| You are crazy! |
[Apr. 9th, 2008|11:10 am] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | Belem | ] |
| [ | music |
| | None, pinky is dead | ] |
I spent most of last night talking to a Brazilian woman who has travelled to Belem to meet some friends and is staying in my hostel. She was a little annoyed at the state of the bathroom - shared with the men because the women's is under construction, there are no lights, and not enough space inside the cubicles to swing a dead cockroach, let alone a dead cat. I told her about my next step to Manaus by boat, her response was wide-eyed wonder at the thought of a lone female backpacker travelling 1500km up a river for 5 days, sleeping in a hammock. To me, that sounds fantastic but she was dubious. "You speak Portugues?" she asked. I held up my tiny phrasebook in reply. She burst out laughing. "You are crazy!"
I had brekkie with an English bloke who had just arrived from Salvador (further down the coast). He gave me a battered version of Papillion to read on the boat, I wish I hadn't left my old book in Rio so I could have given him something to read. I did point him in the direction of a couple of bookstores though. He is heading to Manaus on Friday.
I went to the waterfront market today, Velho de Peso (I think). It was incredible. There were all the normal stalls of umbrellas, t-shirts, PS2s, tv remotes, you name it, it was there. I bought a hammock for 25R$, I was so surprised at the cheap(ish) price that I forgot to haggle but no matter, seems decent. Then I stumbled across the food section. Wow! So many types of fruit and veg, a decent number of which I had never seen before. There was a whole section dedicated to various meat products as well as huge baskets of shrimp and various fish. Also, there was a medicinal bit, with all sorts of plants etc from the Amazon on sale. I wish I could have taken pictures but the market is notorious for thieves and I didn't want to draw attention to myself. The smells were the best anyway and it's hard to record those.
So now I must return to my hostel to see if my boat ticket has arrived. Then I need to pack up, check out and figure out how I will get to the boat (maybe a taxi, I have no idea if there is even a bus that goes in the right direction). Thanks for the comments. Sorry again for the lack of photos, this computer also has no USB port. Does still have a floppy drive though.
Tchau!
Rach |
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| Comments: |
From: (Anonymous)
2008-04-09 08:02 pm (UTC)
oi traveller girlie | (Link)
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hi rach
your plans sound great, good to read your travel journals again. have a fantastic time on the boat. you're great - you go girl!
oh yes i had a well travelled letter through the post yesterday - it was in fact your birthday card ' return to sender address unknown' humph - i tried to be organised and send you a birthday greeting and look where it got me! nevermind - just thought i'd let you know that i hadn't forgotten your birthday.
lots of love from all of us xxxxx
From: (Anonymous)
2008-04-10 04:05 pm (UTC)
greeting s from israel | (Link)
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hi. Don't envey people on package tours! You might have a guide who talks constantly and you might be made to get on and off 10 times a day and you might only be allowed 10 minutes anywhere. We have rebelled and hide drinking coffee Love Mum
From: (Anonymous)
2008-04-11 10:10 am (UTC)
monkeys monkeys everywhere | (Link)
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Kipper,
Sounds like you are having an amaaaaazing time, although I have been travelling to distant and far off places too, just come back from 4 days in Minehead...ohhhhh I can hear the jealously in your voice. I was at spring harvest working on the chrsitian aid stand.
Anyway you are in Brazil, and currently will be going up the amazon, I shall continue to read your blog and have a brilliant trip. Am off to see the Blonde one tonight and then on sunday I am on the cheering team for christian aid att he London Marathon.
Continue to have fun and be safe you're a little kipper in a big river
Big huggies Love Chuckle xxxxx | |
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