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Olinda: To Carnival Or Not to Carnival

After 13 months of ‘full-on awesome’, sailing 11,853.7 nautical miles across two oceans, and visiting 13 countries along our way, we needed a break.  We’d arrived in Brazil but the blog was still in South Africa, waiting patiently to share tales of ghostly towns, desert expanses, elephant parades, and whale shark kisses.

Luckily, we’d moored at Marina Jacaré Village; comfortable enough with access to good internet, provisions, talented tradesmen to help The Captain with the inevitable list repairs, and little nearby to inspire exploration …or maybe I was just too tired to look for it.

We unpacked the air-conditioning unit that had been stowed safely on the bow before departing Thailand, hoping it would provide relief from the stifling heat and abundance of mosquitoes. Having crashed through many a wave en route, we were pleasantly surprised when The Captain powered up the box and cool air emerged.  With the exception of troubleshooting a few urgent repairs and replenishing our stores, The Captain and I remained shut inside Amandla doing little for the next week.

The air conditioner on Amandla with the local teacher Alexis D. and his son
Honey River, Madagascar ~ August 2018

We finally emerged from the boat to accept a generous invitation to visit The Captain’s friend Lorena at her beachfront Pousada Maleleo in Porto de Galinhas; a 3.5 hours drive south from Jacaré. Relax, refresh, and renew were the only items on the agenda.  And that is exactly what we did.

Maleleo Bed and Breakfast With Scenes From Porto de Galinhas

At last, two weeks after arriving in Brazil, I was feeling reenergized.

Man Sleeping In Hammock Framed In Windowsill
Lazy Days Porto de Galinhas

Perhaps that is why I connected immediately with our next destination, Olinda. Had we come during Carnival, we would have found the streets filled with revelers.

Igreja do Carmo (Carmo Church) Behind Olinda Tourist Sign

Midnight Man would have been leading a parade of Giant Dolls (Bonecos Gigantes) through the streets to the sounds of Frevo Musica, a unique mix of Brazilian Indian and Africa Maracatu beats.

But the Carnival crowds were long gone by the time of our arrival, and we had this beautifully preserved colonial city all to ourselves.

Man bicycling past Igreja Nossa Senhora do Amparo

Only a smattering of tourists visit this UNESCO World Heritage site during the off-season, most of them Brazilian.

Clube-Carnavalesco-28-R.-Ns.-do-Guadalupe

We found refuge at the delightful Pousada Convento da Conceição. Erected in 1585, this haven is centrally located at the top of the historic section of Olinda with a perfect amount of privacy and quiet.

Once a retreat for abandoned women and later home to a reclusive order of nuns, The Dorthea Sisters of the Conception have opened their doors to welcome wayfaring strangers seeking affordable, minimalist comfort. 

View from Pousada Convento da Conceição At Sunset
Sunset View From Our Room ~ Pousada Convento da Conceição

Loved it so much, I returned a month later with our good friends Jean-Pierre and Dana of SY Vanille.

Bird’s eye view of historic Olinda, its terra cotta roofs framed in greenery, eventually giving way to the beaches and city spires of nearby Recife

Each morning, I’d start off drinking-in a bird’s eye view of Olinda, with its terracotta roofs framed in greenery, eventually giving way to the beaches and city spires of nearby Recife.

From there, I’d wander down the very steep Ladeira da Misericórdia, (Slope of Mercy) and then lose myself exploring Olinda’s expansive network of cobblestone streets and alleyways.

Artist Sérgio Vilanova in the windowsill of his studio with bull's head
Talented Artist Sérgio Vilanova at Atelier Vilanova ~ R. do Amparo, 224 – Olinda

I was treated to colorful dwellings occupied by families who have resided here for generations, small locally owned shops, and studios with artists actively creating. 

Interior Loja Azul Hardware Store Olinda
Inside Loja Azul

Unspoiled by mass tourism, the population remains accessible and easy to engage in conversation.    

Man Strumming Guitar For Woman Outside Olinda Restaurant

Realtors have yet to bid-up the price of properties and fill them with high-priced, flavorless restaurants and curio shops. 

Butterfly House 157 R. Henrique Dias Olinda

Honestly, in the off-season, Olinda felt like a sleepy hamlet waiting to be discovered.

Rua Sao Bento At Sunset

Hopefully, you’ll find your way here before the masses do.

Man Smoking in Colorful Windowsill Olinda

And although the revelers had long since departed Olinda for the year, the spirit of Carnival could be found everywhere.

