Travels of THB: Day 5: Rio and a man of mystery

Day 5: Rio

Mystery man resting his eyes

Weather: Temp consistently in the low 70s, maybe a bit higher if you stood in the sun in mid-day

What Rio looks like when we're not cooped up inside Maracanazinho

QOTD:

But Rico went a bit too far
Tony sailed across the bar
And then the punches flew and chairs were smashed in two
There was blood and a single gun shot
But just who shot who?

One half just right

Breakfast today included home brewed coffee; DA returned with the ground beans from the market when it turned out the local Starbucks wasn’t open by 7am. THB added another of his faves: baguette carefully burned on one side.

New scaffolding bus stop

Large crowds going to work in Copacabana

We transfer correctly today

Get on the Pavuna train (the right one)

Is it? No other O people around

Just guys in biz attire

We got a late start: 8:15! No stops for bread, no need to get new metro cards, no need to make sure we were on the right metro lines. Just a couple of carefree guys with no needs. It is Monday, and there are lots of people leaving General Osirio station headed to work. Well, they seemed to be going somewhere and they weren’t wearing beach attire, so THB assumed they were going to work. They were not wearing classic business attire either (though we did some of those types heading uptown).

DA's new best feature

Senhor, would you like an extra seat for your disability? Maybe "knee replacement" translation wasn't quite right

DA has no trouble today getting through security. That’s because he pointed to his knees and said very clearly (in English): replacements! Ahhhhhhhh, sehnor, maybe a wheelchair for you? At least they hustled him inside the venue without doing the full body strip and search. In fact, he was in ahead of THB.

Empty for morning session

Mystery man wearing one of three plastic ticket holders in Rio

THB took this pic before leaving this morning...coincidence? voodoo?

China's coach has been to many many O's: she is only coach so far that is finding her inner Phil Jackson: she stays seated during match

We’re in our seats before the first match, China vs Italy. OOOOPS, someone else is our seats except they (a family of 5 Brazilians) are adamant WE are in the wrong. So, THB turns to the guy next to them/us, he’s wearing a Toronto shirt so THB speaks slowly just in case he’s not really an English-speaking Canuck and says: what section do you think you’re sitting in? 209, which matches our seats. The Brazilians apologize profusely and THB sits down next to Mr. Toronto Pan Am Games and thanks him for the support.

Between match entertainment for half the arena

Over the space of the next 4.5 hours, THB finds out that:

DM and DA share a first name (THB will type this very slowly for you followers that don't read very fast: Dee is not DM or DA's first name, it is an initial standing in for what might or might not be his/her/their first name(s))

DM is one of only three people that THB has seen in Rio wearing a plastic ticket holder around his neck (THB and DA are the other two; maybe the Brazilian family thought we were some sort of cult and moved away from us even though they were sure they were in their right seats)

DM actually lives in Monterey

DM knows where Moss Landing is (THB and DA met at Monterey Dunes, which is now in Moss Landing after the HOA successfully petitioned to move from Castroville)

DM knows where Castroville is

DM scores the volleyball match, it helps him keep his head in the game

DM scores baseball games, using his own method (THB starting to get nervous: did mom have another child she never told anyone about)

DM specializes in two sports at the O’s: Volleyball and Track and Field

DM is staying in a hotel in Copacabana

DM has been to the Barcelona, Atlanta, Sydney, Athens, Beijing and London O’s (though maybe THB didn’t get this list exactly right, let’s say it is almost a direct overlap from 1992 on)

DM was at Berkeley from 1966 to 1968 (at Cal, THB at a dance - wait, THB doesn't dance - saw what looked like his identical twin...has this guy shown up 50 years later?)

If THB and DM spoke 8 year old Portuguese we would be learning the fine points of VB

DM knew (after finding out that THB was also at Berkeley, from 1967 to 1971) that THB spent lots of hours in the basement of Campbell Hall

Open (though at first we couldn't tell)

Healthy dining

DM knew the dorm that THB lived in at Cal (Norton)

DM played volleyball when younger

Not crowded: table clothes!

THB played a lot of vb when in his teens and 20s (half of Cal's two man intramural champions in 1968)

DM enjoys working a variety of volunteer activities (e.g., Pacific Grove Library, League of Women’s Voters, Chinese society on the Peninsula) that take up a lot of his retirement time

DM will periodically “rest his eyes” while at a sporting event; KB asked DA to take this very picture two days ago.

DM’s mother (who was in real estate) built up a much larger estate than he and his sister knew about. His mom and THB's mom same-same.

DM helps manage the care for his elderly father

DM's niece has an advanced degree in Library Science

THB's older daughter has an advanced degree in Library Science

DM spends Thanksgivings with KL and DL

DM is the only person in Rio who may also own a pair of THB's stylish ankle coverings

DM knows KL and DL’s daughter (another KL unless she changed her name after she got married)

THB has known KL, DL and KL for over 30 years

Closed

KL has been THB’s partner in an A’s mini-plan for over 20 years

KB (THB’s daughter) wore KL’s (KL’s daughter) hand-me-downs in K-6^th grade

For twice the money, you get to gently place your own meat on the plate using this utensil

KL, KL and her hubby we’re at London O’s; THB did not meet DM there

Who is DM? THB’s brother from another planet!!!!

In the first match of the morning, China crushed Italy. In the second session, Japan crushed Cameroon.

DM joined us for lunch, DA treated. The fish place DM had scouted out was closed so we ate at another buffet/skewer spot right across the street from the one yesterday. This one is extremely well lit, has huge knives, and the buffet looked a lot better than yesterday. THB has some green stuff to start with and a minimal number of meat slices (what’s minimal?). DA reports that, along with our two beers, the price per person was double yesterday’s meal.

KL correctly identified DM (no surprise, they've known each other for years and KL just had cataract surgery)

We part from DM, he’s down lower than we are and a bit more towards the corner (an A seat); we’re on 2^nd level and thus up higher, in a section full of a huge contingency of Americans, many of whom are related to the US team members.

Karch

Our man of mystery taking a break

It’s USA vs Netherlands (who beat China in a thriller 5 set match two days ago). USA starts very slowly, the timing between the setter and the spikers is off (and stays off for long stretches). The USA wins set two and loses set three. In set four, one of the Dutch players is hurt. From that point on, the USA pretty much dominates and wins in 5 sets, 3-2. Much exhilaration from our section!

The decider?

Whenever chants of USA went through the building, the Brazilians would boo loud enough that the chanting stopped. This is a first for THB in 7 O’s: when chanting got loud for one team, the fans for the other just chanted louder for their team. Booing another country is pretty much unheard of at an O’s (booing officials is not unheard of). Hmmmmm…

Ended 3-0

In the second match of the afternoon, THB and DA stay long enough to see Serbia take a 2-0 lead over Puerto Rico and call it a day (Serbia ended up winning 3-0). Back to the apartment in around 40 minutes or less. Buy a quart of milk at Zona Sul. Today, Danone is nowhere to be found, THB buys another brand.