From My Notebooks In 1974: Travelling with Lulu
2nd August 2026 |
The beautiful chapel at Congoñas. The apostles stroll around outside.
Still in Rio, travelling around with Lulu but dealing with a consequence of my prison diet. This is not for the squeamish.
July 20th
Went to visit Lulu’s grandmother in Vassouras, about 75 km inland from Rio. Countryside hilly. No level land at all. River Paraibo.
We visited a colonial house preserved as a museum. It used to be occupied by a rich spinster who was in love with a Parisian couturier (so it is said) but was forbidden to marry him. The house has a simple, almost flimsy appearance from the outside to a European eye, being made of wood with little concern for keeping out non-existent storms and freezing weather. The rooms are arranged around a patio – big rooms, beautiful floors and imported furniture (oak chairs commissioned in large quantities). There were papers and exercise books in a cupboard – essays in French and English, copied out painstakingly. The newspapers were of mid-nineteenth century – with classified advertisements for slaves. One was selling a 12-year-old, suitable to receive caresses. Another asked for information about a runaway girl, describing her mannerisms – holds her head on one side – looks two months pregnant.
July 22nd
[For some time since the rice and beans of Fortaleza I had been suffering from unpleasant symptoms up my arse.]
Day dominated by appointment with doctor. Adolfo Milech, Youngish man with merry conversational manner. Face connects with Slav name. Strong “Punch” nose, wide full mouth on flat plane of face. Surgery on 4th floor of big block in Copacabana. Ground floor a labyrinth of split levels, escalators, glass shop windows, 4th floor wood panelled corridors, like discreet tunnels, Receptionist a smart but motherly woman about 40 knitting behind small desk in a cube-shaped space, with small pieces of reproduction furniture.
The doctor chatted happily about his dissatisfaction with censorship and repression [Remember: Brazil was a police state.] He didn’t like it since living in the States. It’s hard sometimes to resist the impression that these opinions are offered to pre-empt like criticism from foreigners (as in South Africa.) Unfair probably.
The business wasn’t too humiliating, thanks to his recognition.
July 24th
Hospital for rectal examination, Santa Casa de Misericordia – built as hospital 200 years ago. New one with 400 beds going up now near airport. As a building though this one is much more inviting than English Victorian hospitals. Several doctors involved in process – four plus Milech. The examination was very uncomfortable, verging on pain – or at least a sort of abdominal sensation which is intolerable (though pain is not really the word.) I was surprised at the location of the feeling near the front of my belly, and only understood it when I saw the length of the stainless steel tube used to conduct the light and the instruments (about 12”). Went on a bit too long. They found internal hemorrhoid which I’ve apparently had for some time (Huh!) and much inflamation. They pulled out some shit to examine – with shouts of triumph (“Teng fes!”) for parasites. But again their good humour saves the situation. The specialist wore tight-fitting long-sleeved polo-necked vest and groovily flared white trousers, but revealed loose flesh falling over his waist band. All of them had white shoes.
Friday July 26th
Drive to Buzios [A very fashionable resort on the coast north of Rio. Because of the way the coast curls round you can watch the sun setting over the Atlantic.]
Drive North up the coast over the Niteroi bridge (10crz) Passed salt business, long wooden shacks with tiled roofs for storing salt. Men raking it out in heaps. Windmills to pump sea water from lagoon. Shrimps on slivers of bamboo (6crz a 100) for 1 or 2 crz each. Eat them whole (headless) with lime juice.
Buzios was small fishing village – whole area owned by two families. One has big house on it’s own small beach. Other has new house on other side of Buzios. Buzios itself has a dozen or so smart bldgs and one or two original cottages. White plastered brick, rough hewn posts 8” square, from eucalyptus. Often a lot of wind. Many other small beaches. Bardot came here a while ago, got the fashion under way. Very expensive now. Lulu has bit of land 15 X 60 metres on other side of peninsula – worth £10,000 now.
Michael Sarne [Sixties pop idol] has house in Buzios. Passed me on beach, smiling, but I didn’t recognise him. An elderly friend of Lulu’s lives further round the beach. Travels a lot. Only once had an English lover. Met him at Moet & Chandon chateau. After they’d made love she said she was surprised how good he was. He was the “unique Anglais de ma vie.” He replied, with heavy English accent, “Ne soyez pas ridicule.”
There’s also a Miss McGregor, widow of a man who used to go to the office every day leaving her enough money each week to maintain their modest house. She had no idea what he did at the office. When he died she asked the lawyer, timidly, whether he thought she could afford a visit to relatives in England. He regarded her with astonishment. It turned out he owned the “Light Company” in Rio [All of Rio’s electricity.] “Madam, you can do anything you like,” he said. It was a complete surprise to her that she had become a ‘milliardaire.’ Now she leads a totally and unselfconsciously lavish life in Buzios.