian and Alliedsailors lost at sea in two ceremonies,one conducted at the War MemorialMonument and the other at sea.Ron Lees and Steve Carnt repre-sented the Branch in patrol vessel,NPa Grupuá, under the command ofTenente Leandro Gomes Mendes, for aService of Remembrance just seawardof Sugar Loaf off Praia Vermelha. Thepicture shows Ron Lees, Steve Carnt,Peter Rabang (formerly in the U.S.Navy) and other visitors heading outto sea under fair weather towardsthe main dredged channel close tothe Rio shore. Although it was
intended to conduct proceedings offCopaca-bana, swell conditions weresuch the Command thought it betterto remain within the deep channelfor the service.
Once on station, the First Lieu-tenant conducted a formal service,following the protocol of the
Brazilian Navy and, withsome of the visitors wellover 80 years of age,seating was provided onthe foredeck for those thatneeded it, which provedinteresting as the shippitched and rolled whilstnot making way. Ship’sofficers, men and Veteransconcluded the homage byscattering red rose petals
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onto the dark waters, backlit by asilver sun shining through partiallyblack clouds, totally appropriate forthe sombre occasion. The Comman-ding Officer then addressed thosepresent and invited all to have asnack and soft drink below as theship poked its bow out to sea by Lemebefore returning to the Arsenal.
However the visit was not quite overas our host, Sra Nilda Silva ofSECOM (the navy public communi-cations section), took us all to enjoyan excellent lunch in the navycanteen facilities, thus completing aworthwhile and very satisfactorylong morning.
Brazilian Changing of the GuardRBL Branch Standard Bearer, RonLees, represented the Branch on2nd August 2009 at the FlamengoMemorial for the Changing of theGuard Ceremony when the BrazilianAir Force guard was relieved by anArmy guard. Air Force and ArmyBands led a march past reviewed bysenior officers, civilian dignitaries,Brazilian and foreign veterans andother representatives, distinguishedWW2 army veterans beingspecifically invited by General RuiCatão to take the salute with himand to participate in a short serviceto those fallen during WW2.
Presidential ChangeWe are not anticipating the 2010election, but letting members knowthat John Mason, a steadfast stalwartof the Royal British Legion for verymany years and a highly respectedguiding hand on its activities, hasdecided to step down as President ofthe Rio de Janeiro Branch. TheBranch Committee paid tribute tothe tremendous effort and supportso freely given by John and, whilstwishing otherwise, reluctantly ac-cepted the reasons he gave for hisdecision. The Committee, therefore,has appointed a new President inaccordance with the Royal BritishLegion Charter and is delighted to
report former Branch Chairman,Patrick Hamilton-Hill, has agreed tobecome our new President withimmediate effect.
Fortunately, the desire to embark ona round the world cruise was not oneof the reasons John gave for retiring,so he and Audrey will be attendingthe Branch Annual Gala DinnerDance, to be held on Friday 6th ofNovember in the CopacabanaPalace Hotel, which will give thecommunity an opportunity toacknowledge the huge contributionmade by them both to the well beingof others in Rio de Janeiro.Naturally, the following Sunday 8thof November the Branch will hold itsService of Remembrance in ChristChurch. All are most welcome.
THE INTERNATIONAL
CLUB
After a very successful, sold-out allday tour to the ThyssenKrupp Steel(CSA) plant in Santa Cruz on 14thAugust, not to mention our very wetbut nevertheless interesting “Picnicin the Park” for all ages on 22ndAugust in Rio’s wonderful JardimBotanico, the InC is gearing up forour main event of the year!
On 18th September at 8pm, we inviteall The Umbrella readers to join us at thisyear’s charity fundraising party; “Let itRock”! It will be a tribute to the heydayof Rock and Roll, so dust off yourpoodle skirts and touch up your hair
wax on those curly locks and sideburnsand come do the “Twist and Shout” withus! We will “rock around the clock” toNeville’s band, be wined and dined bythe Paissandu Club buffet and have achance to win various fantastic raffleprizes as well as a special prize for the“best getup”… for those of you whowant to come in costume! By the way,the 50’s costumes are optional, butwon’t it be fun to see several Marilyns orElvises? We have some special surprisesin store for all of you. Tickets are alreadyselling briskly (at the low price of R$ 100per person-all inclusive) contact CathrinBecker: [email protected] toreserve your table now. Everyone iswelcome! Remember, all proceedsfrom this event go to fund the InC’scharity donations for the next fiscal yearso, come join us for good fun for a goodcause.
Mark your calendars now for the nextInC Happy Hour at Rio Scenarium in
Lapa on 4th October,2009. For further in-formation, pleasecontact KatharinaGermenshausen at:[email protected]
Last but not least,don’t forget our alwayspopular ChristmasBazaar scheduled totake place on 4thDecember from 10am to 5 pm at the
Hotel Sheraton Leblon. For moreinformation and/or how to participateas a vendor if you are interested inselling your wares, please contactKatharina at: [email protected] is a great opportunity to buy yourChristmas presents and help ourcharities again, since proceeds fromthe InC Christmas bazaar also go tofund our charitable donations fornext year.
Finally, remember that up-to-the-minute information on all activitiesand events of the International Clubof Rio is always available on ourwebsite: www.incrio.org.br
WOMEN’S DIOCESAN
ASSOCIATIONChristmas Bazaar At this time of the year we begin tofocus all our efforts on the nextimportant event on our agenda – theChristmas Bazaar. We hope thatonce again we can count on yoursupport. This year, the Bazaar is
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programmed to take place onSaturday 5th December starting at2pm. and as usual, will be held in theJubilee Hall, Christ Church, RuaReal Grandeza 99, Botafogo.
White Elephant Stall On this stall we offer a variedassortment of items, for personal useas well as for Christmas gifts.Throughout the year, any items wereceive that are almost new and ingood condition are set aside for thisstall. The ladies of the WDA who areinvolved in handicraft work are nowvery busy embroidering hand towelsand tea towels, among other things.Christmas Crackers -- As we have saidin previous editions of The Umbrella,because we are no longer able toobtain the necessary bangers, thisyear the traditional crackers will bemissing from the shelves. However, asan experiment, we are producing asmall quantity of boxes without thebangers but including an extra iteminside. Some of the younger childrenwho are not particularly fond of the“bangers” may be quite happy withthis version!
As this is an experiment, the ladies ofthe WDA would be very grateful if at
some stage after the event, those ofour readers who bought a box of the“new” crackers would kindly let ushave their opinion by phoning Oliveat 3396-8498. This will enable us todecide whether or not to producethem again next year.
SOS: Our stocks of shoeboxes haverun out, so if you happen to have anylying around the house (adult sizeonly), could you please send themalong to us?. Many thanks.
