We spent a few days moored off Belem at the B & B
Marina. We have explored parts of Belem going through all the formalities of
checking in with the Port Captain, looking for shops with charts and boats
items and sightseeing.
We rise early as the small river boats with their very loud
engines start at 5:30 am.
We have toured the Teatro da Paz. A beautiful old neoclassical theater built around 1869 with the goal to rival the theatres of Europe. The marble columns, parquet floors and ceilings paintings and were impressive.
Fresh produce provisioning was done at the Mercado Ver-o-Peso, a large waterfront market that sells just about anything you would want. Fish, produce, medicinal products, animals, clothing and more. One end of the market is covered by a structure called the Mercado do Ferro. It is an iron structure that was brought here from Britain and assembled in 1901. Part of it is currently under restoration. We had a good local lunch at one of the stalls in the market.
The Basilica Santuario de Nazaré is beautiful and is the focal point of Brazil's largest religious festival, Cirio de Nazaré, which takes place in October each year. It involves a small image of Nossa Senhora de Nazaré, which is believed to have been sculpted in Nazareth and to have performed miracles in Portugal before being lost in Brazil. It was rediscovered in 1700 on the site of the Basilica. In October it is brought out of the Basilica to a location 23 km away and carried in a river procession back to Belem, to the Cathedral da Sé and then returned to the Basilica. Up to 2 million people participate in the festival. The Basilica is beautiful with mosaics, stained glass, sculptures, and marble columns.
Our stay in Belem took an unfortunate turn. On Sunday the 20th, as Suza and I walked from the restaurant where we had lunch toward the Estação das Doca, two guys came toward us and mugged Suza. Why they did not grab my bag, I don't know. We are both okay, there were no injuries and we lost very little since we had been warned about crime. The camera was the only item of value. We will be even more cautious now and will not go anywhere without Rick.
We have left Belem and are now heading down the Rio Para to go further into the Amazon River Basin.
We have toured the Teatro da Paz. A beautiful old neoclassical theater built around 1869 with the goal to rival the theatres of Europe. The marble columns, parquet floors and ceilings paintings and were impressive.
Fresh produce provisioning was done at the Mercado Ver-o-Peso, a large waterfront market that sells just about anything you would want. Fish, produce, medicinal products, animals, clothing and more. One end of the market is covered by a structure called the Mercado do Ferro. It is an iron structure that was brought here from Britain and assembled in 1901. Part of it is currently under restoration. We had a good local lunch at one of the stalls in the market.
The Basilica Santuario de Nazaré is beautiful and is the focal point of Brazil's largest religious festival, Cirio de Nazaré, which takes place in October each year. It involves a small image of Nossa Senhora de Nazaré, which is believed to have been sculpted in Nazareth and to have performed miracles in Portugal before being lost in Brazil. It was rediscovered in 1700 on the site of the Basilica. In October it is brought out of the Basilica to a location 23 km away and carried in a river procession back to Belem, to the Cathedral da Sé and then returned to the Basilica. Up to 2 million people participate in the festival. The Basilica is beautiful with mosaics, stained glass, sculptures, and marble columns.
Our stay in Belem took an unfortunate turn. On Sunday the 20th, as Suza and I walked from the restaurant where we had lunch toward the Estação das Doca, two guys came toward us and mugged Suza. Why they did not grab my bag, I don't know. We are both okay, there were no injuries and we lost very little since we had been warned about crime. The camera was the only item of value. We will be even more cautious now and will not go anywhere without Rick.
We have left Belem and are now heading down the Rio Para to go further into the Amazon River Basin.
I will post pictures when I have a better connection.
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