happy 2009

...to one and all.

we are at sea today. as such, some talks have been arranged for us to keep occupied.

this morning featured a fascinating look at "cracking the maya code". our speaker gave us a great overview into the research that has been done and perhaps continues to be done, to truly understand this ancient group of people and their civilization. we were also treated to a very good documentary on the topic.

following that talk, another speaker shared with us his knowledge of marine mammals. our travel will take us to ports of call that promise to deliver whale and dolphin watching. i hope we will be lucky and have the chance to observe some of these magnificent beings.

in the background as i type these few words, i can hear the sounds of pre-port briefing for trinidad-port of spain--lots of calypso music wafts from the doorway and people are soaking in the information. thankfully so. it has thinned the crowd here in the computer lab considerably.

about an hour from now, more "community colleges" will be offered by fellow passenger/experts ... the topics: forgotten islands-the comoros; massage improvisation-regaining personal harmony; foreign currency and natural resource share markets; brew master's tale-discovering beer appreciation.

a semi-formal dinner has been planned for tonight as it is new year's eve; there are a variety of entertainment options that have been put together to help ring in the new year.

let's see what midnight will bring here on the high seas.

From our trials we discover our trails. From our pathos we discover our paths - Anonymous

splish splash

...we are at sea again. we are en route to trinidad. from what i understand, we will be on the high seas until 1/1.

i can hardly believe that 2008 has already come and gone. even more unbelievable, we will be on the atlantic when new year's day arrives. i truly wonder what this ship has planned to ring in the new year.

as i may have mentioned before, this ship is NOT one of carnival cruises "fun ships". last night, the ship put on "the not-so newlywed game". i did not watch it, but, trust me, i am betting there were participants that have been married 40 years and more.

today there are "talks" (they call them community colleges) on a range of topics that include: dealing with hearing loss; survival in the financial markets--the risks and benefits of hedge funds in today's world; how light affects health; remember the sinking of the andrea doria--given by a real life survivor.

let's put it this way: i'm looking more forward to watching TV in my cabin tonight.

planes, trains and automobiles is playing. thank goodness!

Two roads diverged in a wood and I, I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference - Robert Frost

rollin' on the river

...and onto Lake Maica this day.

lake maica is a very large body of water and our trip today was by river boat. our guide was a lovely young woman named Rachel; she was delightful in every way. and believe it or not, she told us she learned to speak english...watching TV. her vocabulary was impressive. and her scope of knowledge even more so!

the river boat is so adept at multi-tasking; not only transporting tourists such as we to our desired destination, but normally, acting as the main conduit for residents to pass from one town to another along the river banks (please note the floating gas station in the picture below)--the rio tapajos is the major artery feeding into the amazon from here. again, these places can only be reached by either boat or plane. and air travel is restricted to very limited range--just between cities and towns located within brazil i believe.

as we made our way around the docks to board our chartered river boat, we noticed many, many people in hammocks that were attached to hooks on the posts of the other boats at the dock; there are hammocks mounted in every available space inside passenger area. i hope to have a picture that will demonstrate these sleeping quarters better, later.

so efficient and sensible, the people of this place are, they travel lightly. as all things must go by water, unless one is very wealthy and has their own boat, they must out of necessity choose wisely what to bring along. and one's own hammock is one of those things. the hammock also permits better sleep when you consider the heat and humidity that are almost always present in this region which experiences only two seasons: dry and rainy. dry meaning only, not as much rain as in the rainy season. it is never truly dry.

santerem is named, according to local lore, for a devout young woman who had protected her virginity and who had been a most stellar of individuals; upon having her virginity stolen through the act of rape, she was so ashamed of the violation she committed suicide. santerem is portuguese for saint irene and this was the young woman's name. she was an ordinary person who through her devotion to god and all that is good, was elevated to sainthood after her tragic decision.

it happens that santerem is a major hub between manaus and belem; boats of any size can be built here we were told. but as rachel astutely pointed out: the size of the boat is wholly dependent upon the size of one's pocket.

and truly, isn't that always the case.