Marmalades, pickles and chutneys
These products can be bought anyday during the week during officehours (9 am. to 4.30 pm.) andespecially on Tuesday mornings,when all the ladies are present. Theycan also be purchased on Sundaysafter the Church service. Please note
that as from the 15th October weshall temporarily be stopping the saleof these products, to stock up for theChristmas Bazaar.
If you have any of our emptymarmalade/pickle/chutney jars withthe metal tops that we could re-use,could you please return them to us.Thank you
Note: Donations can be deliveredany day during the week to Karen,secretary, Christ Church, telephone2226-7332 or to the BCS secretary,Gaynor, telephone 2537-6695, between8.30am. and 4.30 pm. Please re-member that between 2 pm. and3.30pm. when the school finishes,cars are not allowed into thegrounds.
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THE BRITISH SCHOOLVisit to Urca by a professional steelband player Ross Thomas is aprofessional steel band player andtuner from Trinidad and Tobagoand we were delighted to have himin Urca from the 16th to the 21stMay. Our steel pans needed quite alot of attention, so Ross got out hishammers and beat them for two daysuntil they were all sounding brighterand in tune again.
In between beating the pans, Rossworked with students from Classes 6to 11, demonstrating his pan skills.With the school bands, Ross showedhow a steel pan can be used indifferent ensembles, performing
Bob Marley and Jason Mraz. He hadmusic students from Class 7 per-forming a ‘Trini Groove’ and the IBstudents had the opportunity todevelop their improvisation skills.
Ross spent one fullday working with thesenior steel band; wehave ten players fromClasses 9-11, withvarying levels of ex-perience. Together,they worked on theirensemble skills, crea-ting a more unifiedsound, as well aslearning new reper-toire. Ross taught theband two pieces fromTrinidad – the ‘TriniGroove’ and aCalypso song, ‘TheOld Lady’, and theband also worked ona lively compositionby one of the bandmembers, StephanieHealey. Ross playedexamples from profes-sional Trinidad bands,such as the ‘Renegades’,who provided inspi-
At the end of the four days, Ross hadshown our students that the steelpan is a versatile instrument that can
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ration for future repertoire.
be part of other ensembles, and alsothat other instruments can be part ofthe steel band that we have. Studentsfrom Classes 6 to 8 are invited toform a steel band, and instru-mentalists wishing to join in aremore than welcome. Thanks to RossThomas for his work, and to all thestudents for their enthusiasticparticipation.[The Ambassador of Trinidad & Tobagoin Brazil, Her Excellency Monica Clement,was a guest of honour at the BCSCommonwealth Celebration party in April.She was so impressed by the TBS Steel Bandthat she arranged Ross’s visit. – Ed.]
OUR LADY OF MERCY
SCHOOLThe classes in the Our Lady ofMercy School begun on 17thAugust for the 4th-12th gradestudents, and on 24th August forthe Pre-School to 3rd gradestudents, for the safety of thechildren and following therecomen-dations of the HealthAuthorities [because of thepandemic H1N1 flu]. The dates ofsome events were changed and themissed days will be replaced tocomplete the 200 day school year.
On 25th September we will celebratethe OLM Anniversary, with aSpaghetti Dinner and Talent Show.
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D O Y O U T H I N K Y O U M I G H T H AV E AD R I N K I N G P R O B L E M ?
AA meetings in English in Rio de Janeiro:
SUNDAYS - Copacabana: Av. N. S. de Copacabana, 435/1005 - 6 to 7 pm
TUESDAYS & THURSDAYS - BotafogoRua Real Grandeza, 99 - 6-7 pm.
SATURDAYS - IpanemaRua Visconde de Pirajá, 156/610 - 4-5 pm.
Any questions please call Mr Bob N. 21 2543 5437
or Serge - (21) 9974 8824 [email protected]
OBITUARY
Aileen Muriel Wiseman
Passed away on 11th August, 2009, aged 89 years. I thank Godfor a wonderful life with my wonderful wife, "Minty", for 70years. May she rest in peace and rise in glory. - Your loving hus-band, Wal.
The devoted and loving mother of John, Carol, Nick andPaul and their spouses Paula, Ian, Christine and Andrea.Thank you, Mum, for giving us the love, care and opportu-nities that have made us what we are and the beautiful fam-ily life that unites us in love. A beloved nanna to Rebecca,Jacqui, Jayne, Ross, Robert, Martin, Frances and Diogo andspouses Sean, Tony, Emma and Andy and great-nanna toLewis, Bethany, Anahera and Zak. Sister to Pat, Maureenand Stan (deceased). Funeral service will took place at St.Nicholas Parish Church, Great Yarmouth on 18th August,followed by a committal for family members at GorlestonCrematorium at 3.20 p.m. Donations in support ofresearch into ME (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis). Chequesmade payable to Action for ME and sent to A. Jary & Sons,214 Northgate Street, Great Yarmouth NR30 1DH.
OBITUARY
Ian Hurley
Ian Hurley died in a Rio hospital in the early hours ofMonday 20th July. A "Missa do 7º Dia" was held at the SantaMonica church in Leblon on Monday 27th July.
Ian came to Brazil in the 70s, with his then wife Pat. Theywere both very active with The Players, taking part in manyworkshops and productions. He retired to the UK, wheresadly his wife died, and he eventually returned to Brazil ona visit, and met and married Regina, who survives him,along with his two daughters by his first marriage, Jan andAdrienne. Ian maintained contact with his friends througha yearly letter, which was always interesting and entertain-ing. In February 2007, his letter was published in TheUmbrella as the Best of the Year. May he rest in peace.
Dear All,A collection of thoughts to share withyou all this month.
Firstly our ALPHA course starts thismonth in Botafogo, Lagoa andRecreiro. Please let me know if you’dlike to join one of the groups, and seethe advert lower down this page. TheCourse certainly promises to be a quali-ty and stimulating time of discussion,questions and food. Whether you arepart of Christ Church or not, of greatfaith or little, you are warmly invited.
Secondly I’d like to use this opportuni-
ty to thank many members of theCommunity for your support, andwords of comfort since my Mother’sdeath. I do appreciate your care for meand I trust I can respond accordinglywhenever the need arises for you. I dothank God her death was quick, and Iam determined to learn from her exam-ple of a dedicated prayer life.
Thirdly, an advance notice. On Sunday13th December our Community Carolservice will take place at 7pm. Pleasemark it in your agendas now. This yearour theme will be “An InternationalCommunity”. Following the service,
CHRIST CHURCH
DAVID WELLER
“THIS ‘N THAT”
food will be served in the Hall by rep-resentatives of some of Rio’s interna-tional community. Details to follow.
