Another reason for getting a visa extension is that we knew our favourite guitarist Yngwie (pronounced 'Ingvay') Malmsteen was touring South America, with shows in Brazil coming up. Not a concert as such but a guitar show/ask questions/clinic type of thing.
Recife was the nearest venue so we set about trying to get tickets, arrange transport and book a hotel. Getting the tickets for the show wasn't easy. We could only buy them online, however we required a Brazilian ID/tax number to be allowed to purchase one. After a bit of research, we found out that we could apply for a number at the local Post Office, pay 7 Reals and then get the bus into Joao Pessoas' tax office to get the card proper and then go to the Xerox shop to get it laminated....simples!
The other questions on the online form that we didn't have an answer to, I put in my passport number and hoped for the best. I had to put the Marinas address as it wouldn't accept an overseas address...could be a problem trying to pay with a visa registered to a UK address. Yes it didn't work. Tried another card, no....tried again with the original card...bingo, got the tickets...yippee! Netto the marina manager printed them off. Thanks!
Next up transport. A bus ones every hour from Joao Pessoa Interstate Bus Station and takes 2 hours. We decided to make this an extended break so we found a nice hotel on Lastminute.com and booked for 4 nights. When we were looking for hotels on the internet we found quite a few that were 'No Smoking'. On further investigation it appears that Recife has signed up with the World Health Organisation to basically ban smoking as much as possible...admiral...but not very good when you just want to visit and smoke like a chimney. I also found out that Brazil like Europe, smoking is banned in public places...ok...but walking along the pavement! Yes, banned there too. Thankfully not enforced.
So it was a relief to find the Best Western Mariba Hotel at Pina Beach, Recife that offered smoking rooms...room booked!
I must tell you about the bus ride there. To buy the tickets, we had to show our passports...ok. Pay a little extra because they were running the 'Executive' coach at the time we wanted to depart. Whilst waiting for the bus I thought I better visit the toilet and force myself to pee. When I stood at the urinal a young man a few feet away kept looking round and staring....I couldn't go! No problem I'll go back in 10 minutes. On my return there is the same guy stood there pretending to pee and as I walk in through the door, stares me right in the face. Bloody rent boy! I pop into a stall and lock the door, peed in peace and made a swift exit.
To board the bus you have to go through a turnstile courtesy of a security guard using your barcoded ticket. Next, give your luggage to a guy who applies a sticker, loads into the luggage compartment and then puts the counterpart on your ticket. He then pulls up a wheeled lectern next to the bus' steps, we stand in line for our turn and he then checks our tickets and our passports. Then we board the bus....sorry 'Executive Coach'...very comfortable it is to! The driver (same guy) gives us a pre journey talk just like being on a plane. We couldn't understand a word but it looked a though he was informing us of the emergency exits and how to open the security door between us passengers and the driver/exit. What a palaver, but quite nice! Also at the station and at various stops, hawkers are allowed onboard to sell fruit, water and various snacks. We were fully prepared with packed lunches and drinks.
Recifes' Interstate Bus Station is incredibly far from the city. Rather than spend the whole day traveling, we took a taxi to our hotel. Yes we could smoke in our room (would rather have had a balcony) and there was coffee/tea making facilities we weren't expecting. Lovely room, lovely clean hotel.
The prices are more European in Recife and although we looked around 2 huge shopping centers, we didn't buy much. It made us appreciate the cheapness of our local stores.
One day we walked to the harbour to see the yacht clubs as we would have liked to arrive on Artemis. However being south from Jacare the current and wind would be against us. The harbor looked windswept and the waves were spraying over the harbour wall. Also the area we had walked through to get there, looked well dodgy so we took a taxi back to our hotel.
On the night of the guitar show we took a taxi to the Teatro do IMIP, a media Centre within the hospital. We knew we had found the right place by a queue of denim and black shirted Brazilians, some carrying guitars. Doors open at 4pm, show starts at 4:30pm. No chance....the flight carrying Yngwie Malmsteen had been delayed...we'd have to wait. We got chatting to some guys who spoke English to pass the time. One young man phoned his girlfriend whilst we were talking and we said hello. She burst into tears of happiness as it was one of her ambitions to speak English to an English person...wow! Anyway after waiting for 3 1/2 hours we were finally allowed into the auditorium. On the stage were 4 Fender Malmsteen guitars, his pedal board and quite a few of his Marshall signature heads and cabs. Everyone is taking photos! A bearded guy introduces the man himself and Malmsteen plays through an instrumental with a backing track. He talks a little, answers some questions, plays a number and this goes on for an all too brief 40 mins. Goodbye and he's off! Some of the questions were rediculous....
"Can I have a guitar pick?"
"Will you sign my guitar?"
"When are you releasing a new album?"......asked twice. He had just released the album 'World on Fire" the previous month.
Malmsteen himself was super cool throughout and looked a lot better than I expected. He made the guitar playing look effortless (of course). And the best reply to a question to a guy who said he played guitar like Malmsteen..."Oh great, I'm feeling a bit ill, you can do tomorrow nights show!" Excellent!!!
