Thursday 26th January - Icoaraci for Belem

Old Dockyard Cranes at Belem

We're not so close to the rainforest anymore, so I didn't get up early to go moth chasing.  This meant I didn't wake Peter and he finally got a lie in.

The ship let down anchor outside Icoaraci a little after lunchtime and the crew did the usual thing of checking the pier. Guess what?  That's right, once again the tender was too low for passengers to disembark onto the pier.  That set of steps they built in Alter de Chao came in handy for a third time (or is it the fourth?).

Peter and I are escorting the Belem Transfer which should be easy.  A bus out to the city, everyone has three hours there, then a bus ride back to Icoaraci and the ship.  The ship operation was slick, passengers checked with Susan from Shorex, she gave them a tender ticket to match their tour, and then everyone on that tour was sent across the river at the same time in the same tender and then directed onto their bus.

Except it wasn't as well organised at the other end. In fact it was chaos.  The bus driver let the passengers on before the guide could check tickets, and he opened both bus doors so that we had no idea how many people had climbed on it.  I'm shouting "stop" at one door, but people were still getting on at the other.

Eventually it was calm. But there's always one isn't there. We'd counted the passengers, checked tickets numbers and counted them again.  We were just about to set off when a couple shouted that thought they were on the wrong bus.  Honestly!  So now I'm off the bus, on the bus, talking to the tour manager, looking for Merle and trying to work out whether the passengers should be elsewere or not.  Other passengers kept chipping in "helpfully", as well as complaining.  In the end, we decided the confused passengers were on the right bus, but what a palaver, it took me the whole 45 minutes of the drive to cool down.  This escorting lark may have it's perks, but we sure have to earn them.






Anyway, we reached Belem and went off for a wander.  The bus had set us down at one of the main tourist areas, Estacao das Docas, a cultural centre of artisan craft stalls, restaurants and cafes. Old warehouses and dock buildings have been converted and the old cranes on the shore side are iconic to the city.

Palm Tanager

We didn't get far, because we found fast free wi-fi in the refurbished buildings. We spent our time gorging on it.

Once we'd had our fill we had less than an hour to look around before it was time to stand ready with the sanitizer for the returning passengers.

Belem Cranes

Micro Brewery inside the old dockyard warehouses.  We nearly bought some Amazon beer. 

We got back to pier by about 7pm.  We had to wait a few minutes for the return tender and used them to have a look around. Despite the fact it was dark, Icoaraci looked really interesting.  We've decided that if we come this way again, we'll dip out of any escorting duties and spend some time investigating the town.

Tomorrow is a sea day and Peter will be back to work.  It'll be Isle de Salut after that, one of our absolute favourites. Awesome.