Brasil

St Georges, GF, / Oyapock, BR

For the loading at St Georges and the unloading at Vila Vitoria, see here. The last photograph of the above gallery shows the international bridge between French Guiana and Brazil completed in 2011. It is not open because on Brasil side there isn't road there to reach it!

Vila Vitoria, click the picture

Vila Vitoria from St Georges

Enter Brasil, BR

I arrived at Oyapok little before midday at the federal police to make stamp my passport and to obtain the complement with 90-day annual visa, i.e. 66 days. Then I went to Banco do Brasil to withdraw the 500 reals maximum per day. After the full tanks with diesel I found a bivouac in front of the building of the scientific police with the agreement of the French speaking young lady. I remained there on Friday, May 6 to make the administrative and to publish the pages of my website.

Santana

On Saturday, May 7th I left Oyapock before the daybreak. The way from Oyapock to Santana to take a ferry towards Belem is 567 km including 50 km at the exit of Oyapock with a damaged roadway then 110 km of track with pot-holes but without mud finally the remainder a beautiful road with a roadway without degradation. I traversed the distance in 11:25. At Santana I went to Sanave company of ferry for Belem. The first ferry in departure was on Monday in the evening but it was necessary to be presented as of 8:00. A only speaking Portuguese gentleman was used to me despite everything as intermediary with the guard. Moreover he led me to the police station in charge of the taxation of the infringements to bivouac in the enclosure until Monday morning which is with a few meters near on the equator -S 00° 00.159 ' W 051° 11.147 '-.

Silnave

On Monday, May 9th I presented myself around 7:00 at the entrance of the enclosure of Sanave. I penetrated towards the offices at 7:30 to learn that there was no place on a barge before the following week. A young lady telephoned to other companies of which Silnave which agreed to transport me to Belem. At 10:30 the transport documents were compiled and I expected the loading as from 16:00 and the departure with the tide of the river between 17:00 and 18:00. By curiosity I approached the barge to note the damage caused at a transporting truck of the Renault vehicles. What was not to reassure me. In the evening the person in charge of the office informed me that the barge (balsa in Portuguese) will leave only the following day. To ensure me that I will hang this barge well I required to embark my vehicle and to bivouac on the barge. To avoid collisions with the trailers at the time of rolling/pitching my truck was installed on the medium line. The communication with this person was carried out via Google-translation! Here nobody speaks neither English nor Spanish.

Rio Amazonas, Santana / Belém

I spent on Tuesday morning at the office to use WiFi connection. The day was very long because it was necessary to expect the arrival of trucks to be embarked around 16:00, then the rise of the tide of the Amazon river. The departure was carried out in the night fallen around 19:40. The arrival in Belem was announced in the morning of the Thursday, May 12th. I made the tour of the owner of the balsa. The meals are taken in the rudimentary store-room. They are composed of rice, pastes with chicken. The day of the Wednesday, May 11th occurred to prepare my journey in the north-eastern coast of Brazil. Being the only motor home I had obtained the electric connection of the truck in 110 volts.

Balsa, click the picture

Belém

On Thursday, May 12th the barge accosted at 7:30 at the quay of Belem, i.e. 36 hours voyage. In the night the barge wiped a violent storm requiring the deceleration of the pusher. But the captain and his pilot made up for lost time. Despite everything it was necessary to wait 8 hours, the trade-union hour, to obtain the installation of a steel footbridge to unload. By special favor I was the first with touching the quay. In my diary I was to pass to Tourist Office at the address given by Lonely Planet, nothing! On the other hand I found without difficulty the HSBC agency to take cash. Then it was the visit of the city while starting with the theater, Teatro da Paz, which does not have the splendor of that of Manaus. I connected with Catedral da Sé, Museu de Arte Sacra then Forte da Presépio. In end of the afternoon I found a bivouac in Praça Frei Brandao. Heat was very testing; I have much difficulty of recovering in spite of one night peaceful.

Belém, click the picture

On Friday, May 13th was a long driving day to reach the terminal of the ferry to Sao Luis where I arrived around 16:00 at the end of a long line of waiting. I embarked at 18:30 to arrive at the terminal side Sao Luis at 20:00. Oh happiness, a carpark expected me for one night still peaceful to recover.

Sao Luis

On Saturday, May 14th according to my practice I entered Sao Luis around 7:30. Tourist Office announced was well there and opened at 8:00. The young lady was very accessible but the very painful communication; she spoke only Portuguese. Moreover the office does not have Internet connection to use the Google translator… The Historical center is registered at the inheritance of UNESCO. The comment by Lonely Planet is once again still dithyrambic: “With its gorgeous colonial center offering just the right blend of crumbling elegance and unobtrusive renovation, Sao Luis is a real jewel in the Northeast's crown.” Well the visit lasted an hour. I returned to my vehicle to have rest, heat was always overpowering. My bivouac was close to official buildings, Av Dom Pedro II, guarded by the police.

Centro Historico, click the picture