We must go through this area during high tide in order to avoid submerged sandbars.
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We arrive at the 'Breves Narrows' about noon. The jungle becomes much closer on each side of the ship as we go through this area. The local custom is for the kids, and sometimes their mothers, to row out to meet the ships as they go by. I think there are two reasons for doing this, first they hope we will throw them some gifts and also the kids like to ride the wake that is created by the ships. I tossed overboard an old pair of tennis shoes, they floated and were quickly picked up. Many people had saved their gifts of toys, school supplies and old clothes for this area of the river. Some even had 'blown up' plastic bags that contained the gifts so the bags would be easy to pick up from the water.
We spent most of the day just watching the jungle go by, looking at the local houses, and once in a while a barge would go by. It was sad to see the MEI guides packing up the library books, their office equipment and documents, and taking down the rubber zodiac boats. They would be shipping these items on ahead to wherever the ship returns to start taking passengers again. MEI did not trust leaving these items onboard during the upcoming dry-dock activity. All of the MEI staff would also leave the ship at Belem and return to their Toronto office, or to their homes.
That afternoon Larry started having stomach problems that even his Cipro would not settle down. He went to the reception area and requested a visit by the ship's doctor. The Russian doctor arrived shortly thereafter and in basic English understood what Larry's problem was and handed him a package of tablets and said 'take two now'. This doctor meant 'RIGHT NOW' and he said it again. He gave Larry two different medications; enough for several days. There was no charge but the doctor would take whatever anyone offered. Later in the cruise someone made an appreciation diploma, on the ships computer/printer, and many of the people who the doctor had helped signed the document. I think he was genuinely appreciative of the gift. MEI also donated some medical supplies to him.
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We arrive in the Belem area, pronounced as 'bee lane' in Portuguese, about 5 a.m. We took on a local docking pilot and finally docked about 8:30 a.m. It was fun watching the pilot telling the captain how to direct his side thrusters in order to pull right up to the dock. He would give orders in English and the ship Captain would relay them in Russian.
About 10 a.m. we left the ship and proceeded on a bus for another city tour. We went to the Ver o Peso Market and had three armed policemen watching over us. Apparently there is such a high rate of pick pocketing in this area that the government insisted on the tourist groups being protected. They probably did not want their city to get a bad reputation. Again it was very hot and I had left my water bottle on the bus. It was a struggle to walk through the market and on up to see the Castle Fortress before getting back on the bus and a drink of water.
Next we were taken to the Belem Opera House. The highlight of this stop was hearing our fellow tourist, Margaret, play a beautiful piece on a very expensive piano that was located behind the main curtain. Photos of this opera house can be found at http://hometown.aol.com/pochetti6/Amazon-Brazil2.html
We next were driven to a waterfront restaurant that featured a buffet of local food. It was not hard to choose the foods that had been cooked, we were getting used to that by now. After lunch our local guide took us first to a church an then on to the Goeldi Museum and Zoo. While walking around the zoo it started raining fairly heavily so he suggested that we head over to the museum building. After doing the museum the rain slowed down enough to get back on the bus. Some of the passengers asked to be taken to a pharmacy so the guide chose to stop at a very modern shopping mall in downtown Belem. Our tourist doctor helped some of the passengers purchase medication for the trip home.
After the shopping center we were taken to the airport for a several hour wait. That evening we took two domestic flights and the long flight from Recife back to Miami. I got about 3 hours sleep.
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We arrived just a little late into Miami and I had no trouble catching my 11 a.m. flight to Dallas, and then another flight on to Tucson. My wife met me at the airport and I was able to stay awake for about 4 hours before I crashed into my own bed.
If you have read this far you must be seriously interested in taking soft adventure travel. You might want to watch out for the travel companies these days. Let me warn you about a couple of problems that happened on this trip. First Marine Expeditions issued a $180 fuel surcharge at about the time that they were sending out the trip documents. With 88 passengers, this was enough money to purchase diesel fuel to run the ship up and down the Amazon River. A total rip-off.
Secondly, it turns out that Marine Expeditions has violated the statements contained in their own brochures, where it states that they share the tip money with the Marine Expedition staff 'and' the ship's crew. We found out during the cruise that Marine Expeditions had signed a contact with the company that owns the P/V Lyubov Orlova, in that the ship owner would collect 80% of the tip money. The ship's crew were very unhappy about not receiving any tip money. They may have received a pittance once the ship returned to Yugoslavia, after the South Atlantic season. If you multiply out the probable tip money for a ship's season you may see the vast amount of money involved. You may want to tip directly to those who served you rather than putting money in a tip box.
Roger Root
W7LZ@ARRL.NET
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