Volume I: The South American Journals
The Amazon
March to April, 2015
Day 1 Thursday 19/3/15 London/Lisbon/Belem
Arrived at Heathrow at 1.00 am and made ourselves as comfortable as possible to wait out the rest of the night; passed some of the time chatting to a man who was travelling to the Faroe Islands to witness the total eclipse of the sun.
By 5.10 am we had progressed through to the Departure Lounge but not before a minor contretemps with Security…Travelling every two months or so I am, or rather, consider myself, pretty conversant with the regulations concerning forbidden items, liquids etc and had ensured that all liquids and unguents had been placed in transparent plastic bags; however, the monitoring apparatus singled my bag out for special attention! After having had the whole bag emptied and its contents swabbed, I was informed that I was only allowed one small plastic bag of liquids and pastes! Eventually I had to call Margaret over and transfer some of my lipsalves and deodorants into one of her plastic bags (she had several!) – so much for the assurances of impartiality with which I was showered!….Assuaged my resentment by filling in a customer-satisfaction leaflet!
Approaching Belem
Boarded the TAP flight to Lisbon at 5.30 am. No sooner on board than I began to feel most unwell; faint, nauseous and uncomfortably warm – I removed layers of clothing (London had been pretty cold) and sat with my head pressed against the seat in front. Fortunately I recovered within about half an hour and managed to fit in a short snooze before landing at 8.30am.
On arrival in Lisbon we had to move quickly as our flight to Brazil was scheduled for 9.30 am! Surprised to find that baggage had to undergo another security check – a lengthy procedure with only one channel in operation and our flight more-or-less coinciding with the TAP flight to Accra (of which we have had more than our share of experience in the past!).
Finally boarded an Airbus 330 which can only have been some 35% full which gave us the opportunity to enjoy two seats each although the narrow time frame left us wondering whether our baggage had managed to keep pace with us (we have had previous experience of tight schedules at Lisbon airport).
An excellent lunch was served at around 11.00 am (meatballs, rice, mushroom and artichoke side-salad plus a couple of glasses of vinho tinto) and then a very welcome rest in the semi-darkness of the cabin.
As the flight reached the South American continent another meal was served (cheese, processed meat, rolls and some very sweet pineapple) and then, somewhat to our surprise, the flight made straight for a drizzly Manaus which we reached at 2.30 pm local time (6.30 Lisbon time). Some debate as to whether we would have to disembark for the aircraft to be cleaned but eventually we were permitted to stay on board. Half the passengers disembarked in Manaus and a similar number came aboard – some for Belem and some for Portugal; left for Belem at 4.35 pm.
Manaus – Belem took some 1 hour 50 minutes – time for yet another meal! (bread, salad and a rather peculiar square omelette) which at least meant that we wouldn’t have to search the streets of Belem this evening for something to eat!
Arrived in Belem at 6.20 pm as light was fading. Passed through Immigration and a vigorous vetting to ensure that we were not entering with any prohibited agricultural products (the young woman in front of us had three apples confiscated!) and then to wait at the carousels for our baggage…
No sign of my bag (mercifully, Margaret’s turned up); gave my details to a very obliging TAP official who assured me that the bag would come out on the very next flight from Lisbon and would be delivered to my residence on Saturday evening…
Taxi through a bustling, dark and rainy city to Senador Pousada Hotel in the Arsenal area of Belem where, happily, all was prepared for our arrival.
Senador Pousada is probably not in the most salubrious of areas but the accommodation is not at all bad – room hardly luxurious and appears to look out on to a brick wall but the beds are comfortable, the air-con works as does the refrigerator; adjoining the sleeping area is a small neat and clean bathroom. First impressions quite favourable.
Thought of going out for a wander but a heavy shower of rain put paid to those ideas so opened up our Duty-free rum and some of the cold mixers from the fridge and relaxed; retired for the night, more than a little fatigued, at 10.30 pm.
Waiting in Reception in Senador Pousada
Day 2 Friday 20/3/15 Belem
Had to get up in the night to locate a woolly rug thanks to the efficiency of the room’s air-con! Finally rose at 8.45 am and went downstairs for breakfast which the proprietor seemed particularly keen that we sample! In fact the breakfast was excellent and very filling: mashed tuna and onions, cheese, processed meat, bread, cake (if required) fruit salad and some very curious Amazonian fruit juices.
Left the Senador at 10.30 am and found ourselves in a pretty if somewhat delapidated square; turned around and followed the road all the way down to the river front and then, turning to the left made our way to the fabulous market of Ver-O-Peso. Bought some fruit – guavas, a large Guanabana plus, an extra bonus as I hadn’t seen the fruit since I left Trinidad in 1979, some sapodillas!
Fruit stalls in Ver-o-Peso
Ver-o-Peso from the waterfront
Passed on from the market up the hill to Sé Cathedral for a brief visit but not before becoming acquainted with hordes of giant rats cavorting around the overflowing drains [it had just rained] beyond the market! One actually attempted to climb up a nearby on-looker!
A resident of Belem waterfront!
Visited Forte do Castelo which overlooks the river and its attendant archaeological museum [Museu do Forte do Presépio]; excellently curated if perhaps in need of a little more lighting…
Walking around the fort we noticed a collection of bars/restaurants all seemingly doing a roaring trade so decided to try one and partake of our first Brazilian beer; beer [Brahma] was freezing cold so we had a couple and then moved on to a nearby snack-bar offering most appetising plates of fried fish. Enjoyed a substantial lunch of fried fish, rice, feijão, salad plus the ubiquitous farofa – all this plus another freezing beer set us back Rs.35
Sé Cathedral
Suitably refreshed, we went in search of a super-market to buy cachaça and some mixers and then a visit to another eighteenth century church before returning to Ver-o-Peso and the waterfront and thence back to Senador. Unpacked our purchases only to find that we were missing our guanabana! Had a feeling that I must have put down the fruit when I was examining some post-cards at a newspaper kiosk so went back to investigate and, mirabile dictu, there it was, by the kiosk, wrapped up and ripening fast!
Waiting for a Brahma!
A generous portion for me
Went in search of the Tourist Office which I eventually found at 5.00 pm just as it was closing. Being close to the waterfront I had the bright idea of checking out the boats to Santarem and Manaus [ this proved to be a mistake which I would not repeat – the standard advice is the best: if you want to arrange a passage go down to the dock and sort it out with the company’s office or the boat’s captain!] The boat terminal proved to be very modern and, seemingly efficient; got talking to a couple of agents who offered us a cabin to Santarem on a sailing departing Tuesday evening and arriving Friday morning [fare started off at Rs.1000 but we eventually settled on Rs.700 – to be paid on the morrow.]
6.40 pm and downstairs in Senador chatting football with the proprietor; outside sporadic, but very heavy downpours. A lull in the rain allowed us to make a sortie from the hotel but we cannot have progressed more than about 100 metres when the heavens opened with a vengeance! Managed to find an overhanging ledge which provided a little protection and, of course, we did have an umbrella; marooned in a maelstrom for more than half an hour, a slight lull enabled us to make a dash back to Senador but not without us getting thoroughly soaked! Particularly irksome in my case as I have no spare clothing!…
Drowned our sorrows with coke and cachaça and even watched a little television before fatigue overcame us; eventually took to bed to read as tiredness kicked-in.
Pedro Teixeira Monument, Belem
Day 3 Saturday 21/3/15 Belem
Last night hung out wet clothes as best as we were able and this morning at least my trousers were serviceable as were my socks but, everything else…
Left hotel at 10.00 am after a rather strange, though reasonably satisfying, breakfast [mashed tuna, cheese and Spam] and headed towards ParaTour [Tourist Office]; en route we bumped into the shipping agent whom we had arranged to meet later this morning so concluded our business there and then – paid over Rs.700 and received in return a ticket for a “suite” for the 6.30 Tuesday evening sailing to Santarem…
The main business of the day having been completed, we continued on to Para Tour only to find it closed until Monday! Did, however, encounter a very friendly and chatty guard – probably glad to encounter someone, however odd, to break up the tedium!
Praça Dom Pedro II, Belem
Carried on to the waterfront and through Ver-o-Peso, up to Sé Cathedral and then a long walk down Rua do Arsenal until we reached our objective: Mangal das Garças which proved to be one of the best botanical/nature parks that we have ever visited.
Once inside the park we were astonished at the variety of wild life all around us: egrets, storks, flamingos, scarlet ibises, toads, ducks, turtles to say nothing of the plethora of large green iguanas all seemingly indifferent to the proximity of humans. At the centre of the park is a beautiful butterfly sanctuary with a number of lily ponds and lots of tree stumps to attract the insects.
Inside the butterfly house
Mangal das Garças: Iguanas
Mangal das Garças: Scarlet Ibis
Before entering the park we stopped outside to enjoy a frozen coconut and after visiting the park we returned to the coconut vendor to try his guanabana ice-creams. Back to the market area for lunch and another cheap and cheerful meal of fried fish rice and farofa [toasted cassava flour which, apart from its crunchiness, seems to add nothing to a meal except more calories!]
Walked along the water-front after lunching in search of boat companies offering local trips and eventually found one to fit the bill; paid Rs.8 each and booked ourselves on to a trip to S.Francisco at 3.00 pm.; being among the first aboard we were able to pick our spot on the open area outside. Chugged down the Rio Guamá via Marcarena and reached S. Francisco by which time it was already 4:45 pm. so it seemed prudent to take the next boat back to Belem! Near Marcarena we were amused to observe a small craft meandering in the middle of the river with just a dog for a passenger! All became clear when our vessel slowed to a halt, the small boat came alongside and a family transferred to the craft which then made all speed for the shore.
