Recife

After the now classic twelve hours, strictly at night, we were in Recife. Off the bus, we had a hearty breakfast since we hadn't eaten for almost a day, and with full bellies we headed to the information office, which offered us several alternatives but all located in the Boa Viagem neighborhood, the one dedicated to tourists. After a quick evaluation of the possibilities at our disposal, with tickets for the next destination already in hand, we took advantage of the free transport service provided by the company we had traveled with, and in about half an hour we were in the city. To reach the posada they had recommended, we also needed a taxi; no sooner said than done, as soon as we got off the bus a friendly gentleman was there ready to satisfy our wishes. The taxi driver told us he knew better places than the ones they had recommended, at an equivalent price but better located.

Trusting him, we looked at three different hotels and then settled on the only one that had a room available. It was a small family-run hotel a few steps from the sea: ideal! Once we dropped our bags in the room, we rushed toward the ocean and were welcomed by an immense, wide beach surrounded by very tall skyscrapers and sparsely populated with people. Exhausted, we only had the strength to stop a cart selling green coconut so we could quench our thirst with its water. We then returned to the hotel and fell into a deep sleep. In the afternoon we were back at the beach to get some sun, which only partly worked out because already by four o'clock the entire shoreline was covered by the shadow of the enormous skyscrapers in front of it; no big deal, we gathered our towels and went for a walk along the seafront and then sat at the sides of a kiosk sipping yet another coconut water.

For dinner we had thought of going to the Shopping Center around which the commercial heart of the Boa Viagem neighborhood extended. After an excellent dinner we went for a walk toward Praçinha, the main square of Boa Viagem, hoping to find a bit of activity. Our hopes were promptly disappointed since the square was completely deserted, and in despair we headed to the bus stop to return home

The following day, after taking advantage of the breakfast included in the hotel price, we had decided to go to the beach to enjoy the morning sun; unlike Salvador, the entire beach was ours, and after a few minutes we already had our towels on the sand and sunscreen spread on our bodies. Between a refreshing swim and a very sweet coconut water, the sun was already beginning to hide behind the buildings, but all things considered we couldn't complain about the day. Back at base, a relaxing shower and a nap allowed us to regain our strength for the evening: to have dinner we had once again chosen the Shopping Center.

The next day we planned to visit the historic center of Recife, located about ten kilometers north of our neighborhood. We caught the first available bus and our outing began; we got off near the port where a gigantic sailing ship was moored, then headed toward the old buildings, by then worn down by the years and poor maintenance. We went back north again to reach an old military fort, which we didn't even enter because of the excessive price. Back toward the pier, we headed to the municipal theater and then to the most characteristic area of "Recife Antigo," namely its market, which spreads out at the foot of the great cathedral and continues along the very narrow city streets. We strolled through the market until evening in search of a T-shirt and some music CDs, then turned back again toward Boa Viagem and our hotel.

For the evening we treated ourselves to a very luxurious fish-based lunch that satisfied our palate but emptied our wallet. Still not satisfied, we then headed to a kind of nightclub where they played live music, a very nice venue with people who were even too dressed up, where we still spent some pleasant hours.

Another day, another goal: Olinda, an old town just outside Recife that we reached in about an hour by bus. Once we got off at our destination, we were overwhelmed with offers from fearless guides proposing a tour of the town; with no small difficulty we managed to shake them off and continue our journey on our own. Olinda is a small town that is truly "linda," that is, beautiful, perched on a hill from where it is possible to overlook both Recife and the entire bay; it is crammed with historic buildings in a good state of preservation, with numerous colonial houses in very vivid colors and an impressive number of cathedrals, churches and little churches.

Once we climbed to the top of the hill, we arrived in front of the majestic building that houses one of the oldest hospitals in all of Brazil, but what impressed us most was the panorama that stretched behind the building: an immense expanse of favelas that seemed to extend as far as the eye could see toward the city of Recife. We walked along the city streets, passing through a small market offering food of every kind, including the characteristic "tapioca," until we reached the Cattedrale da Sé, located on the edge of a hill and with an inner courtyard offering a spectacular view of the ocean and of the city of Olinda itself. From there we returned to where the bus had dropped us off to catch another one in the opposite direction. In the evening we went to dinner at a kiosk along the beach and then went to bed early.

The following day was the last one available in the city of Recife, and we decided to spend it at the beach roasting under the blazing sun. In the evening we packed our bags because the next morning we would leave for new shores: the city of Natal.