My neighbourhood

Thought you might like to see the neighbourhood where I'm living in São Luis. 

Next post will be about the family I'm living with.

This is the view looking left from our front door and down the street. 

 Yesterday I went for a leisurely walk around the 'hood with my host, Flavya.

  The places with firmly closed shutter doors that looked stark and uninviting from the outside in the evenings 

 were wide open and thriving businesses during the day.

  We walked up to the corner where the road divides

 and went into the little store on the right to buy some bananas.

Randomly, this guy, a woodworker, reminded me of Heidi's grandfather in the mountains near Maienfeld in Switzerland. This guy and the shop owner, where we bought the bananas, were not wearing T-shirts. It is seriously hot and humid here every day and so it seems that it is quite ok to to be casual at work!

 The tiny houses fascinate me. Some are two stories

 and some are not

Some have tiled facades 

and  some don't.

 Some are painted in bright colours

 others are not.

But without exception they are heavily protected with wrought iron bars on all windows. This is really handy for hanging the washing out to dry.

 This is the old rice factory where Flavya's grandmother used to work in her younger days

 

and just a street corner that I liked!