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“Voce gosta dos Bengals?!” I said to the man in a Bengals hat. 

“Go 49ers!” He replied, leaving me perplexed. This is a perfect example of NFL culture in Brasil & South America. No allegiance, no knowledge, simply wearing whatever colors you think are cool, and making this author feel like John Madden. ‘Go Team!’ I could get behind this. 

Argentina, but still

We were at an Irish pub in Sao Paulo for the Super Bowl. Why Irish? I’m not too sure, but I haven’t seen too many American-themed bars in my time in Brasil, outside of ‘Bar Yankee’ which emotes a certain unironic Applebees-esque flair (which, outside of me trying to be a brand ambassador for free drinks, I would not patronize). 

Hundreds of people were at the bar for the Chiefs vs. Eagles Super Bowl, where the E-L-G-S-E-S trounced Mahome, Taylor Swift received minimal screentime, and a portion of America found issues with a halftime show. Hundreds of people, all wearing jerseys spanning the entirety of the NFL franchise for a game where overt partisanship for the battling teams is expected, and more often than not punches are thrown, especially at an Eagles game. 

This game was especially relevant in Sao Paulo as the Eagles played their opener here as part of the NFL’s global brand expansion, giving it a home team feel. 

**** 

Earlier that week while seeking solace from the sun and unbearable humidity that is February in Brasil, we went to a bar in Indaiatuba. I struck up a conversation with some locals. 

“We’re looking for a bar that’s showing the Super Bowl. Do you know of any around here?”

“Por que?” the man scoffs. 

“What do you mean? 

“This is Brasil. In Brasil, we like futebol, not American football.” 

Cue my eye-roll and internal monologue. 

Maybe the guy was having a bad day. Still, I don’t remember Brazilians being upset regarding the international recognition of the objective beauty standard set by Gisele Bündchen, nor Brasil shying away from the recent Lady Gaga concert in Rio, which happened to set the record for the largest concert attendance for a single female with an astounding 2.5 million people. 

Quite the contrary, Brasil is one of the most welcoming countries I’ve visited (more on that later). When it comes to the consumption and integration of other cultures, especially music, I doubt there’s one better.

Brasil has a population of approximately 211 million, and with 80% of their population on social media, it is the fifth largest social media market globally. Between this and passion for their country, there are organic, nationwide campaigns on social media tagged #cometobrasil to help get their favorite artists to tour Sao Paulo & Rio. Often, they’re successful, and leave an amazing impression for the artists – especially Bruno Mars.

While all of this may be true, as I traveled I began to think how a significant part of my life revolves around music, and love experiencing the local elements of music wherever I travel.

I have many fond memories of enjoying music, cultural exchange, and the friends you can make, all without speaking a word of the local language.

From playing a Pipa with locals as we drank homemade BaiJiao in Yunnan, China, to playing guitar and singing at a family stay in Pakse, Laos on the Mekong River, to playing some blues at one open jam in Sao Paulo, music is a wonderful part of traveling. 

Beerlao, Duck, & La Bamba

A key reason I traveled to Thailand was for the music scene. While this may be romanticized, especially considering that a large reason for this influence is the American G.I. presence as a staging point for the Vietnam War (or the War of American Aggression if you’re in Vietnam), I wanted to experience the blues and reggae scene in Thailand that I had read about. 

I was woefully disappointed when I instead found an EDM scene that consumed the entirety of the southern islands – it didn’t feel like you left any major city in the US. 

This changed when I reached Chiang Mai, the largest city in northern Thailand, and one of my favorite places in Southeast Asia. From open mic blues, to sitting in a second-story loft looking at a jazz band, to whatever the picture below is, life was good. 

Belting out ‘Highway to Hell’ shirtless in your 40s is one way to go through life…

A much more subdued vibe at a jazz club in Chiang Mai

Music has the powerful ability to transcend the listener to another place and time, and as I travel I am trying to capture meaningful songs from every country we visit, creating an audio scrapbook if you will. This will essentially allow me to call back certain vivid memories whether I’m washing the dishes, driving, running, etc. 

One of the most impactful songs of this trip has been E preciso saber viver by Titas. Believe it or not, there are still stressors in life even when you’re traveling and not gainfully employed. In the first month of being in Brasil, I had second thoughts on whether Marilia and I had made the right decision to travel. It seemed, at least for someone in my profession, that this could be the transformative time in professional life where one could be easily left behind by advancements in technology if they’re not working with it on a daily basis. I have to admit, I believe this is uniquely tied to an American – Canadian – UK mindset of a purposeful life through work and productivity – we’ll dive more into that in a later post. 

Anyhow, Marilia and I were in a taxi, coming back from a night of samba and caipirinhas (this is not the daily Brazilian experience for all you Gringos). I had met some incredible people, even with the language barrier, and had impressed some with my tolerance for Cachaça (if you’ve drank homemade Baijiu served in gasoline canisters, you can stomach anything). A song came on the radio, with a sound evoking that of 90s Bob Dylan that immediately calmed me and gave me goosebumps. I asked Marilia what was being sung, and she replied “Essentially, everyone needs to find a reason to live.” 

This, I felt, is what I needed. A not-so-subtle cue from the universe to stop worrying and enjoy the ride. 

Since then, I’ve collected some great pieces, from Ricardo Arjona’s Me Ensenaste to Christy Moore’s Back Home in Derry, with the latter reminiscent of Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. 

And yet, while I have found these works, it has been less than organic at times. For example, in Salento, it was only after all the travelers left a bar that the staff decided to play Ricardo Arjona, and they were quite surprised when I asked who it was. 

Later, as we made our way across Europe I felt there was less local music, and what I did hear was difficult to find. Of course, I do emphatically think that the Fado music of Portugal and Spanish Flamenco are both wonderful styles of music, especially with Flamencos eliciting its strong Middle Eastern influence, but this would equate to people coming to the US to predominately hear Ragtime, and to be honest that would be considered futuristic in comparison with Fado and Flamenco.

While I believe in the positive impacts of globalization, for me it is depressing that it doesn’t matter if I’m watching old men play chess in Zurich, walking through a park in Amsterdam, or wandering the streets of Vienna, the accompanying music is more than likely Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift, or Justin Bieber. No hate towards any of these artists, and while I am glad the world can enjoy their music, this feeling frankly sucks.

Even in Patagonia, you can’t escape the horrid sounds of the Red Hot Chili Peppers

**** 

Experiencing the Eagles win in Sao Paulo was great on many fronts. My wife, Philly-proud (maybe to a fault), was ecstatic, and I was glad to be a part of it. I met a Paulista who was a genuine Eagles fan, as his priest growing up was from Philly and an avid fan. We shared laughs and drinks with some old friends we hadn’t seen since their wedding in Santos, and quite frankly, I experienced that incredible Brazilian hospitality with people who, regardless of their understanding of the game, just wanted to have a good time. 

And, months later, at Festa Junina in Indaiatuba, I was able to enjoy a Brazilian Pilsen from a microbrewery and watch traditional Chorinho, followed by a cover band of all your favorite 80s and 90s hits from the US.

Sometimes you have to remember that life’s good, and try not to overthink it.

#sports!