Finally last month, I picked up a copyof a free newspaper when I was inBristol SW England. The previousweek the 42nd Bristol Carnival hadtaken place amidst much colour andglory. The headline on the paper saidthis “Who needs Rio when you’ve got St.Paul’s?”. Having seen the photosinside, I’d still pick Rio every time.
God Bless,Rev. David
What is the point of life? What happens when we die?What r elevance does Jesus have for our lives today?
How do we deal with guilt?
If you would like to explor e any of these questions,then Alpha is for you.
Star ting 30th August
With gr oups meeting dur ing the week in Lagoa and Recr eio and onSundays at Chr ist Chur ch, Botafogo.
Please contact Rev. David Weller for fur ther details and if you would like to take par t. Don’t miss out on this oppor tunity.
r [email protected], tel. 2539 9488. All welcome and it is FREE.
BCS Yearbook - if you are a payed up member and still havenʼt got yours
please get it from the BCS Office: Rual real Grandez 99, Botafogo
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SCOTS TRIUMPH
EDINBURGH
Although the South American tentand the Ian MacPhail ceilidh werecancelled at the last minute, SAS-Riomembers BCS chair Mary Crawshaw(clan Macfarlane) and The Umbrellaeditor (Carruthers) attended theClan Gathering in Holyrood Park,Edinburgh and met the MacPhailsfor a chat. The weather on Saturday25 July was fabulous with hot sun allday long. Here are some of ourimpressions.
THE ARENA: very international, with massed pipebands from Canada, and otherentrants from the USA, Belgium, theNetherlands, Australia and NewZealand; an onlooker in kilt and allaccoutrements but wearing those hor-rible, clunky Crocs (rubbery sandals); aBurns impersonator reciting his poemswith appropriate gestures, competingwith the music of the Red Hot ChiliPipers* (not Peppers!) on the mainstage; dancers – junior championships– a tiny kid in a blue sailor-suit doingthe hornpipe nimble & neat next toclumsy older boy in white suit with captoo big, who made up for lack oftechnique by sheer enthusiasm, withleaps that nearly took him off the stage;wild boar & apple sausage sold out atthe restaurant marquee, while haggis,neeps & tatties had the shortest foodqueue. The Clan Hay - Belgium pipeband was admitted to full membershipof the clan in a unique ceremony, andplayed their hearts out in response; butwe were disappointed that, in responseto conservation laws, the “bearskins” ofmany bands were made of (muchlighter) black nylon strips.
THE GAMES:African-American heavy athleteHarrison Bailey III, 6ft. 3 in. 120kg, wasannounced as having competed allover the world, including such exoticplaces as Copacabana! We wereimpressed by strong men hoisting fivehuge stone balls from the ground tothe tops of five beer barrels against theclock, but disappointed by the caberthrowers, only a couple of whom wereable to throw the wooden telephone-pole-size cabers to a bolt upright 12o’clock position; a hammer throw shotthat went astray and nearly clobbered alady photographer; spectator in primeviewing position on the grassy bank butflat on his back, asleep in the sun;ubiquitous plastic trash thrown downon grass quickly collected by an army
of young folk with metre-long tongs.Overall winner of the Deuchars WorldHighland Games Heavy Events: AaronNeighbour from Australia, secondSean Betz (2008 champion) and thirdLarry Brock, both from USA; fourthwas from the Netherlands, only thencame the Scots. No new world recordsset.
THE PARADE: 8,000 marched with pipers in clangroups from Agnew & Barclay toUrquhart & Young. We supportedthem from the side of the Royal Milewith 20,000 other cheerers-on. Thepiper of Clan Wallace – New Zealand,during a pause in the parade, played aspirited rendition of Alexander’sRagtime Band; another NZ clanmarched with a burly Maori, fierce withtattooed face and tattered cloak; littleboy with tartan cap and T-shirtemblazoned with the flag of St Andrewand the proud slogan “Scottish notBritish”; Na Fir Dileas (the Loyal Men -Jacobites) led by small chap in tamo’shanter bearing a claymore point up,almost as big as himself; participants inKing Arthur type helmet and chainmail; youth in centre of a clan pluggedinto his iPod, evidently marching to adifferent drummer; lone chap innational dress marching whilemanipulating a diabolo, to muchcheering from the crowd.
Scots who stayed in Rio – you missedsomething special! – Ed.
*See and hear them on YouTube<http://tiny.cc/N4Yws>
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OFF THE BEATEN TRACK
HENRY ADLER
A HEAD FOR HEIGHTS AROUND RIO DE CONTAS , BAHIA
The biggest advantage of a trip to Rio deContas is once you’ve had your fill of thetown with its colonial gems you can thendo some really outstanding hiking in thearea. The best ones can be done easilyin a day with a light pack holding yourlunch, water, camera and sunscreen.Beauty is, of course, in the eyes of thebeholder, but I challenge anyone to findanywhere in Brazil that has three finewalks, each one quite different from theothers, in one area.
If you only have time for one, thenchoose Pico das Almas. It must be one ofthe best one-day treks in Brazil. The floraand geology are spectacular and thenthere are the views over the entire valleyand the encircling mountains. For a com-plete contrast take the Estrada Real walkwhich takes you along the old pack ani-mal path dating from 1728, when largequantities of gold were discovered andbrought down the serra to Livramento.The path is still partly paved with theoriginal huge cobblestones and sportsdry stone walls, as if it were a tropical“Yorkshire”. The third trek is to Pico deItobira on the opposite side of the valleyfrom Almas.
PICO DAS ALMAS (1958m)You’ll need transport or a very long,dusty walk to get to the start of the trailto Almas. You don’t really need a guideas the trail is fairly clear but you’ll prob-ably need one to find the unsigned trail-head. And he may have transport if youdon’t.
The walk heads out across the valley. Onthe far side there are the first of manystrange rock outcrops which sprout fromthe valley floor at varying degrees ofinclination: some are almost horizontal,others almost vertical, most ofteninclined in several directions. It looksrather like rock seen through a kaleido-scope or the kids’ game of ‘pick upsticks’. In some places they unfurl ratherlike waves or as if the ground had beenbent back on itself and the rock hadpopped out. The path then slowly startswinding its way up the slope of themountain and the flora starts appearing.The variety is amazing but they had onething in common: they were all shades ofyellow! As our guide said “É setembroentão é o mês amarelo” (It’s September,
the yellow month). The flowers appearin clumps like small carpets or isolatedbehind rocks or in crevices. And the nat-ural variation shows in the same planthaving distinctly different shades of yel-low flowers in different locations.
As the trail gets steeper, the views getbetter; you can see the length andbreadth of the valley all the way acrossto the peaks of Itabira and Barbado onthe other side. It also gets rockier untilyou come to a rock tunnel. Here you finda concentration of flora includingorchids, yellow flowers of course. It takesabout 3 hours to the top from where youhave long views along the ridge to thehead of the valley, the lake behind thetown and down the other side into thenext valley. To your surprise, on the waydown, you spot plants you hadn’t seenon the way up!
