Tom Gets Around

Location(s): Fortaleza, Brazil

Dates travelled: 13^th – 19^th October 2024

The Trip

For four years I practiced Brazilian Portuguese without ever necessarily having the intention of visiting Brazil. Countless hours were spent perfecting words and phrases on Duolingo, and then testing them in conversations with Brazilians on Tandem. As well as their native tongue, I learned about the Brazilian way, particularly how welcoming they are in nature. Still, a voyage to Brazil didn’t occur to me.
Social media played its part; credit goes to one of my favourite YouTubers, The Swedish Gringo, for planting the seed of visiting Latin America in my head. Yet, it wasn’t until Lisbon, where I had the privilege of meeting so many Brazilians, that I decided I needed to experience a country filled with such vibrant individuals. That, and a yearning to exercise the Portugese rizz I’d been honing.

Scouring the internet for travel inspiration, I happened upon the capital of the northeastern state of Ceará. Well-known for its phenomenal beaches and hot, tropical climate year-round, Fortaleza is popular with Latino tourists, and makes a cheap alternative to southern Brazil. The more I saw of Fortaleza, the more I was convinced I would fall in love with the place. Sleep was not an option the night before I flew out. Despite it being my fifth adventure of the year, I felt excitement like I was going on my first ever holiday. Because this was different. This was South America. (Queue Samba music)

Day One

The journey was in two legs: London to Lisbon, and Lisbon to Fortaleza. TAP Air Portugal really know how to treat a man: plenty of leg room, in-flight movies, and a free snack even during the short-haul leg. The plane food was good as well. Not like when you lift the lid on sloppy sausage and mash, and it’s unclear what’s sausage and what’s mash. Just take a reading book if you ever have a layover in Lisbon, because there is little to do in transit.
On the second leg, I was conversing with my neighbour in Portuguese for nearly half an hour before he revealed he was from Germany. We then switched to English, and he told me how he first went to Brazil in the nineties, where he met his wife. He was on his way back to see her.
I was bouncing with excitement when the plane landed. I was officially in Brazil; a gringo in Fortaleza! I’d pre-arranged a taxi to my hotel, yet even a few minutes in the humid evening air was enough to get me perspiring. I stayed at the Ecco Hotel in Meireles, a ‘bairro’ (neighbourhood) of Fortaleza. Dead convenient, maybe five minutes’ walk from the beach and the Beira Mar, a seaside promenade where one finds restaurants, shopping and Capoeira performances. Translated directly, Beira = edge and Mar = sea. Fortaleza’s Beira Mar is probably the most active part, and also one of the safest due to the sheer number of people.
I was all checked-in around 9pm, but elected to stay in for the evening. If you travel to a new country or continent, especially somewhere notorious for its crime rate, I would recommend waiting until daylight hours to wander around. New places appear far more sinister in the depths of night than the next morning when the sun is up.

Day Two

I was instantly exposed to the openness of Brazilians when I went to get a SIM card in the morning. I arrived at the tech shop before it opened, and the owner of a corner store across the street invited me to sit and have a drink whilst I waited. Everybody who entered his store wanted to hear my story and advise me on staying safe. When the tech shop opened, they told me they couldn’t sell me an international SIM without me having ‘um numero CPF’ (a CPF number).
Despite not being able to sell me one, the shop owner and other customers made sure to direct me to another shop that could potentially help. But SIM cards would have to go on the backburner. It was Monday, and leg day waits for no man.
I went to SmartFit, which the Brazilians pronounce ‘Smar-chee fih-chee’. Leg day is always a great way to start a week: whatever comes your way between now and Sunday, it likely won’t be worse than leg day, will it?
I nabbed a couple of protein yoghurts on the way back to my hotel. Showered, meditated, and then, through the hot, sweaty, day, I made my way to ‘Praia de Iracema’ (Iracema Beach). Fortaleza has a little Miami Esque and I posted a photo of the tall white beachfront apartments on my IG story, asking if I was in Florida or somewhere way better.

