Volunteers, Carnaval, Monkeys and of course the Fish.

Last Friday a new group of volunteers arrived, fourteen to be exact thus more than doubling the number of us here in Olinda at the moment. It´s a bit of a shock and everything feels a bit like a school trip when we all go out but they all seem to be pretty cool.

Spend last Saturday at Intamaracá which is a small island just off the coast near Forte Orange, north of Olinda. Whilst the skies looked a bit grim to start with it turned out to be a gorgeous day, blue skies, white fluffy clouds, the Atlantic, shade on the beach, scorching sand and fishes.

Once we caught a cab to Forte Orange (which was only slightly more expensive and heaps quicker than four buses) we took a short boat ride to the reef where we snorkeled for about an hour. The fish were amazing, lots of different types though the main ones were the zebra striped ones with a patch of yellow (okay so I´m not too crash hot on the names of them) there were quite a few sea urchins too. It should also be pointed out that there was a floating bar at the snorkeling spot. This was a guy in a dinghy with an umbrella and two eskies full of drinks, which was rather funky. I also discovered that you can get prescription snorkeling masks thanks to Bruce (new shiney volunteer from my corner of the planet) which I was very impressed with. The rest of the day was spent relaxing on the beach in the shade chatting to people. Most enjoyable.

Speaking of fish, Bill Bryson´s book about the history of most things (or something like that) has been doing the rounds. Apparently it has a really good section on the fishing industry and the fact most of the world´s fish stocks have been depleated. There´s at least one more person who doesn´t eat prawns nows. I´m finding it very amusing watching someone else guilt trip prawn eaters over dinner.

I spent Sunday afternoon walking around old Olinda which was rather relaxing and managed to catch several drumming performances on the street as well as a Carnaval rehearsal. Got to see a full Carnaval drumming band in full gear practicing as well as some girls in the traditional big hooped skirts dancing. This will continue ever Sunday until Carnaval. Dinner was a the local Chinese where I got tofu for the first time in over a month- joy for simple pleasures.

Yesterday morning I spent at my project. Not alot to report on that I guess, it´s pottering along well. The afternoon I accompanied Kate to the soup kitchen where we threw the Christmas party a few weeks back. We played more games with the kids for a few hours in the afternoon, mostly ball games such as soccer, a variation of volleyball and piggy in the middle. I also learnt a new game where you stand in a circle and throw the ball randomly to each other on the fourth throw you have to throw the ball as a hard and fast at someone, if they catch it or dodge they stay in, if they get hit they go out. Those Favella kids can really throw hard!

Today I skipped out on my project and went with Lizzie to her project in the Botanic Gardens. The gardens are not a formal, well manicured garden but rather a piece of native forest with a small museum, a herb garden and some paths through it. Apparently quiet a few school trips go there though and it is lovely to walk through there and listen to all the sounds. We got there early and spent the first hour weeding the plant beds in the medicinal herb garden before having a break and split a fresh from the forest jackfruit for morning tea (which was rather yummy). Continued with weeding for a bit longer then found Bruno the supervisor, or rather he found us. He´s a really lovely biology student who showed me around and seems to know everyone. We spent some time collecting seeds that had fallen in the forest and would be replanted and chatting. There were also the cutest monkeys who live in the forest and were happy enough to accept the crackers we offered (though a few preferred the jackfruit that was already broken open) and stopped long enough for Lizzie and I to get a couple of pictures.

The afternoon was spent at the zoological gardens, a museum which was mostly closed (but had a very funky display of Carnaval costumes that was open), a old colonial house and an art museum. Bruno kindly showed us around and introduced us to all the people he knew at these places. It was a very long, but fun afternoon.

We caught a very crowded bus back to the hotel most of which I spent holding on for dear life to the rail that was above my head, just within reach. I am sure my arms are long from the stretching that happened. Dinner, then an intensive almost two hour dance class. Slightly exhausted now.

I leave on the weekend, am going to miss this place, but it´s well time I saw something different.