Bonecos Gigantes Olinda On Display

Giant Dolls remained on display in museums, libraries, and studios.

Maracatu At Igreja do Carmo Olinda

Musicians were in the streets and at school preparing for the 2020 festivities.

Woman Maracatu Drummer Practicing Outside In Off-season

Vibrant street art recalled Carnival’s pageantry …

Colorful Street Art By Teo Armando

…and its promise to keep alive brutally silenced voices.

Woman Walking By Marielle (Franco) Presente Street Art Olinda
Marielle Franco, a Brazilian politician, feminist, and human rights activist was assassinated on March 14, 2018. She was posthumously honored at Carnivals across Brazil. Two former police officers have been charged with her murder.
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There are a few special places calling me to return when we drop the hook or take that victory lap.

Empty Rua Sao Bento In Olinda After The Carnival Season

Strange lands that had quickly turned into old stomping grounds such as Penang, Hanoi or Nosy Be.  Locations where I’d like to linger for a year or two.

Local Man Sitting Against Blue Building in Olinda

Olinda is one of those places; a travel destination where the locals made me feel at home.

Local shopkeeper wearing a hat painted with Olinda Scenery

Sadly, there was no time for a third visit to Olinda this time around. The Captain successfully worked through the lengthy list of boat repairs, I managed to write and share three stories from our Southern Africa Road Trip, and then it was time to sail onward. We gave the 220-volt air-conditioner to appreciative friends who’d remained behind at Marina Jacaré Village. We had no need for it as we were heading to 110-volt Colombia via French Guiana, Grenada, Bonaire, and Curaçao.

Salty Sailor Olinda

We are currently on standby in Curçao waiting for favorable weather to continue onward to Colombia. Lucky us, our friends John and Susan from Latitude Adjustment blog were here on holiday and joined us for supper aboard Amandla.

Lisa and The Captain
Image Courtesy Susan Pazera

We look forward to catching up with them again (and taking their picture 😉 ) when we arrive in their adopted home, Colombia.

Once we are underway, I’ll be sending daily updates from our satellite phone. Follow us using our position updates on Farkwar and sea tweets on Twitter. Sail along with us, won’t you?

Olinda Carnaval Clown

122 comments Olinda: To Carnival Or Not to Carnival

Lisa says:

I so enjoyed catching up with you tonight, Lisa! Your photos are a dream perfectly illustrating this beautiful town filled with lovely people. Thank you!

Ahoy from Curaçao Lisa! Always a pleasure to see you here. Delighted that you enjoyed the post. Olinda was a magnificent source of inspiration and I look forward to returning there next time around.

Hi, Lisa – Once again your photos and words together make beautiful poetry. So glad that you had the chance to relax, refresh, and renew. I look forward to continuing to sail along with you!

😊Awwww …you are lovely to say Donna! A pleasure to have you aboard

Barbara McFadden says:

Such beautiful colors in the photos.

Olinda was a visual delight around every corner. A street photographer’s dream. Welcome back to the states. Just had a wonderful time traveling with you to Uganda on your Instagram feed. Those beautiful faces and voices left quite an impression. Best to Dan

Love this update, Lisa. Such great photos and accompanying text. Happy and safe travels to you and the Captain!

Deb

Greatly appreciate your lovely feedback Deb. I hope to have an opportunity to meet someday. I think there would be a lot of laughter involved.

I think so too! I hope it happens 💕

Your accommodation in Olinda looks lovely, Lisa. And what a quaint little town! Some places definitely feel more welcoming than others.

It is funny how I can feel a deep connection to one place and little for another. We wandered to the old section of nearby Recife one day and within an hour, I found myself longing to return to Olinda. Both had historic hurches, colorful buildings and tons of street art, but only Olinda spoke to me. Perhaps it was the welcoming people and easy pace that made Olinda feel more like home. Pousada Convento da Conceição was a wonderful base for touring Olinda each morning and finding some much-needed respite in the afternoon. Which I was a good indoor photographer. The interior was simple yet stunning and perfectly preserved but my images failed to capture the beauty inside. Thank you so much for sharing it all with me virtually!

Amazing photos that show the tremendous diversity of the human imagination. Loved the keyhole-shaped doorway and window. Olinda – what a beautiful name, and alive place. And that convent built 1585 – the Spanish established themselves early, didn’t they. And thank you for keeping alive the life of human rights activist Marielle Franco. Great photo of the two of you!
You brought much needed colour into my life this morning!!! Love computer chair travelling with you.

