thegoodfellas/blogset-br huggingface dataset:
find myself a job at Disney Brazil. he continued.They re building a new park? Well, that doesn t sound very promising to me, lad, considering the slow pace around here; what about Petropolis, have you ever been up there? asked Lagrecca.No, I never gave it much thought, but it s the Brazilian Royal Family s city, right?That s it laddie; and they re having their October festival soon. Perhaps we d find us some lassies aye. What do you say we go have a look? I ve got to return to my language course after winter break, so you re guaranteed a lift back.Serendipity looked around him at all the leafless Sweet planes and ghostly-looking Monkey puzzle trees, then back at the tall man lighting a pipe besides the blue car.He turned his head again to focus on the map preserved behind the glass while biting his tongue, and finally accepted Lagrecca s offer.The little air cooled engine drummed along the Via Dutra highway for hours to the added sounds of the British Ska band- Madness.Lagrecca turned up the volume as soon as Serendipity opened a beer, and began singing along with the song...I ve been driving in my car, it s not quite a JaguarI bought it in primrose hill, from a bloke from BrazilIt was made in fifty-nine, in a factory by the TyneIt says Morris on the door, the G.P.O. owned it beforeI drive in it for my job, the Governor calls me a slobBut I don t really care, give me some gas and the open air...A Hamburg Sud transport truck hung persistently to their right, as the little old car attempted to pass it. Tall mountains of the Serra da Mantiqueira accompanied the foreigners on the left to the rhythm of the song-It s a bit old but it s mine, I mend it in my spare timeJust last week I changed the oil, the rocker valves and the coilJust last week I changed the oil...Lagrecca the Yorkshire man looked in Serendipity s direction and reaffirmed this, smiled and continued singing and honking-Last week it went round the clock, I also had a little knockI dented somebody s fender- he learnt not to park on a bender, ha, ha, ha...I ve been driving in my car, it don t look much but I ve been farI drove up to Muswell Hill, I ve even been to Selsey BillI drove along the A-45, I had her up to 58This copper stopped me the other day, you re mistaken what could I sayThe tyres were a little worn, they were ok, I could have swornI like driving in my car, I m satisfied I ve got this far...Lagrecca lowered the radio and said,Did you know that the emperor- Dom Pedro II had his town built by a German engineer named Major Julio Frederico Koeller in the mid 1800 s, so that he and the family could escape the summer heat down on the coast.I d heard something like that from my grandfather once. answered Serendipity, in between swigs from
a bottle of the finest- Baden-Baden beer, then passing it back to Lagrecca, who never even questioned what he was drinking.After the Hunsruckers built a train up the mountain, it became chic to live in the Imperial City'- where the country could be ruled from up in the clouds; like it were on- Mount Olympus. You can imagine that all of the Richies wanted a share in the grand balls of the upper classes, and so built their palaces up there too. confirmed Lagrecca.As the old VW Brasilia crossed the Rio de Janeiro state line, the music changed over to Lagrecca s favorite composer- John Barry, and his famous- #007 soundtrack. The weather immediately began to warm up, and in no time at all they began losing altitude again on the winding 'Serra das Araras' stretch. Before them sprawled the Cidade Maravilhosa, as residents of Rio, known as Cariocas, are fond of calling it.But no sooner were the two inside the city limits, when suddenly Lagrecca turned north at the sign for the cidades serranas or Mountain Cities, and started climbing once again.Let s see; we don t want Nova Friburgo do we; they make lingerie up there you know... he said, passing the exit, and swerving into the fast lane. It seems like all this poor little car s been doing since Sao Paulo is ascending and descending a bunch of bloody mountains, aye Dip...I bet you didn t know that old 'King Pedro II' named 'Teresopolis' in honor of his wife, which was Princess Isabel s mother did you.However, being as British textile mills were installed in Rio s three mountain cities as a result of their cool, drizzly climate, Teresopolis actually ended up being founded more by the English than the Fribourg Swiss settlers.Mind you, them Brits also introduced football to Brazil!The national team trains up at the Granja Comari now a days, mate.Serendipity, who d been busy watching the view of Rio de Janeiro unfold below, only made continuous nodding gestures.The road twisted and turned from one switchback to the next; working it s way up into the Sea Mountains.Finally