The Muddy-Pants Diaries

27 July 2005 (Wednesday) – Belem to Manaus, Brazil

Although Amazon Star was leaving at 6pm this evening, the senhora from the hostel had told me yesterday to get to the docks by 7am to put up my hammock first in the riverboat so as to secure a good place. She suggested as far as possible, to hang it as near to the front portion of the boat.

I reached the docks at around 7am and it was already very crowded with people. There was a massive queue. I made inquiries but no one seemed to know where I should go. I decided to just skip the entire queue and go straight in front. To my surprise, they just let me in. But after a while, they said I needed to exchange my receipt for a proper ticket at a booth somewhere, etc… and I had to get out again. A little chaotic, but I got onto the riverboat eventually.

I followed some people, all tugging and heaving their massive luggage, into a huge hall. There, people were already hanging their hammocks hastily. I was about to hang mine when a guy asked to see my ticket. Apparently, I had to get it registered first. OK, so I abandoned my hammock and hunted for the place for registration. By the time I was back, the guy had already helped me hang my hammock. I looked around. It was very close to the hammocks nearby and in each, there seemed to be babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers everywhere. Hmmm… these would be my neighbours for the next 5 days??

Anyway, I left my hammock there and returned to town. Now, despite the chaos just now, I had to trust the Brazilian Hammock Honour System and pray that by the time I return this afternoon, no one ELSE would lay claim to my hammock and pretend to be his or hers and I would then be left without a ‘home’.

You see, before coming to Belem, I talked about this trip with Gisele, my host in Natal. I was reluctant to buy a new hammock as I would need to carry it thereafter. What would I do with it? I rather buy a cheap second-hand hammock and then, sell it away thereafter or give to someone. I thought most people travelling on the riverboat would think like this. Hence, I had imagined a second-hand market somewhere in Belem, teeming with used hammocks for resale from travellers who had come from Manaus.

When I suggested this, Gisele gave me a look of horrors. She explained that hammocks are like linen, they are personal, almost every Brazilian, at least those from the Northeast and the North, would have their own hammocks, hardly anyone shares with strangers. If one hammock had gone too funky or had fallen apart, they would buy another. No hammocks are resold.

Ah. OK. Now I understand. Hence, leaving my hammock alone in the riverboat teeming with passengers who are rushing onboard to hang theirs and secure good places, I just have to trust that no one else messes with mine.

Upon my return in the late afternoon, I boarded the riverboat and the crew indicated that I belonged to the Lower Deck. I looked at it and did not recognise it. For a moment, I thought I was on the wrong riverboat. Or someone had moved my hammock. But no, this was the right one. Then, where is my hammock?

Finally, I realised that I had hung my hammock at the Upper Deck which is the air-conditioned area. And my ticket is for the non-air-conditioned area. What a stupid mistake!!!!!! But, wait… the Lower Deck looked absolutely horrendous. I saw sacks of onions, potatoes, flour, etc… being stacked up at the end of the hall. This looked more ‘container’ class than ‘hammock’ class.

I went to the Upper Deck and indeed, found my hammock and indeed, the place looked more decent. So I returned, asking if I could pay more for the price difference and stay at the Upper Deck. The crew took my ticket, fingered it a while, had a short discussion amongst themselves and told me to stay there, no problem. Oh, what luck! Obrigada!

I lay down my things and surveyed the area. Gosh, it was SO CRAMPED. There was a woman asleep in the next hammock, and on my other side, a couple of children. As theirs were hung slightly higher than mine, my hammock was practically hidden underneath. I gingerly got in. I adjusted myself several times, trying to be comfortable. Gosh, if I lay down, I would really be engulfed in the darkness now and my back would touch someone’s luggage. The grumpy-faced woman next to me soon got up and muttered something to me. I peeked into her hammock and found a one-month-old baby there. Shit, I could not breathe here, I could not move an inch at all without creating a wave, nudging into elbows and knees or overturning a baby or toddler!! Then, I caught a whiff of milk vomit. That’s it, I had to move! I felt just negative energy here. And FAST!! Before other OK spots get taken up.

I hunted around and found a spot right in the interior. Looked rather spacious. I asked the guys nearby if it was OK to hang my hammock here. Everyone around gestured in consent, suggesting from which poles I should do it. Great. I sensed better energy here too. When I dragged my hammock here, a smiley elderly guy even got up to help me. Several people also looked at me with some amusement and smiles. Hmm… finally, a much larger personal space. I could rock, I could sway. Just great.

There are 8 bars that run the length of the hall up above. To hang your hammock, you hang it between Bar 1 and 3, Bar 2 and 4, Bar 3 and 5, etc… You get the idea.

It was then that I finally found time to seriously look around me at the barrage of colours – yellow, green, aqua blue, cobalt blue, lime green, orange, red rose, purple, white, black, grey, striped, checked, army-motifs, with crochet trimmings, with prints of Bananas in Pyjamas, etc… hammocks of different shapes, sizes, materials all criss-crossing all over the hall. Wow, what a sight!! It was unbelievable! And so… this would be my home for the next 5 days… I cannot imagine.

Later, I attempted to count the number of hammocks in the hall – more than 200!!

26 July 2005 (Tuesday) – Belém, Brazil

My first impression of Belém em was not quite good. It is very hot, very humid, the streets are full of trash, the roads had many pot-holes that collected stagnant water and more rubbish, some of the buildings are of very intricate colonial architecture but most of them are badly defaced by atrocious graffiti and there are lots and lots of crappy things being sold everywhere. The people are also more unsmiley, curt and sometimes, even rude. Well, I guess the weather has a lot to do with how one treats other people.

