Brazil - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget

Travel Reference

In-Depth Information

Creperia Praça João Alfredo 168 T 81 3429 2935.

This agreeable crêperie is decorated with knick-knacks,

local art and exposed brickwork, and has an open-air

patio. The scrumptious crêpes come in both sweet (from

R$5.80) and savoury (from R$12.90) varieties and they

even do a curried version (R$19.50). Daily 11am-11pm.

Pousada Varadouro Rua 15 de Novembro 98 T 81 3439

1163, W pousadadolindavaradouro.com.br. Tasty, unfussy

and cheap por quilo food (R$21.99) at this small restaurant

set on the ground floor of Pousada Varadouro . Locals

swarm in on their lunch break so get here early; if you'd

rather not sit indoors, head to the back and eat by the pool.

Mon-Fri 11.40am-3pm.

Post o ce Praça João Pessoa s/n T 81 3439 2203 (Mon-

Fri 9am-5pm).

Shopping Crafts aplenty are available at the Mercado da

Ribeira, Rua Bernardo Vieira de Melo (daily 9am-6.30pm).

FERNANDO DE NORONHA

Recife is one of the main launch points

for this beautiful archipelago 545km off

the coast of Pernambuco. It has pristine

beaches and it's absolutely terrific for

scuba diving; the water is clear for more

than 30m in many places, with turtles,

dolphins and a wide range of fish species

to observe. Since 1988 much of the

archipelago has been protected as a

marine national park to maintain its

ecological wonders (it's also the breeding

territory for many tropical Atlantic

birds). The main island, ILHA DE

FERNANDO DE NORONHA , has plenty of

gorgeous beaches. While you can no

longer swim with the dolphins, you're

likely to see quite a few should you visit,

though you'll have to wake up early

- they enter the bay every day between

5am and 6am.

It's not cheap to get here (from around

R$775, two daily flights from Recife

with Gol or TRIP/Azul), and you're also

charged the TPA (Taxa de Preservaçao)

tax at a daily rate of R$43.20 (which goes

towards protecting the archipelago), but

it can be quite an experience. For more

information, including restaurants and

places to stay, check the government-run

website, W www.noronha.pe.gov.br.

NIGHTLIFE

a fábrica Praça do Fortim do Queijo T 71 3429 9258,

W afabricabar.com. Current home to DJ 440's semi-

legendary retro-fest, Terça do Vinil (vinyl Tuesday), this is

Olinda's bar du jour , semi-alfresco with a great location

close to several hostels on Rua do Sol and a busy schedule

that also includes live samba, rock and indie. Cover R$10

and under. Tues-Fri 5pm-4am, Sat & Sun 4pm-4am.

Ì Bodega do Véio Rua do Amparo 212 T 81 3429

0185. A ridiculously convivial general store-cum-

neighbourhood bar of the kind you still find in rural Brazil

and Cape Verde, with brooms propped up against the walls

and shelves stacked to the ceiling with everything from

soap powder to packets of beans and, of course, booze.

From mid-afternoon onwards, people are crammed up

against the counter and spilling onto the cobbled streets,

and there's usually some kind of live music at weekends.

An essential Olinda experience. Mon-Sat 9am-11pm.

Casa da Rabeca do Brasil Rua Curupira 340, Cidade

Tabajara T 81 3371 8197, W casadarabeca.com.br. A legacy

of the late Mestre Salustiano and a community focal point

for the music that made his name, forró da rabeca , alongside

maracatu and other traditional Pernambucan styles; comes

into its own during Carnaval. It's a bit out of the way, so best

take a taxi. Opening times and cover charge vary (some

events are free), though there's usually always something

happening Sat nights 9pm-late.

Xinxim da Baiana Avenida Sigismundo Gonçalves 742

T 81 3439 8447. Bahían-themed bar where local forró

de rabeca stars, Quarteto Olinda, made their name. Still a

good place for music new and old, as well as other myriad

cultural happenings. Tues-Sun 7pm-3am.

3

FORTALEZA

FORTALEZA , the capital city of the State

of Ceará, is home to some of the nicest

urban beaches in the country, although

it's the wild beaches to the north that

remain its most popular attraction;

crystal-clear waters and palm-fringed

beaches are just one selling point - this is

any kite- or windsurfer's paradise.

Since the nineteenth century, the city

has been the commercial centre of the

northern half of the Northeast, and is

today Brazil's fifth-largest metropolitan

area. Given the city of Fortaleza's lack of

any intrinsic appeal, it remains more