Saw on the news there is crazy flooding in Sao Paulo. Some guy was using a coffee can to scoop water out of his car window. There has been 35 days of non-stop rain in Sao Paulo. Good thing I am in Ceara! I arrived yesterday, took a walk along the main street on the beach and sipped a coconut while watching the waves. Life is good.
Fortaleza reminds me of Fort Lauderdale. There is a main beach tourist strip with beach on one side and high rise hotels on the other. I am staying at the Diogo Hotel which is one block off the beach strip but very nice. In my first afternoon there I tentatively try out my Portuguese with a
friendly guy working at the front desk and am slightly successful.
Day 2: I walked further down the beach and the highlight was I ran into the fishmarket here. There were mostly shrimps (camaroes) of different sizes and colors, there were mariscoes (mollusks), and calamari. There were also lots of red snapper (prango? I think…), some mackerels, tilapia, and a very large part of a fish that is debateably either shark or ray. Ooh and there were also triggerfish and grunts. The fishmarket stalls are right on the beach in front of the fishing boats (also on the beach). In the back of each stall fishermen were processing and filleting freshly caught fish. As you can imagine this was a highlight for me today. Next to the fishmarket were some guys in tents offering to cook any fish that you could buy at the market. So I bought about a 1/5 lb of camaroes (shrimp) took it next door and enjoyed a delicious garlic prawn meal beachside! Very cool. I felt like a local as I tried to ask questions
about where the fish came from and what type of fish they were.
Also in speaking with someone from tourist information, they happened to know the name of a PADI scuba instructor working in town and gave me his contact information. Apparently the dive shop closed in Fortaleza and it’s just this guy that runs the one dive boat in town. I’m hoping to be able to get in touch and find out more information about diving in Ceara. Also sorted out some more plans for Joao Pessoa today, staying at a place called Pousada da Luz for a while. Looks nice, quiet, right on the water. I ate at the restaurant at the hotel tonight, I was exhausted, but had a nice chicken dinner with passionfruit sauce, mangoes and rice. The wine however, is absolutely horrendous. My advice: Do not drink any white wine if you come to Brazil. I’m holding out that the red might be better but I’m not sure yet.
Day 3: I traveled today up to Cumbuco, a small little coastal town about 30 km up the coast from Fortaleza. The front desk clerk at the hotel in Fortaleza advised me not to take a taxi because it was too expensive, and I was a little daunted by using the bus, so I settled for the middle of the road price wise and took a private vehicle up there, which turned out to be a tour bus. And there was some confusion as to whether I was taking the tour, or just catching a ride. Needless to say, I did see part of the tour for a while before I realized what was going on. I’m staying at the Cumbuco Guesthouse, run by Mario, a German guy that’s been here for almost 6 years. The Guesthouse is nice and clean, with a hammock outside and one block away from the beach. One interesting house rule here is, and I quote from the Welcome Packet, “It is forbidden to bring ‘Brazilian Ladies’ anytime inside the Guesthouse.” So all you rico suaves that may be coming to visit me, aghem Thomas, watch out for Brazilian Lady Friends. Anyway back to Cumbuco…..the town is about 4 blocks long and six blocks wide with dirt streets. It has a great laid back feel. Cumbuco is a big kiteboarding town, it’s where the world championships were held last year, and I am about to go on my first kiteboarding lesson, in about 2 hours! I’m a little nervous, especially as it’s going to be taught in Portuguese. But the wind is blowing, the sun is out, and it’s about 80 degrees, so I’m off to hit the beach before my lesson! Hopefully will check back in with some crazy stories about learning to kite!
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