Belem waterfront
Arrived back in Belem at 6.45 and made our way back to Senador noting, as we did so, that all shops, bars and supermarkets seemed to have closed. Took some refreshment back at the hotel and then tried, in vain, to contact TAP to enquire about my bag. Out of the blue, at 8.10 there was a call from the airport with news of the arrival of my luggage and, a little over an hour later, the bag was delivered.
The night being unexpectedly dry I took the opportunity to walk down Rua Franco Sousa and its surrounds in the faint hope of finding a suitable restaurant [ie anything but a fried chicken or hot dog ("cachorro quente") outlet!] Found nothing suitable but was somewhat taken aback by the number of attractive young women standing on practically every street corner...
Nothing left to do but return to Senador, fortify ourselves with cachaça and guaraná [an effervescent drink flavoured with an Amazonian berry and very popular in Brazil] and read for a while; couple of power outtages before we finally gave up and went to bed.
Day 4 Sunday 22/3/15 Belem
Breakfasted at 9.00 am and then followed the proprietor's directions to Franco Sousa and an enormous supermarket where we stocked up on provisions like bread, roasted chicken, mineral waters etc.
Having deposited our purchases back in our room we set off for a return visit to Mangal das Garças only this time by what we hoped would be a more direct route. Walked the length of Rua 28 Setembro [next street to Senador] before arriving at Av. Portugal and making a right turn. Rua 28 Setembro is very long and very narrow and was, at this time, almost totally deserted; was a trifle disconcerted to be warned by an old-timer that the street was renowned for being dangerous in off-peak times!..
Rua 28 Septembro
Eventually reached the gardens unscathed and, before entering, treated ourselves to a couple of frozen coconuts and then two Choppes da Fruta [essentially a highly-flavoured, fruity milk-lolly] 1R. each and quite excellent!
As we did yesterday we walked around the park but were disappointed to find the Butterfly Centre closed to visitors. Explored a walkway which led out to a thatched viewing area looking out on to the river and then took the lift up the Farol de Belem [a 43m. high lighthouse in the middle of the garden]; on the way up the lift halted and we were suspended half-way up until service was restored and we were returned to the Ground Floor! When eventually we did manage to make it to the top of the Farol we enjoyed a superb panorama of the park and its environs.
Mangal das Garças: view from the Farol
Mangal das Garças: looking out towards the river
Mangal das Garças: walkway to the river
Had it been possible to buy cold beer we would doubtless have remained much longer in the gardens but, as it was, we opted for walking back to familiar haunts around Ver-o-Peso and slaking our thirst on a couple of cold beers, so cold, in fact, that the liquid turned to slush as we poured it out into our glasses!
As we sat drinking our beer the weather clouded over and began to rain heavily; saw this as an opportunity for a late lunch: ordered carne assada and salad for Margaret and fried fish and salad for me - feijão, potato salad, rice and pasta seemed to come as extras!
Meal over and rain exhausted, we moved a little further along to the Estação das Docas complex which houses a number of up-market trinket shops, ice-cream parlours and pretty sophisticated eating establishments, before making a move back to the hotel.
Estação das Docas [after business hours!]
By Estação das Docas
Arriving back spent a while chatting to the proprietor about football, notably Brazilians like David Luis and Gilberto Silva who have played in the Premiership, and then went upstairs to enjoy our guanabana. Some hope! The giant fruit was most disappointing and we ended up throwing most of it away - happily the sapodillas fulfilled their promise!
Spent the rest of the evening consuming our rolls and chicken and then indulging in some cachaça and guaraná before eventually calling it a day.
Day 5 Monday 23/3/15 Belem
A more comfortable night than previously as we seem to have worked out the best settings for the air-conditioning unit. Breakfast to the accompaniment of torrential rain.
Rain storm over we went on a lengthy walk to the Basilica da Nossa Senhora de Nazaré passing the ornate neo-classical Teatro da Paz en route [unfortunately, being Monday the building was closed.] Finally reached the Basilica only to find a full-blown [and very well-attended] Mass taking place; as a consequence we could only skirt around the periphery of the Church - a shame as the interior is splendid indeed.
Teatro da Paz
Retraced our steps to Rua Presidente Vargas where we had previously noted a series of open-air cooking ventures [that is to say, seating on a wide pavement covered with a tarpaulin for shelter and with cooking equipment against the back wall]; stopped at one for plates of stewed tongues and rice plus a bottle of guaraná [Rs12] and thence to a cachaça bar near Senador where we had a bottle of beer for the rip-off price of Rs.9!
ParaTur being close-by, we made a little detour and called in; staff so very friendly and so eager to be of help that I did wonder if a tourist had ever darkened their doors before!
Tramped onwards to Ver-o-Peso where we bought a couple of very smart hammocks [plus the necessary cords] for Rs.100 [which was almost certainly over the odds!]; were then pointed in the direction of a bus which would take us on to Mangal das Garças - pity no-one thought to remind us that it being Monday, the gardens would be firmly closed!
Road-side lunch stall
In the very warm afternoon we made our way down to the boat terminus via Franco Sousa to enquire whether, as we had reserved a cabin, we would also need to buy hammocks [redes/hamacas] and it was suggested that we do just that...
Belem:Republic Monument
Belem: Park adjacent o Teatro da Paz
A very hot walk back towards town and to our now-traditional watering hole by the waterfront where we had a couple of very welcome beers. As we were relaxing with our drinks there was a sudden commotion - a man snatched a bag from a European tourist sitting at the next table and beat a hasty retreat with bag owner and public-spirited locals in hot pursuit! Quite how the incident ended I am unsure but at least the woman arrived back at her table eventually with the bag over her shoulder and resumed her drink - I came to the conclusion that the thief must have dropped the bag the better to make good his get-away!
On the way home the heavens opened once again forcing us to take shelter in the Docas for the following forty minutes; it was gone 5.00 pm before we could resume our return to Senador. Another brought-in meal of bread and chicken and then beers and cachaça while we watched a couple of fairly interesting programmes on current concerns in Brazil [jail breaks and drought] before bringing the day to an end.
Day 6 Tuesday 24/3/15 Belem
Wonderful! The air-conditioning now works too efficiently so did not have a great night due to the cold!
7.50 am shower and then to pack our bags before going down to breakfast - change of menu this morning! The flaked fish was replaced by a dish of stewed mince and, in addition, there was a very salty chicken pie - the fruit, however, was as usual, very good!
Next item on the agenda was to revisit the market and buy very colourful shoulder bag that we had noticed the other day and then to move on to one of the nut stalls to buy a bag of cashew nuts [Rs.20]; ended up buying a number of CDs of local music for a knock-down price.
Around 11.15am returned to Senador and had a brief chat with the concierge who allowed us to put our baggage in their storeroom before going in quest of lunch at one of the stalls along the main road - no tongue, alas, but a satisfying meal of carne asada and rice accompanied by another torrential rainstorm.
After eating we walked along Pres. Vargas towards the theatre but found, unfortunately, that visitors can only be admitted as members of a guided tour and that the next tour would not be until 2.00 pm which would have meant cutting things very fine; acting on the principle that when you've seen one theatre you've seen them all, we turned our backs on the place!
Visited a supermarket to stock up on water and guaraná before returning to the hotel, make our farewells and pay the bill [Rs.459] and then wait for a taxi to take us to the Santarem boat.
Another downpour and with the road more like a river than a thoroughfare, we were taken to the docks which proved to be a substantial distance away, past Mangal das Garças and beyond some pretty dreadful slums.
We arrived to find our boat [F/B Amazonas] already well-populated with many of the hammock spaces occupied - not, of course, that this fact bothered us at all having splashed out on a suite...
In due course we were shown to our cabin [#3] and were just enquiring about the key when a woman came up to the door and let herself in! Transpired that the cabin had been double-booked!
Much animated debate then took place before we were finally allocated berths - Margaret in cabin #10 with a rather fussy middle-aged woman and me in cabin #1 with a very friendly chap the almost exact double of one of the stewards I know at The Emirates!
Belem: Park adjacent o Teatro da Paz
Accommodation settled as best as was possible in the circumstances, we adjourned upstairs to the bar area with our own bag of refreshments and, as the vessel made its way up river [it departed at 6.10 pm] we sat in the open, enjoying the breeze and supping our now standard cachaça and guaraná. Population of the bar seemed to thin out around 9.30 and we took this as our cue to go to our respective cabins.
Gave my room-mate the option of bunks and he opted for the lower level leaving me to squeeze myself into the narrow gap between the mattress and the ceiling and directly opposite the air-conditioning unit!...
Evening falls on the Upper Deck
Day 7 Wednesday 25/3/17 Belem-Santarem
My room-mate, Cesar, turned out to be a really pleasant individual who was scheduled to remain on board until tonight.
Sorted myself out as best as I was able in the very cramped space, clambering up onto the top bunk accompanied by a bag of hammocks and assorted sundries - happily, one of these sundries was the red woollen blanket that I had inadvertently taken from the TAP flight!...
Settled down on the bunk, switched off the light and felt surprisingly comfortable when, rather to my dismay, my companion struck up a conversation! Admittedly we went on to have quite a lengthy and interesting conversation but, to be quite honest, I could have done without it!
