Stretching around the north eastern coastline of Brazil is a thousand kilometres of beautiful palm fringed beaches.  The weather is warm enough to swim now, the clear blue water inviting, so our bathers have been moved up to the top of our packs.

.

On the beachfront at Maceio [14] we enjoyed a balmy evening breeze while sampling a local speciality of tapioca and coconut pancakes filled with chicken from one of the thatched roofed tapioca stands.  There is also a sweet filling of cinnamon and sugar which is equally delicious.  Brightly coloured fishing boats line the beach in front of the fish market.

.

Picturesque Olinda [15] is another colonial classic with twisting cobbled streets lined with brightly coloured buildings.  The city, dating from 1535, was sacked by the Dutch in 1631, but later rebuilt.  We arrived in the evening to find a crowd gathered in the narrow street outside our posada.  Relieved that it was just locals gathered around outside a small shop (Bodega do Véia) selling ice cold beer and enjoying the sounds of a few musicians, we bought a beer, sat on the sidewalk and joined in.

.

Natal [16] is surrounded by huge sand dunes with a popular beach at Ponta Negra stretching around the bay. 

.