Ahoy you! Finished your wonderful ‘Gift of Memoir’ underway from French Guiana to Grenada and have been recommending it to everyone with a good story to tell. Delighted to have brightened your morning with the post and greatly appreciate your traveling to Olinda with me. Marielle’s foolish assassins did nothing but amplify her voice. Hopefully, her death will bring an ‘end to this war’ Hugs from Curaçao

Thank you for reading Gift of Memoir! My hope was that it would be useful to those wanting to make their stories visible and accessible. Really enjoy your blog and your zest for sailing through oceans and cultures. Big hug from Port Hope, Ontario.

Not only is your “Gift Of Memoir” useful, it is a super interesting read. I especially loved the examples that you used from other memoirs the inclusion of your own stories. Thank you for your lovely compliments on the blog (and my zest 🙂 and for the inspiration to write more.

Thought my wanderlust tendency was well and truly dormant until I read this post, Lisa. What an enthralling place Olinda looks to be. I’m in love with your photo of the red-vested man leaning on the azure wall. Blissful.

😊Am delighted to have woken the spirit of your slumbering wayfarer Tish! You have inspired me time and again with your own travel tales; both far afield and in your own back yard. I greatly appreciate your feedback on the man against the azure wall …The Captain is ‘not a fan’ of it so I am doubly thrilled to hear that you are. Hugs from Curaçao

Lovely to hear from you, as always, Lisa. And many thanks for the very kind words.

Britta says:

So happy to here from you, Lisa! Olinda looks quaint, and dreamy–my favorite type of place to travel to. I always love getting off the main tourist track for truly local experiences.

Your pictures are beautiful, as always, and are giving this arm chair traveler major wanderlust. I’m on summer break from school, but am not doing any traveling this summer–I’m being responsible with my money, instead, since grad school is starting in August. Looking forward to the day when I don’t have to be so concerned with saving and can treat my wanderlust appropriately. Until then, your blog is always a suitable, if not complete, antidote. 🙂

Being responsible with your money in the near term will set you up for YEARS of travel in the long term. That was my secret 😉. Goodness time has flown! I can’t believe that the start of Grad school is only a month away. A lot of hard work ahead but you are totally up to the challenge!
~ Thank you for all the love and for traveling with me virtually!

Britta says:

Yes, I can’t believe I’ll be a full fledged grad student in less than a month! It seems like I was just reaching out an old English professor to edit my Statement of Purpose. 🙂 It will be a change and a challenge, but you’re right, I’m up for it!

Looking forward to seeing more updates from you in time!

You are most definitely up for the challenge and will totally rock graduate school. Ahoy from Cartagena where I hope to share more tales soon.

Natalie says:

Hi Lisa – It’s so nice to hear from you and to read your journey updates with your gorgeous photos. I’m glad you had a good rest and felt refreshed and renewed to explore Olinda. I’ve read about Olinda before and had put it down on my list to visit. Your post now makes me put a star next to it. Recently, Brazil waived the visa requirement for Canadian tourists to visit Brazil so I hope to be there before the masses do like you recommended. Safe travels to Columbia! I look forward to continuing sailing along with you.

I am really pleased that this post inspired you to ‘star’ Olinda and move it high on your list of places to visit. I can’t wait to travel there again through your lens! We set sail for Colombia tomorrow after a weather delay and I am really excited to get underway. Thank you so much for sailing along with us and for your lovely compliments on this post.

A truly wonderful and colourful account of your latest adventures, Lisa. Olinda looks so relaxed and laid back during non-carnival season, but I love the reminders portrayed by the artwork. How amazing to meet up with good friends and enjoy some hospitality ashore. I look forward to following along with you on your travels. Bon Voyage to you and the captain. xx

Ahoy there Sylvia! Welcome back from your global wanderings. I hope you had a wonderful time with family. Thank you so much for your lovely compliments on the post and your good wishes. Looks like we have a weather window tomorrow for our passage to Colombia. Really psyched to visit there. Ahoy from Curçao

Did you celebrate your birthday here, Lisa? As always, your photos paint wonderful pictures of the places you visit. I can’t imagine all the hub-bub with carnival season, but it would be fun to visit just once. I rather like the cobblestone streets and homey vibe of Orinda now. Enjoy your next leg!