Eventually got to sleep in spite of my companion's intermittent bursts of loud snores and then, around 4.00am was woken by the cold. In spite of my blanket I was too cold to return to sleep until I hit upon the ploy of covering myself with one of the hammocks which effectively solved the problem of our super efficient cooling-system!
Margaret knocked at 7.30 am and we went downstairs to the lowest deck for a breakfast of a ham and cheese roll and fruit [Rs.5] - not bad and,considering the circumstances, very welcome.
Breakfast over we returned to the top deck, put out a table and some chairs and sat and watched the river flow by. A short stop at Breves where the boat simply drew alongside another boat already moored and new passengers and itinerant sellers risked life and limb clambering from one vessel to another! Morning passed pleasantly looking at the scenery whilst listening to the Bryan Adams catalogue at full volume!...
Breves waterfront.
10.15 am and Margaret's suite-partner and an official approached us, sat down by us and, in effect, asked if Margaret would mind moving out! The official promised that he could get her a hammock and the requisite space...happily we were able to reach a mutually satisfactory arrangement: my partner will be leaving the boat this evening after which Margaret can have his bunk; meantime I can put her belongings in my cabin as the other woman expressly booked the cabin for herself alone as she suffers from spinal problems, needs frequent rest and cannot cope with a top bunk...so all was well that ended well!
The galley began serving lunch at 11.00 am! I went down two flights of stairs and paid Rs.20 for two portions of rice, beans and a generous allocation of chicken; took the meals up to the top deck and we lunched in the sunshine.
A small river-side settlement
No sooner had we consumed our lunch than the sky began to cloud over and, before too long, we came in for a prolonged spell of heavy rain which lasted until dusk. My cabin-mate, Cesar joined us for a couple of hours and we struggled manfully to converse against the cacophany of the sound system!
Cesar, it transpires, is a "Promoter" of "Justicia" in the state of Pará and is excellent company; eventually he left us to go and work on his lap-top and pack his belongings before rejoining us around 7.45. No meals in the canteen this evening so we resorted to toasted cheese and presunto [ham] sandwiches from the bar - most appetising!
Lunch on the good ship Amazonas
Margaret and Cesar
Early evening on the Amazon
At 8.45 pm lights came up on the left bank and by 9.15 we had pulled into Gurupá where Cesar and many other passengers disembarked. We stood outside what was now our cabin and watched merchandise being unloaded from the hold, a seemingly never-ending process - crates of eggs, guaraná, cachaça, vegetables, sacks of farofa etc etc. The unloading was still going on when we retired to our bunks!
Arriving at Gurupá
If anything, the air-con was even more ferocious this evening and we had to resort to hammocks, blankets and other items to insure that we were as well insulated against the cold as we could be! Finally got to bed at 1.00 am. just as the boat was preparing to cast-off.
Day 8 Thursday 26/3/15 Amazon River
The extra layers paid off and I slept quite well until 7.00 am as we were approaching a small settlement; lying on the top bunk with the cabin door open watching the river go by proved a most pleasant experience!
Tried the cabin's shower - not bad although a little disconcerting to see the light switch quite so close to a water source! 8.40 am. and too late for any breakfast but Margaret managed to buy a slab of cheese from a vendor who came aboard so I enquired as to whether any bread remained over - there was none but we were given a generous helping of watermelon and pawpaw to soften our disappointment!
Sat upstairs on the top deck and ate cheese and fruit while looking out on the pleasant little town we had docked at [Almerím] with a quaint wooden pier leading out to the dock where we were moored. Weather very warm and I had to make a number of changes of clothes (in contrast to yesterday evening when I had to resort to wearing socks and a long-sleeved undershirt below my tee shirt!)
At 10.00 am we were still anchored at Almerím where it seemed to be getting hotter by the minute! Margaret kindly introduced me to a very amiable elderly gentleman with whom I endeavoured to have a conversation - not the easiest thing in the world even if, mercifully, there was comparatively little background noise! Fortunately, as usual, the topic of football got us through!
São Luiz jetty
Docked at another small settlement at 6.00 pm - Prainha which, though small, seemed to handle a lot of traffic. A lot of new passengers boarded and we departed at 7.00 pm.
Yesterday no evening meals were served in the Galley but this evening when I went to investigate I found the kitchen in full swing! Rice, beans, salad and carne assada followed!
Unable to cope with the tremendous din of the top floor we retired downstairs with a couple of chairs to the environs of our cabin where we spent the evening gazing at the plethora of stars and looking out for any interesting phenomena in the water.
Another hour passed before we set off again, as did the top-deck music! Lunch was much the same as yesterday save for the addition of a rather tasty olive/pimento/onion salad. Spent the afternoon either upstairs where the music was seemingly ratcheted up another notch or two, or in the cool cabin reading, using binoculars to watch river life and trying to thwart an incipient headache! 5.00 pm. we went back upstairs and moved our table to the rear of the deck in a not-wholly -unsuccessful attempt to avoid being deafened!
Upper Floor and Bar
Night-fall on the Amazon
At 10.30 pm. we were scheduled to make another stop so we delayed going to bed until that was over - in the event no stop was made and we eventually brought the day to an end.
Day 9 Friday 27/3/15 Santarém/Alter do Chão
Around midnight we pulled into the next riverside port but I was too tired to get up and see exactly which one we had reached and what was going on! Needless to say there was hell of a lot of noise though the ship's engines being turned off for a while did at least give us some respite from the icy air-con! Set off again around 1.00 am.
Got up at 6.40, showered and re-packed and then took all the baggage down to the lower level. We were fortunate to get a little breakfast - very sweet melon and pawpaw which we supplemented with the remains of the cheese bought yesterday.
Finally reached the port of Santarém at 9.45 am. which meant that a journey which encompassed three nights on the river actually ended up just 75 minutes behind the advertised time of arrival!
As I started carrying the baggage down the gang-plank I was approached by a young taxi-driver who offered his services, an offer which I gladly accepted given that these docks were desolate and quite clearly some distance from the town. Paid the taxi driver Rs.25 and for that he took us first to the offices of the Manaus boats where for Rs.300 I booked two passages for mid-day 1st.April, and thence to a bus stop from where we could catch a vehicle to Alter-do- Chão.
Had a wait of some thirty minutes before the requisite bus came along but at least the stop had a seat and several friendly would-be passengers reassured us that we were waiting in the right place.
Waiting for the bus to Alter-do- Chão
When the bus did turn up at 10.45 am. it was completely packed! In spite of the crowding, somehow or other, sufficient space was found for the two of us and our bags! There then ensued a break-neck journey largely through very impressive forest.
After an hour we seemed to be reaching what we assumed must be Alter-do- Chão when, quite fortuitously, on the right hand side of the road I saw a sign to Pousada Ximango which was to be our lodging place! Got the bus to stop a little further down the road and then walked back to the sign and followed its directions some 300 metres down a broken-up dirt path. Halfway along the path we decided that Margaret should wait with the bags which, given the state of the path, was becoming a nightmare, while I went ahead to find the residence; en route I met the proprietor who had seen us on the road from his bike and guessed our identity!
We were grateful to finally reach our destination. Entered the gate of the pousada and, to all intents and purposes, found ourselves in an enchanted world! We were very happy with the appearance of the little chalet we had been allocated, put our bags inside and then paid over Rs.450 [to include an extra night as I had miscalculated by 24 hours!] and then enjoyed(?) a glass of cashew fruit juice with the owner, Paulo, whilst we had an introductory chat.
Communal area Ximango
Unpacked a little, changed into our beach attire and then headed into town in search of lunch. Investigated a number of restaurants around the town square and ultimately opted for Rest. Piracuí; ordered steak and chips which took an inordinately long time to appear but, in fairness, it was probably worth the wait! Steak, chips, boiled rice, rice and peas, feijão, salad plus a portion of salada tropical which included pineapple,olives, pickled onions, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, halloumi cheese and palm heart! The final bill which also included two beers came to Rs.87 and we left feeling quite sure that we were unlikely to want anything more to eat for at least 24 hours!
Lunch at Restaurante Piracuí
Alter-do-Chão's main square (Praça) looks onto a beautiful lagoon; we hired a boatman to take us across to a beach [Rs.5 each] and soon found ourselves on an idyllic strip of sand surrounded by enticingly warm water...spent several hours on the fringes of the shore with occasional forays into the water. Had a couple of choppes of a previously unheard-of fruit flavour [left a little to be desired] and returned to the mainland at 5.30 pm.
Looking out on to the lagoon, Alter-do-Chão
After a quick look around the church on the Praça and a rapid run around a small supermarket, we then walked home via a spectacularly unsuccessful stint in a near-by cyber-cafe!
Our chalet at Ximango
Once home we showered and then put our hammocks up on our verandah and partook of our favourite evening tipple of cachaça and guaraná. We soon began to feel pretty tired but tried to hang on for as long as possible as we were still to hear about arrangements for a jungle tour for the following day and for which we had already paid Rs.200 each. Eventually we could wait no longer and retired for the night.
Day 10 Saturday 28/3/15 Alter-do-Chão
Woken in the night by a violent rain storm and then discovered that the roof leaked a little! Happily, not too close to the bed! Unaware of what exactly the arrangements were (if any) for the mooted jungle trip we got up at a reasonable hour (7.30 am) and found that the resident dog, a very friendly creature, had run off with our sandals and one of our large towels!