Vendors approached me on the beach, but they were respectful, not hecklers. I’d arranged a date with a girl at ‘Ponte dos Ingleses’ (English Point) that night, so went to scout it out. On my way back to the beach, I stopped in at a restaurant for a burger.
In restaurant menus anywhere else in the world, burgers often have their own little department, segregated from sandwiches. Brazil refuses to live under this false pretence; they call it like they see it. So, burgers are classed as sandwiches, and if you are offered a sandwich on the beach, safe to assume the vendor is talking about a burger.
The sandwich game at this restaurant was weak and I wished I’d opted for street food instead.
I set myself up in the shade on Praia de Iracema. A chair with a table and umbrella costs little, even in the more expensive cities like Rio (depending on the time of year). In Brazil, folk tend to sit on chairs rather than lay on sunbeds. I quite liked this more social alternative. People were chatting, playing music, playing ‘futevôlei’ (a mix of football and volleyball). Food was heavily involved too. Most tables either ordered feasts from the barracas, or brought picnics from home. It was a more like a party that everybody was invited to, not just a tanning spot. Of course, your boy got to mingling.
One thing I can vouch for is the beauty of Brazilians. Image in South America is of great importance, and Brasileiros take care of theirs. Everybody was tanned and toned, equipped with ‘protector solar’ and a radiant smile.
Praia de Iracema has gnarly waves as well, so I left my bag on the table (not advised) and had a blast getting tossed around in surprisingly warm seawater. Seriously though – I left my belongings unattended because I saw other people doing it, but don’t be like me. Brazil is not the place to gamble with your possessions. When I told other Brazilians they were baffled, and warned me to never do it again.

The Brasileira led me to a coxinha stand on the Beira Mar. Adding ‘inho’ or ‘inha’ to a word means it’s the smaller version. Coxa means ‘thigh’ in English, so coxinha is… and it’s combined with cheese, covered with dough and breadcrumbs, and deep-fried.
The inho/inha tradition works with names too; but only if you know the person well, or they’re younger than you. Normally it’s reserved for small kids, so when I was a wee pip, people in Brazil might have called me ‘Top Shaggerzinho’.

We ate, then perused the Beira Mar. Every night of the week, it’s rammed with people walking, running, cycling, or selling. Typical street food is:

• Acarajé – spicy food from Bahia
• Espetinho – a meat skewer
• Tapioca – a pancake made from cassava flour
• Açaí
• Can’t forget coconuts either

It was a class date, and her English was – and still is – better than my Portuguese, which helped avoid awkward slumps in conversation. She took a taxi home and I popped out for a beef and cheese tapioca before calling it a night.

Day Three

We kicked off with a bus-ride amongst the most enthusiastic tourists I’ve ever encountered. I don’t blame them either – we were headed to Cumbuco. Let’s set the record straight: GO TO CUMBUCO IF YOU’RE IN FORTALEZA. This small fishing village is only a forty-minute drive from the city, and is a hotspot for Latino holidaymakers.
There were about twenty of us on the bus. Our tour guide asked us where we were from, and each time excitedly announced our answers down the microphone, to which the rest of the bus whooped. Most of the rapport were Mineros – people from Minas Gerais, one of the most populous states in the country. Each Minero I’ve encountered has been invariably kind and well-travelled.
We were dropped off at Chico de Caranguejo, which is a chain of resorts throughout Brazil. The guide gave us a briefing. I translated what I could and made sure I had the important info down, what time the bus departed and the like.

One word I did hear was ‘Buggy,’ and a buggy is the same in English as it is in Portuguese. I almost didn’t bother, thinking it would just be a cruise around the streets, but a Minera (female from Minas Gerais) persuaded me otherwise. I owe her thanks, because less than half an hour later we’d ditched the paved roads and were speeding over sand dunes with damn-near vertical drops. There was room for four in a buggy so I was with a man, his brother and his son (let’s call them the Minero Fam), whilst the ladies in their group took a separate kart. I sat passenger-side, whilst they stood on the back. When I play back the videos of us bumping over the dunes, I find it hard to believe the screams in the background were from one of the men. He was happy to swap places with me at the earliest opportunity.

Parada número três (stop number three) was a small resort with a restaurant, lake and water sports. The Minero Fam invited me to sit with them. We exchanged travel anecdotes, and it amazed me how they had seen so much of Brazil, and yet, from a geographical standpoint, so little.
I was torn between ziplining into the lake or renting a jet-ski, and shafted myself with decision paralysis so we had to leave by the time I made up my mind.

