Manaus: In the heart of the (concrete?) jungle :-)

Manaus just takes your breath away. It is a urban concrete jungle like any other city, with shopping malls, luxury hotels and global brands but just take a river taxi across the Rio Negro and the sounds of nature become louder than the sounds of the city. Of course you won´t see any wild anacondas or panthers here, but still you get an impression of what the 'selva', the amazon rainforest can be like.

Today we took a bus to the CISG zoo, a kind of zoo operated by the Brazilian army. It consists mainly of animals rescued (or supposedly rescued) by soldiers during their training in the jungle. We where not sure what to expect so decided to sacrifice a morning for it. Actually, it´s kind of sad. The cages are pretty small and don´t seem very animals friendly. Also the animals themselves look pretty sad. As one friend put it, the crocodiles don't even have a tail and the anaconda sits in a wheelchair. Well, we saw a 5m long anaconda but to be honest the species most worth seeing in the CISG are of the human kind, specias militar brasileiro ;-)

Later on we went to the market Mercado Municipal Adolfo Lisboa, a copy of Les Halles in Parism, where I bought fresh `barbosa` (aloe vera) for my various cuts and bruises. The market area is very lively, you can buy about everything here, dead or alive and even have your hair cut right on the street. One of my favourites, as usual, was the market toilet. It is very cosy and well equipped and it is stated that the 50 centavos entrance includes use of soap and towel. Its definately worth a visit.

After visiting the market we got kind of kidnapped by a guide who took us by boat over the Rio Negro to the Janaury reserve. There he showed us the huge sapahuma tree, which the indians used as a kind of `phone` by beating a branch to it and making a kind of signal that travelled for miles. He also wanted to show us the crocodile `Bau`, which lives in an enclosure in the wood, but `Bau` seemed to be asleep, lazy or dead - he didn`t come out. Before going back to Manaus we had to pay another 5 Reals to see an ageing anaconda... Even though this was kind of a typical tourist thing it was quite nice, especially the ride in the small boat over the huge Rio Negro.

Encontro das Aguas, Manaus

Geovanny from Ecuador and me on the Meeting of the Waters, where the dark water of the Rio Negro and the light water of the Amazon river meet.

Belém, you'll never walk alone...

Belém is one of the places where you'll never be alone or lonely for a long time. People are welcoming and friendly and are happy to talk to foreigners without any financial or whatsoever intentions. They might just stop you on the street and ask you if you need help or if they can take a picture of you in front of some monument... of course I was a bit scared or cautious at first but then I really began to enoy it. Especially since for the first time in weeks I was travelling alone again.

On Monday I went to a boat tour on the amazon river to the island of Trambioca. I was a bit scared that, Monday being a local holiday, the boat would be full of families and lovebirds and I took my Lonely Planet to read, postcards to write and was well prepared to spend the 'paseo' alone. Well, I had not taken into account the friendliness of the Para-people. About 10min after we left the pier the first people asked me in English where I came from, if I was travelling alone, if I liked the trip... and just my luck, there where neither families nor lovebirds on the boat but the company outing of a beauty salon!!! So apart from a very few guys the boat was full of nice ladies between 20 and 50. Most of them had never travelled further away from home than on this boat trip (that's what they told me) and were delighted to have a 'gringa' with them. They forced me to eat up their lunch packages and wanted to know everything about my trip, where I was staying, if I was not scared alone and so on. Once arrived on Sirituba beach we all went to a 'barraca', a simple place on the beach serving local food and drinks. When I got out my camera to take some pics of my new friends they all got excited and we went all over the island together doing funny poses and playing foto shooting. Here one of our best shots ;-)

Finally on the way to Belém

After a wonderfull weekend in Sao Luis with Atila and his friends (the Elza Soares show was great and from there we went to a great night club and at 5am in the morning directly to the beach!) it was, this time for real, time to say goodbye and take the night bus to Belém.

