Becoming a familiar face.

I've already mentioned the joys of starting to feel at home in Rio, feeling like a regular when I bump into people on the street, but I'm starting to become a local at my neighborhood joints, which in itself is an experience that I don't think I've had, even when I lived in New York. About once a week, when I don't feel like cooking, I head to my neighborhood Arab restaurant, and order a kibe or esfiha. They make a really good homemade hot sauce that (I think) is the best part of the meal, and I get my fix of spice for the week. Today, after a hot day and no food in the fridge, I headed over, where the same two men recognized me. One of them even saw me riding around on the beach earlier this afternoon, which was a little bizarre (I'm not sure I want to be that recognizable), but they know that I probably will order something vegetarian, and they find it sort-of funny to watch me consume such large amounts of "pimenta." When I first tried the sauce, one of the men told the other he couldn't BELIEVE I could eat something so spicy. I guess they haven't met a lot of Indians. A lot of Indians from the SOUTH of India.