Pernambuco adventure

Southern beaches are the best. The top one is Porto de Galinhas with its natural pools. Another nice beach is located at Calhetas. Northern beaches are not recommended if you feel like swimming. Itamaraca, in fact, only has a Dutch fortress--Fort Orange--and a center for the protection of sea mammals.

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You can stop on the beach on the outside of the island. From here, you can take a jangada to the small island of Coroa do Aviao (R$10 or US$3). Warning: the water is very polluted, as the beach is situated just within the mouth of the canal that carries all industrial waste. Because of this, you cannot fully enjoy this place--it's really a shame! Unfortunately, this is a common problem. Dirty, polluting industries are being moved away from the developed countries to the less developed. We are moving problem away, but it still exists.

As we couldn't enjoy swimming, we decided to go sightseeing. We saw Fort Orange, a Dutch fortress from the 17th century. It was interesting to visit the Sea Mammals Rescue Center, where you can see manats (animals in the photos), learn about them, their environment, and why we should protect them.

The excursion was a bit of a waste of time, because we could not enjoy the beach, and trying to see two sights in only 4 hours was not sufficient. Restaurants and toilets near the beach are NOT recommended.

The wealth of the city was established on the sugar cane industry. One of the finest examples of Portuguese baroque architecture is the Convent of St. Francisco with its beautiful azulejos--blue painted tiles. The convent has an unforgettable view, and you can see from Cathedral Hill, Igreja da Se. A few must-sees: Olindas Seminary, Cathedral, Igeja da Concepcion, and Igreja do Carmo. Near Carmo Sq. is a tourist information center where you can get maps with information about all highlights of town.

An interesting fact: Olinda is a UNESCO heritage of humanity site.

In the natural pools you can see colorful fish and actually feed them. You can take a jangada, which is a kind of raft-boat with a sail to the natural pools. The trip costs about R$10 or US$3-5. Be sure to take a mask and a snorkel for snorkeling. It is a fabulous view with fish swimming so close to you.

In the afternoon you can try "beach boogie"--a trip by car, or "beach vehicle." This is a great opportunity to see nearby beaches. It only costs US$15. It is possible to swim only within the area protected by reef--anywhere else there is a dangerously strong current. According to locals, a few people drown every year. Swimming within the protected area is nice and safe and the water is clean.