I too would LOVE to have at least one Carnival experience and my top destination for that would be Olinda for that as well. It is the only free Carnival and the revelers’ march in the streets rather than being cordoned off to the sides while the parade marches by. We sailed on from Brazil at the end of May but I am seriously behind on blogging given all the travel. Celebrated the big day in Bonaire right before we headed onward to Curaçao. Setting sail for Colombia tomorrow where we plan to stay for at least 45 days so I hope to finish my ‘catch-up’ there. Thank you as always for your visit and lovely compliments on the pictures.

Such colourful and vibrant images. Fair winds on your next leg.

Thank you Suellen! Sailing onward to Colombia tomorrow.

I’m so glad that you have found one more favourite stomping ground. <3 I'm in love with your photos and people, the colours and the shapes. Great to hear that you had a proper repose. Hurrah for your next movement.

Ahoy you! Thank you for all your gladness and love and good wishes. We are getting ready to sail to Colombia tomorrow (oh scratch that, The Captain has just informed me that the weather looks better on Sunday) and I am looking forward to the passage and the arrival 😉

Juhuu, Lisa! Over here in Slovenia it’s opposite – a huge rainstorm forecast for tomorrow with temperature drop from 34 to 22! Better here than there! 😉 Happy sails!

Glad to know more temperate weather is headed your way. Its 27° to 29° here for the foreseeable future but thankfully no deluge in the forecast …of course, we live on an ark so we’d be just fine.

Trish says:

What a fabulously colourful town. Love the portrait shots.

Olinda is a street photographers’ dream Trish. Can’t go wrong anywhere you have friendly people and colorful backdrops. I could have stayed here for a year or two. Off to Colombia on Sunday. 3-5 days sail depending on whether we need to stop along the way (to wait for weather or light). Looking forward to the passage.

What a beautiful town! It looks heavenly. So happy to catch up with your travels. We are holidaying in Scotland again this year (which is, of course, wonderful itself) and your post helps assuage any longings for travels abroad and unknown places.

Olinda was heavenly indeed (…and staying in a convent with an open church made it feel even more so :-). I would LOVE to spend a summer holidaying in Scotland and am glad that I will have the opportunity to do so virtually with you. One woman’s backyard is another’s bucket-list destination (my week with Dad in Glasgow and Edinburgh in 2011 and your wonderful adventures have left me longing to return for more). Always a pleasure to see you here Anabel. Off to catch up on your pages now.

Would love to see you and the Captain in Scotland some day!

We would have a grand time!

👍🏻

Fabulous photos and descriptions. Happy travels.

Thank you for your kind compliments and good wishes Peggy! Ahoy from Curaçao.

As always, I love traveling the world with you. I’m glad you had some time to rest and recover, certainly sailing is hard work without a lot of down time so I’m glad you get some times to relax and refresh for the next step! I also love that you have found some places where you would like to linger. What a nice phrase- to linger in a place you’ve loved.

And I love having you aboard for the ride not only for your supportive feedback here but also for the words of wisdom on your pages! Thank you for all the positivity. Ahoy from Curaçao

[…] via Olinda: To Carnival Or Not to Carnival — Lisa Dorenfest […]

You can’t sail endlessly without wearing yourselves out, Lisa. Glad you’ve found a happy harbour to shelter you. 🙂 🙂

🤗😘 Olinda was a good shelter indeed! And I am looking forward to reaching another happy harbor (Colombia) soon with plans for some extended land time and lots of awesome to inspire my lens! Hugs from Curaçao.

😍💕

I do so love travelling along with you. Olinda sounds perfectly lovely. Wonderful photos as always!
Alison

As do I with you! Your latest piece for Intrepid Traveler was spot on! “Older Schmolder! Don’t Let yourself Moulder, Travel Anyway! indeed :-). Ahoy from the sea. We are underway to a new anchorage in Curaçao

J.D. Riso says:

It’s always so good to hear news from you, Lisa. Olinda seems like a wonderful off-the-beaten path place to rest and ground yourself. You look so happy, but do I also detect a hint of road weariness?

OMG, you totally get me/this. Yes, I am finding myself a bit road weary these days. It could be all the miles and all the awesome, or maybe what is exhausting me is just the obsessive contemplation of ‘what’s next’ as I near completion of my latest ‘Hero’s Journey’. My current goal (sailing around the world) has carried me far and kept me super-focused …I just need to get clear on what my next act is.

