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Fortaleza = Rio de Janeiro vs. Sao Paulo πŸ–πŸŒ

Ishicilelwe: 05.07.2016

Our first real day in Fortaleza and we started it by sleeping in. We went to breakfast around 9 and it was one of the best of the whole vacation. Goodbye bikini figure 2016. πŸ™ˆ Since a guided city tour in English was too expensive for us, we decided to explore on our own as the reception gave us information about the most important sights. Of course, we would have loved to spend the whole day at the beach, but the clouds ruined our plans. β›…

1. Station: EstΓ‘tua de Iracema

Please don't ask us about the historical background. It's simply a statue right on the beach that, according to the receptionist, has something to do with the liberation of slaves. They are currently renovating the sidewalk and bike path in front of our hotel, so we were only able to take a few pictures of the statue. We managed the first 3 minutes of our sightseeing walk.


2. Station: Jardim JaponΓͺs

Right on the beach, we found a Japanese garden that, although it had palm trees, was beautifully designed in the Japanese style. The Japanese are one of the largest immigrant groups in Brazil. Just like the Japanese quarter in SΓ£o Paulo, we also find Asians here. πŸ‘² Among all the high-rise buildings on the beach (mostly hotels), the whole scene seems somewhat unreal. πŸ˜ƒ

3. Station: We need money, off to the ATM

Yes, you can't get far in Brazil with a total of 5 Reais in your wallet (about 1.30 €). The only bank that doesn't charge us fees for withdrawals is Santander Bank (we haven't tried many others 😁). According to the super Google Maps offline map, the nearest one was 2 km away. But we found one earlier as we came across a shopping center. At that moment, the sun was shining so much with a relatively blue sky that we decided against the sightseeing tour and opted for a day at the beach. 🌞🌑 While looking for a beach towel (preferably with a Fortaleza motif), we spent some time at the center. When we came out again, the clouds had formed again. So we changed our minds again and decided to go for another walk. Strangely enough, we were right at Station 4. πŸ€— We didn't find a towel, though.

4. Station: Praça Portugal

Here, too, there was construction or renovation going on. Through a small peephole in the construction fence, we caught a glimpse. Again, we don't know what it means. But someday we can say: We were at the Portuguese square in Fortaleza. ✌


5. Station: Praça Luiza Tavora

After a slightly longer walk, we rested here. We had already walked about 6 km and we knew there would be a few more ahead. So we lit up a cigarette and cooled off a bit from the lawn sprinkler. We wouldn't necessarily walk that way in the dark, but the sun was shining on our faces again and don't worry - it was all very safe there. πŸ™‚



6. Station: Catedral Metropolitana

After what felt like hours, we finally reached the end of the route and had a view of a really beautiful cathedral. There were small fashion stores all around, and we were able to get some souvenirs for our loved ones. πŸ› Originally, the day was planned for a bit of culture and the obligatory vacation extras - and we already had almost everything we needed. One thing was missing: postcards. βœ‰ After a short inquiry, we were sent to Mercado Central - the central market. It turned out to be a huge shopping center for bags, shoes, tablecloths, souvenirs, and clothes. Here we finally found a beach towel that we can use at the beach tomorrow. β˜ΊπŸ– When we were disappointed after walking through, we found a stand with postcards at the very last booth in the basement. Apparently, this is still an untapped market here. πŸ˜›



7. Station: Ponte dos Ingleses

Finally, we had time to catch our breath and enjoy a wonderful view of the beach in Fortaleza. We had almost 13 km behind us now, and the sun was slowly setting. It was around 4 p.m. πŸ•“ We continued to enjoy the sun, although our skin was already pretty red. Just for our moms and dads, pretend you didn't hear that. We didn't put on sunscreen this morning and we might regret it a bit. 😳


8. Station: Praia da Ipanema

At Ipanema Beach, we came across a second statue, which apparently is related to the first one in some way. But well, it looked pretty nice and after gusts of wind at 50 km/h, we were slowly getting tired of it. We decided to stop at Subway on the way back to finally get something healthy in our stomachs - a salad! Said and done. On our way, we came across a palm tree that oddly resembled the flag of Germany. Apparently, Brazil has coped well with the 1:7 loss from the semifinals two years ago. πŸ˜‹ And now it wasn't far to the hotel anymore. After 18 km, we finished our trip and the sun was almost reaching its goal. πŸŒ‡



Lights out. We're thinking of you ❀


BINE & MARIE πŸ‘­

Phendula