A STEAMY BELEM

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First thing I did when I arrived at the bus station in Belem is to look for internet cafe to figure out how to get to my hostel, i called them on skype then tried to get a bus, according to instructions it's just outside the station so took one from the list i wrote down, I got on and showed the driver a piece of paper where I need to go. He looked at it and pointed me to the street perpendicular to the one I was on, so i walked across the intersection, only the bus stop was far away so have to find it, people showed me the way. i got on and did the same thing, then the driver told me to get off and the hostel is just across the street, Hostel Amazonia recommended by LP, nice place, dorm rooms are segregated, toilet as well, men's room has 4 shower rooms and 3 toilets, not bad. There is wifi too! i took a shower quickly and asked the reception dude for a laundry place when i got quoted 20 reais for a bout 10 pieces of clothes for washing in the hostel, i went to town and followed instructions but could not find one, even if I ask the locals, so I returned exhausted, its hot and muggy, i chilled for a bit and then met Schiavon, Becky and Erika, the ritish girls from Jeri!

We catch up on things then I went out to find lunch, there is a Lider store close by so I walked there to have lunch and buy things. In the afternoon I took a walk to town trying to find the fort which I found eventually, lots of people strolling about, then I saw the Mercado central had a walk there, fruit juices being sold, fruits, dried fish and shrimps and some potions of sorts. the port is full of vultures probably smelling death from the fish they process there, Belem is not bad, nice attractions but spread out unlike Sao Luis. I rested for a bit, bought some tangerines and had coconut juice which is fairly common here for about a dollar each. Went back to the hostel and bumped into the girls on their way to the fort to see the sunset. When they casme back while they cook dinner i went to buy rotisserie chicken and a few Antarctica beers as this maybe my last. Erika made some mixed fruit drinks with vodka and 3 jugs full later we are ready to go out. Some Brazilians staying in the hostel joined us for a bit, ny roomates a Brazilian dude cant speak good English and it became a game of charade, all we understood is he was from Vittoria. We invited them to go out but they said they come later. A french girl Aurelie, travelling briefly in the north with her parents joined us for some drinks then went off to bed, so that leaves me and the 3 girls to go out.

We decided to try at a local bar close to our hostel caipirinhas with tropical fruits, I had the maracujo and the girls had the kiwi(well not really tropical), it was repulsive! Too much cachaca, we have to put tons of sugar to make it drinkable. I struggled to finish mine then Erika already drunk decided to pay me back for "forcing " them drink with us one night in Jeri, she ordered tequila shots and we downed it with salt then lime, good quality tequila, hopefully no sore heads tomorrow as we all fly out. Back at the hostel we drunk some more, i finished the last 2 cans of Antarctica beers then off to bed but Erika wanted to drink some more so we all left her and went to bed. The next morning no sore heads surprisingly, had breakfast and took a taxi to the airport, they, off to Manaus i to Paramaribo.

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