Car Rentals Fortaleza

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Things to do in Fortaleza

• Fortaleza de Nossa Senhora da Assuncao
  The fortress is situated on the left bank of the Pajeu Creek near the beginning near the city of Fortaleza, Brazil.  Presently the 10th military Region of the Brazilian Army is headquartered here.  This early fort was built in 1649, by the Dutch who called it Fort Schoonenborch after they conquered the Portuguese that had settled here.  When the Portuguese were finally able to expel the invaders, they renamed it the Fort of Our Lady of the Assumption or Fortaleza de Nossa Senhora da Assuncao; which is how the city got its name.  The fort was destroyed in 1812 and another was built to protect the city that was growing out of the wilderness and jungle.  The cornerstone was placed on October 12, 1812, in honor of the anniversary of the most serene lord prince of Beira, Pedro de Alcantara.  Lt. Colonel Antonio da Silva Paulet directed the building that would be 90 meters square, with bastions on the corners and used the invocation of our lady.  The cannons were bought with donations and public funds with the work being done by slaves and volunteers and in 1816, it was complete with 27 pieces of artillery.  A memorial plaque was put on the outside wall with the following inscription written in Latin; " Year 1817.  The ships mocked me when I was a lot about; now that I am a great fortress by far become in compliance.  Here, reigning King John VI, Sampaio has me beautiful, the engine shines paulet.  The donations of the citizens made me strong ramparts and the actual expenditures made me strong by weapons."  There is a little to be lost in the translation, but the gist should be obvious.  In the Pemambuco Revolution of 1817, Barbara de Alencar who was a leader of the revolution was the first political prisoner to be arrested and put in jail in the history of the state of Ceara.  The governor asked for additional funds to finish the work needed done at the fort in 1821, and the defenses received another 3 cannons with more artillery and calibers.

• Cumbuco
  This small fishing village that sits serenely on the northeast coast of Brazil is fast becoming a tourist mecca for the kitesurfing crowds of the world.  With almost constant trade winds blowing from June until February, the once sleepy town has exploded with people coming from all over the world and this has happened in just a few years.  The waters are most of the time flat, with light choppy seas and until recently was the perfect hideaway for some fantastic relaxing quiet time at a magnificent beach.  It has been a great fishing village, where each morning the Jangala boats would come in and drop their morning catch of fish.  Along the center of the village, right on the beach, you'll find a few restaurants that serve up that fresh fish or meats that has just been butchered and in between these you will find the bars that stay open until the wee hours of the morning.  The area has blossomed into a haven for tourists wanting to get away from the massive jungles of people that frequent the cities and other attractions that bring throngs of folks for a few days or weeks, wanting something different than their homes or apartments if only for a while.  Here besides the kitesurfing, you'll find trips on the jangala boats that will take you to a favorite fishing spot for you to catch a big one or horseback riding along the beaches or trails through the forests.  In the mountains to the west, you can waterfall jump, hike, walk, jog or run along the white sandy beaches that spread for miles and miles and miles.  Someplace that will soon disappear into a small city full of tourist sights or places for you to stop and shop or some other way to get you to part with your money; similar to the many places that have sprung up along the Mexican gulf coast. 

