The cities name, which mean fortress, is the only visible
legacy in modern Fortaleza of its rich and diverse past spanning over 400
years. The Portuguese and Dutch fought numerous wars for dominance in the
region and built much of the original infrastructure that allowed traders and
settlers to prosper. Forts were built for protection, lighthouses were erected
to help guide ships away from the dangerous coasts, and cities like Fortaleza
were built for easy access to the wealth of natural resources that lay hidden
within the continent. It was from Fortaleza that the move for independence from
Portugal had its beginnings and actual fighting took place between the
Portuguese and local patriots. Today, it is the fifth most populated city in
the country with 2.5 million inhabitants. Stretching along the picturesque
coast, Fortaleza is the capital of the state of Ceara, and one of the key
commercial centers of Brazil’s northeast regions. It has enjoyed a recent boom
in tourism because of its 21 miles of sunny beaches, the friendly and
hospitable locals, its great cuisine and vibrant nightlife.
We almost did not go ashore in this port, as it is a large
city and is not safe to just walk around, and it was raining early. However, we
did go ashore. Here you take a shuttle to the port entrance and then a shuttle
to the market. We did just that. The market was also in an old prison, but was
not as nice as the last port. As an aside, in the last port 6 passengers and
one crew were mugged. Two of our friends were mugged at knife point. So, we
were very careful of what we were doing.
Here are some picture along the way and the port.
Here are some pictures of the market.
Sorry I do not have any more, but the next port is Belem,
which is at the mouth of the Amazon.
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