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SOUTH
AMERICA TRAVEL GUIDE:
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Porto
Alegre guide
The capital of Rio Grande
do Sul, Porto
Alegre, lies on the eastern bank of the Rio Guaiba, at the point
where five rivers converge to form the Lagoa dos Patos , a giant freshwater
lagoon navigable by even the largest of ships. Founded in 1755 as a Portuguese
garrison, to guard against Spanish encroachment into this part of the empire,
it wasn't until Porto Alegre became the port for the export of beef that
it developed into Brazil's leading commercial centre south of São
Paulo. |
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| With a rather
uninteresting feel to it, like a cross between a southern European and
a North American city, most people will be tempted to move straight on
from Porto Alegre. However, as it's a major transport centre, a stop here
might be unavoidable. Fortunately the city has considerable life, if not
much visible history, and you'll find many ways to occupy yourself, particularly
if your visit coincides with one of the main festivals: Semana Farroupilha
(Sept 13-20) features traditional local folk dancing and singing, while
the highlight of Festa de Nossa Senhora dos Navegantes (Feb 2) is a procession
of fishing boats. |
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| Recife travel guide |
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| Recife,
the Northeast's second-largest city, appears rather dull on first impressions,
but it's lent a colonial grace and elegance by Olinda, 6km to the north
and considered part of the same conurbation. Recife itself has long since
burst its original colonial boundaries and much of the centre is now given
over to uninspired modern skyscrapers and office buildings. But there are
still a few quiet squares, where an inordinate number of impressive churches
lie cheek by jowl with the uglier urban sprawl of the past thirty years.
North of the centre are some pleasant leafy suburbs, dotted with museums
and parks, and to the south there is the modern beachside district of Boa
Viagem . Other beaches lie within easy reach, both north and south
of the city, and there's also all the nightlife one would expect
from a city of nearly two million Brazilians. |
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