Settling In...Again

Everyone has heard the expression, “Sometimes, life has a way of throwing you a curve-ball” – and it applies to most of us at one time or another.  How you react to that curve-ball is what can make the difference in the game of life.  Do you stand and watch it pass you by, or do you take a swing?  If you let it go, without even trying to get a hit, you run a much higher risk of striking out.  If you take a swing, you may miss and earn a “strike”, but you also have the chance of actually hitting the ball.  Will you get a base hit, or possibly a home run?  You won’t know until you take that swing.  When Matt was offered the job in Brazil, it was a major curve-ball thrown our way.  Of course, we swung the bat, and the outcome is yet to be determined – one thing for sure, we are still rounding the bases.

It is hard to believe that we have now been living in Sao Paulo for eight months – time flies! 

As I wrote before, ”Phase One” of our time here was spent getting to know our city, learning the language, meeting new people, and adjusting to life as ex-pats.  When we went back to the States for our visit in July, we had not realized how good it would feel to be “back home”.  Everything seemed so much easier than it is in Brazil; it almost felt as though we had never left.  I had to keep reminding myself that our time there was only temporary, and that we would have to return to our lives in Brazil.  After our difficult journey back to Sao Paulo, we initially felt happy to finally be here; that feeling quickly wore off, as the reality of being back in a foreign land and a massive city began to sink-in once again.  The traffic was daunting, the start of school was frustrating, the disparity between rich and poor was difficult to swallow, and we were all grumpy and glum for a while.

 

However, I was determined to get “Phase Two” headed in the right direction.  Matt, of course, fell right back into his routine of working long and stressful days.  It took a few weeks for us to get into the groove of homework (especially for Alex – we seemed to have daily battles), and I tried to get back into a regular schedule of exercise, Portuguese lessons, and a bit of socializing.  I had already set a goal for myself, to get the boys involved in more activities, and to find some volunteer opportunities to help me stay busy.  Ian and Alex quickly became busy, involved in after-school sports on Tuesdays and Thursdays, as well as an art class on Wednesday afternoons.  We also joined the American Society and signed them up for Little League soccer on weekends.  So, I was able to check-off the first item of order – the boys had plenty to do!  What has been surprising to me is that they are both enjoying the art class more than the sports – they really struggle to compete with the Brazilian kids, whose skills surpass their own – they seem to be more frustrated than happy.  But, we feel it is important that they continue to try to improve and learn to be a bit more aggressive – and, also, to not quit just because it is a little harder than they had anticipated.  It’s a tough lesson to teach and learn, but a necessary one – and, I hope that one day it will help them deal with other challenges they will face in life.

With the kids’ routines and schedules settled, it was my turn to find my place in this city.  I began reaching out to various organizations to offer my time as a volunteer.  Imagine my frustration when my offers to help (more like begging them to let me help) went unanswered.  Unfortunately, the organizations which need the most help, aren’t organized or structured enough to have people to respond to emails and phone calls.  I finally reached out to a very well-known, private (and very expensive) hospital to offer my services – of course, since they have abundant resources, they actually replied.  At about the same time, I received a response from an orphanage, with which I am now involved in various functions.  The hospital situation has proved to be more challenging and frustrating, as they expect their volunteers to be more like employees.  I have attended three informational sessions and interviews, only to find out that volunteers, like employees, are only allotted a certain number of vacation days per year; given that I travel to the U.S. twice a year, I would go over my “allowed” days off and could be “fired” from my volunteer position!  It’s crazy!  So, I am back to square one with trying to find a spot in some type of health-care setting, which is where I feel the need to help.  In the meantime, I’ll do what I can for the kids in the orphanage – hopefully, without becoming too attached.

Going back to the subject of traffic, and the glaring contradiction between rich and poor…about 3 weeks after returning to Sao Paulo, Alex was invited to a birthday party.  Matt and I had been feeling frustrated about the way some of the children from wealthy Brazilian families who live in our complex were treating the boys.  We would often comment on how poorly they are being raised, by babas (nannies) who have no authority to correct or discipline them – they show little respect for anyone or anything.  These kids are given whatever they want, giving them a sense of entitlement, while their parents leave the caregiving to under-paid “help”.  Many of the service workers in Brazil barely get by on their menial salaries, living in favelas, and existing on little more than beans and rice.  It is difficult to describe the poverty and wealth that exists here – the rich in Brazil are ultra-rich, and the poor are ultra-poor.   

