Belem - The Mouth of the Amazon

OLA!
We made it - survived a 36 hour bus ride with nasty locals, blaring music and toilet overflows to Belem! Standing on the bank of the Amazon river today was the most amazing experience! I was leaping out of my skin with excitment and awe...it is mind blowing how huge it is.
Belem is all hustle and bustle - ruin amidst the sky rises and hotels, street hawkers, men carrying baskets of shrimps, live poultry in cages on the road side waiting to be someone~s lunch, and the smells that no words can describe - people, salt, electric air, waste.
Beggars are everywhere, on the doorway of the main church here all praying for a donation, and SUV~s drive mercilessly round narrow streets air con wound up and tinted windows - oblivious.
I am so moved, so excited, and again, so aware of the level of need in this massive country.  I am still sad that I haven~t had a chance to help yet I am excited to be moving on to a place where I can do some good (I hope!) - my purpose has yet to be fulfilled on this trip.
We will spend 4 days here then boat (2 days and 3 nights) to Santarem - a jungle village - for two or three days. 
Just so you all know we are safe and sound! The adventure continues, and perhaps the biggest one of my life is about to begin!

<3 you all x