Olinda Carnival

To experience Carnival in Brazil, I preferred to choose a more relaxed place than the strongholds of Rio, Salvador or Recife: Olinda. At first glance, the small colonial town seemed very peaceful to me. Already upon arrival however, at my Couchsurfing accommodation, this impression was put into perspective. A few days earlier on that very street a man had been stabbed, shark warning signs were everywhere and there were conspicuously many funeral homes throughout the city. Despite these unsightly clues and the neighbour’s dog being shot outside our door, I enjoyed a wonderful carnival season without a scratch!

Olinda (Brasilien), February 2009