Back to Fortaleza

We headed back to Fortaleza for a few days in the office meeting with suppliers and consultants. Pretty tough sitting around a conference room listening to 5 guys spit Portugese at each other waiting on a translation. Funny how 10 minutes of conversation can be boiled down to 10 words. Do you think I'm missing anything?

Thursday the contractor showed up with his 21year old nephew, Junior who has spent a few years in Florida. He is my liason for english to portugese. He doesn't know too many technical terms so far I have taught him, "make it happen @#%@#*! NOW" and "NO *&%#@$ change orders.

Fortaleza is on of thoses big cities that looks great in little snap shots but the big picture is poverty and garbage. Project now matter how grand never get completly finished or cleaned up.

Now it is Friday morning and I am headed back to the beach after meetings with the diver who will locate our ocean water intake. Mr Doby is on his way back to NC and a surprise this morning, Toby decided to go with him. Oh well I'm the only gringo left.

Next week I will meet the topographer(surveyor) and layout the site. That is all for now with a good internet connection.

Few Days at the Beach

Monday through Wednesday morning was spent at the Gaujiru hasienda going over electrical plans, plumbing, and other design matters inbetween naps and beach walks. The shore fishing can be productive here but is highly dependent on the tides. The beach is quite flat and low to high tide is a difference of 80m. At low tide, which I only got to see Wed morning just before we left for Fortaleza, you can walk out on the rocks next to the fish traps and fish the deep holes. George, a resident of our condo complex, lent me his beach buggy to get around-what a fun machine. At nights we watched movies on the computer from Toby's extensive collection.

I love the local fisherman's anchor.

Notice how damn crowed the beach is :)

The Test Site

Sunday we are off for my first view of the test site. Bernard, Ubaldo our contractor, his worker and myself went by ferry and beach to the site witch is located near the fishing village of Baleia. This is a quick 30k trip. Mr Doby does not care for the ferry(wise) so he and Vitor took the inland route about 90k. While there we got a feel for the topography,closed up the fence at the gate, and located the ocean pump. As you can see there are donkeys on this beach, the 4 and 2 legged type.

The Beach

After lunch it was time to hit the beach for a swim in the tropical Atlantic. Top pic is looking west to Flexeiras about 3k. The middle pic is home. The bottom pic is east to Gaujiru.

This is the house and condo complex we are calling home. Troy and Toby were there to greet me.

Home for a while

We arrived mid afternoon just in time for a lunchtime feast prepared by our house maid Consesha

Into the country

After stopping for groceries we headed out of the city. The countryside is very lush and the villages we pass through are poor with buildings of terricatta tile. Our destination is the fishing village of Gaujiru in the state of Ceara on the coast. This is a 120k trip through lowland between mountians and coast. we stopped in Paraipaba for fresh fruit and veggies. After picking out some lushous mangos, naturally Sadarena carried the fruit to the car.

Another half hour and we are at the resort.

Last Friday I flew out for Fortaleza. After a lovely first class flight I was greeted with the harsh realities of the 3rd world in a town full of contrast. In this town you have a maid or you are a maid. This was my maid who carried the bags.