Reviving the Times Republic

Ficha 4 × 1

Date: 09/11/2012 to 15/11/2012

Path: At the exit of Flagstaff come a short way down the famous Route 66 and soon caught the I-40 heading west to Nevada where he caught near the US-93 to the Hoover Dam. From apanhamos to US-93 I-215 ea sense Las Vegas. From Las Vegas to Los Angeles Fomos basically peels I-15.

The return to "fabulous" Las Vegas and Los Angeles film no longer had the same purpose. Conversations, laughter, questions and reflections were the ingredients that were mixed programming filled with sports, disputes and more home programs. In Los Angeles relive the good times of the golden times of the Republic!

We were unclean. Strong winds began to blow a cold air along with the heavy clouds in the sky. There were indications that heavy rain was about to fall. But nothing took the sense of accomplishment when we got back to the top of the imposing Grand Canyon trail after those days of exhaustive. The French had followed in the final kilometers and decided to have dinner all together right there in the park. Our first meal was strengthened in the past two days and, following the French tradition, ask some glasses of wine to celebrate. In a mixture of English, French and Italian by, we strove to overthrow the language barrier that had held us during the first few days of conversation even within the Canyon. And with each passing hour we felt increasingly mingled!

We would have still one more night here at the Grand Canyon and our next appointment was at LAX (Los Angeles International Airport), in two days, to pursue our good friend and former teammate Republic: Renatinho. We were about to pay the bill when it came to their proposal that would change our destiny for the next days: "Why do not you come with us to Las Vegas?”

Newly formed in architecture, Camille, Charlotte (‘Cha Cha’), Suzy and Johanna (the only engineer class) enjoyed the holidays, post-termination college, to carry out some investigative interviews with architects West Coast. Upon returning to France, the idea is to consolidate all the material collected and join with other friends, the same association founded, and performed the same interviews but in other countries. And despite his interviews are concentrated in the San Francisco, they took advantage of the almost 3 months that would also give a spin to the parks and trendy cities in the American West.

Far from being the target which we would desire to return one day, even more briefly as, saw this return to Las Vegas estreitarmos an opportunity to further our friendship with girls and live a different experience from the first. With friends of different nationalities and realities that we used.

And so it was…They even went to Vegas that night and we went to our hotel here in the region.

The next day, caminho to Las Vegas, would stop to enjoy one of the greatest engineering works of pride for Americans: the Hoover Dam. Completed in 1935 more than 5.000 thousand employees, the dam that lies within the Colorado River (the currency of the states of Nevada and Arizona) was elected, during the decades of 30 and 50, one of the highest and largest hydroelectric dam in the world. Planned in order to prevent floods in the initial plantings in Southern California caused by the Colorado River, the dam promoted the development of the American Southwest. It, today, provides energy and water for crops and major cities such as Phoenix (THE), Las Vegas (NV) and we Arredores Los Angeles (CA). (Benefits to uns, not so for others… We have found in recent visits that the dam caused the decrease in natural flow of the Colorado River into the Gulf of California, not Mexico, increasing, so, salinization of the sea of ​​Cortez and interfering in some natural species)

We arrived in Las Vegas in the late afternoon and by nightfall we met with the French. As we were already "experts" in the city, they asked us to dictate the script. We did the basic tour: spent inside the major casinos, we stopped for dinner at a restaurant outside the "roll glamor" and watched the ballet of dancing water fountain famous Bellagio casino. We ended the night with great music, talk and laughter in a lively bar area.

The next day, before departure, we were all together having lunch at a restaurant recommended by a lady Columbian, we had known weeks before a trek through Zion Park. Far from being an excellent restaurant, Green Valley Ranch had a varied buffet at a great price! We arrived there around 13h and then we use. The weather was mild and it was as if we knew for years! We talked about our cultural differences, We Piadas, funny phrases in each country and learn French games. It was there that, suddenly, we were interrupted by the restaurant manager. Very unfunny, the girl approached us asking us, cordially, if we could vacate the table. We looked at their watches and…Caramba! We sat there for nearly 5 hours!!! We did not realize, but it was nearly 18h and the queue outside for dinner was already huge. Most just request! Moreover, 'd still drive over 3 and a half hours to Los Angeles to pursue Renatinho. We needed to hurry. And along with that request came the hard time of farewells… Goodbye?! Bye?! Até breve?! It was hard, because we knew that we would hardly meet again. Further together. And with a step back they moved away a little from us. They exchanged a few words between them and returned to us: "We go in with you to Los Angeles! What acham?"- Said one. "Seriously!?"- Surprised respond before completing: "Of course it's okay for us!”. We are delighted! They explained that in addition to continue for a few more days that hot weather, they could use the change in the world capital of cinema to interview several architects there, before proceeding to their commitments in San Francisco. Muito legal! It would be the first time we would travel together alongside other "expedition". Even more our age, with similar purposes and features complement OUR!