Enjoyed a breakfast of rolls, cheese and presunto (ie a sort of processed meat not wholly unakin to Spam); we were also given a tapioca omelette to try which was distinctly odd though palatable but I found the sample of Açai far from pleasant (as, indeed, I found the variety of Amazonian fruit juices on offer!)
We breakfasted with a couple of young women (a Canadian and an Australian) who went on a river excursion yesterday and in whose footsteps it seems we were destined to follow.
A van came to the pousada at 10.10 am. and took us down to the Praça and thence to the jetty to meet our host for the day - a personable young indigenous man by the name of Moisés.
Got into Moisés' little motor boat, put on our life-jackets and then we shot off across the bay like the proverbial bat from hell! When, at breakfast I asked the Australian girl what we should wear she replied that it hardly mattered as we would be soaked to the skin in a matter of moments - how right she was!
Went past yesterday's beach and then negotiated a way through a thicket and onto a large, smooth lake. Crossed the lake and then entered on to the river Tapajós following the shoreline before crossing very rough waters to enter the Canal do Jiri which separates the Tapajós from the Amazon.
A quiet off-shoot
M with our guide for the day, Moisés
First stop of the trip came at a large, ancient and very quaint house on stilts owned by a charming elderly couple who fell over themselves to make us feel welcome and to answer any questions we might have about their isolated life [at this time of year river levels are high and much land submerged.] We were fascinated by their lavatory, a wooden cabin at the end of a long walkway well away from the house...
Arriving at the house on stilts…
M chatting with the Lady of the House
Our hosts
Bedroom shrine
The lavatory at the end of the walkway…
At this point we exchanged the motorised boat for a paddle boat and made our way through an extensive sunken forest which housed a multiplicity of bird life as well as a number of monkeys in the higher branches. All around us we could hear loud splashes - iguanas diving from the trees into the water!
Moisés attempted to catch piranha with a cane rod but had little success (well actually he did catch a couple but they managed to escape while being hauled in!) Undoubted highlight of the visit to the sunken forest came at the end when, just as we were making an exit, we passed directly under a young sloth!
Bade farewell to the elderly couple and resumed our trip up the canal. Made another stop at a riverside community shop where we were treated to our first ever caiparinhas and then taken out on the lake behind in a punt to see an extensive plantation of water lillies.
Waterway shop
Moisés preparing the caiparinhas
M with shop-keeper and Moisés
Water lily plantation
Having started the return journey, we stopped for a late lunch at a beach resort restaurant where we each had a truly enormous grilled fish [tambaqui] plus rice, feijão etc. etc. - the total bill came to Rs. 114 which, considering the quality (to say nothing of the quantity) was pretty reasonable.
A tambaqui lunch
Apart from clothing soaked on today's excursion we washed a number of undergarments and draped them across lines in the bathroom or pegged them to bungee straps across the verandah but there was little sign of anything actually drying!
The two Colonials are leaving for Manaus tomorrow while we have been offered the opportunity to finally take the jungle tour; we decided on an early night to prepare us for whatever might lie in store tomorrow. Today, though, really did prove an amazing day out!
Day 11 Sunday 28/3/15 Alter-do-Chão
Up at 7.30 am. to shower and make a comprehensive review of the baggage in the hope of finding some light and dry clothes to wear for the day ahead.
Went to breakfast an hour later which, apart from the omission of tapioca pancakes, was much the same as yesterday; tried a bizarre fruit and Brazil nut jam - absolutely revolting!
Chatted to the Colonials over the meal - apparently (and I had already been pretty sure about this) there are no boats leaving for Manaus on a Sunday so they plan to stop another night. The Australian is pretty well-travelled but still managed to astonish us both by having no idea as to the whereabouts of the celebrated land of Freedom and Justice, the other source of my identity!
Paolo offered us another water trip this morning (we began to wonder whether we would ever get to traipse the forest ) not,alas, with Moisés, but with a female guide; we are to be taken to lakes, see orchids, go swimming and then return for the afternoon. The forest trip is now scheduled for tomorrow...
10.10 am and a beautiful morning as we walked down to the Praça to meet our guide; as we were going to spend the morning on the river I put on yesterday's wet clothes on the assumption that they would probably dry on me as I walked down to the dock!
Met up with Selma, our young guide, and while she went to find a suitable boat spent the time chatting to Moisés who was also in evidence and was scheduled to take some fellow guests out to yesterday's restaurant for lunch.
Set off with Selma straight across the bay and into a wide lagoon containing masses of submerged shrubs, pretty yellow flowers, peculiar fruit appetising to fish, plus a variety of avian life, cormorants in particular.
Passed along a very narrow waterway hedged in on all sides by bushes and trees and then entered into another lagoon; pulled up outside an up-market riverside restaurant and transferred to a canoe which a jovial elderly chap used to paddle us through an extensive sunken forest - A Floresta Encantada.
At length we returned to the restaurant mooring, changed back to Selma's boat and slowly wended our way back to Alter-do-Chão. Had told Selma that we were not interested in stopping anywhere for lunch but, at 1.45 pm on drawing in to the beach settlement opposite the town where we had spent our first afternoon, we were assailed by the irresistible aromas of barbecues and felt compelled to relent!
Approached the nearest churrascaria hut and enquired as to their wares - having learned from yesterday that portions tend to be on the generous side (to put it mildly) we asked for a fish (Tambaqui) to share. Needless to say we we had a mighty long wait during which we sank a couple of bottles of icy beer but, in due course our meal arrived: rice, feijão , salsa, farofa and an enormous grilled fish! We did eventually manage to get through all that was put in front of us but it was something of a struggle! I reckoned that the bill came to Rs.98 but the waiter insisted that it only amounted to Rs.74...
Another tambaqui lunch!
Moved across to the other side of the sand spit where the water seemed to be a little warmer and there we spent the rest of the afternoon. 4.30 pm. took a boat back to shore and, after a detour to the supermarket, headed back to Ximango where we found, to our relief, that some of our clothes had started to dry out...
Spent the rest of the evening in our hammocks knocking back cachaça and guaraná; our "Colonial Cousins" next door availed themselves of a take-away service but, whether it was ever delivered is open to question! Certainly it had still to arrive when we went to bed!
A night-cap at Ximango
Tomorrow at 8.30 am., Paulo has decreed, we are to meet up with Moisés who will, at long last, take us to the National Forest.
Day 12 Monday 30/3/15 Alter-do Chão
A van came and picked us up at 8.30 am and took us into town where we met up with Moisés and a French couple , Alain and Joele, who have recently arrived at Ximango.
Boat with Moisés at the helm set off at 9.15 am and we had a speedy trip across calm water and, in just over an hour, arrived at the settlement of Jaramaquóa where we were introduced to a jolly type who was to be our guide through the forest.
We set off along a narrow path into the secondary forest at the start of an 8 km. perambulation of the neighbourhood. Gradual climb up a long hill through dense vegetation - occasional bursts of colour thanks to a proliferation of strelitsias and other bright red plants.
Moved on into the primary forest which boasts some trees of enormous girth - got brief glimpses of monkeys at tops of trees. Perhaps the highlight of the excursion came with the discovery of a tarantula sitting outside its lair and seemingly oblivious to our presence! Took a short break at the foot of the forest's largest tree - it is reckoned that it takes 22 people holding hands to encircle the trunk!
Came across some very interesting vegetation - for example, cinammon, quinine and a plant that provides a coloured liquid which the locals use to paint their nails. Among other things we were introduced to trees that yield nuts for decoration plus a plethora of medicinal shrubs - some are used by the indigenous people to combat malaria, liver problems, coughs and colds etc while one helps children to walk before they reach one year of age!
We saw some pretty poor specimens of cocoa and a number of healthier-looking rubber trees which readily yielded latex on tapping. Native inhabitants use latex widely to produce, among other things, bags and jewelry. One very peculiar phenomenon to which we were introduced was a tree heavily populated by ants - apparently, if you put your palm on the trunk, take up some ants and rub them into your skin (they do not bite), you become resistant to mosquitos! Yet another shrub from this medicinal cornucopia curbs bleeding from cuts.
In short we encountered a wide variety of fascinating flora but saw little in the way of fauna and bird life; most creatures would appear to be nocturnal and leave little trace during the day. We found holes used by armadillos but, not alas, the creatures themselves, and at one stage we did find the pug marks of a jaguar, but fortunately not the perpetrator itself!
Around 1.30 pm we started our return which entailed a steep descent down from primary to secondary forest - very wisely the guide cut us all staves which were to prove invaluable.
No sooner had we started off than it began to rain and before long we were caught up in the midst of a full-scale storm which soaked us to the skin within a matter of minutes! We found ourselves descending down a treacherous and muddy streamlet bestrewn with branches and twigs; eventually, of course, the inevitable happened, my foot slipped on some mud, my troublesome knee gave way and down I went! The pain was intense and for a moment I feared that I had done myself a serious injury but, happily, once back on my feet, found that I could carry on without undue difficulty.
By 2.50 pm we were back in the settlement and before too long (indeed, given recent experiences) very soon found ourselves faced with another gargantuan meal - rice, beans, salsa and a truly giant fish! All four of us tucked into the repast with relish but even so, at the end, there was still a ton of fish left over!
Settlement dwelling and dining room
Lunch with Alain and Joelle
Having lunched we were led to a gift-shop exhibiting community handicrafts where I bought some little latex necklaces and then , leaving Moisés behind, were taken by canoe on a lengthy and largely silent paddle through yet another extensive sunken forest; saw a number of attractive birds as well as Victoria Lily colonies but, alas, no sloths although they are known to frequent the area. Returned via Moisés' motor-powered boat at 5.15 pm.
