Where in Heck is the Wandering Grump?

17 November; Campinas, S.P., Brazil --

Results of an Engineering (and Physics!) failure.

Here sits Grumpy, early on a Saturday (I think!) morning. We left R.B. a couple days ago; stayed two nights in Sao Carlos, moving rocks, and then yesterday we were joined by Adelaide and went by bus on down here to Campinas -- about 200km more down the road.

Obviously my back pains are nearly gone -- being able to participate in the Uncle B's sport of moving rocks, and all! -- and I am feeling almost like new. NOT NEW ENOUGH TO GO SWINGING ON ANOTHER VINE, HOWEVER!!!

We were met at the bus terminal by Bob and Adelaide's good friend, Sergio. On the way to Sergio's digs, we stopped at the Capri Pizzeria where we had a cheesey (and how!!) basil and oregano-flavored pizza. It had tomato slices on it besides cheese, cheese and cheese. It was delicious -- and filling! -- then we came on to Sergio's apartment where we made/listened to guitar music and singing until 11 p.m. last night. I got up at the usual time -- because it was daylight. I will probably take a nap -- or two! -- this afternoon to make up for my delinquency in sleep last night.

I took a bunch of photos of banana trees at Sao Carlos the other day. I will include a few here to show what a banana tree looks like at various stages of giving ''birth" to a bunch of bananas:


On the right is a newly- erupted banana "flower" and the developing bunch of bananas. The "purpl-ey", cone-shaped feature to the left of the tree trunk, is the flower; the small bananas are just above.

Here, on the left are three very healthy "baby" banana trees in three stages of their life. They grow for six to 12 months, produce a bunch of bananas, then die, if not chopped down beforehand. Around the base of the "spent" banana tree grows a ring of new, young plants, repeating the cycle.

On the right is an overhead view of the beginning of a new bunch of bananas. These leaves are different than the ordinary leaves. The flower part comes out of the center of this bunch of leaf-forms.

More views of plant and wildlife in Brazil will be forthcoming in future posts; stay tuned.