Fortaleza, Ceara - Brazil

Fortaleza, Ceara - Brazil slideshow

We considered bypassing Fortaleza and going to the airport directly from Prea, but I am glad we didn't. Fortaleza is a beautiful coastal city. Being there was a little like being in Rio de Janeiro 30 years ago when it was not as big and as crowded. The similarity comes from the beach front high rises and large side walks along miles and miles of beach. There were so much urban walking by waterfront that we even felt we were in Vancouver in some parts of the city.

I thought we would spend a few days relaxing in the city, waking up late, eating, going out for easy strolls for a couple of hours a day and taking it easy. But we kept our usual frantic pace every time we arrive at a place were we like. Fortaleza seems to have a lot going for it in terms of city: it is tropical but the sun is not overbearing as there is always a breeze. It is a large city of 2.4 million people but it is not overbearing or over crowded. By the end of our stay my feet was so sore I could not take another step. Good thing we were getting on a plane the next day to mom's house. All I could think was rest, relax and visit with friends and relatives while we rested from our travels.