Maceió, Alagoas, Brasil

I arrived in Maceió about 4 o'clock today, but we still have unfinished business, of the time travel sort.

Fortaleza, Ceará, Brasil

I spent many hours on 4 and 5 February with from four to six women, but, because of the language barrier, we couldn't communicate ... that is, until the bill was presented.

Don't get me wrong. I'd do it again tomorrow, but I just have to tell the truth and the truth is that some women haven't heard that the 21st century has arrived. But I am not going to let that get between me and my friends.

Sonia always drove, with a cool confidence. She is tall and slender and has lips less pronounced than that Spanish actress who is seeing that American actor who was married to Nicole Kidman. I found her sometimes uncontrolled laughter a joy, like the time at the beach when I had her friend sit on my knee so that we three would be close for a photo. The friend's boyfriend was in California, for the past two years.

Valdira, I had met a year or so ago on a trip to northern Brasil. It was on a boat ride up some river and it had stopped for a while at some very white sands. She is a quiet, full busted woman with two children who speak English but who I never got to meet.

Carmen is a teacher and at the pre-Carnaval event that we attended the first night just couldn't stop moving to the music. Continuous motion. She might call herself overweight but most men would find her just right.

Sylvana is small-bodied and simply erupts on the dance floor. I was observing her while I danced with somebody else. Surreptitiously, of course, so as not to appear disrespectful.

I was presented with two opportunities to be gallant on Sylvana's account. It had been raining when we arrived, the second night, at a club noted for its live band. The entrance to the club was flooded and we were quite close since I held the umbrella. I have been wearing sandals so I simply lifted her with my free left hand while I walked through the water. My trousers got soaked but it was not a problem.

Another opportunity presented itself when a man, obviously tipsy since he had been playing with my beard, asked her to dance. She willingly obliged but after about 15 minutes decided to return to the table. He refused to release her hand while continuing to press his attentions. She failed to get free for a couple minutes. Finally, I got up and took her hand. I didn't need to say a word. He released her.

A few minutes later she reached over to me and shook my hand. Not a word was spoken. We understood.

PBB