Parintins, Alter do Chao and Farewell Amazon River

Parintins is a small town and famous for a festival held in June each year, called Boi Bumba, essentially the red team against the blue team, with lots of dancing, floats and a story about the tongue of an ox. They also have rides on pedicabs which take you to the festival stadium (one half red the other blue) and local church. You can only get to Parintins by sea or air. We didn’t go ashore here, it was so hot and torrential rain predicted, which arrived early afternoon!

Alter do Chao was our final stop on the Amazon and is the Caribbean of Brazil, with miles of narrow beaches and holiday flats and homes. We visited the indigenous art and craft centre and bought a couple of local mounted batik pieces, to be framed when we get home. The local church was simple in style with a lovely altar. There is a very narrow beach covered in beach huts, called Love Island. Pleasant walk around the town, but extremely hot and humid. We were only back on board for 30 mins or so before the heavans opened, it is the rainy season!

In the evening we were treated to a show by the Oi Brazil Team, a community organisation who have worked with Holland America for 10 years, they have been on board throughout the Amazon, giving talks, local craft making, dance lessons, drum demonstrations and much more. The show was fabulous with gorgeous costumes, acrobatics, dancing and lots of fun.

Last night we left the Amazon at high tide, our shop has a draft of 8m and we need to ensure clearance back into the Atlantic ocean. Now on our way to Trinidad.