planning our trip to Brazil, visiting Fortaleza

Hi Trini&Luis,

Anything about transportation we could possibly tell you is going to go right out the window since you're talking about the period of World Cup. This country is completely unprepared to host mega-events, public transportation can't even handle the passenger loads now so it's going to be Hell during the Cup. Driving will be a nightmare too since the streets and highways can't handle day-to-day traffic, much less the kind of traffic flow that the World Cup is going to generate.

Hope you've already got accommodations in those cities or you're going to be fresh out of luck on that score too, sad to say.

Cheers,
William James Woodward, Expat-blog Experts Team

Thank you for your quick response William!
       I was reading also your "Gringo's survival guide to Brazil", trying to get all the information that I can to enjoy our trip to Brazil
       Greetings from TX.
       Trini F.

Hi Trini,

Good for you gal!!! The safety tips will be of excellent help to you in making your trip more enjoyable and without any serious incidents.

So, exactly where in the "Lone Star State" do you live?

You might also want to read my other posting  "FOOD AND DRINK IN BRAZIL - AVOIDING PROBLEMS" so you won't have to worry about “Montezuma’s Revenge” spoiling your vacation either.

Cheers,
William James Woodward, Expat-blog Experts Team

Hi Trini&Luis and welcome to Expat.com!
>Just to inform you that a new topic has been created with your post here.

About Fortaleza. Best districts (bairros) are Meireles and Aldeota. Your hotel should be there. These are the safest places but not without risk like any place in Brazil. So I recommend you take a taxi when going from one place to other. Only place safe is the seafront Beira Mar and Praia de Iracema (5km long) where you can have nice walk, find markets and find place to eat (still be carreful to not display expensive things) . There is not really much to see in the old Fortaleza center, except de Cathedral (recent copy of gothic cathedral) and places for cheap shopping. On one side of Forteleza there is Praia do Futuro (10km long at least) full of barracas de praias. Some are actually upmarket with nice seafood restaurant, one section on the beach and one with air cond. Some time, small aquatic park for children. Safe and clean.
Just stay 2 days in Fortaleza. Better to visist small town on Ceara coast. Experience is much more like real Brazil, generally much safer and much cheaper (Canao Quebrada, Cumbuco, Lagoinha, Morro Branco, Taiba, Porto das Dunas, Jericoacoara et j'en oublie).
To travel between Nordeste cities, the easiest and fastest is by plane but if you have got time, there are good buses.  Have a nice trip.