back to the boat tho...as we continued along, we were able to see "the meeting of the waters"; this is where the black-brown water of the rio negro meets the muddy brown of the amazon. the sea is over 1,000 nautical miles away. along the way, to those with really good eyesight, pink dolphins revealed themselves. rachel told us that when the pink dolphin is just born, they are white in color with only a blush of color on the underside.

a bevy of birds also accompanied our sailing on the river. terns; herons; egrets. on the banks, cattle and horses grazed; goats and water buffalo too. when these animals are to be transported, there are corrals situated on the river boats to hold them safely during their journey. dwelling space for human situated one deck above.

the scenery we were privileged to see totally evened out the heat and humidity that also accompanied us. modest homes built on elevated foundations tell the story of life on the river so well. children swam in the waters in front of their homes; diving off of boats and ramps; freshly washed clothes dancing in the breeze on a clothesline; families assembled to have their afternoon meals; lone fishermen in smaller boats out for the day to catch the evenings meal no doubt. the songs of birds, water and a very slight wisp of air moving as the boat moved through the water is our soundtrack.

as if all of this were not enough, imagine our total amazement when our guide announces to us that we are now going to have the pleasure of going piranha fishing!

of course, she advised us of the "do's and don't do's". first and foremost, not to attempt to touch the fish should we catch one. in all her years of doing such tours, no one has ever been injured she tells us. let's not ruin her record, right?

we are given modest fishing implements; but they are perfect. they resemble something you might use to fly a kite at home. a handle that is notched so as to hold the line; a weight is attached to each line; and a hook at the end. our bait this day we were told was none other than filet mignon. piranha who are caught and subsequently eaten, have had at least a decent "last meal".

there are different types of piranha--black and cashew; they are of course considered very delicious and in some cases, depending on the particular coloration of the fish, also believed to be in possession of aphrodisiatic qualities.

eagerly we get our fishing gear and set about trying to catch piranha. the boat's captain caught one with his eyes closed practically.

we were encouraged that indeed fish could be had once we saw that. not all of us wanted necessarily to keep our catch...but, some were kept. a few others were caught by the passengers and the captain. perhaps the fish know i do not like them, read=i caught nothing.

that's okay i think to myself.

meantime, the unlucky ones that were caught and kept, were later prepared by our guide and her crew. they were served with manioc meal. i was told by our friend that it was the most delicious thing and i wonder now how she will be able to find piranha to eat when she returns home.

after our fishing expedition, it is now time to return to the ship. along the way, i reflect on the words our guide has shared with us ... how she has really never gone outside of santerem and more importantly, has no intention of ever leaving. she loves her homeland; she has a rich ancestry; her children will grow up with all that they need--food is plentiful; education is free; there are hospitals to meet any illness (she tells us they even have oncology units at their local hospital). the air is clean and the water of the amazon, originating far away in the peruvian andes is, well, its everything.

There are three kinds of people in this world; those who make things happen, those who watch things happen and those who wonder what happened - James Lovell (astronaut)

pink dolphins

...according to local legend in santerem, brazil, is where babies come from (if you are a very young girl who becomes pregnant or if you are pregnant and didn't plan it i imagine). not a stork. and not a human male.
pink dolphins do exist in reality; but in legend, they are gifted with magical powers. as are all things in nature here in the amazon.

the pink dolphin lives here only. in the fresh water of the amazon.
santerem is another port city on the banks of the amazon; there we will have the opportunity to visit Lake Maica.

it is a natural fish nursery in the amazon and attracts a wide variety of wildlife including: birds; mammals; reptiles. and fish of course. some of these fish have teeth...and not just the piranhas. one particular fish that is so large and so prized, has molars! fish with molars?
during the time when the river rises, the fish happily feast upon berry nut-like fruit that grow upon trees bordering the rivers edge. they need their teeth to crack those hard shells. nature adapts so perfectly here.

when the water is not high, these same fish, propel themselves out of the water to get the bounty growing above.
the ecosystem here is able to support abundant life. water buffalo have been brought here; as well as domesticated pigs; cattle; horses. most families maintain their own gardens and cultivate/grow manioc. this particular root has flourished in the amazon region where others have failed as the soil is limited in what it can grow. plantation farmers learned quickly that the soil and the region would not support plantation-style of agricultural endeavors such as growing cotton/rubber/sugar cane/etc. but, it would happily accommodate other plant life and that plant life thrives. the root is prepared in a variety of ways. it resembles corn meal when it is used in the dishes served here. but you may be surprised to learn that manioc is where tapioca comes from.

