Stage-diving the Amazon

So I left Manaus Tuesday taking a fast boat up the Rio Negri. The was the best boat ride so far despite the length of time. Over 24 Hours. What made it best was that though the bow was very small they made no restrictions on riding on the front of the boat. So I spent as much time as I could on the bow. Which made for an amazinly beautiful ride up. At night for part of the night I slept on deck until I was too cold to stay out there. I saw the stars come out on a moonless (early part of the) night. Many bats a few dolphin and many birds and almost endless river, archipelegos, and jungle. I speak no Portugese, though I try, and people are so generous with my attempts. I arrived after a long and tiring trip to Sao Gabriel, knowing no one in this small community, all i have is the name of a hostel that turns out to be an old French colonial house. This is one that the lonely planet got wrong. The place is very very rough. There is no one there managing it I spoke with the owner who is in Manaus and is coming friday by Slow boat (3 day trip) he mentioned that it needed some work and that there was a Japanese woman who has been staying there. So I arrive shortly before dark Aiko says she has been staying there for a couple months... since may she speaks pretty good Portugese, I think, I am learning Portugese with a Japanese accent I think. She also speaks some Spanish and some English. She has been traveling it sounds like for the last 3 years. She says she travels slowly... my room is fine clean though there is not really any water, warm or cold and the water that seems available is a rusty color that I think I will refrain from bathing in, or washing my clothes in. But I found a mercado where I could by a large container of water 5 gallons or so. and where I could by some staples and we do have electricity most of the time. Aiko introduced me to two wonderful people a woman who is a missionary and a member of the Do tribe and her husband a Brasilado who is ajournalist. Apparently access to indigenous land here is highly controlled. But this morning fortune struck again as Aiko and I were out for a walk we met a chief (Luciem) of one of the Yanomami tribal groups I also met another man who speaks english and I think is a member of the Do tribe who has been a tour guide for the last 35 years he says he is the eldest tour guide around. We also found the office where I would make a request to go into indiginous land and so things seems to be falling into place. If this does work out it could be that I would go with the Chief 5 days down river then in land by peck-peck boat. Sao Gabriel is about 90 % indigenious and the tribal peoples come in frequently to trade and get supplies. Aiko´s friends Hozen and her husband were celebrating their anniversary so I made potato salad and we all sat and talked. Hozen made a great lasagna and salad and we bought flan to bring also. Lunch was great and it is really amazing how much can be communicated between people who are speaking Spanish, Portugese, English, Do, and Japanese. Oh earlier in the day at the market I met two women one who works for the group that helps people like me get permissions to travel inland and she brought me some ... ants to eat. ... yes I ate ants...(natalie if you are reading this I have a picture for you). I also tried some incredible Acai drink and a fruit bread that was well I am not accustomed to it , nome caije bein, also shamen here in the Yanomami and the do are called Pajé, there are 23 differet nations tribes in this region. the do are of particualr interest as thier numbers were in steep decline at one point they had as few as 63 people but now they are at 130. I am just amazed at how gracious open inviting and how possible everything is as long as I continue to say yes to the things that are offered to me... including, ants... which by the way didnt taste that bad. as Aiko said, Kinda minty eh... I wish I could figure out how to use the question mark on this key board. So phone and internet and electricity and water are all haphazard so I will try again as soon as I can to update...