Strength

12/26/2023 Fortaleza

For the shore leave I teamed up with my fellow traveler Raj. Division of tasks: He ordered the private taxis, I paid the drivers because I have Brazilian money.

By the time the taxi arrived, other fellow travelers had joined us and the journey to the city center was tight but cheap.

Disappointment: the cathedral was closed. So we went to the lively “Mercado Central”, a large market hall.

Afterwards we went to an art museum, got refreshments at a modern supermarket, got tired of walking in the heat and got a ride to a beach.

The beach itself was wonderful, but hardly anyone wanted to swim there: the brownish color of the water raised doubts about its quality.

We discovered the paraplanes that were in use on the beach. I had been interested in these motorized parachutes for a long time.

After my three traveling companions went along, we were able to negotiate a good price. I was chosen as the guinea pig and was allowed to fly with me first. Despite the seemingly makeshift aircraft, I felt very comfortable during the ten-minute flight over the beach and sea.

I celebrated the soft landing by giving out a round of coconuts to drink. After the flights and some time under umbrellas, another private taxi took us back to the ship.