The week of the birthday party, I had a couple of friends whose daughters had been invited to the wedding of two rabbits; yes, you read correctly – two live rabbits.  Amazed, and a bit disgusted by such superfluousness, I asked for details about the celebration.  If I hadn’t seen the pictures to prove it, I would not have believed it.  The “wedding” was held in a very large home near our condominium, complete with an officiant, caterers, flowers and candelabras, as well as a wedding cake – not to mention carrots for all of the children in attendance – unbelievable!  There were servers with food and drinks for parents, too.  This kind of display of wealth is one of the things that had me shaking my head and wondering about the lessons children learn in these situations – in my world, this is just not normal!  

As for the birthday party, it was for a boy in Alex’s class who was turning 8 years old, and was being held just a few miles from Matt’s office at a facility dedicated to kids’ parties.  Given that it was a Friday evening, we arranged for a friend to take Alex and her son, and Matt would pick them up after the party.  It took Matt two hours to drive the 5KM (3 miles) to pick them up – TWO HOURS!  When he finally made it home (three hours after leaving his office), he told me about what he had seen in the few minutes it took to collect the boys.  To begin with, there were about six parking attendants waiting outside; inside, he found a lounge complete with food and a full bar for the adults.  The rest of the facility was dedicated to children’s entertainment – a virtual indoor amusement park and playground, including a soccer court and video game room (not to mention several adult monitors who took care of the kids).  Matt’s estimate was that it probably cost the family about $8000 – for an 8-year old child’s birthday party!  Meanwhile, a service worker (working 40-50 hours a week) here brings home little more than that in an entire year.   

       

About a month after our return to Sao Paulo, and after several business trips for Matt, I begged him to take a day off and get me out of the city for a long weekend.  As I said to him, though I knew his trips out of town were for work and not pleasure, he was still getting away from the city, while I felt I was “stuck” here, day in and day out.  The boys had a long weekend coming up in September, and I wanted to get away, if only for a few days.  Matt explained to his boss that he would be needing a day off, because he had to “get his wife out of Sao Paulo” – his boss kindly agreed, saying he completely understood – thank you, Rodolfo!  I had originally wanted to go to Rio de Janeiro to finally get to see the beauty of the city that everyone insists is worth the visit; unfortunately, it wasn’t in the cards – that weekend was the start of “Rock-in-Rio”, a huge concert that draws millions of people over the two-week festivities.  So, we decided to visit the historic city of Paraty, instead - I’ll write more about that trip in a later entry – I will just say that it felt great to be in such a beautiful place and get away.

The one highlight of “Phase Two” for us was a much-anticipated visit from Matt’s parents.  John and Deanna had been planning their trip to Brazil for many months, including a family vacation to Machu-Picchu, Peru.  The boys were counting down the days, as were Matt and I – and the big day finally arrived.  John and Deanna landed on a beautiful, sunny, hot morning on October 1^st.  We were so excited and happy to have them here, and to show them our home and city – we were also glad to receive some things from the U.S. – new video games for the boys, DVDs we had ordered, and a few little comfort items (Bisquick and various decaf teas, which are very hard to find here).  We had a full agenda planned for the week leading up to our trip to Peru.  After a traditional Brazilian breakfast, they unpacked, changed clothes, and relaxed for a bit, taking in the views from our apartment.  Once they got their second wind, we took them to the town of Embu.  We enjoyed showing them all of the unique shops, had a simple, but tasty lunch – John enjoyed his first caipirinha – and walked around for a couple of hours.  Exhausted from their trip, they turned in early that evening, but were up early on Sunday for some more exploring.  We decided to take them to Jardins, so they could see a more upscale part of town, and experience a typical feira (traveling market) – here, they loved the colorful fruit and vegetable stands and had a chance to taste a traditional “pastel” and sugarcane juice.  That afternoon was soggy and grey, and the boys had a little league soccer game - John, Deanna, and I stayed dry on the covered bleachers, while Matt and the boys had fun playing in the rain.  That evening, we took them to dinner at a churrascaria (Brazilian barbecue), where we all had our fill of delicious grilled meats (and John enjoyed a couple more caipirinhas).  Their first two days in Brazil had been full of activity, and we were all enjoying our time together.

