Looking for a Ride in Manicoré {AM Trip #8}

10/05/2017 (rain)

    A/C failed. First the compressor went out, and then the fan. It was still dark, but warm. Manager got me a fan, makes it bearable, but not comfortable. Breakfast was tapioca & coffee. Nice little place.  Thought there was a fly in juice machine, but just a "maracujá" or passion fruit seed chip. 

     While waiting for the store to open to confirm a space in the car to Manaus, the hotel manager came and said he has a friend that is going and only wants R$70 (compared to R$230 for this car I'm waiting to hear about, or R$200 for the "expresso" or R$120(?) for "slow"). He took me to 2 places and we didn't find his friend. I paid him R$20 for 2nd day in the hotel (with no a/c) and gave him a R$70 advance for ride if he can find his friend!

     I found other First Baptist Church!  This one is independent. It started as a "Cristã Evangelica" or Evangelical Christian Church. The pastor, Pr. Cid, is from Borba up river.  He went to the Regular Baptist seminary in Manaus. He has been here for 8 years and has 1 river work.  The church is building big new auditorium. They had drums. He actually seemed eager to work with us. Did I mention it's hot. Pr. Cid thinks 5% of the river communities are evangelized.

     Going back to the hotel I talked with the gold guy to confirm my order. Order OK. He had a bad stutter. Went to river and met a guy who has gold dredge.  They build one for +-50G and draw 5 to 7G/wk. He thinks most river communities have Assembleia de Deus (Ch of God, charismatic) and maybe 5% without. Better go talk to the local Assembly of God pastor, after my sweat nap… 

Southern Baptist

Jehovah's Witness

      And a sweat nap it was. Then it started raining. Little rain while in Manaus. Asked hotel manager about the ride. We found the guy - said he had room but kept "botando dificuldade" (saying how hard it was going to be) and wanted R$150.  He was leaving later because of the ferry (it goes at 6:00 am, and returns 4:00 pm on  M/W/F) and only that he was going as far as Careira where I'd have to get a another ferry/lancha and then a taxi. Too complicated to save only R$70!  Back to store, again, to wait for it to open to see if there's still room in that car. Plus or minus an hour later it opened, but I still had to wait for the man. Finally, oops "Sorry, no vaga" (space) …"Wait someone just backed out."  If it had been "blacked out" the someone might have been me!  Finally, all paid, all set for 5:00 am. I should be in Manaus by 1-2 pm, and they'll take me to the boat.

 Michele texted me the address for the Assembly of God church. Its sprinkling but I want to see the pastor. I'm glued to buildings rushing from awning cover to cover in the mist like some kind of "bode nordestino"(northeastern Brazil goat - afraid of the rain) and the locals are going down the street like nothing's happening and looking at me like I'm crazy. 

(Ed. 10/7:  Speaking of rain, a boat pilot just stepped on it. When I looked back the sky was black!) 

I found the church and when I got the nerve I went in and met and talked to Pr. J. Batista. He said they have many works. Still a few holes with nothing. He wouldn't give any percentages. 

Went to pick up the gold porpoise charm and was told he he he was sick and co co couldn't m-m-m-make it. There are "baianos" (Bahians - known for laziness) everywhere. 

Going home (back to hotel), I got some supper. I skipped some meals during the trip - sometimes on purpose, sometimes not. For lunch one day in Manicore' I had dourado (fish), tonight I had "churrasco" - chicken breast fillet on a stick with rice and noodles for R$5. Few beans here in restaurants or homes.

(Ed: Rain caught up to us, I've got to move) After supper I talked to M on Voipbuster through the Internet to my cell.  It is more expensive than I thought. I shoulda bought a local Oi chip. While talking, her phone rang. She kind of freaked because the area code was from here (Amazonas). It was the truck guy calling wanting to leave later. I had turned on call-forwarding to her Oi number and my Oi number was now disconnected. She gave him my new Vivo number and he called me. Said with the rain, he wanted to allow some time for the road to dry. (Michele note:  communication during this whole trip was rough.  Voipbuster turned out to be costly, Vivo to Oi was expensive, too.  Many places there just isn't any signal at all.  Wi-fi was sketchy.)

Now my car was set for 7:30 on dock.  This would still give me time to catch 3:00 pm  boat. At least I'd have time to eat breakfast now!!  "Mosquito" bites have progressed to places ain't no 'skeeter EVER seen. What's the Portuguese word for chigger?