Recife, Brazil

We stopped there in 2012 (halfway down that page), in 2020 #1 & 2020 #2.
Recife translates to "Reef." This community is built on three islands and is aka the Venice of Brazil.

A lively greeting in the cruise terminal.

We escorted separate boat trips through the city.

Egrets filled this mangrove thicket along the river.

On a previous visit, we took a rowboat to this scupture installation on this jetty,
which celebrates 500 years since the Europeans arrived.

Both boats sheltered under a bridge during a brief downpour.

The boats dropped us off near the old jail that's now a tourist market.
The building has been painted since 2020.

 
The old metal jail gate is now lavender so maybe it looks friendlier...

 
These 2 murals are new. We did not stay long and caught the shuttle bus back to the ship.

Sao Vicente Is., Cape Verde

This was a new port for us. Cape Verde or Cabo Verde are an archipelago
with 10 major islands located about 400 miles west of the Sarah Desert region of Africa.

The rocky islands were formed by volcanos, and despite it's name "Verde" there was not much green there.
Our guide said there's been a 5-year drought.

We took the included tour.

We had to stop for goats crossing the roads as we made our way to the top of a mountain.

We were encouraged to sample some very stong liquors flavored with local herbs.

Most of the time we were on the mountain, it was too foggy to see the view,
but there was this quick clearing before it fogged in again.

Remnants of former structures

A photo-stop in this "wide spot" in the curvy, narrow, cobble-stone road

Then we stopped at a beach. The tan sand on these dark volcanic islands has been deposited there by strong winds carrying it from the Sahara Desert.

A Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) has a beautiful, long head feather.

The tan sand dune was another photo spot.

 
A mesquite shrub (Prosopis juliflora) was growing out on the dune.

We stopped at a sea turtle rehabilitation facility.

As we sailed out, this long white building was part of a light house on this stone island.