• Fortaleza City Tour
  Taking a tour of the city of Fortaleza, Brazil will take about 2 hours and give you the low down on this wonderful city on the west coast of South America, where the history of the city will keep you interested for more than the tour's length and help you become more acquainted with the wonderful people that live here.  There are marvelous historical buildings like the Metropolitan Cathedral, the Tourism Center and the President Castelo Branco Mausoleum; where the architecture is beautiful and exotic, and the masterful craftsmanship that created these gorgeous structures will amaze you.  Centuries old and with the barest of tools, workmen became artists and glorified their country.  This city is the capital of the state of Ceara and for many decades has been a tourist destination away from the multitudes of visitors.  With exquisite sandy beaches that stretch as far as the eye can see, the blue-green water seems to be just an extension of the white sandy beaches that roll into the waters.  The night life is volatile here, since there isn't much for the locals to do except celebrate life with food, drink, song and dancing until you can't do anything any more.  The culture is primo and the people love people, especially visitors from other countries that allow them to expand their horizons and perhaps one day visit those cities that the visitors have come from.  On this tour, you will learn more than just the history of this colorful and exciting country, you will gain an insight into the heritage and culture of these magnificent people.  The Metro Cathedral is the third biggest church in the country.  There is the fortress of Nossa Senhora da Assuncao and the many statues of Iracema.  The Central Market is where everyone goes to buy whatever they need or want; or to just look over all the fantastic articles that are made here or in the interior and the craftsmanship will amaze you.  Meireles beach is one of the locals favorite and there is plenty of time for you to check it out also. 

Local Restaurants in Fortaleza

Colher De Pau Serving up the best traditional cuisine in the area, the Colher De Pau blends the delightful flavors, exotic colors and rich spices of the northeast to present its rendition of special regional foods that exemplify the large amount of ingredients and combinations that set this restaurant apart.  The menu is absolutely extensive with snacks, specialties, appetizers, meats, chickens, grilled items, regional, salads, servings, desserts and beverages.  Beginning with the snacks;  pasteizinhos miscellaneous, fish cakes, bait fish, cone lobster, cone shrimp, crab claws, sirloin sauce Roquefort, sirloin Madeira sauce, sirloin parmesan, diced beef acebolado sun, natural shrimp and garlic or oil, chip, macaxiera fries or fish broth.  Snacks include; tulipa chicken, Swiss sausage with mustard sauce, spicy sausage, filet skewers, chicken skewers, grilled quail, rib pork with mustard sauce, garlic bread grilled, bata roast with butter, cheese or meat from the sun, grilled cheese with molasses, carre French.  Grilled entries include; skewers of fish with baked potato and parsley, salad leaves and butter with capers; chicken skewers with bacon and roasted zucchini, salad leaves and coriander vinaigrette; skewers of filet with stuffed tomatoes, salad leaves and sauce of black pepper; filet of fish with capers, roast potatoes and salad leaves; filet sirigada with vegetables; filet alto is grilled filet mignon with sauce, herb butter, roasted potatoes and salad leaves; porscheyeung grilled with passion fruit sauce and white rice; Argentina rump with baked potato or onion, coriander vinaigrette and flour.  Specialties are; fish harvested from Pau is boiled fish with vegetables, fish sauce and white rice; catfish grilled with onions or vegetables with onions, capers and white rice; fish sauce or cone sauce with white sauce, grated cheese and white rice; fish with theimidor with sauce, ketchup, white wine with rice; fish to dore breaded, onion pie, mashed potatoes and white rice; yummy fish with white sauce, fried banana, crispy and white rice; fish with shrimp sauce is grilled fish with shrimp, white rice and white sauce; fish to paranese is grilled fish with sauce colored peppers, sautéed potatoes and white rice; grilled fish and shrimp cooked in coconut mile, palm oil, fish sauce and white rice; shrimp stew with vegetables and white rice; Bahian shrimp is cooked with coconut milk, palm oil, pepper and white rice; shrimp delight is grilled shrimp, white sauce, fried banana, crispy and white rice; Greek prawns is breaded shrimp, white sauce, mozzarella cheese and white rice or shrimp rice.  The menu continues with meats, chicken dishes, regional dishes, salads and side servings; and finally desserts.  Santa Grelha The Santa Grelha offers many special cuisines of the Brazilian and African influences and brings the freshest flavors to complement the exhaustive menu at this fine eating establishment.  The sausage and frankfurter menu is very spicy with chicken sausage, spicy calabreza with fine herbs, pork loin sausage, spicy calabreza sausage, sausage with sun-dried tomatoes and buffalo milk cheese, sausage with black olives and smoked ricotta cheese, spicy calabreza with rucula and parmesan cheese; king frankfurter, giant frankfurter with cheese.  Starters and appetizers include; grilled coalho cheese, grilled pork ribs, chicken heart skewers, grilled chicken strips, Italian roast with garlic, codfish fritters, shrimp fried in olive oil and garlic or carpaccio of meat.  Filets offered; filet seasoned in salt water, filet mignon medallion, filet medallion wit bacon, filet with fried onion and roasted potatoes, filet in green pepper gravy, steak Diana is a thick filet with red wine, hand and mushroom sauce or filet Roquefort is a tender filet served in cheese sauce.  Brazilian cuts of meat include; rump steak, top sirloin, top sirloin cuts, slow-roasted beef ribs, succulent lamb ribs.

