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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
............ 
Apr 18, 2014 04:00 PM Linda Olinda
Linda means pretty. Olinda is really linda. It is little town on the Brazilian coast, just 6 kms north from the huge Recife. Founded in 1535, during the colonial period Olinda was a capital of the Pernambuco region. Now it is one of the most beautiful colonial cities with color houses, cobbled street and ornate churches.
From Boa Viagem beach quarter there is direct bus 910 going through the center to Olinda. You pay 3.35 reales and after about half an hour you land at the bottom of the hill with elegant Carmo church on the top. Tourist office is jus opposite - we got there a free old city map and started to stroll atmospheric streets. There are manu churches but most of them are closed and abandoned. San Francisco church and monastery is the highlight with interior open and free to visitors.
Today's Olinda is the city of artists. You will see many funny murals. Near the cathedral they have also a tower with free lift to take you up so you can see the panoramic views of the historic city and Recife on the horizon.
For me Olinda is nicer (and safer) then Recife. So if you have a choice - go to the linda Olinda!
Today in the afternoon I am boarding the ship which will take me back to Europe with few stops. Internet on the ship is VERY expensive so do not worry if I will send next message after 5 or 6 days.
I hope that Atlantic Ocean will be calm - please keep your fingers crossed for that dear friends :)
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Apr 17, 2014 04:00 PM Recife -Brazil
Recife is a capital of the Brazilian state of Pernambuco. Living in the Boa Viagem quarter where is the best choice of the cheap hotels we took city bus 32 (2,15 reales) to get to the center. Like in Venice or St Petersburg it is located on the river' islands connected by the bridges. Regarding safety Recife has even worse opinion then Belem. You will see many people sleeping on the streets. Beggars too. But it is Good Friday today. Little traffic, empty streets.
Old customs house in the old town is nice. Then we registered Marco Zero (km 0) plaque and ornate houses of 19th century sugar barons around. Plaza Republica with the imposing courthouse is worth to see. Unfortunatele famous Golden Chapel is under restauration now. There are many old churches, but most of them are closed.
It was 32 deg Celsius and very humid today but no rain at all. In such conditions after walking few hours in the sun it is a real pleasure to return to the a/c room and take a shower.
Let you know that even cheap hotels in Brazilian Nordeste have solid breakfast included in the room rate. You have a chance to try typical Brazilian dishes like yam, sweet potatoes, tapioca pancakes or exotic fruits. The hungry backpacker can eat as much as he can and survive after such a breakfast till the evening :)
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Apr 16, 2014 04:00 PM Southern coast of Noronha...
For the last time (I believe) I get up before sunrise to catch the weak internet connection. Yesterday I took the walk along the southern coast of the island. At Sueste Beach - the first one I visited they have control point to check if you paid those 150 reales entry fee to the National Park (once you pay it is valid up to 10 days). This is nice place to snorkel but if you do not snorkel this wide beach is worth only to take a picture through the fence :)
Some 30 m before control point starts very muddy trail to the Praia Leao - Lion's Beach. After rain it is the hell - bring your hiking boots to survive!. Once after half an hour you will reach the parking above the beach you will take a breath - wow! What a view! Praia Leao is no.2 on the list of most beautiful Brazilian beaches. I agree. But to get down to the sand you have to slide down the miserable mud and stone path - it is shame again on the local authorities - they charge a lot of money for the stay on the island but it probablu goes to the pokets of the corrupted clerks...
On the south coast I found one more place definitely worth to be for the view of the rocky islands - remains of the Forte Sao Joaquin!
Bad luck... In Atalaia my video camera got a spray of the salt water and does not work properly. But few hours of recording is done!
Today in the afternoon we will take a little turbo-prop plane to Recife on the continent. I do hope that internet will be better there...
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Apr 15, 2014 04:00 PM In the paradise it rains too...
On our day 4 on Fernando de Noronha we met here first non-Brazilian... Very few foreigners are coming here. Brazilians know the place well and for many of them the stay on Noronha is a dream and the holiday of the lifetime...
