The toilet block

Waking up in our jungle abode was just amazing. Listening to the monkeys, birds and some kind of animal in the undergrowth, while waking up was amazing. First things first, there was washing to be done. Even on holidays domestic chores are a necessity! Then a need to find wifi, as I need to check to see if the embassy from Suriname has answered my e mails. A need to check flights, prices and basically organise my next step.

Wine, holding up Kim!

There was no wifi in town, and after a long search we found wifi at the hotel Mirante del Ilha. Kim explained that it was desperately needed to do our research. Wifi was for the guests only! The barman was kind enough to give it to Wine, who asked ever so friendly! No Brasilian male is going to refuse a twenty something woman, anything at all!! People are incredibly helpful and friendly. Towards the elderly, people with young children, and of course gorgeous young women!

We spend the rest of the afternoon catching up on e mails, face book and business. The Suriname embassy still hasn’t responded! I have to go on line during their office hours. In the mean time I did my research into flight to French Guyana, expensive, get my visa there and then fly to Paramaribo. Also expensive! I was wondering WHY the flies had gone up so high, when Wine suggested it was school holidays in the Netherlands, and a lot of people from Suriname will return there. Flights from Paramaribo to anywhere else in South America were more expensive than my flight from Oz to Souh America!!

Tree house, completely self contained!

I decided to let it all go and enjoy my time here. There is a fiesta nearly every night! The Brasilians sure love to have fun! Dancing the night away, people watching, drinking too much, all are past times that are enjoyed by all! I was still sluggish from last night dancing, I could do with a few quiet days. So much for my week of fasting that I had planned for this lovely abode! I had this fantasy, of being in the jungle, drinking healthy juices and fasting to get me back on my KETO track!

Ah, well, was it John Lennon who said that life happens when you are busy making or plans? It is hot here, humid, and life just slows down. There is lots to do, but I have found my perfect spot, the hotel’s swimming pool!  Cold beer available! Watching the world go by! On the Monday I had my dreads fixed by Fredson, husband of Audrey, two lovely people , whom I had met on the first night during the fiesta.In the afternoon I managed to get in touch with the Suriname embassy , who told me there was NO problem with their website! Well, obviously there is, as I can’t get in, and I have been trying for over three weeks!

Love Island

I worked out the cost of going to Suriname for only two weeks and I couldn’t justify that! I had spend my extra month in Colombia instead, ah, well, such is life, but I am not going to spend over three thousand dollars to spend two weeks in their country! So HURRAY!! I get to spend more time in Brasil! Isn’t life just great?? Where to next? Oh, let’s just take it easy, I am in Alter do Chao! Love island needs a visit!

My frog prince!

I want to go kayaking on the Amazon river. May be tomorrow! Well, I DID go to Love Island, but the water was so choppy, I didn’t kayak! Didn’t find any Love! But a tiny little frog kept jumping up on my I pad, bag and table! Dive in the water and come back again!! Oops! Could have been my prince!! Didn’t kiss it though! Was too tiny, and could have been poisonous!

Vitor, my Brasilian grandson, playing dare devil on top of the mountain!

The mob got up really early, swam to the island, hiked up the hill and watched the sunrise! The photos were fantastic, and I enjoyed their stories, but I have no interest in doing anything remotely sounding like hard work!! ( my knee giving me a lot of grief)  I am happy to walk every morning into town, about fifteen minutes, and back in the afternoon. Tasting all the different foods that are sold on the square.

Luiz and our meal in Casa Saulo. Fabulous!

I love the slow pace here in Alter do Chao. It is too hot to do anything, sitting under the shade of the big tree, and letting the world pass by. On the last day Luiz asked if I wanted to go to a restaurant between Alter do Chao and Santarem, to have a meal and watch the sunset. I had actually planned to go to Santarem, as the boat to Belem leaves early the next morning. But this restaurant sounded too great, so yeah let’s go! As I was supposedly leaving with Vitor, we send him a message that I would be home later. Of we went! I had to keep pinching myself, here I am in the middle of the Amazonian jungle, on a fabulous motor bike, driven by a handsome young man, having another adventure!

It was just magic, absolute magic. Very romantic setting, fabulous meal and conversation and an amazing sunset. Unbelievably beautiful. Life is just magical! How absolutely fabulous it is to be ALIVE!! I will never be able to take it for granted, I am just incredibly grateful. When we got back about eight o ‘clock, we found out that there was a special fiesta going on, the Quinti dos Mestres, the Thursday of the Masters, with the special kind of music called Carimbo. Ah, another fiesta!! Dancing the night away! Eh, tomorrow morning we need to be on the boat to Belem! Hm! Let’s get our priorities right! First a FIESTA!!