The Great Experiment! - Myth or Fact?

I've never been one to believe something just because someone told me, I heard it somewhere, or read it in a newspaper or magazine. So when I was on my way to South America last year I was ready to conduct THE GREAT EXPERIMENT! Something I've wondered about from the first time I heard about it in my jr. high school science class...something that was "reconfirmed" to me by several friends upon my announcing my trip: The water will spiral down the sink in a different direction in the southern hemisphere than it will here at home in the northern hemisphere.

I guess I could've just looked it up years ago in a book, on the internet, but I need to find out for myself. And to be honest, I didn't think of doing so until just now - duh!

See, my curiosity about this "fact" was piqued when I was a teenager and my science teacher brought it up in the class. So of course, I go home and start watching the water go down the drain in different parts of the house. The trouble was that sometimes it spiraled down clockwise; sometimes counter clockwise. I caught myself mesmerized, to this day when water is spiraling down the drain, standing there almost frozen and feeling like I have to watch which way the water will go down the drain. Why doesn't it go down the same way every time!? Could Mr. Pack be wrong? No way - he was my advanced science teacher in 9th grade, he was cool, and he knew everything!! Am I doing something wrong? Could it depend on the time of year? Does this only work in a vacuum (I don’t' think water drain in a vacuum, would it?)

Everyone is telling me, "When you go down to South America, you're going to see that the toilets will flush in a different direction." Is "everyone" wrong?

March 28, 2006 I was leaving for Montreal, Canada (northern hemisphere). Then I'd fly to Chile (southern hemisphere), then Buenos Aires (southern). Then I'd fly back home (northern). Then back down to Brazil (southern), then back home. I may never have a chance like this to conduct my great experiment! THE TIME HAS COME!

I begin the experiment on March 26, 2006 by flushing the toilet a couple times, but I realize the water is being forced in one direction. So I fill the sinks in the house with soapy water and begin to observe. Same results I've always seen - sometimes it drains clockwise; sometimes counter. Hmmm...maybe it's my house. I go to my parents' home and have the same results.

California, March 26, 2006 (Clockwise rotation)


When in Montreal, I do the same in my room and in the bathrooms at Cirque du Soleil headquarters. Same results as I had back home. Is this an urban legend????

Upon my arrival in Santiago, one of the biggest things on my mind was not only having to learn the music for the Cirque du Soleil show, but which way the water was going to drain down the frigin' sinks here! I'm obsessed! So while I'm waiting for my luggage at the airport, I go into the bathroom where there were 3 sinks. SAME RESULTS! During my stay at the Sheraton, again - at times clockwise; at time counter.

• Buenos Aires (May 2006): same results.
• California (June 2006): same
• Sao Paulo, Brazil (August 2006): same
• Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (December 2007): same
• California (January 2007): same

Ok, it's time to look this up, because it looks like I was duped a long time ago. This is what I found out:

This myth (Sorry Mr. Pack) stems from the FACT that cyclonic systems (hurricane, typhoon, etc.) rotate clockwise in the northern hemisphere and counter clockwise in the southern. It's called the Coriolis effect. But this has nothing to do with water draining in toilets, sinks, bathtubs, etc.

My god...I can rest now!!

Brazil, 12/10/06 (Counter clockwise rotation)


California, January 31, 2007 (Clockwise rotation)

Irony

On the flight back from Rio de Janeiro, my wife and I were bumped up to First Class. (Bummer! I hate when that happens.) I'm sitting in my seat reflecting over the last nine months touring and performing in Saltimbanco and all the things that were experienced with this production coming to an end.

The flight attendant comes by my seat and gives me a porable DVD player with 21 movies to choose from. I notice a movie called A Prarie Home Companion, a movie I know nothing about. But I do notice that it was directed by Robert Altman, and I'm a big fan of Robert Altman's!

I pop in the disc and hit the PLAY button, and am amazed that this is a story about what goes on backstage at a radio show that is coming to an end after a long and successful run.