Yesterday we took a walk to the Atalaia Bay, famous for its tidal pool. Access is limited so two days before you have to sign up at Visitors Center for the specific time and date. Don't believe that you need for the tour and guides. Just walk like me to Vila do Trinta - 2 kms and continue 400 m on muddy road to the park gate. Here you will get instruction and you can rent for 15 reales snorkel, mask and vest to float in the pool. Then it is 1500 m walk on the very bad trail: mud, stones - this is shame on the Park authorities. Once on the beach you will see at the low tide the pool: some 60 m long and no more then 1 m deep. At low tide it is separated from the ocean by the natural stone barrier keeping some fish in. Yes, I was floating there. I saw some 20 of fish and poor coral on the rocks. Well - if you snorkel for the first time it could be attraction. But sorry, for me it is only the tourist trap - not worth walking through such a mud! :)
It was raining all the night. In our room we have water on the floor. It is wet paradise now. Not for a long time, I believe.
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Apr 14, 2014 04:00 PM The most beautiful beach?
I write again before sunrise, not sure If I will be able to upload the text - internet on Noronha is miserable...
Nobody will tell you that but at the low tide it is possible to hike along the beautiful beaches on the northern coast of Fernando de Noronha.
Check the tide schedule first! Yesterday we were lucky to start one hour before the lowest tide. First beach was a Praia Boldro with a great viewpoint on the cliff. Maps provided by the Nat Park are poor, so let you know that tiny path goes down from Mirante (viewpoint) Boldro down to the beach. Then hiking through the coastal rocks you can get to the Americano beach and onwad to Praia Bode. All were beautliful and completly empty... Then Cacimba do Padre with two high coastal islands -Two Brothers - for me maybe the nicest of them.
A short path goes from Padre to Baia dos Porcos - Pig's Bay. This one dissappointed me. Then - no way - yuo must get back to Padre an go inland by gravel road more then 1km to Sancho Bay. Praia Sancho in no.1 on the list of Brazilian beachest. Seen from the 100-meter cliff it is really impressive -wide an with beautiful colors of the water, sand, black roocks, pink cliff. I was swiming there - like in the paradise...
We continued walk on the cliff to Dolphins Bay. To late to see many dolphins - morning is recommended.
Very tiring day in the tropical heat and sun, but what a views!
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Apr 13, 2014 04:00 PM Internet at sunrise only...
Roosters are calling early in the paradise :) That's good - as it was yesterday I have to get up at sunrise to have internet connection and to upload something for you! Internet on Fernando de Noronha is very weak! During the day I had no chance to get through... The island is only 10 kms long. Yesterday in the afternoon I was walking to the northern tip of Noronha where tiny Port Santo Antonio is located. From the hill you can see there "secondary islands" - much smaller , uninhabited islands of the archipelago. Great colors of the water and lush green on the islands! I wanted to come back from this place by the path going along the southern coast. But at the beginning of the path it was written: path closed, you will be punished if you broke the law... Friendly Brazilian gave me a lift home on his boogie - open, noisy jeep on a big weels - very popular here.
Today we plan to walk as far as the beautiful Bay of the Pigs :)
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Apr 12, 2014 04:00 PM Noronha - the paradise island
My first minutes on the paradise island were not so pleasant. When we went off the plane it was cloudy. In the little terminal building nobody was greeting us, no music, no flowers. Instead there is a row of cashier desk where you have to pay hefty environmental fee for every day of your stay in the paradise. For 5 days they took 236 reales!
OK. But this not the end. If you want to go to the areas of the National Park you pay on the next day extra 150 reales. No senior discounts for the foreigners - I consider that as discrimination!
Morning was lovely - blue sky, hibiscus flowers and coconut palms around our Lua Bela (Beautiful Moon) pension. Breakfast with tropical fruits and strong Brazilian coffee is included. On our paradise island they did not built yet the hotels - small pensions only...
