“Nice to meet you.” Marta smiled, but she looked tired. “So I guess that means we need two more costumes, right?”
“I’m afraid so,” Miguel said gently. “Do you think you can squeeze them in?”
“You know me.” Marta laughed. “I can make it happen!”
“Yeah, you can! You’re a miracle worker.” Miguel patted Marta’s shoulder. “Let’s see, we need more butterfly dancers, so you can make a butterfly costume for Emilia. And Alfie will be one of our bird drummers.”
Emilia gasped. “Oh, I love butterflies!”
“All right then,” Marta said, holding up a measuring tape. “Let’s get your measurements.”
Alfie and Emilia stood with their arms out and their legs wide. Marta measured the length of their arms and legs, across their backs, and around their waists. She scribbled notes in a small notebook as she went. Then she measured around their heads.
“Why are you measuring our heads?” Alfie asked.
“There’s a headpiece that goes with each costume, too,” Marta replied.
Wow, Alfie thought. These costumes are serious!
“All right,” Marta said finally. “I think I have everything I need.”
“Thank you!” Emilia replied.
Marta smiled. “Just wait until you see the finished product. You’re going to look great!”
Emilia bounced on her toes. “I’m so excited!”
After Marta returned to the explosion of fabric around her sewing machine, Miguel led them across the ballroom floor to a stage area where a microphone waited on a stand. “Do you guys know much about Carnival?” Miguel asked.
Alfie and Emilia shook their heads. “Not really,” Emilia said. “We know it’s one big fun party.”
“And that it’s like Mardi Gras in New Orleans, but bigger. We’ve been to New Orleans,” Alfie added.
“I’ve always wanted to check out Mardi Gras!” Miguel said. “Carnival is a lot like that, but grander and even more dramatic.”
“How long has there been Carnival in Rio?” Emilia asked.
“It started hundreds of years ago. It’s changed a lot, though. Now it’s an amazing production of choreographed routines of music, dancing, and art. There’s nothing else like it! People get to step out of their normal lives and pretend to be someone or something new. It’s all about having fun and celebrating life to the fullest!”
“Sounds pretty awesome to me,” Alfie said.
“During the opening ceremony of Carnival, the mayor of Rio gives the key to the city to a big, silly clown character called King Momo. King Momo oversees Carnival and all the celebrations,” Miguel explained. “Then the children’s parade kicks off several days of parties, music, and dancing.”
“Wow!” Emilia exclaimed. “I’m glad we’re here for it!”
“But the best part is the parades of the samba schools that take place at the Sambadrome,” said Miguel.
“What’s that?” Alfie asked.
“The Sambadrome is like a permanent parade ground that was built with big stands on either side so that people can watch each samba school perform their parade routine.”
“Are the samba schools where everyone learns to dance samba?” Emilia asked.
“You would think so, but not really,” said Miguel. “The samba schools are like big community groups that come together to create a parade for Carnival. Everybody just kind of learns by watching each other. My mother is the Carnival designer for one of the top samba schools in the city,” Miguel said proudly. “That’s why being the organizer of this year’s children’s parade is such a big deal for me. If I’m able to make the children’s parade a success, I hope that one day I can be the leader of a famous samba school for Carnival, just like my mother.”
“That’s amazing, Miguel,” Emilia said. “Really!”
“Thanks. I’m pretty excited about it.” Miguel motioned over a couple kids who looked about Alfie and Emilia’s ages. “Nina and Lucas, meet Emilia and Alfie. They’re visiting from the States, and they’re going to be in our parade.”
“Great!” Nina said, smiling at Emilia. “Are you a butterfly?”
“I am!” Emilia beamed. “Are there steps to learn? Can you teach me?”
“Yes, but the routine isn’t too hard. I’ll show you.”
“Lucas, Alfie plays the drums, so he’ll join your percussion group,” Miguel told him.
“I’m kind of still learning to play,” Alfie said, feeling self-conscious.
