leaving belem... 

belem is the town where i got on the boat heading up the amazon river towards manaus. like all big brazilian cities, it has many faces. one of its face is poor, dirty, ugly, messy, and also somehow endearing with its rythm and naturality. another face is richer, cleaned up, comically attempting to impose order upon a messy national soul. interestingly, like many modern european and american cities, it has a completely made up modern regenerated area, filled with trendy bars and restaurants. in fact, it reminded me of revitilized parts of the american south, like new orelans. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

the acai begins its short jurney from the boat to the onshore markets at the port in belem 

 

 

the sludge must be pure poison, full of toxic and deadly compounds. i shuddered at the sight of these men, without any protection, in this mush. 

acai, a fruit native to the regio. you can get it most easily served in the form of juice. it tastes sharp and bitter, and is reputed to be excellent for the health! :) 

 

 

vultures compete with humans for the scraps of fish and bones. its not a particularly pleasant scene, but it is striking. the vultures are aggressive, nasty, with little fear but a certain amount of contempt for humans. 

Belem is the capital of the state of para, a massive and rich stretch of land and rivers that shares the heart of the amazon basin with the state of amazonas to its west. i didnt find it the most pleasant city, but i only spent two days there, not enough to really get to know it. the one area where i spent some time was one of its fish ports, a messy, dirty, but incredibly dynamic place always buzzing with activity, not all of it pleasant ;).