Flying Down The Amazon RiverI

[amazondk]

I went on a little business trip to Parintins yesterday.  Parintins is the host of the yearly folk festival the last three days of June which draws a crowd as big as the city.  The city has about 125,000 inhabitants and the festival receives about this number people to see the show and participate in the party.  Parintins is on the island of Tupinabarana which runs along the south side of the Amazon River.  The area was actually colonized by Tupi indians which moved in fleeing due to pressure from the Europeans in other parts of colonial Brazil hundreds of years ago.  The city lies on the Varzea, or flood plane of the Amazon.  It has been raining a lot here which you can sort of see by the pictures.  The Amazon River spreads out over an enormous area with many channels and lakes.  This time of year the river is about half way up to high water which comes in June.  The two groups for the festival have the colors Red (Garantido) and Blue (Caprichoso).  The city is split into two sides one with buildings and house painted blue and white to a large degree and the other side red and white.  Aside from the festival cruise ships that come up to Manaus stop for shows which are given by one of the two Bois.  There are not a lot of palms, but I figured some of you would like to see what the area looks like.

I left Manaus at 0700 on an EMB 120 Brasilia for the 1 hour flight down the Amazon River to Parintins.

The main channel of the Amazon River, in places it is 300 feet deep and ocean going vessels travel with no problem.

There are thousands of lakes formed as the river floods in its annual rise and fall.  

[amazondk]

As we descended for arrival in Parintins the varzea is seen from closer up.  The pockets of light green are Vitoria Regia lilies growing in ponds.

The channels are all around the island.  This is not the main channel of the Amazon River.

The area of the varzea is used for cattle pasture until the water gets too high and the livestock is then moved to high ground.  Until a few years ago the area was used to grow jute for rope and burlap sacks.  But, due to the introduction of synthetics this crop has nearly disappeared.

[amazondk]

Arrival in Parintins on the Rico Brasilia complete with a Japanese tourist taking a picture of me taking a picture of him.

PIN airport terminal

The river bank looking west up the Amazon River.

The old municpal market downtown

[amazondk]

I got done with my busness meeting ahead of schedule, by 1100 and did not have anything else to do so I went to a local hotel and got a day room.  This is the Amazon River Hotel.  It is pretty empty out of season, so I got a good deal.

The view out of the room, this is a channel that cuts through the city in high water.

Export lumber shipment - well not quite.  

[amazondk]

My flight was scheduled to return back to Manaus at 430 PM, but it got delays for 3 hours.  So, I took a few more pictures.  

These are some Roystoneas which I believe were planted on this farm by a side channel of the Amazon.

And, the daylight went away with another Amazonian Sunset with a couple tucuma (Astrocaryum vulgare) on the horizon.     Just another day in the Tropics.

[Kris]

Dear Don  

the stills are terrefic & its clear that you travel a lot_

Way to Go !

Hey what work do you do & are you working for any News

agency or so like API ,Rauiters etc.because the stills are

simply fentastic_man.

Saying_"nobody covers the globe as we do"_British Airways Slogan.

New Slogan_"Nobody covers R.Amazon as you do"_ Don.

Another Solgan_"Nobody does it better than you do"_007 Song

But is also apt to your stills.

Thanks for those Aviation stills.

Love,

Kris(India).

[Mike4284m]

I always look forward to seeing your pictures.  I hope to see some of these places in person someday. Thanks.

[bgl]

Don,

As always, enjoyed the journey very much. Almost like being there!  

And that's a great shot of the Brasilia. It would definitely qualify to be on some of the aviation sites I know of. And had to check the background of that particular aircraft...: one of the early Brasilias (s/n 120041, i.e. aircraft #41), almost 20 years old. Initially flew for a German airline, then for Midway Commuter in the U.S. Midwest and came "back home" to Brazil 15 years ago. Looks like it's still in good shape!

Bo-Göran

[amazondk]

Kris,

Thanks for the comments.  As to work I broker hardwood export sales mostly to Europe.  It is kind of fun to record some of the daily events of a business trip.  And, looking around at palms makes it better.

Mike, I am glad you enjoy the photos.  I hope you can come and see the place for yourself some day.  There are daily flights from Miami, only 5 hours away.

Bo,

Thanks a lot for the history of the airplane.  They really are not bad aircraft for short trips like this one.  It is interesting to know the background of a plane.  

dk

[deezpalms]

Don, I always appreciate and look foward to your posts. Very informitive and interesting pictures that I always enjoy!! Thank you very much for showing us a part of the world that we all are very interested in and someday I hope to visit!!

[Zac in NC]

Great set of pics Don. Stereotypical Japanese tourist with a camera. LOL

Zac

[amazondk]

(Zac in NC @ Jan. 19 2007,14:04)

QUOTE

Great set of pics Don. Stereotypical Japanese tourist with a camera. LOL

Zac

Zac,

Caught on camera by non stereotypical gringo businessman and forest exporer.

dk

[amazondk]

Dave,

I hope you can make it down some day.  I am sure you will enjoy the place.  I do for sure.

dk

[Zac in NC]

(amazondk @ Jan. 19 2007,17:16)

QUOTE

(Zac in NC @ Jan. 19 2007,14:04)

QUOTE

Great set of pics Don. Stereotypical Japanese tourist with a camera. LOL

Zac

Zac,

Caught on camera by non stereotypical gringo businessman and forest exporer.

dk

It makes you wonder. Will you be posted by said stereotypical Japanese guy on some Japanese Travel message board?

Zac

[Jeff Searle]

Don,

 Once again you have shared some beautiful sights with us all. I can tell you honestly, I hope the biennial in 2010 is held in Brazil. I look forward to coming.

Jeff

[amazondk]

Thanks Jeff I am glad you like the pictures.  I enjoy showing people what our area looks like.  Even though Amazonia gets a lot of media attention many people here in Brazil and elsewhere really do not know much about the area.  It would nice to have a biennial here in Brazil.  There are a lot of nice places where one could be held for sure, it is a big tropical country with a lot of palm trees.  And, since it seems that many of the attendees at the meetings like cold beer, which is never in short supply in Brazil, and local dancing clubs it would be a popular destination .

dk

[SubTropicRay]

As usual Don, some incredible photos.  Thanks for sharing.