Fortaleza, Brazil

We docked in Fortaleza on Wednesday morning at about 6 AM (not that it made a difference to us who sleep in).  Fortaleza is the capital of the state of Cerará and with a population of over two million, is the fifth largest city in Brazil.  It is located above the hump of Brazil that is the easternmost point of the country. 

It was founded by the Dutch in 1654 who built a fortress called Shoonenbroch at the present location of the city.  The city that surrounded the fort became Fortaleza.  Ultimately the fortress was seized by the Portuguese at the beginning of their colonization of the area now known as Brazil.

Brazil is the largest country in South America, and is actually larger than the 48 contiguous United States.  The country has population of almost 200 million and has a rapidly growing economy, probably the strongest in South America.  That growth is very evident in Fortaleza with lots of high-rise buildings and new construction.  There is also evidence that poverty abounds, with areas of ramshackle buildings and what appear to be homeless people sleeping in the parks and on the streets, although we were told that the unemployment rate is around 3%.

The dock where we berthed was a busy commercial port with lots of containers being loaded and unloaded.  Stacked on the dock were dozens of large wind turbine blades and hubs; they either manufacture and ship from Fortaleza, or somewhere in the area is a large wind farm being established.  Anyway, the large blades and hubs were impressive to us.

It was necessary to take shuttle buses from the ship into town, since it was a 3-4 mile hike in hot, humid weather. Of course when we got off the ship there was a long line of passengers waiting for the shuttles.  We saw many beautiful beaches on the way to the city; they were practically deserted at 10 in the morning.  We were told that the beaches come alive at about 4 PM, after the worst heat of the day is over.  Amazingly, the shuttle bus ride terminated at a five-story central market.  The market, all indoors, was filled with small shops selling all kinds of clothing, leather goods, lace, liquor, souvenirs and other stuff.  It was obviously not focused on tourists, because at least three quarters of the shoppers were local.  There were also numerous cafes and snack shops serving cold drinks and food.

Across from the market is the Fortaleza Cathedral, a fairly new, large cathedral in a neo-Gothic style with superb stained glass windows.  We took time to visit the cathedral before returning to the market.  After exploring two floors of the market and finding an ATM to get local money (Reals – worth about $.50 each), we settled into a café and shared a couple of beers with John and Judy.  After finishing the beer and doing a little more shopping, we got back on a shuttle bus to return to the ship.  As most of you know, we drive a 36-foot motorhome around the U.S. very comfortably.  The bus drivers in Fortaleza maneuver much larger 45-foot buses through heavy traffic, narrow lanes and tight turns with seemingly no effort at all.  We truly admire their skill.

 

Back at the ship we found the same lines waiting to re-board .  The lines moved quickly though, and soon we were back in the air-conditioned comfort of our floating hotel.  We had a bite to eat, and then retreated to the shade of our stateroom balcony.  There was a breeze blowing so it was a very comfortable place to sit and read until leaving Fortaleza mid-afternoon.

We have another day at sea before docking in Salvador, Brazil on Friday.