Os rios da Amazônia

Here we see the famed "Encontro das Águas," the meeting of the waters, just north of Santarém. The brown/café colored water is of the Amazon River, and the darker, almost bluish water is of the Tapajós River. Each river carries more water along its banks than the Mississippi. In the distance, you can see the roofs of the houses of fisherfolk who use handmade nets to pull good eats out of the rivers. The boat in the foreground is heading from Santarém to another town only 40 km away (via water); the journey will take three hours.

At the Encontro, the Amazon and Tapajós get all mixed up and run parallel to each other for several miles. We hiked up to the vista point from which we snapped this photo hoping to see pink river dolphins below, but none were to be seen. We also were hoping for ice cream and/or beer at the top of the three-story climb, but all the concession stands were closed. Rotten luck.

We'll be off on a 2-day bus trip tomorrow, south from Santarém through places with names like Rurópolis, Itaituba, Trairão (named after a fish!), Moraes, Novo Progresso, and Castelo de Sonhos. We'll have less internet access while in Castelo for the next 2.5 weeks, but we'll be sure to get a post or two in.