Olinda was quite a nice distraction from all of that (The Caribbean less so as much if it feels like a Florida suburb to me) and I am anticipating that Colombia will also be. Looking forward to it …and looking forward to more awesome on your pages. I know that creativity genius can’t be rushed, but I crave more of your work.

J.D. Riso says:

“What’s next” is one of my worst prisons, too. In our culture, we’re raised to believe that we always have to have a plan and be busybusybusy getting it in order. I just recently went through a phase of that…thought I would take off again for a while. But it passed, thankfully. Hopefully Colombia will have more character than the Caribbean. I agree that many of the islands are just too touristy. Thanks for the nice little nudge for my writing. Am working on something now, but it’s in that distressing early phase. And I’ve been so busy working it’s sapped my creativity. Hopefully I will have something new to post in August. Happy Sails, dear. 🙂

Your shared experience is very helpful (and freeing) as I try to get clear. Thank you for that! I have been struggling with elusive creativity too and find the best way to work through the ‘distressing early phase’ is simply to be still and write. Easier said than done I know …it took me a month to show up to create this little piece but it’s done now and the next one will be easier :-). Can’t wait to see your juices flowing abundantly again soon. Hugs

Ahoy Lisa! So lovely to read about all the places you visited. It looks like another colourful place full of beautiful people. Glad you had a bit of a rest before you sail again!

Ahoy from Curaçao Aletta. Olinda was all that! A destination I highly recommend. But your posts have me longing to return to Southern Africa. Can wait to see your pages bloom in August!

Will do a post as soon as possible

Yay!!! 🌻🌸🌼

Amy says:

Wonderful to travel with you to Olinda! The place is colorful, yet quiet; good to visit a place that is unspoiled by mass tourism.
So glad to hear you are going to travel with your friend. Enjoy!

Olinda was a treat indeed. Unspoiled places are becoming rarer and this one was a street photographers dream with the friendly population and colorful backdrops. Thank you so much for joining me here and for your supportive feedback.

lexklein says:

To start at the end … I remember sitting across from those two smiling faces at Amandla’s dinner table! Happy days in the Nosy Be anchorage!

On to Olinda … I love it! The primary-colored buildings, so many with perfectly placed humans :), the cobblestone streets, the sleepy vibe, and you know me – I would have been thrilled to miss out on the busyness of Carnival! Looks like just the right kind of relaxation for you guys after the sail.

(On a less-than-optimistic note, we have recently had to fill in a vast amount of our year-end vacation time with all sorts of family commitments … I’ll be eager to hear about all of your schedules and timing to see if we can salvage a visit a some point. 😐 )

Meanwhile, happy sailing to the next spot, and may you find it just as lovely and intriguing as this stop!

I do hope that your upcoming family commitments are welcome joys and not soul-killing obligations. As far as plans, ours are evolving too and we are now planning to come through the Panama Canal in November (health permitting) to beat the 100%+ price increase on January 1. We will then be practically sailing into your backyard in Mexico (Puerto Vallarta, La Paz). You are my first choice as a line handler for our Panama Canal crossing if you are interested. We need two. The Captain has invited a friend’s son who did it with us the first time around but I have a strong feeling he won’t be able to join so there would also be room for Jeff if he is interested. The tentative schedule for the rest of our travels is Colombia Aug 1 – 15 Sep, Shelter Bay Panama until the end of Sept, San Blas in October. And there is always Mexico Q1 next year. We’d love to see you.

I wish you’d been with me in Olinda. We would have had a blast together there. Hard to believe that we were in Madagascar together just under a year ago. Seems like a million miles away. The Caribbean just isn’t the same. Big hugs from Curaçao. We are sailing onward to Colombia this morning.

lexklein says:

Good to see the tentative itinerary! Will assess with calendar in hand soon! You’re gonna love Colombia!

Ahoy from Cartagena Lexie. To sweeten the deal, I am happy to report that we have other ‘mules’ visiting us here soon so you won’t have to bring us a slew of boat parts and various Amazon goodies if you do manage to join us 😉

This looks like a heavenly place, one of those places where people are simply happy. I love these towns and countries where colours colours adorn buildings and promote a sense of happiness. It beats the drab buildings you so often see in the “civilised” West. I’m sensing a “Havanna-like” vibe in Olinda. I’m going to have to google this place. Maybe one day?

PS It never occurred to me you might need an a/c unit on a yacht, breeze all around you. You can tell I’m a land-lubber. Glad you passed it on to a good home.

