From Santarem to Belem, Brazil

From Santarem to Belem, Brazil slideshow

A few miles before Manaus, the Rio Solimoes meets Rio Negro and it takes a few miles downstream for the two rivers to completely mix together and create the Rio Amazonas that runs from Manaus to Belem. It takes about eight days to ride on the slow boat through the whole extension of both rivers going downstream: four days from Tabatinga to Manaus and approximately four from Manaus to Belem. Although we broke up the trip from Manaus to Belem into two trips by stopping in Santarem/Alter do Chao, I can now boast that I rode the whole extension of both rivers, over 2,000 miles.

And I am glad I did. The trip can get a little monotonous, so much water, so many trees and few towns in between, few houses every now and then in the middle of nowhere! But it gave me a sense of perspective on the vastness and beauty of the Amazon region. It made me proud to be Brazilian, to be able to speak Portuguese and connect with people that at the same time seem so foreign to me.

After our 10-day stay at Alter do Chao, we were back on the river, the mighty Rio Amazonas, on the Clivia, a small boat transporting mainly fish inside large sealed ice boxes on the first deck. Passengers on hammocks on the second floor, and cabins on the third. We were very lucky (again) to be able to get an air-conditioned cabin for a very reasonable price. We also had the best food of all boats we've taken so far. I loved traveling and sleeping on a hammock for my previous river trips, but I've had enough of that for now. Having our own cabin allowed us privacy and a refuge from the heat and humidity. Sleeping on a bed and having our own electric outlet for our computers was also a plus. The boat was not very crowded, and two days after we boarded it in Santarem we docked in Belem October 19th.