Belem to Manaus by boat – I miss the Tanajura!

Date: 11/07/2012 to 17/07/2012

Saimos of: Bethlehem- PA

Destination: Manaus-AM

Travel time: 6 days

Path: We passed the Rio Tapajos and the Amazon River, being possible to observe the meeting of the Rio Negro and Rio Solimoes.

Where to sleep: In the network environment with air conditioning, it only becomes connected to night.

What eat different: Banana roxa, we purchased in one of the big boat.

Filled Tire : There were several, but the difference between this tour is the interaction with people. A specific situation that we see some passengers was marked, de origem humilde, throwing bags of food and clothing to the riverside canoe that went to the vicinity of the boat.

Flat Tire : Lack of cleaning, together with the low value in food, and limited space for the number of networks that are placed.

Do the boat trip was not an easy decision. First, because we would have to leave the Tanajura for several days in a boat, in principle, would not be the same as would lead us to Manaus. Secondly, because that would open HAND visit Altamira, the city that serves as the basis for the construction of Belo Monte. In return, would have the benefit of not having to drive on the Trans, which in many portion does not have asphalt. Indeed, even if the Trans dirigíssemos by more than 1.400km, we would have to board the car in Santarem to Manaus, because the road ends in Santarém, still Para. We met at a crossroads. On the one hand we had the desire to know the cities and "try on" the challenges of the Trans-, on the other we did not feel totally safe in crossing it with only the information we had. We would, then, to go after details of road conditions during this period and analyze the pros and cons of going by car or ship the region's rivers.

The search for a company that did the service of sending the car and also offered the passenger was not easy. We went door to door in many companies that charge transport, but none of them allowed us to be together on the boat. After having exhausted almost all possibilities that we discover in the passenger terminal, which is at the gate 3 Port, that there is a company that does exactly this type of service. As it was a Saturday afternoon, there was nobody else there. But we got a phone, that was painted on the window. We connect with and speak to Antonio Rocha, who told us to call back on Monday. We returned Monday at the counter, but to deal with the bureaucratic part of the car shipping, the woman sent us to the office of the company, it was across the street. Parallel, we turn again to Antonio Rocha, unsuccessfully. When we get there, find a vacant lot, with two small buildings that looked abandoned. We went to the door of one of them and after many palms and long call, the wooden door was open, leaving only the grid between us and the secretary. With little receptivity, After what we wanted explicarmos, the grid was open and we were invited to enter. As we always do, presented the project, but we were told that the only people who could decide on some kind of partnership was Antonio Rocha and he was traveling. During our stay in the office, we see some photos of Antonio Rocha wall, and that's when we discovered that it is state deputy for Para. Elements we link to, and marked on Tuesday the 16:00hrs, But to no avail, because it did not appear. As we, the run time, after the boat would leave on Thursday, we chose in his own Tuesday close the deal as it was. According to the answering, the $ 1,000 that we were paying for sending the Tanajura, was well below the value paid, which was R $ 4,000, depending on the size of the automobile. In addition to sending the spending Tanajura, pay $ 200.00 each to sleep on the floor with air conditioning is only turned on at night. We heard stories of people who had special discounts in the passage, for political, would rather not go into details. Well, these issues are true or not, the decision had been taken, which somehow gave a relief.

Thursday, 12 July, 6:00 pm - We arrived at the portals 3 port, local boarding, 1 hours before the scheduled time for the boat out, 19:00hrs. Or completely lotado salão estava, an abnormal heat, a horrible smell. Despite the disorganization, succeeded in finding the end of a row, in which for almost agurdamos 2 hours until we get our tickets validated. We leave to the next queue, to boarding, but that Durou Pouco 30 minutes.

Well, after entering the catamaran and hang our nets $ 12.00 to buy just before entering the boat, we saw that would not only be an experience of sleeping 6 Network days. The amount of people who had the hall of the networks was such that the networks were in some situations one over the other. Do not touch one another in the network was practically impossible. We managed to find a way to put our networks close to each other, and let our more valuable items in the manager's office of the ship.