“That’s cool,” said Lucas. “You’ll pick it up with some practice.”
Miguel hopped up onto the stage. “I’m going to make a quick announcement about the rest of our rehearsal schedule and then we’ll get started. You can join your groups.”
“Great. Let’s go!” Emilia said. She gave Alfie an enthusiastic smile as she hurried to join Nina and the other butterfly dancers.
Alfie tried to smile back as he followed Lucas over to the percussion group, but part of him was nervous about the whole parade thing. What if he couldn’t get the hang of it?
As soon as practice was over, Miguel thanked everybody for their hard work and said they’d meet again tomorrow. They had practiced for almost three hours, and Alfie was exhausted. He couldn’t believe they were supposed to do it again the next day! Lucas and the percussion group had shown him the routine and music, but Alfie hadn’t picked it up as quickly as he’d hoped. He was frustrated—especially when he saw a crowd of dancers cheering Emilia’s great performance in her dance group. And she’d never even done samba before!
Alfie and Emilia waved good-bye to Lucas and Nina. Then as the remaining performers started to file out of the ballroom, Miguel found Alfie and Emilia. “Great job, you two,” he said. “Did you have fun?”
“Yes!” Emilia gushed. “Nina’s a great teacher. I love samba!”
Miguel laughed. “I knew you would. What about you, Alfie?”
“It was good,” Alfie said quietly. “I think I’m starting to get the hang of it.”
“You will, don’t worry,” Miguel assured him. “We have a few more practices left!”
Alfie managed a weak smile. Oh goody, he thought.
“So, are you headed back to Ipanema?” Miguel asked. “Your parents must be wondering where you are.”
Emilia shrugged. “I texted them earlier and they’re stuck in meetings until late, so they were glad we had something to do.”
“Well, I’m going home for a late lunch,” Miguel said. “My house is close if you want to join me for something to eat.”
“Really? That’d be great!” Emilia said.
“And the good news for you guys is that my dad is training to be a chef, so you’re in for a treat!”
“How lucky for us!” Emilia exclaimed.
Miguel led the way as they wound through the narrow streets of Rio toward his house. “My neighborhood is called Botafogo, and it’s in the South Zone of the city,” Miguel explained, “just like the beaches you saw earlier today. It’s easy to get to lots of other neighborhoods from here. And the Christ the Redeemer statue is right above us!” He pointed to the towering mountain not far in the distance. Alfie squinted his eyes against the sun to see the imposing figure above them. He hoped they’d get a chance to see it up close.
“Botafogo is a pretty residential neighborhood compared to the more touristy areas like Ipanema and Copacabana,” Miguel continued. “Lots of cariocas live here.”
“Cariocas?” Emilia asked.
“That’s what we call people who are from Rio, or who live here,” said Miguel.
They approached a large white apartment building with wrought-iron balconies. Alfie thought immediately of their time in New Orleans. Lots of old buildings in the French Quarter also had black iron balconies twisted into ornate shapes.
“We’re on the seco
nd floor,” Miguel said as he opened the front door of the building and bounded up the stairs. He used his key to open the apartment. As soon as Alfie and Emilia stepped inside, they were engulfed by the rich smells of cooking. Alfie’s stomach instantly rumbled. All that practicing had made him hungry!
“Hi, Papa,” Miguel said as they entered the kitchen and found Miguel’s dad hard at work.
“How was practice?” he asked.
“Great! I think we’re making really good progress. Papa, these are my new friends, Emilia and Alfie. They’re visiting for Carnival, and they’re going to be in the children’s parade. Alfie and Emilia, this is my dad. You can call him Señor Costa.”
“Nice to meet you, Emilia and Alfie.” Señor Costa smiled warmly.
“Nice to meet you, too,” Emilia said.
“You’re just in time for lunch,” Señor Costa said.
“Thank you,” said Alfie. “It smells amazing.”
