Out of the Amazon -heading to Barbados

March 9, 2013
Much has been happening during the last week or so. I had been asked to be part of the HAL Chorale so we were practicing for the last week and one-half and finally gave our concert March 6. We had three men and about 6 sopranos and 8 altos for about a twenty minute performance with both sing along, funny songs, some solos, and lots of laughs. I had a solo part.
Our visit to Paratins was delightful as I took pictures of the children and their chaparones. I would put the ages of the children at 9 to 11 or 10 to 12. It would be an experience that they would remember and opens their eyes to the world outside. I had always viewed the Amazon as an area that was years behind North America or Europe. The cities are larger than than many towns I have been in. Parantins has about 100,000 people but has tall buildings and looks similar to other cities as I look from the ship. South America has so much to sustain it`s economies: mining, fishing, farming, industrials, oil, and tourism. As one guide mentioned when asked about the poor people- Many have an attitude that if I need only 2 fish to feed my family why should I catch 3 fish. With that attitude and the political setup most of the inhabitants just live from day to day.
It took us far less time to exit the Amazon than we did to go in. The river flows quickly and pushes us along so we were out in 2 days whereas going in was nearly 4 days. Once out of the jungle we were back to the rocking of the ocean. I did not get to see pink dolphins. After one day at sea we moored off the coast of Ile Royale which is one of the three islands used as a French penal colony from 1852 to 1953 when it was completely closed down. A movie based on this island was Papillon or Papillion which I have seen spelled both ways. The history is amazing. Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman starred in the movie and is certainly worth seeing but remember that to make it more exciting embellishments occur. There are no crocodiles on the island. The author of the book was actually a prisoner in a penal colony on the mainland of South America, French Guyana. The three islands were known as Iles Du Salut and each island had a name and housed different types of convicts. Political convicts were housed on Devil`s Island where the currents around the island are so strong that escape is deathly. Ile Royale is the biggest island and it housed the commandant, wardens and the cell blocks. The prisoners built everything on the island including a swimming hole for the guards and families. A footpath map has outlined all the buildings along the way so an hours walk can take you to all the locations. Agoutis are frequently spotted as one walks along the path. The former guard`s mess hall has been converted to a restaurant and hotel but it is not 5 star. The permanent residents number about 25 or so and visitors arrive by boats. The third island is Ile Ste-Joseph and it housed those in solitary confinement. As we travel it is interesting to note that many areas were originally used to take unwanted or convicted people from Europe. Australia was a penal colony, and so were the 13 colonies in the US which were inhabited by undesirable citizens from countries in Europe. It is also interesting to note that only about 20% of those who were abolished to these islands and French Guyana ever made it off alive. Disease was rampant so even guards, wives and their children died on the island. The children`s cemetery is even noted on the map.
We are at sea today and we have only 3 more ports to visit before we dock in Fort Lauderdale. I have not done a lot of tours over the last week but instead I have treated myself to some time in the Greenhouse Spa getting leg massages. On March 6th we had a masked ball which was a lot of fun. I hope to explore Windows classes as we travel east to the Mediterranean learning how to make movies and learning about a concept of the Cloud. There have been dance classes, Portuguese speaking classes, want to learn bridge?, then there are the daily games of trivia, name that tune, word challenge, and the outside activities of ping pong tournaments, water aerobics, and also all the food buffets. In fact I missed the dessert buffet this afternoon and I wanted to get some pictures. We have been surprised by lots of gifts given by HAL and as this segment draws to a close there will be many staff heading home and many passengers going back to their residences. We have only 9 going on with us and the ship is only half full for the next segment so if you wish come voyage with us......