in santerem the festival of boi bomba (i believe i may have mentioned this previously) brings out the "red" and "blue" in this city. people identify themselves as "red" or "blue" in a variety of ways: houses are painted per the color one is attached to; taxi cars; public telephone booths; clothing; etc. even stadium seating is color specific at the time of boi bumba. and one's affiliation is designated at birth.

happily tho, i don't believe the people of santerem take the extreme position of "color" allegiance that we see in our urban cities, if you know what i mean.

If we are facing in the right direction, all we have to do is keep on walking - Buddhist proverb

water as music

...was just but one of the unusual instruments featured by the group we saw in manaus yesterday. we were told that the group had gone into the rainforest and collected materials found in nature to create some of their instruments. of course, it goes without saying that the river itself produces its own "sound" too.

it was my hope to find some kind of instrument to buy as a souvenir today...but alas, that was not to be.

today the sky was very cloudy and the air quite warm. such is the norm for manaus. this would not deter me from my quest tho this day. today it was all about finding the store where i could buy the CD of the group we heard. i am surprised at myself that this music by this group, was compelling enough that i was willing to brave the streets of manaus one more time.

after all, between the heat and humidity, we know that alone is a bad combo for susan.

then add to it that i do not speak portuguese; these people do not speak english by in large; even my sad, sad spang-lish is of no real use here.

we've been told repeatedly not to venture out into the city "alone"...yikes! what is a girl to do when the music has stolen her away from her good senses?

that's right...convince other people to go with you! really, it wasn't my intention to drag our friends on this search of mine. but i am grateful that they wouldn't allow me to make the journey into the asphalt jungle that is downtown manaus, alone.

and so the hunt began in earnest about 11am yesterday. i emailed the musician directly to plead that maybe he/they could come to the dock. i emailed a resident of manaus who blogs on the group that performed...perhaps he could come help a brutha out (okay, i know i'm a girl, but, it is mo' betta the other way).

no answer.

now there is no choice but to bust-a-move and get on the good foot. james, james brown that is, would be pleased i think.

our friends and i set out to find the CD. this was my planned activity for the day. mom sat this one out. wasn't feeling great.

armed with the name of the CD and a store that sold it, we set about our trek amid light rain (i was directed to the store by a representative from manaus who was on the ship for our time there--he kindly phoned someone and got the exact name of the store and location i would need in order to get this prized music). ridiculously warm temps made this an especially impressive feat for me. i was determined tho.

i think my dad, who was a very determined person, would have been pleased. just yesterday would have been his 74th birthday. happy birthday dad.

anyway, back to the story--we jumped across traffic without lights; dawned umbrellas; kept moving when it would have been easy enough to get trapped by unofficial "guides" on the street offering lots of things...in portuguese.

with the building in our sights, now finally we arrive. bemol! this is the store. this is the promised land today. we must find that CD! we must find bemol--the store i was directed to last night by an official representative of manaus who was kind enough to call and locate the exact place i needed to find in order to get the CD. bemol is my mantra this day.

inside bemol, there is every appliance you can imagine. flat-panel TVs; stereo equipment; stoves; microwaves; a jewelry counter; credit card application counter; oh yes, and CDs/DVDs!

knowing that we did not speak portuguese and they would likely not speak english, i dig out my little piece of paper with the name of the CD from my wallet. the salesperson instantly knows where to find it. as he is flipping through the stacks and no sign of the CD in sight, i am now thinking that the search may necessarily have to extend to the shopping mall i was originally directed to go to.

by taxi. with unscrupulous drivers and not a lick of common language. this was a frightening thought to contemplate.

