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On to Fortaleza, Brazil
By Ashley Hornsby | November 22, 2008
As soon as I landed in Quito from the Galapagos, I made my way straight to the travel agents. I was really upset to finally leave the Galapagos behind, even after extending my trip for a week. What made things worse was coming back to the dangerous and polluted city of Quito. So I managed to book a flight to Fortaleza for the following evening. I had made contact with some Brazilian friends (Rocio and Raul) of friends from home. They welcomed me to stay with them, and they were kind enough to collect me from the airport and let me stay and show me the city and to go out with their friends.
On the first afternoon however, Rocio, the Brazilian friend, had booked us into one of their 5 salons that the couple run in the city. I was booked in for a hir cut and condition, whilst getting a manicure at the same time! Everything was so efficient and so busy! Then we went to the beach for dinner with some of their friends. hen I asked whether I´d need a jumper, Rocio laughed, as at night time it doesn´t really drop delow 24 degrees, so you can imagine how hot the days get! This was to be my first experience eating fresh crab. Armed with a mini-mallet and chopping board we got to work, playing with our food and making a mess of everything.
It was blamed on myself when there was a freak rain shower as we all rushed under the mini-covering of the restaurant. It stopped almost immediately, but rarely happens. I also experienced the delights of locally made truffle chocolates. These things are twice the size of anything you´d find in Thorntons, and twice as nice, inside is made with condensed milk, and coated in chocolate sprinkles, coconut, and filled with cashews, strawberries and even grapes!
The next day I took myself to the beach where I went into the inviting waters of the Atlantic for the first time this trip. Nothing like Newquay though, these waters are warm! I also booked in for a massage on the beach, all this travelling ´light´takes it´s toll. Then when I got back, I went on a small shopping excursion for a bikini and sandals, to fit in with the locals, my bikini´s from the UK would not suffice, although I wasn´t daring enough to go for the thong option. In the evening, I wore my new sandals to a very popular bar amongst locals. They have live music in most venues, and this was no exception. Even after this, we went for some food in the early hours, and had some of the fish soup which was a speciality of the restaurant. So from a non-fish eater when I left the UK, The Galapagos fish has now turned me into trying almost everything.
We had a deserved lie in the following morning, and went to a friends birthday party in the afternoon. This turned into a 10 hour drinking and eating session. I didn´t feel brave enough to eat the oysters, but did try sting ray and a local bean dish with sausages and bacon which was amazing. The party hostess had hired waiters, furniture and a keg from the bar the previous night and was held in the open verandha of their apartment block. At some point in the night some neighbouring children came out of the woodwork, including a very camp 8 year old boy who knew every lyric to ´Dancing Queen´by ABBA, and provided great amusement when he made an audience out of us as he devised choreography for him and his 6 strong hareem!
Another lie in, followed by seafood at the beach in the afternoon. This time it was fried fish (whole) and chips, a bit more presentable then your average fish and chips from Blighty. There was also a national surfing competition going on which was relly impressive considering how powerful the waves and current is at Fortaleza.
So today I took myself to the beach again, then a taxi to Mercado Central, a shopping mall of local crafts, although 4 floors, the crafts were a bit repetitive and my lack of Portugese seemed quite rude. Tomorrow I will be booking onto a 20 hour bus journey to Salvador, where I am fascinated to see the local drumming bands that rehearse in the city.
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