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| Shamim at Dock 1 |
“I decided when I was 12 I wanted to be a guide.”
So spoke Max Maia, the owner of the Turtle Lodge
who picked up four of us at our ship, M.V.
Explorer, in Manaos for the first leg of our trip in the Amazonas region of
Brazil.
On our way to the fish market where we were to take the first of three legs
to the Lodge, he stopped to show us the nearby favela and a stream where he had
fished as a boy. Back in his childhood,
he had been volunteered to guide some folks whose boat broke down near his
home. Only 12, he showed them the
village and then when he received ten dollars or so in pay, decided this was
what he wanted to do – become a guide.
And so he did. And after a quarter of
a century guiding tourists, he developed Turtle Lodge -- away from the port of Manaos -- for visitors to go deeper
into the Amazonas Region.
Bidding him goodbye, I along with my three comrades boarded a boat that ferried
us across the Amazon River – past the point where the black water of the Rio Negro and the
amber Solimoes join to form the Amazon.
We were on to more black rivers -- where the tannin of the forests colors the water dark.
Across the Amazon, at Careiro da Varzea, we hauled our bags up a long flight of steps through
walkways between houses on stilts and finally onto the street crowded with
trucks and cars.
There, we boarded a rather
old VW van which carried us for an hour to another town -- near Porto Velho -- still further
south.
We stopped along the way to view
some water lilies blooming in a nearby wetland and once again to purchase
gasoline and water at a country store.
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| Dock 3: Our port of entry to the Mamori Rio region |
Finally, we reached our next station, a dock where we boarded a smaller motor
boat that took us for another hour along winding rivers, past small homesteads
to our final destination, Turtle Lodge.
At a covered dock, we were welcomed with mango drinks before climbing
the 50-plus steps to the lodge and our individual cottages.
For the next 24 hours we were entranced by the Amazonas region – boating
nearby, eating in the porch-like lodge, watching a pink sunset and then pink
dolphins frolicking in the Lago.
We saw
many species of exotic birds, and our guide—as he promised-- caught a caiman
with his hands.
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| Dock at Turtle Lodge |
( I held the caiman for a photo – he was a small fellow – probably just a
few years old and I’m sure we were more frightful to him than he to us.)
Birds, Birds, Birds everywhere singing and flying. Some very familiar yet different – like the
red breasted kingfisher – and broad winged
hawks – But also a gorgeous pair of Toucans who posed for us – usually I never
get pictures of birds with my little point and shoot because the birds move too
fast for me to locate them quickly. Cara
Cara, Tiger Herons and many others.
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| Toucan Profile |
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| Collared Hawk |
According to the internet, Turtle Lodge is sitting beside the Lago do
Tracaja River, 100 km from Manaus which appeared to be our location. However, Travel Advisory’s map locates it
smack dab in the middle of the city of Manaus, which it was not. Nevertheless, map aside, the web photos
seemed to verify that this was OUR Turtle Lodge.
We trekked through the jungle, looking at the various trees and plant life,
listening to birds and monkeys. One of our guides made fans from the palms for
the women.
We tried the local beer, ate
the fish and chatted with other guests from the Netherlands and from New
Jersey
After a really hectic schedule, I needed a true respite from students,
classes and disappointments, which the lodge provided.
Despite our many activities (especially the
long voyage getting to and returning from the lodge), the stay was so restful
that I returned to the ship rested and ready to take on the final phase of the
voyage as we left Brazil headed for Dominica and then home.
See
http://www.maiaexpeditions.com/interna.php?id=42 for more info about Turtle Lodge and Max Maia's expeditions.
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