Barking about Holidays!

Hello Everybody!

So, long after, here I am again to bark to you all! And I'm very happy to be here writing for you, my dear pals!

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day, right? And everyone is very excited for it, preparing feasts, turkeys, pies and etc.! So I was wondering about it. About why do you Americans celebrate it so grandly and here in Brazil it isn't even holiday! And talking to some friends about it, a very special friend of mine, Sir Barley (@SirBarley), asked me what are the big holidays here in Brazil and I've decided to write about them, for you guys to know. Cause we all know that all world knows about the Big American Holidays, but a few people know about the Big Brazilian Holidays!

First of everything, I'm not going to talk about Christmas and New Year, cause they are the same all over the world! Maybe I talk about them soon, not sure.

Second: I'll explain all the Big Holidays and I'll speak their names in Portuguese too, for you all to learn more Portuguese! bol!

So, let's see the Big Brazilian Holidays!

The first one I'll talk about is the Brazilian Carnival (in Portuguese we say "Carnaval")!

The Brazilian Carnival is an annual festival celebrated all over Brazil. The Carnival happens four days before the Ash Wednesday, which usually happens in February. It is a Holiday of four days, and during these days we can do anything. It's celebrated by different styles in different states of Brazil, as Rio de Janeiro, Bahia, Pernambuco and Minas Gerais, but the most famous celebration is from Rio de Janeiro. Here in Rio Grande do Sul we celebrate Carnival as Rio de Janeiro.

Rio de Janeiro carnival style includes a big and colorful parade! In this style, there are the samba schools (in Portuguese "escolas de samba").

"Samba schools are very large groups of performers, financed by respected organizations, who work year round in preparation for Carnival. Samba Schools perform in the Sambadrome (in Portuguese "Sambodromo"), which runs four entire nights. They are part of an official competition, divided into seven divisions, in which a single school is declared the winner, according to costume, flow, theme, and band music quality and performance. Some samba schools also hold street parties in their neighborhoods, through which they parade along with their followers."

There are the "carros alegóricos" too. I don't know how to say it in English, but they are very big cars, pushed by people, very colorful and full of different things, the allegories, and some important people can parade at these cars.

I'd like to explain each section of the samba schools, but it would take much time, so I won't do it now, maybe later.

The parades, specially in Rio, are very beautiful! But some people don't go to the Sambadrome, as my mom. We usually take a trip to the beach and watch the parades on TV. Many people do it, so the beach is usually full during the Carnival, which is not very cool.

Okay, I've already talked too much about the Carnival, let's go to the next holiday!

The Easter in Brazil (in Portuguese "easter" is "Páscoa")!

"Easter celebration in Brazil begins with the Holy Week rituals, which involve the blessing of the palm branches, woven in intricate patterns representing crosses, banners, letters and other related objects. Like in many other countries, worshippers in Brazil take out procession walks, carrying statues of Mary and the body of Lord Jesus Christ."

"Worshipping the popular symbols of Easter is a popular custom in Brazil. Macela flower, which blooms only in the lent, is worshipped by the devotees of Lord Jesus Christ, in the country. On Palm Sunday (in Portuguese "Domingo de Ramos"), people would bring the flower to the church service, as to receive the blessings of the priest. The flower is later on used as a herb, which is believed to cure many diseases. Thereafter, mouthwatering dishes are served. Traditionally, the recipes typical to the country are prepared on Easter. These include 'clipfish', chocolate Easter eggs (in Portuguese: "Ovo de Páscoa") and the lip smacking Easter ring cake."

So, as you can see there are many different ways to celebrate the easter here in Brazil, but there are some people who don't do all these things. Here in my house, for example, we pray and give chocolate easter eggs, but we don't go to procession walks and etc. Sometimes we take a trip to the beach, as during Carnival, but it's not very frequently.

Just for curiosity, I always win an easter egg too, but mine is made of bones, cause dogs can't eat chocolate! They are pretty good. I love them! Next Easter I'll save some for you guys to taste!

I don't know what to say more about Easter, so that's all for now! :)

Let's see the next big holiday:

The Independence Day of Brazil (in Portuguese "Dia da Independência do Brasil"), commonly called Sete de Setembro (in English "7th of September")!

