It was for some time part of the Dutch empire who lost it in a bloody battle (surprise surprise) to the local Indians, who in turn lost it to another marauding Dutchman Matias Beck in 1639. He built the fort, Fortaleza de Nossos Senohora da Assuncao, which was to give the town its name (the original Dutch name was Schoonernborch - literally "beautiful citadel").

In 1654 the Portuguese arrived, gave the Dutch a well deserved thrashing and captured the fort, colonisation began in earnest.

Below are some general topics on life in Fortaleza that I have experienced in my time here, from transport to food to banking.

Transport
Air
Fortaleza is three hours flight, or two days by bus from São Paulo, the main gateway to Brazil. The flights are not cheap, but sometimes Varig has special deals.

The best way to travel around Brazil is with an air pass, which must be bought outside the country.

Buses
Undoubtedly one of the best ways to get around Fortaleza, and indeed Brazil, is by bus. For general day to day getting round the town the local busses are cheap, safe and frequent. Most have their destination written on the side, but is perfectly OK to jump on and ask the conductor if it's the right bus - no one will mind if you jump off at the next stop without paying. A ticket costs R$0.90.

For more luxurious travel (highly recommended if you are coming in from the airport) are the slightly more expensive (R$1.50) nippy little air-conditioned busses. These are much more civilised, have reclining seats and show the latest football matches.

The rodovaria (main bus station is 6km out side of town) links Fortaleza with the rest of Brazil. Normally it possible to turn up an hour or so before departure and be on the next bus. However, during the summer months or carnival this is not such a good idea.
Example fares and times include:
Belem (gateway to the Amazon) R$50, 22 hours;
Rio R$110, 48 hours; and my personal favourite
Porto Valho, 80 hours R$205!!!

Mototaxis
An alternative to the local busses, which can often be crowded, it's possible to get around the city by mototaxi. The advantages being that they are cheap (I recently took a 40 minute pleasure cruise around the city for R$5), always there when you need them and bloody good fun.

The only disadvantage is that hanging on the back of a high speed motor bike which is probably driven by Aryton Senna's quicker brother is not to everyone's taste. The locals are divided on the issue, but the general consensus is that, with caution, they provide an excellent and reliable service.

Food
The Brazilians eat big. Most dishes in restaurants are for two people. Two hungry people at that! It is also common for waiters to be economical with the truth, even if you ask them if the dish is the size of a small English cottage, they will invariably say no and let you order two huge dishes. If in doubt order one and then if you are still hungry you can always order more.

Should you find that your left overs are almost a meal ask the waiter for a doggy-bag. This is perfectly acceptable and you can either eat it the next day for breakfast or give it to one of the many street children - who will love you for ever.

Some of the places we have been and enjoyed include:

Cais Bar (excellent at the weekends, live music, a friendly owner and great atmosphere). Av. Beira Mar 696 (tel 085 231 4693)
Parque Recreio (Av. Rui Barbosa, tel 261 1770) is always a good option for a blow out whilst my local Spanish restaurant La Paelha must get some awards for the amount of partying they do (603 Rua Idefonso Albano, tel 219-8873).

Bookstores
The culture centre Book store has a few paperbacks as does the book store in Iguatami. The princes are comparable with America. These stores also stock a number of stunning picture books on the area - many of which are in English and make beautiful, if somewhat expensive souvenirs.

Banks
The banking situation in Fortaleza is not the best in the world - it's probably easier to get my Dad to buy a round than to get cash here. Possibly the only central place to cash travellers checks is the Banco Brasil on Beira Mar. The bank offers a good rate, occasionally they speak a few words of English (give me a month or so and they will be fluent) and can handle most currencies.

Aside from this the options seem somewhat limited. Credit cards are accepted almost everywhere, Mastercard, Visa and American Express seem to be the safest options. Cash can be taken from most of the Banco do Brasil's ATMS which are open 24 hours a day.

Beggars
It is a sad fact of live that Ceara is a painfully poor state. It is impossible to swing a cat here without clobbering a bunch of homeless people. However, the issue of giving money to them is a tricky one. It is impractical to give to everyone who asks, some people give to beggars who are entertaining or those with small children, it is a personal thing.

I believe the only solution is responsible donations. Food to street children is always greatly received and due to the size of the typical Brazilian meal is often a viable option. Another option is an annual donation to a legitimate aid organisation (I will happily put readers in touch with a number of organisations here who desperately need money and who will use it responsibility). This ensures that money will reach where it is most needed.

Please note: I do not recommend any donation to 'World Vision'. Although they undoubtedly do a great deal of good work, the majority of their donations are spent on distribution of bibles. This is not always made clear and in my personal view is not the best use of money.

Tourist Information
Where the hell is it? I had scoured the city looking for it, but thanks to one cunning reader I have now found the tourist office - my next quest is to find it open.

The "Tourist Centre" marked on maps is actually a collection of funky little boutiques and shops in a converted prison close to the Cathedral. It has a dust museum and a few food stands, but is great for t shits, lace goods and the ubiquitous and essential Brazil 500 shirts - get yours before the 500th year celebrations of the discovery of Brazil begin in April 2000.

Questions?
If you want more information about this area you can email the author or check out our South America Insiders page.