Now that I am no longer dying and have finished up all my finals and classes I return to you to finish blogging about Brazil. I’m warning you right now: this is A LONG POST. By the way we are now on East Coast Time... weird. Also quick congratulations to all of the 2010 Michigan Wolverines who graduated in the Big House today in front of President Obama and HAPPY 21st Birthday JENNY FEUER!
We docked in Salvador the first day and since I was leaving to the Amazon the following morning I only had that day to explore the city. Jenny, Ivy, Jill, and I (go blue!) set out without any plans and ended up at a market called Mercado Modelo. I am now the proud owner of a Kaka jersey and two new hair wraps (the ones from Ghana fell out all too easily). From the market we took the Lacerda Elevator up to Old Town. Salvador is kind of divided into two sections- Old Town and the newer section that is lower down and by the water. The elevator is literally an elevator and takes you up or down between the two levels. It is a safe alternative during the day to reaching Old Town without walking through the shady streets.
In Old Town we had an AMAZING lunch where Ivy and I managed to consume a very large portion of Argentinean steak. It began pouring and we were lucky to be inside the restaurant where there were many SASers in addition to Brazilian families. All of the lunching Brazilians were extremely friendly and seemed genuinely happy. Brazil ranks higher on the world happiness Index than the US. After the rain cleared we walked around Old Town and stumbled upon a commercial shooting. The commercial was being filmed for the World Cup and Ivy and I may or may not have danced our way into it. One reason I love Brazil: its soccer obsession and World Cup obsession- school and work literally shut down during World Cup games. Pretty awesome. Apart from shopping and the World Cup Commercial another comical part of the day was watching several of our guy friends get professional face shaves. After roaming we ended up back at the ship where I packed, napped, and got ready for the last in-port night.
A LOT of kids had been mugged during the first day in Salvador (some even held up at knife point) and as a result I only took some cash and my ship ID out with me that night. It was initially raining pretty hard so all of us (about 20) were walking off the ship dressed nicely with North Face and Patagonia rain shells. Our large group took the elevator up to Old Town and we went around looking for a bar or club. It was a national holiday and a lot of restaurants were closed down. Luckily we were able to find a pretty obscure, local outside bar that had live music. There was a decent amount of Brazilians there and we found ourselves a nice area where we could all sit together. Overall the night was fun and I had a great time. Not wanting to risk any sketchy situations we cabbed it back to the ship.
At 6:30 AM I was ready to go to the Amazon. We had an early flight to Brasilia where we had one of those weird two hour layovers in which we were not allowed off the plane since we were taking the same plane to Manaus. After waiting two hours we had our fourish hour plane ride to Manaus, where we met our Amazonian guides Fabio and Alan. We drove to the riverboats and from the second I saw the boats I knew the trip was going to be awesome. There were three riverboats lined up next to each other (Groups A, B, & C… group D/E were on a later flight) that had huge “Welcome Semester at Sea” signs on them. As we walked onboard we were each given necklaces and greeted by Brazilian dancers and drummers. Snacks were out (fruits, and pastries) and we were able to select our hammocks. The first stop of the day was to see The Meeting of the Waters- where the Amazon River and the Rio Negro meet. The Amazon is brown and the Rio Negro is black and the two don’t really mix. It was like seeing oil and vinegar- you could distinctly see the division of the two rivers.
From there we headed to this obscure shop-like place where we disembarked and walked on a bridge to look at giant lily pads. We then proceeded to get into small ten person boats and head into covered areas on the Amazon. Why we went in these small boats at night is beyond me- it’s kind of creepy going into extremely dense and dark areas of the Amazon without being able to see anything. I kept thinking A. an anaconda was going to fall from the canopy above or B. an alligator was going to grab me from the side. We did happen to see a gorgeous sunset though. The guides then told us they were going to try to catch caiman. After about 30 minutes of searching for caiman (searching consisted of a small boy on the boy of the canoe-boat moving a flashlight on the surface of the water near the grass) we finally spotted a few. The key to finding the caiman is looking for a glistening red speck (the caiman’s eyes). After a few failed attempts, our guide caught a pretty huge caiman. For as adventurous I am in most areas, holding a caiman was not one of them. I remember refusing to hold the baby alligator in New Orleans when we went on a swamp tour and sure enough my feelings towards caiman holding had not changed. As I was carefully petting the giant caiman the guide was holding I had my first heart attack. I was sitting in the middle of the canoe so the guide was demonstrating everything with caiman right next to me. Unfortunately this caiman was too strong for the guide and wiggled its way free of him and in an attempt to make it overboard touched my thigh and whacked a kid with his tail. By the time I had recovered (I literally screamed so loud I’m pretty sure the entire Amazon could hear me) I realized I had jumped onto Andrew’s lap.
