I write to you from the gigantic city of Sao Paulo, 18 million people live here. However, my events in brazil started at the border, or the tri-border region, brazil, columbia, peru.
you can read here how we reached manaus after a great river cruise.
After a very miserable breakfast, we took a mototaxi to the harbor and prepared for the long river trip to Santa Rosa. We checking in and it took us about 5 o'clock until our boat actually started to move. It is a relatively small boat, about as many seats as a bus.
We were fully occupied and drove for 12 hours until half past four, the target was the small island of santa rosa, with the Peruvian border authority. meanwhile the sun was risen and set again. We picked up our departure stamp from Peru and then immediately traveled to Tabatinga, the Brazilian border town, which is located on the bank of the river. according to my map we also passed colombian waters, so we were within five minutes in three different countries.
Arrived in Tabatinga we walked into the city and to a small hostel called: santiago. It turns out that the worst place I've ever found in accommodation in all of South America is, until now. A double room cost us only 20 reales, so not even 5 €, that was probably the first warning, where I should have been suspicious, but we unpacked, I took a shower and then, I went out to catch a fresh breeze of air. nearly impossible, in this region.
then I tried to sleep, terribly warm. I also tried to attack about a hundred mosquitoes at the same time and I finally had to spread my mosquito net hammock over me to protect myself. I slept on the whole night ess than in the previous, not even 4 hours.
terribly exhausted, I awoke with red-stiched legs and arms, we had to pick up our entry-stamp from brazil at the police department, which we did the first. of course it was alsoa lot of waiting again until everything is done, but everything went smoothly. looking for a breakfast, we also hiked to the harbor to ask for the next boat to manaus. it would cost us 200 real and leaves on Tuesday, so tomorrow, at noon.
We bought some bread and fruits. After the small meal I decided that we had to move and I found on my mobile-map a nice little hostel in Leticia, the Colombian part of this border town. So we looked for a mototaxi and then drove to the address. Compared to the last place, this hostel was heaven on earth.
There is a pool, clean bathrooms and a bar with a fridge. we felt right at home and jumped into the pool for cooling. a little later we walked through the streets to exchange money, because only the colombian peso counts here. we were also looking for a hammock for dani, because on the boat we will take to manaus, you sleep in hammocks on the deck. I then went again to tabatinga to buy the tickets for tomorrow and to ask the exact times.
when I was back, in the evening, we met another Paul, Riander and Louis, from Luxembourg, who had just returned from a Djungel tour. There is also a cute cat here.
We drank some beers before we went into town, where a kind of city party took place. a lot of people, a lot of food and very noisy, but at least something going on.
today was the brazilian night and we got some strong caipirinhas before we ate something and also played a game. one throws coins on a playing field, which is described with numbers, and if the coin remains exactly on a field, and not on the line, one gets back his coins, and as much as is written on the field.
that was quite amusing for a few minutes, but then we got bored and we hiked back to the hostel to play rummycup and cuddle cats, late at night we went to sleep.
Today begins our new adventure, a river cruise on the Amazon. I wake up rather hungover and first shower, then jump into the cool pool again, before I walk with the other paul together in the city to withdraw money and buy breakfast. We walk a bit through the streets and found a great panderia, a bakery. I cover myself with rolls and sweet pastries. then we walk into the hostel, when everything is packed and eaten, we ask luisa, the woman who owns the hostel, to call us a mototaxi to the port in tabatinga.
we say goodbye to louis and paul, board the taxi and cruise towards the harbor. Once there, we check in and put our luggage on a yellow line. After some waiting time, we then hike back to the city to buy some water and sweets. later we went to sit on the boat to put the luggage here again in a line, here it is examined by sensitive dogs. after this we can choose our place on one of the two decks. we decide on the upper one and get to know a nice young woman, her name is luari and she comes from sao paulo, she has been traveling from Ecuador for one month. The ship leaves and we are on course to manaus, down the river.
We set up with our hammock and pack all the backpacks in a heap to prevent possible theft. after some time, we had food and we enjoy a soup with meat, corn and other vegetables.
in the evening we were siting on the back of our deck, here we chat a while, luari usually works as a tour guide on cruise ships. before we get tired and finally lie down in our hammock, where we quickly find sleep.
woken up by a small bell and out from my dreams, I start my first day on the boat. After a quick breakfast, I shift back into the hammock, here I try to catch a little, but I'm not able to keep my eyes closed long enough. I spend much of the following morning summarizing and writing down previous travel memories and thoughts.
I also manage to edit a film, from the recordings of the day we spent on the death road in La Paz. I am quite satisfied with my work.
At some point there will be lunch and we will walk down to the first level to enjoy chicken stew with noodles and rice. the food is surprisingly good and overall we think we were lucky, we caught a relatively new ship. After lunch, I'm back to writing, while next to me at the table some Brazilian men and women play domino.
The Amazonian landscape, which is otherwise so changeable, is an endless green band that passes by both sides of the ship.
it is terribly hot and welcome cooling reaches us through some stopps and the associated opportunity to buy icy beer.
We spend the afternoon and evening sitting in the back of the sun deck or lying in the hammock where I pamper myself with a new podcast.
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the sunset after dinner is magical, it stands in strong contrast to the thunderstorm which rises on the other side.
I finally fall asleep, surrounded by the rain, it will not be an exciting trip, but on the other hand, it will not be an exciting trip. A few quiet days, which I haven’t enjoyed in almost the last two months.
Another day begins on the Amazon, with the breakfast we start in the long day, which will be as event-less as the last one.
I read my book this morning and once again started to read: die leiden des jungen Werther from the famous german poet, goethe.
a book that has been taking my attention for a long time. more precisely, since my sweden trip 2017. i had bought it and started to read. but never too late, even the mood of the book had never caught me so completely, so I carry it unfinished in my backpack with me to this day.
After a delicious lunch I sat, again writing on the sun deck, it is a lot of experience to transfer in my travel diary and i finally finished the mixtape.
I also spent the afternoon and evening watching the few episodes of the series "Anne, with an e", which I had saved on my mobile phone. It is the fantastic story of a young sage who finds a new family on Prince Edward Island, Canada, and is now experiencing problems with family life. However, she is not an ordinary girl, but a very eloquent with a huge imagination.
netflix link:
https://www.netflix.com/title/80136311?s=i&trkid=14170286
For a while, the second season of this netflix production is available and I look very eagerly whenever I can.
In the evening we see a wonderful sunset, which makes the sky shine in all colors and reminds me of the beauty i saw in plau last summer.
Hoping that tomorrow we will reach the port of Manaus, I fall asleep wrapped in my poncho in the hammock.
Another very boring day on the boat starts with the ringing for breakfast, the morning melts away and I spend the rest of the day with a lot of music and a lot of time on the sun deck, where I write diligently.
Hardly anything happened, the most exciting thing today being that we were allowed to climb onto the roof of the ship, Lori had asked the one worker and then showed us the way up via the ladder.
in the evening after dinner, we arrived to manaus and since it is already relatively late, we have neither an accommodation nor any idea, we stay another night on the ship, we are almost the only ones.
Here the report ends, but in the next post you can read, what happened to me in my week in manaus.
love
Pauli
here my current contact data:
mail: [email protected]
Telephone: +55 (11) 98842-2617 (the new brazilian one)
whatsapp: +54 9 11 2693-6601
blog: https://steemit.com/@schningelnatter
