I snapped this picture out of the cab window in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Admittedly, there are lush parks, lavish restaurants and huge shopping malls. However, what I enjoyed the most was the friendly, happy atmosphere. One of their favorite signs in Sao Paulo is the thumbs up. It's kind of like the Shakka Brah sign in Hawaii (yet another posting for another day). It's a unassuming way to pass along greetings and a smile even if you don't share the same language. The people were warm and open and generally treated you as if you were an old friend.
The amazing thing is that Sao Paulo has car hijackings at gun point, armed robberies, extensive slums and security guards with bullet proof vests at the shopping mall and, still, the people have managed to keep chipper about it all and remain friendly and undaunted. Needless to say, this was a very pleasant surprise for this American who is used to drivers cutting you off in traffic or giving you the bird, if anything at all. Perhaps happiness is all relative and it really is our personal choice to look at the world as half full or half empty...
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