If you think there are a multitude ofplants, you’re in good company.Botanists from Kew Gardens & the JardimBotanico spent many years exploring andcataloging this botanical “hotspot”. Youcan buy books in town, both technicaland ‘coffee table’, on the results. Youalso see what you have missed the restof the year!
PICO DE ITOBIRA (1970m)Itobira Peak is on the other, eastern sideof the valley. It’s even further from townso transport is necessary. The rocky peaklooks down a broad valley and is shapedrather like the dome of an astronomicalobservatory so the path to it is obvious.This is a “classic” walk through flower-filled grassy areas bounded by groves oftrees, through stiles in dry stone wallsand steadily up to the base of the peak.You reach the summit by scrambling upthe rock. From the top you have spectac-ular views all around. The flora here isagain predominately yellow, but manyare different flowers from those onAlmas. On the way down there’s a smallwaterfall and pool to cool off in.
ESTRADA REALThe Estrada Real starts a few kms downthe road to Livramento. The trail startsalongside Raposa Chalés which conve-niently has a bar, a pool and tremen-dous views across and down the valley.The path is paved in part with huge,old
stones. You can follow the path all theway down to a pool where the localkids swim and dive. It’s much moreinteresting to take any of the unofficialtracks the other side of the wall andhead off diagonally across the valleytowards the Brumado Falls. The flora isdominated by cacti of all shapes, sizes,prickliness and flowers, some yellowbut plenty of others too -- quite unex-pected and a complete contrast toAlmas and Itobira. The vegetation isdecidedly sertão-like, dry and thornyand there are huge termite nests strewnover the area, which is rich in birds. It’salso where you find carvoeiro leaves –huge and used in the past as writingpaper by the locals, thanks to their vel-vet-like surface.
It’s a long haul to the top of the fallsthemselves but you can get some excel-lent views by scrambling up rock out-crops. Depending on the water flow youmay see a series of 4 sequential falls,twin falls merging into one as they drop,or just a single, wide fall. You can evenscramble to the bottom of the falls --but remember, you have to climb upagain.
Congratulations if you manage to do allthree hikes - you’ll have seen the best ofRio de Contas and region.
Hiking on Pico das Almas
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Sweden is not known for its horrorfilms, but it certainly makes for achilling location in Let the Right One In(Deixa Ela Entrar). Part vampire film,part romance, part coming-of-age story,Let the Right One In has been gainingsteady appreciation over the last 18months around the world for its freshperspective and tender reimagining ofthe vampire movie genre.
Based on John Ajvide Lindqvist's best-selling novel and set in snowbound 80'sStockholm, lonely teenage protagonistOscar befriends the girl next door (Eli)who just happens to prefer blood tomilkshake, but whose own desperateisolation leads her to spare Oscar forthe sake of simply having a friend.
More likely to make you reach for thetissues than a crucifix, Kåre Hedebrantand Lina Leandersson both givesensitive, fragile performances thatring true for any teenager's search foracceptance and place in the world.Director Thomas Alfredson makes themost of his low budget with clever,minimal special effects, just a spatter-ing of blood and a stunning finale whichwill stay with you for a long time after.
On more conventional horror ground,Sam Raimi serves up the deliciously
titled Drag Me to Hell (Arraste-Me Para oInferno), a comedy-horror in the vein ofRaimi's early films with which he madehis name in the 80s, before going on tocollect his big paycheck in theSpiderman franchise.
Ambitious bank clerk Christine Brownlearns the hard way that you shouldnever refuse an old gypsy lady a loanextension. Throw in a curse, three daysof taunting visitations by a demon andthe possibility of being literally draggedto hell on the horizon and you have aseriously irked deskworker.
Raimi resists the temptation to go all outon special effects to give a master classin jolts and shock horror. The sounddesign of the film that is perhaps themost impressive, the creaking walls andsudden rattling household items, provethat if done the right way they canmake your hair stand on end -- or as afew victims in the screening I attendeddid, literally jump out of your seat.
Laughs also account for about half thefun as gruesome set-pieces aredelivered with slapstick choreography,including a Loony Toones-esque anvildropping on someone's head, causingone of those unlucky eyeball-landing-in-the-mouth situations we all regret.
Bruno may not be a horror film butthere are plenty of victims at the hand ofSacha Baron Cohen's latest comiccreation. Bruno is the 19-year-old gayAustrian TV presenter of the fashionexpose Funkyzeit (the most popularGerman-language fashion show, outsideGermany). Sacked from his show andseeking a career change Bruno headsstateside to try and crack America.
Flaunting his overt campness on TVchat shows, at wrestling contests, in theface of real-life politicians and otherunlucky individuals, Baron Cohen´ssociopolitical comedy targets homo-phobia and society’s obsession withfame. While watching, one also wondersjust how far we all might play along ifwe were confronted by such an extremecharacter. In this sense there's more toBaron Cohen's film than only makingpeople look stupid and while the jokesmay at times be crude, low-brow, and inthe worst possible taste, if you canevaluate a film's power from thereaction it has inside you then Bruno isvery successful; Rarely have I clenchedmy fists so hard and wanted my seat toswallow me whole to save me from theembarrassment of what I knew wasgoing to come next. Excruciating, butvery, very funny.
Matthew Holden
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MAKING TRUEEVERLASTING FRIENDSMichael Stuart McLauchlan,age 17
As a student of the British School of Riode Janeiro, I am very fortunate to beable to participate in the unique andchallenging Duke of Edinburgh’sInternational Award (DoE) programmethat manages to capture the essence ofwhat is lacking in the day-to-dayacademic classroom. It aims to equipstudents between the ages of 14 to 25with life skills to make a difference tothemselves, their communities and theworld, with the focus being teamwork,leadership and independent andcreative thought.
The programme consists of three levels(bronze, silver and gold), eachsuccessive one requiring a greaterdegree of commitment, and there areseveral things a participant must do inorder to achieve these awards. First onthe list is to undertake an adventurousjourney. I usually do hiking for 4–6 daysin the wilderness with other people ofmy age. Second is community service. Ihelp out with arranging the DoEdepartment with equipment so thatfuture participants have functional tentsand good stoves! (Nothing is worse thana faulty tent – believe me, I’ve beenthere!) Third is to develop any personalinterest under the “skills” section. I playin the British School’s Steel Band whichcounts for this. To finalise each level, youneed to undertake some sort of PhysicalRecreation. I run around the Lagoa (7.8km) regularly, which counts as a methodof keeping physically fit and healthy.
