Day 6: Jan 9, 2006: Hanging with Franklim
On Monday, Jan. 9, Cristiany´s oldest brother Frank took Uzi, Laurence and me to Cumbuco beach, a few miles west of the city while Cristiany recovered at home from the party. This beautiful beach is reportedly the kite-surfing capital of the entire region. (Unfortunately, we didn´t get a chance to try it.)
Uzi & Laurence


Franklim


Jangadas - sail boats - on the beach. We took a ride in the one with the blue, yellow and green sail about 1 km out from the shore and enjoyed a brief dip in the ocean. No deaths were reported.


My kingdom for a ...


Cheese roasters roam the beaches carrying a cooler in one hand and a brazier in the other and sell roasted cheese on a stick. Yummy!



Kite surfers at Cumbuco


Frank had his mind set on eating fresh-water fish, so in the afternoon he took us to a beautiful lake called Lagoa do Banana, where we bathed in the cool water and feasted on tilapia.


Lagoa do Banana at sunset


On the way back from Cumbuco Frank treated us to tapioca. For readers in North America (and Australia) this tapioca is probably much different from any tapioca your mother ever gave you. It´s a sort of chewy, white cake, neither sweet nor really salty, and served either plain, with cheese or with meat and topped with coconut milk. Quite a treat.
Uzi and Frank in a moment of post- tapioca bliss.


Group photo. I think I have the nicest legs; don't you?


That evening I went out with Ricardo Black, a singer and composer who currently works as a cultural promoter for the municipal government in Fortaleza. An interesting guy with a unique (for me) perspective on the state of affairs in Ceara and in Brazil.
Ricardo Black


An astute guy even with his eyes closed.


Even shows some promise as a photo- grapher, wouldn´t you say?


Unfor- tunately, the hants were also at work that night.


Fortaleza night street scene with backs.