Archive for the year 2008
Jerusalem in Rio Posted by Transparent Language on May 27, 2008
This month, a new cultural center opened in Rio de Janeiro which features a 730 square-foot replica of Jerusalem from the era of the Second Temple. It is only the second of its kind, since the only other replica is housed at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem itself. The center is funded and run by…
Brazilian City Spotlight: Manaus, Amazonas Posted by Transparent Language on May 26, 2008
Manaus is the capital city of Amazonas state and has a fascinating history. The city was settled in 1669, and was named Manaus in 1832, which means “mother of the gods” in the indigenous language of the Manaos tribe. It became a major urban center during the rubber boom in the 1900s. Today, it has…
American Idol Comes to Brazil with Ídolos Posted by Transparent Language on May 25, 2008
Many American TV shows have been adopted for Brazilian television, and American Idol is one of them. Auditions are underway in four cities to search for the next Brazilian idol, on Ídolos. This past weekend, auditions were held in Rio de Janeiro at the famous Sambodrome, home of Rio’s Carnival. Over 8,000 people came to…
Corpus Christi Tradition: Street Carpets Posted by Transparent Language on May 22, 2008
Today is Corpus Christi, a Catholic holiday that is also a national celebration in Brazil. It is a tradition to create tapetes (carpets) in the streets made of different organic materials like salt, flowers, and wood chips, usually with religious themes. They are often kilometers long, extremely intricate, and are along procession routes. The creations…
Brazilian Profile: Jorge Amado Posted by Transparent Language on May 21, 2008
Jorge Amado is one of Brazil’s most famous and beloved novelists. Born in 1912 on a cocoa plantation in the state of Bahia, he grew up in the coastal town of Ilhéus, where he set many of his novels. He went to high school in Salvador and begin his career in writing. He published his…
Tudo vai dar certo Posted by Transparent Language on May 20, 2008
The best way to use the English expressions, “Everything will be fine,” or “Everything will work out” in Portuguese is to use the expression dar certo. For example: Eu estou muito estressada com tudo isto. All of this is really stressing me out.Não se preocupe, tudo vai dar certo. Don’t worry, everything will work out…
Brazilian Becomes Guinness Recorder Holder Posted by Transparent Language on May 20, 2008
Forty-three year-old Brazilian Elaine Davidson, who lives in Scotland, has made it into the Guinness Book of World Records for the most body piercings: 5,920 in total. She also won the world record in 2000 when she only had 462 piercings, including 192 on her face alone. Elaine is a nurse, and does not drink…