On one absolutely lazy Monday evening we were invited to our first club in Sao Paulo. Not really knowing the source of information, it could be a risky step joining maybe a not so spectacular party, but curiosity won, so we went. When we got there, the club was still empty, and we hardly could hide our disappointment. But somehow, unexpectedly it took maybe 15 min and the club got full and the music changed suddenly as well. It changed to something like drum & bass, but none of the kind I knew from Europe – dark, gloomy one… the rebellious kind. This one was also speedy and energetic, but had unlimited oceans of positive energy, very sunny, smiling to everybody, was grabbing the bodies on the dance floor and moving them happily in all kinds of directions... You could imagine being and dancing on the Brazilian beach among beautiful exotic people, hidden somewhere in an unknown paradise. There was no way of stopping our bodies enjoying music and experimenting with unknown-to-us-before joyful movements, until the DJ set was over. The DJ with a big afro appeared to be Radisson Maya himself - known probably more as a music producer. That fact explained to me his absolutely professional and brave way of experimenting and mixing music. It was an unforgettable experience and a kind of bond and bass/ base for friendship appeared.
Check it out: myspace.com/ramilsonmaia
Tuesday, 4 December 2007
SAO PAULO
Just as we got off of the plane, the warm, mild wind and sun welcomed us. This embraced our hearts, as Mexico was rough to us. Our joy was multiplied when we saw two branded Smirnoff vans waiting for us. It was first time we realised the Smirnoff Experience campaign was so huge. Howling with joy, we were ready for Brazil to happen. 
The next surprise was just about to happen, when we were taken directly from the airport after a 10-hour flight without a chance to freshen up to meet the contestants and answer all of their lovely questions. In this moment we decided to produce special t-shirts with big, big writing - NO CAMERAS PLEASE...
I bought some mangoes on the corner of a street close to our hotel from a street fruit seller were an unbelievable symphony of taste and I was immediately addicted to them. Good Brazilian summer mango times!
We were driven to our hotel while we were shaking it to the 'dance everybody' rhythms, talking with the people through open windows - sometimes it's good to have an anti-boredom heavy traffic strategy... getting crazy, screaming the songs! Steph tried to work on me to transform me into a blogging monster, with love...
From the beginning, we really wanted to experience the Brazilian beach. One day we took our driver and translator rushing on a mountainous highway shrouded in a milky fog; where only from time to time the great panorama of green, for me looking like a jungle, forest was appearing or a view of green valleys...
We drove passed Santos - the closest shore town to Sao Paulo, and went to the next smaller one –Guaruja. It was a new experience for me. We were driving along the beach on the main street and it was just an amazing view. You could see beautiful bamboo straw beach bars and people enjoying the beach, playing beach volleyball, swimming and many small beach restaurants. The beach was few kilometres long, beach, beach, beach... On the opposite side of the road there were the so-common-for-Brazil sky-scrapers.
The weather wasn't perfect; it was cloudy with some rain showers, but still very warm. The air was moisturising us and there was no doubt that we wanted to stay in this salty cloud enjoying the waves.
to be continued.....
The next surprise was just about to happen, when we were taken directly from the airport after a 10-hour flight without a chance to freshen up to meet the contestants and answer all of their lovely questions. In this moment we decided to produce special t-shirts with big, big writing - NO CAMERAS PLEASE...
I bought some mangoes on the corner of a street close to our hotel from a street fruit seller were an unbelievable symphony of taste and I was immediately addicted to them. Good Brazilian summer mango times!
We were driven to our hotel while we were shaking it to the 'dance everybody' rhythms, talking with the people through open windows - sometimes it's good to have an anti-boredom heavy traffic strategy... getting crazy, screaming the songs! Steph tried to work on me to transform me into a blogging monster, with love...
From the beginning, we really wanted to experience the Brazilian beach. One day we took our driver and translator rushing on a mountainous highway shrouded in a milky fog; where only from time to time the great panorama of green, for me looking like a jungle, forest was appearing or a view of green valleys...