The Minera who convinced me to get on a buggy in the first place was watching fearsome waves berate the shoreline. I went over to say I was glad I took her advice. I asked what she thought of Ceará, and here she surprised me:
‘Acho que as pessoas aqui são frias.’
She found people in the Northeast to be cold and closed-up compared with Mineros. Minas Gerais sounds like it should be prescribed to people suffering from loneliness.

Our driver returned us to Chico de Caranguejo. I took a table on my ones at a restaurant and ordered ‘caldo de feijão’ (bean broth/soup) – which arrived on a flaming plate – and salmon with rice and veggies. Until that point, I’d only had a couple of protein bars, and was famished… Maybe a protein shake as well.

Like a genius, I assumed my travel money card would have Brazilian Reais as an available currency, and didn’t check until I was already in Fortaleza to see if my assumption was correct. It wasn’t, and other methods such as Wise or my UK bank card weren’t working either. Thus, I was forced to pay cash, and was burning through the R$500 I thought would last me the entire two weeks.
Lesson for the gringos: Do your research, and maybe even get a CPF number before you go out there. It can be a pain in the arse to acquire, but allows you to pay with PIX, a payment system utilised by the whole of Brazil. I tried to sign up to PIX, but couldn’t get far without a CPF. There are probably other ways around it, but this ain’t that kind of blog, buddy.
Additional advice would be not to pay a bill with hundred Real notes, as your waiter might try to keep all the change and tell you it’s a service charge. There’s a saying in Brazil: ‘Para o Gringo, é mais caro.’ (For the foreigner, it’s more expensive).

Music always hits different on a bus journey home. I sat, listening to some nostalgic tunes and revelling in satisfaction, having ticked off somewhere so many Brazilians had raved about to me. Perhaps Cumbuco will work its way into a future novel of mine.
That night, I grabbed a poke bowl and went to the ‘Feirinha da Beira Mar’ (Beira Mar Fair), a cool handicraft market off Meireles Beach. No dates or Brazilian cuisine for Tom. Just a Belgian choccy milkshake.

Day Four

I kept it cultural, roaming deeper into northwest Fortaleza, past the seafront buildings, and into the smaller side streets. I kept my wits about me, though such streets didn’t feel particularly intimidating. Above all, they were hot and empty. Every now and than I’d happen across a pocket of lively neighbourhood with people and markets, but much looks abandoned. Chalk and cheese compared with the Beira Mar.

Still without a SIM, I got around using Apple Maps with no data. My sights were set on Fortaleza’s Metropolitan Cathedral, a gothic lookin ahhh creation that looms near the Central Market. The stone has this dark texture that gives it a kind of charred look, contrasting even against grey skies.
I then worked my way around landmarks until arriving at what should have been a chocolate shop – and may well have been before somebody bulldozed it and slung Heras fencing around the rubble. The roads wound to ‘Theatro Jose de Alencar’, which was surrounded by masterfully-crafted churches and apartment buildings that reminded me of Portugal.

That evening, I met the Brasileira at President Kennedy shopping centre. Massively different from the Central Market, and instead was like a John Lewis or other UK shopping centre.
She smoked me at air hockey, and then we meandered around the shops before happening upon a funfair. We didn’t go on any rides, but instead took a walk through a pleasant park, watching the ducks, eating açaí.

Day Five

‘Morro Branco’ is a spectacle. Its red dunes and white cliffs have made it a destination for movie and TV shows to film, as well as for tourists to enjoy the miles of open beach and natural wonder.
I exchanged pleasantries with a couple who were already sat near the front when I got on the mini-bus. Shock – Mineros. A tall man and woman, exploring Fortaleza on their jollies. Let’s call them the Minero Couple.
More Mineros colonised our bus, as did Spanish-speakers, and a friendly husband and wife from Manaus. Everybody told me their names, but in classic Tom Hooke fashion, I forgot to hit the SAVE button, and so within five minutes was sat in a bus full of fascinating strangers.
I asked if anyone had travel tips for Rio de Janeiro, and was shocked to hear the Minero couple had never been, as they were afraid of the violence. It didn’t put me off Rio one bit, but I don’t think I’ll ever forget hearing that.

