NORTHEAST BRAZIL - Brazil - page 209

Porto de
Galinhas 8
Pernambuco. * 10,000. k Recife
Guararapes International Airport, 38
miles (60 km) N of town, then bus.
n [phone].

Porto de Galinhas is one
of the most popular tourist
destinations in Northeast
Brazil, and deservedly so.
There are no high-rises
dwarfing the beach here,
just low-scale pousadas
and bungalows. The star
attraction of the area, in
addition to the beach, are the
natural tide pools that form
in the reefs just a short
distance offshore. Colorful
jangada rafts take swimmers
and snorkelers out to swim
in the clear shallow waters
teeming with tropical fish.
Porto de Galinhas also
offers a lively atmosphere
with excellent restaurants
and shopping, and better
still, it does not take much
effort to get away from the
bustle. The main mode of
transportation is the dune
buggy, allowing for easy
transit along the dirt and
sand roads that lead to local
beaches. A short distance
south along the beach leads
to Ponta de Maracaípe , a
beautiful spot with a large
white sand bar, where the
Rio Maracaípe runs into the
ocean. The mangroves in
the estuary are home to
several species of sea horse
that live amid the roots
of the mangrove.

Jangadas , small sailboats, on the beach at Ponta Verde in Maceió

has some wonderfully
creative displays that use
local crafts to depict the
region's religious festivals,
typical foods, the sugar cane
industry, and folklore.
The southern end of the
city borders the Lagoa
Mundaú , one of the many
lagoons that have given
Alagoas its name. The lagoon
encompasses several man-
grove islands teeming with
crustaceans and other marine-
life. Boats make excursions
into the lagoon's channels.
The Pontal da Barra
neighborhood on the lagoon's
shore is a small fishing
village. There are several
rustic restaurants overlooking
the water, which serve the
catch of the day. Dishes with
sururu (a small type of clam)
and crab are especially
popular. In Pontal da Barra,
visitors will find highly skilled
rendeiras , or lace-makers,
working on a variety of laces.

The one most typical of the
neighborhood is known as
filé , a loose weave that is
often brightly colored.
E Museu Théo Brandão
Av da Paz 1490, Centro.
Tel [phone]. # 9am-
noon & 2-5pm Tue-Fri, 3-6pm
Sat & Sun. 8 &

Environs
Praia do Gunga is a pretty,
palm-fringed beach located
9 miles (15 km) south of
Maceió. Access to the beach is
gained via a private road cut-
ting across one of the region's
largest coconut plantations.
Permission to enter must be
obtained at the gate, but
beaches in Brazil are public
property and access cannot be
denied. One side of the beach
faces the lagoon, while the
other side looks toward the
ocean, offering the option of
fresh or salt water swimming,
as well as kayaking.

QUILOMBOS
In the African Yorubá language, quilombo
means dwelling place. In Brazil, the term
was used to describe a community of
runaway slaves. Brazil's most famous
quilombo , Quilombo dos Palmares in
Alagoas, grew to the size of a small city,
with 30,000 residents. In the late 1600s,
Zumbi, the quilombo 's second leader,
successfully defended it from repeated
Portuguese attacks. However, the
Portuguese were relentless, and finally,
in 1694, Palmares fell. Zumbi was beheaded and the
community destroyed. A number of such places escaped
Palmares' fate and survive even today. There are now 1,000
quilombos registered in Brazil. Zumbi's legacy is remem-
bered every year on November 20, when Zumbi dos
Palmares Day, or Black Awareness Day, is celebrated.

Portrait of
Zumbi

Clearwater rock pools offshore
from Porto de Galinhas