Seventy-five minutes later we were back in Alter-do-Chão in time for some quick supermarket purchases losing my glasses in the process of paying (mercifully, after an almighty panic, found them on the floor!) and then walked back in the dusk to Ximango.
Shed our wet clothes and had just broached our first cachaça of the evening when we were invited to join Joelle and Alain plus another Frenchman, resident in Cayenne, for tea/coffee and biscuits; sat in the open air chatting sporadically until about 8.15 pm when we made our excuses and left to pursue our own devices.
Day 13 Tuesday 31/3/15 Alter-do Chão
Electricity outtage in the early hours of the morning meant that not only did we wake up to an absence of air conditioning and, of course light (meaning that we had to shower whilst holding my little hand torch), but also to a rapidly de-frosting refrigerator!
Took breakfast at 8.00 am with the aim of catching the earliest available bus to Santarem but, somehow or other, we got delayed and missed it. Talked to Paolo about Fordlandia and Bel Terra which I have read are in the vicinity; in fact the former is some 100km. away and so is not really a possibility on this trip but Bel Terra is eminently reachable and a trip this afternoon could be arranged if we were interested....
In the course of our post-breakfast discussion with Paolo we were joined by Ana, a student from Barcelona, and Pierre, a retired French geography professor, both of whom expressed an interest in going to see some of the remnants of the Ford Empire in Brazil.
Walked with Ana to the main road in time to catch a crowded bus to Santarem; stayed aboard until the last stop, Mercado Dois Mil, which is by the waterfront.On leaving the bus we were assailed by a distinctive smell and knew that our first objective was at hand - a superb fish market. Witnessed pink dolphins in the bay being tempted by pieces of fish dangled from ropes attached to the market balcony; amusing too to watch a a huge tambaqui being filleted all the while being watched by a couple of storks strategically placed on one of the vacant fish counters!
Moved along the front and visited the Cathedral and what passes for the centre of town; Cathedral is large and airy but quite modern and nondescript - its blue facade is almost certainly its only distinguishing feature!
A visitor to the fish market!
Cathedral of Santa Rita, Santarem
Visited a couple of banks to enable Ana to withdraw some cash [an incredibly lengthy procedure in spite of automation!] Returned to the front for a cold drink and, concluding that the city very probably had little else to offer, made our way to Praça Tira-Dentes (!) to await a return bus to Alter-do-Chão.
Back at Ximango we met up with Jacques, Paolo's brother-in-law, and took off in his 4x4. Turned off the paved road and progressed along lengthy stretches of red earth and sand; journey took over an hour and, after passing through some attractive forest scenery, we found ourselves in the midst of a vast expanse of soya plantation with the few trees still standing quite clearly dying off.
When, eventually, we reached Bel Terra we found to our surprise that, unlike Fordlandia, the place is still occupied! The inhabitants all seem to live in identical green and white wooden bungalows with a porch in the front - just like Main Street, USA.
M with Ana at roadside cafe
Typical house in Bel Terra
Main Street
Walking along Main Street
Porto Novo Beach
Bel Terra is certainly interesting to see but there seemed to be little point in hanging around - I imagine that it functions as a small dormitory town for Santarem. Back in the 4x4 we headed to Jacques' idea of paradise - Porto Novo, a small settlement on the Tapajos.
When Jacques last visited the resort, some three months ago, there was, apparently, an expanse of sand extending up to perhaps, 100 metres - today there was barely one metre of sand! First inclination was to head straight back to the beaches of Alter-do-Chão but we decided to make the best of the situation with a short swim and a cold beer at the deserted waterfront bar.
Water-side bar at Porto Novo
On the way home we actually did pass through an idyllic little resort, Pindobal, where we watched the sun setting slowly over the river. Not having eaten more than a couple of pieces of fruit all day, everyone was hungry so we asked to be dropped at the main square where we could look for a suitable restaurant.
Pindobal beach
With Ana and Pierre, Pindobal
We finally opted to dine at A Saboraria located on one of the corners of the Praça where a most obsequious waiter, seemingly virtually blind, took the four of us to a table and did his very utmost to give us satisfaction. Margaret had leitão while the rest of us shared a tambaqui; there were the usual accompanying dishes: rice, beans, salsa etc. Meal proved most enjoyable and we ended up splitting a bill of Rs.112.
Awaiting our meal at A Saboraria
To Ximango for a quick word with Paolo and then to relax on our verandah until retiring at 11.20 pm.
Oh yes, I should mention the following: just after turning from the main road in Bel Terra we saw a large, green iguana making its way through a hedge - ironic that we saw no such wildlife during our four hours or more in the National Forest!
Pierre prepares to tuck-in!
Day 14 Wednesday 1/4/15 Alter-do-Chão/Santarem
A violent storm erupted at 3.00am and kept going for several hours; four hours later it had reduced to a steady drizzle.
Jacques and his 4x4 picked us up at Zimango at 7.45 am giving us just a few minutes to bid Ana, Pierre and Paolo a fond farewell. Just us and a beggar waiting at the bus station for the Santarem bus which turned up at 8.10 am with hardly a soul on board. Asked driver to let us know when we reached as close to the docks as the bus went and then moved to the back of the bus to sit with our luggage. Incessant rain throughout the journey which, if anything, got heavier as we approached Santarem! By the time we reached the city...
Alighted from the bus and sought shelter on the main road while, at the same time, trying to flag down a taxi. Depressingly all passing taxis seemed to be full but ultimately, with the assistance of a friendly Brazilian woman, managed to engage one. Short [Rs.10] ride down to the docks and confirmed our tickets with the agents while getting soaked in the process (it seemed that our umbrellas were both mislaid that morning!) Went through a pretty basic security routine and then waited in Departures until time to board.
10.00 am. and there was a mighty rush through driving rain to the Manaus boat, the R.N. São Bartolomeu a vessel which proudly proclaimed that it was Abençoada por Deus; somewhat grander than the boat that brought us to Santarem and, seemingly, with fewer passengers too.
Santarem dockyard
Leaving me to negotiate the bags, Margaret found spaces for the hammocks but seemed to be unaware of the floors above! Suffice it to say that we were looking at 48 hours on the lower floor choc-a-bloc with families of crying children! Moved our stuff up a floor to a tranquil and semi-deserted level and chose a spot for our hammocks (in retrospect we probably put them on the colder side of the vessel.) Went up another floor to the bar area and sequestered a couple of chairs so that we did not have to confine ourselves to the hammocks and could look outwards on to the river.
The upper hammock deck
S. Bartolomeu sailed out of Santarem at 12.15 pm. in decidedly damp and gloomy conditions. No sign of the meal promised for mid-day and many of the passengers appeared to have brought their own.
One point of interest: the car deck was taken up with vehicles participating in, or about to participate in , the Trans-Amazonica 2015 Expedition.
Trans – Amazonica vehicles
To my relief the refectory suddenly opened at 1.00 pm and dished out beef stew, feijão and rice [Rs.13] - not bad and certainly very filling! After lunch spent the afternoon looking out on the riverine scenery but saw nothing of note save for the brief glimpse of a dolphin just ahead of our bow.
Only incident of any note took place around 5.00 pm when our engines slowed and a small craft pulled alongside and attached itself - a large wad of cash was passed over and, in return, several sides of beef were transferred to our boat!
M taking it easy in the hammock
Had a very cold and expensive beer from the sophisticated bar on the upper deck and then, a little later, left our belongings to go and sit at the bar and drink cachaça and coke while being deafened with Brazilian New Country (if such a genre exists). Just before 7.00 pm the egregiously taciturn bar-lady closed down her business and disappeared - Oh that she had closed down the music system as well!
Meat rations coming on board
Looks like beef for the next couple of days!
Returned to the hammocks for a spell before once again drifting upstairs to where the bar had re-opened. Not content with one set of powerful speakers they had now rigged up a giant screen at the stern end so that one could experience Marilia Mendonça ao vivo! To be fair the performances (and there were several) weren't bad , just way too loud! In spite of the music (or perhaps because of it) there was not a lot of life on the deck so we sat up on the viewing deck for a while before following the example of most of our fellow passengers and opting for an early night.
Day 15 Thursday 2/4/15
A couple of stops during the night: the first at Obidos at 8.00 pm, a place that I would have liked to have visited had time permitted as it is reputed to be a town of some charm. There was a second stop at a location unknown to me around 1.00 am.
Found the hammock acceptably comfortable but no more than that - problem was probably having my feet higher than my head; nonetheless, perhaps it was the ship's motion but, in spite of the early hour, I soon dropped off for a while.
6.20 am. and life began to stir on board; a woman had just finished cleaning the bathrooms so I saw this as the optimum moment to get up and use the facilities. W/C Shower cubicle not extensive but was at least usefully supplied with hooks enabling one to put one's clothes out of the range of the shower and, as a result of the empregada's hard work, spotlessly clean (not a term I would have applied yesterday evening!) Incidentally, in the washrooms below I came across a number of huge and truly grotesque cock-roach - type monstrosities! All had been drowned, fortunately, but I suspect that there are plenty more such creatures running around the ship (just not in the kitchen area, I pray!)