the blue car went through a stone tunnel and came out into thick fog.Did you see that Grecca?! he yelled with his head still sticking out of the window.Lagrecca just stared at Serendipity as though he were observing a child, then smiled back at his own image in the rearview mirror, and turned on the wipers. The music on the sound system played- the Midnight Cowboy theme. Lagrecca hummed along for a while, then, shouted above all the noise.Bloody good Yorkshire lad, that Barry!When they broke out of the cloud bank the first thing to appear was the Casa do Alemao-German House, where Serendipity wanted to stop for their advertised apple strudels and hot chocolate. After another kilometer came an imposing Norman style casino who s reflection shimmered on the lake that surrounded it.Right after that the little blue Brasilia drove past the Cremerie park', which according to Lagrecca s history lessons, belonged to a French noble of
the time, who produced dairy products on location. It became public after his death; complete with a pond, pedal boats, dollhouses and ducks.A few minutes past the Viennese writer- Stefan Zweig, and his wife- Elizabeth s house, Lagrecca spotted the downtown bus terminal, he set his eyes on Hotel York, on Avenida do Imperador, and called in for the night.Serendipity took a single bed on one side of the small room and Lagrecca on the other. Both had a view of the Catholic University of Petropolis, which was framed in by towering mountains. The time piece on its roof held fast at 12 o clock; remember that- 12 o clock!As night fell they headed off to D Angelo s restaurant for dinner, followed by maracuja-Passion fruit ice cream next door. Serendipity was surprised to see such a wide mixture of faces and races in the middle of what he began referring to as- the Brazilian Alp-palachians'. But what most struck him was the number of German-looking residents.When questioned, Lagrecca answered that these fair 'Hunsruckers' were partly responsible for the city s European character; gingerbread houses and all. Festivity posters flapped from every telephone pole- a blond girl and a fat man decked in folk dress.Shouldn t it be a tall, strong bloke to accompany the princess? questioned the revolted Englishman. Dippy nodded in agreement.The next day dawned cool and blue, like Lagrecca s car. The bus terminal was so noisy that they could no longer sleep, so went window shopping on 16 de Marco Street, where all the trendy people go, then up to Rua Teresa, stopping in for an apple pastry breakfast at the Doces Hungaros-Hungarian Sweets Bakery along the way, finally turning back again, and straying off in the historical direction of the Imperial Museum.Sheepskin slippers had to be worn around Dom Pedro s palace in order not to scratch the fine wood floors. The guides explained that Brazil had become the seat of government for the Portuguese Royal Family as a direct response to Napolean Bonapart s invading army, and that with help from the British Navy, the country was turned into an upside down European kingdom so that the Imperials could build the land of their dreams; resulting in the birth of their very own Imperial city.When the question of wealthy ghosts came up, the visitors were advised to make their way over to the House of Seven Errors on Avenida Ipiranga. One of the attendants suggested, however, that they should not miss an exhibition on the life of Stefan Zweig, at the municipal museum just in front.Petropolis is full of famous phantoms... whispered their guide.It s a mysterious place... she added, while watching sheets of white fog announce themselves by spilling in through the museum windows.Serendipity, who was beginning to get agitated, found himself slipping and sliding anxiously from one room to the next in an attempt to find the door. He cut a corner a little too fast and almost bumped the Imperial Crown straight onto his own head.As the young Californian was being escorted through
the front gates to the distant sound of Scottish bagpipes, he spotted the swaying poster of the humanitarian writer, who d fled the Austrian Holocaust, in 1941.That s the guy whose house we passed Grecca!Once they arrived at the exhibition, the travelers noticed a passage in the last book he wrote before taking his life, called-Land der Zukunft- land of the future, and in its pages 'Zweig' states-"Brazil is destined to become one of the most important factors in the development of our world. Here lies immeasurable wealth of soil that has never been plowed or cultivated, and beneath it are ores, minerals and natural resources that have not in the least been used up nor extensively explored."Finally, they took the recommended walk along Ipiranga Avenue, passed a small Lutheran church, where tall conifers reached for the sky, explored their haunted