We had a short visit to this city, which boasts the biggest port in Latin America. We quickly learned that the Brazilians are a very proud people who love and appreciate their country. Our guide immediately told us that Brazilians are loud, assertive and they always greet each other, as well as visitors, with kisses. Unfortunately, this didn't go over too well with our group, particularly since about half of the people on our ship have just recovered from a nasty GI virus. For the last two weeks the ship has had extra safety measures in place to help rid passengers of this illness. The buffets were closed and table service was the only dining available. There was a crew member stationed at each door in the common areas requesting that we sanitize our hands when entering and leaving the room. Many people were quarantined in their cabins for days and their rooms were cleaned by a crew member wearing a hazmat suit. Sooooo, when our guide tried to kiss us we quickly took a step back. Poor lady - probably thought we were quite rude!
This was not the most interesting tour we have taken on this trip. When our guide used the microphone it would short in and out so we heard about every 2-3 word. When she wasn't using the microphone she just screamed in a quite unpleasant tone. She would periodically break out in song and then tell us afterward that she knew her voice was terrible. She was just proud of her country and eager to share her culture with us. So, we rolled along, trying to get as much enjoyment as possible from our surroundings.
Our guide told us that although she loves and is devoted to her country, there are some major problems in Brazil. Security, political corruption, and illegal drugs are all major issues. Our ship's crew did admonish us to leave all of our expensive possessions on board while visiting this country and to keep our handbags, cameras, etc. in front of us when walking through the streets.
Since Brazil was discovered by Portugal in the 1500's, Portuguese is the language spoken throughout the country. However, we were informed that speaking English is considered mandatory, not an option. Speaking Chinese and German is considered a "plus" when seeking employment. Since there are 70 different nationalities living in Brazil there are very few issues with discrimination.
Coffee was a major contributor to the economic growth of Brazil. It has brought a fortune to the country. However, a recent problem for workers has been the growth of technology. Historically, a majority of workers were hired for manual labor. However, as the work becomes more automated, many workers are no longer needed. Like many other countries, Brazil is struggling with unemployment for unskilled workers Technical training is needed to run the machines. My ears perked up as we passed a huge park which stretches along the beaches in this area. Our guide explained that the government employs people with developmental disabilities to care for the park. Due to the enormous size of the area, that would create many jobs for people. Love it!!!!
Housing directly on one of the lovely beaches is certainly not inexpensive but not as expensive as they are in Southern California. Prices start at approximately $1,000,000 for a small condo. Many of the buildings looked reasonably modern but not elegant as we drove passed them. The traffic can be quite congested at times. Our guide explained that most people in the city choose to drive their personal car as opposed to taking public transportation. Sounds like Southern California!
Our first stop was at the Orchid Park where they advertise having 5,000 orchid plants, as well as hundreds of rare and tropical plants. Although we didn't see one orchid we did enjoy a lovely walk through the gardens. The park also serves as a care center for small animals and birds who have been caught when smugglers were attempting to take them out of the country illegally. The park nurses them back to health and then releases them back into the wild. If they cannot be returned they remain at the park permanently.
Our next stop was very exciting for a lot of our European tourists. We had a tour of the football (soccer) stadium. This is the league and home stadium where the famous Brazilian soccer player, Pele, played for the Santos FC. Pele was the most successful league goal scorer in the world, with 541 league goals. He is greatly revered in this country and continues to be one of their national heroes. Many of our passengers were thrilled to have the opportunity to visit his museum and home field. Now, if would have been visiting one of the big U.S. college football fields, Bob and I would have been thrilled. Soccer, not so much.
Our last stop was at the Coffee Exchange building (Coffee Palace). The coffee exchange was established in 1914 and continued until the 1950's. This beautiful historic building housed the official coffee stock exchange. Bidders would come from all over the world to meet, sample the beans, and then bid on the coffee. Although the descriptions were only in Portuguese, we enjoyed the beautiful stained glass ceilings, intricately carved, dark rich wood, and the elegant marble floors as we walked through the museum.
We returned to the bus for a short ride back to our ship. We were thrilled to be returning to the comfort of air conditioning, since it was 97 degrees with high humidity. Also, while on the bus (early in the day) the air conditioner above me spewed out water all over me so I was completely drenched - hair, top and pants! It was quite steamy and uncomfortable to walk until it dried. I was anxious to get back and freshen up after a hot day. OK, next stop RIO for three days of Carnival!! Hope we survive the extreme heat, humidity and crowds!!! Should be quite an adventure. Bring it on!!!!!
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