I could tell you all you want to know about the shipyard, but in this post I thought it would be interesting to discuss some of the Brazilian culture that we're observing and drinking. Let me start off by clarifying that the drinking age here is 18, so age challenged Michigan students considering this internship in future should consider this when choosing summer employment. Nonetheless, we're all 21 so it doesn't make a difference.
Now comes out the inner Ashley's guru. Fortaleza, and perhaps Brazil as a whole is not known for its great drinking water, so we were encouraged to just drink bottled water here. It's not that they don't have clean sources, but that the piping isn't up to our usual standards. With access to so much freshwater around the two peninsulas, Michigan is perfectly situated to be one of the country's best brewing states as good beer depends wholeheartedly on good water. Since Ceara, the state where Fortaleza is, has mediocre water, there are no microbreweries and most of the beer comes from the southern regions of the country. Every beer that we have had so far is some rendition of a super light pilsner, almost like drinking carbonated water that packs a punch after a few. In a way it's actually quite refreshing as I have no inclination to sit down to a room temperature Irish stout if "room temperature" means the mid-80's.
Naturally, we have tasked ourselves with the important job of trying all of the beers they sell here and not in the U.S. (of which there aren't many). One of them is just Budweiser bottled here and given a new local name, and other popular choices are Stella Artois and Heineken to give a frame of reference, but we are trying all of the other ones we don't recognize. So far the favorite is Skol, the namesake of this article. To take the name one step further, I included a fun loosely connected video.
The best place to try all of the beers in at Beira Mar, our regular work night destination. On Thursday, we took the hotel shuttle there and perched at a table along the boardwalk to drink and people watch. Matt was recently recovering from being sick out of both ends so it was up to Ben and me to take on Brazil's cerveja (beer in Portuguese).
While we were keenly observed female Brazilian bodies, we also were constantly approached by street vendors trying to sell us a myriad of paintings and caricatures. The caricature artist was very intent on our business and proceeded to make his business case by pointing out how we had great features for drawing, like Matt's big nose in particular. We have learned that it is very difficult to avoid the attention of these vendors that walk about with their wares as well as setup camp in a big outdoor market area across from where the shuttle drops off. It is important to just completely ignore the vendors and what they are selling because they will try to follow you and haggle even if you don't respond so long as you show a hint of interest. I have developed a process for looking at stuff in passing as if I'm trying to look somewhere else just so they don't leach onto us. From Foakley sunglasses, to Folex watches, and fauxball jerseys, there isn't something you can't buy cheap and fake from these vendors.
In the end of the night, it was an enjoyable evening, coupled with the entertainment of an older lady falling asleep next to her presumed daughter at the table behind us.
Until next time,
-David Rood
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