Thursday, 20 February 2014

Today is a sea day as we head around the northern coast of Brazil and out into the Atlantic.  It is also the first day of rain--very convenient.  I spend a typical morning: breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill followed by a presentation of the highlights of Rio in the Showroom at Sea, and concluding with a presentation by the master chef on cooking Italian Food in the smaller Culinary Theatre.

In the afternoon I catch tour gruide Benjamin's presentation about the logistics of touring the various cities in Brazil that we will be visiting.  He has losts of good information, but is not the most dynamic speaker.  The outdoor "King Neptune Ceremony" in honor of crossing the Equator has been cancelled because of rain, so I watch "Papillon" on the TV in my stateroom and can verify the opening scenes were indeed filmed on the islands that we visited yesterday (at least the establishing long shots were).  I imagine the Neptune Ceremony will be rescheduled.  I enjoyed the one on last year's cruise and it promises to be another hoot.  We did, however, receive our certificates stating that we had crossed the Line during the night.

Dinner included a large slab of beautifully prepared Prime Rib and I started on wine bottle #5 (out of 7 in my package), a pleasant 2012 Argentinian Malbec which is quite refreshing.

Friday, 21 February 2014

I have been so frustated by my expensive and failed attempts to get pictures up on the blog, that I haven't paid much attention to other design aspects; so please forgive the unbroken blocks of text.

During the early hours of the morning, the Maasdam has been sailing upriver to the small port of Icoraci, a 45-minute drive from the city of Belem, the first really exotic port we are visiting.  The river becomes too shallow for the Maasdam to navigate any farther.  Although home to skyscrapers and over one million people, it is quite clear that Belem is a South American city, with its unique flavors and appeals.  The heat and humidity are high but not as bad as I expected, and the promised thunderstorms never materialize, so touring is actually rather pleasant (and, of course, the bus is freezingly air-conditioned). 

Before boarding the bus in Icoraci, however, we enjoy a 15-minute transfer by local boat rather than by ship's tenders.  These boats are larger and can convey passengers more quickly, and they begin to give a sense of being in a whole new world even before landing.  Everyone connected with the transport--especially the locals--are very accomodating and welcoming.  A friendly hello will bring a quick smiling response.  No one bothers us with persistent sales pitches (unlike on board), and no one charges for having his picture taken (as in Panama).  There are cool breezes on board the transfer vessel and we get a good view of where the bay ends and the estuary begins.  This body of water, whose name I will look up on my map later, is considered the northernmost tributary of the Amazon--so I can officially say I was in Amazonia.  From the banks of the river in the city itself, we can seen where two rivers, one dark and clear and one muddy and brown flow side by side for a mile or two before combining and moving out to sea.

Our guide gives us an overview of the history and economics of the area as we fight the traffic on the 45-minute drive into the center of Belem.  We pass through suburbs that are either put together in a hurried mishmash or are already falling down from overuse.  The poverty is quite evident, although everyone has a cellphone and the overhead wires attest to all the applicances available.  There seems to be little sense, however, of the need for any kind of planning or infrastructure.  As we drive into the city proper, we are greeted by rows of new (and uncompleted) high-rise condos and apartment buildings.  It's probably the climate and the quality of building materials that make things seem to be collapsing before even being built.

As we reach the "Old City," we are up against the shore of the river (about 1/2 mile wide and really a bay rather than a river--see above).  This part of town is home to the largest outdoor market in all of South America, but since this is a "Culture" tour we don't stop for shopping.  It is also starting to undergo some renovation and restoration that will appeal to a larger tourist base.  Our first stop in town is at the Botanic Garden and Bird Sanctuary.  This is a beautifully tended park with lovely covered platforms along the river.  There are many species of local fauna--including the most deeply red flamingos I have ever seen (from eating too much shrimp), white flamingos, white herons, ducks, iguanas, and other varieties of riparian birds.  The butterfly house (very popular in gardens all over the world right now), contains some wild plant life--including the largest water lilies I've ever seen), as well as many butterflies.  There are not many flowering plants, but everything is lush and densely green.

We next visit two art museums, both housed in historic buildings (one a former jail and one a former church), showcasing archaelogical and religious artifacts.  Unfortunately, all the explanations are in Portuguese (I'll have to do some research when I return home).  The collection of local minerals and gems is particularly impressive.  The museum has a good shop, but we have been warned that anything made of wood or plant products that we bring back to the ship will have to be put in a freezer for 24 hours to kill any bugs that might want to hitch a ride.  Some very beautiful contemporary pottery, but pieces too large and too expenseive to purchase while travelling.

We drive through several parts of town to witness the sharp contrasts between the moneyed few and the many poor--like everywhere else in this world today--although sometimes it seems as if we are passing the same places several times.  We then make the return drive to Icoraci and the local tender back to the ship in time for a very late lunch.

Nothing special for dinner except escargot, pate, and two lobster tails!