0001 COTIJUBA ISLAND WEST COAST

PART 2

50-MINUTE RIVERBOAT RIDE ACROSS THE BAY

Once in the riverboat, culture interested tourists may have a close-range experience. The boats leave when all benches are occupied. Pará people tend to be spontaneous, friendly and talkative, and once somebody starts talking, others get in the conversation. One can hear the language, and accents. For some reason, such friendliness doubles towards foreigners. In general, people are interested in what sounds different, odd and out of the ordinary.

The po-po-po sets sail! It’s a small dot crossing a vast expanse of water, referred to as the Marajó Bay. Some large rivers end in this region, such as the Guamá River, and the Tocantins. For about 40-50 minutes, eyes witness the yellowish waters, past some large islands, and near the shore, where you see the Ribeirinhos, local people who live in pile dwellings. Such dwellings often have a small wooden pier reaching out into the river.

I have to remind you that I took the larger boat on this day!