moments pass and finally, he finds a single copy of the CD! bravo! only thing tho, i had told people waiting for candomble last night that this would be my activity the next day. so of course, they asked what had i planned in terms of this "needle in a haystack" notion i was about to engage in. you see, they too fell in love with the music we heard at the opera house, but also, had not been successful in purchasing a copy as it sold out instantly! they wanted copies too. they offered to pay in advance. which i refused since i did not really know (a) if i could locate any CD whatsoever (b) what it would cost. instead, i told them i would look and if successful, they could pay me later.

but there was only one copy. or at least that is what we thought. soon i am at checkout. buying my precious CD. my friends who came along on the walk-a-bout, they too wanted a copy. the salesperson struggled to understand our request. he returned to the bins; he found another CD by the group--just not the same one. our friends happily purchased that. of course, i will share mine with them and they will download it to their computer. copyright, schmopy-right.

tenaniousness overcame me...i asked again if there might not be a possibility of finding another copy in another store location. this bemol is a lot like starbucks here in manaus. there are many bemol locations. again, the language barrier ... we think they are looking to find the answer to that question. moments later, a delightful young man named marcelo appears in front of the three of us. he speaks english! obrigado (portuguese for thank-you; woo-hoo in english for me)!

we make our request. additional copies, at another location--can you check? he is wonderful. we regale him in our efforts and trepidation about getting in taxis driven by somewhat unsavory sorts we've been told about...he tells us how afraid he is of los angeles for the very same reasons. tho he has lived in colorado.

their computer is down for the moment. so he cannot check another store. so he gets the salesperson to check one more time. again, flipping through all the stacks because as it turns out, their inventory is not organized alphabetically. it isn't even really organized i guess--brazil. so a thorough search can sometimes, net results.

another copy is found! bravo! only what to do--there were at least two other people wanting copies and now there was only the one extra. the computers come back on line. nine copies are available at the original location i was directed to. we were told of one more store locally downtown that might, might have the CD as well.

that was the good news i could pass along to the others wanting copies. the bad news--we were done searching ... totally wet/soaked and hot, it was time to come back to the ship.

along the way back, we did stop in at the one other place we were told about by dear marcelo. no luck tho.

once back, a second non-environmentally friendly shower was needed by me. we've been asked to conserve our water use while on the amazon. the ship cannot make its own water while we are here. but i could not, NOT have the second shower. it was absolutely necessary (truly would have gone nuts right there if not for the shower).

mom still not feeling well at all...we whiled away the hours until night on board. a special performance of local dancers had been scheduled for 8pm.

they were quite good and the girl dancer (one girl; one boy), well, she was just too beautiful. not fair at all! their names: Wayine Jeplen Vieira Costa and Fabiana Cristina de Souza Figueiredo. they were sharing dance, song and ritual from the boi bumba tradition. it is a festival that tells the story of the death and resurrection of an ox. the mythology and animal life of the amazon are depicted in their dance.

i watched the performance on the TV in our room as i was keeping an eye on the very clever creature known as...my mother.

after she drifted off to sleep, i watched "a fish called wanda" for the first time in a very long time. i'd forgotten how good it was. finally, it was 11pm and that marked our departure from manaus.

we are off to santerem tonight. we will be at sea all day tomorrow. santerem is another city located at the banks of the tremendous amazon...some 500 nautical miles away.

Travelers never think they are the foreigners - Mason Cooley

a floating dock

...on the banks of the amazon river is just one of the many remarkable features of this port city of manaus.

manaus is the name of this brazilian metropolis located just beyond the river and rainforest. the city was named for its richness of resources we were told, by her first inhabitants. the origin of the city's name, celebrates the Manáo (Mother of the gods) Indian nation, the most important ethnic group in the region, historically distinguished by their courage and bravery. when the colonization of the area took place, the indigenous peoples built their city around the fortresses that were erected by "outsiders" who began their own battle for this treasured land.

the europeans that came here soon realized a very profitable resource--rubber. and the struggle to dominate this product ensued. throughout the 18th and 19th century, german barons, the english, the portuguese, the dutch...all came to this place.

building their empires and then plundering it too. the rubber industry was so intensely lucrative, the german baron who lived in manaus decided early on to never marry so we were told, just so that he would not have to share his wealth with a wife.

he erected a beautiful home, which is now a museum. one of my pix that will later be included is of a basement vent below this residence. we were told that this is where the slaves were made to live.