"Independence Day is a national holiday marked by patriotic displays. In Brasília the celebration takes place at the Ministries Esplanade with a military parade in the presence of the President of Brazil. Similar military parades are held in all the state capitals, and in many cities throughout the country."

I think this little text said everything we can say about our celebration of Independence Day! BOL!

Oh, there is something more! The airplanes! There are some airplanes of FAB (Força Aérea Brasileira - Brazilian Air Force) that parade beautifully leaving colorful designs in the sky! But there is something bad with these airplanes: they make too much noise to our sensitive ears.

Now there is something more, specially for you:

"In New York City the Brazilian Day in New York is held annually to celebrate Brazil's Independence Day. The event takes place at 46th Street, near Times Square, in Manhattan. The Brazilian Day in New York concert is the centerpiece of the event, featuring famous Brazilian musicians, such as Daniela Mercury, Ivete Sangalo, Victor & Léo, Skank, Sandy & Junior, Cláudia Leitte, and Banda Calypso, to name a few. In 2008, the event drew a crowd of 1.5 million people, according to the New York City Police Department. The Brazilian television network Globo sponsors the event and airs it live to Brazil and over 115 countries through Globo International Network.Similar events are held in Deerfield Beach, Florida, San Diego and Los Angeles, California, and London, United Kingdom. "

As you can see, there is a celebration of the Independence Day of Brazil there, in the U.S. Maybe some of you have already heard something about it, and there is also the possibility of some of you have already been to a "Brazilian Day". It would be very cool if someday, some of you go to a "Brazilian Day"! Then you can say to me what do you think about Brazilian people and Brazilian culture!

Talking about Brazilian people, I want to know something from you!

Does any of you know someone from Brazil?

Well, I guess these three holidays are the biggest holidays here in Brazil! There are the regional holidays too, but I talk about them in some other day! LOL!

I like them all, but I prefer the ones that have much food, do you know what I mean?! Like Easter! Hmm, so yummy!

Talking about food, I'll say some words in Portuguese for you to know okay (about food!)?! I don't know if you like it, but I love translating words for you!

Food -> Comida

Bone -> Osso

Yummy -> Gostoso, saboroso

Chocolate -> Chocolate (that's cool, isn't it?)

Egg - Ovo

Turkey -> Peru

Pie -> Torta

Well, there are many others, but this is making me feel hungry, so I'll stop right here! LOL!

There is another word that is important to translate:

Holiday! We say "feriado" in Portuguese!

I'm thinking about create a box full of vocabulary here on my blog, I mean, with the words in English with the translation to Portuguese! Tell me what you guys think about it on Twitter, I'll just do it if you pals want to! My Twitter is: @SponDog - follow me if you want! :)

Well, well, well... I think I've barked a looot today and you pals deserve some peace now, so I'm going to bark on Twitter! BOL!

If you have any question about any Holiday (that I talked about or not), vocabulary, expression or anything, just tweet me! I'll be glad to help you!

Au Au!! Hugs!! High Five!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!!!

- Spon Dog

P.S.: The pictures!

1. Carnival Parade in Rio de Janeiro - February 2009!

2. Some colorful Chocolate Easter Eggs! Yummy!

3. Military Parade - Brasilia, Brazil - Independence Day Celebration!

4. Military Parade - Esquadrilha da Fumaça (in English is something like smoke squadron) - FAB!

5. Don't you know who is that boy right there? Come on! He's the President of Brazil! That one who was in Brasilia watching the Military Parade on 7th of September! Yeah! I know you would remember: Spon! He's unforgettable, isn't he? My mom just loves him, but I don't know why! To be honest, I'm jealous of him! BOL!

Bye Pals! See you soon! (:

The winter and the cold weather!

Hello everybody!