We decided to have a last farewell dinner (we had about 3 all in all, I guess ;-)) at our favourite spot, the 'Antigamente'. As we were both too tired and too sad to eat a lot we invited a little street kid to share the meal with us. I had already shared some lunches with him, as they meals are huge in Sao Luis. At first he was a bit shy too sit down with us but then - I have never seen someone eat with that speed! He shoved everythin on his plate and then asked for a spoon and worked it away. I asked for his name but he seemed really shy so I thought better to leave him eat his meal in peace. Atila and I started talking about my trip to Belém and suddenly this little guy joined in, telling us he had been there once and that is was a really pretty show. And guess what, he told me to hurry up as the bus was going in about one hour! He remembered the exact departure time and the name of the bus company! He also knew at what time it would arrive etc. Then he asked me where I was from and he knew that there was no direct flight from Sao Luis to Germany... what a smart little kid! And when we left he wished me a save trip! I would not expect this from any kid his age, and definately not from one that lives on the street, more or less alone, not going to school... somehow it really broke my heart seeing this cute and smart little boy in this situation. Atila then told me about a project for which he worked some time back. The project tried to keep kids of the street and give an initiative for going to school. Kids do get kind of stamps when they go to school and at the end of the month the family gets an extra bonus if the kid has gone to school regularly. Unfortunately the success rate is not very high... but as Atila put it, if you help one kid get off the street, it is already worth the effort, 'Valeu a pena'.

The night bus to Belém was comfortable but really cold, I arrived there deep frozen. Unfortunately I didn´t see Vanessa at the station (or she didn´t see me).. anyhow, we missed each other and after waiting for some time I took a taxi and went to a Hotel.


I directly went out to see the mighty amazon river. I've been dreaming of seeing this river for so long that I couldn't wait anymore. There is a place called 'Docas' in Belém where they have renovated the old waterfront warehouses of the port and turned them in a really nice place with many cafés, restaurants, some shops... It's really lovely because they haven't overdone it and it has kept it's charme. I was just about to take some pictures when a guy asked me in English if he should take some of me and the boats... we talked a bit, he seemed ok and he offered to show me the place. We then went to a place called 'Ver o rio' (see the river) at the other side of the port. This place is a bit simpler then the Docas with barracas selling coconut, beer...

Later I wanted to check out the Fort and some Museums but because of the second round of the elections everything was closed. I walked throught the old town (even though every taxi driver told me I would be robbed immediately) and was surprised by Belém's beauty. Everybody, even the people of Belém itself, underestimate it, saying that there is nothing to see, nothing to do... But Belém has lot of nice little squares, churches... it has a somehow Italian or French athmosphere and is definately worth a visit.

Sunday night was the last night of the Cirio de Nazaré, a century old religious festival in Belém. The statue of the Nossa Santa Senhora de Nazaré is said to be made in Nazareth, then brought to Portugal and somehow to got lost and reappeared in Belém in 1700. Since then, every year there is a big procession and celebration to honour the Virgin of Nazareth. Uusually the statue of the Virgin is kept in the cathedral, but during the two weeks of the festival she is kept in the Basilica de Nazaré. On sunday there was a huge mass outside of the Basilica. It was a bit strange for a 'German' catholic to see because right next to the square where the mass was held was a funfair and people where screaming in the merrygorounds and it smelled of popcorn and all kinds of food. Also the priest asked people all the time to clap hands and cheer for Jesus, Mary, God, the holy Trinity... ('Viva Jesus!') But the strangest thing was at communion. Of course it was impossible for a single priest to give out communion to all hundreds and hundreds of people on the square so around 10 ministrants where helping ho, out - and not to get lost in the crowd, they where followed by a guy with a flag each ;-)

NOT leaving Sao Luis ;-)

Well, leaving Sao Luis is not as easy as expected. This morning I waved off Thomas (sniff!), packed my bags and went out in search for a public phone to call Bill in Rio. Unfortunately I didn't find a phone that was working but I bumped into Atila and his uncle, again ;-) Since Wednesday they were planning on leaving, too, but now it looks as if they wil stay at least for the weekend, too.