house, and soon arrived at Princess Isabel s Crystal Palace.This glass-paneled structure had once been a gift to the princess from her French husband- Louis Philippe Gaston de Orleans, or just- Count d Eu, in order to stage the horticultural society s upper class dances. Lagrecca was ecstatic and insisted that though it s iron and crystal parts had been cast in France, it was a British replica!Across the street from Isabel s Palace they were shown the Viscount Maua s house- a visionary who once acquired more riches than the king, and became Brazil s greatest industrialist and banker.Spreading out around the horticultural palace in all directions, were stalls for the festival which was opening the very next day. They hung around and watched dance rehearsals till late night when the sound of huge bells tolled out the Zero Hour' from Pedro s tall gothic Cathedral just around the corner.Their eyes tracked a group of dancers leaving for home. Lagrecca called out to them and soon the tourists were approached by the prettiest 'North sea-looking girl' anyone is ever likely to find, who bashfully greeted them with a typical Brazilian two-cheek kiss.Will you both be around to see us perform tomorrow night? asked Natalie, while giggling to her friends. Lagrecca nodded, and they each looked at the other, till her and Serendipity locked eyes. When Lagrecca noticed this he called it a night.What did I say about the lassies in Petropolis aye Dip? That 'Goldilocks' is sure fond of you. he added.Huh..? asked Serendipity, who d already floated off into space.Natalie followed Serendipity straight into his dreams that night, leading him to a place where a fleet of ancient longboats could be seen way out in the North Sea, across bright, sunlit waters. They were all coming in his direction.From the mast of the lead boat swatted a blue and white-striped flag, blowing countless hearts into the water, forming a red path on which they traveled.Then he awoke with the sun in his face when Lagrecca pulled open the large curtains in order for his pipe smoke to blow outside. The sweater-clad town was coming to life again.After an acai-assai fruit gelato breakfast, the tourists followed a canal spanned by
steeply-arched, red-painted, Japanese garden bridges, once again passing Dom Pedro s witch-hat Cathedral.Then they wandered down 'Avenida Koeller', which plugs right into the Praca da Liberdade. This park was created in honor of the Lei Aurea-law that Princess Isabel signed to end slavery in Brazil, and utilizes a huge roundabout. Within it they found a restaurant called the Rink', goats pulling popcorn-throwing children around a dancing fountain in small buggies, and the preparations for 'Italian Day'.Then, at 'Santos Dumont s' lofty, Cliffside house, a guide argued that though this man hadn t been the First in Flight, he certainly did fly the first true airplane- the 14 Bis. She explained further that this strangely small, building was the product of a multi-talented inventor who d even patented his own private bathroom.He had a small stature but was greatly ahead of his time. she added, while tapping her finger on Dippy s wrist watch.Are you suggesting this thing didn t exist in his time?The guide affirmed that Santos Dumont could never have timed his flights with a pocket watch in hand.Necessity s the mother of invention. she added, while pointing to where his statue now stands at the new Petropolis Wax Museum, just across the street.The Brazilian flag, atop his house, reassured the country that Dumont s patriotism leaned, not towards France, where he d tested his planes, but rather to his native land.The national colors flew alongside a much larger banner positioned at the Hydrangea Flower Clock; the blue, green and yellow' promised to win the World Cup this year.The Petropolitan Foot-ball Club is on the way to the Bauernfest matie. affirmed Lagrecca, with his thumb pointing behind him.Your country plays tomorrow and mine the next day. What do you say we watch the games there?Dippy smiled and said.the Mechanical Orange' is my team Grecca!Not this Yorkshire man! he protested, as he opened his coat to reveal 'Saint George s red cross'.We ve got to fetch you a Dutch jersey then kid! However, seeing that Serendipity had no interest in soccer, Lagrecca just changed the subject.As the sun neared the western mountains, Serendipity and Lagrecca arrived at the oldest Bier Brauerei-beer brewery in Brazil'- 'Henrique Kremer s 1853 Cervejaria Bohemia'. They were just in time for tastings, and the first dance show.One of two platforms straddled a canal and was positioned across from the Hollandisch Windmuhle Bar.It was from there that they observed wood chips flying, maids twirling, and couples waltzing to the sounds of a Deutsche Umpah Band from the town of Blumenau; who s Oktoberfest didn t compete with that of Petropolis Bauern because it was not in wintertime.The boys danced The Polka in 'brown lederhosen-suede shorts' with suspenders. They swung the girls round and round until familiar strands of long blond hair flashed high above yellow flames as their Goldilocks girl hopped over a campfire.The two English speakers were hard pressed to identify the dancer who followed through the flickering light though. She had the same tall stature, and neither he nor Lagrecca recalled having seen her at the