Goodbye Saltimbanco & Rio de Janeiro

Saltimbanco had its last performance on Dec 10th, 2006, and closed its doors after a 14-year run playing to almost 10 million people in 69 different countries. It was an amazing last show! All the acrobats and performers nailed their parts, the band was tight and rockin', and it couldn't have been a better show.

It was the longest period of time I had been away from home...at times exhausting, at times exhilerating, but never a boring moment.

Asleep at my makeup table between shows,
Sat. Sept 16, Sao Paulo, Brazil

Being a part of this Cirque du Soleil production was not only extremely rewarding but also one of the highlights of my life.

One of the most difficult I've ever done was saying goodbye to the many friends I made in this show -- performers, musicians, administrators and crew... a few are moving on to other shows; some taking time off, some going back to their homes in Russia, China, Ukraine, America, Canada, etc.

Thank you Saltimbanco for the ride of my life. You are all the most talented, creative, fun, amazing and whacky group of people I have ever worked with!

Saltimbanco Head Shots - Cirque du Soleil

I was able to get a copy of the head shots that appear in the Saltimbanco program. Here are two head shots that were taken of me at Cirque du Soleil headquarters back in April 2006.

Click pic to enlarge

2nd Biggest Mortadella I've ever seen

There was a mortadella promotion in our hotel and this is the 2nd biggest mortadella I've ever seen! Holy cow! Check this thing out!!

Xi Shun (Tallest Living Man) at Pão de Açúcar, Rio de Janeiro

Meet Xi Shun. He's the tallest living man in the world, just short of 7' 9" tall, but actually seems taller when you're standing in front of him. Xi Shun is from Mongolia and was doing a promotion for the Guiness Book of World Records in Brazil. My wife and I just happened to be at Pão de Açúcar (Sugarloaf Mountain) here in Rio de Janeiro while they were promoting the book.

He was so happy to meet everyone...had big smile on his faceon his face the entire time, shaking hands...chatting. It was very cool meeting him.
(Click pics to enlarge)

Susan and Xi Shun



Xi Shun towering over us


View from Pao de Acucar mountain in Rio de Janeiro


Looking down on Rio de Janeiro from Pão de Açúcar


Looking across to Corcodova mountain from Pão de Açúcar


My new friend


Jackfruit Tree - This stuff is yummy!

Goodbye Sao Paulo; Hello Rio de Janeiro

I was a bit melancholy leaving Sao Paulo, especially after making so many friends, experiencing the amazing local music scene there, and visiting so many cool places. But change is good and I'm excited to be moving to Rio de Janeiro. We played to sold out crowds for every show during out three months in Sao Paulo, and Saltimbanco has sold out in Rio as of April 2006!

It was a pretty comfortable eight hours bus ride and the landscape outside was picturesque.

(click on photos to enlarge)








We arrived at a lovely hotel in the evening and were greeted by live samba, caipirinhas and lot of smiles! And that's just while we were checking in to the hotel!


It felt so good to breathe in the healing ocean air. I woke up the next day to my wife climbing into the bed to show me pictures she had just taken of our view while I was asleep. It's beautiful...a bit strange in a way but gorgeous because I have the ocean to my right, and the biggest favela in Brazil to the left.



This is a good start to the last leg of this Cirque du Soleil tour!

Percussion Shop and Choro Music - Sao Paulo, Brazil

Many of us on Saltimbanco left Sao Paulo for Rio de Janeiro on Monday morning. The Cirque du Soleil big top is going up this week! But before leaving Sao Paulo, I was on a quest for some quality percussion instruments, particularly a berimbau and pandeiro along with some other 'toys'. My friend Bruno hooked me up and took me to a percussion shop called Batucadas 1000. (click photos to enlarge)

Batucadas 1000 percussion shop


Then off I went to play two shows. Afterwards, a bunch of us were invited to a tavern called Ó do Borogodó in the Pinheiros neighborhood to listen to our friend Andre Hosoi play mandolin in a choro ensemble. This is the music that gave birth to the samba.

Andre, Bruno, me, Chantal


Videos of the group performing two songs:

"Proezas de Solon" - Composer: Pixinguinha e Benedito Lacerda

"Simplicidade" - Composer: Jacob do Bandolim