9.45 am. and the boat drew into Parintins, a lively and pretty-looking little river town which again would almost certainly merit a stop-over if only time permitted. Large influx of travellers came aboard as did a number of itinerant vendors which enabled us to buy a substantial slice of cheese and a small bag of still-warm mini-baguettes. I was amazed to see the vast quantity of bananas unloaded - a case of "coals to Newcastle" if ever there was one I would, in my ignorance, have thought!
The harbour at Parintins
I have always marvelled at how people seem able to lie in their hammocks and sleep their days away - found myself gradually becoming more understanding!...
Spent the morning reading and snoozing. Another very filling lunch of rice and beans with thick slices of beef.
Heavy rain in the afternoon saw me retreat once more to the hammock; rain shields were lowered reducing light on the deck to a minimum. Within a couple of hours the clouds had lifted, the sun re-emerged and we went up to the top deck to make the most of the weather change. Incidentally, we have now moved out of the state of Para and are now in Amazonas.
Relaxing in the hammock
Remained for the rest of the very warm evening up on the top deck refreshing ourselves with coke and cachaça...
Day 16. Good Friday, 3/4/15
Did not have quite as good a night as anticipated: firstly there was a lengthy docking at some unidentifiable port around 10:30 pm and then, to make matters worse, there was what must have been an end-of-journey party on the Bar Deck - all the songs that have plagued us for the last forty-eight hours played repeatedly at top volume!
The evening which had been very warm gradually became cooler to the extent that but for my TAP blanket I should actually have been cold!
The clocks going back by one hour to Amazonas time meant that the morning began earlier and in spite of getting up at 5:45 am I had a long wait for a vacant bathroom. Thereafter we spent the rest of the morning either river-gazing from a chair or reclining in the hammocks.
At about 10:30 am an official came by collecting tickets, an indication that our voyage was reaching its close. A little while later we witnessed the merging of the two differently-coloured rivers and then proceeded up to the sprawling port of Manaus.
Cattle grazing along the riverside
Meeting of the waters
The merging of the waters
Had to wait 30 minutes or more to dock and then paid a porter Rs.10 to carry our heavy bags off the boat and to a waiting taxi which charged us what I thought an exorbitant sum, Rs.50! In fact the actual fare was only Rs.10 but there is a charge of Rs.40 to allow the vehicle to come to the dock-front! Very friendly taxi-driver though! Today being Good Friday much of the city had closed down.
Hostal Manaus is in a central location and took no time to reach. We received a warm welcome on our arrival and we got the distinct impression that the place was run on a very professional basis. Unable to check-in until 2.00 pm we put the bags in the strong room and, armed with a map and information about which banks and supermarkets are open, we walked towards the very centre of town.
The super-efficient Erico at Reception
Hostal Manaus
Running short of cash we made finding an ATM the absolute priority and, on finding one at a nearby Santander, were able to draw out Rs.600 to keep us going for the next few days (the hostel, incidentally, insists upon cash payments which is a bit of a pain.) Found a Carrefour which was open so were able to stock up on provisions which we could use in the hostel in the event of most restaurants being closed.
Easter Eggs on display in the supermarket
The city on Good Friday
A quiet city centre
A very seedy bar close to the Hostal
A little further beyond Carrefour we came to what was, to all intents and purposes, the central objective of our journey - O Teatro Amazonas which is set in a very pleasant and well-maintained square (even if the swirly pattern of the flooring could give one vertigo!)
Sat at an expensive restaurant just across from the Opera House and paid Rs.9 for a beer - a rip-off if ever there was one! Retracing our steps we stopped at a roadside stall for a huge meal of rice, beans etc with fried meat and chouriço plus soft drink [Rs.30].
Returned to hostel and took possession of our room and had a short rest in air-conditioned comfort but not before stopping at a mega ice-cream parlour (Glacial) for a couple of excellent tubs.[Rs.4 each.]
Short rest and then to foyer to make use of the hostel's pc; afterwards had a beer on the patio outside our room and chatted to a very personable individual, Lamartine, from the NE region of the country.
Later in the afternoon we went out again and followed a different route towards the Teatro Amazonas; sat on a bench at the edge of the square and watched a Stages of the Cross procession which concluded at the Church adjoining the praça.
Returned home via, once more, Glacial, where we tried some more flavours (I had a cheese copo). Very welcome shower back in the hostel (Manaus is clearly much more humid than other places we have visited on this trip.)
Manaus Opera House
Sat on the patio with our cachaça and guaraná and consumed bread and cheese; enjoyed a long chat with Lamartine and a black guy who speaks reasonable English and is hoping to relocate to Berlin. Back in cool room by 10.40 pm.
Our room in Hostal Manaus
Looking down from the Opera House
Lamartine and friend
Day 17 Saturday 4/4/15 Manaus
Some debate on going to bed as to whether or not to get the air-con adjusted; pleasantly cool to begin with we worried that after a few hours, perhaps in the middle of the night, we might freeze! Eventually went downstairs and requested assistance with the result that, for the rest of the night, the system barely functioned at all!
Got up at 7.00 am and showered and then went to breakfast where we were confronted with a fine array of fruit - limited myself to a few slices of pineapple, pawpaw and melon and washed them down with unsweetened maracujá juice.
Another warm day in the offing, we set our sights on making use of the public bus service and visiting the Bosque de Ciencia. Given instructions on finding the #600 bus stop and had but a short wait before the bus came along [Rs.3]. Little traffic around and the journey took less than half an hour; paid Rs.5 admission.
Spent the entire morning in the Bosque, heading first to the Manatee enclosure after which we followed the trails that criss-cross the reserve.
Turtles were in particular abundance and there seemed to be specimens wherever there was water. Befriended by one of the guards who showed us how turtles love a particular kind of fruit, we were then taken to see the caymans; en route we actually espied an agouti in the undergrowth!
At the exit we paid a short visit to the Casa de Ciencia which had a number of very worthwhile exhibits: butterfly collections, traditional furniture, the largest leaf in the Amazon etc - incidentally, the leaf was larger than me! Once again we encountered a very friendly and enthusiastic custodian who regaled us with stories of a recent visit to the Bosque by Charles and Camilla!
A resident jacaré
The giant leaf
Returned to a very hot afternoon in Manaus where we spent some time in a welcoming bar close to the Opera House [Bar Armando] serving freezingly cold beer. Searching in vain for a snack we ended up in Carrefour buying bread, tomatoes and chives and then returning to the hostel to combine these purchases with the remains of those bought yesterday for a, by now, very welcome, if simple, meal.
Interior of Bar Amando
Later in the afternoon we ventured out again to Glacial where we indulged in abacaxi and goiaba ices (whatever the latter was, it did not taste like guava though it was pleasant enough.) Combed the area in vain for a bottle of 51 (cachaça) eventually finding something akin to it - 61!
At 7.15 we headed up to the Opera House which was advertising an Amazonian dance extravaganza for the evening [Corpo de Dança de Amazonas e Orquestra Concerto "Simplesmente Ernesto"] although I will be quite honest and say that I was more interested in seeing the celebrated interior than a dance show!
Concert was scheduled for 8.00 pm but when we arrived at 7.40 there was already a lengthy queue. In spite of the crowd we managed to gain admittance and ended up enjoying a box on the first tier to ourselves!
Hall itself, as expected, was redolent of former glories; chairs and handrails of a faded maroon plush, the ceiling and fire curtain elaborately painted (in about 1896!) but now faded and in need of restoration.
Concert featured a string section (guitar, cavaquinho and percussion), a vocalist and a mixed group of eight dancers; the performance lasted some forty minutes, was highly professional and, to cap it all, was free! We left the theatre highly impressed and resolved to return for another free concert tomorrow evening!
Opera House Auditorium
Racked with thirst we paid another visit to Bar Armando for more of their freezing Bramah - tables on the road outside were full so found ourselves sitting inside and, wonderful to relate, watching highlights from the Premier League including the AFC's glorious thrashing of Liverpool!
Progressed a little further down the road to a little restaurant that we looked at yesterday evening and decided to give it a try (Delicias de Marlene); ended up having an excellent and very economical meal [Rs.16] of stewed fish, rice and cous-cous plus pepper sauce which actually had some pepper in it!
Awaiting our meal at Marlene’s
Back to Hostal Manaus for some more cold drinks on our patio before retiring to a suitably chilled room for the night.
Day 18 Easter Sunday 5/4/15 Manaus
After another fresh fruit breakfast went downstairs and consulted Wedson (a personable tour guide and, incidentally, friend and former colleague of Paulo) and Erico (the young and most obliging "front of house") about our plans for the day. Originally we had thought of visiting Presidente Figueredo but accepted the suggestion that we would probably be best advised to visit the Amazonian Zoological Park [CIGS] and to proceed thence by bus to Ponta Negra and beyond for some beach life.
Took the #120 bus from opposite Glacial for a ride of approximately 20 minutes. CIGS is an army enclosure and the military seem to have complete control over the running of the place; that said, it appears to be a very well-organised enterprise and in most cases the animals seemed to enjoy pretty good enclosures with plenty of space.
First port-of-call was the Aquarium - not vast, just three or four tanks, featuring tambaqui, cat-fish, rays and pirarucus of enormous size.
Spent the remainder of the visit looking at javali, tapirs, capybyras, caymans, assorted monkeys, and a variety of big cats including jaguar and puma; some impressive avian species too: toucans, macaws, Amazonian eagles etc.
Entering the CIGS
We arrived at the park around 9.00 am and spent some four hours looking around; could easily have stayed longer had we not had other plans for the afternoon.
