Recife

Recife is a big city in Northern Brazil (1.5 million in the city, 4 million metropolitan area), so wasn't all that exciting a stop for us country folk. Went on a tour of a manatee conservation center in the morning, but having spent a day at a manatee orphanage on the Amazon this citified version was a disappointment. They're still interesting creatures, so sedate and serene, almost dignified. And a face only a mother could love. This was also, of course, a business trip for Phil as he inspected some local joists.

On the way there we stopped at a Catholic church that was built in 1534, only 42 years after Chris sailed off the edge of the world, and supposedly the oldest surviving and continually operated church in the Americas.



Afternoon brought nap time to Margie, while Phil tempted fate again. Having made it off the French Devil's Island, he went to a Portuguese Federal prison! Cells were slightly larger. The prison has been converted into a craft market, with each vendor occupying a former cell for their stall, along with a few other improvements from it's former life. Mostly t-shirts and the like, but some very nice local artwork. And possibly harder to escape than originally, due to all the hungry vendors.