Unfortunately, Monday morning brought the sad news that Deanna’s mother had died.  Isabelle, Matt’s grandmother, had been sick with Alzheimer’s for over 20 years, and had had many close-calls during the last five years.  Her mind had been gone a long time, but her body never seemed to want to give up on its hold on life.  It’s hard to accept the reality of what little control we have over anything, especially when it comes to the timing of death.  Isabelle had taken a turn for the worse just before their departure, and though Deanna had already told her mother goodbye, she wouldn’t be able to live with herself if she didn’t return to be with her family and pay her final respects.  Though we all knew it was the right thing for them to return to the States, we couldn’t help but feel very sad and disappointed that their trip had been cut so short.  The boys were devastated, and Matt was quite depressed about the way things ended so quickly.  Having found a flight that same day, John and Deanna left Monday evening - with heavy hearts, we bid them farewell, and they promised to return for a longer visit in the future.  It seemed as though their visit hadn’t even been real – Matt actually awoke the next day wondering if it had all been a dream.

These are the things that make living so far away from family and friends more difficult.  Right now, Matt’s family is gathered together to celebrate Isabelle’s life, and we are sorry that we can’t be with them.  On a more positive note, there is a new life to be celebrated – my brother and his beautiful wife had a healthy baby girl last week.  My new niece, Amelia Rose Saleme, came into the world on September 28, 2011 at 19 inches, 6 pounds, and with a head-full of hair.  I’ve been looking at her pictures that have been posted on Facebook, feeling my arms ache to hold her – she is such a beautiful, precious baby, and I can’t wait to meet her over Christmas.  Right now, we are focused on our upcoming trip to Machu Picchu this weekend – though it won’t be as we had planned, with John and Deanna, we are excited about another great adventure – an adventure we probably would not have had the chance to experience if we hadn’t taken that swing when the curve-ball came our way.                                                 

Amazon Conclusion

After a six-week hiatus from writing, I’m ready to conclude the story of our journey in the Amazon.  

Ever since we started talking about this vacation, the one thing that Alex and Ian most anticipated was a chance to go fishing for piranha.  Day 3 of our memorable trip began with an excursion to do just that, and the boys could not contain their excitement.  It was a beautiful and sunny morning, and after another delicious breakfast, we boarded our boat and headed back into the flooded forests of the Rio Negro.  Our guides picked a spot in the shade, passed out pieces of raw meat, and handed everyone a bamboo rod with a string and hook attached – no fancy fishing poles here!  One of the guides made the first catch and showed off his fish with its razor-sharp teeth – and the kids became impatient, wanting to be the next ones to bring in a piranha.  Pilar’s son, Alberto, kept us entertained with his exclamations and cries in Portuguese as he proudly brought in the second fish of the morning.  By this point, Ian and Alex were starting to pout because they had yet to get a bite – rather, the fish were fast and clever, taking the meat on the end of their lines without being hooked.  Our guides decided to try for a different spot; after moving to another area, the boys’ luck turned for the better.  They each caught their very own piranha – Alex bringing his in first, then Ian following soon after (Matt and I breathed a sigh of relief – they were even!).  They proudly posed for pictures, showing off their catch before the guides carefully removed the fish from the boys’ lines, as they didn’t want any of their guests to lose a finger on their watch.  

After lunch, the skies darkened and threatened to storm.  Our scheduled afternoon activity was a visit to a nearby Caboclo community; we wondered if the weather would interfere with our outing.  The Caboclos are people of mixed Brazilian Indian and European ancestry and we hoped to have a chance to see how they live.  The rain held off long enough for us to get into our boats and start upriver – and then the heavens opened up and unleashed a vicious downpour.  Our attempts to stay dry were unsuccessful, but we managed to not let the rain dampen our spirits – it was the rainforest, after all!  After a cold and wet one-hour trip on the river, we arrived at a clearing, with about 12 small shacks lined up on the riverbank.  As we pulled up to the shore, the rain stopped falling and we were greeted by a beautiful blue and gold macaw perched on a limb of a bare tree, who seemed completely unfazed by our presence.  

