Porto Belo, Brazil

Sunday the 19th of February.  We are at anchor here in Porto Belo, Brazil.  We got up early and did one hour in the pool.  Then breakfast in La Veranda.  As it is Sunday, caviar and champagne if you like.  Bob has the caviar but it is too early for the champagne.  We are taking a long tour today.

We have to tender to the dock and the ride is about 30 minutes.  We have to wait for over 30 minutes for the tender to get back to the ship.  So we are late in starting our tour.

Porto Belo, Brazil

The area right by the dock seemed nice.  But we are on a tour which involved a long bus ride to the town of Blumenau.  The bus ride was over one hour so to pass the time, I knit or try to do my needlepoint.  Needlepoint is difficult as the bus is bumpy.

Knitting away

Today's tour is Blumenau Heritage.  We head out of town toward Blumenau which is a German town.  It was founded in the 1850's by Dr. Otto Blumenau.  He was responsible in the settling of the German immigrants along the banks of the Itajai-Acu River.  Initially this area was intended to develop as a farming community, the arrival of craftsmen introduced textile production, metallurgy and crystal manufacturing into the economy.  We were to visit a Crystal Museum but being Sunday, closed.  And a glass blowing factory which was also closed.  We did stop at the Bavarian Biergarten which is the site of Blumenau's annual Oktoberfest.

We stopped to visit the home of Dr. Blumenau and it is much the same as when he lived there.  Most of the furniture came from Germany.  We then had lunch at a local hotel where we were fed a Germanlunch.  The food was pretty good but some said not real German.  Close enough for us.

After lunch Bob and I walked about the town.  Most everything was closed.  But we did walk up to the Catedral Sao Paulo Apostolo.  This church was inaugurated in 1958.  It is very modern.  The tower is 45 meters in height and the three electonic bells represent Jesus, Mary and Joseph.  The clock was from Germany and brought here in 1930.  In 2000, it gained the status of Cathedral. 

Bell Tower

Back to the dock, tendered to the ship and then decided to go swimming again.  This time using only our gloves as there are more people using the pool and we must share the space. 

Dressed for dinner in Compass Rose.  Not the best food tonight.  Back to the cabin to read and lights out.