the english brought with them technologies that allowed the city to survive the rising river banks. floating docks is just one example. bridges joining the forest and the city demonstrate how the city and her inhabitants have adapted. homes are built on stilts to keep them above the water.

in addition to such practical matters, the europeans also fancied replicating a city here in the jungle that would approximate their homelands. we're told that this was the driving force behind the creation of just one of manaus' crown jewels--the opera house. it features elaborate tile work on a very ornate dome; interiors of in-laid wood flooring throughout; three levels of balcony seating; beautifully adorned walls painted with depictions of earthly and heavenly scenes.

during our time at the opera house (pictured at left), we were enchanted by the sounds of a performance that had been scheduled for our visit i suspect. the music that was offered included classical music and indigenous. care to guess which one i liked better?

the musicians were extremely talented and i must say, the music really moved me.

later in the evening, one of the south american experts along on this trip had arranged a rare opportunity (we hoped) for an "unscheduled" excursion so to speak. this was to be a visit to a religious service called: candomble.

candomble is a hybrid of religious practices; the religious practices of slaves who were brought here from africa and the religion of the colonizers (you may wish to google this to learn more about candomble). christianity and catholicism. candomble is practiced at night apparently (practitioners and followers alike, driven underground by mainstream religious observers), and so, those of us who wanted to witness this service, assembled in great anticipation at 8:45pm.

we waited until about 9:30pm for the guide to finally reveal to us that our opportunity, well, took another direction. it seems that there was some family in urgent need of the candomble high priest, to make a house-call. as these services are held in an impromptu fashion, on friday and saturday nights...the "planned" service we were to attend, was now cancelled.

here's where the real "adventure" began...we walk across the ramps that join the ship to the port. navigate through a whole nightclub scene directly situated in the building facing the docks. the place is jammed with people; tables; food; music. the most interesting thing i noticed on the tables were the beer dispensers (me, the none-drinker notices beer dispensers). the beer in this club/restaurant is sold by liters i am guessing; in varying sizes. there is a container/reservoir that sits atop a spigotted base. people can dispense their beer, table side. reordering only when the pitcher runs low. much more efficient and far less wasteful than individual bottles! that's what i call: gettin' yo' drink on.

now we have wound through the ramps and are street level. we now board the chartered bus searching the city, at night, for an underground religious ceremony that can even include animal sacrifice--yes, you read right. and yes, i was not at all comfortable with that possibility. people fall into trances at these services and the event can be "wild". not unlike the get-down with the get-down: baptists/pentecostals/evangelicals/back-wood appalachian mountain, snake toting, tongue-talkin' variety we might find in the good 'ole US of A.

winding streets and narrow ones at that, made the trip all the more harrowing. worried about side-swiping parked cars and running over playing children in the streets long after 10pm added another layer to this candomble service we were "hunting". at least we were not on foot in this humid place. i would never have been able to do that. and our bus, praise the god of AC (yes, i know, cfc's are bad)--was climate-controlled.

as we passed through the neighborhoods of manaus, WE soon became the attraction. who are these strange people traipsing through our streets, i'm sure was the thought in the heads of the children who saw our bus. we even passed a house where children were bouncing up and down on a make-shift "jumper" such as we see back home. all the while, eyes fixed on the bus rumbling down their little street.

indeed, what folly it was for us to go, literally for all intents and purposes, on this night-time jaunt. into a city that we were warned was too dangerous to traverse even by taxi in the daytime without lots of trepidation (indeed, one of our shipmates got jumped by two men and a woman--beat up pretty good we found out later...two very bruised eyes to prove he'd been in the wrong place at the right time).

needless to say, we received different reasons why each location we went to, failed to produce a candomble service for us to attend. one reason: the service is only held on saturdays (why then did our guide attempt to take us to one on a friday? i ask you?); in another moment, the day that said service takes place, is on tuesdays only. again...why didn't our guide know this? such is how things go down, in brazil. mañana don'tcha know?