The Caboclo homes were simple – very small wooden structures with outhouses and no running water.  We were told that there is one generator shared by all of the families in the community; apparently, each family gets to use the generator for a few hours a week, allowing them to occasionally watch a soccer game on TV.  The people of this community share the tasks of milling “mandioca” (yuca) for food, as well as growing other fruits and vegetables on their land.  They rely heavily on the river for fish to supplement their diets.  They also make their livings through woodcraft, primarily building boats that are special-ordered by customers around the river.  The community’s children are taken to a local school by boat, but this usually ends by age 14, at which time schooling is no longer offered and the teens are expected to begin working and contributing to the family’s needs.  Many of them also get married, girls as young as 12, leaving their families and marrying boys of 14.  After browsing the crafts sold in their little gift shop, and buying blow-darts for the kids (and a bracelet made of acai seeds for me) it was time to return to the resort.  Before boarding the boat, however, we were able to take some pictures of the friendly macaw (nicknamed “Fofo”, which means ‘cute’ in Portuguese) and learned his story – he was rescued as a baby by local men – after growing and learning to fly, he refused to leave, making the community his home.  Fofo put on a little show for us, dancing around on his tree limb and posing for the camera, and squawked a goodbye as we pulled away from the shore.  

Our final day in the Anavilhanas began with a knock on our door at 5AM, for a “sunrise contemplation” outing.  We had made sure to let the guides know not to wake the kids, and allowed them to sleep in, while we made our way through the dark to the boat.  It had stormed during the night, but the weather had cleared just in time for us to be able to enjoy the peace and quiet of the river before the sun rose over the horizon.  We made our way across the Rio Negro to the nearest submerged island and had time to listen to the silence, and the occasional bird’s cry, while watching the colors of the sky change and lighten.  As with the night tour, it is difficult to express with words or pictures the complete beauty and peace that we were fortunate enough to experience – that moment was one I’ll find hard to forget.  When you live in a city as congested as Sao Paulo, it’s nice to remember that there are places in this country that are virtually untouched by the hands of man, and I go back to that place in my mind and remember the feelings that were stirred within my soul.  After the sun had risen, and was shining and reflected in the still water of the river, we returned to the resort, feeling lighter in spirit (and more awake) than when we had departed.  

By this time, the boys were awake and waiting for us to let them out of their room (yes, they were locked in!).  We ate a quick breakfast and went on our last excursion in the Amazon – a ride in regional canoes (made by the Caboclos) through the creeks and flooded forest of the Rio Negro.  Once again, I was paired with Ian, while Matt and Alex navigated their way in another canoe.  Though the scenery was beautiful, maneuvering a 12-foot canoe between submerged trees and branches was not easy, and Ian kept giving me a hard time, laughing and exclaiming how terrible I was at it.  I welcomed the breaks that we took to learn more about the plants and trees that grow in the forest, taking the opportunity to rest my tired arms and catch my breath.  I didn’t give up, though, and we made it through without tipping over or causing anyone else to end up in the water.  It was a beautiful way to end our time in this amazing place – and, I have to say, I was quite relieved to finally reach the larger boat that would return us to the resort.  We packed our bags, enjoyed one more delicious meal (the food at the resort was fantastic), said our goodbyes, and loaded the vans for the trip out of the jungle and into civilization.  

Once back in Manaus, it was as though the magic spell that had been cast over us wore off.  The kids were tired and cranky; Matt tried to catch up on work (which made him cranky), and I was grumpy because they were cranky!  We spent the evening in the hotel (definitely a far cry from the resort we had left behind), ate a very unimpressive dinner, and went to bed early (Ian and Matt in one room and Alex and I in another – on opposite ends of the hotel).  We had a few hours the next morning to explore the city before catching our flight back to Sao Paulo.  Our hotel was well-situated in the heart of town, so we walked around to see some of the highlights, including the Amazonas Theater in the well-preserved and pretty historic district of Manaus.  Despite the heat and humidity, we continued walking for several blocks into the not-so-pretty parts of the city until we reached the large fish market on the river.  Matt was impressed by the number of fish being brought in on small boats by local fishermen – he and Ian walked around taking pictures; Alex and I couldn’t take the crowds, heat, or stench and waited outside and people-watched.  We walked the busy streets back to the hotel, aware of the difference between the people in this part of Brazil, compared to those we see in Sao Paulo – it was like being in a different country.  The poverty made an impression on the kids, and I was glad that they were getting a glimpse of how others live and hoped that it would give them an appreciation of how blessed we are.  

We ate lunch and called the taxi that would take us to the airport for our flight home – sadly, our trip had come to an end.  Matt commented that this vacation had cost us enough to pay for one year’s college tuition (not to any college that I know!), but we really believe that we couldn’t put a price tag on the memories we made that week, or on the experience of being in and learning about the Amazon Rainforest.  If given the chance, I would recommend a trip to the Amazon for anyone who is physically able to visit that spectacular place.  I can promise you, it would be a vacation you would never forget – it truly is the experience of a lifetime!                               