rehearsals two nights back. the Low Country-Benelux region of Europe came to Dippy s mind as this brunette, with a most curious white streak in her hair, went in for another try; fire licking at both girls with every jump.Soon the group joined hands in a continuous circle, closing the two in around the flames. Serendipity thought a long way back through the ages, when witch hunts forced princely maidens like these into hiding. Today they were free to reenact a heathen-like festival. He imagined that if these stately girls had been prize-winning horses, then the brunette would be a Belgian filly' and the blond a Friesian'.Dippy tapped his friend on the shoulder to ask which one he was fond of. Lagrecca turned to him with a wink, and said.The one with serendipity of course!Dippy was perplexed by his comment, and kept repeating the odd statement to himself under his breath.Which one s got serendip...? he wondered.When the show was over, the group left the stage and headed back down towards the Dutch Windmill Bar for refreshments. The visitors suddenly found themselves rubbing shoulders with the two thoroughbreds.So you guys made it down! sang Natalie alluringly.Serendipity, who d been noticing the Belgian s' curious stares, asked the Friesian' to introduce them.Sorry! said Natalie.Hey, Maria May, these guys are gringos!Cheek kisses were given all around, butSerendipity continued looking as though he were awaiting autographs. Maria soon asked how the foreigners had discovered her city.We followed the party love. answered Lagrecca. My friend here s got his eyes on all the old architecture. he said with a heavy accent,Since he spent the last five years participating in the Jamestown Colony reconstruction out in Virginia. he added, while elbowing Dippy.The brunette giggled at his British Portuguese, then approached Serendipity delightedly.How come you don t have an accent too?He shrugged and confessed to being part Brazilian himself.She then came closer and asked. Would you be interested in evaluating an old house on my farm tomorrow? Because my brother and his friends are going to bulldoze it down next week, so we d need to be quick.Serendipity studied Maria May s deadpan expression for the punch line, but soon realized that she was being sincere. Suddenly a shady character in an Audi' whistled Natalie over to his car, so she grabbed her things and ran out to him, but as her 'Friesian frame' galloped into the night, she took one last look back at Serendipity and blew him a kiss.Maria said.That girl doesn t stay in one place for long. Her hazel eyes penetrated Dippy s. But before he even had a chance to melt into them, Maria got to her feet and invited the gringos to try out the beer bongs which were coming their way. She lit a cigarette and studied Dippy s arms for evidence of carpentry.Needless to say, all three ended up so imbibed by the festival s end, that when Lagrecca pulled his Brasilia onto the sidewalk in front of 'Papa Braun s Mosela Tavern' the following day, none of them could
quite remember exactly which taxi had taken them home. Maria came down the stairs from her second floor flat to greet them.A twelve year old boy accompanied her to the street introducing himself as Nicolau s friend- Andre.Who s Nicolau? questioned Dippy, with a frightened look.Oh..? My son...He s in Sao Paulo with his dad for a few more days, so Andre s having to play in the miniature village by himself.What village?! interrogated Serendipity. Andre called him to see a series of bricks he d piled up to look like small buildings. Dippy was fascinated by the idea of a Brazilian Madurodam and had to be coaxed back into Lagrecca s car for the visit to 'Fazenda Ingelheim'.The Brit handed Maria a cd to accompany their drive up the steep sided Mosela valley, because he figured that John Barry s- the Knack and how to get it' would fit their situation, as her new beetle rounded the hilltop, and then followed down into the Fazenda Ingelheim neighborhood. They crossed federal highway BR-040 which connects Rio de Janeiro to Belo Horizonte, then began a second climb towards some aeronautical towers positioned atop a flat, solitary mountain.The air cooled as the three reached Maria s farm. The high altitude oxygen was sweetly fine, and Serendipity lost his breath