Chapter 4 - Part 1: Between toucans, beach paradise and crocodiles 
Hello first, I do not know if it `s did, but the other day I was on vacation.
The past few weeks and months are full of events. I have rarely in my life follows its own joy, happiness, sadness and anger experienced real merged. To tear it was sometimes. And then just a dream. Some time I have spent the past six months to reflect and work up. In some circles I am considered possibly work colleagues as being too dreamy and zerrueckgezogener man. I had until my arrival in Brazil over many fellows "Carpe Diem" philosophizing - the art of enjoying the here and now and to fill - then I realized that this is easier than living, unfortunately, often preached.
to foil development boundaries is a bitter thing, but as you get to know his adaptability and improvisation talents. That the next six months will be different from the laid back, I am certain of. And yet I have incredible pictures in my head that approach close to my idea of paradise: the miles of waterfalls at Iguacu - "in The Land Before Time" - yellow shining crocodile eyes on a starry night on a lake in the largest swamp in the world, with happiness beaming faces while singing, dancing, capoeira, Swimming in the sea, rivers of gold (or, depending on the view beer colored) ...
Let me start with this review, at that point where I had aufgehoert before Christmas to write.
On Christmas Eve, my mother came here in Brazil. Just two weeks we should do together on the adventurous with this first Salvador - then visit Iguacu on Argentine-Brazilian-Paraguayan border triangle, and ultimately meet in Mato Grosso, the Pantanal.
We decided to spend Christmas at Terra Mirim, in the company of my colleagues. This Christmas should be a little differently than it is normally used to. First, the temperature - 35 degrees on Christmas Eve! As surprising there is little that the Christmas tree has been replaced by an aluminum-plastic imitation. Even with the familiar, cozy atmosphere, it was little more to bring into harmony. So we celebrated with about 30 people (mainly Alba Maria's family and other roommate Terra Mirim) in the large "House of Arts", where normally runs Theatervorfuehrungen or the like for an audience of up to 150 people. From a small and tight circle so was a large and wide square.
The introduction of Christmas Eve with shamanic mantra, my mother and I missed, we were a bit late back from Salvador. Then about a scavenger hunt could not miss at the storage area of Terra Mirim, in which all participants in the cozy Celebration of love were divided into three groups that eventually ran in the dark through the area to collect pieces of paper and to rattle the various collection points.
was then placed on a large Sahl a small screen. With the help of a beamer were allowed to view all the result of a Japanese cartoon show (in Portuguese). She had very little, or rather nothing, Christmas itself. However, it could be the leaders of the device before the auditions of Terra Mirim deeply profound and highly complex series produced not take to declare that it would go to energy in each individual, for wisdom and will power. Apart from the fact that we Germans schwerverstaendlichen Text could not accommodate, we felt it rather than RTL-II school program for children who do not prevent the parents to see far. Perhaps one or the other readers did not facilitate recalls yes to shows like "Pokemon" and can be a Christmas this comparison. But then the evening should go on merry-merry. A dark dance competition was held with candles and the Christmas Kaminfeueratmosphaere (except mom danced all) was now perfect.
So Ready to giving: each had prior to a "friend of elves" and drawn by lot had to organize this a gift. However, the gift is not just about enough, but the receiver was in a poem, a play insert, over still images, or other opportunities presented.
has been drumming for me and one Capoeirarythmus formally handed me my hot-awaited Capoeiratrainingsbuch.
was then the feast already over and you still spent some some time in a little fire, "said another, I had to with my mother by this time so had little opportunity, while the handful of Brazilian young people back to the computer ran and Counter Strike - "American baller sporadically away, boom, bang, blood, violence ..." - Were playing.
Bottom Line: An interesting and new experience that has been worth it. Christmas with the family, the fireside, on a real Christmas tree, out with Christmas carols and Eiseskaelte but for me is always Christmas, a Christmas market is one with its fragrant pancakes and Gluehweinstaenden to and the good old Weihnachtskarussel and perhaps even a skating rink. In my eyes this Christmas you could already be described as strange, perhaps I am also in this case just a philistine.
But Eve had also something very different to offer: he was to initiate the beginning of my "maternity leave"! The next three days my mother and I lived in a very fancy hotel in Salvador. For the first time in 4 months I had on those days once again a real bed in my back. With a correct Mattress, where you are at the top not load immediately feels the firmly bolted wood. And then this chic little bathroom, with a reliable functioning (hot) shower and the size of the room! The approximately 7m ² of my Terra Mirim-room were - felt - if only from the hotel bed, beaten and there was still discharging so much space. And a balcony on the 10th Floor with sea view to the sunrise was allowed in this "luxury" of course not be missing too.
