South America:Amazon, Pantanal, Chapada dos Guimaraes
Hi to everyone,
A quick update on where we are and where we are going.
Sitting at the Tropical Hotel in Manaus -- no we did not stay here but are meeting our boat which will take us up the Amazon River. This is a 4 day and 3 night trip.
We left Rio a week ago last Sunday. Rio is a great place. As far as places to live I put Rio right up there with my dream of Paris, France -- I added the France for those of you who might have thought I meant Pairs, TX.
Our lodge is described as rustic in the travel guides and it is but it is also comfortable. Last night we went caiman hunting. There were 4 tourists, the boat man, our guide and the caiman catcher. It is pitch black with a few stars. The guide shines the light on the banks of the river. After about 10 minutes of leisurely riding, the catcher steps on the side of the boat, belly flops into the water and grass, and comes up holding a 3 foot caiman! I think grabbing the caiman I can do but jumping into an unknown depth of water which has a number of larger than 3 feet caimans and other bad things -- NO!
We flew to Cuiaba in the state of Mato Grosso. This is easy to find on a map: look almost directly due west from Rio, stop about 150 Km short of the border with Bolivia and look for where the only two highways intersect and you have found Cuiaba. We were met at the airport and transported to Araras Lodge in the Pantanal. The Pantanal is similar to the Everglades only several times the size! The lodge is nice and came with tree frogs in your room. You do not pay for the tree frogs, mosquitoes and other biting insects, or great scenery. We identified over 62 birds of which 32 were new to us. While walking to the high tower by myself one afternoon I spotted an 8 to 10 anaconda snake who was paralleling the board walk. I went to the tower and call up to everyone who immediately came down to take pictures.
Our next stop was Chapada dos Guimaraes. This is about 2 and half hours from the Pantanal and a totally different environment. It is a savannah like region which in order to reach you have to drive up 2000 feet and view some beautiful cliffs. The cliffs reminded me of some what the areas in our southwest.
Possibly the biggest surprise was our room accommodations. Absolutely fantastic! A small Pousada located in the small town of Chapada. Run by an Englishman who has more stories than I can remember. Left England at the age of 18 for Brazil on a tramp steamer. Worked on a ranch for 7 years in the Pantanal -- the ranch for approximately 1 million acres. Left Brazil for Angola and was a big game hunter. When the civil war broke out, his business was burned out by the rebels. He became a tracker for the Portuguese army and is now listed by Interpol as a mercenary, came back to the Pantanal and opened a fishing and jaguar hunting lodge, and about a year and half ago moved to Chapada, bought and remodeled his Pousada, and now runs it. Sitting on his back porch, looking out over a gorgeous garden with pool in the background, drinking a beer --me or a martini -- Nancy, and listening to Robert talk with his high ball in hand is another definition of the high life.
We arrive in Manaus a little after midnight this past Sunday morning. Went to our hotel and went to bed. Woke up Sunday and lazed. Sunday was our day of rest. Word of warning to those who may visit one day -- restaurants are not open Sunday night. Monday afternoon we took off up river for a couple of hours for a rustic lodge where we spent the last two nights. And know I sit at the computer.
We arrive back from the Amazon river trip at 11:300 on Sat. morning and catch a 1:00 pm flight to Belo Horizonte -- this city is almost due north of Rio. Arrive just before midnight and as soon as I finish this email I need to make a hotel reservation, somewhere. Next day I think we will take the bus to Ouro Preto. Following late afternoon, bus back to Belo Horizonte and catch an early morning flight to Salvador. We have blocked out 10 days for Salvador with a side trip to Lencois to visit the Chapada Diamantina Park. Our last 4 days in Brazil and South America will be on Ilsa Grand (a couple of hours south of Rio) -- rest and relax on a tropical island in a small hotel and then back to Rio to catch our late night flight back to the friends and family.
Oh yes, we are coming home one day early in order for me to prepare for an interview with the Denver Schools. The Vanir and 3D/I construction management firms have decided to joint venture (again; this was the joint venture I worked for in CA back in the early 1990s) and asked me to head up the team. Anticipate a Dec. 17 interview and therefore we are returning on the 16th of Dec.
Our best to everyone and let us know how you are doing,
Nancy and Tom
South America
A quick update on where we are and where we are going.