Definitely a Havana like vibe (with a bit of Porto mixed in 😉 in this street photographer’s haven. I do hope you find your way to Olinda as you would work wonders with your lens in this place. It would be a nice addition to your gorgeous portfolio.

Wind can be elusive in well-protected marinas (Jacaré is far up a river) but I am happy to report that we’ve been blessed with breeze ever since we departed.

Lisa, that is a LOT of miles under your belt and no wonder you needed the down time to just crash, chill and recoup. So important. That said, you clearly chose a great spot. We are thinking of Brazil for some future travels, so it was very fun to read this post. Love the photos of the colorful buildings, which are very remindful of Granada Nicaragua and for sure, Cuba. Particularly like the shot of the man in front of the turqouise wall.

Lovely post and thanks for the introduction to an off the beaten path place.

Peta

…and we are still recovering! I’ve had little energy to do much of anything in The Caribbean with the exception of snorkeling in Bonaire (perhaps it is that it just pales in comparison to what we have seen in the last 6 years – we’ve been spoiled). I do hope that you find your way to Brazil. We just scratched the surface with Olinda (although as a street photography lover, I think that this was the top spot). How I wish we’d traveled to Iguazu Falls, The Amazon and Lençóis Maranhenses National Park. We will be sailing up the Pacific Coast of Nicaragua next year and would love to wander inland to Granada. Thank you for traveling with me to Olinda and for your lovely feedback.

Granada is great. And not to be missed is Ometepe island! Let us know when u plan to be there…. also some incredible beaches! One that gets nesting turtles every year.

Can’t wait to check them both out! When do the turtles show up? We should be there in December.

Not sure…I think October 🤔

Not sure as it varies I think but around Oct/Nov

Hi Lisa. I came here via Joanne’s blog. What a beautiful, colorful place. Thanks for the wonderful photo tour. That sunset is beyond amazing. What a view! Hugs.

Ahoy from Colombia Teagan. Lovely to meet you here. Delighted you enjoyed the colorful tour. Apologies for my delay in responding. We’ve just arrived from Curaçao after a multi-day passage.

Lisa, I truly love following you around the world. What an amazing post and series of photos! I have never been to Brazil but have always wanted to see it. I look forward to your next stop!

Oh, I do hope you find your way to Brazil Nicole. So much to see. We just scratched the surface in our short time there (although Olinda is probably the best when it comes to exploring Brazil’s historic cities). I thank you for visiting so many ports with me on this sailing journey. Traveling with you here and on your pages has been a true pleasure for me. Apologies for my delay in responding. We’ve recently arrived in Cartagena after a multi-day passage from Curaçao and are slowly getting settled.

Hi Lisa, I was not aware air conditioning would provide relief from mosquitoes. 3.5 hours seems a distance, yet, I can even feel the relax, refresh, renew. A lot to be said for having a place to yourself. You have the most amazing blogging site, Lisa! Your photos are exceptional. Your words and stories engaging. I love following along on your journey! Thank you for sharing!

😄The air conditioning would allow us to keep all the hatches closed with us inside and the mosquitoes out!
Ahoy from Colombia Erica. Apologies for my delay in responding. We’ve recently arrived here after a multiday passage from Curaçao and are just getting settled. During the check-in process, we had a chance to wander the historic city in Cartagena and the mass of tourists, hawkers, and tchotchke shops made me realize just how special Olinda really is. I think the only way to have historic Cartagena to myself will be to hit the streets at sunrise. Thank you for finding my blog ‘amazing’ and pictures ‘exceptional’. You truly made my day with your kind words.

Your photos are awe-inspiring, as well as your energy (although I appreciated your down time too). I love the photos you took of people, as well as of the astounding views. That sunset?! Whoa. I’d much prefer to visit a place after a carnival, not during (being the introvert I am). I think you got an even better feel of the place. Happy sailing!

Ahoy from Colombia Pam! Apologies for my delayed response; we’ve just sailed in from Curaçao. Thank you so much for your visit and generous compliments on the images and my energy ;-). Thank you for being my ‘neighbor’ in the blogosphere.

Isn’t it WONDERFUL, how we can be neighbors, wherever we are? <3

Ahhh, lovely post, amiga! And GRACIAS for the mention. I love that picture of you two and the fond memory of that evening last week aboard Amandla. We are so looking forward to seeing you in Medellin and returning the hospitality. Your beautiful photos and stories from Olinda have whetted our appetites to visit Brazil!

