How to travel back in time: Olinda

As part of our UNESCO world heritage series, today we are stopping over in Olinda! Hello, Brasilia!

Where in the world?

Olinda is in the state of Pernambuco in the northeastern tip of Brazil. It is 3 hours by plane from Sao Paolo. It's far away from the Amazon, so don't get any ideas.

How to get there?

Click your heels three times and think of it. Poof. You wish. Truth is, getting to Brazil takes forevah! Forever and a day even. From Manila, take a flight to Sao Paolo via any of the major hubs in the Middle East. Say, Manila to Doha via Qatar Airways takes about 9 hours. Manila to Dubai via Emirates, or to Abu Dhabi via Etihad, takes about the same time. Your long-haul starts after that. The Middle East-Sao Paolo leg of the trip veers south towards Africa before crossing the Atlantic. This takes 14 hours. By that time, you've already watched all the movies you want to watch, you're pulling your hair out, trying your best to do yoga in your seat...

From Sao Paolo, you take a domestic flight to Recife for about 3 hours. And then from there, Olinda is a half hour drive. This is when you no longer know what's up and what's down or what day it is, when you're ready to crawl to bed and sleep for the next three days.

Important to note before embarking on this journey: your visa. For once, Filipinos are exempted from obtaining a visa! US citizens, however, need to get one prior to entry.

You're there. Now what?

For god' s sakes, go get a drink. You're in Brazil! Find yourself a caipirinha to start, and then move on to the strong stuff: cachaça. Made from sugarcane juice, this one is so underrated. Until you find you can't see straight anymore, that is. And you're so ready to pass out because oh, that jetlag!

Now that you're properly intoxicated, you'll find Olinda to be a very quaint colonial settlement. #colonialism

Strike up a conversation with a local, with a fellow traveler, with anyone. Connect. Colonialism, after all, is a previous incarnation of globalization. So yes, it'll be easy to find a connection, especially with cachaça in front of you.

With or without it, you will find ways to connect, whether it's with other people or with the place you're at. Connections enable the collapse of the time-space continuum. So what are you waiting for? Go on. Walk Olinda's colorful streets. Go up the hill. Walk inside the church. Find what you're looking for. Find yourself.

Time to leave?

Maybe. But go back during during Carnival. That must be something. Go. Let go. Let your hair down. Dance to the beat of Brazil.

#travel #brazil #olinda