I have been a participant of the awardscheme since 2006, and am currentlydoing my Gold. I have been to severalplaces such as Cachoeiras de Macacú,Serra da Mantiqueira, Ilha Grande,Paraty and Itatiaia, hiking overmountains and camping in the mostremote areas. Nobody goes through theprogramme without being able to tell afew stories... I have managed to cook(and eat!) the most burnt pasta whilstanother group had the complete “arroz,feijão” and “farofa”; I have gone to the“bathroom” at the darkest and coldestof hours with the ever present feelingthat nasty creepy crawlies are rampantin this part of the world, and have gonewithout a proper bath for quite a longtime (except for a quick dip in theriver!). In Paraty, our group managed (Ihave no idea how...) to take the wrongpoles for our tent (hence we and our
belongings were flooded after atorrential thunderstorm!); break ourpoles on the second day (thankfully itdid not rain!) and eventually lose themon the third day! I have had things leakinside my rucksack (with all my clothessmelling like Pineapple Clight for awhole DoE expedition) and have had toclimb peaks with a 20 kilo rucksack onmy back! If I had charged the numberof times I heard “Are you kidding? Youare going up THAT!?” by the locals weasked for directions along the way, Iwould be richer than the Queen herself!A friend managed to sleep on top of anant hill, another one managed to falldown a ditch (laughing...) and anothersat down on his rucksack and said hewould not budge an inch until his fathercame to pick him up. Only thing was, wehad no idea where we were! Hecontinued in the end...
After reading a couple of my storiesabout DoE experiences, you must bewondering why I even bother signingup for it! Frankly I do think that way toowhen I’m trudging along in the raincarrying a heavy rucksack, with blisterson my feet and a rumbling in my
stomach. However I always find myselffinishing the DoE expedition with asmile on my face saying “That wasworth it!” What was worth it? Me beingtogether with my closest mates,appreciating the most breathtakingscenery, getting away from everything(literally!), and having this great senseof accomplishment. Being able to getto the top of a mountain and say “I didit!” makes anyone feel good. I do nothave enough words to express howmuch I have gained from the DoE. It isthe most gratifying and uniqueprogramme I have ever done. I havemade several good friends, studentsand teachers alike and have learntabout “teamwork” and “friendship”.This programme takes you out of theclassroom and prepares any student fortheir adult life.
The school’s motto is “Knowledgeand Friendship”. We get theknowledge on the Monday to Fridaybasis, but the true everlastingfriendship we get on programmessuch as this one. My eternalgratitude to the British School and toall the teachers who run it!
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By Greg GrandinIllustrated. 416 pp. MetropolitanBooks/Henry Holt & Company. $27.50
With “Fordlandia,” Greg Grandin, aprofessor of history at New York Univer-sity,tells a haunting story of Henry Ford’sfailed endeavour to export Main StreetAmerica to the jungles of Brazil.Fordlandia was a commercial enterprise,intended to extract raw material for theproduction of motor cars, but it wasframed as a civilizing mission, an attemptto build the ideal American society withinthe Amazon. As described in this fascin-ating account, it was also the reflection ofone man’s personality — arrogant,brilliant and very odd.
In 1927, Ford, the richest man in theworld, needed rubber to make tyres,hoses and other parts for his cars. Rubberdoes not grow in the USA, and Europeanproducers enjoyed a virtual monopoly onthe rubber trade because of their Asiancolonies. So, typically, the car magnatedecided to grow his own. The site chosenfor Ford’s new rubber plantation was anarea of some 2.5 million acres on thebanks of the Tapajós River, a tributary ofthe Amazon about 600 miles from theAtlantic. It took Ford’s agents approxi-mately 18 hours to reach the place byriverboat from the nearest town.
Ford’s vision was a replica Midwesterntown, with modern plumbing, hospitals,schools, sidewalks, tennis courts and evena golf course. There would be no drink orother forms of immorality, but gardeningfor all and chaste dances every week.Fordlandia would not just make carproduction more efficient. By applyingthe principles of rational organization toturn out goods at an ever faster pace,Ford would also be im-proving the lives ofthose who worked in the new town,bringing health and wealth to Americanmana-gers and Brazilian laborers alike. In
Grandin’s words, this outpost of moderncapitalism was to be “an example of hisparticular American dream, of how Ford-style capitalism – high wages, humanebenefits and moral improvement – couldbring prosperity to a benighted land.”That blueprint may have worked in Ford’sRiver Rouge plant in Dearborn, Michigan,but it most emphatically did not work inthe jungle. Instead of a miniature butimproved North American city, what Fordcreated was a broiling, pestilential hellholeof disease, vice and violence, closer toDodge City than peaceable Dearborn.The American overseers found it hard toretain employees, who tended to wanderoff after earning enough to satisfy theirimmediate wants. Those who stayed died inlarge numbers, from snakebite, malaria,yellow fever and numerous other tropicalafflictions. Prohibition was supposed tobe rigorously upheld, but after a day spenthacking at the encircling jungle, theworkers headed to the bars and bordellosthat sprang up around the site. Knifefights erupted; venereal disease was rife.Along with prohibition, Ford’s other ruleswere also resented, particularly the im-posed diet of brown rice, whole-wheat breadand tinned peaches. When a new cafeteriawas introduced in place of waiter service,the men rioted, destroying the mess hall andwrecking every vehicle on the property.
Meanwhile, some of the Americans broughtin to run the project went mad. One manhurled himself from a boat into a nest ofalligators. The wife of one official recalledthe flying bugs with “claws just like lobsters.”Grandin paints a Conradian portrait ofEinar Oxholm, the Norwegian ship’s captainappointed manager of Fordlandia. We seehim sipping rum (in defiance of companypolicy) as the fledgling communitydisintegrated. Oxholm was honest, butotherwise entirely unsuited to his task,knowing nothing whatever aboutcultivating rubber or managing men onland. He would finally return to theUnited States, leaving behind the graves
of four of hischildren.Indeed, JosephConrad’s “Heartof Darkness” reso-nates throughevery page ofthis book, asthe white menstruggle and succumb to the jungle. In1929, two Ford employees, Johansen, aScot, and Tolksdorf, a German, headedupriver with orders to collect rubberseeds. Instead, they went on analcoholic bender, marooned their cookon a deserted island and ended up inthe tiny town of Barra.
The great carmaker himself witnessednone of this. He never set foot in the townthat bore his name, yet his powerful,contradictory personality influencedevery aspect of the project. Ford’sAmazon team had plenty of able men,but as Grandin observes, “what it didn’thave was a horticulturalist, agronomist,botanist, microbiologist, entomologist orany other person who might knowsomething about jungle rubber and itsenemies” — the lace bugs and leaf blightthat laid siege to the rubber trees, theswarms of caterpillars that left areas of theplantation “as bare as bean poles.”
