Recife
Recife
Recife (Portuguese for reef), 2005 population 1.515.052 (3.646.204 in the metropolitan area) is the second largest city in the Northeastern Region of Brazil, the largest metropolitan area and one of the most important cultural, economic, political and science-minded city in this Region. It is the fifth largest metropolitan area in Brazil and the capital of Pernambuco. Recife is also where the Beberibe River meets the Capibaribe River to flow into the Atlantic Ocean. It is a major port on the Atlantic Ocean. Recife is served by Guararapes International Airport.
Surrounded by rivers and crossed by bridges, Recife is full of islands and mangroves that magnify its geography. It is known as the Brazilian Venice, thanks to its fluvial resemblance with the European city, and is considered one of Brazil's cultural capitals.
Recife has a typical tropical climate, with warm to hot temperatures and high relative humidity all throughout the year. However, these conditions are relieved by a near absence of extreme temperatures and pleasant trade winds blowing from the ocean. January is the warmest month, with mean maxima of 30°C and minima of 25°C and more sun; July experiences the coolest temperatures, with mean maxima of 27°C and minima of 22°C and more rain.
Recife possessed stable climate because is near to the sea. During the summer the city receives tropical air of the north, causing the increase of the temperature . However, during the winter the city receives polar air of the south, causing the fall of temperature and rain.
Vegetation
Recife has a Tropical forest. Rainforests are characterized by high rainfall, with definitions setting minimum normal annual rainfall between 2,000 mm (about 78 inches or 2 meters) and 1700 mm (about 67 inches). The soil can be poor because high rainfall tends to leach out soluble nutrients. There are several common characteristics of tropical rainforest trees. Tropical rainforest species frequently possess one or more attributes not commonly seen in trees of higher latitudes or trees in drier conditions on the same latitude.
Medical pool
The Metropolitan area of Recife has the 2nd largest medical pool of Brazil, after São Paulo. Together they make up 417 hospitals and clinics. The medical pool offers a total of 8,2 thousand beds and, according to the Union of the Hospitals of Pernambuco, recorded in 2000 an invoicing of 220 millions of real. It is thanks to the pool that Pernambuco has access to more computerized tomografia devices than countries like Canada or France. A large portion of the modern hospitals which are included in the pool are located between the neighbourhoods of Derby and of the Ilha de Leite. The Royal Português Hospital of Beneficência in Pernambuco, or "Hospital Português" (Portuguese Hospital) for short, is one of the most renowned hospitals in the country. Many people from neighbouring states go to Recife for treatment, as it has the largest and best medical facilities in the North-Northeast of Brazil. Recife has three universities of medicine, 2 public, Federal University of Pernambuco and University of Pernambuco; and 1 private, Escola Pernambucana de Medicina FBV/IMIP (Medical School of Pernambuco FBV/IMIP).
Tourism and recreation
Among Recife's main tourist attractions are:
- Churches and historical monuments, including 17th and 18th Century constructions from Portuguese and Dutch colonizers
- Francisco Brennand's atelier of ceramic art
- Ricardo Brennand Institute: cultural institute with museun, pinacotec and library.
- Ancient Recife buildings: Forte Orange (which is really located in Itamaracá island, some 40 km from Recife)
- Boa Viagem Beach (the city's most important beach)
- Olinda (neighbor city) - a UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Casa da Cultura: souvenir shops in an ancient prison building
- The Carnival at Recife Antigo
There are many beaches close to Recife, such as:
- Porto de Galinhas, Ipojuca, Pernambuco (60 km to the south) --> The most popular nearby tourist destination. Attracts tourists from around the world and boasts a thriving tourism industry. High end hotels and restaurants compete with more popular options and lie within the budget of most travelers.
- Maracaípe, Ipojuca, Pernambuco (65 km to the south)
- Serrambi, Ipojuca, Pernambuco (70 km to the south)
- Tamandaré, Barreiros, Pernambuco (110 km to the south)
- Itamaracá, Pernambuco (40 km to the north)
The Shopping Center Recife, the most greatest center of purchases of the North and Northeast, one of the most greatest of Brazil, count with 465 shops, ten rooms of movies, eight restaurants, four plazas of food, and more of five thousand vacancies of parking. One of his big differential and attractive is the Patio of the Sculptures, an of the biggest areas of multiple expositions of the Northeast. There is also the Shopping Center Tacaruna, Plaza vault, Palace Customs and Good Sight.
Festa Junina (Saint John Festival)
Festa Junina was introduced to Northeastern Brazil by the Portuguese for whom St John's day (also celebrated as Midsummer Day in several European countries), on the 24th of June, is one of the oldest and most popular celebrations of the year. Differently, of course, from what happens on the European Midsummer Day, the festivities in Brazil do not take place during the summer solstice but during the tropical winter solstice. The festivities traditionally begin after the 12th of June, on the eve of St Anthony's day, and last until the 29th, which is Saint Peter's day. During these fifteen days, there are bonfires, fireworks, and folk dancing in the streets. Once exclusively a rural festivity, today, in Brazil, it is largely a city festival during which people joyfully and theatrically mimic peasant stereotypes and clichés in a spirit of joke and good time. Typical refreshments and dishes are served. It should be noted that, like during Carnival, these festivities involve costumes-wearing (in this case, peasant costumes), dancing, heavy drinking, and visual spectacles (fireworks display and folk dancing). Like what happens on Midsummer and St John's Day in Europe, bonfires are a central part of these festivities in Brazil.
Carnival
The four-day period before Lent leading up to Ash Wednesday is carnival time in Brazil. Rich and poor alike forget their cares as they party in the streets. Pernambuco has large Carnival celebrations, including the Frevo, typical Pernambuco music. Another famous carnaval music style from Pernambuco is Maracatu. The cities of Recife and Olinda hold the most authentic and democratic carnaval celebrations in Brazil. The largest carnaval in all of Brazil is Galo da Madrugada, which takes place in downtown Recife in the Saturday of carnaval. Another famous event is the "Noite dos Tambores Silenciosos". Carnaval Recife’s joyous Carnaval is nationally known and admired, attracting thousands of people every year. The party starts a week before the official date, with electric trios “shaking” the Boa Viagem district. On Friday, people take to the streets to enjoy themselves to the sound of frevo and to dance with maracatu, ciranda, caboclinhos, afoxé, reggae and manguebeat (cultural movement created in Recife during the 90s) groups. There are still many other entertainment poles spread out around the city, featuring local and national artists. One of the highlights is Saturday when more than one million people follow the Galo da Madrugada group. From Sunday to Monday, there is the Night of the Silent Drums, on the Pátio do Terço, where Maracatus honor slaves that died in prisons.