But we'll be outside again before finally becoming an actual holiday and let the new space by the constellation passed since personal Gluecksmomente. Since then we have
in three days:
- an island tour with plenty of sun, fruits and cheerful-cheerful Bahia temperament on a sloop taken
- the Meeresschildkroetenstation at Praia do Forte visited
- a night of Afro-Brazilian live concert in Pelourinho experienced
This has pleased my mother very well, which then tried to necessarily explain the singer without Portuguese, like mad great it was for. Who found this quite amusing, and enjoyed a nice one to talk. Based on the origin of the band (Olodum) from a street children project, good music and nice singer, this drum group has now been enriched by a German fan!
was then the time in the beautiful hotel with very good food also gone back over now painfully and we flew a few hundred miles further to the southwest. The sight of approach to the area around Iguacu has raised some expectations from above could be seen for a long time only a continuous green blanket of trees, through which at some point a great wide river (can not remember, ever seen such a wide power to have to meander) begins. Just as I had expected to agree with the few thousand kilometers north early Amazon basin from above.
But as it now is once such a huge country like Brazil has far more Waldflaechen, Riesenfluesse and others, as an European imagination, it is perhaps possible to imagine. Imagine ago, a German, a Brazilian narrative, not small Odenwald and its many beautiful hiking trails. As the Brazilians can not help but smile actually as: some national parks such as special Indian reservations can be twice as large as Baden-Wuerttemberg. The Pantanal, a vast marshy area - we should indeed go through yet - has a similar large areas like West Germany. From Flensburg to Konstanz, from Aachen to the resin: swamp, lakes, Grassflaechen. Unimaginable.
the unimaginable heat that awaited us at the exit from the aircraft in Iguacu. I thought to be by the Bahian temperatures have become an UV-trained, sun-resistant nature, so I had to face 40 degrees with a windchill of 99 percent humidity to admit that there's still was far away, perhaps out of reach for a European gringo like me. But this incredible regional climate has probably not until this great diversity of flora and fauna in the area enables Iguacu, which my mother and now I could admire.
Since we arrived so the morning at our hotel and have already seen in some flower beds and shrubs, which buzzed for a colorful fireworks and flapping the blooms. Huge butterflies (up to 30cm range!) In all colors were flying, sucking on nectar with their long trunks were, drifting in the wind. Breathtaking is the really - must see! And the big Tree above the entrance was hostel dozens of bird nests that hung in her characteristic way among the branches. That woke us up a bit tired minds rather quickly, and as our German-speaking guide us directly on arrival told the hotel was that it would go that day to the Brazilian side of the largest waterfalls in the world (Cataratas de Iguacu), was also the last grains rubbed sleep from his eyes and turned back the full vigor.
First, the hotel had to be obtained, one because of organizational problems in advance is not a trivial task. And then smelled the room also strictly relating to urinous a room exchange was the result, which is at least only from the Closet smelled similar, but the one could conclude fortunately yes. It is not everything so orderly in South America. Then the rush was finally over and my mother something applied once again reached Runterkuehlen, sun cream was applied thickly - and off we went to the nearby entrance to the Brazilian National Park, which extends on the edge of the Falls.
Our German guide, who was raised in a south brazilian expatriate colony from the Hunsrück (who have put up even an Oktoberfest in Brazil!), We were allowed to collect already on the way out some information about the falls and the ansa vinegars rainforest and we at the same time the Giant queue vorbeidraengeln.
The largest waterfalls in the world - Niagara Falls are a snap against - the largest variety of trees in the world today Rueckzugsgebiet for jaguars, giant otters, macaws, toucans, parrots, giant spiders, coati, giant butterflies and, and, and . As it was already in advance rather than to the astonishment and we began to hear by and by more clearly the sound of the rushing waters of the Rio Iguacu and the air was still damp (because it is really wet), the anticipation was hardly limited . Then pops up behind a bend, finally, the dense, dark green tree curtain and offers an incredible sight to one.
