To Belem

Moving On

We decide to go to Belem today though we had planned a 2 night carnival stay in Tucurui. Why ? The feeling that we had tasted the feel of the town and wanted to go and have the extra day in the city we knew. Feeling that we had now had a variety of carnival experiences and it would be good to settle in their flat and have 3 days rather than 2. To party with strangers can be great but is nothing like partying with friends and the feeling we had in Maraba was the one we wanted to keep. So skype call to Juliet in Bangkok, breakfast in the hotel, a lovely interaction with a kind taxi driver and we were off on a 7 hour drive.

Having to wait for the bus gave an excuse for a great walk by the wide river

Along another prom watching these kids play with the costumes from the night before.

There is an enormous waste in spectacle. Costumes and images made for a short moment of the show. So much energy then trashed and the kids are given some stuff to play with and the street cleaners sweep away glitz, sequins and ribbons.

Claudio

At the bus station as we wait a lovely man start to chat to us about football. I share information about UK sides. He talks about the Liverpool Milan match of 2005 (?) and names all the players on the Liverpool team! Then shares a great set of Zidan clips on his phone before we leave !

A picture window

This time an air con bus. We have no snacks. Buying them at stops on the way is fun. Empanadas, sweet coffee, tapioca, cheese buns, popcorn. All purchased at small town bus stations where we stop for a few moments.

The windows show us miles of palm groves, wood yards where the sawdust is mountains high and the dark wood waits for departures who knows where, rain attacks the bus on occasions and we pass a soaking carnival procession with band on a pick up and dancers stepping out.

We have smiling relationships with the people around us and as it gets dark we arrive in Belem. Taxi to the flat. Then great food down at the river and sleep.