RECIFE, BRAZIL - DAY 13

 

                                                   It is 1600 miles from Recife to Africa.

        We were docked this morning when our alarm clock went off at 7:00.  Our position is where the circle is on the maps,  It is raining and 73 degrees this morning.  It's not a very nice Sunday morning here.

Historical/Background Info:

        If you look at an atlas, you will see that it is located on the eastern most part of Brazil’s bulge making it the closest point to Africa.  The city’s population is just over 1.5 million, but if you include the whole metropolitan population, it tops 3.7 million.  Recife is located where two rivers meet and flow into the Atlantic Ocean.  Because of the many little rivers and small islands near the city center, it is called the “Brazilian Venice”.
        Its history dates back to 1535 when it was just a bunch of fishing shacks, inns, and warehouses.  After all it was just a settlement for fishermen and way station for Portuguese sailors.  Its name comes from the long reef running parallel to the shoreline which encloses its harbor.
        The climate here is hot and humid due to being just south of the Equator.  It receives a lot of rain and has tropical rainforests surrounding the city.
        The city is a modern looking one now  with some high-end stores. It is one of Brazil’s prime business centers largely due to its international airport and shipping ports.  Information technology, medical facilities, logistics due to ports, and convention centers, all add to its economy.
        There is an old colonial section of the city featuring narrow winding streets, restored homes, churches, and lovely plazas.  This makes it a year round tourist destination.  We were here in 2016.

LAST EVENING

     On the way to cocktail hour there were two guys scrubbing the floor by the elevators.

        Jorge just come on from vacation when we were in Rio.  We have cruised with him before.  We were in the Meridian Lounge enjoying La Crema chardonnay and I had a couple Grey Goose martinis.  And our pigs.

        Dinner in Compass Rose.  We both started with a iceberg lettuce salad.  The dressing was a bacon dressing with sweet corn and scallions.

        Roasted turkey, chestnut dressing, masher potatoes, peas, giblet gravy, and cranberry sauce.  It was very good but way too much turkey.

         Couldn't resist the molten chocolate lava cake and some ice cream.  As I mentioned in yesterday's post we did not go to the pianist's show.  

TODAY

                                       Visibility is low out our balcony due to constant rain.

        I got wet taking the last two photos from outside Coffee Connection.  They had to built a ramp from gangway to the bus as the water was several inches deep on the pier.  So only one bus at a time could board folks going on tours.  NOT a good day for touring.

        After a cup of coffee in our suite, we headed down to Compass Rose at 8:00.  Sunday is caviar and champagne day!  I had Anna bring me extra caviar like she did a week ago.

                                                            Eggs benedict followed.

        As it is a rainy, nasty day here in Recife, I will not be getting off the ship.  So here are some photos I took the last time we were here 10 years ago.  There are only 2 tours being offer here plus a shuttle bus to a downtown market.

        In 2016 I took the shuttle but into town and walked around taking the following photos.

                                                               A wiring nightmare!

                                                               Basilica of Recife

                                          Cathedral of Recife built between 1728 & 1784.

                                                                      Crystal Tower

Ok, I hope you now have an idea of what Recife looks like on a nice day.  It stopped raining at 10am

                                Two guys on our balcony doing some touch up painting.

                                                       Garbage floating in the harbor.

                                                       We are docked in a commercial area.

                          La Veranda lunch menu.  That's a shadow in lower left corner.

No anchovies and blu cheese for me today.  On left is paella and in bowl is zarzuela, a seafood stew.

                                                           Pizzas out at the pool grill.

                                            I had a couple pieces of artichoke and pepperoni.

      

     

        It is 3:30 and we are preparing to sail again.  The harbor pilot is on board and this is the pilot boat that will pick him up after we are safely out at sea again.  Tomorrow will be a rare day at sea on this cruise.  During the Captain's pre-departure PA he said we should have fairly smooth sailing tonight and tomorrow.

        Rebecca did her finger nails and read some of the book she got up in the library.  I watched a movie on tv.  

        This is tonight's Compass Rose menu.  Cocktails in Meridian Lounge as usual before dinner,  We plan to attend the show tonight as it is featuring Josh Jenkins.  He will be singing a tribute to the soul classics of Motown.