Santarem, Brazil

This morning we made our first extended stop at Santarem, Brazil some 500 miles upriver from the Atlantic Ocean and 2 ½ degrees south latitude of the Equator. It is near the confluence with the clear blue waters of the Rio Tapajos and the muddy water of the Amazon. The city of Santarem was originally carved from the jungle by Henry Ford to develop a rubber plantation (Fordlandia) which was never successful. Some 200,000 people live in the city and the region is rich in natural resources, including major deposits of bauxite and gold.


The photos in this Post show a thatched-roofed house along the Amazon with no window coverings and the laundry hanging outside. There no roads in the Amazon so the very small villages are totally isolated and lie great distances from towns and cities. Small boats take the people from these villages to the cities.

 Shown in the other photo is a small river boat that is heading upriver to Manaus some 321 miles away. The people bring their own food and hang hammocks inside for seating and sleeping. I watched them load all their possessions and purchases onboard. There was even a mattress and complete bed frame loaded by one passenger.

Tonight at 7:00pm we head out again up the Amazon for the very small village of Boca Da Valeria. This could very well be the highlight of this trip. Boca Da Valeria has only 75 inhabitants and we are bringing small school items for the children. Really looking forward to visiting this village