Sitting at the Tropical Hotel in Manaus -- no we did not stay here but are meeting our boat which will take us up the Amazon River. This is a 4 day and 3 night trip.
We left Rio a week ago last Sunday. Rio is a great place. As far as places to live I put Rio right up there with my dream of Paris, France -- I added the France for those of you who might have thought I meant Pairs, TX.
Our lodge is described as rustic in the travel guides and it is but it is also comfortable. Last night we went caiman hunting. There were 4 tourists, the boat man, our guide and the caiman catcher. It is pitch black with a few stars. The guide shines the light on the banks of the river. After about 10 minutes of leisurely riding, the catcher steps on the side of the boat, belly flops into the water and grass, and comes up holding a 3 foot caiman! I think grabbing the caiman I can do but jumping into an unknown depth of water which has a number of larger than 3 feet caimans and other bad things -- NO!
We flew to Cuiaba in the state of Mato Grosso. This is easy to find on a map: look almost directly due west from Rio, stop about 150 Km short of the border with Bolivia and look for where the only two highways intersect and you have found Cuiaba. We were met at the airport and transported to Araras Lodge in the Pantanal. The Pantanal is similar to the Everglades only several times the size! The lodge is nice and came with tree frogs in your room. You do not pay for the tree frogs, mosquitoes and other biting insects, or great scenery. We identified over 62 birds of which 32 were new to us. While walking to the high tower by myself one afternoon I spotted an 8 to 10 anaconda snake who was paralleling the board walk. I went to the tower and call up to everyone who immediately came down to take pictures.
Our next stop was Chapada dos Guimaraes. This is about 2 and half hours from the Pantanal and a totally different environment. It is a savannah like region which in order to reach you have to drive up 2000 feet and view some beautiful cliffs. The cliffs reminded me of some what the areas in our southwest.
Possibly the biggest surprise was our room accommodations. Absolutely fantastic! A small Pousada located in the small town of Chapada. Run by an Englishman who has more stories than I can remember. Left England at the age of 18 for Brazil on a tramp steamer. Worked on a ranch for 7 years in the Pantanal -- the ranch for approximately 1 million acres. Left Brazil for Angola and was a big game hunter. When the civil war broke out, his business was burned out by the rebels. He became a tracker for the Portuguese army and is now listed by Interpol as a mercenary, came back to the Pantanal and opened a fishing and jaguar hunting lodge, and about a year and half ago moved to Chapada, bought and remodeled his Pousada, and now runs it. Sitting on his back porch, looking out over a gorgeous garden with pool in the background, drinking a beer --me or a martini -- Nancy, and listening to Robert talk with his high ball in hand is another definition of the high life.
We arrive in Manaus a little after midnight this past Sunday morning. Went to our hotel and went to bed. Woke up Sunday and lazed. Sunday was our day of rest. Word of warning to those who may visit one day -- restaurants are not open Sunday night. Monday afternoon we took off up river for a couple of hours for a rustic lodge where we spent the last two nights. And know I sit at the computer.
We arrive back from the Amazon river trip at 11:300 on Sat. morning and catch a 1:00 pm flight to Belo Horizonte -- this city is almost due north of Rio. Arrive just before midnight and as soon as I finish this email I need to make a hotel reservation, somewhere. Next day I think we will take the bus to Ouro Preto. Following late afternoon, bus back to Belo Horizonte and catch an early morning flight to Salvador. We have blocked out 10 days for Salvador with a side trip to Lencois to visit the Chapada Diamantina Park. Our last 4 days in Brazil and South America will be on Ilsa Grand (a couple of hours south of Rio) -- rest and relax on a tropical island in a small hotel and then back to Rio to catch our late night flight back to the friends and family.
Oh yes, we are coming home one day early in order for me to prepare for an interview with the Denver Schools. The Vanir and 3D/I construction management firms have decided to joint venture (again; this was the joint venture I worked for in CA back in the early 1990s) and asked me to head up the team. Anticipate a Dec. 17 interview and therefore we are returning on the 16th of Dec.
Our best to everyone and let us know how you are doing,
Nancy and Tom
South America
posted by Rambling Tom at 6:55 PM
6 Comments:
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Hello fellow fisherman,
Did you know that 16% of the U.S. population goes fishing at least 16 days a year?
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Gone Fishin',
Neil
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