Ocean Drive

After three wonderful days spent in Jericoacoara, the sun had literally set on our stay there.  It was time to head back to Sao Paulo for a couple of days before setting off in the direction of Rio for the New Year.  In order gently to ease ourselves back into the urban framework, we decided to take an all day drive down the beach to Fortaleza, from where we would catch our flight back to Sao Paulo.

Cue Paulo and his sturdy, 4 wheeled steed.

After loading our bags and adjusting the tire pressure to the necessary level for the first part of our journey, we set off down the beach.

Our day mainly consisted of stretches of driving down deserted, virtually untouched beaches, punctuated by short stops to dip if the ocean.

At some point we passed one of the most exclusive hotels in the area, although the waiting list remains permanently empty.

Our driver Paolo commented on how the dead can be so demanding to have their bodies pulled for many kilometers by donkey over sand dunes just to be buried in a place with a beautiful view that they can't even see.

A little while later we made a quick pit-stop for a dip,

another stretch of palm lined coast,

before a touch of bathing, in refreshing emerald waters - you get the idea.

But it wasn't always smooth sailing.  Any ocean drive has it's own obstacles to negotiate.

It is too deep to cross Paulo?

But on the whole our progress was interrupted only by clear blue waters and stunning coastal landscapes.

All this getting in and out of the car finally took its toll on our appetite, so we stopped in a picturesque coastal village for lunch,

 with a view.

The wind-swept Atlantic coast in the north-east of Brazil is exploited for various purposes.  The gently inclining beaches make it unquestionably one of the best coasts for kite-surfing in the world, for surfers of all levels.

And the sheer power of the wind in these parts, thankfully hasn't just blown over the heads of the government, in a country with large underdeveloped regions and a lot of corruption.

As the sun was setting over land this time,

we were met by the view of a giant turtle laying dead on the beach. This impressive creature once hunted for meat, is today under close protection, and we were informed by our driver Paulo that 9 out of the 12 species of sea turtle that exist can be found in these waters.

The final landmark we passed was a 3km artificial port near Foltaleza, mainly in use for commerce with Europe,

after which we made a final stop to scrub-up in the warmth of a sweet water lagoon by moonlight.

We were all set for take-off.