The first two days were boring. Lunch, it was served in lunch box and cost $ 8.00, was served at 11:00 morning and forced us to stay somewhere around 30 the 40 FILA minutes. The same was repeated at the dinner was served at 5:30 given later. For us, this value was acceptable for a meal, because we were accustomed to Sao Paulo. But, for most people using the boat as a carrier for, that amount charged, especially considering the quality of food, was inadmissible.

The few that did was leave the boat when atracávamos in any city around lunchtime to buy food outside. We did it ourselves.

The bathroom, which was cleaned once a day, was divided by more than 200 men. No activity on the boat, not knowing anyone and music extremely high in the most airy boat, we have left to spend time playing cards, mainly ONE, also known as bad-bad in some places. The stress was so great that we believe have been the period when we had more discussions between ourselves. But, from the third day things began to change. We were giving way to meet other people from different locations, ages, classes sociais, life stories and perspectives of diverse lives. We know a female version of our expedition, a little “roots”, detached, say. Are 7 friends, Uruguayan some other Chilean, Brazilian hair that travel resolveram. From the little we know, seen that they have greater freedom, in the sense that in some places, elasticity is separam 2 groups, according to the interests of each, and meet again after a few days. Another difference is that they have a car, as well as the vast majority of travelers who find the way. They go hitchhiking to arrive at their destinations. Courageous women!

We also know a guy who had his bag stolen 1 day before embracar. This boy, called Rildo, embarked on one of several stops we made, as between Belem and Manaus went through several cities (Brief, Prainha, Almerim, Santarém, Óbidos, Parintins, among other) to load and unload different types of products (brooms, tomatoes, potatoes, onions, Frangos frozen, and others). Very humble, good-hearted, the Rildo, told us that your suitcase with all your clothes, wallet, documents, not been levied Havia boarding salão. Of course at first there was suspicion that speech was honest or if it was more a rogue wanting to take advantage over the other. The fact is that he never asked for anything, and with each passing day, continue with the same impression about him. We even offer a meal ticket in one day, but he thanked him and declined to accept. The only way I found was to help him borrow the phone so that he could contact his mother and his boss.

In stop Santarém, many people down, inclusive as uruguais. We were anxious waiting for that stop, because as it is usually the most time consuming, we plan to visit Alter do Chao, elected to one of the most beautiful beaches in Brazil. Unfortunately docked in Santarem around 17:00, and according to the master to stop would be faster than the traditional, since the boat was late. Anyway, descend to walk through the city, but almost everything was closed. When we returned to the boat, To our surprise, had more people than when we embarked in Bethlehem. We had to change our network of place, because some of our networks were down in other.

The next day, Marjorie know, a carioca, Canadian Citizenship with a very interesting life story, and somehow, similar to ours. After living for several years in Canada, since the time of high school, she decided to leave all your personal and professional stability to start another tour of the world. I'll tell you one because she had already done it once before, which meant he got to mark more than 80 countries visited throughout his life. With an incredible ability to draw up a long argument to defend their points of view without losing the line of reasoning and with many life experiences, the conversation with her was very very pleasant. It, which also has a website telling the world their experiences (http://marjorielopes.blogspot.com.br) accompanied us 2 other days by Amazon, After arriving in Manaus. Along with Marjorie, Ariel also know the Chilean and French Mélanie, I was running to South America and Paulo Renata, I was looking for employment in the region north.

It was not simple to reach this conclusion, but making a reflection on these 6 Boat days, it is possible to say that we had a socio-cultural experiences of the richest of the trip. One of the passages marked, for example, went to see some of the travelers, who were generally of lower classes, playing in the rivers bags with clothes and food for riparian seek the gifts that came in a canoe.

We also observed that there was part of the path of the miners who went to the Roraima and Guyana in search of precious metals and stones. Another interesting learning was the knowledge that because of the isolation experienced by the riverside, many of its consumer goods are achieved through middlemen who go by boat to their doors to trade products such as soap, pail, phosphorus by fruit and fish caught on the banks of the Tapajós, Negro and Solimoes. Being able to see up close the meeting of the Solimoes and Negro Rivers was one of the highlights of the trip.

Of forma certa, We can even say that we bathe in these rivers, of them were coming after the shower.

We can only say this was our first contact with Amazon, that could be observed during day and night inside the catamaran where the forest touches the river and all the morning birds and dolphins give a "good day" next to the ship.

To see more photos, click here.