Cruise Day 11, 2 December - Port Day / Recife pron: 'Ra-see-fay' and Olinda, Brazil) - While the five sea days were enjoyable and we certainly kept active, we were both pretty excited to leave the ship and set foot on Brazilian soil. Ten years ago we visited Iguassu Falls (both Brazilian and Argentinian sides). We never thought we'd be back to Brazil as face it, it's not on the way to anywhere and it's quite the long haul from Australia and honestly, aside from the falls, it didn't really appeal.

As it turns out our memories of Brazil were pretty much accurate. Recife is not one of their high point ports and as we drove through town we could see why. Brazil - putting the sh*t into sh*t hole for 500 years. It was a really rough looking city. The tour bus took us through morning traffic to visit the beach, Boa Viagem, and we parked right next to the 'Don't Go into the Water for any reason sign'. Our guide assured us that the sharks had all gone, moved along when requested, perfectly safe to go in the water. We think he's related to the fellow in the original JAWS movie… nothing to see here and the weather is perfect in La La Land). Whilst the foreigners were ecstatic at the sight of sand, ocean, waves, to us it looked like the Gold Coast - just not as classy(!) We jumped back on the bus and eventually made it to the pretty part of town, Olinda! It is very colourful indeed here and there is street art everywhere - and bougainvillea - friend to run down areas worldwide which softened the rough edges.

Our first stop in Olinda was the Catedral da Sé / Igreja de São Salvador do Mundo / Church of St Saviour of the World (talking one's self up a bit there methinks). There was a stunning view from the panoramic outlook and we could even see the ship docked in the city. There were men flogging paintings (we resisted) then we wandered through a little market en route to the bus. Saw a gorgeous wooden handbag of many colours. Having enjoyed my Vietnamese leather handbag of many colours for years now, I pounced and enquired the price. €5. Or €10. It wasn't entirely clear, so we cracked on and looked at similar bags at the next 2-3 stalls (after all, we try never to buy from the first shop. Usually it's the most expensive). So after a few more enquiries, it looked like €10 was the going rate. We trundled back to the first stall. Yep. €5. OK then, so whipped out our €10 note and confirmed that change was possible. We knew from the ship's exchange rate sign that it was about 5.6 Reais to €1. Let's say 6. So €5 in change should be, around, 30 Reais. As it turns out, 50. Hmmm. Or a rate of 10 Reais to €1. Which meant the bag cost 50 reais and we had 50 in change. Suffice it to say it was very warm and we figured it was the Brazilian equivalent of the Blue market - a much higher rate for cash than one can get officially. We carted off our great bag and 50 reais spending money. We saw in the 'official' artisan shop that the same bag would have cost 90 reais. Embroidered patches are hard to come by in Brazil so James bought a hat to cut up and use as a badge - another 16 reais and we had 34 in change. The man who sold the hat to James was desperate to know who his guide was so he could give him his cut - no guide - certainly not one who deserved a commission since we were wandering about alone and completely independently. But it does explain why the bag was almost double the price. Also… if they were going on the official rate… then 90 reais would have translated to €18. We had snaffled a bargain indeed.

One more stop in Olinda - the beautiful Monastery of St Benedict. Certainly beautiful, certainly serene and we did find the two pulpits very interesting. On high days and holy days they would have two priests and one would say the mass in Latin whilst the other said it in Portuguese. A bit like touring with another language group, one imagines…

We drove back down to Recife and enjoyed views to a lighthouse and loads of colourful but rundown old buildings. We haven't yet been to Cuba… but this is exactly how we imagine it. Next stop? An old prison. We and the rest of the bus (Italians) all perked up when we heard it was now an artisans craft market - each of the 400 cells holding a small shop. Brilliant! We enquired on the bus in case we had it entirely wrong and were informed that the exchange rate was definitely around 5 reais to €1. Despite having left the ship with nothing more than an 11 year old worn out plastic watch, I managed to return with a lapis lazuli necklace from the prison market. It cost 49 Reais - I already had 34 in my hot little hand. There was simply no bargaining with the vendor, so ended up adding another €3 euro to our local money - definitely at the official rate of 5 to 1. So given our excellent exchange in Olinda my necklace ended up costing €6 instead of €10. Funnily, but not funny at all, when we returned to the ship we heard a horror story of a couple of independent female excursioners who had necklaces ripped from their necks while out in the streets of Recife. Eeek! It was an economical day altogether with a handbag, a lapis lazuli necklace and a badge for the bags for only €13.

We had afternoon tea then, as the sun set behind the sky scrapers, we enjoyed a jacuzzi and relaxed. The show was outstanding this evening - 'Glamazon' - all sensuality, pumping music, and feathers, lots and lots of feathers. What we imagine a Vegas showgirl show might be like. Also a bit Cirque de Soleil. Lots of nude-coloured undies giving a convincing impression of no undies at all. Amazing. Once more, the best show yet - they are truly getting into the swing of things.