Journey Impressions: Natal

Natal: Population approx. 0.86 million (2013)
Brazil: Population approx. 209.6 million
Population growth (2010-2016): 0.9%
People per km²: 24
Gross national income per person in 2014: 11,780 USD


16 January 2018, Natal:

On the morning of 16 January, we two pilots had to engage in a somewhat unusual pursuit. We had to find an adaptor for the laptop in a department store. After Kurt had asked several people, he did actually manage to find one. During the previous night, I’d slept badly because the central air conditioning systems on the floor above were incredibly loud. The next day, we switched room 518 for room 803 and I was happy again. The view from this room looked out towards the beach and a few small dunes.

After the trip to the department store, we pilots decided to take a walk along Natal’s beach and spent a long time watching the comings and goings. I took this opportunity to buy a hat to shield my head and ears from the burning sun. Natal’s beach is very busy and clearly popular. The fourth picture shows the beach and Natal’s vast and famous dune called Moro de Carreca. The six-kilometre walk did us good, even if the outdoor temperature was over 30 degrees. 

A taxi driver from the previous evening had told us that Natal is quite safe. Nevertheless, we did have two very strict-looking bodyguards in the office. But all in all we felt safe and were pleased that we’d managed the long flight. That does of course explain the big grins that became two in the mirror! We then brought the evening to a close with a meeting plus champagne. That seemed an appropriate way of celebrating our success. 



17 January 2018, Natal:

On 17 January, we ordered a taxi driver to see Natal with a local. Apart from the city centre, we visited Newton Navaroo Bridge and, at the suggestion of the taxi driver, the new football stadium where the German team played during the last World Cup. The stadium is very modern and attractive. We were able to visit it. The stadium was designed for crowds of 42,000, which was reduced to 32,000 after the World Cup. A lot of cultural events and football matches take place here. We were also able to sit on the players and coaches’ bench and our taxi driver revealed that he was a sort of son of Maradona. So you could say that the two pilots sat with a legend on the coaches’ bench. Kurt asked if there was somewhere the taxi driver could recommend for a snack and he suggested somewhere. The place was called sal e brasa, which roughly translated means salt and fried food. But before we could head off, we had to hold a somewhat amused conversation with three ladies who had lined up in front of the eatery. As we were so friendly, they took mercy on us and let us go in. The taxi driver then organised a job for me in the place, because the Brazilian money I had with me wasn’t enough to pay the bill. But we also managed to get that sorted out too. 

The endless range of meat, stuck on a skewer by the person who cut the meat or the currasqueiro, was impressive. The list of types of meat was long, but we were given a selection of the following:

beef, chicken, sausages, mutton, pork and veal. Those are the types of meat we were able to count, but Kurt guesses it must have been 10 to 12 different types. We had a caramel pudding to finish with. And afterwards, Kurt had to take a look at the buffet offering.

The noise in the eatery was also overwhelming thanks to an estimated 400 guests and a huge party taking place in another big room. Some of them were enthusiastic fans of Karaoke. It wasn’t always necessarily pleasant to listen to but full of emotion. We might have taken a walk, but we were being picked up the next day at 6 a.m. to carry out our next flight. And we were delighted that the Brazilian authorities had officially issued us with the certificate allowing us to fly in Brazil. 

So now it’s time to turn in. Bye and until tomorrow.