Fortaleza and beyond...

Arriving into Fortaleza it was straight into the heat of just over 30º celsius. Located just below the equatorial line this was not entirely surprising. The perfect chance to unpack my shorts and walk along the city beaches. Whilst Fortaleza has a few scenic stretches of sand the real gems are located further along the coastline.

The following day after a 2½ hour drive along the coast I stopped for lunch at Canoa Quebrada. A huge plate of lobster, shrimp and fish arrived and with the ice cold beers to wash it down with. My only concern was having to move the lunch table back up the beach as the turquoise coloured ocean slow began to lap over my feet!

Canoa Quebrada is a very low-key beach town with rustic pousadas (guest houses), stunning red sandstone cliffs and one stunning beach after another. When not otherwise occupied by a plate of delicious seafood, or the approaching tide, boat trips on jangadas (traditional wooden fishing boats) can be a relaxing way to spend a couple of hours. A more adventurous way to explore the coastline is to take a buggy ride and drive from one lovely beach to the next. Some of the sand dunes are so high that zip lines have been set up so you can race down them and drop into pools below. Watching a sunset from the cliffs with the ocean on one side and the pink sand dunes on the other is a memorable experience.

Brazil has over 7000 kilometres of coastline and I have lost count the number of times I have discovered the nicest beach in the whole country. The north east has some of the best and many areas are blessed by over 300 sunny days a year. Apart from beaches the inland areas have national parks with exceptional walking, gushing waterfalls and memorable canyons. In Bahia state the Chapada Diamantina deserves a week alone to take in all the sights. The sleepy, colonial city of Lencois is the most accessible starting point for treks into the national park.

A country the size of Brazil offers so much it is quite possible to make several different journeys. Many first time visitors to the country take in Rio de Janeiro, the Iguassu waterfalls and the Amazon. As Brazil is almost the size of Europe or the U.S.A then it is a good idea to concentrate on a smaller area. A mixture of beach, colonial cities and scenic walking areas can make for a most memorable of trips and the north east is the perfect place to do all of these without taking too many flights.

For a dinner recommendation I suggest “camarulu”, shrimp in sugarcane syrup with a passion fruit sauce! Simply delicious!

 

 

 

15th May 2009