Given the obstacles, it is astonishing howmuch the creators of Fordlandia didachieve. During its brief heyday,Fordlandia boasted red fire hydrants onneat streets, running water, a sawmill, awater tower and weekly square dancing.But the intransigence of the jungle,changes in the world economy and warensured its ignominious demise. TheFord Motor Company invested $20million in Fordlandia. In 1945 it was soldto the Brazilian government for$244,200.
By BEN MACINTYRE New York Times(Submitted by Eduardo Domingues)
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FORDLANDIAThe Rise and Fall of Henry Ford’s Forgotten Jungle City
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Exciting Times at JaperiGolfPeter Doyle
Rio de Janeiro has three golf coursesall within 45 minutes driving distancefrom Botafogo. Gávea G.C.C. andItanhangá G.C. are limited to mem-bers only and are expensive to join, aswell as being fairly exclusive. But Rioalso has one Public Municipal GolfCourse in Japeri, situated in beautifulrolling country-side, just off the NovaRodoviária Dutra (Saída 199), 6 kmbefore the first pedágio and 7 km fromthe Dutra. You drive through the townof Engenheiro Pedreiro and, as youcome out of there it is immediately onyour left hand-side. You cannot miss it.
It is a superb 18-Hole (Alternate Tees)golf course (there is space to expandto a full 18 holes). You pay a mode-rate Green Fee and can hire clubs,balls and caddies. Nothing is compul-sory, except the Green Fee, payablein advance, the equivalent of US$10per weekday, double on weekends.
The course was designed andconstructed by golf architect RicardoPradez (currently in Illinois). Thefunds (roughly one million USdollars) were donated by “The Royal& Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews”(at the request of Vicky Whyte),Nationwide Mutual (Philip Healey),Veirano Advogados (Ronaldo Veira-no), the former Mayor of Japeri,Carlos Morais Costa and theMembers of Gávea G. C.
Today, Granado and Chris Freeman,the R&A and Gávea G.C. membersare largely instrumental in paying themonthly maintenance expense. Ap-proval has been issued under the LeiIncentivo ao Esporte, which allows tax-paying companies to allocate 1% of theirtax payable to socially beneficialsporting entities. From 2010, this willmake the Associação Golf Público deJaperi self-sufficient financially.
There is a Head Pro and three quali-fied golf instructors, as well as a secre-tary, two tractor drivers, three golfgardeners and two night watchmen.
The course is a beautiful course toplay, being roughly equal to Teresó-polis G.C. a few years ago. It is a par72 course. It is a very importantsocial project bringing the sport of
golf within the reach of those thatare not so well financially endowed. SOCIAL PROJECT OBJECTIVES:• Education – golf has as its principalcharacteristics the qualities ofhonesty (the player is his ownreferee) and sporting spirit.• Support for Youth – 100 Japeri kidshave two golf lessons a week, pluslunch, and free medical/dentistrycare. There is a waiting list for kidswanting to join, only limited by themaximum number that any oneinstructor can handle. It keeps the
kids off the streets.
• Socio-economic Impact in theregion – it has raised the perceptionof Japeri in the eyes of businessmenand attracted many firms to theJaperi Industrial Estate.• Environment – the golf course hasprotected 72 hectares from beinginvaded and preserved natural lifewithin its confines.
COPA DE CAMPEÕESOn Saturday, 8th August, the "GrupoOs Dez", made up of very keenPortuguese businessmen golfers,flew out from Lisbon to play in theRio State Golf Federation's "Copa deCampeões", hosted this year by theAssociação Golfe Público de Japeri.They brought with them ten veryelegant trophies for the first tenplaces, plus a host of magnificentraffle prizes. On the Thursday, VickyWhyte hosted them, as they shook offtheir jet-lag at Gávea G.C.C.
Friday was "practice day", as they gotthe measure of the Japeri GolfCourse. On the Saturday, businesswas serious with the "Copa deCampiões" in the morning and adelicous late churrasco luncheon,before the Mayor of Japeri presentedthe Trophies and drew the Raffle. Local knowledge and skill was too
much. Japeri and other Carioca play-ers swept the board and the Portu-guese returned to Lisbon empty-handed, but very contented andvowing to come back in a winningmood next year.
GOVERNADOR SÉRGIO CABRALVISITSOn 10th August, Rio Governor SérgioCabral visited the Japeri course byhelicopter to hear about the socialproject. He was presented with amedal, a tee-shirt, a key-ring and agolf club. One of the club’s studentplayers, Vitória Monteiro, taught theGovernor the first elements of golf.
See the website with more photos at<www.japerigolfe.com.br>
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Rio de Janeiro Governor Sérgio Cabral visits JaperI Public Golf Course
Vitória Monterio teaches the Governor how to do it
Young golfer Anderson Nunes in action
ADVERTISE IN THE UMBRELLA: 2537-6695
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Navigating the Napa ValleyJeni Bonorino
While all 50 states in the UnitedStates produce wine, nothing saysquality like Napa Valley. A Californiadream located 80 kilometers (50miles) northeast of San Francisco,Napa Valley is home to some ofCalifornia’s top wineries includingRobert Mondavi, Stag’s Leap andChateau Montelena.
“Great!” you say, “I want to go toNapa Valley.” So what’s next? Timingis everything. While any time is a finetime to visit a winery, there is no timelike harvest time. California’s grapeharvest, or the annual picking of thegrapes, typically takes place fromSeptember through October. Thisperfect season of the year is a visionof rustic fall colors swirled togetherwith the excitement of peopleworking in the vineyards.
With roots dating back to the midnineteenth century, Napa Valley ishome to over 300 wineries, whichreceive 5 million visitors each year.Red, white and sparkling wines areproduced in Napa with CabernetSauvignon and Chardonnay leadingthe way. Other grape varietals such asMerlot and Zinfandel produce finered wines while internationalsparkling wine producers such asMumm and Domaine Chandon havechosen to call the Napa Valley theirhome.
Anyone visiting San Francisco canfind a day excursion to the winecountry offered by different touroperators. Prices from the citygenerally range from $65 to $95 andinclude a visit to two wineriesfollowed by a casual lunch. Whilethis is a fine choice for a quick lookat the wine country, I strongly advisestaying for a day or two.
A perfect visit to Napa would involvemultiple winery visits, lots of eating,relaxation at a spa, a hot air balloonride, possibly a bike ride down thefamous Silverado trail and a visitto the Napa Premium ShoppingOutlets.
Navigating the 30 miles that make upthe Napa Valley is easy if youunderstand the lay of the land. NapaValley runs north to south, with themain road, Highway 29, acting as thedivider of wineries along the left andright hand side. Parallel to Highway
29 is the famous Silverado Trailwhich was built in 1852. Today thistrail holds some of Napa’s mostinfluential wineries including Stag’sLeap, Duckhorn and Silverado.
