Farm Tour Information
E from Holland took a short drive to see a farm .
"An excursion to a farm just outside of Fortaleza. The bus - with
aircon - quickly starts its engine and we turn onto the main road. There
is already a lot to see on the way: the sea, the beach, shabby houses, stray
cats and dogs, people with donkeys on their way to God knows where,. little
fruit stalls under beautiful trees, Beetles (on 4 wheels) and green, lots
of green. After about 1.5 hours we arrive at a small country road that leads
us through fruit and nut trees up to a farm. The donkey in front of the
gate eats imperturbably from the rubbish while the entrance is behind made
clear for us. The first thing we notice as we get off the bus is the high
tank next to us, filled with snakes. We are straightaway awake and we inform
ourselves thoroughly about the different kinds of constrictors and poisonous
snakes, which have all been caught on the vast territory that belongs to
this farm. Fortunately for the weaker hearted the menagerie has some other
animals as well. Several pigs with dozens of piglets, two guinea pigs, three
armadillos, geese, swans and ducks. My heart for quadrupeds and winged ones
glows.
But we cannot spend the whole morning with the animals. We still have to
walk and eat. So up we go to a restaurant located higher on the hill where
we have been promised a barbecue. And a pool! The path that leads us up
the hill gives a fantastic view of the surrounding mountains. I do not think
that I ever saw such beauty and keep on taking pictures of trees, shrubs
and panoramas. Also the donkey and its rider that pass us cannot escape
my camera. It is enjoyment with a capital E.
Halfway to our destination we reach a small shed where the roots of the
Yuka-plant are processed to manioch flour, a product used for the preparation
of farofa, roasted manioch that forms an important staple in the north-east
of Brazil. Once we arrived at the restaurant our (English-speaking) guide
keeps his word: There is a pool and the meat is already on its way to the
grill. With a drink in our hand and our feet in the water it is a great
place to chill. After lunch we undertake a 30 minute walk through lots of
the green surrounding the restaurant. Panoramas you can only dream about.
A kip in the hammock afterwards is pure luxury. "