I wanted to organise a riverboat to Manaus today. The guidebook advised us to check the conditions of the boat, speak to the captain, inquire about everything, etc… But gosh, it was way too hot and way too uncomfortable to do any of these tasks! I learnt from Javier and Cristian that they arrived by Amazon Star and that they found it OK, so I would take Amazon Star as well. It would leave Belém on Wednesday evening, that’s tomorrow. The host in Hotel Fortaleza had informed me I could get the ticket from her later.

Then, the next thing I wanted to organise was my anti-malarial tablets. I was so unprepared for this trip that I totally forgot about getting anti-malarial tablets for my trip! Only when I was already in Argentina, did Pablo ask me about this that I realised my mistake. He told me it was very expensive to buy anti-malarial tablets in Argentina. So, we agreed that I would try and get them in Brazil.

However, I had made inquiries in Rio de Janeiro at the pharmacies and the pharmacists informed us that they did not dispense this. Perhaps, we could get them further up north.

Then, I had had a conversation with the British couple – Ahmed and Anita – in Olinda. They told me that they had had a talk with a Brazilian doctor and learnt that in Brazil, they DO NOT dispense anti-malarial tablets because they do not recognise that this is a problem in Brazil. Also, the tablets are not 100% fool-proof either. However, if you come down with malaria, they would treat you for it.

Yet, when I asked my hosts from Recife to Fortaleza, and they asked their families and friends, everyone of them insisted that I would be able to obtain vaccine for malaria at a Posto de Saude (Health Post) somewhere up north. Some of them even told me, I would get it for free.

OK, here I am in Belem. My first try was a pharmacy. They directed me to a Posto de Saude along Av. Presidente Vargas opposite to the Post Office. I walked there and made more inquiries at the security guards in front of some buildings with a sign saying something about ‘Saude’ (health). But each of them just kept directing me to yet another office and yet another ministry. One guy then directed me to Farmacia Popular do Brasil. Here, they did not dispense it either.

But the nice guy in there wrote down an address for me and later, accompanied me to the main road, whistled at a bus and asked me to hop on. I showed the fare-collector the address and soon, he told me to alight and waved me towards some building. Now, at this place, finally, they said that they dispense tablets for malaria. Oh, at last!

The security guard asked me if I had fever. Fever? Nonono… I wanted to get ANTI-malarial tablets, not treatment for malaria. Now, he shook his head. Nope, so, after all this wild-goose chase, Ahmed had been right! It was not possible for me to buy anti-malarial tablets. Sheesh, now I have to be very careful not to get bitten while in the Amazons.

Despite the hectic activities in this melting weather and having had nothing to eat since dinner last night, I was not hungry at all. It was so difficult to imagine facing a plate of rice and chicken or beef, or worse, their local dishes of shrimps in some coconut sauces… no way! I could barely force a sandwich down my throat just to fill up the stomach.

I meandered along the docks to Mercado Ver-O-Peso which is the main market here in Belem with the amusing name – See The Weight. Here, there was a whole wide section of stalls selling pastries and drinks, meat and vegetable market, a section selling perfumes and essences of the fruits and flowers of the Amazon and other Indian handicraft souvenirs.

I walked out to the edge and stood facing the Amazon River. This is where the Amazon Basin after meandering through nearly the entire surface area of Brazil dispenses its water – Mouth of the Amazon. Wow, this river would be where my home would sit over the next 5 days or so. But the sun was too glaring for me to linger so I had to flee.

I meandered on and happened upon the ice-cream parlour – Cairu. I think this is the famous ice-cream parlour that Gisele in Natal had told me about. She even recommended me to try a few flavours of ice-cream, especially those unique to the Amazons. I tried – castanha do para. Yum. Maybe tomorrow, I would try another flavour.

Beyond the fort, there was a House of Eleven Windows which, seeing no one rushing over to stop me, I entered. Ah, there was a little garden where one could sit under a tree and admire the Amazon River. The sun was obscured by the tree and finally, I could sit and stare happily. I was once again overwhelmed at where I was located geographically. Wow. I had pointed out to this spot on the map for a while now. I had learnt about the Amazon River as a teenager, and had heard stories about the Amazon, and experiences about the riverboat trips and now, I am RIGHT HERE about to make the trip myself! Wow.

I noticed streaks of brown ribbons of water alternating with the darker brown water of the river and found it odd. I had heard about the Amazon River and the Black River not mixing together even for some distance despite meeting at the confluence. But that happened way back near Manaus. So, what was this? Maybe just reflections and shadows from the sun.

Anyway, I felt a little apprehensive now. On the one hand, I could not wait to get away from Belem. The hotel was… well, I saw a huge rat in the kitchen, and several cockroaches and a lizard in my room. So, I did not quite fancy staying another night and get bitten all over by mosquitoes again. Yet, to spend 5 days in a crowded riverboat would truly be a… ahem… ‘very interesting’ and not to mention, very uncomfortable experience. I wonder what would happen. The days ahead are a complete mystery to me.

Let’s see how the river flows.

24 July 2005 (Sunday) - 25 July 2005 (Monday) - Fortaleza to Belém, Brazil Yesterday, Isabelle had told me she had seen advertisements for air-tickets from Fortaleza to Belém for around R180 - R190. That was just merely R40 - R50 ... [Continue reading this entry]