We decided to have lunch together and Atila told me about a show of Elza Soares tonight in Sao Luis. I went back to my hotel wondering if I should stay one day longer when my other new friend, the fake taxi driver ;-) called, too. I told him about the show and he immediately took me to the agency to change my bus ticket. So here I am, for one more night in Sao Luis. Atila and I spend the afternoon in 'our' bar having lots of beer (him) and crazy juices (me) and watching handsome men walk by (both). Can't wait for the show tonight! We will all meet again tonight at the same place, the 'Antigamente', go for drinks, watch the show and then go to some special night clubs ;-)

Leaving Sao Luis...

Tonight I will take the night bus to Belém do Para and stay the weekend with Vanessa from Couchsurfing and her family. On the 28th I will then continue my travel to the legendary amazon - finally, a dream come true! - and meet my friends Igor and Geovanny in Manaus for a Brazilian, Ecuadorian and German Couchsurfing summit ;-) We've already agreed on Portunholese as our official language ;-)

Arriving in Sao Luis after D-Day, the longest day...

After a very long day on the road we finally arrived in Sao Luis on Wednesday morning at 4:00. We didn't have a place to stay so I tried to call a few pousadas and hostels listed in the Lonely Planet from the Rodoviaria, the overland bus terminal. Unfortunately only one place answered and they wanted to charge us the full price for the same night, so we decided to just take a taxi to the historic center and look for a pousada there. So far we never had problems a place to stay as it is low season right now and pretty calm...

Unfortunately the pousada we tried first was full, the streets deserted and no other pousada or hostel to be seen. The guy from the pousada sent us to a hotel round the corner that on first sight looked out of order but then... well, imagine a beautifull and stylish hotel with a spacious lobby, red carpets on the stairs, crystal candelabra, hotel boys wearing gold embroidered liveries... and now forget about that place for about 50 to 60 years, and you get the Lord Hotel as it is now ;-) They didn't renovate or renew anything (apart from part of the staff - maybe ;-)) and it looks like a hotel museum or museum hotel. But as the rooms are clean, the rates ok and the staff very friendly we decided to stay...

The historic center of Sao Luis is a mix of say Porto and Havana. Most houses have the typical Potuguese 'azulejos', the colourfull tiling protecting the building from the heat and humidity of Sao Luis climate but unfortunately are in a typical Cuban state of decay and break-up. And compared to other historic centers like for example the Pelourinho in Salvador, the center of Sao Luis is not very touristic and commercialized. Most buildings are still in their original use as home, shops, craftshops or little factories. So on one hand its good that the place has not been renovated yet as you get a good impression of what it used to be 'before the tourists came', but on the other hand it seems that many houses are beyond repair. From one big and beautifull building in the very center for example only the outer walls are left, inside many trees are growing.

Apart from the historic center, which definately is the most interesting part of the city, Sao Luis also has a nice modern part and a huge strip of beach with many barracas and bars. The city seems laid back and people are friendly... it's a pity that we don't have more time to explore the place and its surroundings.

And, of course the Brazilian phenomenon of meeting people works here, too - very efficient ;-). On our first day here we had to share a table in the famous restaurant 'Antigamente' with a Brazilian guy. A Maranhese living in Manaus. We started talking, got along well, decided to meet again at night to go out... he introduced us to his uncle, a gold digger from the Amazon, who took us in his car to the beach. The uncle went back earlier and then we had to discover that it was impossible to get a taxi back to the city center. Our new Brazilian friend flagged down a white car which he mistook for a taxi... and the guy was ready to help and drove us back to the center for free. And guess what, yesterday when Thomas was on a day tour to the Lencoes Maranheses the fake taxi driver called my hotel and asked me out for dinner. We had a great time and when we went back to meet Thomas after the tour... guess who me wet? The gold digger and his friends. A half hour later also our initial friend showed up. So after only two days in Sao Luis we already started to bump into 'friends' downtown. Its a great feeling, makes you feel less a tourist and more at home. But of course, every time you leave you also leave behind some new friends. I guess, my Facebook, Orkut, MSN etc will explode by the time I get back ;-)