This small city has not much going for it other than it has an annual festival for a week in June called the Boi Bumba. Something about the mythical theft of a bull. 2teams, red and blue compete for the win, staging a lavish parade- costumes, feathers, music. Looks akin to opening ceremonies of the Olympics combined with Mardi Gras. There are few hotels so the riverboats line up and provide accommodations via their hammocks for the 70,000 who come. Folks really get into it.
We walked around for awhile. Sunday- everything closed. Apparently shopkeepers weren't excited by a 1200 passenger cruise ship even if it is a rarity. No matter- we walked in a driving but soft rain to the cathedral for Mass. No evidence there had ever been a service there- weird. We then decided to hire the primary means of transportation in Parintins- a bike cab. Basically 2 people sit in a small cab while a guy pedals you from behind. Hey, it was covered and he seemed nice though not a word of English. Mostly he just kept poking me in the back and pointing to various things. My job was to look interested and smile and nod. The two main sites were the Bumbodrombo -really just a large rickety stadium with red seats on one side and blue on the other. the second site was where a few of last years floats were stored and this was interesting. They were up to 2 stories high- dragons with movable claws, masks, costumes, something reminiscent of the 'Alien' creature. anyway they get 70,000 to go to the festival which is great for the economy. We finished the day with a couple of beers watching riverboats dock and disgorge their many passengers
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