The Amazonas occupies almost 40% of the Amazon region, with the state of Para inhabiting a large part. Airline tickets to São Paulo cost $430.00 U.S. A cheap alternative is to travel to the interior of the country.

Two months ago during Carnival, my wife and I made a trip to the Anavilhanas where we met two friends from Novo Airao. It ended with an open invitation to visit them in the capital town of the Anavilhanas, Novo Airao, so that we could see what life is like outside the Free Trade Zone of Manaus where everything can be found for a price.

After a light lunch of bean soup, under very threatening skies, we left to find a boat at the port where all non-regulated boats arrive and depart. This is also the port that accepts 80% of the produce from the region.

A sleazy area is an understatement. The closest that I can relate this area to are stories I heard about the Inner Harbor in Baltimore, Maryland, when it was controlled by gangs and thugs.

Leaving everything that has any value over two dollars (except for the cell phone) at home or in the car, we ventured to find a boat. In about a 100 foot space along the dock, there must have been 60 boats - all two or three stories high, loading, being unloaded or docked. We were directed by a person who "watches your car while away from it" to three men - a drunk, a young man in his 30's, and an old man in his 60's. The old man was shaving without shaving cream using a used soda can which, as we were talking, he lowered into the dirty, oily river to fill with water.

The men informed us the only boat leaving was located at another port. We quickly got back to the car, locking the doors almost before we were even in, making our way to the São Raimundo port.

Located on "the other side of the tracks" which in this case would be a bridge next to a beer plant owned by Coca-Cola (Kaiser Beer), we parked the car on the pavement and walked cautiously around the muddy puddles to inquire about boats.

The first thing we saw and the "main event" of the afternoon, was a barge loaded with trash probably 10 feet high and 20 feet deep being unloaded by a backhoe into 12 waiting dump trucks. We were directed to one of two boats leaving the same day for Novo Airao. We decided to talk with the owner of what appeared to be the better of the two boats.

We were informed the boat departed at nine in the evening arriving in Novo Airao at five-thirty in the morning. There is no regulatory agency that actively regulates the number of passengers on the boats. So the boats have a tendency to sink (one or two a year).

We asked about a suite. We were shown the only available one and eagerly accepted it. The suite was three feet deep by four feet long with only a mattress and floor space ($10.00) - might sound big, but it wasn't. Combined with a low ceiling, you felt even more cramped. It was better than paying $4.00 a person to sleep in a hammock. The capacity of the boat was probably about 110 people.

We quickly drove to the nearest supermarket to buy the bare necessities for a trip that we thought would last no longer than 36 hours. From the supermarket we dashed home to make sandwiches and prepare our bags for the adventure that would begin with the 9:00 p.m. departure.

Arriving at the dock at 8:00 p.m., with an hour to spare, we paid the taxi driver. As we got out of the cab, we were greeted by between 200 and 250 people swinging from hammocks on two levels. The upper level was packed with people drinking and socializing, listening to loud Forró music. Forró music in Manaus is different from Forró in the rest of Brazil. In Manaus it consists of two people dancing in erotic positions.

We slowly made our way over the wooden plank (the only access onto the boat) which hung gingerly over the soda bottle and trash-filled water - the remnants of what had fallen off the barge earlier in the day.

Boarding the boat we zigzagged, bobbing our heads under each hammock cord pinned to the ceiling. Before climbing one level, we had to work our way around about 60 dozen eggs, 20 sacks of potatoes, 10 crates of tomatoes, sacks and sacks of avocados and coconuts, as well as bags, suitcases and other personal belongings. Climbing the second and third levels was a piece of cake in comparison to getting on and through the first deck. We easily found the woman who rented us the suite and "made ourselves at home."

At 9:00 exactly, a rarity in Brazil, the boat, being over-loaded with people and belongings, pushed off from the port of São Raimundo. Luckily for us, there were no babies or overly obnoxious people.

Although we paid slightly more for the suite, it came with no special permission to use the common bathroom, or shower facility (I say this in singular form because there was one shower and toilet for men and one for women), no air-conditioning, nor a lock on the door.

Settling into our new habitat for the next nine hours, we were quickly overtaken by the extreme humidity the single 60 watt light bulb produced, resulting in us having to leave the door ajar to stay cool. In a country where crime and distrust run rampant and especially on a boat that charges at the end of the trip (not when people pile on, no screening of their number or what they bring with them onto the boat), to leave the door open, even the slightest bit, was a ridiculous idea.

There I was, on my back, in a room filled with humidity, with a bag of clothing, money, film and cameras - a blond haired, blue-eyed American. I placed the 15-pound bag filled with clothing behind the half broken wood door keeping it half closed, allowing a cool draft to enter the room. I slept for maybe four hours, after placing my feet on top of the bag to sense any slight movement. Nothing happened to us or our belongings.

Arriving in Novo Airao, I saw the first glimpses of a new day off the horizon, the night clouds having been burned off. This produced a spectacular array of red, yellow and orange shades which were reflected and contrasted against the dark water and green trees that surrounded the nearby islands.

