Linda Tripp King from Mabel, Minn., spent an exhilarating week-long adventure on the Amazon River and is excited to share her experience with Fillmore County Journal readers. It was her first visit to Brazil, and her journey was filled with surprises and memorable moments.
Joining King for the interview were her first cousin Rhan Flatin and his wife Selma, who both played significant roles in the trip. Rhan led the excursion, while Selma, originally from Brazil, added additional local insights.
The group included Linda, Rhan, Selma, and their son Sylas, and a small circle of friends and family. They embarked on a week-long exploration in the Amazon rainforest.
“For a week on the Amazon, this sweet three-story wooden hulled boat was home to 20 guests and crew, explained Linda. “The two local cooks served three scrumptious meals daily from the small galley kitchen. We slept in a combo of lower deck bunks and hammocks hung on the center and top decks.”
Rhan explained that his family had a foreign exchange student from Brazil when he attended high school in Spring Grove, and they have remained friends ever since. Rhan has been visiting South America for years, which is where he met his wife who returns once a year to visit her family. Due to his familiarity with Brazil, Rhan enjoys leading trips to Brazil.
The group flew into Manaus. It is the seventh-largest city in Brazil with a population of about 2,219,580 people. It is approximately twice the population of New Hampshire. Positioned near the confluence of the dark Rio Negro and the muddy Solimoes River, where they merge to form the Amazon River, Manaus is the largest city along the river and is located in the middle of the Amazon rainforest. It is also the richest city in South America thanks to its historic rubber trade. The name Manaus comes from the indigenous Manaos people, which means “Mother of the Gods.”
The pitch of King’s voice rose as she shared that they got to swim with the pink river dolphin. “It was a magnificent experience,” exclaimed Linda. “All the adults were giggling like little kids.”
The Amazon River dolphin is known as the pink river dolphin or the “boto.” Rhan explained that they are the only dolphin species that lives in the Amazon rainforest, and they only live in freshwater. He continued to explain that they have the best advanced sonar system, is a good reason for that as they go back into the flooded forest to fish. They are very flexible, allowing for great mobility as they swim through the flooded forest, plus it can touch its nose to its tail. The dolphin has a rounded dorsal fin and back fin allowing it to back into the flooded forest into the roots to get fish and back out. It is the only member of the cetacean family which includes whales, dolphins, and porpoises that can back up. Linda added that the boto feel like velvet and are very smooth. They are also very gentle.
“We were entertained by a couple of traditional dancers we met on a beach near Alter do Chão one evening,” shared Linda. “The native village’s charismatic medicine man demonstrated how rubber trees are scored to harvest latex.”
The group took part in several activities including swimming; surprisingly, they did not see any snakes.
The group had a run in with a cayman, found only in Central and South America, who was lying in wait on a low hanging branch. King explained, that “Thankfully, our tour guide snuck up and lassoed him while he thrashed around. After wrestling the slimy creature and getting control of it he gave it to the group to inspect. It was at that time the visitors realized it was rubber and was planted as a joke.”
Additionally, the group attended a local pro soccer game in Manaus, where they cheered on the home team to a thrilling victory.
Throughout their adventure, the group enjoyed delicious food. King mentioned that she especially liked the fish.
Overall, Linda’s Amazon adventure was filled with unique experiences, remarkable wildlife encounters, and the joy of exploring one of the world’s most extraordinary ecosystems.
Laurel Wanek says
Linda
I was in the Amazon a few years ago but in Peru. I have seen the pink river and gray river dophins and fished for pirahnas. We traveled on a small boat with 27 passengers and about the same crew. It was fabulous.
We need to have a talk.