Everybody Dies but not Everybody Lives (in Brazil): Maceió, a tour through the senses

Obviously over the course of my 9 months in Brazil I would love for all my family and friends to visit. Unfortunately, that is a little unrealistic so for all of you who won’t get a chance to experience Maceió in all its glory (and misery) this if for you. This is a sensory tour of my host city. Although this is still a very limited view from my perspective focusing on the coast (which is the “nice” part of the city as opposed to the interior) I hope it helps you get a better idea of what life is like on the Brazilian coast.

This is what Maceió looks like:

Beaches, I had heard about the beautiful beaches in Maceió and I have to say that I was not disappointed. Perhaps this is best explained with pictures.

Pollution, The only complaint I have concerning the beaches is the pollution. “Going Green” hasn’t quite made it to Maceió yet. I’m usually the only one with a reusable shopping bag at the grocery store, and my apartment building that is home to hundreds of people does not offer a recycling service. The main river in the city that feeds into the ocean is littered with trash. Also Maceió is on a slight slant, so especially after it rains the beaches are riddled with plastic bags and candy wrappers.

A sea of bland colored cars, I swear the mayor of Pleasantville himself must have mandated the color scheme allowed for cars. Cars here are almost exclusively black, white, or shades of gray. Even the taxis are white (yes this makes it harder to discern a taxi, I often wave down white cars). I actually get excited when I see a car that is painted an actual color, not just a value.

This is what Maceió smells like:

Fish, you know that pungent and slightly nauseating smell of fresh raw fish. But it’s oh so delicious once it is prepared!

Too much aftershave, the smell wafts from men walking or even jogging on the beach. I never thought I would smell someone before I’d see them; I was wrong. Maybe they’re trying to overpower the smell of fish, one aftershave bottle at a time.

This is what Maceió sounds like:

Maca-shhhheeeeeraaaaaa, men walk through town pushing carts filled with cassava and belt out in a tone-deaf opera voice “macaxeira” the Portuguese word for cassava.

Caico, Caico is a brand of popsicle here. I personally have a love-hate relationship with the tasty treats. On the one hand they are refreshing and cheap (usually 50 cents or $1 on the beach), on the other hand you can never escape the monotony of the recording “Picolé Sorvete Caico.” Similar to the way they sell macaxeira, people walk around town pushing a Caico cart. The problem is all of these carts are equipped with speakers that play “Picolé Sorvete Caico” (a slogan advertising the popsicles). As they push the cart the recording repeats itself every five feet. I for one find this outrageous I don’t know if Caico sellers have a workers union but they should. There must be some law against torturing employees in such a cruel way. I wouldn’t be able to last one day selling Caico, even hearing the recording on the beach, in my apartment, and walking around town drives me crazy.

Construction, the reason for the sound of construction is twofold. First off, they are always building new hotels and high-rise apartment buildings. Sometimes I feel like I live in the computer game SimCity.

The other reason for the construction sound is the influx of a comeback “toy” so to speak. Now every generation has fads that everyone eventually grows to regret (one example from my generation is the Furby). The latest trend sweeping Northeast Brazil is a toy with two balls connected by a string. There really is no way to play or win a game with this, children (and even some adults) simply wave the thing around until the balls collide or hit the pavement creating a loud sound. As a result, every child sounds like they have their own personal jackhammer.

This is what Maceió tastes like:

Fresh fruits and juices, there are so many “exotic” fruits here it’s like Juicy Fruit was doing another ad campaign with freak fruit combinations. Many of the fruits here don’t exist in the English language. There is graviola, mangaba, and caja, just to name a few. But if you type “Brazilian fruit” in Wikipedia you’ll find a list so long it will make your head spin.

All you can eat ice cream, which is a little kid’s dream come true (OK a big kid’s dream as well). Serve-your-own frozen yogurt has recently become all the rage in the U.S. These shops are very similar to the ice cream parlors here. Except as opposed to the 10-15 flavors you can choose from in the U.S., Brazilian shops generally have over 90 flavors (Baskin Robbins got nothing on Brazil). You choose a cup or cone and then fill it up with as many flavors and toppings as you desire. After you’ve finished your masterpiece you weigh it, pay, and eat your fabulous creation.

This is what Maceió feels like:

Hot, as you may have guessed. Primarily it feels really freaking hot. Though there is an invigorating breeze from the sea.

Light drizzle, though this may change now that rainy season is upon us, but up until now rain here has felt more like mist. Like when you are looking at Niagra Falls from a distance or you’re walking under one of those “mist machines” at Six Flags.

This is what Maceió feels like when you have to go to the grocery store during peak hours.