We depart for Los Angeles, because they behold the delay to seek Renatinho. And before our reunion in Los Angeles, girls would spend the night, and the next morning, no Death Valley (the so-called 'valley of death'). We arrived at LAX at around 21h50 and Renato already waiting for us. We went from there to the house of our "hosts chief": Daniel and his little dog Brie that, desalination vez, in addition to receiving the Dispatch and the Renatinho, still had to visit the sister of Daniel: Lara. J already passed almost 3 months since our meeting with Daniel and over 5 months or Renato havíamos been com, at the home of his parents in MG-Sponsor (Our first stop after leaving Sao Paulo). There were many stories, trivia and novelties to be placed in day. And the conversation broke the dawn…

It is noteworthy that the conversations were, no doubt about it, the high point of our visit to Los Angeles. What we have today is just a time of transition in our lives and careers and it was nice to hear each talk about their current prospects. As 4 we, the Renatinho had also worked in the financial market and now worked as a researcher for FIPE (Institute of Economic Research), ligada USP. He told us joyful about doing something that really motivated him and about having a quieter life. Also talked about the possibility of being realized (foreseeable future) with a PhD scholarship at the University of Illinois - the reason which brought him here in the U.S. and that allowed us to go visit. Daniel also commented on the good time that was passing in Los Angeles after living there all these years. Commented on their expectations of employment and their current research with the California State University, where he had graduated and compared with their years of research while still attending the University of Pernambuco (UPE). Her sister Lara, as well as the French also studied architecture, had taken advantage of his university holidays in Pernambuco to improve their English. And foi assim… We talked about the new economic scenario in Brazil for years to come and talk about dreams and perspectives. But also tell jokes and watch Youtube videos.

Era of jovens papo. That, though from different nationalities and with different life histories, Viviam similar life moments. And most important, had in common the anguish and the ideals that all young people have. At any generation, or anywhere in the world.

And all this mingled amidst our quiet, but intense program during those days in Los Angeles. On Sunday we went to see the victory of the quiet Los Angeles Galaxy, David Beckham and Landon Donavon, sobre o Seattle Sounders, by the end of the conference league football west U.S.. (our soccer, é clear, paixão between Brazilian and French )

And on another occasion we witness the sport that Americans are really good: basketball. The Staples Center was the scene where we witness the spectacle of Kobe Bryant on the court. Elected by repeatedly MVP (most valuable player - Best player) by NBA (North American Association of Basketball) the player was again voted the best of the match, but still it was not enough to prevent defeat by two points in the Los Angeles Lakers for the San Antonio Spurs - where coincidentally playing Frenchman Tony Parker and Brazilian Tiago Splitter. The French well they enjoyed the victory of his countryman and principal player of Sant Antonio. Already we…well, James Split forgive us, but we were really rooting for is the Kobe show.

Day in LA also had a "footprint" gastronomical! We made a lunch 'in Portuguese' in super nice Urth Caffe (em Santa Monica) and we Renato and French to eat in the traditional cafeteria California In-n-Out. We also made a picnic, with football, under the magnificent sunset beach Venice Beach. The moment was special, it was the first time that Renato wrist down to the Pacific! And ended the night in a outdoor bar, um no hotel Mole, spot on Venice. Gave up time to take a turn with the Renatinho downtown Los Angeles and Hollywood before he caught his flight back to Chicago. After all, he could not leave LA without seeing the famous Walk of Fame and the Dolby Theater, occurs where the Academy Awards. Faz part, nor!

And in the midst of it all, still reserve some time to resolve some pending before heading to Mexican lands! The first was in Nissan, ali of Los Angeles, where our Tanajura completed 30 one thousand kilometers and would run for a full review. That's it, 'Pass'. It turns out that after the initial ecstasy of seeing a Brazilian Frontier over there, and most fully equipped, managers and mechanics Nissan realized that Tana was the Diesel - unlike the American models, Gasoline. And therein lay the problem. We believe that the differences fuel entail technical differences maintenance of each vehicle. But that does not justify the car leave the shop almost as entered. They claim not to know where is the fuel filter (something which later was shown where) and still not claim to be able to balance and align the wheels, led us to believe that we were once again facing a very negative side of American culture. After all, those items which have to do with the type of fuel used in vehicle!? Nothing. Fact is, even if we could suspect that the apology could be associated with any political Nissan, our experiences through the land of Uncle Sam led us to believe that it was not. For that same posture drought, on the fence and inflexible was something that bothered us in various situations in our passage by the U.S.. As recent as this case had been intransigent and authoritarian posture of the head of security after Lakers game. We, justify, and he proposed several ways to let Gabriel go back to his seat where he had gotten his cap. Had been one of the last to leave the gym that night and still at the output port that Gabriel was realized that the cap had been under your seat. In 2 minutes back seat to the cap would be recovered. The security assured that the cleaning crew and would find the "lost-and-found" (after all, this was the standard procedure) leaving us only alternative there and registered our contacts. The French were non-conformist stance with such. We were accustomed. Already, o boné, never appeared.

But these episodes do not melariam our super nice pass by Los Angeles. Those were our last days in the U.S. and soon we would be back on land Latin!

It was our last day then come after almost a week traveling together. When suddenly the French propose that… hehehe… not, this time it was really the end of this chapter. And then in the morning she prepared a full breakfast super stylish host country that unusual Franco-Brazilian. It was the perfect way to say goodbye and celebrate all those inspiring moments we were together.

They went north toward San Francisco and we would go south, the way to San Diego for a final adjustment on the winch Tanajura. It, although our paths take different directions, the direction that our lives would still follow the same: the pursuit of the realization of our dreams!

Or Daniel, Lara, Renato, Camille, ChaCha, Johanna and Suzy, our loving gratitude for the pleasure of their company over these wonderful days. And one up soon!

Click Las Vegas or Los Angeles to see more photos of our second pass through these cities.