... to Recife and Olinda, Brazil!

Went ashore this morning (mercifully docked rather than tendering) to see the city of Recife, the capital of the state of Pernambuco, with 1.5 million inhabitants. We went by minibus to the town of Olinda, a UNESCO World Heritage City, with beautiful colonial buildings dating to the 16th and 17th centuries. The town is particularly well-known for its baroque churches and monasteries, heavy carved wood doors, and many wrought iron balconies. We visited a monastery and a church, stopping for photos and a demonstration of the local dance, performed by a quartet of school girls. Olinda also has an abundance of gift shops, some with irresistable props ...

Switching to a large bus, we toured Recife itself, with beautiful flowering trees and shrubs, buildings reminiscent of Paris, and lovely plazas or parks. The most interesting fact was that initially when the Dutch ruled the city, Jewish immigrants were encouraged to become residents. When the Dutch were expelled, the Jewish citizens were no longer welcome, and many fled --- to Amsterdam or New York City. We visited the beach, a prison turned into a marketplace for local crafts, and a park before returning to the ship to swim until sailing on towards Rio de Janeiro.