Brazil

Day 19???  – 28^th Jan. The incredible white sand beaches and fresh water lagoon.

I’ve lost track of how many days we’ve been going or what day of the week it is. Once you’ve lost count of the days you can never be sure.

I did my early morning sweep to find a number of moths, butterflies and grasshoppers.

Today was a bit more hectic. The ship was in Alto Do Chao. This was a totally different stop. The place was a popular quality resort – on a par with the Maldives – white sand, thatched huts, beach umbrellas. I mean, white sand on the Amazon? How’s that possible.

There was a sand spit separating the river from a lagoon. It was blazing hot.

Liz wasn’t well. The fruit juice obviously had contained more than just juice. We’d been warned to only have drinks from cans and bottles! Though unwell, she valiantly battled on with the help of immodium. She decided to go out and take it easy.

We walked off the tender boat and immediately found this pond with herons, a jocander and flycatchers. We walked along the white sand beach with its trees, yellow orioles and other birds. Then decided to avail ourselves of a cheap hour-long trip in a motorised canoe out into the mangrove swamp that was at the side of the Emerald Lagoon. There were exotic birds, a troupe of monkeys and lots of interesting half-submerged trees. Equally importantly there was a very refreshing breeze, supplemented by fine spray from the bow-wave, that kept us cool.

A wasp’s nest.

In the dry season this water world recedes to reveal more white sand beaches.

We were deposited on the sand of the main beach, found a suitable tree to shelter under and settled in for the day. It was rather like one of those tropical paradises you see portrayed on telly.

Liz was not feeling well so lay down in the shade and went to sleep. I had a wander round photographing birds and the beach. Then I went for a swim.

The water was fresh water – even if it was a little green. There were fish swimming around your feet.

Liz couldn’t eat. I bought some chips. They were £7!! You can tell when you’re in some fancy resort!

We moved to be under an umbrella at the front with the water lapping round our feet. I went in for a swim, came out and had a coke. That’s when I was assaulted!! Yes assaulted!!

This very large and jocular black lady decided that I looked tense! Before I could speak, she’d sunk her fingers into the muscles at the back of my neck, proceeded to apply oil and tried to squeeze the life out of those muscles and then rip them from their anchorage on my bones. Her fingers were like steel pincers – obviously honed in some torture chamber or other. She said that she had detected knots that she would free up! This seemed to involve tearing the flesh! The pain was a notch up from agony as she proceeded to work her away from my neck and back to my arms and culminated in trying to pull my fingers off! If I could have found some breath I might have screamed.

At least it perked Liz up though. She seemed to find it amusing.

Seemingly this torture was called massage and people actually pay for it!

I’m still aching today!

Liz decided that we’d been out in the sun too long, it was too hot and we should start heading back. I was quite keen to get away. I was worried that lady might come back again!

We boarded a canoe and were paddled across to land by a friendly guy and then wandered back to the ship.

On the way there were more orioles, flycatchers, an iguana and a multitude of vultures (probably hoping my aching muscles or Liz’s illness might prove terminal!)

Liz is worse – had a temperature and went to bed with no dinner! That’s what you get for being naughty and drinking unwashed juices!