Today’s post is 1500 words, 44 photos, a 7 minute read. Enjoy!

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the views and comments on my 10th Anniversary post. If you missed that post, click here.

This week I’ll take you back to Belem, the gateway to the Amazon. We’ll spend a relaxing day on Mosqueiro Island, visit the famous Ver-o-Peso Market, check out an old fort and a cathedral. To read any of the ten posts in this series on Brazil, click here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.

Mosqueiro Island

We were up early for coffee and breakfast to prepare for a day of exploring Belém.  Cornelio, our host, walked us the 15 minutes to the meeting point in the morning sun. He walks about 6 km (nearly 4 miles) every morning. We met our guide Marcus and the bus at the Basilica of Our Lady of Nazareth, a church of historical significance in the center of Belém. We were a little early so stepped into the church for a quick look see. It’s beautiful with interesting architecture. More on the Basilica in a future post.

The others soon arrived and we boarded the bus to Mosqueiro Island, a distance of about 40 miles (64 km) northeast of downtown Belém. It is known for its many miles of sandy beaches and breezes coming off the water. Since the island is located near an estuary, the water at times is a mix of fresh water from the Para River and the salt water from the Atlantic Ocean. At one time, the island was populated with indigenous fisherman that supplied smoked meats and fish to the city of Belém. Today, the economy is based on tourism, some fishing and agriculture, and small businesses. Many of the residents work in service industries in Belém and other nearby by cities.

I looked out the window for most of the hour-long bus ride to the island. While we were still in the suburbs of Belem, I noticed what looked like the Statute of Liberty ahead. I thought I was seeing things. I had my camera ready as we drove by and snapped the photo below. I asked Marcus about the statute. He told me the Havan department stores have a replica of the Statute of Liberty that has become the symbol of the now 180 stores in Brazil. The stores often have features that resemble the exterior of the U.S. White House. Both the statute and the outer facade of the store symbolize freedom of choice. It’s interesting to note that the founder and owner of these stores, Luciano Hang, was caught up in the investigation of the attempted coup of former President Jair Bolsonaro. Hang wasn’t directly involved but did have his assets frozen for a period of time. Now he’s back to business as usual. I guess freedom of choice.

Our first destination on Mosqueiro Island was the historic Hotel Farol. Built in the 1930s first as a house then expanded to a guesthouse and later a hotel. It was named for the nearby Farol Lighthouse. We had a brief tour of the hotel lobby and dining room then walked down to the beach where the breezed cooled us down.

From the beach, we could see ships in a queue to load or unload cargo in Belém.

Near the beach was butterfly feeder complete with a couple of flies and a real butterfly, a brown one at that.

There was also a map of Mosqueiro Island that helped to give a sense of the geography and settlement of this interesting place.

We then went into the nearby town where we checked out the church on the square. Apparently, the rubber barons would frequent Mosqueiro Island when they were on their holidays. The interior is more elaborate than the exterior.

Across the street from the church was the Tapiocaria where tapioca is the main dish. Tapioca is made from the root of the cassava plant, a staple food in the tropics. It’s high in carbs. We sampled what is known as tapioca pearls made with milk and sweetened and served over a banana leaf. It tasted like sweet rice. I liked it. This version is unique to Mosqueiro Island.

Across the street was the municipal market. The second photo is a street scene near the Tapiocaria. 

Our final stop on Mosqueiro Island was Marahu Beach. We were seated at outdoor tables under shade trees overlooking the beach. There was a nice breeze to keep us cool. It was a pleasant place to lounge, listening to the sound of the waves.

A couple of the hosts and Ambassadors were ready for a swim in the warm water. They wanted their photos taken so I slipped off my sandals and walked down to the beach. The water was pleasant and there was some wave action, unusual on a river.

We were served a most delicious appetizer before lunch. The shrimp had a toasted, crunchy coating. The dipping sauces were a nice addition.

Lunch was a mild sweet tasting fish with rice and roasted potatoes for two. Just as we finished a rain shower came through that drove us indoors.

Back in Belém, our hosts picked us up at the Basilica. We stopped at the nearby grocery store some provisions. It was interesting to see all the fruits, vegetables, and meats available to customers.

Ver-o-Peso Market

The next morning when we got up there was water dripping from the light fixture in the bathroom. A couple days prior the same thing happened in the kitchen area. This caused a lot of excitement. The doorman and maintenance came quickly and turned off the water above us. When we returned at the end of the day, it was all fixed.

Cornelio again walked us to the Basilica. We were a little early so stopped in the shop next door that sold religious statutes, books, prayer cards, and the promise ribbons that we saw on the fence in front of the Basilica. We pledged to add a ribbon before leaving for home.

Soon everyone arrived and we were back on the bus for a visit to some of the local sites. Our first stop was the famous Ver-o-Peso Market. The traffic was heavy and there was construction everywhere in preparation for the COP30 (world climate conference) that is winding up this week in Belém.

The Ver-o-Peso Market is one of the largest and oldest open air markets in Latin America. It was founded by the Portuguese in 1625, 400 years ago! The market sells fish, meat, vegetables, fruits, plants, clothing, household goods, toys, and prepared foods. It’s known for fried fish with açaí.

After leaving the bus, Marcus took us into the former tax collectors office, where regional crafts are now sold.

There was a large cat guarding the door. It never moved during our visit.

The dog, however, was off duty!

We perused the arts market and made a few stops to purchase gifts for the folks back home.

Part of the large open air market was closed for renovation but there was still plenty to see.

The Ver-o-Peso Market is conveniently located on the riverfront. This allows suppliers to deliver products by boat from remote areas. An example are the cassava roots in the photo below. In the next photo, the man is peeling the cassava so it can be used to make products such as tapioca, flour, starch, and other foods.

This fella is grinding up fresh cassava leaves to make maniçoba, a traditional dish served with meat and rice. But first the ground up leaves must be boiled for eight days to remove the poisons contained in the leaves as shown in the second photo. I have to say it looked and smelled unappealing at this stage. I’m told it’s delicious if prepared correctly. I’ll take their word for it!

At this food stand, the proud owner shows us the prepared açaí made from the berries from the açaí palm. The berries themselves don’t have much taste so the pureed mixture is blended with sweeter fruits like bananas, mangoes, strawberries, honey, or coconut milk to give it more flavor. This vendor served açaí with fried fish, much loved by the locals.

These workers are bagging up açaí for distribution to restaurants and individuals.

Here is Marcus, our guide, checking out the artisan candies. We had some samples then bought a small variety bag for the trip home.

I enjoyed the market a lot. I wish we would have had more time to explore because it is so large.

Next week, I’ll pick up where I left off. You ‘ll see the Cathedral and Fort plus other stuff next week.

Now for the five senses plus one.

Saw – the river, the beach, the Statute of Liberty, churches, a long bridges, a modern supermarket, and an open air market

Heard – the calming effect of the waves on the shoreline, traffic, people talking in the market

Touched – the sand and water with my feet,

Smelled – fresh air, exhaust from auto, cooking cassava leaves, fish frying, sewer gas, sachet

Tasted – tapioca, toasted shrimp, fish, açaí ice cream bar, tasty soup

Learned – about tapioca

Until next week, happy travels!

Tom

PS: Click here for a link to the post about my book “Farm Boy.” Contact me if you are interested in purchasing a copy. Thanks to all have plunked down your hard earned dollars and read the book. TM