Miguel motioned to the round table with a bright red tablecloth draped over it. “Have a seat.” Then he took four plates from the cupboard and brought them over to the stove where Señor Costa was stirring a large clay pot. He spooned food onto the plates and Miguel set them on the table in front of Alfie and Emilia. On each plate was a rich stew that was a dark purplish-black color. There was also a serving of white rice, a heap of greens, and a side of something crispy and brown—it almost looked like bits of crisp rice cereal.
“This stew is called feijoada,” Señor Costa said.
“Fey-jwa-da,” Alfie repeated.
Miguel nodded. “It’s considered the national dish of Brazil. Brazilians love feijoada.”
“It’s a black-bean-and-meat stew,” Señor Costa added. “This one is made with pork sausage, bacon, and beef.”
Alfie took a bite of the stew. “Wow! That’s really good.” The black beans were rich and flavorful, and the meat was really tender and delicious. With the sausage, it reminded him a little bit of the jambalaya they’d had in New Orleans, but thicker and less spicy. It was like a really filling black-bean chili. “What is this crispy brown stuff?” he asked.
“It’s called farofa,” Señor Costa explained. “It’s toasted manioc flour.”
“We use it like a condiment,” Miguel said. “You can sprinkle it on top of your food or serve it on the side.”
“Are these collard greens?” Emilia asked.
Alfie thought he recognized the juicy sautéed greens they’d also had in New Orleans.
“Yes, they are!” Señor Costa said.
“This is all really delicious,” said Emilia.
“I’m so glad you like it,” Señor Costa replied. “Miguel may have told you that I’m training to be a chef, so I’m always happy to be able to cook for new people. Have you tried Brazilian food before?”
“No,” said Alfie. “Well, actually, our aunt did make these cheese buns. Pão something . . .”
“Pão de queijo,” Miguel and his dad said together.
“Those are another staple of Brazilian food,” Señor Costa said. “But there are many, many more things to try. You’ll have to come back for more food during your stay in Rio!”
“We’d love to!” Emilia said.
“Are you visiting Rio with your family?” Señor Costa asked.
“Yes, with our parents,” Alfie told him. “They’re here for work, though, so they’re going to be busy most of the time.”
“You know what? You guys should just stay here!” Miguel said. “At least until after the children’s parade.”
Alfie and Emilia grinned at each other. “Are you sure?” Emilia asked. “That’s awfully generous.”
“That way I can show you around between rehearsals, and we won’t have to worry about getting you back to your hotel or anything,” Miguel said. “Right, Papa?”
“As long as Alfie and Emilia’s parents are okay with it, it’s okay with me.”
“Want to call them and ask?” Alfie asked Emilia.
“Sure . . . ,” Emilia said as she put her hand in her pocket, pretending to reach for a cell phone.
“There’s better reception in the living room,” Miguel said, motioning to the next room.
“Thanks!” Emilia stood up and walked out of the room. Alfie could hear her talking in a low voice. He almost laughed out loud thinking about her pretending to talk to their parents.
A minute later she came back into the kitchen. “We can stay! And our parents said thank you very much for your hospitality.”
Miguel flashed a dazzling smile. “Great. It’s settled then.”
“Wonderful,” Señor Costa said. “You will be perfect guinea pigs for my recipes during your stay!”
“I love being a guinea pig!” Alfie said, shoveling another heaping spoonful of stew into his mouth.
Everybody laughed.
At the end of the meal, Señor Costa served orange slices on a ceramic plate decorated with pink flowers. “The oranges help you digest the heavy meal.”
Alfie bit into a section of orange. The citrus did taste really good and crisp after the heavy food. Alfie wasn’t sure his stomach had ever felt so full—and heavy was a good word for it. Soon his eyelids were beginning to feel heavy, too.
“Are you tired?” Miguel asked with a smile.
Alfie thought about their busy day so far. “A little bit,” he admitted. He looked at Emilia and decided she looked pretty sleepy as well.
“That’s why we only have feijoada every once in a while. You always need a nap afterward!” Señor Costa said.
