Reis verslag orientatie bezoek aan Cumbuco Noord-oost brazilie

After my trip from AMS to Fortaleza, with Martinair, I arrived on time on 19.30 lt, where Gerrit , the owner of Casa Dona Rosa collected me to bring me to Cumbuco. During this car ride of 37 km I was fully instructed about the rules / regulations and specially the habits of the local drivers. Special attention was given on the traffic lights position. (nearly invisible even at night)

After a save trip we arrived at Casa Dona Rosa where I was introduced to Dona Rosa, (In Dutch, Roos)

This was a warm welcome, the same as the outside temperature (26 degree Celsius). After being checked in into my room I received a complete introduction of the history of Casa Dona Rosa in the garden bar, the way is was created and how it is continued, all with my favourite drink several glasses of local Brazilian red win. Roos and Gerrit liked a scotch on the rocks.

From the garden bar there is a pleasant view of the main house and pool deck all decorated with tasteful lighting.

Forgetting my small jet lack it was a late night conversation, and I apparently slept very well with the cooling wind thru the room.

The next morning I enjoyed a nice breakfast served at the pool deck with very tasteful Brazilian coffee.

Than I took some morning light pictures of Case Dona Rose and the surrounding inclusive the very impressive dune’s which are close to Casa Dona Rosa. NOTE the late afternoon light pictures of the dune tops are even more impressive.

About 10.00 we, Gerrit and myself, started with a round tour of the village Cumbuco and the surrounding parts of the village.

This first day it was Gerrit who drove my lease car (arranged by Gerrit) for the purpose of training and getting use to the traffic.

The small centre, with the local atmosphere, is pleasant to stay at night as well during daytime.

The outskirts of the village comprise of very nice looking houses and villa’s in all kind of shapes and sizes.

Than, we visited the area on the other side of the dunes. This is a complete different landscape with even lakes the size of the loosdrechtse plassen, and no tourist activities at all. We have seen some beautiful houses obvious of owners who like a sunset over the water seen from his water side pool deck, after a nice day of easy sailing. The area has no tourist activities at all, but when you like to change to more action the beach is only 5 minutes by car.

After the site seeing day I had a comfortable swim in the Casa Dona Rose pool and an hour sunbathing.

The night, which starts at 18.00, we had dinner at the local village square around 20.00, where all the locals and some other visitors are gathered together with the local kids, Who are, by the way forces by local law, obliged to disappear at 22.00 and it worked all the kids game to the visitors an said good night in perfect English for obvious reason..

The second day, I drove the lease car this time, was similar due to my orientation visit task of the Cumbuco area, but this time we took also the time to visit the beach.

By the way this is adjacent to the village square, where we had a cool drink (approximate one quarter of the Dutch prices) on the terrace and seen the locals and visitors and the beach activities including the kite-sailors who come special to Cumbuco due to the perfect conditions of the sea waves, wind and wind direction.

And the relaxed atmosphere of the Brazilians is free of charge.

There is close by a lake at the beach, but isolated from the see, where a training school teaches the beginner kite-sailors before they are allowed to practise on the open sea.

Again a day of a lot of impressions which, are not possible to put on paper.

On paper you can not smell the air or feel the wind and temperature or experience the atmosphere of this part of the world, the only way to taste it is going there.

That night Gerrit and Roos organised a very nice BBQ at the Casa Dona Rose pool deck, again with a nice drink and we finished the day in the garden bar with the perfect view of the nice decorated lighted garden and pool area.

The next day I checked out and went on my way with my lease car to the east side of Fortaleza where I had an appointment in Canoa Quebrada 160 km eastwards.

