In the first part of May 2013 – I took a trip down to Fortaleza, Brazil. I spent 8 days there and I had the best time of my life as I was able to visit with old friends and tour new places.
I served a LDS mission there from August 2006 – 2008 and I just fell in love with the people and the country and after nearly 5 years of waiting, I was able to to return and remind myself why it is I love that place so much.
While I was there I spent most of my time visiting tourist locations and below are some panorama photos I took using my iPhone 5. I didn’t take many photos because I didn’t want to be a target for thieves and I was only looking for the photos I didn’t take while I was there the first go around. For the most part I like how they turned out and the panorama really gives you a sense of what it is like.
Dragão Do Mar – Cultural Arts Center
This place takes up two city blocks and is one of Fortaleza’s icons! From Science to the arts, you can learn all about here at Dragão Do Mar. This was a place I had always wanted to visit and was finally able to near the end of my stay. We walked around and saw a few of the Exhibits they had setup in the Arts buidling. I would have loved to see more of the Science part of the building but they have special hours for that and we just didn’t make the cut.
Fortaleza’s Cultural History – Dragão Do Mar Exhibit
This was very interesting to see as I was able to walk around and learn more about the past of Fortaleza and how it came to be. While I feel that many Brazilians in Fortaleza experience a rather humble lifestyle – there is nothing quiet comparable to what was endured as this great city was being formed.
Fashion Design – Dragão Do Mar Exhibit
By far the most interesting exhibit at Dragão Do Mar was this one. Clothes made out of twin and rope all put on display against ply wood. Ply wood is not commonly found in Brazil – at least not for building homes like you would think but it was interesting to me how they took ordinary ole ply wood and made it the backdrop for some really nice Fashion art. For the sake of the women out there – I hope this isn’t a new fashion trend for you cause rope burns are very uncomfortable. 🙂
Mercado Central – City Center
I LOVE THIS PLACE! Just about anything cultural that you’d want to buy as a tourist can be found here. It’s a 5 story tall building with over 100 vendors all looking to make a living. But the best part is – they are willing to barter with you cause their competition just might be next door to them. So it’s easy to find a good deal there if you’re looking for the things to remember your time in Fortaleza!
Notice the ramps how the weave up to the next level in the building. Kinda fun!
Praia Do Futuro – Beach of the Future
This is probably the most well known beach in Fortaleza that a lot of people like to visit while they are here. Most of the beaches are similar to this one here and there is nothing more relaxing than sitting under a tiki hut watching the tide come in as you wait for some authentic Brazilian food.
This is my favorite panorama that I took from my whole trip… I love the shadows, the sky, and the ocean! Not to mention – it was my first time swimming in the ocean!