Amazing Amazon, continued...

My last entry described our ordeal in trying to get back home to Brazil.  I am happy to report that we finally made it today (though are still waiting for our luggage to be delivered).  As promised, I have continued the tale of our time in the Amazon - from the comfort of my own home!  I'm breaking it up, as there is a lot to tell, and a lot of details to share - here are days one and two in the jungle.  Enjoy!

So, now, I’ll try to get back onto the story of our trip to the Amazon.  The morning after our spectacular sunset viewing, the drivers from the Anavilhanas Jungle Lodge picked us up promptly at 8:30 and we boarded the vans for the 3 hour trip into the jungle.  On our way, we took a ferry that took us across the Rio Negro, passing many floating houses whose residents depend on boats to get anywhere during the high season.  Then we traveled west for almost 80 KM on a road parallel to the Amazon River, where the people depend on agriculture and brick production for their livelihoods.  We passed some Amazonian creeks and lakes, and saw many locals swimming and playing in their waters.  Finally, we headed north for another 100 KM toward the small town of Novo Airao, which sits on the right bank of the Rio Negro, before finally reaching a little dirt road that lead us to this amazing resort, built in the middle of the forest. 

 

The Anavilhanas Jungle Lodge is a small resort that is situated in a vast stretch of untouched Brazilian Amazon Rainforest, along the bank of the Rio Negro.  It is aptly named for the Anavilhanas Archipelago, which is the world’s largest river archipelago with over 400 islands.  It was impossible to grasp the immense expanse of the river – the island we could see across from the resort was 2.5 KM away, while it was over 20 KM to the opposite river bank.  Since the water was at its highest levels, 10 to 12 meters above the dry season levels, much of the forest and islands were submerged.  The canals that form between the islands are known as “Igarape”, while the floating islands are called “Igapo”.  There is a lot of interesting wildlife that can be seen in the rainforest; however, with the water at such high stages, many of the animals move farther inland.  That didn’t stop a wild boar from running across the road right in front of our van as we approached the resort!

We were greeted in the reception area, an open-air room with a thatch roof, with fresh juices made from local fruits (I wish I could remember what they were called) and given an itinerary of the excursions we would be taking over the next few days.  After being shown to our cabins, which looked like thatch-roofed huts and were each equipped with hammocks on the porches (and, thankfully, A/C), we were treated to a delicious lunch, prepared in the style of local cuisine.  The dining room also was completely open to the outdoors, surrounded by the forest – as the resort brochure claims, we really felt as though we were experiencing the “perfect balance between nature and comfort, adventure and peace.”  After lunch we had a couple of hours to explore the resort’s amenities, including a relaxation area – also open-air with many hammocks and a massage table – as well as the swimming pool that overlooks the river, and the bar, library and pool table (where the kids spent most of their free time) in the reception area. 

 

Our first excursion was a tour (by boat, of course) through the archipelago.  The tours always began and ended at the “boat-house” – a small building and dock that had to be reached by walking across a narrow wooden plank.  Miraculously, no one accidentally ended up in the water in all of our comings and goings.  We spent the next two hours getting a lesson about the local plants and animals, and the river itself, while seeing some of the most beautiful natural scenery we’ve been privileged to witness.  Our boat entered some of the channels and floated between the trees in the submerged islands – sometimes so close that we had to duck beneath or move branches as we passed.  We saw several parrots and macaws in flight, and even spotted a three-toed sloth high in a tree (a rare sighting during the day, given that they are nocturnal creatures).  We were all amused by our guide, a Swiss man named Zacharias, with a bit of a dry personality who was describing the habits of the sloth – imagine our surprise when he told us that the animal only comes out of the trees once a week to “shit”!  Ian and Alex’s eyes were as big as saucers they stared back at us in pure amusement, and I couldn’t stop laughing as he repeated the word about 6 more times!  I really don’t know if he realized that we don’t use that word in daily language, but I wasn’t about to be the one to tell him.  Once our lesson about the sloth had concluded, we were taken back to the lodge for some rest and relaxation – Matt and I enjoyed a caipirinha by the pool while the kids played and swam.