Within this 30-mile span there arefive major regions. Starting in thesouth and heading north is the cityof Napa followed by Yountville,Rutherford/Oakville, St. Helena andCalistoga.
If choosing to explore the winecountry via car I suggest eitherdesignating a driver or hiring one forthe day, because every winery has atasting room and most wineries arenext door to each other, so it is easyto visit five wineries in oneafternoon. Other transportationoptions include hiring a local touroperator, taking the 3-hour NapaValley Wine Train tour, or tastingwines via your bicycle while peddlingdown the 29 miles of the SilveradoWine Trail.
The Napa Valley is truly a world-classwine region with great wineries andrestaurants in every corner. With somany to choose from it is importantto narrow down the selection to the“must sees” for new visitors. Startingin the southern region of Yountville,Domaine Chandon is an impressivewinery to visit with a state-of-the-artfacility and well-manicured vineyards.They offer an informative one-hourwine tour, which can be followed upby lunch at their beautiful Etoilerestaurant.
While in Yountville all lovers of finewine should visit three classicwineries: Silverado, Dominus andStag’s Leap. All lovers of fine foodsmust have a meal at the FrenchLaundry, one of Restaurant Magazine’s“Top 50 Restaurants in the World.”
As you head north towards theOakville/Rutherford region you willsee more wineries lined along bothsides of Highway 29. It is importantto pace yourself as there is much totake in. Key wineries visits in thisregion should include RobertMondavi, Harlan, ZD, Girgich Hillsand Rubicon Vineyards (owned byFrancis Ford Coppola).
Continuing north towards the St.Helena region you will run in to theCIA, or Culinary Institute ofAmerica. Plan to have your nexteating adventure at their famousGreystone Restaurant after visiting the
Duckhorn, Franciscan and V.Sattuiwineries.
Creeping to the top of Napa Valleyyou will arrive in Calistoga. Here youshould be sure to visit the ChateauMontelena winery, famous forbeating out some of France’s finestwine estates in a 1976 wine tastingheld in Paris.
Once you are exhausted from tastingwine -- yes it can happen -- head toone of Calistoga’s natural hot springspas. In the mood for somethingmore daring? Take a hot air balloonride over the vineyards. Ready forsome retail therapy? Head to thehome of high label fashion at theNapa Valley Premium Outlets.
For those of you who want tocontinue to tour the wine country,head over to Sonoma Valley.Considered the birthplace ofCalifornia wines, Sonoma Valley sitsto the left of Napa and to the right ofthe Pacific Ocean. A cooler wine-growing region famous for its redwines made from the Pinot Noirgrape and white wines made fromthe Chardonnay grapes, Sonoma’skey famous wine region is theRussian River Valley. World-classwineries include Chateau St. Jean,Gloria Ferrer, Ferrari-Caranno,Kenwood, Kunde and Ravenswood.A restaurant not to miss is The Girland The Fig located on the SonomaTown Square.
For more information my door isalways open.
Jenihttp://www.wine4her.com
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Fun Wine FactsOne barrel of wine makes about1200 glasses of wine. One vine annually producesbetween four and six bottles ofwine, or 20 and 30 glasses.
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FIRE SAFETY
I never realized that a wet dishclothcan be a one-size-fits-all lid to cover afire in a pan!
This is about how to deal with acommon kitchen fire ...oil in a fryingpan. At the Fire Fighting Trainingschool they would demonstrate thiswith a deep fat fryer set on the firefield. An instructor would don a firesuit and using an 8 oz cup at the endof a 10-foot pole toss water onto thegrease fire. The results got theattention of the students. The water,being heavier than oil, sinks to thebottom where it instantly becomessuperheated. The explosive force ofthe steam blows the burning oil upand out. On the open field, itbecame a thirty foot high fire-ballthat resembled a nuclear blast.Inside the confines of a kitchen, thefire ball hits the ceiling and fills theentire room -- see the YouTube videoat AKitchenOilFire1.wmv.
Also, do not throw sugar or flour ona grease fire. One cup of eithercreates the explosive force of twosticks of dynamite. This is a powerfulmessage -- watch the video and don'tforget what you see. Tell your wholefamily about this video. Or better yet,send this to them.
P.S. Also remember to turn off thevent over your stove if it's on at thetime of a fire. -- Les Hayes
IMPORTANT: INTERNETBANKING
When internet security is an issue itis always advisable to take specialprecau-tions. A friend fromSERPRO, Paulo Emery, has sent us 3interesting tips for any bankingtransactions on the internet.
Whenever you are going to use anyinternet banking service you shouldfollow these 3 tips to check theauthenticity of the website inquestion:
1-Minimize the page - If the virtualkeyboard is minimized as well then itis correct. If the keyboard remainson the screen in full size that meansit is a fake! Do not type anything in.
2-Every time you enter your bankwebsite always type in a wrong accesspassword on the first attempt. If anerror message appears it means thatthe website does belong to the bankbecause their system has the meansto verify your password. If you type inthe wrong password and an errormessage does not appear it is a badsign. Pirate sites have no means ofchecking the information, theirmain objective is to capture yourpassword.3- Every time you enter the bankwebsite check to see if there is anicon of a padlock at the foot of thepage. Double click on this icon and asmall pop-up window should appearwith information regarding theauthenticity of the site. On some ofthe pirate sites the padlock doesappear but when you double clicknothing happens.These 3 procedures are very simple,but they will guarantee that you can
make it harder for a person tocommit virtual fraud. -- Henry Adler
TRAFFIC TICKETS
If you are ticketed for a light ormedium traffic violation (multa porinfração leve ou media), and have nothad one of those in the last 12months, you need not pay the fine,but you will lose points.
Just go to DETRAN and ask for theform to convert the violation into awarning, based on Art. 267 of theCTB (Brazilian Traffic Code) – seebelow. Take a photocopy of yourdriving licence and the notice of thefine. In 30 days you will receive awritten warning in the post.
Art. 267 - Poderá ser imposta apenalidade de advertência por escrito àinfração de natureza leve ou média,passível de ser punida com multa, nãosendo reincidente o infrator, na mesmainfração, nos últimos doze meses, quandoa autoridade, considerando o prontuáriodo infrator, entender esta providênciacomo mais educativa.-- Henry Adler
[The Umbrella is happy to publish theseitems as a community service, but takesno responsibility for the accuracy of any ofthe above information. – Ed.]
Disclaimer
The editors of The Umbrella accept
no responsibility for claims madeeither
in the advertisements or the clas-sifieds, and the opinions
expressed in the articles pub-lished are those of the writers,
and not of The Umbrella.