The guide proceeded to catch a baby caiman and bring it back into the canoe. This caiman was manageable and he let anyone hold it. Heart attack number two occurred approximately five minutes after heart attack one when Buddy, a kid in our canoe decided to DROP THE CAIMAN IN THE CANOE. Once again I found myself as far from the bottom of the canoe as possible- on Andrew’s lap and yelling. Luckily the caiman kind of wedged itself in between the bottom planks and the guide was able to get it out. I proceeded to sit at the bow of the canoe, as far away from the caiman as possible, for the duration of the caiman experience. We met up with the other canoe and saw their caiman as well. I had absolutely no problem playing with baby cheetahs but caiman holding, for whatever reason, was NOT up my alley.
Despite my premature heart attacks the day was AWESOME. We caught caiman in the Amazon, saw giant lily pads, saw where the two rivers met and proceeded to have a good dinner. To pass the time that night a bunch of us played that game where you’re given a famous person’s name that you put on your forehead and proceed to figure out who you are. I was Homer Simpson and was completely lost when I found out that I was like a white person but not in an actual race. I fell asleep in my hammock, though I woke up every couple of hours, and could not think of a better place to spend the night.
The next morning ALL of us were ready up and ready to go at 6:30 for some bizarre reason- we then learned that breakfast was not until 7:30. After breakfast we went into the jungle for our first jungle trek. We learned about some of the medicinal plants and how Amazonians climb tress (they attach their shoes to rope made from leaves). Walking in the jungle was cool but unsurprisingly very humid, tiring, and dirty. I was pretty much filthy by the time our group returned to the boat and was too slow to change into my swim suit. The other jungle groups had been back and swimming for about 20 minutes. We had to change locations before I was able to swim but I stayed in my suit because we would be able to swim later.
We ate lunch and I quickly napped before going to an Amazonian village. This village was not that big BUT there was a soccer field with netted goals and everything. Prior to the soccer game we were given a tour of the village and taken to a place where this bread-like food was being made. We heard kids yelling and playing and went to find out what they were doing. There were three kids swinging on vines from the shore, over the water and back onto land without falling in the water. It looked really fun and Allie was the first to try to vine swing. She got about halfway through the duration of the swing before falling into the water and breaking the vine. The three Brazilian kids thought it was the funniest thing. Unfortunately they now only had one vine left to swing from. The kids asked if I wanted to try and my group that was watching from above urged me to try because I was slightly smaller than Allie and had a better chance of successfully completing the vine swing. I figured I was in my swim suit anyway so I took off my shoes, shirt and shorts and grabbed the vine. I’m pretty sure this vine was not as sturdy because I was in the air for all of about 1 second before plummeting into the water and breaking their last vine. I felt really bad about ruining their vine swinging but they didn’t seem to mind. If any of you are dying to see my fall- Jenny got the entire thing on videotape.
We made it back up to the main part of the village where I discovered that the girls soccer game was about to start. I quickly joined the game and we played a very exhausting 15 minute half game on a full size field. Americans vs. Brazilians. We won 1-0 on a PK (I scored) but let me say I am definitely a shadow of my former self. It was really cool playing against the Brazilians though and more than anything really fun. Soccer is the universal language. The American boys lost to the Brazilian boys 3-1. At the end of the games the villagers presented the MVPs of both teams with Brazilian soccer jerseys which was a really nice surprise. Jenny and I proceeded to buy bracelets in the village shop to support the village. We then got the opportunity to swim in the river which was much needed. For all of you that don’t already know, Amazon River swimming is the new shower.