 

After dinner we were ready for our second outing of the day, a “Night Spotting and Sounds of Nature” tour.  Once again, we boarded the boat, this time in the dark – we had sprayed ourselves with “Off” to keep away any mosquitoes (this was the Amazon, after all) – and reassured the kids that we were not going to be attacked by any creatures of the night.  We really needn’t have worried about the mosquitoes – one of the resort’s claims is that because it sits on the acidic waters of the Rio Negro, the insects cannot proliferate there – this is one of the things that draws tourists to this area of the Amazon.  As a matter of fact, none of us got a single mosquito bite during our entire time in the jungle.  During our boat ride, our guide would shine a large spotlight into the trees at the edge of the water and looked for the yellow or red reflection of nocturnal critter’s eyes flashing back at us.  We were able to see a few small caiman (small crocodiles), as well as an emerald tree boa wrapped tightly around the branch of a tree.  More impressive than the animals, though, was the sheer number and beauty of the stars in the night sky – I have never seen so many stars!  Though I don’t recognize many constellations, I know that the ones in the southern hemisphere are different than the ones seen north of the equator; however, our guide did point out the Southern Cross.  My favorite moment of our trip to the jungle was when the driver turned off the engine and we sat in the still water, in complete darkness, save for the light coming from the stars, and listened to the sounds of nature.  It is hard to describe that moment, the feeling of awe and wonder of the world around me, looking at the stars and listening to crickets, bullfrogs, and other nocturnal creatures singing their songs, and sharing that with our kids; I didn’t want it to end.  Unfortunately, nothing lasts forever, and after a few minutes of complete peace the engines were started and we were returned to our cabins to rest up for the next day’s activities.

First up on our list of activities for Day 2 of our stay in the Anavilhanas was a hike through the jungle.  During this 2 hour adventure, we were taught about the many different plants and their medicinal properties used by the local and indigenous tribes.  Our guide showed us huge ant colonies – the ants are allowed to crawl all over a person and crushed onto the skin to provide the effect of a mosquito repellant.  We also were shown white powder that grew on the trunk of certain trees and is used for respiratory ailments, as well as to cure headaches.  There are trees and plants that provide effective birth control, as well as relief from kidney stones, while others can reduce the blood sugar levels of diabetics.  Along the way, we were startled by a herd of 40 to 50 wild boar that ran across the path we were traveling – knowing these can be dangerous animals, we were relieved that they were about 30 yards away from where we were standing and seemed to want nothing to do with us.  Toward the end of our hike, our friend Pilar was walking ahead of the group with one of our guides, taking advantage of the photo-opportunities that were everywhere.  Out of the blue, we heard a blood-curdling scream and thought she had been attacked by a wild animal.  As we rushed ahead to see what had happened, we found a very startled and pale Pilar, who had freaked out when the guide taunted a huge tarantula out of her home.  She is not a fan of spiders, and seeing one of the world’s largest arachnoids gingerly crawling out of a hole in the ground left her shaking and nervous for the rest of the morning.  I think seeing the tarantula was the highlight of the day for Ian and Alex – Matt and I thought it was pretty cool, too!  At the end of our hike, we were lead out of the forest and to canoes that were waiting for us – except we were the ones that had to row back to the resort – Ian and I went in one, while Matt took Alex with him.  I was really worried and hoping we wouldn’t tip over and breathed a big sigh of relief when we made it back to the boat house without incident.

 

It was hot and humid, and after the morning’s activities Matt decided it was time to test the waters of the Rio Negro and actually get in it for a swim.  After confirming that there really wasn’t a risk of being bitten by piranhas, he slipped into the dark water and was eventually joined by Ian and Alex.  I stayed on the dock and cheered them on while I played the role of photographer.  The water of the Rio Negro really does look black, as the name indicates; however, skin seen through the water takes on the dark orange hue of iodine.  Apparently, because of the rise and fall of the water between the rainy and dry seasons, so many trees lose their leaves and bark in the river that the decomposition of these creates a high level of humus giving the water its dark color.  Feeling refreshed and relieved that indeed there were no piranhas in the near vicinity, Matt and the boys were happy to say they had swum in the Amazon and moved on to the pool before lunch and our next outing.  We spent the afternoon feeding Amazonian Pink Dolphins (we really weren’t allowed to feed them – the guides provided the food, while we were allowed to pet the dolphins as they jumped out of the water to receive their snacks) and visiting the town of Novo Airao.  In this small town we were taken to two foundations whose purpose is to provide a livelihood for the local people there.  At the first foundation, we were able to see them work on their wood crafts and pick up some souvenirs in their little shop – at the second foundation we all had fun smearing the red paint from the urucum plant onto our faces – the women using it as make-up, while the kids used it as war paint – we were quite a sight!  Day two was coming to an end, but the magic spell that seemed to have been cast over us had us enchanted and excited about our remaining time in this beautiful place.        