It's winter in Brazil! The weather in Rio Grande do Sul (RS) is more cold than in the other states of Brazil and guess what? I live in RS! But that's not too bad... it can be good sometimes! For example last night was very cold and I was freezing (as last week), so my dear and lovely mom covered me with my blankets. Okay, normal. But I was still cold! So she covered me with her blankets and hugged me! Then she went sleep in her bed and took me with her, and I slept covered by my blankets and mom's blankets and hugged by mom! Isn't it perfect? I love my mother!

Another good thing in the winter is the fruit tangerine, that here in Brazil is called "tangerina" and here in RS we call "bergamota". But peak tangerine season is short: the winter! So only in the winter we can eat this adorable, round and orange fruit that I particularly just love, maybe because it reminds me a ball and I love balls!

Here in Rio Grande do Sul the humans also have "Estação Gramado", in Gramado city (serra). This is a place where the people can have some fun with winter things like false snow, ice skating, fondue (that here in my house we eat in all seasons), etc. They can also watch some music concerts, to track, visit "Lago Negro" (a famous lake in Gramado city) and do lots of other things. That's really nice! But mom isn't going to "Estação Gramado" this year so I'm not going to either. It was good, I mean, travel to Gramado and Canela cities was good when mom's grandparents were alive. They lived there so when she had winter vacation she went to their house.

I was almost forgetting! The Winter Vacations! I love them too! It's so good to stay at home with mom in the cold weather! Sometimes we go to a park near our hose for a walk and to drink some mate, called "chimarrão" here in RS, a typical drink of our state. Another times it's so cold that we prefer to stay home and watch a good movie drinking hot chocolate (mom loves it!) or hot tea, under the blankets! Mom generally has only a week of winter vacation but this year she will have three and a half because of the swine flu, now called flu A(H1N1). The peak of the pandemic is here now and that's not good.

Well, I think I've barked a lot today, haven't I? You're probably crazy trying to read this writing once my English isn't so good, so now I'm going to eat a tangerine and later I'll watch some TV with mom, under our blankets! LOL!

Bark to you soon friends! Thanks for the attention!

Au au!! Hugs!! High Five!!

- Spon Dog

P.S.: the first picture is a pic of "Estação Gramado", the "Lago Negro" (in English the "Black Lake"). The second pic is a picture of the most cute dog around all world: me! :)

Hello Everyone!

Nice to meet you! My name is Spon, I'm a 9 years old dog who was adopted by a little girl some years ago. First of everything I'll tell you my story!

Mom "adopted" me 8 years ago from some shelter that I don't know the name. I know that she was asking for a dog for a long time (she was a kid) and someday grandma said "Okay, let's adopt a dog!", then they read the newspaper searching for some dog for adoption and they found an advertisement of a black and white puppy for adoption. They went to the shelter where the dog was and when they arrived the woman who took care of the shelter appeared with the black and white dog and me! Yeah, a brown and white puppy! She said to grandma "Choose one of them". You're probably thinking that grandma chose me, but you're wrong! She (and my aunt, mom's sister) got me and the black and white dog. We were Spon (me) & Spay (he). We were very cute puppies! I was quiet but Spay was very playful and destroyer! He ate some mobiles and toys and lots of other things! We were so happy together! We were brothers even we weren't blood brothers! But someday somethings happened and my people had to move. We were living in a house and we were moving to an apartment, so two dogs were too many dogs for a little place and one of us should move to another family. Don't worry! Spay wasn't abandoned on the street, he went live with a grandma's friend in another city very close to our city. There he has a yard to play a lot with other friends, he has a loving family, he has love! And he still has our eternal love! I was the most scared puppy so I stayed with mom, grandma and aunt, where I live til nowadays.

We live in the South of Brazil, in Rio Grande do Sul. Here is the most cold part of the Brazil and we have the most beautiful sunset of all country!

I love sleeping, eating (every food in front of me), playing with my toys and only with them (I don't like to play fetch - the ball is mine so I don't give it to mom) and some other things that I can't remember now!

I'll show you somethings of my cool life and somethings of my country! You'll can know more about Brazil, especially Rio Grande do Sul, and about me! I hope you'll like!

Well, I think that's all for now!

Bark to you soon!

Au au au! Hugs!

- Spon Dog

p.s.: "Au au" is how we write barks here in BR, I mean, in portuguese!