Some Favorites

Here are some fun photos from the trip

Puraque

Slide show #2 pictures around PQQ

Our Last Days in Brazil

I have spent the morning importing photos and pick favorites to share. These photos are up to date as of yesterday. I last wrote on Friday. We spent that day in Manaus and it was HOT. It seems much cooler out here on the banks of the river. There is a breeze most of the time that cools things down. We are here during rainy season so nearly every day, at least once a day… and sometimes multiple times a day… the rain pounds the aluminum roof to loud that we have to shout to hear one another. But once the rain sweeps in (and we dash out to the clothes line to pull off the semi-day clothes) and cools the air down. On the days that it doesn’t rain, it becomes very muggy and we sweat more than normal.

When we were in town Friday Phil and Cindy purchased a modem from a cell phone company for internet at their house. I spend part of Friday night and most of Saturday-- first trying to get it to work at all, then trying to get it to work on Cindy’s laptop. It worked great on my computer but was being rebellious to hers. I am happy to report that it has finally agreed to cooperate at we are enjoying internet with views of the Amazon River.

Saturday evening we loaded up Chuck and Laurel’s bags and headed to Manaus. Their flight didn’t leaved until 1:30am so we stopped to visit Pat and John Sharp, good friends of Phil and Cindy, and made a quick stop at one more 24 hour grocery store before going to the airport. We left them to check in about 11pm. The generator turns off every night at 9:30pm so we have gotten use to going to bed about then. But we had about an hour drive to the water taxi then another 20-30 minute boat ride to our beds. We were very tired when we finally were about to crawl into bed after 1am.

Sunday we recovered from out late night out by reading books and napping. It was lovely.

Monday I taught my photo class and then Cindy and I hiked up to the orchard on the ridge. We found 17 cupaucu (pronounced koo pa su) fruit, 6 lemons, and some citrus fruit that we are not sure what it is, but it was very sweet and yummy. I have loved tasting, gathering and learning about all of the different kinds of fruit.

It rained most of the day on Tuesday. I painted the kitchen cupboards. Mom and Cindy made a quilted table runner.

Yesterday we went to town for a few supplies that were low, saw the famous Opera House (funny you should have asked about that yesterday, Janelle) and were home by 3:30 just as the rain clouds opened up the flood gates. I had scheduled with my photo class to do a demonstration, but with the rain we were limited. We talked about lenses and I let them play with my equipment. Then we took some crazy guy photos.

Today I have spent the morning going though photos and getting you caught up. We only have two days left and head into Manaus on Saturday evening to catch out flight out early Sunday morning.

Here us slide show #1 of our Trips to Manaus

Sights from Brazil

It is amazing how fast the days are flying by. We are back in Manaus today and stopped by the guest house for New Tribes Mission for a little internet and air conditioning.

We have had a fun 5 days.
Saturday: I taught a 2 hour photo class.

Sunday: Chuck and Laurel went with some of the students and adults up river for an outreach Bible Study. Mom, Dad and I stayed at the base for church. Then in the evening Laurel helped the high school seniors with music and gave a testimony. Mom and Dad also were able to give a testimony. It was Grandma Joy's birthday today and my brother Shane and his wife Kristi had a little boy, Seth Jacob for her today! Happy Birthday. We spent a lot of time talking, thinking and praying for everyone once we heard he was coming.

Monday: Laurel and I painted a room in a guest house that kicked Mom and Dad out of their room for a few days. I taught the second photo class for the high schoolers. Dad and Chuck helped Phil start a wood shop project for his beginning wood shop class. Mom and Cindy kept working on the curtain project

Tuesday: We went for a tour of the Amazon river in our area. Phil drove us around both sides of the river in the launch. I have lots of pictures, but they are not downloaded yet. A couple of us spent too much time on the top deck of the launch enjoying the breeze and view...but also a little too much sun. In the afternoon I hiked up the hill with Chuck and Laurel to attempt some infrared photos... I haven't had a chance to look at them, but it should be fun to see what comes out.