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The Umbrella is published monthly by the British andCommonwealth Society of Rio de Janeiro. Print run: 900copies. Deadline: second to last Monday/month
Editor: Jack Woodall [email protected] Design & Desktop Publishing:Marcia Fialho [email protected] & Printing: Gráfica Falcão.
Society articles are the responsibility of each society.The Umbrella is distributed free to all members of the Riode Janeiro BCS, American Society, The St. Andrew Societyand The Royal British Legion. Classified ads: Gaynor Smith at the BCS office: Tel: (21)2537-6695, Fax: (21) 2538-0564. E-mail: [email protected]
Commercial non-classified ads:please inquire about technical procedures with Marcia Fialho. [email protected]
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7 9
5
6
6
1
4
5
3
9
9
3
9
2
2
2
2 1
1
1
6
5
5 6
8 9
6
1
7
9
3
2
9
9 6 3
3
37
5
7
7
7
7
7
5
5
5
51
1
3
6
6
Res
ult
for
Aug
ust
RESULT FOR AUGUST - Across: 7. Arc, 9. South American, 10. Y-fronts, 12. Clutter, 13. Gift horse, 14. 'tween, 15. Plenipotentiary, 20. Reins,22. Exception, 24. Custard, 25. Breadth, 28. Rateable value, 29. Ply. Down: 1. Ashy, 2. Burr, 3. Shanghai, 4. Amuser, 5. Tracheae, 6. Acquit,7. Anathema, 8. Currency, 11. Frill, 15. Pork-chop, 16. Emissary, 17. Overdraw, 18. Top-heavy, 19. Roost, 21. Shanty, 23. Cobalt, 26. Dell, 27. Heel.
Across: 6. Corn- for breakfast, snow- for Xmas (5); 7. Mysterystory (3-3-2); 10. Nanette? No, no! Nearly (7); 11. Attain (7);12. Beats a shower for soaking (7); 13. Foot and mouth disease(7); 14. Shipped order (11); 19. Large. Especially concerninguntruths (7); 21. Souvenir (7); 23. Ecuador is on it (7); 25. Thistype of weapon gives a bigger bang (7); 26. A great Hinduprince (8); 27. Happen (5)Down: 1. Pole of this type is geographically different (8); 2. Atrio of duets? (6); 3. Eurasian rose (5-5); 4. Starry burst ofbrightness (4); 5. Movie theatre (6); 6. Flacid (6); 8. Mountedequestrians can do it (7); 9. French river (5); 13. Masonry ofthis type usual means tombstones (10); 15. Petroleum deriva-tive (7); 16. Trend (8); 17. Baby owl (5); 18. Dread (6); 20.Relating to the eye (6); 22. Indicates long syllable (6); 24. Bumend (4)
THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION XWORDS
Dear Editor,I would like to point out how much I enjoyed the speechat the American Society on 3rd August. The insights andthe information that Prof.Dr. Peter Robertson sharedwith the audience fostered important thoughts abouthow the financial system works and develops.Congratulations and thanks for the invitation!I would also like to register how interesting and well-written the article "Bubble Trouble" by Quentin Lewiswas. His previous article with a chart comparing theaftermath of the 1929 and 2008 financial crashes wasalso very original and stirring. I am not quite sure that Ihave met him, but I would enjoy talking to him, if he isavailable.
Marcelo Henriques de Brito
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Societies INFOC
ale
nd
ar
SEPTEMBER 01 InC New Members Gathering 10am01 SAS Scottish Country Dancing 7:30pm03 BCS Talk: British Community in RJ(1) 6:30pm05 SAS Golf: 2009 Quaich Teresopolis08 SAS Scottish Country Dancing 7:30pm15 BCS Christmas Card Competition deadline 4:30pm15 SAS Scottish Country Dancing 7:30pm17 BCS Talk: British Community in RJ(2) 6:30pm17 InC Cafezinho - Leblon 10am18 INC Big Party ‘Let it Rock’ 8pm22 SAS Scottish Country Dancing 7:30pm25 InC General Meeting 10:30am25 OLM Anniversary Spaghetti Dinner & Talent Show29 SAS Scottish Country Dancing 7:30pm
OCTOBER03 SAS Caledonian Ball 8pm04 InC Happy Hour Rio Scenarium 7pm06 InC New Members Gathering 10am15 InC Cafezinho 10am21 InC Jewelery designer Maria Oiticica visit 9:30am30 InC General Meeting 10:30am
NOVEMBER05 InC New Members Gathering 10am 10:0006 RBL Annual Gala Dinner Dance07 InC Visit to cachaca distillery “Magnifica” and
coffee farm Pão Grande 9am08 RBL Remembrance Service19 InC Cafezinho 10am
DECEMBER03 WDA Christmas Bazaar04 InC Holiday Bazaar *changed date* 10:30am10 InC Cafezinho Sao Conrado 10am
The British & Commonwealth Society of Rio de Janeiro - Rua RealGrandeza 99, Botafogo, 22281-030. Secretary: Gaynor Smith.Office hours: Mon to Fri from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm - Tel: 2537-6695 - Fax: 2538-0564 - [email protected] - www.bcsrio.org.brThe American Society of Rio de Janeiro - Membership: [email protected]: [email protected] www.americansoci-ety.org.br International Club of Rio de Janeiro - GeneralInquiries: [email protected] - President:[email protected] www.incrio.org.br The British School -BOTAFOGO: Rua Real Grandeza 87, 22281-030. Tel: 2539-2717,Fax: 2266-5040 URCA: Av. Pasteur 429, 22290-240, Tel: 2543-5519, Fax: 2543-4719. BARRA: Rua Mário Autuori 100, 22793-270,Tel: 3329-2854 - http://www.britishschool.g12.brEmails: [email protected] and [email protected] American School - Estrada da Gávea 132, Gávea, Tel: 2512-9830 - www.earj.com.br - [email protected] OurLady of Mercy School - Catholic American School in Botafogo -Rua Visconde de Caravelas 48, Botafogo - Tel: 2266-8282 / 2266-8250 / 2266-8258 - www.olmrio.orgThe St Andrew Society - Rua Real Grandeza 99, Botafogo, 22281-030 - President: Jimmy Frew - Tel: 2586-3413 [email protected] - www.standrewrio.com.br Christ Church - RuaReal Grandeza 99, Botafogo, 22281-030 - Tel: [email protected] - http://christchurch.no-ip.org The Royal BritishLegion - www.britishlegion.org.uk - www.bcsrio.org.br/activities/rbl.asp
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DEADLINE for our October 2009 edition is
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21 (2nd-to-last Monday ofthe month). Please send your articles – letters –
ads as soon as possible. Than k you