Continued along the 120 bus route with a further trip of 20 minutes to Ponta Negra which is clearly a resort of some importance with expanses of well-populated beach surrounded by impressive hotels and condominiums. Alighted from the bus at its terminus and walked down the road for a few minutes before reaching a pier jutting into the bay with assorted craft offering to ferry passengers across to nearby attractions.
On Erico's recommendation we planned to visit Praia da Lua and as we were pondering our options a friendly young woman who was also going to Praia da Lua with her friend, took us under wing and, on arrival at a very fine beach, asked us to join them at their table. We chatted happily to one another - Natalie, a mathematics teacher, was particularly keen to make the acquaintance of Ingleses so that she could practise her English (which at first did not appear too bad but, after a short while, seemed not quite so good! Not that I am one to criticise language skills!) Natalie's friend, Kathy, is a Civil Policewoman!
M with Kathy and Natalie, Praia da Lua
Praia da Lua is situated on the Rio Negro whose waters are, as the name suggests, an extraordinary dark brown - it was like swimming in milk-free tea!
The four of us returned to the mainland at 4.00 pm and walked into Ponta Negra making a detour en route to look at the very splendid hotel that the England World Cup squad stayed in last year.
We parted company at the main bus stop and waited for a 120 bus which, when it arrived, was absolutely jam-packed. Reluctantly we decided that we should have to retrace our steps to the pier to ensure that we boarded the bus at the start of its route before it filled up. This, of course, represented a considerable waste of time and effort which we could ill-afford if we were to get to the Teatro Amazonas for the 7.00 pm concert.
We arrived back in Manaus at 6.20 pm and by the time we reached the Teatro there was already a lengthy queue snaking around the building and we were still dressed as for the beach! Decided to alter our plans and go to the concert on Tuesday evening instead.
Had a couple of very welcome cold beers at Bar Armando and then another excellent repast at Marlene's before wandering back home stopping only at Glacial for a couple of copos of abacaxi ice-cream - unfortunately, "abacaxi" differently accented refers to a different flavour altogether!
Very quiet in the hostel this evening suggesting that many of the guests moved on earlier in the day; left us to hope that this quiet would persist into the night!...
Day 19 Monday 6/4/15 Manaus
Went to bed at 10.30 tired but sober(!) and got up pretty refreshed at 6.45 am. Left hostel after breakfast and made finding a bank our first priority as funds were running low. Went to Santander on Praça da Policia and went through all the required hoops before being informed, at the very end, that the ATM was out of cash! Happily encountered another Santander quite close by and was able to withdraw Rs.800 (which was, in fact, rather less than we needed.)
Had another think about our projected trip to Presidente Figueredo; it is a long way off, a return to Ponta Negra seemed a more attractive option! Went to buy stamps at the main Correo where the staff proved to be incredibly friendly and helpful - seemed like they got a big thrill out of selling stamps for such exotic locations as the UK and Canada and there were handshakes all around at the conclusion of our transactions!
Returned to the Hostel Manaus and settled our account [Rs.115 per night] leaving us with little spare cash and thus a need to find another ATM in the very near future!
Once again took the #120 bus to its final stop and then headed for the landing bay for the launches; as it was approaching lunch-time we found a fine little cafe well-populated by the local labourers and enjoyed a substantial meal of stewed beef, rice and fijão for Rs.10 each.
Hunger pacified, we then had a lengthy wait for a launch to take us up the Negro. When eventually we reached Praia da Lua and disembarked we realised that yesterday we had in fact gone to a beach one stop beyond!
Only a handful of people on the beach and only one barraca open for business. Found a couple of "reclining" wooden chairs and made ourselves comfortable by the waterfront which is where we spent the rest of a very warm afternoon, going in and out of the water with occasional sorties to the shack for cold beers.
Made the acquaintance of a German girl, Lena, from Munich and returned with her to Ponta Negra on the 5.30 pm boat. Were relieved, on arriving at the bus terminus to find a # 120 waiting and ready to go; empty at first, it soon became a seething mass of humanity!
Back in Manaus, and in Carrefour, we were perplexed by the absence of bottles of 51 and then realised that here, at least, it is sold in cans [Rs.4.05]; bought a couple of tins and then set off up Rua Barbosa for the Teatro. Stopped at a barbecue stall for a beef kebab and fried rice which was good but thirst-provoking thus forcing us to pay Bar Armando a call! Ordered a couple of ice-cold Brahmas and sat outside to enjoy them and paying accordingly! [Rs.9 per bottle.]
It remained for us to call on Glacial for our now customary nocturnal ice cream - M had abacaxi and I had a delicious ice purporting to be guava. Returned to the hostel and, after a quick shower, sat outside with our 61 and guaraná. Tomorrow we are scheduled to go on an excursion to take in swimming with dolphins as well as sundry other attractions and we are due to meet the party in front of the Teatro between 8.00 - 8.30 am which will mean an earlier start to the day than usual.
There were a couple of guests sitting around the patio but there was little in the way of communication between any of us - unlike Lamartine and his friend with whom we enjoyed a very friendly relationship and to whom we bade a touching farewell this morning!...
Day 20 Tuesday 7/4/15 Manaus
Well, no sooner had we settled down for the night than there was an explosion of noise from next door! Shouting, screaming, door-slamming, whistling, singing etc. etc.! Eventually M got up and asked them to desist!
By 7.30 am we had breakfasted and were ready for the day ahead. As we were in good time we were able, first of all, to wend our way to the Correio to post our cards and from thence we made our way slowly to the Praça Amazonas to wait for the tour guide...
Funnily enough, I don't think that either of us had much faith in this venture and, while we waited we considered alternative ways of spending the day! In fact we waited until 8.30 am when, there being no guide and, seemingly, no other fellow tourists, we gave up the wait almost with relief and set about putting our alternative plans into operation.
We made our first priority a visit to the Cathedral [N.Sra. da Conceição] which we had passed in the gloom yesterday evening. Cathedral turned out to be a pleasant, airy, nineteenth-century basilica without any stand-out features ( although having said that, the altar and image of N.Sra. Da C. was spectacularly illumined in blue at the end of the nave.)
Our next port-of-call was the waterfront central market; nowhere near as large or as overwhelming as Ver-o-Peso but pretty fine nonetheless. Marvelled at the fish stalls (though they did not compare with those of Santarem) and found a number of high-quality shops within the market selling some attractive artefacts which we might hope to purchase before our departure.
Manaus market
Recycling centre at the dock
Returned to the hostel to pick up our swimming gear and then set off, once more, for Praia da Lua! Bus #120 to the jetty at Ponta Negra arrived a little before mid-day and we were disappointed to find that the next boat out would not leave until 12.44 pm; however, there were so many would-be passengers that the vessel sold all its tickets and departed at 12.10!
Amongst the passengers ahead of us were a local couple (the woman being heavily pregnant) their two young daughters and a male friend/relative...when we arrived at the beach the family settled down near the jetty and we stationed ourselves a little further along the beach, using the same table and chairs as yesterday.
We had bread and cheese for lunch which we washed down with ice-cold guaraná brought with us from the hostel. The afternoon was particularly hot and we spent much of our time in the river; later on it became increasingly cloudy leading us to fear a downpour at any moment.
We were sitting in our chairs with our feet in the water when, all of a sudden, there was a huge commotion to our left by the jetty... Turned our attention to the outburst and saw, to our stupefaction, a young blonde female (who a moment ago had disembarked from a private motor boat) attacking the pregnant woman and then both women engaging in a no-holds-barred free-for-all, pulling each other's hair and landing as many blows as they could!
Seconds away from the Scrap of the Century!
It was at this point that the two men intervened and managed to separate the brawling women; however, no sooner had they done this than the friend/relative became embroiled with the young woman and began to taunt her as a puta while she did her utmost to hit him with a piece of wood, jab him with a long piece of metal and throw as many punches at him as she could (she was quite successful too, even managing to knock his dentures out of his mouth and into the river!) Eventually they took to wrestling one another to the floor where the male got the upper hand and ground the woman's face into the sand! It was all most distasteful and, had I had my daughter with me, I would certainly have intervened...
While this conflagration raged, the two children, frightened, came and sat by us in the water and we endeavoured to divert them as best we were able. The maelstrom eventually subsided, the blonde moved to the far barraca (to cool down one assumed) and a vague feeling of normality prevailed. Later the woman moved closer to the group and although recriminations continued they were muted and, at one stage, the two antagonists actually stood close to one another smoking! Finally, a small motor boat hove into sight, the very craft that had brought the belligerent party to the beach in the first place; the young woman made her way into the water and departed the scene.
As soon as this domestic drama came to its conclusion there was the mother of all storms! As the rain abated a launch appeared, we grabbed our possessions and high-tailed it back to P. Negra.
Relaxed in the hostel for a short while before leaving at 6.45 pm for the Teatro Amazonas. Joining the inevitable queue around the building we encountered the Australian girl from Ximango; she had a couple of interesting tales to tell:...Firstly, on the Santarem-Manaus boat she and the rest of her group, all travelling hammock-class, had their baggage broken into and all their cash stolen! Secondly, another Australian female was held-up at gunpoint yesterday evening at 6.00 pm whilst actually in the Praça Amazonas!
The scheduled concert for the evening (which was free) featured the Orquestra da Cãmara playing a variety of works by Mozart, all to a very high standard ( interestingly a number of the orchestra were from Eastern Europe.)
After the concert it just remained to drink beer at Armando's, eat at Marlene's and then finish off with tangerine ices at Glacial!
