Fruits

Turmoil in Greece.
Riots in Spain.
The election in America.
All sorts of garbage going on in Brazil that doesn't even get a corner of the world stage.

Writers should be politically engaged, right?
Not me, folks.
Not any more.

I've lived in dictatorships.
I've been arrested by the police.
I've been beat up by cops in the course of demonstrations.

But, ya know what?

Unlike those praiseworthy and couragous men that Jeff wrote about in his last post, I have gotten to the point in my life where

I NO LONGER CARE.

Not on the global scale.
Oh, yeah, sure, I still do a lot to support poor people, orphanages, that sort of thing.
But, as far as participating, actively, in the political process, I have opted out.

I continue to hold an American passport, but I have such grave doubts about my birth-nation's political system, as currently constituted, that I can't even find it within myself to bring up the outrage Tim expressed in his last post.

Truth to tell, I haven't voted in an American election since 1960.

And, in all probability, this is going to be the last post that any of you ever see, signed by me, where I make any reference, whatsoever, to politics.

So, at the risk of offending any of you who are more politically engaged, how about we reflect, today, on something less transitory.

Tropical fruit.

Yeah, tropical fruit.

It's gonna be here long after you, and I, and any of those damned politicians are gone.

Visitors to Brazil are often overwhelmed by the variety we have to offer.

Açai is one you might have heard of.

Regarded as a superfood, it’s rich in antioxidant properties.

But I’d be surprised if you know more than half of the ones depicted below.

Let’s try a little game.

Note down the names of the ones you recognize.

And then compare them with the answers at the end of this post.

                                                                          #1

                                                                           #2

                                                                           #3

                                                                          #4

                                                               #5

                                                                           #6

                                                                           #7

                                                                               #8

                                                                              #9

                                                                          #10

                                                                   #11

                                                             #12

Here are the answers, with the Brazilian names first.

1. Fruta do conde – Sugar apple
2. Arazá – Amazonian pear
3. Feijoa – Guavasteen
4. Maracuja – Yellow passion fruit
5. Jaboticaba – Brazilian grape
6. Guanabana – Soursop
7. Jaca – Jackfruit
8. Cacao – Chocolate (Some folks like it fresh, as a fruit.)
9. Pitanga – Brazilian cherry
10. Acerola – Barbados cherry
11. Abiu – Yellow star apple
12. Caju – Cashew fruit (the little double shell at the bottom contains the nut.)

How did you do?

Leighton – Monday