Natal and Fortaleza

 

Natal

In only four hours (a joke!) We reached Natal a charming tourist town halfway between Recife and Fortaleza. As usual, after it fell out of, we immediately gathered all the information about the ticket for the next destination after it was high time to find accommodation. The office of information desolatamente was empty and we have arranged in the scrape all advertising flyers on posada and hotels that lay unattended in the counter. Go outside the station, the usual row of taxi drivers attacked us and after a quick consultation we decided that the best solution, at least on paper, was to settle in the tourist area of the city or Ponta Negra. Fifteen minutes on board the taxi and you arrive at your destination, lodging, however, has proved more difficult than expected: The options available to us there were of course but the problem was always the same ... money. To reach the posada we leave the main road and descend along the steep side that came to the sea. Our driver took us to stroll among the steep streets to see the prices of various housing: as we approached the center and the prices went up so we decided to settle in a hotel rather decentralized, but very nice with a price much reasonable. Stowed our stuff and look at the data, which also had a pool, we were directed to the waterfront to see the beach and then head walking toward the center. Indeed our hotel was quite out of hand and it took about twenty minutes to reach it. Rather than a true it was a stretch of waterfront where they were concentrated most of the restaurants, shops and nightlife, do not expect anything great, everything runs out over two hundred meters. Time to realize what we expected and we were already on the way back focusing only few minutes in a kiosk on the seafront in a well-deserved fruit milk shake. Arrived at home, just the time for a shower and we were already on the road to return to the center and have dinner. Walking through the restaurant and read the price list, we realized that most of them could not do the job: we have entered the one that seemed to be within reach of our pockets. Overall, the dinner was decent and the price has kept the promises of the list. Left the restaurant, not yet tired of walking, we have come a couple of times the area of making the center, however, that the day was a bit sluggish and the streets almost empty, there was no trace that the now known that two kilometers separated us from our bed.

We pointed the alarm to take advantage of the breakfast in the price that would have expired at ten. The sun was high in the sky but they were only nine in the morning and the alternatives available to us then were not many options: we could only take our towels and head towards the immense beach messaci provided by mother nature. The beach was very nice, but not overly crowded bar by a steady wind which at times became really annoying raising sand dunes. Instead of Recife, there were no huge skyscrapers ready to darken the beach in the early afternoon, but this time accomplice sky is almost always a cloud, we are not equally able to satisfy our desire for sun. We survived on the beach for a few hours of drinking coconut water frost later in the refuge of the hotel swimming pool to protect from the wind and sand. In the evening the usual shower and then back up already in the center for a road that every day seemed to take longer. Complice perhaps sand and sea were very hungry and the menu the night before would not be sufficient to meet our needs. We have to convince a man on the road promoting his restaurant offered a "rodizio de Camarao" or shrimp at will, more precisely eighteen types of courses based on all shrimp. As we already explained about the Churrascaria in this case you could eat up to burst: entered the restaurant gave us a flag to be displayed above the table with the faces of two colors, green and red. Green wallpaper, red stop! Until the flag is green expounded the waiters continued to pass through the table and fill the plates of different dishes, the only way to stop them was turn the flag and show the color red was a tough battle but in the end we are left head-first and exposing the red in the final few hours have passed. Abandoned the battle field was a must for a walk in town: it is to digest, is to see if the night life had already taken off. Indeed although it was a Monday evening, the movement is not lacking, the insignia of the night was lit, the DJ did his job and then be taken dall'abbuffata we have the usual advantage for caipirinha. Time flies when you enjoy, it was almost morning and we had to retrace the interminable distance that separated us from our hotel so, on foot, we have withdrawn into our bed.

The next morning the alarm has not played after the glories of the previous evening there was no place even for a cup of coffee. We are located directly in the pool, as the wind and sand made it difficult to stay on the beach. E ', was another day of clouds, clouds and sun just spent almost exclusively in the hotel pool, and we returned to the room in the late afternoon for a welcome shower and a more healthy rest: we were imbued with a 'unusual fatigue, which increased even more at the thought that in the evening we had to retrace the entire waterfront to reach the center of the restaurant. In all these months, we learned one thing: when you're tired of the usual drive along the road it's time to leave!
Thus it was, the time was ripe to leave Natal and the next day paid our debt, we proceed directly to the bus station to embark on our next destination: Fortaleza.

Fortaleza

With yet another night bus, we reached our final goal in Brazil: Fortaleza Well it was the point of arrival of the battleship back to Parallel Zero. Had recovered much of the coast strictly aboard an undetermined number of buses, park and unload your luggage in the station of Fortaleza meant only one thing: stop!
The classic information office also did not want this time to help a fugitive, and after breakfast we sat, confident that in time someone is brave would be presented under the "I" for information. All in vain, taking account of the fact that no one would ever come, we hired a taxi driver who usually led us to search for a posada. Our guide did not seem exactly a dragon because it was limited to only two Posada: definitely a little bit to make a choice. Once in the center we have dismissed the driver and placed our backpacks, we directed further down towards the beach where stood many hotels and in men who do not say we found a cheap and strategic. Recovered backpacks we reached the hotel on foot and carried the usual practice of entry, we took possession of our room. Were destroyed as usual but this time in particular had not closed eye perhaps aware that this would be our last trip. Pull the curtains to protect from light, we have granted a sacrosanct rest completed only a few hours later, our awakening was already darkness falling on the city of Fortaleza and there remained nothing but make us a shower and go out to dinner. The seafront is not far from our hotel and we started to walk hastily in search of a place where you can appease our hunger. The choice, dictated by the price, fell to a kiosk on the beach at the end was not even too much loss. As usual, we were far from the living area of the city and around the waterfront at midnight in front of the hotel was practically desert. Asked a taxi driver we know that to find a bit of nightlife should head to a neighborhood to the north at about twenty minutes walk. We were not quite able to deal with a walk of twenty minutes and we did not want to spend the money for a taxi: the solution was forced to return to bed in the company of the "magic box" in the hope that convey some interesting films.

