worldaltem: Day 57, Sun. March 12 Fortaleza, Brazil 9-6:00

Day 57, Sun. March 12 Fortaleza, Brazil 9-6:00

Enjoy a coach-driven orientation tour of Fortaleza with a guided walk around its city center.

Visit the main square and adjacent Teatro José de Alencar and enjoy browsing the stalls of a handicrafts market flourishing within a former prison.

See a modern cathedral that looks ancient from a distance and an old fortress still in active military use.

Drive along the seafront and one of Fortaleza’s famous urban beaches lined with five-star resorts.

Enjoy a thorough introduction to colorful Fortaleza on this tour highlighting its landmarks, beaches, resorts and neighborhoods. Traveling from the pier by coach, you’ll see the Mucuripe Lighthouse at the head of a long strand of golden beaches and pass through a scenic residential neighborhood en route to tree-shaded Praça de Alencar, the city’s largest square. Setting out a guided walk from here, you’ll encounter sights like the Teatro José de Alencar, named for a local literary great; the Metropolitan Cathedral, looking grandly gothic but actually erected in the 1970s; and rose-pink Assunção Fortress, built by the Dutch in 1812 and still in use today. A definite highlight of your time in the city center will be your visit to the Centro de Turismo, a showplace of Ceará regional handicrafts. Within this converted 19th-century prison building, hundreds of stalls display everything from embroidered textiles to woodcarvings, basketware, clay figurines and renowned Fortaleza lacework. After some time to browse this impressive array, you’ll reboard the coach to take in more sights including the prominent English Bridge and a ride along the seafront past Iracema Beach and its string of resort hotel towers.

About one hour of walking. We were lucky it was Sunday as people are at the beach. On New Year’s Eve people wear white and party at the beach.

Known for its beaches and a typical tropical climate. It is both wet and dry. Pleasant winds blow from ocean. Average temperatures are consistent throughout the year. The rainy season extends from January to June. Vegetation is coastal. There are still mangrove forests at the mouth of the rivers. Several environmental conservation units make their home in Fortaleza. The city is an important industrial and commercial center of Brazil. Fortaleza is the second most desired destination. There are 25 km of urban beaches. Cultural aspects are varied. Authors, writers, theaters are active throughout the city. Architectural highlight is the neo-Gothic church. It took 40 years to construct, holds 5000 people and the towers are 75 meters high.

The temperature ranges from 75 to 87 on average and remains quite consistent throughout the year. There are seven environmental conservation units. Most people are Roman Catholic.

Farol du Mucuripe Mucuripe Lighthouse was built by slaves (1840-1846) and now holds a collection of artifacts.

Ponte dos Ingleses or the English Bridge extends into the sea near the old port.

Praca Jose de Alencar and Theatro Jose de Alencar- The city’s premier square is in the heart of the commercial district facing the theater which was built in 1910. It was named for the native 19th century poet and novelist, Jose de Alencar. The building has a cast iron frame which was imported from Scotland. The eclectic style is a mix of classical and art nouveau architecture.

The city is growing fast. There are houses and apartments for rent. There are few hospitals and other support options. The ocean is warm and there are no sharks. It is free to go to the beach and the umbrellas and chairs are also free. Big walls are around some neighborhoods for protection. I saw all kinds of housing. The rich people live in nice house on the dunes, the medium income live further back from the ocean and the poor people live in between. I saw all kinds of houses; dilapidated, beautiful and in between.

The guide said his heritage is Portuguese and indigenous. He pays $40 for private insurance and his company matches. Portuguese is not an easy language and our guide said it is spoken on five continents. The sun and the wind are sources of energy.

Tourism is a good source of income and provides jobs. Some tourist industries include restaurants, shopping, nightclubs, etc. Rich people come from the cities of Brazil.

Catedral Metropolitana de Fortaleza or Se Cathedral is a neo-Gothic church built over a 40 year period (1939-1978). It is known for its stained glass windows and European style