Feb 27, 2013 - Fortaleza, Brazil

We had a partial day in Fortaleza. That is, we got in around 9:00 and left about 4:00 – just enough time for a short sightseeing trip around the city. Fortaleza is a city of about 3 million. It is also a city where you do not want to be on your own. We took a bus tour of some of the highlights: the obligatory cathedral; a craft and food market; the beaches. No matter where you turn, you see evidence more strongly here than anywhere else so far of Brazil’s duality: great wealth concentrated in the few and great poverty un-concentrated almost...

Oct 8, 2012 - Jericoacoara

Notre prochaine étape : Jericoacoara, paradis des hippies et des kite surfeurs. Pour atteindre le village, il faut prendre un véhicule 4x4 qui peut rouler dans le sable comme à Cabo Polonio en Uruguay. Nous avons trouvé ici un camping sympathique avec des travailleurs brésiliens et des hippies qui vendent des bracelets, nous y sommes donc restés plusieurs jours. En plus, le terrain était rempli de cajueiros et des cajus tombaient sur la tente. Après avoir vu le plus grand cajueiro du monde, nous avions ici des cajus à profusion. Le village...

Nov 26, 2011 - Jericoacoara

Hiya, From Belem I caught the bus to Forteleza where I met a Swiss girl - Angela - and on Wednesday we both headed up to Jericoacoara, a little travellers paradise in far corner of Brazil accessible only by jeep. Jeri itself is tiny, with just a few streets which are just sand, lots of shops, restaurants and pousadas (places to sleep). Jeri is a very popular wind and kite surfing spot however it is also a nice place to stay still for a few days and enjoy the sea. Most of the last few days have been spent doing just that, sitting on the...

Jan 16, 2011 - Fortaleza

Sunday, January 16, 2011 Our tour of Fortaleza began at the boardwalk along the seashore, which was right outside our hotel. Megan is our guide and told us the history of the city that began with the story of a Portuguese nobleman falling in love with an Indian maiden. There were a number of statues along the way portraying events in their lives. The beach is well used by people engaged in sports, exercise groups, a handicraft market, a fishing village and just pure enjoyment. The biggest event is New Year’s Eve when up to one million...

Jan 21, 2010 - Fortaleza, Brasil

Fortaleza, basically just a stop on the way down the coast to break up the bus trip. We found a decent hostel with air conditioning and had a surprisngly good Italian supper. The next day we wandered around but since it was Sunday, there wasn´t much open. We bought a giant watermelon to quench our thirsts. Watermelon is so much better in South America. They still have the black seeds and are much tastier. I was more excited about going to Natal, our next stop. They have day long dune buggy tours there. Apparently you can drive the entire...

Nov 12, 2009 - Mehr Strand - More beach

Von einem Strand zum naechsten ging es also von Jeri nach Canoa Quebrada, gluecklicherweise die Wahlheimat eines Haslacher Bekannten der dort mit seiner brasilianischen Frau und ihrem kleinen Sohn lebt. Netterweise durften wir, wie noch ein paar andere Haslacher bei ihm wohnen und er hat uns ein bisschen die Gegend gezeigt. In den zwei Tagen die wir in Canoa verbracht haben, lagen wir abwechselnd am Strand und am Pool, waren Abends auf einer Reaggeparty am Strand und sind erst nach Sonnenaufgang wieder nach Hause und haben einen haben Tag...

Nov 12, 2009 - Am strand - at the beach

Nach einem Tag wunderschoener Reise, wieder mit offenem Jeep, durch Sandduenen und ueber die "Strandautobahn", kamen wir Abends in Jericoacoara an, einem Surferparadis uns Strandstaedchen zwischen Sao Luis und Fortaleza. Untergekommen sind wir in einer suessen kleinen Pousada und die naechsten Tage haben wir damit verbracht intensiv an unserer Braeune zu arbeiten und das lokale Caipirinhaangebot auszutesten. Ausserdem haben wir ein paar nette schweizer Windsurferinnen und Windsurfer kennengelernt mit denen wir unsere Tage verbracht haben.

Feb 8, 2009 - Fortaleza, Brazil

Feb 8 DAY 9 FORTALEZA Today we started our day with a shuttle to H. Stern jewelry store. It was a little too upscale. A pair of drop crystal and 18 K gold earrings were priced at $900 US. Then six of us piled into a cab for a $7 US fare to the public market. Pretty normal stuff – shirts, embroidery, table cloths and very nice shoes. We found that ATMs only function from 10 am to 6 pm. Not sure why that is. Then we took in the Cathedral, the third largest in Brazil. We walked the area then headed for the fort which took us through a very...

Feb 8, 2009 - Fortaleza

...jetzt sind wir in Fortaleza, unser Hotel ist direkt am Strand, die Fotos dazu folgen morgen;-) gestern waren wir am Strand mit Freunden und dann ging es an den Flughafen von Rio nach Brasilia und dann nach Fortaleza, sind dann um 1h im Hotel gewesen (wir sind 4 std zurueck)... Jetzt stehen Sascha und Claudia hinter mir und sagen, wir muessen an den Strand.... muss also gehen;-) weitere Infos folgen

Dec 5, 2008 - Fortaleza, Brazil

Before I tell you about Fortaleza, Brazil, I have to report that we’ve now run the table on each couple having at least one mishap on this trip! First, I did the torn ligament thing in Athens. Then Richard did the roll out of the elevator thing on the ship. And, on the morning of our Fortaleza excursion, Dianna decided to make it a clean sweep and land on her noggin just as we were getting ready to get off the ship. She’s fine! Don’t panic. But now we figure everyone’s safe from further mishap because each couple has had one incident. What...

Dec 5, 2008 - Fortaleza, Brazil

Fortaleza, Brazil December 5, 2008 For the last 3 days we have been sailing across the Atlantic Ocean. We had calm seas and very warm weather. A lot of time was spent by the pool and just relaxing. Yesterday we crossed the Equator and they had a big ceremony for the “slimy pollywogs” who have never done that before. Neptune and his court did the honors and they are all now “trusty shellbacks”. It was great fun. We docked in Fortaleza Brazil at 5:30 this morning. The sun came up before 5:00 so we were all up and watching; it is very...

Nov 29, 2008 - Off To The Northern Brasilian Mts.

In the USA Lina and I spent our anniversaries in Solvang CA. This year being in Brasil we chose the MTS in Ubajara. Ubajara is 200 miles north of Teresina--a 4 hour bus trip. Some how or other, not being students of public transportation, we took a bus that made the trip in 8 hours. It stopped at every settlement along the way and picked up passangers waiting along the roadside. The route is not heavily populated and the scenery is much the same for most of the way (thick brush and some palms). There is an occasional clearing-perhaps a...