You might not see this until you get to Cartagena, but we hope you’re having a comfortable and safe passage.

Hugs from John and me.

Ahoy from Cartagena! So looking forward to catching up again in Medellín. And we loved seeing Curaçao through your lens as most of our time was spent fixing things, provisioning and checking in and out and in an out again. Your underwater photos were especially dreamy! I do hope you find your way to Olinda. I am certain you will love the tourist-free experience. See you soon!

Another spectacular series of photos, Lisa. Your blogs are a feast for the eyes and the mind. You’ve put Olinda on my radar. Let me know when you linger there for two years, alright? Good to know that there’s an affordable adobe to rest your tired feet.

I’m also glad that you managed to take a couple of weeks off to rejuvenate. This is such an important part for us, nomads. Mark and I didn’t do this at all when sailing on Irie and I’m sure it’s one of the reasons we were totally burnt out after eight years. Plus, running a business on top of the sailing, challenging lifestyle, and fixing boat projects didn’t help. 🙂

Funny you didn’t round off your total amount of miles getting to Olinda. 11,853.7 nautical miles it is!!

Surprisingly, this was the first season that I felt a deep need to slow down and recharge. Possibly because I am nearing the end of my first lap or maybe because of the number of countries we’ve visited in the last season …almost twice that of any other year. I am definitely a numbers freak but my accuracy was actually off. The nautical miles were correct but the countries visited were not. I forgot to include the two we traveled to overland bringing the sum total to 13. No wonder I was exhausted by the time we reached Brazil. Still feeling a need to recharge 5 countries later in Colombia. Luckily, we’ll be here for a month or two!

I did not realize that you and Mark lived aboard for eight years! Wowza. Longer than I’ve been on Amandla. My numbers freak side of myself is curious – what is your country count with your nomadic lifestyle?

No idea. I’m not keeping track. 🙂 Somewhere in the thirties, I believe, but most of that happened when I was in my twenties. These years, our travels are quite boring, as we have remained in North America for four years! We were hoping to house and pet sit internationally next year, as I miss discovering new countries and cultures, but then we adopted Maya… We will find a way to explore more in 2020, though. 🙂

Sometimes, the most boring place on the earth can feel like ‘wherever we are’. But you’ve proven time and again with your magnificent posts that North America is far from boring. You’ve got me longing for another cross-country road trip or two. And I’ve been away so long that I’m quite certain that returning home will feel like discovering a new culture ;-). Do you count states? I’ve got 44 of those. Still missing Alabama, Alaska, Idaho, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Vermont. Yes, I am a bean counter at heart! You can take the girl out of the office but you can’t take the office out of the girl 😉

Haha! Nope, not counting states either. I’d have to look at a map and figure it out. But, I’ve been to all the ones you mention, and many more. Not too many missing. This winter, we will check Kentucky off the list. 🙂

Love KY. Went to college there.

thefolia says:

Such vibrant colors, I always love traveling variously with you and the captain. I wish I had salty mist in my face right now…happy sails!

Salty mist definitely makes everything better as do vibrant colors when we are in port. Ahoy from Colombia and thank you so much for hanging out with us!

cristina says:

the colour says a lot about your photos, wonderful images

Ahoy from Colombia Cristina! What a delight to see you here. Am so pleased that you enjoyed the tour of Olinda. Am looking forward to visiting Olinda again when we sail back to Brazil on our victory lap!

Hello from Paris! That was a lovely post. 🙂 Just the Brazil I knew 45 years ago… (OMG!) Enjoy Curaçao.

Ahoy from Colombia! Had a lovely sail here from Curaçao and getting settled in. Wonderful to hear that Brazil remains as you knew it. Hope you are having a grand visit in Paris!

At least some parts of Brazil. 🙂
Where in Colombia are you? Cartagena? Santa Marta?
Paris was great thank you. But all’s well that ends well. Came back home last Saturday. After a delightful 6 weeks. Can’t complain.
Enjoy Colombia.

Welcome ‘home’! The boat is in Cartagena but we are now in Medellín. Loving this place

Been to Cartagena. Several times. (Including our honeymoon!). Not to Medellín. I understand they have improved the city a lot in the past few years. Enjoy the food. Colombian cuisine is delicious.

