Abby, Zoë and Enzo

Using cash in Brazil is difficult, at least for us.  The ATMs give moderately large bills, usually R$50s, which is about US$27.51 today.  I believe their largest publically circulated bill is the R$100, but it is infrequenty seen and rarely used in circulation.  But changing a R$50 is liking asking someone to change a US$100 in the US.  Well I have had difficulty with taxi's or kiosks making change for a R$20 (US$11) after buying stuff or a taxi fare.  It absolutely puzzles me how a food vendor or a taxi cab, can not have R$5 - R$10 in change, and we then have to visit 2 - 4 places around our drop off point on foot, to get the exact amount of change.  Going to the hospital for the first time to see Laura, our regular taxi was not available, and I was anxious to see the baby and such, I just let the taxi keep an extra R$3 instead of wasting more time with this changing money dance.  So little money must change hands in Brazil, that so few reais are available to be used as change.  Forget about anyone having change for a R$100 (US$55).  The hospital bill was R$818, as it included a consult for Laura as someone besides our scheduled doctor took out her cerclage.  Instead of making change for from the R$900 I submitted, she just gave me back an R$100.  It was an unexpected discount of R$18 = US$9.90 that I gladly accepted.  And forget about the coins.  They have 2 different types and sizes for each of the same denomination, it is just crazy, they should capture, collect and standardize the coins.  You can view the Brazilian Real bank notes and coins here from Wikipedia.