at a nearly vertical pasture when he spotted grazing cattle far below. She stopped her new yellow VW in front of a stocky A-frame house and pronounced their arrival.So what do you guys think? Maria May inquired, while squinting both eyes in the bright light, and turning to call her brother.Where are we lass, 'On Walkabout'? joked Lagrecca. Impressed by the endless piles of old Volkswagens, reflecting the sun s afternoon rays, covered in breeze-blown eucalyptus leaves.'Daddy Braun' was a mechanic before he passed away. she answered.Then Maria presented Serendipity and Lagrecca to her redhead brother- Joao. All shook hands and asked one another questions regarding each other s backgrounds. They were invited into the house for lunch, but none of them had much stomach for real food, so Joao nodded and said.I was down at Bauernfest myself last night; keeping an eye on siss here. he affirmed with a not-so-convincing glare.And I ain t got much of an appetite either; how about a 'Caipirinha'? he suggested sprightly.The soccer game was just finishing, so Joao commented that the USA was going home.Serendipity seemed so indifferent, that the brother and sister just figured Americans didn t care much for football.Sis here says she s going to show you all that old, half-burned cabin before it comes down huh. laughed Joao. You know how dad cared little about the old place anyway; the people who built it talked some funny kind of German! he added, while twirling his finger in circles beside his ear.Maria May looked down at her dance shoes without comment.After a while the party thanked Joao for his hospitality, and returned to the car where Barry s- Somewhere in Time track led them through the final leg of the journey. The pasture road afforded
a 100 mile view out towards the North, on a route which a migratory bird might ve found perfectly useful.Wisps of low cloud blew repeatedly into the valley, masking the grand vista, but when the sun shone through, a dilapidated half-timbered structure appeared.Serendipity exited the vehicle behind Lagrecca, from his rear-seat position, and cautiously neared the house. He found an old Mexican cypress tree, draped in curtains of Spanish moss, leaning against the porch roof. It had toppled onto the house in a blaze.Hexen... he thought, as he watched Maria May walking beyond the tree, who s branches sliced through white layers of returning fog.When Maria circled around and reached Serendipity, she commented that the cabin s unburned parts would be salvaged for use elsewhere; causing Dippy to freeze in his tracks.He was troubled by her apparent conformity.You re really going to demolish 'Grandma s house'?! he cried, with his hand waving in reference to the old cottage.Just like that? he finalized with a snap of the fingers.How did you know an old woman lived here?! she questioned with attentive eyes, which then turned to Lagrecca.Both Maria and the Yorkshire man had the habit of pursing their lips whenever things became uncertain.Lagrecca tried to read Maria s flustered, batting eyes, and finally answered.Well, it would take serendipity for that, aye?Maria May s face lit up as she perceived that her dilemma was being taken to heart.We ll have to enter the cabin from the back Dippy since the front door s wedged shut.She pulled a small rusty old key from her purse to unlock the kitchen door. It creaked open, revealing a series of yellow plastered walls, framing in a sink-front window with a piney view.The floorboards on one side of the house sank and bounced back, conforming to the weight of whoever passed over them. Serendipity counted one bedroom, a bathroom, and what seemed to have been the living room, before the old tree toppled down onto it in the fire.Now, passing clouds and dancing cypress needles formed it s ceiling.Birds nested in every corner, together with squirrels, who s cache of inch-long Monkey Puzzle pine nuts overflowed from the openings in the walls.Serendipity, the first-generation Californian removed one of the countless seedlings which had popped out from the cracks, in order to show his friends.Look, this is what happens if we don t eat the pinion nuts. He lifted the miniature yucca-looking plant into the air, inspiring Lagrecca to playfully declare the west wing as a re-born ecological paradise, or simply the sunny side, as it had no roof.Maria giggled at his optimism, however, argued that it was unfortunately the very side which needed repair. Then she pointed and commented.That large door over there is the one that leads onto the front porch.Serendipity saw that the ceiling beams were presently resting on the door and drew up his conclusion.The whole thing can be wedged back up with a good 2x4 wood brace; hammer its footing a little more each day until the door works again, then 'sister the beams to