To be continued....

The Joys of Air Travel...

Almost 4 weeks have passed since I started the tale of our adventure in the Amazon – again, I sit in an airport, this time waiting for the return flight to Sao Paulo.  We had a wonderful time visiting family and friends and being back in the States over the past few weeks; and though it’s hard to leave this place where we feel most comfortable, it is time to get back into our own space and into a routine.  We have been on the road a lot, between Huntington, Charleston, SC, our camp on the Greenbrier River, Pittsburgh, and back to Huntington.  We were able to share in my brother’s wedding and help welcome his beautiful bride, Jenn, into our family.  The boys and Matt spent hours fishing by the river at our camp, and I spent hours shopping and enjoying the low prices and great deals that can be found at Target, Kohl’s, and Marshalls.  We’ve slept in a lot of different beds, and been the recipients of wonderful hospitality from terrific friends and family.  It has been a wonderful trip – and has taken us a bit longer to get to Brazil than anticipated.  One of the worst electrical storms we have ever seen struck Charleston, WV last Friday, just about the time we were to board our flight to Charlotte.  By the time we finally were able to get off the ground and land in NC, it was too late – our flight to Rio had already left.

Upon our arrival in Charlotte, we were told we had been rebooked through JFK in New York, then would be on to Rio and Sao Paulo the next day. Again, we were blessed by having good friends – Charlie and Kristen – who graciously picked us up at the airport and gave us beds for the night.  We enjoyed a short visit with them, and returned to the airport Saturday morning anticipating our flights home.  After trying to check-in to our flight and receiving a message that our reservation could not be located, we were a bit worried.  The agent at the desk found that we were confirmed on a flight to JFK, but had no record of any seats for us on the flight to Rio.  To make matters worse, there were no seats available on any flights going to Brazil, anywhere!  Eventually, the agent found a flight that appeared to have seats leaving out of Houston that night.  We held our breath until he told us all four of us had been rebooked, heading to Houston, then on to Sao Paulo.  

Imagine our fury and disappointment when we arrived in Houston, headed to the Continental desk to check in and found that, once again, there was no record of us being booked on that flight.  While I desperately talked to the customer service agent, Matt was on the phone with a representative for US Airways trying to figure out what was going on.  We never really got a satisfactory answer as to how this could have happened to us, TWICE!!!  Though she was trying to be helpful, the lady at Continental could do nothing to help us – the flight we thought we were taking was overbooked as it was, and there was nothing else leaving Houston that night.  As a matter of fact, there appeared to be no available seats on any flights to Sao Paulo until Tuesday – keep in mind this was only Saturday.  Matt, meanwhile, was on the phone for four hours, yes, FOUR HOURS, with US Airways before finally having confirmed flights 2 days later to Washington, D.C. and Sao Paulo.   

Resigned to the fact that we would be in Houston for a couple of nights, we found a hotel where we could stay and went about the business of trying to locate our luggage.  At this point, we had been all over the Houston airport, and now headed back on a train to a third terminal, where we had been told our bags were being held.  Once we explained our situation for the hundredth time, the sympathetic baggage agent set about locating and retrieving our bags.  By this point, it was almost 11:00 PM, the boys were exhausted, and we decided Matt would stay behind to wait the hour and a half we were told it could take and I took the kids to the hotel.  At half-past midnight, Matt showed up at the hotel – empty-handed.  Somehow, our bags were sent to Sao Paulo on the flight we couldn’t board!  We had been wearing the same clothes for two full days, and had nothing else with us.  Too worked up to sleep, Matt went down to the lobby to call US Airways, yet again, to complain and demand reimbursement for hotels, meals, and clothing.  We will still have to file a claim, so who knows if we’ll actually get reimbursed, but we will certainly try.

After getting some sleep and filling our stomachs with an abundant breakfast the next morning, we rented a car and headed to a local Wal-Mart to outfit ourselves with clean clothes.  Seeing that we had a whole day in Houston, we decided to make the best of it and enjoyed the afternoon at the Space Center and had a delicious dinner at a Mexican restaurant.  I was able to do laundry and the boys even got to swim in the hotel pool to burn off some energy, both last night and this morning.  Now, we sit again at the Houston airport, after being re-booked three times, hoping and praying that today’s travels will get us safely home tomorrow.  This has certainly been the most hectic and bizarre trip I have ever taken – and I hope it remains that way!

