Belem

Across the Amazon

We left Belem on the midday ferry but it wasn't an auspicious start as we only actually left the port at 1.15pm but then for South America, that is not late. Most people had a hammock which they put up for themselves on the main passenger deck.

 We left the port of Belem with its dock side cranes and in just half an hour we were surrounded by jungle.

 On high tides, after rain and in the rainy season the river floods into the surrounding jungle.

 All th houses on the river front are build on stilts.

 And the only way about is by river so most houses also have a pier.

There are 80,000kms of navigable river above Belem, and ocean goingnshippng can travel 3,500kms up stream to Iquitos in Peru. We passed several large boats including this commercial ferry carrying four lorries abreast and four lorries long.

 Another colourful home on stilts.

 The ferry also carries vehicles and goods, but it is not a roll on roll off, drivers have to brave a couple of planks laid from the dockside onto the cargo deck of the ferry. The other goods are loaded and unloaded by hand.

 Pirates! This is the local name for jungle traders who have fast boats so that they can catch up with the ferry and throw a line through one of the buoys, actually old lorry tyres. They then climb over the gunwale and sell a selection of fish, bags of shrimps, nuts and fresh fruits and anything else that they think the traveller might need. Near the major ports, there are also cold soft drinks and home made meals served on paper plates covered with cling film.