We drove passed Santos - the closest shore town to Sao Paulo, and went to the next smaller one –Guaruja. It was a new experience for me. We were driving along the beach on the main street and it was just an amazing view. You could see beautiful bamboo straw beach bars and people enjoying the beach, playing beach volleyball, swimming and many small beach restaurants. The beach was few kilometres long, beach, beach, beach... On the opposite side of the road there were the so-common-for-Brazil sky-scrapers.
The weather wasn't perfect; it was cloudy with some rain showers, but still very warm. The air was moisturising us and there was no doubt that we wanted to stay in this salty cloud enjoying the waves.
to be continued.....
Saturday, 24 November 2007
Mexico City
The selection day; 10 Latin-American finalists of Colombia, Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Chile and Mexico who came to participate in this challenge to be part of the Smirnoff 10 Experience and find the 9th member it wasn’t that easy.
Ten finalists and one dream, travel all around the world with 9 people from different countries by one year through 19 countries blogging, filming and looking for an original nightlife completely sponsored by Smirnoff. The Smirnoff Experience has began, 10 finalists but just one winner.
The contest; 3 Tasks, the finalists must plan a tourist guide thru an original place in the city, after all, the skills time, each one had to make an interview with the participating bands in “ La Zona de Combate” of MTV and finally capture the essence of the party in one picture.
At 11:00 pm, the new member of the SM10 is announced, a mixture of excitation and emotional outbursts are all spreads in the air.
And the winner is Audette Tafich from Guadalajara Mexico of 26 years old. Every body is excited the now the SM10 has found their 9th member.
Ten finalists and one dream, travel all around the world with 9 people from different countries by one year through 19 countries blogging, filming and looking for an original nightlife completely sponsored by Smirnoff. The Smirnoff Experience has began, 10 finalists but just one winner.
The contest; 3 Tasks, the finalists must plan a tourist guide thru an original place in the city, after all, the skills time, each one had to make an interview with the participating bands in “ La Zona de Combate” of MTV and finally capture the essence of the party in one picture.
At 11:00 pm, the new member of the SM10 is announced, a mixture of excitation and emotional outbursts are all spreads in the air.
And the winner is Audette Tafich from Guadalajara Mexico of 26 years old. Every body is excited the now the SM10 has found their 9th member.
Tuesday, 20 November 2007
Buenos, Buenos, Buenos!
I was looking forward to Buenos and couldn't imagine what would be around the corner. The vibrant atmosphere is kind of similar to vintage films that I had watched. Everything is a little bit old and used, but the houses, the buildings and the streets seem to still remember good old times, sunny happy ones (when money didn’t rule the world as much).
I don't know where to start...amazing place, kind of familiar – I could easily imagine I was in southern Europe. To be more exact it reminded me of Greece. The relaxed atmosphere and street bars, Buenos has culture on one hand and a kind of chaotic rush on the other.
I could call it a forgotten piece of Europe, somewhere miles away on a new continent, but still so similar, with all of the beautiful ornamental fin de siecle houses. The only thing that was different was that the streets or avenues were incredibly long and at right angles to each other. It is as if Buenos was building up a kind of net in its particular logic – it was quite normal to find building numbers around 7000-8000 and to describe the address one needs to name the crossing of the streets. I must say this was a courageous architectural project with a huge amount of fantasy, which resulted in never ending straight streets with a feeling of having enough living space. Everything is so huge with unlimited amounts of urbanized land. Down town the buildings are high-rise, busy and huge. Outside of the centre are quite old style patio houses, which remind me of Cortazar, or Maarquez, where you feel the hot afternoon sun....
Absolute mixture of cultures
In Buenos, I had this feeling people are relaxed and feel free to express themselves and very open to everything that should or could happen, believing that impossible exists...they were very open minded; 'no' never existed...
