Thursday, March 13, 2008

My New Favorite Place

I thought I'd share with my blogging audience that I have a new favorite place in Natal. No, it is not here:Ponta Negra, my favorite beach in Natal

nor here:The church building, where I spend most of my days

nor here:Mangai, the coolest restaurant EVER, and will you please just look at those desserts? (Sidenote: I used to be so pale!! HA!)

nor even here:The hotel pool where I have hung out with Andy and Jonah this week. See Ponta Negra in the background? Yeah.

Are you ready? My new favorite place in Natal...is...drumroll please....HERE!!
"What is that, Cris?" you ask. "It looks like a very bad picture of a post office." You're right! It is the only picture I could find online of a Brazilian post office, and though it is not the exact post office of which I speak, it is a representation nonetheless.

Do you find it strange that My Favorite Place in Natal is a post office? Maybe if you had lived here for 6 months then went to this particular one, you would love it too. You see, my friendly neighborhood post office has the single best air conditioner I have ever experienced in my life. I walked in, took my number, and sat down. Usually in this type of setting, you sit watching the number-shower, cursing the machine because the numbers go by so slowly. Today, however, I sat watching the machine, wishing "Please don't let my number come up. Please don't let my number come up. Just five more minutes...just five more minutes." I knew that when 456 finally came around, I would have to get up. And getting up meant that I was seconds closer to leaving. And leaving meant I was back on the street, walking home in 150 degree heat (ok...95.) I sat in that chair and closed my eyes. I breathed in the frigid air, the kind that leaves your nose pink. The facility is rather new, and still has that new-building smell. I breathed in the new-building smell that is only made purer by cold, processed air. Soon the machine sounded, and 456 popped up in big, red lights. "It's been a good run," I told myself, walking dejectedly to the counter.

So, I'll be looking for more reasons to stop by the post office. Anyone have a craving for mail from Brazil? No matter that it's absurdly expensive to mail things to the US...that air conditioner is 100% worth it.




2 comments:

Melanie said...

haha!! That would be my favorite place too! You know how I love the ac. Say, if I mail you something do you have pick it up there or does it come straight to your house. BC if so then I will take to mailing you a letter every day!

Erick said...

Located in the corner of South America, Natal is an extremely pleasant city, with a tropical climate, recognized as the city with the purest air of America.
With its dozens of white beaches, such as Ponta Negra and Morro do Careca Natal is a most popular beach location and now international real estate investment is really emerging as a major market with many luxury off-plan developments being built and at very affordable prices. Tourism is the most important industry of Natal, with real estate running in second place to this. Industry experts predict 400% capital growth for property in Brazil in the Natal region over the next 10 years. The local government is investing billions into the local infrastructure to make this one of the worlds number one tourist destinations. They intend to attract 9 million tourists each year and more than 1 million local jobs. In a small area of coast there are more than 20 golf courses planned. The new Natal suspension bridge has opened up the stunning northern coast to property development. And the new Airport will be the largest in South America, the 5th largest in the world. The combination of sea, sand dunes, lagoons, a rich and varied gastronomy, an array of leisure and entertainment and a pleasant and hospitable people makes Natal irresistible.