The Northeast

Going to the Northeast of Brazil there are some of the most idyllic and romantic places I’ve ever seen. Allover the North-East coast you find loads of perfect beaches with white sand and coconut palms. Beginning in Natal which is located almost at the equator you can snorkel in the Atlantic Ocean and thereby watch the fishes in the pretty warm water. The city is also famous for the Buggy Trips where you can go the dunes by Buggy feeling like Bud Spencer und Terrance Hill. Definitely great fun. It also offers a couple of historic building like old forts. Afterwards I went by a 10 hours night bus trip to Maceió, the capital of the federal state Alagoas is much smaller than Natal and so much quieter. The beaches around this city are actually the best ones at all. And I’ve never seen so many coconut palms on one place. The nuts are hanging so deep sometimes that you can simply take them while standing. I tried to open one with my pure two hands. No chance at all. But at the most beaches small mobile kiosques sell them opened for about 1 Reais, which is about 40 US Cents. The coconut juice is so great and refreshing. Especially with the hot brazilian weather. You can also make nice boat trips around the islands in front of the coast or simply watch the fishers trying their luck with big flues in the morning. Simply the place to forget everything else and only enjoy. Moving to the South at one time you reach Salvador in Bahia. With about 2.5 million inhabitants it is one of the biggest brazilian cities after Sao Paulo und Rio de Janeiro. And it’s also very famous for its great carnival in February. A lot of very antique churches and kathedrals, the palace in the city centre or the completely red antique fireworkers building are some of the sights in that city which is also surrounded by beautiful beaches. Through the close location of the Northeast to the equator it’s getting dark really early like half past 6 although there are 35° during the day. Very strange for foreigner. And although it is an amazing and beautiful area it also has to be said that it is very poor. Especially as a tourist many people are begging all the time. And criminality is a serious issue there for sure as well.