Museum of the State of Pernambuco

 We took a group trip to a really interesting museum called the Museu do Estado de Pernambuco (Museum of the State of Pernambuco).  Recife has a lot of history, being one of the first cities in Brazil to be colonized by Europeans.  The museum is actually the home of a man who dealt with African slave trade, and underneath the house was a "senzala," a room where the slaves were kept. 

 The house has obviously been well-kept, though its been around since the 19th Century.  The architecture is a wonderful representation of what could have been found in Recife at that time.

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The museum is protected by cannons.  

This is the door that leads to the senzala, where the slaves were kept.  We weren't allowed to enter due to refurbishment.


This is just one of the statues outside the museum, but I took a picture because it reminds me of what Link looks like when he finds something in a chest.

At the Market

 Jaren and I decided to get our picture taken in front of this fruit stand at the market.  The guy selling the fruit is in there wearing a red shirt, and said he was cool with us taking a picture.  I thought it turned out pretty well.

Logan and I in front of a meat stand.  The meat is sort of just hanging there, and doesn't smell so great, but it makes for a great picture.  Unfortunately, the meat vendor is not in this photo.

FHE at Dona Lindu Park

 We went as a group to a big park here in Recife called Dona Lindu.

 Jaren is more excited than ever for FHE. 

 Berkley with Malcolm at the park.  Malcolm works for the International Study programs at BYU, and he came to visit us for a few days before we left for João Pessoa.

 Diana making a face that is normal for her.

 Diana, Berkeley, Michelle, and Jessica.

 Logan brought his frisbee to the park, and he's playing a little catch with Brian.  When we went to play some frisbee at another time, the wind blew the frisbee up on top of the wall and we had to go get one of the workers to get a ladder and get it up on top.  It was crazy.

 Nick and I being friends. 

This center area of the park was ideal terrain for great frisbee action.

First Brazilian Synagogue

While visiting the city center, we had the privilege of touring the first Jewish synagogue ever built in the Americas.  It was originally by Dutch Jews who had colonized Recife, but the synagogue was destroyed due to religious intolerance that swept Brazil in the form of a religious prohibition, making illegal all forms of worship besides Christianity.  Under the Dutch, Brazilians enjoyed religious freedom, but when Portugal took control, minorities like Jews and religions of African origin were persecuted.  The ruins were found by later Jews after the end of the prohibition, and were affirmed by a Rabbi that it had indeed been the site of a synagogue.  Today the synagogue is a museum to memorialize the first Jews in Brazil.

This is the room where religious meetings were held.  In the walls, like in Jerusalem, prayers and solicitations to God were written on scraps of paper and shoved into whatever crevice could be found. 

A Trip to the Castle

 On the way to the museum castle, I took a few photos from our taxi.  This is what your typical Northeastern neighborhood is going to look like.

 This is me in front of the gate.  Its not a real gate... well, it is a real gate, but theres no wall around the castle.  Its mostly just for taking pictures.  But there is a moat.

Here there were lots and lots of statues around this lot.  The man who owns the collection has a wide variety of statues, paintings, and artifacts such as weapons. This particular statue in the fountain I believe was called "The Rape of Penelope," depicting Hades' kidnapping of Penelope.  Kind of interesting

 Here are some of the suits of armor that this man collected.  There are all kinds, its pretty incredible. 

 Even dogs need to be protected in times of war.

 Swords and daggers

 The biggest swiss army knife you've ever seen.

 More suits of armor

 A little statue of Cervantes.  I forget what book he's holding in his hand, but it looked interesting.

On our way home from the museum, the guy gave us a little ride behind his ATV, in a trailer-cart decorated for Sao Joao.

The Festival of São João

On our way to Carpina, where we celebrated the festival of São João, otherwise known as the Festa Junina (June Fest).  Read my earlier post for details, but Recife is known for being especially festive this time of year.  Dancing the forró, wearing straw hats, and smiling are just a few of the things Brazilians love to do for this mid-year holiday.

 Arrived at Carpina.  The three wonderful Brazilians we are with are relatives of Thiago.  It's hard to tell in this photo, but we are dancing a little bit.

 Here is our group next to a "fogueira."  They light large bonfires around the city as part of the festive tradition, and then some of the youths enjoy jumping over them.  You can't really see it in this picture, but that pile of sticks is leaping with flames.

 This is me with my host and hostess, Thiago and Fernanda.  They are dressed up very "chique" (pronounced "sheeky," it means enormously classy) tonight.

The real way to celebrate the festival of São João is to dance the forró.  It's fairly easy to learn, but wicked fun to do.  I recommend that everyone learn, regardless of nationality or culture.

 

A little alone dancing is also good for the soul.  We got this spot on the balcony overlooking the bands that were playing.  It was a lot nicer up here, and a lot safer as well.  Down below people were mostly all under the influence of alcohol and other things, so it was nice to be upstairs with the BYU students.

A few people are very pooped after Carpina.  We arrived home super late, probably around 4 in the morning. 

 

 Jaren and I after the São João festival.

Recife Temple

 The temple in Recife is where everyone in the entire northeast of Brazil goes to receive the ordinances of the temple.  People from Fortaleza take a 15 hour bus ride to get there, and when we went there was a group of Fortalezans in the session. 

 Jaren and I in front of the temple

 Some members of our group visiting the temple.  There's me on the left, then Brian, Berkley, Diana, Jaren, Amelia, and Logan.

 The temple president was a professor of Portuguese at BYU, so he speaks the language perfectly.  His name is Frederick G. Williams, and is a direct descendent (great great grandson) of the Frederick G. Williams, second counselor to the Prophet Joseph Smith.  He is currently writing a biography of his ancestor.

President Williams and I batendo papo.