We got back on the riverboats and were told we would have about two hours before reaching our next location. A bunch of us decided to nap and we were woken up by our guides who gave us VERY VAGUE directions to wear whatever we wanted and get off the boat. Our boat was in the middle of the river and met by smaller motor canoes which we switched onto. Before we knew it we were canoeing in this area of the Amazon that was swarming with PINK DOLPHINS. This could not have been a cooler surprise. The dolphins were all around our small canoes and PINK. Before we knew it we were met with a torrential downpour that could only be produced by the rainforest and quickly found shelter in this random lodge place. We were still able to see the dolphins and after the rain passed we re-boarded the canoes. Our canoes proceeded to around the Amazon for a sunset cruise type thing. We saw sloths in the trees and were once again covered by the canopy. We watched such a gorgeous sunset that had a mixture of sunlight and dark, heavy rain clouds. As it got darker we could hear more animals and saw bats flying directly overhead.
Our canoe met up with the other canoe from our boat and literally sat side by side for about 45 minutes. Our guides wanted to continue “surprising us” which resulted in refusing to tell us what we were doing. For the most part we knew we were going to the beach for a beach party dinner and meeting up with group B but we were unsure why we had to wait so long. Apparently the guides timed the whole thing poorly and we were 45 minutes early. Why we couldn’t wait for 45 minutes on the beach was beyond me. We were waiting in a side area when we finally heard Group B’s motor canoes and heard fireworks as they approached the beach. After waiting for 45 minutes we missed our own fireworks. Oh well. The beach bbq was really fun and after eating our guides wanted us to play games that consisted of musical chairs, dizzy bat, and tug of war. For the second day in a row we had an amazing day and all slept a lot better that second night.
After an early breakfast it was time to go Piranha fishing. We once again got into small boats and split up. Piranha fishing consisted of holding a bamboo pole with a piece of line on it and a single hook. There was no reel. For bait we used raw pieces of meat. We literally just flung our lines over the side of the boat, made a splash with the tip of our rod and hoped for the best. Unlike regular fishing you don’t have to be quiet when you fish for piranhas. Though students in other boats caught piranhas only our guide and our driver caught them in our boat. Luckily I was sitting in the way back next to the driver and was able to take a picture with the piranha and get a close up of its teeth. The whole thing was pretty surreal… the guy next to me had just caught a piranha.
After piranha fishing it was time for jungle trek number two, aka the death trek. For whatever reason this trek consisted of following a boy with a machete who was making some sort of trail for us. We were also being attacked by mosquitoes left and right (I’m still waiting to see if dengue or malaria develop). Every time Fabio stopped to lecture about a plant we would try to hurry him along and keep moving because we were being eaten alive. On top of it all we were stepping in worm (I forgot what type of worm) feces that were literally all over the jungle floor. I wore pants the previous day but after realizing that a lot of kids wore shorts and that it seemed perfectly fine to wear shorts, I wore soccer shorts for the second jungle trek even though Fabio warned me against it. Karma struck and I was bit by fire ants and continue to have to scratch around both my ankles. We finally made it out of the jungle, sweatier than before and relieved to be done going on jungle hikes.
The second village we went to was a lot bigger than the first but kind of strange. Our guide literally told us “go walk around and be back in 2 hours.” We walked up to the village and NO ONE came to greet us and it seemed abandoned. This was the first village over the past four months where the natives did not show us around or tell us about their home. We found some village shops and looked at their gifts. We then went down to where the villagers build canoes and saw the canoe-building process. All in all the village experience was very random and we weren’t exactly sure what to do. Luckily Jenny and I found some Brazilian kids around the ages of 6-8 and started playing with them. Jenny had bought string bracelets in Salvador and we gave them out/tied them around the kids’ wrists. Feeling generous and not really knowing what we should do, Jenny and I decided to treat the kids to ice cream. We got our ice creams, sat down, and played with them. One little girl decided she wanted to put make up on me and proceeded to give me an eye shadow makeover. The kids were great and I’m glad they were there because what appeared to be a long two hours ended up flying by.
