Porto Velho, Brazil

TRIP INFO BOX
Route	Rio Branco, Brazil – Porto Velho, Brazil (BR364)
Distance	512Km
Travel Time	6.5 hours
Road Conditions	Good asphalt but nasty potholes
Weather	Hot
Terrain	Pasture land
Food and Petrol	Less frequent: KM106, KM248 after Rio Br.
Accommodation	Hotel Monte de Siao, Porto Velho

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510 Kilometres ride along the good, but here and there nastily potholed road from Rio Branco, we arrive in Porto Velho. It’s late afternoon, the sunlight is just going and we’re eager to check into a hotel. This proves to be more of a mission than we ever imagined!

For several hours we buzz miles up and down the confusing one-way streets of this large town in search. The only budget option listed in the Lonely Planet turns out to be (surprise-surprise!) more expensive than the guide says and doesn’t have any secure parking. Most others are either way out of our price range or filthy flea-pits that look rather like brothels. This is probably the case, taking into account that most of the out-of-centre street corners are occupied by conspicuously dressed women, waiting around for something to happen.

Under repair…

By about 11PM we’re released from the grip of these creepy streets and welcomed into a small sanctuary opposite a church, called Hotel Monte de Siao. The lady owner and the young man that helps her are very friendly and clearly very religious people. All the walls bear framed prayers and verses from the bible. By the name of it I could have guessed. But then, welcome to Brazil… The original price is 80BRL/dbl ensuite, but we’re accepted in for 70BRL. The room is small and resembles a concrete cell, but it’s clean and the breakfast is generous. We’re getting used to the Brazilian way of drinking coffee – black with lots of sugar! In Brazil they don’t even give you an option – ultra sweet is assumed and it comes straight out of the thermos that way.

Unique property, good views, secluded area, close to transport…

In South America there is only loud…

We spend a few days in Porto Velho, gearing up for our Transamazonica adventure. I need to do an oil change, get chain lube, get the bike washed, and we pick up new bungy cords to replace our worn out ones, as well as a ratchet strap to support the additional weight we’re going to be carrying. And of course….

An essential item: a machete…

It’s a mission and of course Ebru gets frustrated but, which woman wouldn’t, with the bike getting more attention than herself? 😉

Despite the town being pretty rough-looking, we do find some of its good parts: Sitting on a large outside beer terrace, we watch a breathtaking sunset over the Madeira river, whilst a two-man-band is playing soothing Brazilian songs and pink river dolphins are splahing up in the waters below.

As we watch the sky turn shades of fluorescent pink, swarms of little birds, in their thousands, congregate in the air as if to celebrate the occasion and eventually soar across the sky in unison, creating a living bezier surfaces in the air. Back and forth they dance above the river, the black-dot matrix transforming in shape like a big soapy bubble being stretched by crosswinds, until with the final rays of the sun, they swoop down on the trees of a nearby park like locusts and settle in for the night. To witness this moment was heart-stopping – another one of those miracles of nature which, when you see it, fills you with amazement and gratitude to be part of it all. It’s one regret we hold on this trip, not having gone back the next day to see it again.

Excellent soup kitchen on Av. Pinheiro Machado…

On the following night we have our most excellent musical experience in Brazil. We stop in at a bar for a beer, out on the street-side terrace (i.e. pavement), while a band is setting up their equipment. When they start to play the place packs up fast and the music is so good, we just can’t leave.

There something about Brazilian music – I knew it before I came and it was one of the things I most looked forward to experience here, first hand. The rhythms and sounds of the instruments, combined with the smooth sounds of the Portuguese lyrics create a mellow that’s just unrivalled in my opinion. It’s like someone’s giving you a massage and telling you a love story whilst feeding you your favourite ice cream or good quality chocolate mousse. Well, we came on the right night because not only was there a great band playing, but along came a number of their musician-friends whom joined in the fun and gave fantastic spirit to the party.