• Falesais
  Often called the grand canyon of the south, this beautiful canyon is located just off the coast of the Atlantic Ocean near Fortaleza, Brazil and as you can see from the picture to the right, it is a majestic place of rock and sand.  The formations are dazzling, and the entire area is a splendid area for enjoying the natural scenery and feel of the coastal canyon.  With the deep blues of the ocean and the pale blue skies, the landscape of the rock formation's colorful walls are profoundly exotic and will keep you walking through its corridors for a long time.  Breath in the fresh salty air as you wander around the sand bottom with cliffs of variant colors rising up from all sides and you will realize the beauty that abounds here.  It is quite similar to the feeling you get looking out over the vista of the Grand Canyon in the United States and will make you seem small indeed. 

  
  

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• Dragao do Mar Center of Art and Culture
  This art and culture center in Fortaleza, Brazil is a government funded institution that has rooms for exhibitions, a theater, library, cinema and planetarium.  Opened in 1999, the center occupies 33,000 square feet and the name is an honor to Chico da Matilde who refused to take slaves to the south in 1881.  The center encompasses many venues that add to the showcase of art and culture in this beautiful country.  The library is a research site for students, researchers and teachers that use the 70,000 books, including the extensive rare books collection from the 15th century and the 19th century newspapers.  The cultural center depicts the folk art, culture and history of the state of Ceara and is split up into 6 different rooms of great antiquities.  The art museum is on two floors and contains many magnificent paintings.  The planetarium was designed and built with German technology and is considered by many to be one of the most modern in the world and is the only planetarium in Brazil.  The 20 multimedia projectors amplify the majestic heavens with huge shows that give a detailed view of the galaxies, planets and stars.  The building is a sharp contrast to the surrounding houses and neighborhoods that were built during the early 20th century and contains the restaurants, theaters and bars that light up the nights and bring the music and laughter onto the streets.

• Canoa Quebrada
  One of the most favorite beaches in the Fortaleza area is the Canoa Quebrada that is beautiful and exotic in the sunshine.  With blue aqua waters that wash the multi-colored sandy beach, the weather is perfect for any kind of aquatic adventure, including boating, fishing, snorkeling and diving into the wild unknown realm that abounds around the beach area.  Dunes that rise into the sky and make you wonder if this oasis isn't a mirage.  Like many of the beaches along the coastline, this one was found to be marvelous in the 70s and has become a favorite for the locals and the many visitors that come to the fantastic country to enjoy the pleasant pleasures of the water, sun and sand.  The people that live in the area get most of their income from fishing and this is done by using rafts, since they don't have the money for boats and have to make their own.  Since the water isn't so rough as many other places along the coast, it is easier for them to fish each day and with the wonderful weather that seems to stay here all year long, it is easy to see that they fish every day.  At night, the clubs and bars serve up great drinks and music that swings your body into motion and just gets you moving.  The reggae and forro music is the favorite, although any kind of rhythm that gets you moving to the drumbeats and sounds of guitars and horns will thrill you all.  It is a magical place that keeps you warm all day long and deep into the nights.  The people here seem to have a zest for living life to the fullest, although most of them don't make enough money to survive.  Perhaps that is why they have such an intense desire to live each day to its fullest and to enjoy what you have, no matter how little.