Today is Saturday. It's a good thing they have the mats in the elevators to tell us what day of the week it is, or else we would never know.🙂
We arrived at Boca Da Valeria, Brazil at 8:00AM, let out our anchor, (boy is it heavy) and the tenders were let down and ready to transport us to the little village. It may even be too small to be called a village. However
they have a church, an elementary school as well as a high school; both one room.
As soon as we debarked the tender the children were there, all lined up, wanting to take our hand and show you around. If they helped you they wanted a $1.00 or you could
take their photo for $1.00. They were very polite though even if you said no.
We went into their elementary school and some children were there and had taken their shoes (mostly Flip Flops) off and those who came in while we were there also removed
their shoes. The floor was a very nice ceramic floor. The tiles were about 2 feet square.
Passengers were making donations to the school; either monetary donations or other. Someone we noticed had donated a world globe, I had bought some craft supplies,
a package of 24 pencils, stickers and about a dozen barretsfor the litle girls hair.
After walking around the village and taking some photos we met a couple just getting off a little motorized canoe. They told us that the gentelman would take us into
the interior further for only $5.00 per person for a half hour ride.
After getting carefully into the canoe we started up the creek. The small stream soon widened out and there were a lot of other streams, brooks, running into it and it really became
quite wide in places.
If we had been taken up the creek and let off and told to find our way back we would probably still be there this time next year; as we were turning corners and going into different tribtaries around every corner. We were definitly
up the creek without a paddle.
We were actually touring the back country for a little over 45 minutes and the four of us all agreed it was well worth the small expense. It was a lovely way to spend some time on a lazy day . " Up A Lazy River." We saw
lot's of beautiful white Egrets, Herons and lot's of other birds we have forgotten their names.
Tonight was formal night agai so we had to get back, clean up, and dress up. ( Groan here from the men). But the men as well as the ladies all looked very
presentable. Tonight when we arrived in the dinning room to our table we noticed an extra chair as well as an extra place setting. Were we now going to be a table of 9 instead of 8 ?? Or a mystery guest ???
Our mystery arrived in the form of a lovely
young man, Franz, who is the front Office Manager. He was all dressed up as well in his Formal white uniform. He was our Host for the evening and provided the table with both red and white wine for the whole table to share.
Franz is from the Philipines
and has worked fot the Holland America Line for over 7 years. He has worked on a few of these "Dam" ships in that time. He was a very polite and gracious host who put up with all us old seniors. Betweenthe 4 couples at our table we have been married
collectively for 209 years; all over 50 years for each couple.
We fineally bid Franz goodnight before we were thrown out of the Dining Room, as the attendents needed to clear our table for the next sitting. We asked him many questions throughout dinner
and we all think he is a great asset to HAL and his parents should be very proud of him.
In the Showroom tonight we enjoyed the evening of musical entertainment by Cheryl Sinclair the singer; and Francisco Yglesia the harpist. We had enjoyed their performance's
before and now this was their final performance for us as they are leaving the ship in Manaus.
Another great day of sailing and touring while aboar the Prinsendam, the "Elegant Explorer".