Laurel, Chuck and I have started an evening ritual of jumping in the Amazon for a few minutes just before supper. A great way to cool off!

Enjoy the slide show!

A little more detail (before my battery runs out)

Monday
Dad, Chuck, Phil and several guys took a little trip down the river. I was asked to teach 4 high school guys a photography class for the three weeks we are here. So for an hour on Monday afternoons I pack in as much as I can.

Tuesday
We took a hike in the jungle and picked fresh fruit off the trees to take home with us. The oranges look like lemons and the lemons look like grapefruit.

Wednesday
I had the photography lab with the high school guys. Mom worked on making curtains for Cindy. And we had a terrific lightening storm all evening that lit up the sky around us.

Thursday
Chuck and Phil worked on honey-do projects for Cindy including: porch outlets and a new porch light so we don't trip walking between houses.

Friday - today
We came to Manaus, a city of 2 million people for a little shopping and internet time. We had fun in the fruit, veggie and fish markets. Then had a great lunch with Phil and Cindy's good friends the Sharps. (pictures to come)

Saturday - I get to teach a photography class open to anyone one.

Sunday - the high school seniors are leading Sunday night church and Chuck and Laurel are helping with music.

Snapshots of Life on the Amazon

Phil and Cindy's house is the blue one on the left.













Monday Morning Chuck and Dad joined some guys going upriver to work on the telephone tower. They went to a MAF base and talked to the pilots up there.




Dad was safe with his life jacket and umbrella.







Watching the boats on the river.











A stormy sunset over the Amazon.













Laurel's new friend, Robin. A pet that one of the students raised. He flies around base begging from anyone who will stop.









A barrel came floating down the river. Chuck spotted it and he and Phil dashed up to get a boat and rescue it. They were successful.





Relaxing in the hammock

Greetings from the Amazon

Saturday we left at 8am from Phoenix… a day early. Delta changed our flights around and fortunately we found out just in time on Friday to fly out Saturday. We met up with Chuck and Laurel Morris in Atlanta. And after a 6 hour flight down, arrived at midnight local time last night and had no problems with customs. It started raining just before we loaded up the boat and headed down the Amazon around 2am. It was a wet, warm boat ride. Then we had to carry all of that heavy luggage up the hill to the house in the rain. We fell asleep to the sound of frogs, bugs and birds in the jungle around us. It felt so good to sleep last night and sleep in this morning. In the night a big wind blew through and woke us all up. So many fun new things

We haven’t moved very far today. Mostly sitting on the front porch watching the river traffic go by. Dad feel’s good, but says his legs are sore today from lifting. Mom has a bad headache. Cindy rubbed her feet and she thinks it will go away soon. Chuck has the binoculars out so he can analyze all of the boats going down the river. Laurel is sitting in a rocking chair knitting. We are talking about taking a tour of the base when Phil gets back from a meeting.

It is a cool 77 degrees and very humid. Pretty nice!

Playing with Infrared

Lat summer I bought an infrared filter for my camera. I have only played with it once since I bought it. Today I pulled it out and took a few pictures. It is still a bit of a puzzle for me and I am not sure I have done it right. But here are some of my first attempts.

Arrived

Sunday, January 18
El Paso to Wilcox, Arizona

I think this may be the only campsite that we had that I didn't take a picture. Oh well, it wasn't much to rave about. It was actually not a state park, but an RV park. Just gravel and RV hookups.

Monday, Janurary 19
Wilcox to Maricopa, Arizona

We arrived at Uncle Norman and Aunt Connie's place. And we are parking her for awhile. This is my first taste of the Southwestern dessert. I am loving the warmer temps. My flip flops are out and the flip flop tan line is going strong. The first picture is of 3 of my grandma's siblings and their spouses. All three live down here in the winter.


And the second picture is at my aunt Peggy's house playing cards by the pool one Sunday afternoon.

The Trail

I thought I would make it easier for you to figure out where the road has taken us this winter. Here is a google map that I put together of our journey thus far. Just a mere 2,722.

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