Thursday, July 3, 2014

Saturday, June 21, 2014 (Amazon Village to Manaus)

0600: AJ's alarm goes off an hour early, and I wonder if he's done that on purpose to make me feel better about my previous two days mistakes. I immediately forgive him.
0700: rooster phone and watch alarms sound simultaneously. I grab my black books and head to the patio to catch up on my transcriptions. I have been able to write consistently in the books, but have found little time to transpose the text into the computer for posting to the online travelogue. There has been even less time and opportunity to access WiFi and the internet to update the blog. I fear this will be the case for much of the remainder of the trip.
0800: final breakfast at the lodge on our departure day. Another large spread with four fruit juices and half a dozen breads and pastries.
0900: we settle our bar tab R$128, take some photos and return to prepare for our departure.
1000: large speedboat from the Amazon village thru the 'meeting of the waters' where there is a confluence of two rivers, a muddy one and a clear one. The run side by side for 15 kilometers (about 10 miles). Our speedboat has capacity for 32 passengers and is powered by a 225 HP Suzuki outboard motor.
1030: we have made great time down the tributary which is on the north bank just downstream from Manaus. There are diving birds and floating lilys along the clearly defined edge between the two rivers. There are many large container and Petrobras ships (Brasilian state oil company). Most everything must be shipped up river from the coast, and we are a long way from there.
1100: we have returned to the ferry terminal and transfer to a 16 passenger Citroen van. There is heavy traffic. Gasoline is R$2.90/liter (US$5.24/gal) Ethanol is R$2.59/l (US$4.63). It is approaching mid day and the temperature is 34C (92F) luckily we are in air conditioned transport. Just before noon, we are dropped at the Manaus airport where we will pick up rental car. The Num Lock on my netbook is acting up and it is a major pain, for I am unable to transpose my notes from the black books into the computer, or compose any sort of email.
1530: I break out our portable coffee apparatus and make another couple cups in the Fun Zone as we watch a game. I meet a nice guy, Casey Grady, who is working for a company that is making child labor free soccer balls. We encounter a major issue with the rental car, as we understand that the Dollar agency is at another location. As it turns out, it is only just around the corner at the old terminal. What a waste of time. Unfortunately, we did not determine this until after Bill and Charlie had arrived from Rio - we could have figured this out while we had all afternoon to spare.
1900: we're finally on our way after selecting the Chevy Celta over the Fiat UNO. Just barely able to fit our large hockey gear bags with scarves plus the four of us and our carry on packs.
2030: and we're finally at the Comfort Inn where we find a large group of US fans already partying in the lobby bar. We have to strategically enter the hotel, for we have reserved room for two.
2100: we depart for the US Soccer Fan HQ party where we have brought in several bags of scarves to sell. Beers are R$7 (US$3.15) they are cold and very bland. A small pizza the sixe of my palm is R$12 (US$5.40). We are making our way around the party, and I have draped scarves over each shoulder to display all sides like a sandwich board. We are moving them like hot cakes. At one point someone from US Soccer approaches me and tells me that if I continue to sell the scarves, I will be asked to leave. I stop approaching people, but with a clear bag tied to my belt, people keep coming. Soon, we have sold all that we have brought to the party. We pile back into our rental car and return to hotel. Big game tomorrow. 

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