A very special trip to the Rio Negro

I had the good fortune to take a trip up the Rio Negro in Amazonia with some wonderful folks. Francois (who I met in Cusco) had told me about his friend's, Marcelo's, boat and the incredible work he and his organization (the Universidade do Amor (universidadedamor.org.br.) are doing to help people in some poorer communities. He has a classic Amazon river boat that he equipped with a doctors/dentist office, and he sails up the Rio Negro and tributaries to indigeneous communities, where he brings them medical and dental care, as well as gifts of food, other goods, and solar panel kits so they can have electricity, especially lights at night. In addition to the volunteer doctors and dentists, he brings along up to eight other volunteers whom he charges a reasonable fee. They help out, but also are there to learn about Amazonia, the indigenous communities, and the work that Marcelo is doing. The communities often hold dances or have meals with the folks on Marcelo's boat. Marcelo also has a facility on the Rio Negro (and another further upstream) where he educates local folks in art, music, crafts, and other skills so they can earn a living (including screen-printing and painting t-shirts, assembling the solar panels, and making herbal medicines, eco-bags, stuffed animals, jam, and breads).

Marcelo told me how he was an international lawyer and traveled alot, but became unsatisfied with his career, so he returned to university to study biology. Later he bought a VW van that was essentially a small motorhome, and started to travel around South America. While in the Atacama Desert, he realized he wanted to do something to help people, so he drove to the Amazon and started by visiting poorer communities with his van showing films on a screen. From that start, he built what he has today. Marcelo is generous, kind, and modest. He says he is spiritual but not religious. He takes the best of several religions and uses it to mold his vision of living. For example, he says he is a fan of Jesus, but not of his fan clubs.

The accommodations on the boat are modest. As Marcelo says "This is not a tourist boat." But it is very comfortable. And the food is good. The boat's name is Padma, which is Sanskrit for the lotus flower. It is an iconic symbol for Buddhism and Hinduism. Padma grows out of the mud to produce a beautiful bloom at the water's surface. It is a symbol for those who overcome ignorance and suffering to find enlightenment and good. The expedition I was was a four night, five day trip arranged as a favor to Francois. The other "volunteers" included a family of nine from France, friends of Francois: a wonderful family including a mother and father about my age, their three adult children, the husband of one of them, and three very nice young granddaughters. Two other passengers were a couple from Brazil, Felippe and Andrea, that had been living in Finland, but were about to move to Barcelona. There was also a crew of four to help with cooking, cleaning, and running the boat. Everyone was so kind, and jumped in to help wherever they could. The first day we assembled the gift packages that we were going to bring to the communities. It was fun to see how enthusiastic the girls were to help.

The first day we sailed upriver two or three hours to the first village. After docking, we had a chance to relax and go swimming. Then dinner and a chance to get to know each other. One of the nice things about the tour is that we say grace at each meal, led by one of the passengers who says what we are grateful for. And in the evening, we would gather around and each of us would reflect upon their day and what were some highlights. It was very nice.

In the morning, we had breakfast with the villagers after which they told us about their culture and held a dance performance (which included us at one point). Breakfast included roasted grubs and termites; they were not particularly tasty (like the fruit). Later, the villagers came to the boat and accepted their gift bags of foodstuffs. The kids got their gifts, then Marcelo brought out a box of toys for them to play with, including Legos.

One young boy stood out. He seemed a little apart from the other kids, but still accepted. Marcelo said he was from Colombia. Andrea and Felippe took quite a liking to him, playing with him while swimming. He came onboard the boat in the evening to eat pizza with us. He seemed so hungry. The next day while playing with the Legos, he built a train. When Felippe asked him what the train was carrying, he said "food."

The next stop was a small concession where you could swim with the Amazon pink river dolphins. They would encourage them to approach by feeding them fish. After grabbing a fish, one of them swam right between my legs. Wild.

At the end of the trip Marcelo gave me a gift for Henry - a stuffed pink river dolphin. It was made by a woman that lives near Marcelo's place. He helped her get started on making them, and now she has sold enough that she could buy a motor for their boat.

In the afternoon we went to another small village where there was a guide to take us into the forest and tell us about the flora and fauna. He was quite knowledgeable and proud of what he knew and his heritage. Afterwards, we sailed further upriver, tied ourselves to the trees on the riverbank, and settled in for the night.

On the third day, we visited another village in the morning to learn about their culture. The tribes in the area have some amazing musical intruments, in particular, some different types of wind instruments. We enjoyed visiting with them. It is good to see how proud they are of their culture.

The Rio Negro is named that because of the tannins in the river. Unlike the other major branch of the Amazon, there is little sediment in the water. It is interesting how black the water is.

The afternoon was a chance to slow down for the long trip upriver to the facilities of the Universidade do Amore. It was good. I need to slow down sometimes. I spent a great deal of time watching the trees on the riverbank roll by, reading my book on tropical ecology, and listening to music.

The fourth day was spent mostly learning about the activities at the Universidade do Amor and the great work they are doing. We met the staff and students, and had some nice meals. Saw how they make the solar panels, t-shirts, and jam. Marcelo showed me the lab for making herbal medicines. Herve, Corinne and I went for a nice walk in the forest to find some big trees. When we returned, a father and his two boys had stopped by to pick up a solar panel. As a thanks for the solar panel, the father had his two boys sing for everyone. It was a highlight of the trip, for three reasons. First, it was nice to see him get the solar panel. You could tell he really appreciated it. Second, the boys sang well and their father was so proud of them. Third, it was so sweet to see the kindness that Andrea showed the boys and their father. It was just a great illustration of how kind and generous she is. I really enjoyed meeting and getting to know Andrea and Felippe. Good people.

In the afternoon we started the long trip back towards Manaus. Another opportunity to slow down, relax, and appreciate the people I met, life, and this earth.

We arrived early in the morning. Said goodby to the French family. They needed to catch an early flight to their next destination. Marcelo, Felippe, Andrea, and I went out to breakfast, then I picked up the truck and headed to the hotel to relax and reorganize. Later in the afternoon, I went out shopping for some folk art - a couple indigenous baskets and a couple masks. Then Marcelo and I went to a performance at the Teatro Amazonas. Wow. What a spectacular building in the middle of the Amazon jungle. At one time Manaus was the richest city in South America as a result of the rubber boom. Finished in 1896, the opulent opera house was a testament to the riches. Manaus was known as the Paris of the tropics. The ceiling of the opera house looks like you are looking up from underneath the Eiffel tower. After the performance, we met Felippe and Andrea for a drink, then said our goodbyes.

I left Manaus the next day on the ferry heading for my next adventure: hoping to see a jaquar in the Pantanal. The ferry crossing is where the Rio Negro and the Rio Solomoes meet to form what the Brazilians consider as the start of the Amazon River. The two rivers run side-by-side without mixing for more than 6 km. The lack of mixing is a result of differences temperature, density, and chemistry of the waters, and differences in the speed of the current.

I spent another night in the jungle on my way south. After brushing my teeth, I heard something and thought there was an animal underneath the car. I looked with my headlamp and saw nothing. But I heard it again, opened the car door, and out flew a bat. He was a friendly fellow and hung out for a little bit, flying around, before flying off.