Scene in Fortaleza?

[Marc in Calif]

2 hours ago, ShivRoy said:

I actually won at bingo and gave my winning slip to the garoto I was spending the night with at the sauna - he was over the moon. 

Was he over your moon? Or under it? 😉🌖😉

[davet]

On 1/15/2024 at 11:45 AM, Xclay said:

Can you please start a thread with a report on your experiences in São Luis?

I'm too tech-lazy, but whenever someone starts a thread, add that Alcantara, a short boat ride from central Sao Luiz, is a colonial time capsule that hasn't been touristified yet but will surely be turned into an Olinda or Ouro Preto. Try to be in Sao Luiz for their Bumba Meu Boi festival, while Alcantara has its own festas juninas around the same time - Brazil has so much more in addition to carnaval. The southern Brazilians, though, look down upon the Caribbean poverty of the north, and much of colonial Sao Luiz is in need of restoration, so don't expect a glitzy St. Barths.

The lencois are beautiful. They basically mean climbing up and down a lot of little hills so be ready.

From the picture on Google Maps, that must be the same sauna I went to in 2011. It was dead then, kind of surprising during festival time, though I did have fun with a scruffy surfer. Glad to hear it's lively now.

[ShivRoy]

6 minutes ago, davet said:

I'm too tech-lazy, but whenever someone starts a thread, add that Alcantara, a short boat ride from central Sao Luiz, is a colonial time capsule that hasn't been touristified yet but will surely be turned into an Olinda or Ouro Preto. Try to be in Sao Luiz for their Bumba Meu Boi festival, while Alcantara has its own festas juninas around the same time - Brazil has so much more in addition to carnaval. The southern Brazilians, though, look down upon the Caribbean poverty of the north, and much of colonial Sao Luiz is in need of restoration, so don't expect a glitzy St. Barths.

The lencois are beautiful. They basically mean climbing up and down a lot of little hills so be ready.

From the picture on Google Maps, that must be the same sauna I went to in 2011. It was dead then, kind of surprising during festival time, though I did have fun with a scruffy surfer. Glad to hear it's lively now.

Alcantara is really really great. Like a trip to another world.

I was at their June fest in Sao Luis once - plenty of events and parties, it's like a Carnival in June. And the best day to be out on the streets is Friday - the whole historic center turns into a party with live music, crowds, food, drinks etc. - like Lapa on steroids. When I came to Sao Luis for the first time, it was on a Friday, and my first night was just this awesome, and I thought: is this Brazil's hidden secret and an incredible place nobody knows? Then, next day on Saturday I came there again - and it was obviously totally dead. I was told then, it's Friday only, but every Friday