| Week 2 | |
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Our second week in Brazil is coming to a close. We have spent most of our time aboard the Amazon Queen. We had traveled upstream and were located very close to the Venezuelan border. We spent our time within one degree of the equator. The expedition to the waterfall ended either Wednesday or Thursday, and we began the journey back downstream towards Barcelos. The current of the Araca River was very strong, and a trip that took us three and a half days up stream only took us one day moving with the current.
The days and nights all kind of run together here. There are no outward signs to tell you the day of the week. At some point last week, Scott and I both lost two full days. Someone made a comment that the day was Friday, and Scott and I were both convinced the day was Wednesday. Indeed it was Friday. We traveled overnight from Barcelos to the Lodge. It is about one and a half hours by speedboat, but the trip takes 6-7 hours aboard the Queen. We woke up to a full day at the Lodge where we spent the day sightseeing. I took about 65 pictures of the animals and some of the scenery. Along the trails behind the lodge, monkeys are everywhere! They are not domesticated and they swing away when you walk past. The Lodge also has quite a few semi-domesticated animals. They have a man who is the caretaker of the animals and he hand-feeds and works with the animals daily. There are several macaws, several parrots, a toucan, a deer, a tapir, several dogs, ducks, two adult monkeys, three baby monkeys, and a rooster. We have enjoyed a parrot named Romeu and an 8-month-old parrot that took a liking to Scott's camera. We moved our stuff out of the boat yesterday and into one of the guest cabins. Very nice! We will stay here until the first of October when fishermen arrive. They arranged for us to stay in apartment near the river, but as we are quickly learning around here…for every plan, there is a change of plan. Behind the main lodge is a building that houses the laundry facility. There is a room that used to be Phil's office. It has a full private bathroom, it is well built with insulated walls and air-conditioning. The current plan is for Scott and me to stay there instead. It is smaller than the apartment but we won't have to trudge through dirt and mud to get there, it is close enough that the maids will clean and do our laundry, and above all else…it is air-conditioned! But who knows…plans may change. We'll let you know in October. I will begin working with the fishing guides and wait-staff in a few days. We have one month before guests begin arriving. After the guests arrive it will be non-stop for 8 months, so we will see how much English everyone can learn in one month. None of the materials for the children have arrived yet, so I guess the day-school is on hold until I get my "stuff." |