I have had the two most amazing days of my life - never before have I seen or experienced such amazing beauty as I have here.
I feel a true, overwhelming sense of personal fulfillment and achievment, coupled with sheer delight and amazement at the magic that is the Amazon.
Tuesday:
We went to Alter Do Chao (the Carribbean of the Amazon) and true to its reputation, this white sand river lagoon paradise is breath taking.
(Copy and paste this link and check out some images) - http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&q=alter+do+chao&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=i27QS5T5EYinuAeqr4EN&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CB0QsAQwAw
We arrived in torrential rain, after an hour long rickety rumbling bumpy bus ride through the forrest, and after some emergency loo stops (the dreaded lurgy has plagued me for the past few days) we whiled away the rain (Amazonian rain, as in Auckland, is thick and heavy but fleeting) playing cards and picking which canoe the boys were going to row!
True to form the rain passed in an hour and we paid for our canoe and rowed out to the peninsula like sand bank. The afternoon was spent in blazing heat, rowing, swimming, making up many ditties about rowing and swimming (we are going to write an Amazonian tunes album...we figure it will reach the Top 10!) and we were elated and exhausted by the time we got back to the hostel!
The best time of year to visit is June, however, although half the sand was under water (incl. the cabbannahs) we had an amazing day basking and revelling in the splendour of the place.
Wed - THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE!
I have spent the past 12 hours trying to figure out what to write that will even remotely describe and express the day I had yesterday.
Amazing, incredible, momentous, overwhelming, cataclysmic...nothing seems to come close to the immense emotions of the day.
Yesterday we went to FLONA - A forest reserve preserved for Agriculture and for the self sustaining communities that live here. A way of exploring and experiencing untouched Jungle and some of the history that abounds there.
** Insert from a write up on FLONA (just FYI)
The National Forest is an area with forest species predominantly native and has as its basic objective the sustainable multiple use of forest resources and scientific research, with emphasis on methods for sustainable exploitation of native forests (Federal Law No. 9985 of 18 / 07/2000).
The TNF is owned and public domain, and the particular areas included within its limits must be expropriated in accordance with what the law provides. FLONAS is permitted in the permanence of traditional peoples who inhabit it, when it was created in accordance with the provisions of Regulation and Management Plan for the unit.
The research, inclusive, is encouraged, subject to the prior authorization of the agency responsible for administering the unit, conditions and restrictions established by it and those provided by regulation. The TNF will have an Advisory Board chaired by the body responsible for its administration and comprising representatives of government agencies, civil society organizations and, where appropriate, traditional populations living.
All this versatility makes the establishment of the complex process of managing the National Forest since it requires the improvement of mechanisms of access to renewable natural resources, demanding, including creating incentives for sustainable social actors involved, since the activities developed there are cycles and long term.
**
We were collected at 8 am by our Portugese guide Isabella and our driver (who navigated the hole ridden dirt roads with all the skill and speed of a rally driver/professional drifter) and, hammer and tong, sped 1.5 hours out of Santarem into the ´Heart of the Amazon´.
Our first stop was the community of Jamaracua (which, as recently as Oct 2009) had electricity and one outdoor communal bathroom with running water).
We were greeted by a group of wide eyed locals (the most beautiful girls I have ever seen) and our local guide (Hosevelte) and headed into the forrest for our 4.5 hour explore.
The secondary forrest is hot, thick and reminiscent of N.Z bush in places. The primary forrest however, is unlike anything I have ever seen. It is cooler and lighter on account of the gigantic trees (including the bohemouth ´sumauna´, a ceiba tree that reaches further than we could see!). The guide kept us well informed as to the uses for plants as we came across them and even had us crush live ants onto ourselves to ward off mosquitos (ironically, none of us got a single bite in the jungle, yet have been feasted on nightly in our window shut hostel! hmmm)
We were all amazed and impressed by the way the Latex rubber is collected from the trunks of the trees - using knives, the locals carve diagonal lines about 2 cm deep, into the trunks of the tree releasing the latex which then runs down into a primitive funnel and bowl. VERY COOL!
We didnt encounter any major (or huge) creepy crawlies (thankfully) however, the life we did see was beautiful (bugs, butterflies, birds and plant life) all of vibrant colours and such beauty (we took a combined total of 1500 photos in 4 hours)!
I dont think any of us spoke a word for at least an hour as we were all spellbound by the overawing sense of wonder and peace that overcame us all - the peace of the place was unnerving in a sense, and the soundtrack of birds was stunning. It was the most surreal experience and one, that even in retelling, has me in goose bumps and misty eyed.
I felt utterly blessed to be in such a miraculous place.
Four weary (but elated) trekkers emerged four hours later soaking from the humidity and physical exertion and enjoyed a delicious lunch prepared by the local matriarch.
Then we were off on our second adventure...and one that can, again, only be described as an experience of immeasurable beauty and incomparable to anything I have (and will ever) ever done.
Hosevelt (our amazingly fit guide) took us in a traditional canoe through the ´Flooded Forrest´.
As the name indicates, it is a part of the forrest that is on the bank of the river and, is flooded until June.
Rowing on glass like, mirror reflective water thru vines, and trees was like something out of a fairytale. The eye couldnt see where the trees entered the water and the reflection began so it was a sensation like flying.
I wish I could describe it and do it any kind of justice, however, once we have some kind of reliable internet connection, I will post some photos so you can see it.
From Jamaracua we headed to Maguary - another community - and visited the only manual, locally run, Latex factory. Using basic manual machinery they collect the latex and press it into sheets and use it for making bags, wallets etc...again, we were very impressed. Proof that large scale industry is not the only way to do things, and that these lower scale, human driven traditional methods require a lot more skill and result in much more beautiful products.
We then headed back toward Santarem stopping in at Belterra (the village/town) founded by Henry Ford for the manufacture of Latex products, and later abandoned by him and the workers due to illness and expense.
Walking up colonial American streets in the Amazon jungle was another surreal experience. Red fire hydrants, bleachers and picket fences seemed comically out of place!
By the time we got back to the hotel at 8pm we were all elated, exhausted and totally inspired!
I feel fulfilled in a whole new way, that I have finally seen some of our great world in its simplest, most pure beautiful form.
Blessed are we!