So, now, I’ll try to get back onto the story of our trip to the Amazon.  The morning after our spectacular sunset viewing, the drivers from the Anavilhanas Jungle Lodge picked us up promptly at 8:30.  We boarded the vans for the 3 hour trip into the Jungle.... (to be continued - hopefully from my living room in Brazil!)...   

Amazon - Part One

I have been asked by several people about our trip to the Amazon and when will my blog be posted - I have been traveling for 3 weeks, and haven't had any long blocks of uninterrupted time to really gather my thoughts.  I have started an introduction about our experience in one of the world's greatest gifts to us and will share that now, with more to come...

Amazing Amazon

I am sitting in Guarulhos International Airport with Ian and Alex, waiting for our first flight which will take us one step closer to the U.S.  We arrived three hours early, having given ourselves plenty of time for traffic - luckily, it wasn’t bad and now we have plenty of time to spare. As we wait, the boys sit playing with their iPod Touch and I am going to attempt to summarize our wonderful vacation to the Amazon.  There really aren’t words to describe the beauty of the place we visited, or what we felt while there – along the same note, the pictures we took, while beautiful, could not capture the magnitude of the breathtaking, magnificent views we were blessed to experience.  It truly was the best family vacation we have taken, and will live in our memories forever.

One of the benefits of accepting an assignment in another country is the opportunity to travel and see places that would otherwise be difficult to afford – for lack of time and money.  The Amazon was at the top of our list of places to visit, and when invited by our friends, Pilar and Rafa, to join them on their vacation we were tempted to accept.  Despite the fact that our trip to the States would be just a few short days after our visit to the Amazon, photos of the scenery and the website for a remote jungle lodge beckoned us.  We figured that we only needed a few days between trips to do laundry and repack the suitcases and decided it would be a great experience for the boys – and for us – and agreed to go.  

After a four hour flight, we arrived in Manaus, the capital city of the state of Amazonas, on a hot Saturday afternoon.  I was surprised to learn that in the north of Brazil, so close to the equator, the seasons were different than in Sao Paulo, and they were beginning summer.  There, in the Amazonian Rainforest, the wet season lasts from around December to May and the dry season starts in June.  It is at this time that the local rivers are at their highest stages (having risen about 11 meters on average).  The two main tributaries of the Amazon River are the Rio Negro (Black River) and the Solimoes, and these join together in Manaus – the black water of the Rio Negro meet up with the brown murky water of the Solimoes; the waters of the rivers don’t mix for several kilometers, running side-by-side, resembling black coffee alongside café-au-lait.  They call this phenomenon “Encontro das Aguas”, the Meeting of the Waters.  After settling in at the hotel and enjoying a delicious feijoada (Brazil’s national dish of beans and slow-cooked meats) for lunch we were ready to explore. 

  

We would only be spending two nights in Manaus, one before heading into the jungle and one before returning to Sao Paulo.  Pilar had done her research and found that aside from the historic Amazonas Theater and the Meeting of the Waters, there really isn’t a lot to see in the city.  We decided to try to find a boat to take us to see the waters – after going back and forth with the travel agent in the hotel, we had a driver that, for R$350,  would take us out onto the Rio Negro to see the city’s greatest attraction.  It felt surreal to be speeding down the river, level with the tops of submerged trees, and thinking, “We’re in the Amazon!  We’re on the Amazon River!” – we could not get over how massive the river is!  I’ve borrowed this bit of information from the New World Encyclopedia, “At its widest point the Amazon River can be 6.8 miles (11 kilometers) wide during the dry season, but during the rainy season when the Amazon River floods the surrounding plains it can be up to 24.8 miles (40 kilometers) wide.”  We made it to the point where the two rivers merge, at first a bit disappointed that it wasn’t as dramatic as we had expected (apparently the difference in colors is much more visible when the river is at its lower stages), but then clearly seeing the two rivers side by side.  While our boat sat quietly, allowing us to take in the beauty surrounding us, we were accompanied by regal-looking egrets resting on large lily pads and several grey river dolphins swimming and jumping nearby.  After taking several pictures and trying to capture the beauty of nature, it was time to turn around.  On our way back to the hotel, we had the chance to witness a breathtaking sunset – the sky put on a show of spectacular light and colors as the sun became a giant orange ball that appeared to sink into the river.  At the risk of sounding corny, it truly was a magical moment.