Music Maker and New Friend

Friday, Aug. 10

Our mission today was to find a copy center/print shop to print color posters with contact information for the missionaries.  I researched online and found one that didn’t seem too far away.  We decided to walk, partly because parking is so hard to find and partly because we need the exercise.

As we were leaving our building, a door was partially opened to a shop next to us that had something to do with music.  I hadn’t seen it open before.  There was a man inside working with wood and carving tools (Manuel Amorin).  He invited me in, and we started to visit about what he was doing.  Merl found me after a few frantic moments of not knowing where I was.  The three of us talked about his trade.  It was fascinating!  His father was a guitar player (Portuguese style guitar).  Manuel didn’t like playing but loved the instruments.  He went to school for six years to learn how to make and repair all types of Portuguese string instruments.  Each one takes four different types of wood from Brazil, Africa, Portugal, and somewhere in Asia (can't remember).  All are very expensive.  Wood for one instrument can be up to €2500.  With his labor of 4-6 months, a hand-made, sanded and hand rubbed guitar costs €12,000.  Beautiful!  Each instrument becomes “his daughter.”  He is a man who has devoted his life to preserving and creating historical instruments.  There are only five such men in the country.

We then started our walk up the main street, in the bright sun, and occasionally stepped inside an air-conditioned building for some relief and to see new things on the way.  One building we entered had most of the shops closed for the lunch hour, but we found an older lady at a desk.  I asked her where we could find a print shop.  She offered to print our things for us.  I did have a page of text (the apartment cleaning checklist) that I had her print.  We talked to her for probably ½ hour about her life, family, job, etc.  She speaks fluent French and Portuguese and has been studying English.  She and her husband (76 and 79 yrs of age) build and sell/rent properties.  They rent to English speaking people during the holidays.  We worked back and forth in both languages, helping each other.  It was quite an enjoyable experience.  She asked us to come back again and again – even if only for 10 minutes.  She wants to practice her English.

Back on the street on our quest!  Merl thinks it was a miracle, but I thought I knew where we were going.  I finally had the brilliant idea to ask google the location of a print shop.  She told me, “you have arrived.”  Within a few steps, we were at the door of LOULECÓPIA.  The proprietor printed and laminated our pages within a few minutes, and we were on our way.

On our way back, we stopped at a few stores looking for skirts.  It is too hot here to wear much of the clothing I brought.  I found a dress that we both liked – on clearance for €7.60.  We also purchased some measuring cups and spoons at a Chinese store.  Our last stop was at our Frutaria to get some cold drinks.  

(Foto:  Major city sidewalks have this design hand-laid in the cobblestone .  Tedious work!)
(Foto:  Sculpture of a little band in the center of a round-about on our walk)


After a nap and dinner, we studied, worked on computer problems until 2:00 a.m. and finally went to bed.  We did get to talk to some of the kids trying to retrieve phone messages and passwords.  What a day!