We heard of a passenger who had drunk a lot, then decided to commit suicide, or fell overboard. Apparently, the captain refused to stop. As we descended the boat, we overheard the police chief warn the captain that if the man was found dead, he would be charged with murder/homicide. Later in the day we heard the man was found alive, hanging onto a tree branch along the river's edge.

We each boarded the back of a motorcycle (my first) - the taxi service for the town. We were then taken to a hotel where we hoped to relax before shopping and touring.

Novo Airao looks similar to other towns throughout the interior of Amazonas as shown on Amazonsat television - simple houses, few cars, people at ease as they meander their way along the streets.

We took a short, two-hour river tour with friends on their boat that included a stop at one of the few remaining sand beaches. Our afternoon swim was made more interesting because of the variety of water temperatures. Instead of decreasing temperatures as you reached the river bottom, the temperatures were like layers of oil and vinegar. The water had risen only two meters since March rather than the average eight or nine meters.

Lunch on Saturday was beef, chicken or fish. The chickens were bought at a nearby farm and brought back to the Inn where two boys who worked there were responsible for cooking. Each boy grabbed a chicken by its wings with one hand. With their other hand, they pulled and twisted the chicken's neck until it broke. I thought of the expression "a chicken running around with its head chopped off" was a rumor or something like a wive's tale. Well, folks, it is true.

Sunday started early with a short excursion to see more of the beauty that Novo Airao had to offer. We left the boat we were on for an eight-foot canoe for the remaining 60 feet to meet some people who lived in a house. We were more people than the canoe could handle so a boy began to scoop water out of the canoe. We arrived at our destination laughing uncontrollably.

Amós and I continued up the hill which gave us a view of everything in the area - blue sky with heavy white clouds hanging high above the green forest barely touched by man. We walked along taking in the beauty.

When I was a child, I was told a story about a giant beanstalk that grew from the ground and went up into the sky. I think I found the roots to the story. In the middle of the woods, there was a root that grew from the ground twisting and winding its way skyward. Its base must have been five or six feet wide, easily 20 or 30 feet tall. It seemed to have stopped growing at the tree line. Its strong roots are used by people to facilitate their climbing of trees. I also believe it is a relative of the branches that Tarzan always used.

From there, we went to the other side of the river, considered a wetland because the ground is almost constantly covered with water, unsuitabe for building. When the river is at its peak, it is possible to cross the island in a canoe without seeing dry land.

We found a yellow fruit which I thought was a passionfruit (maracujá), but Amós found it slightly bitter. Inside was a white fleshy fruit with two pieces of fruit within. Its size was about as long as a pen cap and about one-half inch thick. As I placed it in my mouth, slightly bitter was an understatement. It was a lemon!

Returning back to dry land with only about 2.5 hours left before we had to return to Manaus by bus, I sat on the boat as it sped back taking in everything and anything I could. What a wonderful and relaxing place. I had to take a last swim in water Francis says is polluted, but what people drink on a daily basis.

We got on the bus after confirming the price of the ticket to find the bus full - full meaning all seats taken. There was plenty of standing room available in the luxurious aisle. We settled in for a five-hour trip. Luckily some people got off about 35 minutes into the trip allowing us to sit down.

The first five minutes was on paved roads. As we passed a sign, "Road Ends," the bus continued on. The sign is a reminder that the city limits is the end of civilization and the beginning of the wild jungle. The bus went on the road that connects Novo Airao with Manucapuru. About 40 minutes into the trip, with all seats full and no space left for people to stand, more people were awaiting alongside the road to get a ride.

The houses along the road - separated by trees, natural lakes, streams, ponds - had no visible signs of running water or electricity. They were made of wood and raised a foot or two. In general they were of one color, a light gray. Roofs were made of cut Buriti or Tucumå leaves - four feet long and a foot wide. Cut into strips and dried, they are also used for basket weaving. The strips are tied down to pieces of wood and hung where a concrete or tile roof would normally be. We assumed that the bathroom was an outhouse.

We stopped in Manacapuru at the bus terminal where a large part of those standing got off. The bus then traveled one hour until the road ended at a ferry boat point located 20 minutes from Manaus.

We crossed the river and returned to Manaus. Like many cities located near rivers, there is little green vegetation left. Large cargo ships lined the Port of Manaus, unloading and loading cargo produced in the Free Trade Zone and setting off to all parts of the world.

Although we were on the river from Thursday night until Sunday, I only received two mosquito bites. Both happened on Sunday when we went to the natural lake where the water was still, possibly resulting in contracting Dengue or Malaria. From Sunday night to Monday at noon, I received six. And people say being on the river is bad!

Our trip was planned and executed on the spur of the moment with little idea what we would find in Novo Airao. People said Novo Airao was just a stop along a trip but it is actually a great base point. It needs a lot of work to draw large numbers of tourists.

Our trip came to a grand total of $100.00 U.S. and well worth it.

Questions?
If you want more information about this area you can email the author or check out our South America Insiders page.