I was so happy during the two weeks that I stayed in an apartment in the neighborhood of Meireles in Fortaleza, in the state of Ceara Brazil. I was a block from the beach and half a block from a beautiful, boutique gym. This is the type of gym that has personal trainers scattered everywhere waiting to intercept your last reps on the bench press (even when you’d prefer they don’t), eager to offer advice (when none is solicited), and generally hoping to be needed. That was all part of the premium price I paid for a gym so conveniently located near where I was staying (and no other options existed). I made friends with Giordano, one of these trainers, and though he doesn’t speak English we managed to communicate through grunts and gestures and smiles and laughs. I like to think that Giordano saw real potential in me compared to his other gym clients who seemed to phone it in a couple of times a week. I may have been a welcome distraction for the two weeks I was in attendance – diligently appearing each day to get the cost-per-visit I paid as low as possible. So Giordiano took me in under his wing and made me work harder than I would have during my time there. One of my motivations for returning to Fortaleza will be to train here at this gym with Giordano again, for longer.
My favorite morning ritual was heading to the beach directly after leaving the gym to eat breakfast and watch a World Cup game. The place I frequented was a tapioca (for context on tapioca see my first visit to Rio) and crepe bar/restaurant with outside seating and an outdoor big-screen TV set up for patrons to watch the World Cup matches. My standard order included two chilled coco verdes (green coconuts) with lime juice added — in my humble opinion, this is the most refreshing drink available on planet earth (see the video of its preparation here on Youtube). To maximize its desirability I would forgo water for some period prior to consumption so that the first coconut would taste like divine nectar from heaven upon my parched tongue. It’s the simple things in life that make it enjoyable. For food, I always ordered tapioca with shredded beef (carne de sol in Brazil) in addition to a shrimp and Catupiry cheese crepe, grilled on both sides to create a crusty, grilled cheese ring around the outside with a melty, gooey cheesy center.
Another fun thing I did in Fortaleza was to visit Beach Park, a Brazilian water park with all sorts of water slides. I took a video clip while I descended from what was advertised as the tallest water slide in South America; you can watch it on YouTube. There weren’t any convenient grocery stores around my apartment so I took the opportunity to eat at the nearby “Miss Pizza” establishment as often as I could. After a certain point though I became somewhat self-conscious and gave the waitstaff a break by eating down the street at a Peruvian restaurant, instead.
I’ve always claimed that I can’t stand weather that’s too hot. Fortaleza was hot – but for some reason, I really loved it. Wearing Havianas, and a cutoff shirt and shorts make it really comfortable – no problem. This was just a two-week reconnaissance trip to Fortaleza — the next time I return it will be for at least a month.