Then we took a walk to the "center" of Villa Remedios. There are historic buildings from Portugeese period: palacio Miguel, little church. From the terrace nearby I saw the first great beaches... Wow!! What a great landscape!. Then I climbed to Forte dos Remedios overlooking the settlement but first of all - offering the full, panoramic view of the are with the rocky pinnacle of Morro do Pico in the background. And then I was convinced: yes, regarding this scenery it is the paradise. There are very few places in the world with such a views!
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Apr 11, 2014 04:00 PM Broken plane to paradise island...
Today my dream will come true - we fly from Brazilian Natal to the tiny island Fernando de Noronha!
To get to the Natal airport from beach quarter Ponta Negra you have to take two public buses, changing at Natal Shopping center.
Only two airlines fly to Noronha: Azul and Gol. We arrived to the airport well before depature. At check-in counter I got a window seat in the plane. Security allowed to bring your water. Turbo- prop ATR72 arrived on time. But they announced that the plane is... broken. We were waiting in the departure hall 3 hours. In the meantime Azul airline invited us for lunch and... A miracle! They decided that we can fly!
I had anice view of Natal just after take-off. An hour later I saw in the blue ocean rocky towers and white beaches surrounded by the lush, tropical green. It was Fernando de Noronha - a paradise island from my dreams...
From the tiny airport a minibus took us to the only settlement - we found our cheapest Lua Bela pension. One more travellers dream came true!
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Apr 10, 2014 04:00 PM Natal is more beautiful...
After spending a day in Natal I am convinced that Natal is more beautiful then Fortaleza. The Portuguese landed here in the Christmas Day (Natal) of 1597and that's why they named theplace after Christmas. Then on 6th January they started to built the little fortress called Forte dos Reis Magos (we say: Three Kings and celebrate 6th January). Natal has 800 000 inhabitants and is divided by the Dunes Park. Old part lies at the mouth of Rio Potengi where they built high, picturesque bridge and tourist beach quarter Ponta Negra lies some 10 kms south bordered by high coastal dune Morro do Careca.
Three King's Fort lies on the tip of the Old Town peninsula. We took city bus to Praia Areia Preta. Then tourist police want you to take a taxi to go through the dangerous area to the fort. Isn't it a big shame? Why they do not put there two police patrols?
Taxi cost us 12 reales. Fort (1,50 entry fee) is small but worth to see. It offers great view of the high bridge and downtown.
In the afternoon I have been to Ponta Negra beach to take for you the pictures of Careca dune. It is protected so you cannot climb it. Nice place. Only few Brazilian tourists on this great beach. Maybe it is too hot?
So now you know: if you are forced to make a choice - go to Natal!
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Apr 09, 2014 04:00 PM 70 minutes in the traffic jam
Today we travel by bus from Brazilian Fortaleza to Natal - some 550 kms away. But first we have to get to the bus station (rodoviaria). Public bus 73 goes from Praia Iracema to rodoviaria. We boarded the bus at 7.30 paying 2,20 for the ride to the conductor (no tickets!). After a quarter the bus stuck in the heavy traffic jam in the main Fortaleza' street. 10 minutes, 20, 30, 45... You are stressed but you can do nothing... Taxis stay also in the jam... We had a hard time - our long distance bus was departing at 9 am!
Thanks God we left the hotel early, we reached rodoviaria at 8.55. Uff!
Allow a lot of time going to Brazilian bus station! Next 9,5 hours we enjoyed the views of Brazilian province: bush, rivers, little houses made of brick. It was already dark when we arrived to Natal. I knew that bus 66 goes from Natal's rodoviaria to the town. But the bus stop opposite station is dark and completly empty. In front of the terminal you can't see any single policeman. Instead, I see a group of few local men coming from the dark and shouting something to us. Aha! This is not a good place to wait for erratic bus... Hurry, turn back and take a taxi at the entrance! This was the best choice. Half an hour later we reached our hotel in Ponta Negra quarter...
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