I can see why you’ve fallen in love with Olinda, Lisa. Just looking at your photos makes me happy—the bright colours, wonderfully shaped doors and windows, beautiful Colonial architecture. Your photo of the man relaxing against the aqua wall is amazing! While carnival would certainly be an exciting experience, I think I’d find it too overwhelming (old age?). We now make every effort to visit places during low season. I’m glad you had the chance to relax in such a beautiful place before heading back to see. Lovely photo of you and the captain!
PS: I had to laugh about you being in one place and your blog in another. I feel like that all the time and doubt I will ever get caught up.

Low season is definitely my idea of high season. We have arrived in Cartagena, Colombia at the top of European Hols and the old city is crawling with tourists (not to mention the plethora of hawkers and tchotchke shops). Luckily, we will be in Cartagena off and on until at least mid-Sept and the tourists should thin out by the end of this month. I think a few sunrise photo walks will bring out the old city’s ‘charm’. And hopefully, our long stay here will allow the blog to catch up with the actual location ;-). Thank you for all the love on the post. I hope you find yourself in Olinda someday.

Teresa says:

What a beautiful place to recharge, you look relaxed and ready for the next adventure Lisa. So happy you are both are healthy and enjoying your trips. Till landfall…. hugs T.

Ahoy from Cartagena T! We arrived here safely and are getting the boat ready to haul out at the week’s end. Then its off to Medellín for some exploring. That you for your visit and good wishes 😍

Dave Ply says:

Olinda looks like a lovely place to relax, regroup, recharge. Not to mention a colorful place to wander around with a camera (both buildings and people.) Thanks for sharing it.

Ahoy from Colombia Dave! Treat to see you here. I hope your travels find you in Olinda someday. It was an incredibly special place.

MythRider says:

I’m a little behind on your adventures. I too have been recovering from having too much fun.
Good news, I’m showing signs of genuine recovery from Adrenal Fatigue. I’m not nearly as tired as I used to be and I’m getting more done—like working on the third book of my trilogy. It’s going to be so much better than the first two.
It feels great to have so much going right. ;0)
Happy trails and waves. Phyllis

I am so excited to hear of your continued recovery from adrenal fatigue and to know that you are busily working on your third book! Your optimism jumps off the page and brings me great joy! May your positive trajectory continue to propel you forward infinitely. Big hugs from Medellín.

MythRider says:

“May your positive trajectory continue to propel you forward infinitely.” Great blessing. Thanks, I’ll take it.
I admire your adventurous spirit. Thanks for sharing your journeys.
I got the movie Papillon. I’ll watch it in the next few days.

Let me know how you find the movie!

Hi from southern Italy!
Another wonderful read with beautiful photographs. Love the vibrant colours, both buildings and people. We’re not that daring in Australia with our colours…

Awww! Thank you for your kind feedback. Olinda was really a special place. We’ve visited a few more colorful places since (e.g. Curaçao and Cartegena, Colombia). While charming, they were catering to a large tourist crowd with limited opportunities to interact with the locals. Luckily, we are now in Medellin and have found a more ‘authentic’ experience here once again. And I am sure it will get even better as we do an off the beaten track southern Colombia loop. Great to hear from you. Thanks for the South America inspiration in your latest post!

Sounds absolutely wonderful!
Sailed to Curaçao back in 2008 as I flew back to Australia from there…a story best left for over a few wines.
Enjoy your non-touristy adventure and look forward to the read!

I look forward to sharing wine and stories someday in our future. I think I may have met part of that story in Malaysia & Sri Lanka. It is a small ocean. Luckily, my former stories aren’t sailing in it 😊

Ah, I’m sure you’re right, it is indeed a small world. 😉

…and a ‘small world’ means we will definintely have the pleasure of meeting someday

Hope so and remember, I have a spare room here… 😉

😊🙏…and your berth is waiting on Amandla anytime you want to come aboard

Sounds wonderful and thank you, will keep it in mind. 🙂

What a great place to visit – in low season. I’d love to spend time in Olinda – before mass tourism finds it (hope it never will). Thanks for taking us along on your journey.

Ahoy from Colombia Emese! Thank you so much for coming through to the blog and leaving a comment. I do hope you find your way to Olinda. A colorful, friendly place that is certain to put a smile on your face.

Sartenada says:

Wow. Very cool post Lisa. It seems that our Samba Carnivals in Helsinki, which are held 29 times, are nothing comparing them with this. Thank you.

Happy ad safe travels!

I had to have a look at your Samba Carnival pictures after you tempted me with a photo on your about page. You captured the extravaganza beautifully.

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