Recife is one of the most prominent and dangerous city in Brazil. I was lucky enough that nothing went wrong with me there too! It was great time being there in Recife as I had great fun in great city.
I booked a bus ticket to reach Recife as it was an overnight journey from my place Aracati. But my journey became more comfortable when I came to know that my sweet friend Adriane is going with his wife on same day, same time!!! I needed to cancel my bus ticket and to my amazement it was a pleasant experience unlike in India. Then I joined him on the way and it was rainy night with thundering and the road was full of adventure. At least a 50 km of road was under construction and the diversions provided were so typical that anyone could get an accident! I thought when I saw Brazil that India is well behind in road safety, but this journey relieved me that there is something we do better on roads in India!
"Adriane, his wife-Christiane, My friend-Silvia and Me"
I still reached safely in safe and fast hands of Adriani! He dropped me at the university where the cultural programs were waiting for me where I wanted to start! Programs were good and I had fun watching them. Next morning, I went to Recife beach, which is a beautiful rocky beach which gave name Recife to Recife city. There was a long row of rock wall in the Atlantic, which made the beach water calm near shore. It was crystal clear water on the beach where we can see clearly till bottom. Typically like every beach city, Recife has a long rows and rows of buildings, hotels and shops aligning beach. It was a very hot day and I could not last long on to the beach. Comfortable AC room was the best place for afternoon.
In evening I could not locate a single restaurant near beach! Later I came to know that it has been in line with the policy of local municipal to keep the area trouble free but indeed I got so troubled to find a restaurant till the level that I lastly did a taxi and asked him to take me where they serve food in the city!!
The next day I booked a cab to take me to the city tour and nearby places. We started with the beautiful and historical city situated on and around two rivers with beautiful and ancient buildings, eye-catching riversides, calm gathering places, a perfect blend of ancient and recent developments. Further on the way we saw a very ancient church built in year 1535. There was a drum like thing in which people of those times used to put their children if they cannot afford them. Then they used to rotate this drum and it used to open in church where people of the church used to grow those children! It was hard and soft reality at the same place.
Then we went to “Piexe Boi” museum which literally means bull-fish museum where I saw the biggest fish of my life. These fishes are calm in nature and are protected as they are on the verge of extinction. There we saw an informative movie on them in an auditorium which is also shaped like them. It was a great project to visit!
Lastly we visited the Itamaraca. I will refer this place as a real paradise. It was very clean beach and because of some land extension in ocean it has just formed a natural swimming tank where we can enjoy swimming as like home! The water is also very clean and boat services are available to cross these tanks and visit the nearby island sort of land extension. It is a feast to eyes and great feel to body to be there on this beach! Restaurants here are pleasant and local craft is cheap enough to bag!
Near the beach another attraction is a sea fort named “Orange fort”. If you have visited mighty forts in India, you won’t find it so attracting but for a country as recent as Brazil it is something typical. We wondered insides of the fort and then went to a government store inside there where you can bag a lot of cheap craft items which will make you remember the good memories of the paradise forever!!
While returning we were tired, more than expected as it was a hot sunny day which we spent roaming in the paradise. But the beauty of the place was such that I could not feel tired till I started my return journey.
I had less time to cover other famous attractions of Recife but I wish I could re-visit the place in future. It was really a great time spent in Recife!
PS: For more photos, friends can visit my orkut or facebook profile.
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