December 29, 2006 – Going to the Chapel…
This is why we were here…the big day. Everyone was dapper (and damp). Rain was threatening, which sucked, but it cooled it down considerably. We stood around the hotel lobby a lot, fanning our faces and waiting for our bus. We took pictures. I prayed for air-conditioning.
The wedding was beautiful. The service was long and in Portuguese. We didn’t understand a lick. Some of the words sounded English though. We compared notes after the service. Jill thinks she heard the word “divorce” several times. Nolly and Jan picked up on “nachos” and various other forms of Mexican cuisine. I’m pretty sure I heard “Monday morning” and “Papa Smurf.” Since no one else giggled, I’m positive we either misunderstood, or Papa Smurf was wholly appropriate when used in context.
Other wedding day
notes:
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Brian dropped and almost lost
- Jill did a reading during the ceremony. She immediately stepped on Christiane’s lines. She’s such a scene chewer.
- At the end of the ceremony, the bride, groom, and some other key players had to go behind the altar and sign a big book. I don’t know if they were settling the bill or the Padre collected autographs. It just seemed like something that could have waited.
- We threw rice at that bride and groom when it was all over. Well, a rice-like substance anyway. There was a lot of it. What the hell, it’s not our country. We didn’t have to clean it.
- There was a line to get in to the reception. It smelled like cows. Security was high. We had tickets to get in. Bonnie tried to scalp hers.
- The hall was amazing inside. Waiters were everywhere. Within minutes I had a beer, a screwdriver, champagne, and a quart of scotch placed in front of me. I don’t know the Portuguese for “enough.” I really didn’t need to.
- The parents of the new couple greeted all 300 plus attendees in the Brazilian style of 1 kiss on each cheek (well, the two top cheeks, anyway). I later sold my Chap-Stick to Ray for $100 dollars American.
- Todd & Carolina made a grand entrance by dancing their way in to the hall. I’m guessing that “Start me up,” by the Rolling Stones, is not the traditional Brazilian wedding march, but it worked for me. They looked good. Todd actually dances. However, I flashed back to the Speedo imagery, and I had to sit down and hug my quart of Scotch for several minutes.
- Everyone I met at the wedding was a doctor, except Cassiano’s neighbor. He was a dentist. There goes the neighborhood. The only English he knew was “Bill Clinton,” and he kept pointing at Ray and saying it all night.
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Antonio,
- We left around 3am. It wasn’t over; we were just completely dehydrated. When I woke up the next morning, there was a half-finished giant beer on my nightstand mocking me, and I thought to myself, “Gee, I sure could go for another one of those 5 hour bus rides.”