
Smells of sun block and insect repellent were soon wafting
through the hallways as people prepared to go ashore in our first Amazon port,
Macapa, Brazil, “the capital of the middle of the world.” Why, you ask? Because
Macapa is right on the equator.
The brown water was churning all around us as we anchored
and the tenders were prepared for our journey ashore. The current in the river
matched that of what we saw in China on the Yangtze. We watched the trial run for
the tenders. The rushing water made them look as though they were moving
sideways as the little boats struggled to shore.
The ride to shore wasn’t as bad as I thought it might be and
our tender made it in about ten minutes. The tender pier was not ideal. We
stepped over warped board and thin wooden steps to the top of the pier.
Thankfully the ship had placed crewmen all along the way to catch a misstep
especially from those who had been warned that anyone with walking difficulties
should really not try it and went anyway.

We got in the taxi and were delighted to discover it was air
conditioned although it took a little while to get it cooler. About fifteen
minutes later we were at the “Majo de Munde” (I think that’s how you’d spell
it). It took a few minutes to understand that was what the driver was calling
it in Portuguese. They offered to show us a video as the tour groups had
already arrived and were about to watch it but we declined and went on out to
the monument which was up a flight of stairs.

Bob “negotiated” with the map again pointing to the fort
that was in the city. About another fifteen minutes and we were there and the
meter read $60 BRL. Bob gave him $70 BRL (about $30 USD) and he seemed happy.
We were. We’d avoided a hot cramped shuttle bus with no A/C and were seeing
everything we wanted to see.

While we explored the fort, we could see rain clouds
gathering in the distance and wondered if we’d get back to the ship before it
rained on us. But then part of us wished for the cooling rain. We were really
sweltering. After all, this was the equator.

After a few pictures, we rounded the block and headed for
the artisan’s building where the shuttle bus was to pick us up. A quick look in
at the stalls of crafts and we were sure we didn’t want to buy anything. It was
too difficult to even see since outdoors it was cloudy now and there wasn’t
much light inside.
When we noticed the crowd waiting for the shuttle bus, we
decided instead to go across the street and get something cold to drink at the
bar and restaurant. Another couple joined us and we sat for a while, enjoyed
the breeze blowing in the shade of the pavilion and watch as people crowded
onto the shuttle bus. It was a half hour trip and many were standing for the
ride.

Still, it had been a good day and hopefully there would be
enough water for all the showers that would be needed. You see, just as we were
to enter the Amazon, we were told that we needed to conserve water because they
could not use the river’s water for our supply and we would not have
opportunity to get fresh water for a couple of days when we would arrive in
Santarem. The guest laundries had been closed to conserve water so we rinsed
sweaty clothes in the shower to keep from smelling up the room. We don’t have a
private balcony to air things out.

Our night and part of the next morning would be spent
sailing on the river as we moved to our next port, Alter do Chao.
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