Cortajuba!!!

This weekend, I had the opporunity to visit an island in the Amazon River. It is an undeveloped island mostly. There are no cars on the island. They are just now bringing motorcycles onto the island. I went with a friend from the school that I teach at and a girl from Aninindeau. We went to visit her "goodmother's" hotel on the island. (I think goodmother is equivalent to godmother...not sure). We arrived on the island and immediately saw the "chariots" (horse and buggies) and the "cable" (a tram pulled by a tractor). We had to quick hop on the cable to ride to our beach which was about twenty minutes away.

The beach was gorgeous!!! The strangest thing was the waves. They were huge, but they were river waves...wierd. A wave literally caught me and made me tumble. They were typical ocean size waves....It was beautiful. I just loved the relaxed lifestyle of the 200 or so people who live on the island.

While on the island, I thought that I should try some of the foods it had to offer. In Brazil, fruit trees are everywhere and people just eat fruit off of them. I had yet to do this...so I thought that I should. While in Cortajuba...so I picked a starfruit and ate it. And it was good. Better than the starfruit was the coffee some woman made for me....oh my goodness. I could have died it was that good. I can confidently say that I will never have a cup of coffee ever again that tasted that good. When I asked her what type of coffee she used, she laughed at me and said it was just coffee. I think I am just not meant to know. Also, I enjoyed some very fresh fish and crab...for around what would equal 4 dollars...great price.

Realizing that we were running late, we had no other choice but to choose the more dangerous form of transportaion...moto taxis! I was so excited and so nervous...Let me explain why: the roads are dirt, there are many giant potholes, you don't wear a helmet, people get crazy when they drive here, and all i have to hold on to is the back of the bike. Needless to say, i loved it! I was a little confused when the bike with my friends, who we were following became a speck in the distance because my driver decided to stop...I still don't know why he stopped for a good couple of minutes because I do not speak Portugese. I had images of the boat leaving me on the island forever...but needless to say, I made it safely to the boat on time and in one piece. Except that my taste buds were very hurt by some local soup/egg thing that Louisa made me try called takaka...nasty. It numbed my tongue. But I did have some equivalent to M&Ms and that was tasty. Overall, it was a day well spent.

I am officially half way done with my time in Brazil and I am sad that I will have to be leaving Brazil soon, but I am excited to see the people that I miss so much...you know who you are but i know you all love shout-outs so here goes...Derek, Mom, Dad, Joshman, Katie, Nate, Roomie, Mags, Clur, Katie Trashbag, Steen, Em, Grandpa and Grandma, PopPop and Grandmom and everyone else!!!!