Pousada Lua Cheia Japaratinga

... to be independent, so we fought alot. But I had an awesome time and look forward to when I can go back. He owns an apartment in one of the hotels in Maracaipe on the beach and it has a pool, video games, a pool table, and table soccer (whats that called again???). His apartment has a veranda you can see the ocean and the moon and stars from. Everyday we went to the beach and went surfing. The ocean beat the **** out of me a few times and I´m alittle ...

So I´m in a suburb of Recife called Boa Viagem, so not really in Recife, but definalty back in a big city. My stress level definaltey goes up in the city but I don´t mind it here. Porto de Galinhas (port of Chickens) was beautiful but set up for tourists which I really don´t like. 3 km away though is Maracaipe Beach which is much more relaxed adn no people. I surfed everyday we were there. We met a guy frm Brazil and we all stayed ...

... the locals all be it with drunk old men and women! But don`t worry Cath, you will find your Samba! I just dont know when that will be! We did make it to the top of the hill on our last night for some amazing capoeira and some more caiprinhas with a few of our interntonal friends from the hostel. We were the only English in the group which was refreshing however eveyone, as usual, communicated in English which is always handy if a ...

... was nice with pool and got it for about 55 Reais a night inc break in the centre of the old town. After a swim we went out for a wander around the streets. It is quite a small town and all the buildings are old and different colours and many are run down. There are 22 churches in the area, again many are completely run down and not open. Was pretty quiet and very few tourists so was nice to just wander around and look in the churches ...

... corner sports some sort of chicken statue. There are chickens everywhere, even the phone booths are shaped as chickens its bizarre. We spent the day checking out exposed reefs in low tide and cruising the four beaches in a dune buggy. The scenery here is unbelievable and the weather is even better! Our Portuguese is improving and our hands signals are becoming impeccable. Off to drink some more caipirinhas!!! Be sure to check back for another update again soon! xo

... I´m so glad as I sit here I have about $500 in my pocket (as do Simon and Tyler), my camera, and its now dark outside... the same outside I have to walk through to find a bus, somewhere, home to Olinda. Wicked. Cool dadio, next section should be the conclusion of this scary tale (if there is a next entry...)! OK, survived, cash intact. Its now the next day, and Olinda is going OFF. There are blocos practicing their thing everywhere in the ...

... of one more distant to carry on the wind. A whistle blows and the percussion begins. Only a distant distraction to the mellow passersby who casually stroll by the park, some nodding slowly, in tune some glancing absently in the direction of the sounds, others merely so adjusted that they barely notice. One noon stroller laughs, amused by the scribbled notes of the head bopping writer leaning against the jaded green fence, seemingly ...

... not of one of Brazil's finest it has to be said!) and spent a couple of hours sat in deckchairs with a beer in our hands until I got too hot and sunburnt and escaped back to our lovely cool room for a quick snooze! It's a hard life travelling you know! So what would a Friday night in Olinda have to offer? ALOT! This was one of the coolest nights we'd had in Brazil! We headed back up the hill where there were loads of street vendors selling stodgy manioc pancake ...

... was Seema´s muffled screams. Somehow they reverse the boat out and then turn it around to give you another dousing before they are satisfied and leave you to walk around in your wet clothes for the rest of the day. Fancying a change of scene we thought we´d get on a plane and visit the spiritual heart of Brazil - the North East. The region is famous for truly living up to the Brazilian stereotype of live music in the streets ...

... 100 heures d`autobus Jen et moi avons décidé de voir si on ne pourrait pas s`acheter un billet d`avion pour pas cher et mettre fin à notre lente montée le long de la cote brésilienne. C`est très jolie mais m`enfin! Nous sommes arrivés à Natal vers 12:00 et à l`auberge de jeunesse (en taxi) vers 00:30. On s`inscrit à l`auberge (qui-a-l`air-d`un-chateau-dans-une-rue- sur-le-gros-party) et là Jen se rend compte qu`elle a laissé son passeport dans le taxi. Je dois vous dire que sur ...