Historical/Background Info:
What an amazing experience cruising up the Amazon River today. Even though we did it back in 2012, I never get tired of it and always something new to experience. The Amazon basin, as I showed earlier, is huge. (Equal to the size of the United States) The Brazilian government is promoting the development of the basin but at the same time trying to protect the eco-system here. After all, the Brazilian rainforests are important to the world ecology. Large tracks of the rainforests on the south side of the river have been controversially cleared for soybean and corn production. These farms are enormous commercial ventures. The government requires that when they buy and clear the land, they must also buy an equal number of acres and set it aside to remain rainforests. Several years ago the government built a road connecting Brazilia, the capital of Brazil, to Santarem. We will pass by this city today but will return here in 5 days. Grain from the farms to the south is trucked to this port where Cargill, an American owned seed company, buys it and loads it on ships for export. Brazil it the world’s #1 producer of beef and soybeans. If you eat Walmart beef, you are eating Brazilian beef!!
Another unique sight today is “the meeting of the waters”. As you seen in the photos, the Amazon waters are a dirty brown color. When we pass a river that is flowing into the Amazon the clear tributary waters are in stark contrast to the muddy Amazon water.
At 3:00pm we stopped for just 5 hours at the small village of Alter Do Chao which lies on the bank of the Rio Tapajos (Tapajos River) where is flows into the Amazon. It is just 25 miles from Santarem. As with most cities on the Amazon, there is no cruise ship docks so we are tendering ashore. There isn’t even a place for the tenders to dock. No excursions here. Just a very nice white sand beach lined with palm trees, quaint cottages, and local handicrafts. (Sorry Peter Ibbotson, no cathedral photos but there was small church) The Tapajos River was is very clean which results in the most beautiful fresh water beaches in Brazil. Alter do Chao is also known as the “Caribbean in Brazil” because of this. Did I mention, it is very hot and humid here again near Equator.
Link to photos cruising river and luncheon today:
https://goo.gl/photos/q6XJLAH2Xw3mQDfk9
Link to photos of Alter do Chao taken in 2012:
https://goo.gl/photos/jzZhMMdwhEdBchdDA
What We Did Today:
We both just had All Bran Complete cereal and black coffee for breakfast today. At 11:30 there is a special brunch in Signatures restaurant for those of us sailing from and back to Miami. This 72 day is a Grand Cruise and the second event held just for us. There is just under 100 passengers doing the full cruise. Photos attached below.
After checking my email and FaceBook, I went out on our balcony, had some coffee, took some photos, and just enjoyed the ever changing dramatic views of the Amazon. It was a very enjoyable couple of hours and not hot then.
I left the brunch early to go up and take some photos of the "Meeting of the Waters" as we passed by Santarem. You will see in my photos what is meant by "Meeting of the Waters". It is where the "white" water of the Amazon (really chocolate colored) meets the "black" water of the Tapajos River. There is a big difference in the water ph between the two.
It is VERY hot outside this afternoon. Temperature in 90's and humidity high too. You start sweating just minutes after going out there. At least today we have plenty of sunshine unlike the overcast skies of yesterday.
This evening we are having dinner with our friend, Susanne Peters, in Compass Rose. After dinner we will definitely be going to see the JAR production show, "Cirque Rock N Roll".
I just made a comment to Rebecca, "Seems like I always have a lot to put on the blog. I wonder if someone reads all this crap?"
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