[pe2-image src=”http://lh6.ggpht.com/-trfOTfGM0Io/U06Y4-OIG1I/AAAAAAAAbKY/gJQQMbqDQa4/s144-c-o/P3220305.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage18Brazil1CayenneToAmazonasDelta#6002903457873795922″ caption=”A pretty house by night in Belem” type=”image” alt=”P3220305.JPG” ]

Driving to Belem city
Pos: here
Loc: Punta Pesqueira
Acc: Gelderson’s and Priscilla’s apartment

I went to the small city centre of Soure this morning myself with a bicycle from the hotel to shop for shoes, as the time for shopping in Belem tomorrow would be limited and I loved to put on eventually real shoes with socks where my sores are protected from the dirt of the roads with many wet potholes. It is already much better, but not fully recovered yet. I found a cheap pair, the exhibition left shoe a bit discoloured, but who cares. Those shoes will be also worn on the beach when I like to protect my feet from bugs and wetness also and may be dumped after this section of the trip.

I also bought a new pair of flip flops as my old pair is worn out, and found something looking almost like my old Teva sandals for paddling, just a bit more female. Who says a small city hasn’t some choice? Job done, and I went to the internet place to work another two hours online on my website pictures and other stuff.

We left the hotel at 1 pm to drive first to the ferry over the river to Salvaterra, then to the big ferry across the Rio Para leading to Belem. Gelderson couldn’t book a place for the car on the ferry, so we left the car on this shore and jumped on as pedestrians only. Some friendly kayaker was supposed to pick us up then in Belem itself. Fortunately we bought a ticket for the ‘first class’ in the airconditioned room with soft seats, as the regular seats in the regular area were not really attractive looking and packed also with people transporting whatever stuff. The ferry ride was about three hours, time for me to relax and read.

Our pick up didn’t arrive in time, so we took a taxi to Gelderson and Priscilla’s apartment inside the city center. It was quite small, but I got the second room with a folded down bed – and also air condition. No problem! Thanks for hosting me and looking after me! We went to a Japanese restaurant for dinner, where our kayak contact joined us eventually.

Next job was to drive to the airport to hopefully get my passport stamped, becoming eventually legal in Brazil. I had my doubts, as it was already 9.30 pm, but no problem, the airport was still busy, and the guys at the Federal police friendly and quickly stamped my passport with the date of today. A female smile and my card may have helped a lot to speed up this process, as Gelderson thought… Now I am allowed to stay the maximum full visa time of three months in Brazil, despite being already a few weeks here since crossing over the boarder on February 17th…good!

I may need the full visa time, as Christian Fuchs advised me to paddle as long as the wind is low until May June, then it would be dry summer time and much higher wind. I may reach Fortaleza in this way before I will head home for my well deserved summer break!