The ship is anchored about a kilometre from the town of Parantis and the only reason we are here is to see a version of a local festival called a Boi-Bumba show.
We got on the local tender boat around 10.00 and when ashore it was about 90 F and after a quick scan of the markets we spent some time trying to get in touch with Wally on a matter. I had to phone Craig to get Wally to phone me. Crazy phone system here. Jim and Gail meanwhile had a quick tour of the town on a pedal cab.
We got into the venue for the Boi-Bumba show where they supplied unlimited drinks with a name I cannot spell. Fellette and I were located at the back left in the stands and a few feet from the bar so that was convenient. It also enabled me to get out of the seat and try to get better photos. However, the camera cannot do justice to the over-the-top costumes and the bombastic atmosphere in there. And, the music never stopped for one hour. Fellette and I were enthralled by the energy of the youthful dancers, we have never seen anything like it and, as I said, some of the costumes were almost beyond imagination.
Apparently this thing is part of a local competition that started as a result of two farmers who had a feud and as the years went on the feud was forgotten and it turned into part of the towns culture. Two teams compete and it is taken very, very seriously.
We then took the short walk to the ship and next thing we were on board, showered, ate
and in the Showroom to get briefed on our last four remains ports of call
We are now headed for the great Atlantic Ocean and salt water again for the first time in about six days. Next stop, Devil's Island, but we have two days sailing before we get there. The ship will make fresh water again when we get to sea so we will send our laundry in then. We have been on short water rations since we entered the Amazon because the silt plugs up the fresh water making apparatus.
It was interesting this morning watching the Amazon boats tender us to shore. This is obviously a requirement of the town as the ship can tender us and I am sure that Holland America would prefer to use their own tenders to control safety concerns, etc.
The current on the river is about three or four knots so they had to approach from downriver and slowly pull alongside and catch the anchored ship and then secure their lines to it. This ship's crew will assist us into the tenders and getting ashore, the Amazon boat's responsibility will only be to man their boat. It's all about the money and local employment I assume.
Ashore and raring to go. Those were the type of boats we used today for the short ride to shore.
Our tenders for the day, very nice and comfortable, breezy.
This is certainly Brazil. Brash and noisy...
These scouts greeted us and were practising their English on us I think. Fellette was a Lord-High-Mucky-Muck in Scouting so I took a group shot of them all.
This was part of the mechanized apparatus used during the show.
It is hard to tell where the human body starts in these costumes.
I am not sure where all the feathers come from nowadays, anything is possible.
Have you noticed how my much younger wife likes these young Native Boys? They came and picked people and the crew did a dance with them.
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I am writing this blog on our deck outside type cabin in late afternoon. The muddy waters of the Amazon are zipping by us and as I look out, about 1/2 mile away, is the start of the low trees of the forest/jungle going to and endless horizon, and left to right as well.
This view will soon be interrupted by a return to a more common outlook of civilization and reality. I also think to myself, in all reality, this will likely be the last time we see this little spot in the world.
On that note I will sign off for the day.
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