“Come on.” Miguel stood up from the table. “I’ll show you to the guest room where you can lie down for a little bit.”
“Can we help you clean up first?” Emilia asked.
“No, no,” Miguel’s dad said, waving them out of the room. “You’re our guests.”
“Thank you for lunch,” Alfie said lazily.
“Yes, thank you,” Emilia added.
“You’re very welcome. Have a good rest!”
Miguel led Alfie and Emilia down the hall to a small bedroom with two single beds. The beds were covered in bright pillows much like the colors of the fabrics they’d helped carry earlier that day.
“I’ll wake you up in a little while,” Miguel told them. “Then we can go see my mother’s samba-school rehearsal.”
Alfie sank onto the bed and nodded. He didn’t think he’d really take a nap or anything—maybe he and Emilia would just talk about their experience so far. But when Miguel closed the door and Alfie let his head rest on the pillow, he was out like a light.
When Alfie woke up, he looked out the window. The sky was beginning to get dark. Or maybe he’d slept all night and it was starting to get light. He had no idea what time it was. Then he spotted the digital clock on the nightstand between his and Emilia’s beds. It was 7:45 p.m. Alfie reached over and turned on the lamp next to the clock. Emilia squinted awake from her bed.
“What time is it?” she asked.
“Almost eight,” Alfie replied.
“How long were we asleep?”
“A few hours, I guess,” Alfie said. “We had lunch pretty late.”
Emilia nodded and rubbed her eyes. “I’m so glad Miguel asked us to stay.”
Alfie smiled. “Me too.”
“And Nina and Lucas seem really nice. I’m excited to practice for the parade with them again!”
Alfie nodded, though he didn’t quite share Emilia’s level of excitement.
“What do you think we should do about clothes this time?” Emilia asked. “I wonder if we could borrow from Lucas and Nina. But that might seem weird.”
Alfie hadn’t thought about this. He pictured tall Miguel. There was no way he could borrow from him—he’d swim in Miguel’s clothes! He stood up and stretched. “I’m not sure what we should do,” he said.
“Wait a minute,” Emilia said, beaming. “I’ve got Grandma’s birthday money!” She reached into her pocket and pulled out two twenty-dollar bills. “Her card came today, and I put the money she sent in my pocket!”
“Nice one, Emilia!” Alfie cheered. “Maybe Miguel can change it to Brazilian money for us.”
Emilia nodded.
There was a knock on the door, and Miguel poked his head in. “I thought I heard your voices. How’d you sleep?”
“Really well!” Alfie said.
“Excellent. Then let’s go see how my mom’s samba school is doing!”
When Alfie, Emilia, and Miguel stepped out onto the sidewalk, they hurried in the opposite direction from where they’d been earlier that day. Alfie stayed focused on Miguel as they weaved up the crowded cobblestone street.
“We have to hop on the bus to get to my mom’s rehearsal space,” Miguel said.
“We have some American money,” Emilia said. “We just need to change it.”
“Okay. We can do that tomorrow,” Miguel replied. “I’ve got bus fare.”
The bus was already crowded when it wheezed up to the corner. Miguel got on first and paid their fares. Then he found one open seat and motioned for Emilia to sit down. Miguel stood over her and held the strap above the seat. Alfie wasn’t tall enough to reach a strap, so he held the pole next to Emilia’s seat. The bus lurched forward and they were on their way. Alfie looked out the window as the bus bumped through the busy streets. He could see restaurant and shop lights twinkling all around. They passed another couple of samba bands with crowds dancing in the streets. He sighed. He really hoped they’d get to do some exploring, too.
The crowd on the bus soon thinned, and Miguel pulled the cord to signal their stop. They exited the front of the bus and walked a couple of blocks to the rehearsal space. It was much bigger than the ballroom where Miguel’s group practiced. It was like a big, open warehouse, and there were hundreds and hundreds of people inside!
Miguel scanned the sea of people and then finally said, “There she is! Come on.”
Rio de Janeiro! Page 3