Today we are docked at Santarem, we are just 2 and 1/2 degrees south of the Equator.. Santarem has grown to be one of the region's most important trading centers because of it's geographic
position at the meeting of the two rivers. The Rio Tapajos and the Rio Amazonas.
Just a few minutes before we reached Port this morning I was on our deck waiting For Bob to gett ready for breakfast
when I heard a helicopter. I watched it get closer and grabed my camera and started shooting. Oh, oh, all of a sudden I wondered if I should continue as in the helicopter were military personel and the gentelman on the passenger side was half standing out
the door with a rifle in his hand. They buzzed by, then came back again and I waved and the guy with the gun gave me a thumbs up. I will post it here when I am able to. They then flew up towards the bridge and I saw him salute the Captain, pilot or whoever
was driving our ship at that time.
It was another really hot day today. This afternoon I was able to get on a tour to go Maica Lake and Piranha Fishing. There were approximately 25 to 30 aboard
our boat and I believe there were 5 boats in all.
We had a great guide and he pointed out sites along the way and told us some history. We saw some monkeys on one side of the river going up the
trees. Saw cranes, other birds, and finally "piranha. We were all given a stick about 6 to 8 inches long with a lot of 20 lb. fishing line wound around it and a weight, We were given cut up Water Buffulo meat for bait. The little devil ate my bait 3
times and I only felt it once but couldn't get him hooked. I believe that only 3 were able to catch one. They were not very big and I think the uglyist fish I have ever seen.
On our way back to
port we saw Water Bufflow, a young man casting a net for fish and then a "Pink Dolphin". That's right "Pink". The Amazon is the only place in the world that has pink dolphin's. They don't come out of the water the way other Dolphins do; they just break the
surface of the water and then they disappear below the surface again. It's near impossible to get a photo of them since they don't come right out of the water. It was neat seeing them though.
When I arrived back aboard ship I found Bob, Eric & Priscilla playing 3 thirteen in the Hudson Room. Apparently Bob beat them, bad.
After I had a quick shower it was time
for Dinner and then, after, tonight in the Showroom we saw the Movie " The Family", about an American Mafia Boss who are in the witness protection program. It was funny and kind of stupid but a laugh befor bedtime.
Again I'll post photos when I can.