This blog will be reactivated every time I travel to make a modern day travel log.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Day Seis: Swimming in the Amazon River (and VIDEO)
No, there weren’t any anacondas around or other obscure creatures in the water—the only animals that seemed to be around were stray dogs. Today, I swam in the Amazon River after an hour to two-hour boat ride to this remote island near Belém. It was not part of our class, but something we all decided to do. This day quickly became one of my favorites once we landed onto the island and got to walk through some parts of the forest — an up close and personal look at the real Amazon.
As I lay out in the sun after taking a dip in the shallow river, I could hear drums off in the distant from some neighboring house. There are small communities on the islands, of course, and the travel by bicycle and dirt bike along the river’s edge. The boat we took also helps supply the people there with whatever goods they need as they throw out plastic bags out onto the river where different canoes of sorts standby waiting for the goods all along the river. Some houses are on stilts and I am unsure of accessibility to electricity—in most places it seems unlikely. Generators are probably used only when necessary.
I made some friends after being bold enough on the boat ride to get up with the dancers and bust some moves with them. They all complemented me on my dancing via sign language and what English they did know. Brasilian men know how to dance, which makes me think this is where I belong!
My skin hurts. As many times as I liberally covered myself in sun block, I am still a fried banana. The quest for aloe vera once we got back was the most interesting, but then again people here don’t sunburn it seems really. A climate of year-round sun keeps their pigment protected against such irritating skin. I finally found some aloe vera/mint concoction at Big Ben—which is located all over Belém. Big Ben is a strange little store. It is like a mini-mart in some ways, but is more like a pharmacy in reality. It doesn’t sell water or snacks and it doesn’t sell cigarettes, but if you need condoms, baby wipes, shampoo or some Guaraná soda (Brasilian soda which is, ahh, way better than any sodas in Estados Unidos) Big Ben is the place to go.
No, there weren’t any anacondas around or other obscure creatures in the water—the only animals that seemed to be around were stray dogs. Today, I swam in the Amazon River after an hour to two-hour boat ride to this remote island near Belém. It was not part of our class, but something we all decided to do. This day quickly became one of my favorites once we landed onto the island and got to walk through some parts of the forest — an up close and personal look at the real Amazon. 
As I lay out in the sun after taking a dip in the shallow river, I could hear drums off in the distant from some neighboring house. There are small communities on the islands, of course, and the travel by bicycle and dirt bike along the river’s edge. The boat we took also helps supply the people there with whatever goods they need as they throw out plastic bags out onto the river where different canoes of sorts standby waiting for the goods all along the river. Some houses are on stilts and I am unsure of accessibility to electricity—in most places it seems unlikely. Generators are probably used only when necessary.
I made some friends after being bold enough on the boat ride to get up with the dancers and bust some moves with them. They all complemented me on my dancing via sign language and what English they did know. Brasilian men know how to dance, which makes me think this is where I belong! 
My skin hurts. As many times as I liberally covered myself in sun block, I am still a fried banana. The quest for aloe vera once we got back was the most interesting, but then again people here don’t sunburn it seems really. A climate of year-round sun keeps their pigment protected against such irritating skin. I finally found some aloe vera/mint concoction at Big Ben—which is located all over Belém. Big Ben is a strange little store. It is like a mini-mart in some ways, but is more like a pharmacy in reality. It doesn’t sell water or snacks and it doesn’t sell cigarettes, but if you need condoms, baby wipes, shampoo or some Guaraná soda (Brasilian soda which is, ahh, way better than any sodas in Estados Unidos) Big Ben is the place to go. 
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