Day 21 Wednesday 8/4/15 Manaus
Breakfasted early and found at one of the adjoining tables a group of Asian youths clearly from East London and, we suspect, in the Amazon on a bonding exercise - we enquired no further but rather moved away as far as we could to avoid their smoke!
Went on the internet after breakfast and confirmed Friday's flights and, with some difficulty, printed out the requisite boarding passes.
Today, we decided would finally see us make it to Pr. Figueredo so took instructions from Erico on how to reach the bus station [Rodovaría] and then left the hostel at 8.35 am. Three possible buses all passing by Glacial but we had a long wait before a suitable bus appeared. On arrival at the bus station we soon identified the appropriate bus company and had a frustrating wait behind a couple of old-timers before reaching the ticket clerk; by now it was 9.35 am.
The clerk confirmed bus departure for 10.00 am and I requested a couple of tickets; in return, I was asked for a passport or, failing that, some other form of photographic identification!...It was at this point that we realised that caves hold no great fascination for us and, as for waterfalls well, when you've seen one then you've seen them all!...
Another lengthy wait for a bus back into town on a particularly warm morning. Returned directly to the hostel and resurrected our swimming gear! Sorted out some refreshments and then hurried back to Glacial to await the celebrated #120.
Arrived at the P. Negra waterfront at 11.50 am and joined a queue for a vessel scheduled to leave at 12.30 pm. On the boat sat opposite a fluent Portuguese-speaking foreigner [ a very rare beast!]; transpired that in fact he was an emigrante resident in Nîmes who had come out to Manaus for a week to see whether, in future years, he would like to come out for longer.
As yesterday, the launch departed before its scheduled time and we disembarked at the beach on which we had earlier spent the afternoon with Nathalie; yesterday's beach was almost completely deserted whereas today's, though hardly pulsating with life, did at least show signs of some activity.. The afternoon followed yesterday's pattern almost exactly: scorching sun, frequent dips, cold beers and then, gathering gloom culminating in an almighty cloudburst!
Brazilian womanhood, well, Amazonian certainly, seems to be obsessed with having golden hair on their limbs, to which purpose they slather themselves in some sort of peroxide concoction! The results, to a stranger at least, are very odd to observe...
Seeking the body beautiful!
Returned to the mainland at 5.00 pm and caught the #120 back to town. Withdrew 500Rs. from a Banco do Brasil ATM and then home to do some packing. Bags ready we went back out to our usual haunts: Armando's, Marlene's, Glacial and then back to sit on an increasingly populated patio with our evening drink.
In some respects our inability to get to Pr. Figueiredo must be seen as as something of a failure but, truth to tell, I suspect that it is a place that requires several days to fully appreciate so we shall put it on our "To Do" list for a future occasion! Meantime, we just love the beaches of the Rio Negro!...
Day 22 Thursday 9/4/15 Manaus - Belem
Enjoyed a pretty sound sleep in a comfortably cool room; rose at 6.50 am after checking the football results on Kindle. Larger breakfast than usual in that apart from fruit I also had two cheese and presunto rolls plus a generous helping of milk.
Breakfast over we walked down a sweltering Rua Nabuco towards the docks, stopping only to take a picture of the street sign Miranda Leão for my daughter Miranda's amusement before crossing over into the market.
Visited an excellent trinket stall and after a little haggling bought a couple of carved wooden parrots [Rs.50] and various other odds and ends. Moved on to a cool and practically deserted Correo to buy a stamp for Ghana (amazingly, cheaper than anywhere else that we've sent to) before a slow return to Hostel Manaus.
Fortunate to reach sanctuary before the heavens opened! Went downstairs and tried to reconfirm today's flight but with little success; at least was relieved to see evidence that the booking did exist (I wish the flight agency did not call itself CheapoAir for although they appear to be pretty competent the name hardly inspires confidence!)
11.30 and time to bid Erico and the Hostel Manaus farewell and to take a taxi to the ultra modern airport on the outskirts of Manaus beyond the Munich-Alianz Stadium-inspired football ground built for last year's Mundial. Passed through another torrential downpour but, by the time we reached the airport, it seemed as if there had been no rain at all!
It came as a relief to find that our tickets were acceptable and we were able to pass into Departures without a hitch. The GOL Airlines flight to Belem was scheduled to depart at 2.09 pm (GOL - no frills but perfectly acceptable.)
Flight of approximately one hour to Santarem (during which passengers were given a glass of water) where most on board disembarked and were replaced by an almost exact number to fly on to Belem. Another 60 minute flight arriving at 6.02 pm (Para time). Gathered our baggage from the carousel without undue trouble and then had a moment of inspiration! We sought out any left-luggage facilities and found some supervised large lockers in which, after having had our bags X-rayed, and on payment of Rs.40, we were able to deposit our heavy encumbrances and hit the town!
Left the terminal and waited for a #631 bus which took us on a roundabout trip of some 40 minutes to Ver-o-Peso where we entered the fancy shopping/restaurant boulevard, found ourselves a smart-looking dining establishment replete with liveried waiters and took a table outside. Although outside, happily we were still sheltered as, no sooner had we settled ourselves than once again it poured!
Dinner [Rs.82], when it arrived, was substantial to say the least; rice, chips, carrots, lettuce, tomatoes, broccoli, presunto discs, chicken breasts and steaks!(plus, of course, bowls of farofa!)
When at last we felt capable of movement we returned to the roadside to wait 20 minutes before the return #631 arrived to take us back to the airport. On arrival at 10.45 pm we then set about finding ourselves a quiet spot in which to rest for the night. Eventually we settled on the upper floor where I actually managed to get a little sleep by contorting myself into an unlikely, and uncomfortable, shape!
Day 23 Friday 10/4/15 Belem-Brasilia
In spite of a very limited amount of sleep I felt just about ready to face the new day. Retrieved our bags from the lockers and then checked-in with GOL for the next leg of our journey. I was able to request seats in the middle of the aircraft and was rewarded with seats in the prime row 17. All that then remained was to move into Departures and to wait for our flight to be called (7.00 am).
Reasonably full aircraft but we were fortunate to have seats 17 D-F to ourselves. We left a very wet and gloomy Belem at 7.40 am for a flight expected to last 2 hours and ten minutes. Once again there was only water on offer but, in view of last night's excellent and gargantuan feast, hunger was, for the next few hours the least of our problems.
Arrived in a sunny Brasilia at 10.00 am and made our way into an enormous, and confusing, airport and sought the Departures Terminal (there isn't one!) After much toing and froing we finally found that part of the building used by TAP and made ourselves as comfortable as circumstances would permit. Already having checked-in and been given boarding passes and our baggage having been flagged for Lisboa back in Belem, we assumed that we would be able to go into the Departures Lounge when we felt like it. Not so! Departures was closed to passengers until 3.00 pm! Nothing for it but to continue our occupation of seats on the first floor looking out across the open front of the airport towards the city. Realised too late that there would have been nothing to stop us from taking a short excursion into/ around the city as we had so much time on our hands - a big mistake!
Brasilia, being the nation's capital and show-piece, I was interested to see that at least one airline, TAM, gives priority to its Loyalty Club members and to "Legislators"!
3.00 pm came around slowly and we began to process through Departures - to my stupefaction, my green hand luggage (which had gone unchanged in its contents since London and which had passed through at least six X-ray checks) was recalled for a prohibited item - my virtually empty, small container of Johnson's Baby Powder! I called Margaret over and together we used up the remaining powder on our underarms leaving the "Jobsworth" to dispose of the empty package!
We were allocated seats 35 A & B which proved to be in a good location towards the back; about 15 rows behind the wings and not too close to the kitchens or the lavatories. Having said that, on entering the plane we found someone blithely ensconced in our seats! Soon sorted that problem! Take-off at 4.45 pm. for a flight of an estimated duration of eight and one half hours.
Enjoyed a welcome glass of wine before dinner was served - as predicted, rice, beef stew and salad after which there was another glass of wine before it was time to settle down for the evening.
Day 24 Saturday 11/4/15 - London
Rested as best we were able but woke finally at 3.30 am and spent the rest of the flight playing Solitaire. Breakfast was served ninety minutes later and shortly thereafter (5.45 am) we landed on schedule in Lisbon to a sustained round of applause from many of the passengers!
Managed to disembark and find our way, without a great deal of guidance, through the airport to Gate #42A where the London flight was to be boarded. Seemed like we were among the first to arrive at the Departure Gate but, over time, the population increased dramatically ( our flight clearly being linked to that other flight that we know so well, the early morning TAP arrival from Accra!)
Boarding at 7.00 am was a lengthy and confused affair and we were among the last to enter the aircraft only to find that in one of our allocated seats, 35A (the very back row window seat) a very fat female was already in situ! The woman pretended (?) to be incapable of understanding English (which makes the fact that she was, as we later discovered, a UK passport-holder, even odder!); in the end, we decided not to insist upon our rights...
Flight arrived on time but there was a substantial delay before the plane could dock in its appointed bay. On finally reaching the baggage-reclaim area we were relieved/delighted to see our bags arrive on the carousel just as we got there. Collected luggage and headed off for the Tube.
There followed our last travel mistake of the holiday (mercifully they had been few and far between): we got on to a waiting train without giving it any thought and soon found ourselves en route to Terminal 5!
Back in sunny Ilford by 1.30 pm to a warm welcome from our daughter, Miranda, and Emily Grey-Puss!