Waiting outside and looking over a fridge magnet I’d bought, I felt a tap on the shoulder. It was the Minero couple.
‘Aqui,’ said the man, holding up another fridge magnet.
This couple who barely knew me had bought me one in the shape of their motherland. I can’t remember his exact words, but he said it was something by which to remember them and their country.

In Beberibe we were offered another passeio de buggy; after my last outing there was no way I could miss out. Myself and the delightful Mineros agreed to share. The lady was happy to sit in the front, so her boyfriend and I rode in the back, again with our barnets at the wind’s mercy. After a while, I stopped trying to tame mine, so in every photo it’s trying to fly off in a new direction. We drove on-road until the ‘Morro Branco’ sign. Practically everywhere I went in Ceará had a big sign stating its name next to a love heart.

Morro Branco was used in the filming of Game of Thrones, specifically for the Throne of Valyria. Said Throne remains there as a tourist attraction. I haven’t read or watched the series, but it was terrific to see something so famous in such an unexpected location.

Shortly after the Throne came another Skibunda. On this occasion, I did partake. As I didn’t have any dough on me, the Minero man paid for me and said I could reimburse him later. You got four turns on the Skibunda, whizzing down the wet slide and gliding out across the lake at the bottom. Then came a tricky climb up steps made from sandbags, hauling your board and using a loose rope for support.

Back in Beberibe, having finished the buggy tour, I left the Mineros to enjoy the restaurant whilst I perused a shop next-door. Inside the restaurant itself was a craftsman making colourful, Morro Branco-themed bottles and glasses. You can get your own with your name painted on as a souvenir. On the beach, I came across the couple from Manaus, who were kind enough to invite me to sit and eat with them. I said “não, obrigado.” After a solo canter along the sand, I sat down for some lunch at the restaurant. The tour guide pointed out that many of the dishes on the menu were for two people, but I could pay half the price and get a serving for one. Clearly, news of Tom Hooke’s appetite had not yet swept Ceará. I got breaded chicken and seafood, chips and ‘arroz e feijão’ (rice and beans) for two, all for the price of about £12.

I bought a few flavours of rapadura, and a trio of Brazilian condoments. One is made from the Carolina Reaper pepper, and to this day still has the clingfilm over the lid. I don’t see that changing anytime soon.
When I first started learning Portuguese, people asked me why I didn’t choose a more widely spoken language, i.e. Spanish or French. Learning a language isn’t only useful in terms of how many people you can communicate with. I’ve met countless Brazilians who speak fluent English, yet me taking an interest in somebody’s language, particularly one lesser-spoken by foreigners, forges a bond with that person. It incentivises them to share more of their culture. My trip to Brazil in October would never have occurred if it wasn’t for Portuguese, and I wouldn’t have two magnets on my fridge, in which I hide the dreaded Carolina Reaper sauce.

Day Six

Unable to pay for day passes at SmartFit, I went to another gym on Friday. R$12 for a day pass. That’s less then £2, bruh. They had no aircon, and dear God did I notice, though at times it feels good to get a gruelling sweat and sawdust workout in.
Centro Dragão do Mar de Arte e Cultura is a mouthful. Translating to ‘Sea Dragon Centre of Arte and Culture’, it’s one of the better displays in Fortaleza. On the walls outside are spectacular paintings of people banging drums; I inferred that it celebrates the African heritage of northeastern Brazil.

I’d heard rave reviews about Future Beach from everybody, including the taxi driver, who told me there would be a surplus of mulheres bonitas present.
Bossman dropped me at yet another Chico de Caranguejo, and I nabbed a table on the beach. Praia do Futuro is a must-do in Fortaleza. Maybe my favourite beach in all of Brazil. This Chico practically mirrored the one in Cumbuco: Varying beach bars and restaurants, as well as vendors and food stalls. Bundles of people, first-rate atmosphere, though not too many single peeps like the taxi driver foretold.

Just ensure you discuss the price before you order, because para o gringo é mais caro. A waiter is liable to say the drink you ordered was unavailable, so they made the closest thing, and the closest thing happens to be double the dinheiro.

For my last supper, I went to a street food spot that had been on my radar since my first night in Fortaleza. Once I tried the food, I kicked myself for not buying from them sooner. My meal consisted of fried rice, an espetinho, and shrimp sauce. That was my favourite munch in all of Fortaleza. If I return, that’ll be one of, if not the first place I go.

