Olinda is a fishing village sitting on a hill beside the ocean
in the shadow of a huge city. It has narrow twisty cobblestone streets and
lots of stairs, lush palm and banana trees, and a huge thriving monastery.
Having been declared a World Heritage Site because it was once a grand place
with 16 beautiful churches and even more lovely old houses, some of these,
which are not allowed to be torn down, are falling into ruins, many others have
been renovated and turned into shops or restaurants or art galleries, and a
gazillion tourists turn up every day of the year to admire the architecture. If, however, you choose to visit at 6 am on December 24th you will find that you
pretty much have the place to yourself and can wander and admire at your will,
but, on the other hand, not all of the shops and markets will be open upon your
arrival!