well, supposedly this particular religion has been driven more and more underground over the years. and so, it is not a slam-dunk, ever, that one would find a service of candomble. especially not in a city located on river banks vs. the coastal areas of brazil where the slave trade was much more well-established. we are told that in coastal regions, candomble practitioners are more plentiful (however, i would question that too as a result of having watched a documentary here on ship about the ever-growing popularity of evangelical christianity in brazil and of course, the well-established presence of catholicism here as well as throughout most of latin america).

finally, at about 11pm, we abandoned any notion that we would attend a candomble service. now what to do? a vote on the bus was taken and it was decided to try and go to a local club to take in some traditional "afoxe" or "forro". another hybrid of decidedly european, african and indigenous influences showing up in music.

the first stop was more of a night-club scene with attendant 20-somethings waiting on line to get in; recorded vs. live music pumping; scantily clad young women sporting very high heels; young men surveying all who pass by.

this was not going to meet the needs of this "mature" audience (people aged 60+) at all. especially at 11pm. beauty rest is vital at this age.

so next we "decide" to return to ship. but not without stopping one more time. on the way back to the good ship lol-li-pop, we peeked in at punto negro. this is a highly popular beach area that has a very nice boardwalk scene. lots of families walking about, even late at night. an enclosed court for volleyball and/or soccer; a stage for music/dance. seemed that remnants of the recent christmas celebration continued -- a beautifully constructed "tree" was a focal point. there were food vendors; artisans selling crafts; amusement park type of rides and a giant slide. all lighted in festive fashion for the time of year i suppose.

once all the "adventurers" returned to the chartered bus, we drove back to the dock. on our way, passing many festively decorated homes and businesses. 'tis the season. and so, what christmas would be complete without snowmen? here in manaus, the snowmen are only made of lights. snow would never remain solid in this tropical city located right at the equator.

by the time we reached our drop-off, it was about midnight. we walked through the ramps and the nightclub once more. only by this hour, the tables and chairs that were occupied by energetic brazilians what seemed just moments earlier--empty. restaurant--empty. i was so surprised to see that. that was almost as surreal as being here is.

• chartered air-conditioned bus through the streets of manaus on a friday night, with an english speaking guide: $10.00
• ice-cream on the pier at punto negro in manaus: $1.00
• adventure in manaus, brazil to find candomble : priceless.

The most important journey you may take in life is meeting people halfway - Henry Boye

take me to the river

...but please, don't drop me in the water! this water is very brown and tho i know it is actually a sacred place, i don't wish to be offered up to the gods that inhabit this watery place. upon entering the eastward end of the amazon that empties into the ocean, the river is about 200 miles in width. as far as the eye can see, we are surrounded by water most of the time. when we reach our "port", the width of the river will taper down to about 30 miles in diameter. of course, the amazon stretches across/thru several south american countries and the 10,000 tributaries that branch off the mighty river are much smaller in size.

the ship has been slowed down a lot because of our being on river water vs. ocean depths. last night, immigration officials from brazil boarded the ship to assure that we are all "present and accounted for" ... properly.

we have had the pleasure of seeing some insect life aboard ship over the past 24 hours being that we are on the amazon.

last night, a beautifully colored butterfly lighted upon the deck; bespeckled with turquoise colored dots along the wingspan--drawn to the lights no doubt on the ship. the sky was dotted with many stars and the air was almost sauna-like.

this morning, a water beetle made its way onto the back of the ship. this bug was about four inches in length from head to tail--brown/black in color and winged of course. and probably about an inch wide. so, a decent sized bug.

everyone is captivated by the creatures that have visited us so far. cameras snapping away to capture what we are seeing. binoculars poised in the rear of the ship to take the eye's reach just a little farther into the lush forestation that we can view from here.

we're told that santa claus will be making a special visit on ship today as it is, afterall, christmas day. there are just a few families on this trip traveling with children. thank goodness they are here! they add a lot of "spark" to an otherwise very "mature" group comprising the passenger manifest.

tonight will be another semi-formal dining night in honor of christmas as well. there is a holiday tea dance being offered this afternoon and a holiday sing-a-long too! the ship is as i have mentioned, very diverse. as such, there has been observance of hannukah in addition to the christmas celebration(s).

Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail - Ralph Waldo Emerson