Day Seven

Conclusion

Art, culture, and history are all present in Ceará’s capital, though not in abundance. Considering how hot it is year-round, city sightseeing gets tough, and there are no wonders of the world or global monuments, so you need to be enthralled by the challenge of adventure to really enjoy it.
Fortaleza is much better for a relaxed beach holiday, either with the family, or significant other. Fill your days with excursions to nearby beach resorts, and when it cools down in the evening, take your pick of restaurants, street eats, and quirky markets and fairs. In my time there, I didn’t even set foot in two of the best-known paradises in Fortaleza’s proximity: Canoa Quebrada, and Jericoacoara.

Safety

I did a lot of walking in Fortaleza, but didn’t stray far from the seafront. All the landmarks I visited were within a couple of miles of my hotel, and at night I only went to the Beira Mar, which was always jam-packed. You can travel solo, with a partner, or with the family, and have a great time without risking your security. Be sure to use transport if moving through quiet areas at night.I’ll touch on safety again in my next blog on Rio de Janeiro. By choice, Brazilian women tend not to go out alone at night. I hate to say it, but I must advise female travellers to hug the Beira Mar if out by themselves after sundown.

Dating/Social

Brazilians have a general love of life, which makes them bubbly and fun to be around. Speaking to new people had never been easier, and such warm energy made breaking the ice all the easier on date night.
Info specifically for the fellas: Whilst I noticed far better results on dating apps than I usually get, my conversion rate from matches to actual dates was weak. Could just be that my photos need touching up, but at the same time I don’t agree with the perception some foreigners seem to hold that girls will be all over them in Brazil.
I didn’t find Fortaleza to be a raving mad city with parties every night. But you know me – Grandad Tom likes being tucked in with a mug of hot cocoa and a book by 8:30pm. If you are looking to go clubbing/bar-hopping, the Beira Mar has a few nightlife hotspots, but I can’t say for sure what the rest of the city offers.
Sertanejo (Brazilian country music) and Quadrilho (a kind of dance) are big in the northeast, so you can likely find places playing this sort of music. This region of Brazil also celebrates the festivals of São João and São Pedro, which are not as heavily commemorated in the south or west. Both celebrations occur in June, during Brazilian Winter. However, Fortaleza’s tropical climate is so consistent that it’s still quite a safe option, and will likely receive fairer weather than the rest of Brazil at that time of year.
In general, the people are so social that I’ve confidence you’ll find your groove in Fortaleza.

Side note: One thing foreigners should know about dating in Latin America is that families are extremely tight-knit. They are often devoutly religious, and parents will be highly protective of their children. Don’t be shocked if you meet a girl’s parents within the first few dates.

Food

Aside from steak and açaí, much of Brazil’s cuisine remains somewhat uninitiated to the outside world. As Fortaleza is right on the coast, lots of restaurants will serve lobster and salmon, as well as the famous Baiano fish stew “Moqueca”. Many dishes come with farofa and rice, and don’t forget a range of healthy veg like broccoli, carrot, and beans, so it’s no wonder Brazilians are all in phenomenal nick.
Street food is where it’s at in the northeast. Sweet or savory tapiocas, acarajé for those who like spice, and skewers of meat barbecued to perfection. A true highlight of my trip and an ideal way to feel more immersed in the culture.
Sweets hit my tastebuds from different angles. You can get more gringo-friendly desserts like ice-cream and churros, but I would recommend getting Rapadura, even a couple of sample cubes, just to taste.
As for milkshakes and smoothies, Gordon Bennet! I’m not sure anywhere will outdo Brazil for drinks.

Obrigado por leer, e eu espero que você esteja cuidando de si mesmo.

Sinceramente,
Tomzinho Hooke

How Tom Got Around

• Day One
  • Arrival and check-in
    
• Day Two
  • Praia de Iracema
  • Date night at Ponte dos Ingleses
    
• Day Three
  • Cumbuco
  • Feirinha da Beira Mar
    
• Day Four
  • Catedral Metropolitana
  • Theatro Jose de Alencar
  • Mercado Central
  • Date night at President Kennedy Shopping Centre
    
• Day Five
  • Morro Branco
    
• Day Six
  • Centro Dragão do Mar de Arte e Cultura
  • Praia do Futuro
    
• Day Seven
  • Flight to Rio