Wednesday 2nd to Sunday 6th August 2006: BRASIL, Manaus to Belem: AMAZON RIVER CRUISE

We arrived in Manaus on the Wednesday at 3pm and checked into a cheap hotel (Brasil is considerably moe expensive compared to Central America & Colombia!) right next to the Teatro Amazonas (Theatre Amazon) and the beautiful surrounding square. As there was a boat leaving the next day we only spent one night and morning in Manaus but we did enjoy our short time there and loved having our morning coffee in the Teatro Amazonas square in the glourious sunshine listening to classical music that was being relayed on speakers throughout the square - a great way to wake up.

Teatro Amazonas of Manaus

At 1pm we were picked up from our hotel by the Captain´s manger and boarded the boat earlier than others, a sign of the better service that was to come! This boat wasn´t as nice as the previous one as the cabin only a small bunk bed with en suite but no tv or fridge however, the service was much better than the last. For meal times people staying in cabins we were called to dine after those staying in hammocks had finished we which made us feel special! The food was lovely with salad and veggies at each meal and for breakfast we had a much more substantial breakfast; fresh fruit and eggs where as those in hammocks only got coffee and a roll!

This journey was the same as the last (3 nights, 4 days) but there was a long 12 hour stop over in Santarem where new passengers arrived including the only two English men we had in Brasil, Ed and Andrew who are teachers enjoying their long summer holidays travelling around Brasil. With people to hang out this boat trip was much more fun and we enjoyed spending hours playing card games and having people to talk who could understand us as our portugese in non existent although being able to speak spanish helps a little!

Passing the time playing cards

Again the scenery during the journey was beautiful and it was great being able to sunbathe on the top deck as this boat had proper sun lounges!

Along the way we passed a particular community of Amazonans who would paddle up to the boat in their canoes and the children in the boat who make a 'whooing' sound whilst waving their hands which was when people throw floatable containers into the water that contained gifts for these people. Some river dwellers even managed to come alongside our moving boat and attach their canoes to the side (very daring of them as our boat wasn´t moving slowly!) then they climbed aboard and sold fruits and nuts to the passengers.

On Sunday at midday we arrived in Belem marking the end of our time in the Amazon and the start of tour of Brasils beaches.

Houses of the river communities built on the Amazon