Text by Bethanie Walder

Life in Brazil: Célio's fish restaurant

Fernanda points out mango, guava and other trees in the park as we walk to the lake for our morning workout. Post workout and we’re very sweaty, but none of us has brought a wallet, so no opportunity to take advantage of the fresh cold coconut water stand across the way. Before heading back to the apartment, we wander along the pedestrian boulevard adjacent to the river, jump ropes draped over our necks, checking out the small market with local arts and crafts, as well as the dozen or so peixe churascarrias (fish BBQs).

Fernanda Abra and Bethanie Walder walk in Parque do Porto along the Piracicaba river, Piracicaba, São Paulo State, BrazilFernanda Abra and Bethanie Walder walk in Parque do Porto along the Piracicaba river, Piracicaba, São Paulo State, Brazil

Clearly the smell of the BBQ has gotten to us because it takes a while before any of us notice the huge capybara sunning itself on a rock in the middle of the river. We were too busy looking at the great egrets, neotropic cormorants, Amazon kingfishers, cocoi herons, and other water birds to notice the rodent of unusual size (ROUS) in their midst. We’re definitely not in Kansas anymore!

Capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) in Piracicaba River, Piracicaba, São Paulo State, BrazilCapybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) in Piracicaba River, Piracicaba, São Paulo State, Brazil

Cabybara are the largest rodent in the world, somewhat resembling giant guinea pigs. They’re also one of the reasons Marcel is here – capybara roadkill is a big problem in this area. Large adults typically weigh well over 100 pounds, so wildlife-vehicle collisions involving capybara can cause significant damage. We’ll definitely be learning more about them over the next few months.

But the BBQ continues to call. We stop long enough at one restaurant to admire the fish that Fernanda ask the owner, Célio if Marcel can take some photos. We promise to come back later for lunch. But first we head across the pedestrian bridge and walk on a dirt road along the other side of the river where Fernanda points out a huge tree with beautiful hibiscus-like flowers. The leaves of the tree are shaped a bit like cow’s feet, hence the common name “pé de vaca” or “foot of the cow.” Apparently the leaves can be made into a tea that helps control blood sugar in diabetics. As we continue walking we see a very large hummingbird with a forked tail (most likely a swallow-tailed hummingbird), as well as a more common-sized (to North Americans anyway) hummingbird. The forest around the dirt road also hosts parakeets, cormorants, egrets, gray-necked wood rail (we think) and more.

Fish restaurant along in Parque do Porto along the Piracicaba river, Piracicaba, São Paulo State, BrazilFish restaurant along in Parque do Porto along the Piracicaba river, Piracicaba, São Paulo State, Brazil. The large fish come from the Amazon.

After a quick stop back at the apartment to take showers and grab our wallets, it’s finally time for lunch. We head back to Rua do Porto to Célio’s restaurant. It tastes as good as it smells. We sip fresh pineapple juice, munch on salad, buy insanely over-sweetened coconut candies from a woman selling them table to table, and dine on delicious Amazonian fish (not endangered or threatened in any way, we are assured), all while overlooking the river. Then it’s back to the apartment for some work before heading to Katia’s house for dinner.

Fish from the Amazon in a restaurant along the Piracicaba river, Piracicaba, São Paulo State, BrazilFish from the Amazon in a restaurant along the Piracicaba river, Piracicaba, São Paulo State, Brazil Bethanie Walder and Fernanda Abra toast with freshly squeezed pineapple juice in a restaurant along the Piracicaba river, Piracicaba, São Paulo State, BrazilBethanie Walder and Fernanda Abra toast with freshly squeezed pineapple juice in a restaurant along the Piracicaba river, Piracicaba, São Paulo State, Brazil

We’re learning about doing things “Brazilian-style.” We bought a toaster that can’t plug into any plugs in the apartment because Brazil recently added a new grounding plug. How to fix it – Brazilian style – grab the “leatherman” tool and break off the grounding plug. Now we’re driving – Brazilian style – to Katia’s in Fernanda’s two-seat pick up truck (I’m sitting on Marcel’s lap, but we manage to get the seatbelt around both of us). Then Fernanda’s trusty navigational app “waze” takes us on a wild goose chase because apparently Katia’s street is relatively new and it isn’t in the system yet). Nearly an hour later, and thanks to an eventual escort from Katia, we finally arrive at her house for a terrific dinner, including eating enormous pine nuts from an araucaria tree. The nuts are pressure cooked in their husks and then you eat them hot, by squeezing them out of the husk with your teeth – they’re delicious.

Another professor and her Dutch husband join us for dinner. The table is a cacophony of Dutch, Portuguese, English and a lot of laughter. It’s yet another late night, when we finally arrive home at 1:00 in the morning. Is this how it always is in Brazil, or will we, hopefully, settle into a slightly earlier nighttime routine once we start working on campus every day?

Click here for more images from our life in Brazil.

Some large format prints (limited edition) are now for sale at Freshwater Studio & Gallery in Missoula, Montana.

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