An Amusing Cast of Characters

Through our trip we've met plenty of interesting, warm and friendly people. Some local residents, some international travellers like ourselves and some domestic travellers who have been charming and helpful. But we have had our share of oddballs too. Two of them stick out.

When we were staying in Amazonia, our very helpful Pousada-owner introduced us to a Catholic, priest, yoga teacher and spiritual-guide of Indian (i.e. from our homeland!) origin so that he could help communicate with us in English since she spoke none at all. Well we did get that, but oh so much more! We had gone there after a trip to the airport chasing our delayed bags and were encountered with a wall of Portuguese so we were not sure the bags were really there. He assured us that our bags had arrived and were with the airline and then invited us to have some coffee before we left on our way to Alter do Chao. From the discussion, we gleaned that he had arrived here quite a few years ago, sent by the church to study and work in Brasil and now functioned as a spiritual advisor, free psychological counselor - by his own account, much in need since Brasil is a country of loose morals and sexual values hence there are many "problems." When he learned we were not married he nodded sagely and said "Ah yes, nowadays in India also they have that, boyfriend-girlfriend." Again by his own description, he also acts as a general administrator working with the government who knew everyone there is to be known including Lula himself! ("He is known to us" is a phrase we won't forget in a hurry.) What was his means of sustenance - he, erm, "collaborated" with the people of the town and had formed an "association." The "association" was so fond of him, it didn't even go on holidays without letting him be in peace and "forced" him to come along. To be fair, he kindly took us on a quick tour of Santarem around the docks at which point he was called by a friend and "association" member who called us over for some juice at her house. Since a good suco is not to be turned down, we went along and were treated to fresh orange juice and a delectable creme de maracuja! His friend turned out to be the wife of a big-shot doctor in Santarem and lived in a huge, secure house with a splendidly laid out garden. It turned out to be an unintentionally amusing afternoon and we even forgot about our baggage delay for a while.

An even stranger incident occurred at the Santarem airport where we spent most of the night before our flight to Sao Luis. I had gone to the information desk to inquire about whether there was Wi-Fi available at the airport and was greeted and answered by a wiry young man who said that we'd have to pay to get access. I said thanks and started to walk away when he engaged me in a brief discussion. He started off by asking me where I was from, which I politely answered but then he quickly moved on to whether I knew about Jesus Christ. I said well, what's there to know? But he insisted so I obliged and said he's supposed to be the son of God and apparently the product of the immaculate conception of Mary. Strangely - for an airport information desk employee - he asked whether I believed that was true and whether I believed in the Lord. A little bit puzzled and annoyed I said no, I don't particularly believe in any Lord of any sort to deflect any further line of attack. But undeterred he marched on and informed me that at some point I would come around and believe and in fact that happened to everyone, everyone eventually comes to believe. All of this, by the way, in perfect English. I thanked him for the information and made my getaway. We've chalked down Santarem as being a bit on the nutty side!