RECIFE, BRAZIL– IMPRESSIONS

• WHAT WE DID/SAW/EXPERIENCED
          • Time in port: 10 hours
          • We spent the day in the countryside, visiting the Waterfalls of Primavera in the sugar cane region of Pernambuco.  (There’s a city tour, a beach tour and a country tour – we opted for the country.)
          • We got there by a 2-hour motor coach ride (on a “Marcopolo” bus).  We passed through the city and its many high-rises.  En route, we saw the way the poor (i.e., those who live on Brazilian minimum wage of app. $350/month) and “the miserables” (i.e., those living on even less) live.  The first two pictures are Brazil’s version of slums.  Fortunately, their economy is improving, but about 30-35% of its population still live this way today.
          • Our presence was noticed by the inhabitants of Primavera (which means "spring”), as we heard several sprays of fireworks set off as an apparent signal that “gringos” were in town.  They even had their own version of a McDonald’s!  In Primavera, we formed a safari of 8-person 4X4’s (i.e., 4-wheel-drive designed to handle the rugged road conditions).  We could opt either to ride inside or on top of the large jeeps.  I eventually got brave and decided to ride on top.
          • We made our way over the bumpy dirt roads and stopped at our first set of waterfalls.  There, we saw (and I got to hold) a “sloth” – apparently one of the slowest moving creatures on Earth (but cute)!
          • Next, we went to a local house, where we sampled sugar cane, sweet bread and several fruits, which were growing in the area.  We also got to taste their local rum drink!
          • Then we went to the “Convent” waterfall, where we had lunch at a restaurant built right at its base (called “Moquem”, meaning “kitchen” in Indian) and went for a swim! (“Convent” fall was so named because it used to be an isolated place where the local nuns could swim in privacy.)  At the fall, I slid into the water on a rock and even swam to the other side and dove in off the rocks!
 

 
• THOUGHTS/IMPRESSIONS
          • I LOVE waterfalls!
          • This was one of our best days so far!  Our guide, Leonardo (“Leo”), was attractive and intelligent (his dad was a physicist who studied at UCSD, so he spent two years in San Diego as a pre-teen).  He was a wellspring of information about Recife, Brazil in general, the economy, educational system, political climate, sugar cane industry, and Prima Vera.
          • The 4X4’s were bumpy, but a blast!  I loved riding on top, because the breezes were great on a hot day – as was the view!  It was like riding a steel horse – I had to hold on tight when we’d go up, tip to the right, tip to the left.  I was braver than Bill, who elected to stay inside the jeep.
          • Beyond Leo, each 4X4 had its own “local guides” – older boys and young men, who were there to help us in and out of the vehicles and water.  They also served our lunch.
          • Everywhere we went, our presence was noticed as if a parade were in town!  Little kids and adults would watch and wave as we’d drive by.
          • The Brazilian barbeque at Restaurant Moquem was fabulous!  The steak and chicken were marinated and grilled.  The rosemary potatoes were perfect.  This was some of the best food we’ve had so far – far better than most of the food onboard ship, and 1000% better than the fish we got in Belem.
          • The highlights were the jeep ride, the food and sliding into the water at the Convent fall and then diving off the rocks!!
          • Overall, this was the BEST tour so far!

• IMAGES FROM ONBOARD SHIP