After this village stay we had to make our way back to where we first got on the riverboats in Manaus. Along the way we stopped for about an hour at the beach where we met up with groups B and C. We were able to swim and play volleyball. From there we went back to Manaus, disembarked the riverboats for the final time and made our way to our farewell party. All five groups, A-E, met up at this club (kind of like an outdoor YMCA type thing, not like a dance club) and were able relax, order drinks (prohibited on the riverboats for fear of dehydration) and watch a Brazilian show. The show consisted of Brazilian dancers and fire breathers and ended with a lot of SASers being brought on stage to participate. It was 10 PM at night and we would be spending the entire night traveling back to Salvador... not the smartest move to present most SASers with alcohol on their last night in-port right before having to catch a plane.
One thing that is noteworthy and worth mentioning (if not for you it definitely will be for me when I reflect on these posts 50 years from now) is Buddy’s story. Buddy is this kid from Arkansas with pretty long hair, who lives in my sea and was also on my India trip. In India he bought an all white typical male Indian outfit and decided to wear it on the last day in the Amazon. The Brazilian tour guides and crew members believed Buddy to be either a priest or some kind of voodoo witch (apparently wearing all white symbolizes either profession). There was a definite miscommunication between our guides and Buddy because they did some symbolic dance (which Buddy thought they were teaching him) and actually thought he was a religious figure. Later on in the night the guides called Buddy up to the stage to perform his dance and share his wisdom with all of us. Buddy was far from sober at this point, went on stage and proceeded to sing a song called “My Dong.” The majority of people who weren’t in his group had no idea what was going on and thought it was hysterical that Buddy was onstage singing My Dong. Unfortunately he offended many Brazilians and he was later approached by our guide and asked if he could make a public apology. Buddy went back on stage and apologized for confusing the Brazilians and leading them to believe he was a religious or spiritual figure.
Our group proceeded to the Manaus airport where we got some quick late night before catching our flight to Rio de Janeiro. The airport was kind of a mess and for some reason my entire group almost missed our flight because for whatever reason our gate was not posted on the departure screen and none of us felt compelled to ask where we were supposed be. It wasn’t until we heard on the overhead that the final call for Rio was boarding that we realized we had to make moves. The food poisoning/plague kind of started to hit right before we got on the plane and proceeded to wipe out the majority of kids in my group before landing in Rio. At any given moment on the flight you could look down the aisle and see at least five SASers waiting in line, barf bags in hand, waiting to puke. It reached the point where we landed and our trip leader told us all to stay on the plane until everyone got off. He said that he wasn’t sure what was going on but that we would all be going to the Rio Airport Infirmary to be checked out. I started feeling a little sick at that point but I think it was more psychological than anything else. All 28 of us students were being led around the Rio airport at 6 AM to find the clinic. Unfortunately three students were VERY sick and ended up staying with our trip leader’s wife so that they could be treated (they caught a later flight back to Salvador). Though I wasn’t feeling great the one thing I knew I had to do was get on our original flight back to Salvador.
On the second flight from Rio to Salvador more kids got sick. We shared the plane with other SASers who had spent their time in Rio (the majority of kids who didn’t go on a SAS overnight trip to the Amazon went to Rio) and they were shocked to see so many of us so sick. At this point we had no idea what caused the sickness. After an entire night and 12 hours of traveling we made it back to the MV Explorer. Jenny and I quickly showered and went back to the market to get some last minute souvenirs. I began feeling sick and was literally walking around the market with a bag in my hand just in case. We made it back to the ship around 3 PM and I tried to nap for a while. 4:48 PM the plague struck and it struck hard. A wonderful mixture of vomiting and diarrhea ensued for the next three days. I went to the clinic where I found a lot of my Amazon group who had like me just gotten sick. Two shots of anti-vomiting medicine later I was pretty much knocked out and slept forever. I was finally able to stomach a meal Wednesday night at dinner (the last time I really ate was Sunday morning). During those days I had to take a lot of different meds, study for global, and do my global project- not fun.
Anyway I am now fully recovered and have completed all academic related things on Semester at Sea. Two nights ago we had a special dinner for Jenny’s 21st Birthday and I have had special cakes or desserts every night since then for different concluding things. Tonight I have a final Sea Council party thing and tomorrow night is the Ambassador’s Ball which I am really excited about. We had a meeting today about disembarkation in Fort Lauderdale and everything we need to do in terms of packing. It’s so crazy that this is ending and even though it’s been the most exciting four months of my life, I am definitely excited to go home. After all, there’s no place like home.
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