Americas

[Visited: June 1994]

There are many things to see in such a huge country as Brazil. One of the most special things I ever did was going down the Amazon by boat. Arriving in Tabatinga by water plane from Iquitos, Peru, I discovered that the boat would leave in a few days. So I still had some time to spend in that small riverside village. By that time it was already clear that the Amazon had risen above its official limits, and going around in the village was only possible trying a balance-act on seemingly weak wooden boards, which were reclining on piles of stones. Well, the risk was not so high: falling off one of the boards would result in a dive in the "river" of one of the streets.
Before setting off on the boat, I bought a hammock which would serve as a sleeping place. Indeed, once the boat left all passengers quickly hung their hammocks on one of the decks. Once you get used to it, there is no more pleasant way to pass time on a boat. Just imagine haging in your hammock, reading a book, watching the shores of the Amazon pass by, or just closing your eyes and hearing the sounds of the people around you talking, the sounds of the villages on the shore which is never far away, the sound of the water against the sides of the boat.
From the boat, there were marvellous sunsets, interesting (and many) visits to villages on the way, pittoresque scenes one the boat. Villages on the way depend on the boats for their contact with the outside world and for their trade. Turtles were hauled on board, monkeys, all other kinds of animals, fruits and vegetables. It seemed the perfect way to disappear: establish in one of those small villages.... While nearing Manaus, the end of the trip, the river grew wider and wider, as more and more rivers donated their water to the great Amazon. It was an unforgettable sight to see the skyscrapers of Manaus appear above the endless jungle on all sides of the Amazon. Unfortunately I did not have time to continue still more to the Atlantic, something still remaining to be done once.

Around the World in 80 Clicks

Personal travel impressions both in words and images from Amazon boat trip (Brazil). Clicking on the pictures enlarges them and enables you to send the picture as a free e-card or download it for personal use, for instance, on your weblog. Or click on the map above to visit more places close to Amazon boat trip.
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Amazon boat trip > Brazil > Americas

[Visited: June 1994]

Around the World in 80 Clicks