Forte dos Reis Magos

7/16/12
Before we left Natal we visited the Forte dos Reis Magos. Build in 1598, this fort was used to protect the coast of Natal from invasions and threat to the Portuguese. It was indeed taken over by the Dutch in 1633 and later reclaimed by the Portuguese in 1654.

There was a cool story told by our guide. As most people know, the Portuguese are not very tall. (All you have to do is look at me!). There is an exit door in the soldiers quarters that lead the soldiers into battle when the fort was being attacked. The Dutch soldiers were taller than the Portuguese so they had to duck to try to get out. Well, since the height of this exit was shorter than the Dutch, the Dutch soldiers lost visibility and time in trying to leave their quarters, so the Portuguese soldiers were the ones that got out first to fight. I don't know if it is a true story, but it's funny. At the same time that that was happening the captain of the fort could leave and go through a "secret passage" hidden from the public:) I thought the captain is the last one to leave his ship?! Of course, this is not a ship, but a fort, so that rule does not apply.

On a different subject, we saw the first billboard with a picture of a colored couple. Maybe the coast is more accepting of the races? It is possible, more contact with the external world and ideas.