OLINDA, BRASIL

We arrived unknowingly in Olinda during a week long MIMO music festival and a Latin American sociology conference, not the best place to get some rest after a long flight and a month long frenzy surrounding our departure in Montreal.

We joined the evening parades through the old town, celebrating Brazilian Independence day and several other "festas". Gotan Project gave a show during the festival, which gave the Brazilians the chance to express their disdain of Argentinians.

One of our favourite places, Bodega Viejo sold everything from mouse traps to fine cheeses and we always began the evening there with tens of dozens locals who had refreshments and dinner out in the street. They pushed the boundaries of excessiveness when a flamethrower showed up and starting walking on a tightrope suspended above it all.

The Pousada Alto Astral was great and most local Brazilians staying there spoke French! Not much help when you're trying to learn Brazilian Portuguese but they shared much about other cities, Rio, Sao Paolo, which will make our visits there even richer. We met great people and look forward to seeing them again in a month or two, with hopefully, a better repertoire of their language.