Even here, the hotel provided a succulent breakfast in the price, which is why we have an alarm clock to half past nine in the morning to head towards the restaurant. Released a full belly, we were curious to know the beach to see if it was finally here at least can take a bit of sun, but it certainly was to wind it a little arrogant to say, and moreover, just as in Recife, the coast was dotted with skyscrapers that at some point would have obscured the beach. Going back a little dejected at our hotel we took two talk with the reception and found that there was a swimming pool situated on the top floor: thank goodness! Taken the elevator, we proceed directly to view the battlefield but opened the door we were facing not just a swimming pool but a puddle of water with a diameter of no more than two meters. Did not exist, however, other alternatives but all in all, except the pool, the place was very nice: paved in wood with comfortable deck chairs where you can catch the sun, sheltered from the wind and with a wonderful view over the city of Fortaleza ...; we could not complain! Recovered costumes and towels we have finally managed to catch a little sun and not make mistakes we passed the rest of the day lying down at the floor of our hotel: sciccoso! In the late afternoon, fired a bullet, we are down in our room for a cold shower and sip a refreshing drink in our relaxing bed. In the evening the usual baracchetta we waited for dinner and we do not we have certainly pulled back after a walk in the street markets of the promenade, we decided to start exploring the area we had talked about the taxi driver the night before: the area alive, where he concentrated nightlife. Armed with good patience, we began a long trek that within mezz'oretta led us to the place in question. It was a pedestrian street full of expensive restaurants and nightclubs crowded with people. Few minutes are enough to understand that we were in a sort of brothel in the open air where it was impossible to even walk without being blocked by the usual "woman" that urges us on their premises, and perhaps most dangerous, however, was the crowd of teenagers under the guise of a little financial assistance were ready to steal the pants. We were in this little place and then head toward the Sea Dragon do another "entertainment center" nearby. Even here there was a lot of people but the atmosphere was decidedly different: we stopped for a drink in economic baracchette along the road and listen to some music rincasando only in the morning.

Aroused by the usual alarm was time to have breakfast and go back in the pool for sunbathing: Fortaleza as it was our last destination of Italy had first decided to tan as much as possible. This was our last night in Brazil and we decided to give a dinner to celebrate Luculliana our departure: what better way to do this if not a Churrascaria where picanha savor a succulent? That done, washed and sbarbati we were ready for the big event and on board a taxi, we reached the Spettus, a restaurant consigliatoci by more people. The place was definitely up to our expectations: well too! As you enter we realized that the room was really sciccosissimo and that we would not do certainly fared with little money, but it was still a farewell dinner and we did not want to spare no expense. Seated at the table we were greeted by a sommelier who brought us the wine list and offered a drink. To fill the belly appetizer, although it had a very low alcohol content, we had already rollover and prey to a cheerful euphoria we kicked off the dance: the corner to our right was devoted to appetizers and side dishes that could only have constitute an abundant dinner, to our left stretched the long table of desserts that the view alone was capable of attacking diabetes ... would be a tough battle! Given the way the waiters began the long procession of meat, all cooked on the grill strictly through long swords as they came in and browned. In addition to the classic chicken and sausage Churrascaria provided the twenty types of meat that could otherwise be ordered by choosing unlimited pure type of cooking: crazy! The waiters continued to exit the kitchen with these long swords full of steaming meat and building at our table we led into temptation. After an exhausting match, with knife and fork, we were really full, the stomach seemed to burst so we had to loosen the belt, the stomach was dilated all'inverosimile and start to have cramps after having swallowed the last Fatigue mouthfuls we had raise white flag. Boccheggianti but never tired, always ligi in our duty we have been able even to swallow some of the hundreds of cakes offered in the bar. After a digester that has possibly saved my life we have requested that certainly was a great blow to our pockets, but compared to everything that we had eaten decisamente content: dying! It was unthinkable to go to bed in those conditions so we have to turn a taxi and we accompany the facts in the place of the previous evening to make four steps and listen to some music. Returning home was not easy to reconcile, and we had to sleep in our bed roll for quite some time before falling into the arms of Morfeo.

The next morning the alarm has not played since we were understandably uninterested at breakfast, wake up in the late morning we returned to the pool and we spent the last day in the sun. During the day we were unable to swallow anything and only later in the evening we have drank a fruit milk shake and then head back to our bed.

The next day the alarm is sounded more menacing than ever to notify us that our adventure had come to an end, a year had passed and it was time to return to Venice, in quell'aeroporto where everything started. With the breakfast we had backpacks and after a last glimpse of the city of Fortaleza in the late afternoon we took a taxi that has led up to the international. We waited until the plane in absolute silence while heads rolled in our images of a past year on a horse in the world. Winds and zero to five of a sad four in October, the Association Return to Zero Parallel greeted everyone and if it went, back at home! The return included a long stopover in Lisbon, we wanted to have the opportunity to visit one more city.