Jan. 16, Alter da Chao

January 16, Friday, Alter de Chao, Brazil
I can’t believe I didn’t wake up until 9:15. Even then I had to waken Alan. It couldn’t be the wild nights. Must be the sea air.
Today’s port was quite a change. For one thing the water was blue, not murky tan. Second, there was a long sandy beach. Beautiful soft white sand with thatched huts strung along the beach, the result of a long sandbar in front of the town.
Alter do Chao is approximately 15 miles up the Tapajos River so we left the Amazon and passed one of our earlier ports of call, Santarem, on the port side.
We tendered in to a small dock and then had to walk through the sand for about 150 feet. Not a problem unless you were using a walker.
Of course, we passed several stands selling the usual beads, wooden whistles, hammocks and postcards, etc. Some of the masks were rather interesting being made from coconuts, piranha teeth, local grasses and stones. They were also a bit fragile to pack and carry home so we reluctantly passed them by.
I didn’t see any passengers rushing off to the beach but did see local family groups enjoying a day at the sea shore, or river shore as it was.
We walked along the waterfront. The people were very friendly and I observed several very blond little kids. Alter do Chao seemed to be a typical small town along the river, and typically hot and humid.
Alan wandered off in one direction and I in another. Of interest in all the villages we have visited are the blue tubs on roofs. They are for the collection of water. The tubs are of varying sizes some not much bigger than a large wash tub and other considerably larger. Most have the name of the same company on them. One I passed today must have been full because a stream of water was flowing out from the spigot. Or perhaps someone left the faucet on. Or it was filling a tank below. A high fence surrounded the yard so I couldn’t tell.
Speaking of fences…..most of the houses, even the humblest shacks, have stone walls or fences between them and the sidewalk. Yes, there are sidewalks almost everywhere.
One prosperous looking house was surrounded by a stone wall topped with sharp spikes, and with the added protection of three strands of electrified wife above the spikes. I had to wonder who lived there and what they were protecting.
If anyone has any idea what this strange green fruit a little smaller than a basketball is, please let us know.

Today was our last port on the Amazon before we enter the Atlantic Ocean. We have a sea day or two and then reenter the delta for our visit to Belem.