BELÉM, BRAZIL (Port No. 3, 1/13/12)

VERO-O-PESO MARKET

• GEOGRAPHY 101
          • Land Mass/Continent: South America (Continent # 2 of 7 on our journey)

MAP OF AMAZON RIVER

         • About Belém: Belém (bell-aim) is the entrance gate to the Amazon River, in the northern part of Brazil. It is the capital of the State of Pará
          • Estimated Population: 2.1 million in the metropolitan area
          • Distance From Home (San Diego, CA): 5,881 miles
          • The Water That'll Get Us There: Atlantic Ocean, followed by a jaunt down the Para River

• ITS PLACE IN HISTORY/INTERESTING FACTS
          • Currency (of Brazil):  Real (reais-plural) (BRL)
          • Official Language (of Brazil):  Portuguese
          • Local time: 
          • Their economy is driven by fish and fruit; over 250 tropical fruits grow here.  Belém is a major exporter of iron, aluminum and Brazil nuts.
          • Belém is known as the City of the Mango Trees due to their number (over 30,000 in the city)
          • Average annual gross income:  $9,801, per http://www.worldsalaries.org/brazil.shtml
          • Belém was founded in 1616 by the Portuguese (as it happens, Portugal is the last stop on our world cruise); the name “Belém” is Portuguese for Bethlehem (birthplace of Christ)
          • It didn’t become part of Brazil until 1775
          • Recently, Belém has seen a skyscraper boom

AMAZON RAINFOREST

     • The Amazon is the largest rainforest in the world and represents more than half the planet’s remaining rainforests - it is NOT located in Africa; it's in South America (in case Jay Leno sticks a microphone in your face and asks)!
          • Brazil has the largest reserve of fresh water on the planet
          • More than one-third of all species in the world live in the Amazon Rainforest
          • There is a malaria risk in the State of Pará; a malaria prophylactic is recommended for our stop at this port
           • Travel videos:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7esIFasIOeM and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOoQo_zKssk

• CLIMATE
          • Belém has a tropical rainforest climate (there is no dry season) -- it's either "high rain season" (Jan. to Jun.) or "low rain season" (Jul. to Dec.), and they have between 70 and 95% humidity!
          • Average low for January: 72
          • Average high for January: 88

• HIGHLIGHTS/THINGS TO SEE
          • Ver-O-Peso market (possibly the largest outdoor market in Brazil); Vero-O-Peso means "see the weight" (named after the large scales used to measure the fish nearby); the market is 394 years old
          • Amazon River
          • Attractions also include Estacao das Docas (flea/street market/shops) and Cidade Velha (Belém's old town), Forte Castelo (a fortress built by the Portuguese), Da Paz Theater, Castelo Fort and the gems museum