Een toekomstige overwinteraar

Alex van Ruiten

Hallo Gerrit, Roos

Hier volgt het canoa visit report zoals belooft

Subject:
Travel report of my orientation visit at Canoa Quebrada North-east Brazil

During my orientation visit period I visited first Cumbuco where I stayed 2 full days on Saturday I left Cumbuco with my lease car to Canoa Quebrada, in short Canoa at 10.30 lt

The drive of 190 km from Cumbuco to Canoa went well only to get thru Fortaleza and find the road CE 040 to Canoa took me 2 hours. There was no proper road map in any shop.

I had anticipated the bad roads and the special Brazilian road speed bumps, but I had my lease car exhaust attachment badly damaged. The trip to Canoa was accompanied with a bad exhaust resonance noise in different gear settings, but the boring road trip needed some additional music anyway.

I arrived a Canoa Saturday round 15.30 lt , where I had a booking at Lua Morena (Nelke)

This arrival process was a nice surprise, at de village entry I was recognised directly by the local young quid on a bike that I was a stranger who did not know where to go. Than the young man halted me and asked if a was lost, I said yes and that I was looking for Lua Morena. No problem he said follow me, I did, he was faster on his bike than I was in my car. Nice service I tipped him and he was happy.

I booked in and introduced myself to Nelke, who it had spoken on mail to make my booking. By the way all information of the Fortaleza north-east coast fro Ferry to Canoa is on internet, you do not need a ravel agent to plan your trip to this part of the world.

Saturday night (weekend) is the swinging night(s) in Canoa (on Broadway) all restaurants, bar and dancing like (Forro) places are open and full of action till early in the morning. I took my time to see it all had a nice dinner and afterwards hit the sack.

What I noticed directly was the difference between Canoa and Cumbuco, This place is a complete tourist place, not like Cumbuco which is more a local village place, where tourist are accepted as locals and also treated like that.

The next day I used it as a day-off on Monday and Tuesday I had me first appointment with house owners and local agents (My orientation visit task).

This day-off I started with a little local drive around to see the village by daylight, and what happened? The young man on his bike (the guide to get me to Lua Morena) spotted me directly and offered a tour to see the town and the dunes, I said oke. He parked his bike and jumped in my car. He showed me the town and the specifics.

Then we went to the outskirts of the village (with the sandy roads) directly I was stuck. He explained that I was doing wrong and offered than he was taking the steering wheel. He said he was the best Car-pilot in town.

I accepted this offer and let him have it his way. He deflated the tire pressure and went on the way without being stuck one time. I noticed that he had the knowledge of driving in the sand, which I had as well 20 years ago when I lived in de Sahara for two years and I had to drive a 4 wheel drive car.

But he managed to do the same and came in the same dune places like all the local buggies are doing inclusive the beach trip and that all in a local front wheel drive small lease car.

I complemented him that he was the real Brazilian Barichello, than we went to the local bikes repair shop and inflated the car tires again. I paid him for the 3 hours entertainment and he was happy again.

The scenery of Canoa and environment was pleasant such as: the dunes with the dune lakes the view on the land side and sunset, and special the rocklike bordered beaches with the with steps access baraca's on the beach.

The village car free main street (Broadway) are now (first year) paved, with park like benches and dust pints for rubbish, it looked as a very well organised tourist place.

Than, I was alone again and I went to the beach and had a nice lunch (fish) and a bottle of wine in the local beach baraca.

Again the whole beach scene was more of touristy than Combuco, it looked more like western style of service with Brazilian music and people around. Not unpleasant but not village like, what I had expected.

The prices are here approximate same as in Cumbuco, to say a quarter of the European prices.

The night on the beach is special for Canoa, the local beach Freedom bar organised a night beach party with big fires and Reggae, classical rock and Forro music till early in the morning, only the party starts around 24.00 hours.

My impression of the environment and the places I have seen, including houses has been written down and I made pictures of every scenery and object to make it complementary to my visit report.

The stay in the Pousada Lua Morena was pleasant and the service was correct, I left Canoa on Wednesday around 13.00 to return to Fortaleza airport where my plane (MartinAir) departed at 21.00 lt

A future settler

Alex van Ruiten