In every place, where I feel like somebody tried to create something new in order to inspire others, mixing, trying out, putting different styles together (things in a new style together. I feel so happy and so much at home – it makes me really want to be useful and to do as well similar and creative things).
I don't know where to start...amazing place, kind of familiar – I could easily imagine I was in southern Europe. To be more exact it reminded me of Greece. The relaxed atmosphere and street bars, Buenos has culture on one hand and a kind of chaotic rush on the other.
I could call it a forgotten piece of Europe, somewhere miles away on a new continent, but still so similar, with all of the beautiful ornamental fin de siecle houses. The only thing that was different was that the streets or avenues were incredibly long and at right angles to each other. It is as if Buenos was building up a kind of net in its particular logic – it was quite normal to find building numbers around 7000-8000 and to describe the address one needs to name the crossing of the streets. I must say this was a courageous architectural project with a huge amount of fantasy, which resulted in never ending straight streets with a feeling of having enough living space. Everything is so huge with unlimited amounts of urbanized land. Down town the buildings are high-rise, busy and huge. Outside of the centre are quite old style patio houses, which remind me of Cortazar, or Maarquez, where you feel the hot afternoon sun....
Absolute mixture of cultures
In Buenos, I had this feeling people are relaxed and feel free to express themselves and very open to everything that should or could happen, believing that impossible exists...they were very open minded; 'no' never existed...
In every place, where I feel like somebody tried to create something new in order to inspire others, mixing, trying out, putting different styles together (things in a new style together. I feel so happy and so much at home – it makes me really want to be useful and to do as well similar and creative things).
Monday, 12 November 2007
Ania’s blog on London
Leaving the old continent for the first time… I have decided to give up all the old habits & learned automatic behaviours and leave them at home. I want to be open to new things in every single moment! I want to discover every moment fresh & new; let’s get surprised, let’s not expect anything, as it only blocks the experience. I think we should leave the script to develop itself. Smoothly controlling the right direction and just enjoy it, because without any doubts it’s just the best that can happen!
The first noticeable differences in flying to Moscow were everyone rushes than normally on the chilly European flights I’m used to, & all kinds of people were rushing here and there – exotic chaos.
We got on this huge plane… which was so crowded inside; like on American films – 10 seats on each row, 2 floors – a real jumbo jet. At the beginning you are shocked and breathless by the amount of space you are given, but with the loveliest service ever you get used to it very quickly and enjoy…
Time in London was absolutely enriching…It is one of the cities where you really feel that dreams do come true & you are free to choose how you’ll develop yourself. It might be hard of course, but I really had the feeling of enthusiasm to any new ideas…It is the sign of developed countries, when people have over average ideas & want to invest in idealistic, futuristic brave ideas, new stuff, plans, looking for new with surplus…
London stayed undiscovered for us, with this idea of such an adventurous coming year, we were really glad to enjoy our last moments of privacy & this kind of feeling of staying at home, working on a computer in luxury, or just getting to know each other on a basic level, so it was time of having quiet parties in our own circle.
The first noticeable differences in flying to Moscow were everyone rushes than normally on the chilly European flights I’m used to, & all kinds of people were rushing here and there – exotic chaos.
We got on this huge plane… which was so crowded inside; like on American films – 10 seats on each row, 2 floors – a real jumbo jet. At the beginning you are shocked and breathless by the amount of space you are given, but with the loveliest service ever you get used to it very quickly and enjoy…
Time in London was absolutely enriching…It is one of the cities where you really feel that dreams do come true & you are free to choose how you’ll develop yourself. It might be hard of course, but I really had the feeling of enthusiasm to any new ideas…It is the sign of developed countries, when people have over average ideas & want to invest in idealistic, futuristic brave ideas, new stuff, plans, looking for new with surplus…
London stayed undiscovered for us, with this idea of such an adventurous coming year, we were really glad to enjoy our last moments of privacy & this kind of feeling of staying at home, working on a computer in luxury, or just getting to know each other on a basic level, so it was time of having quiet parties in our own circle.
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