It opens for one a view across a deep -cut valley, rustling on the other side down on a mile-long, curved wall at irregular intervals, small, large and very large floods which hit the bottom of rock and water to mist and bathe the lush Regenwaldbaeume, lianas and Voegelschwaerme at the lower end into a undurchsehbaren, by forming and vanishing rainbows cheerful, light gray veil.
breathtaking looks that and it comes from the surprise did not leave. I felt set in one of those dinosaur movies ("The Land Before Time"), which I have earlier looked like. As such landscapes, however, were created with the computer and this was now suddenly so unrealistic real As in other times one feels suddenly so small in the eternal cycle of things. And also the fact that the water falls from Argentina to Brazil, is somehow amusing.
everywhere these butterflies! Four or five sitting on a hand and can carry away, they waehrrend abschluerfen with her ticklish Ruess moose the salt of the human skin. Orchids beat their aerial roots in all directions, a Hoellenlaerm comes from the trees, compete where the Zigarden in crying, here's a cave of a tarantula, there a about a meter long Nasenbaer that seems to have lost his shyness towards people seemingly completely. It is a paradise garden through which we walked there. Along on the opposite side of the Falls by the Atlantic rain forest.
This rain forest used to be enough of thousands of miles up into the Brazilian northeast. The little piece in Terra Mirim and that belonged to Iguacu to 200 years ago to have a closed Waldguertel along the Brazilian coast. A rain forest with more biodiversity than its namesake in the Amazon. But when the man now once colonized the land, enslaved and built plantations and settlements, the forest was pushed back further and further. So today there are only about 5% of this area, spot, via Brazil and distributed without the possibility of a genetic exchange of populations, which is the species richness of course to provide additional power.
The National Park of Iguacu Hopefully one of the largest surviving areas of the Atlantic rain forest and you have that not even he eventually falls to the Flaechenbedarf of billions of people on this earth to sacrifice.
For a while, so we walked on the Brazilian side, without the living wall of water was from Argentina ends. Until we finally arrived at a kind of funnel gorge, known as "Garganta do Diabo" (Devil's Throat). Crazy enough, one built by people way leads to a platform that stands in the midst of this gigantic flood of all sides. Left, right, back, up, down - everywhere rushing water. The Land Before Time!
The clothes we threw our leader and summarily went to the platform where you will eingehuellt the mist of thundering masses of water and a shower. I swear: thus a shower I'm building me later in my dream house at 10m ² with 360 degree function, birds chirping and water intoxication speakers, original Brazilian stone, day and night and full moon mode with artificial stars, and not to mention plastic vines for necked , showering Tarzan Swing! Therefore, I always wanted to be an architect.
The next day, the experience should not fail less beautiful: it was now on the Argentine side of the falls, ie those where one of the top water herunterstuerzenden can look after. The National Park bribed by an open Bimmelzug that bridges the way from the entrance to the actual waterfalls well. Schoener, this is in any case when the Brazilian variant in which one the few kilometers duty must either by car or bus lay back.
The jungle-Lok, it went right - we were the first group this morning - the Garganta do Diabo. On that day by tourists unvisited almost, we ran a piece from the terminus of the train on a bridge over the criss-crossed by green-covered islands and shoals, but this incredibly broad Iguacu River, until this time we were on a platform to stand , which is now up on the edge of the abyss-devil stands.
Also packs a slight tingling sensation when you look behind the water that poured from all directions in this huge crater. The people on the Brazilian side, as we took the day before a shower on the lower edge of the Falls, you could see it from above. Because from about 50 meters deep water is flowed from bottom to top, namely in the form of a curtain of mist that rises from the impact of the heavy H2O's on the hard stone. It is hinterherzublicken been a "different feeling, the water, as the panoramic views to enjoy on the Brazil side.
I think Argentina is a bit nicer, perhaps, is also on the walk, we made at the upper edge of the water wall, extending over 2700 meters, and in rivers, streams, wild lemon and orange trees, parrots. The photo of the day - and it had enjoyed some good snapshots! - Was a wild Tucan in the foreground of the waterfall.
And would not have been enough, we took on that slightly rainy, but not so unpleasant afternoon, an excursion to the Itaipu. Itaipu, which is nothing less than the greatest power on earth. A few numbers you have to do even melt on the tongue: the reservoir behind the hydroelectric power plant is twice as large as Lake Constance, the power output is about six times bigger than that of the 2006 strongest nuclear power plant in the world and still larger than that of the Three Gorges Dam in China, the construction cost 16.6 billion U.S. dollars, from the start of construction went up towards complete Commissioning of the storage plant not less than 32 years, the construction was 12.57 cubic hectares (can you do with such a unit something? 1 cubic hectares is a cube with the side length 100 x 100 x 100 meters) of concrete used, which was nearby town of Foz do Iguaçu with its 300,000 inhabitants alone built from the ground housing the workers out of the ground and at a time of commissioning the power plant supplying all over Paraguay and a quarter of the energy demand in Brazil.
All these facts speak for and it was interesting to be supplied in small Doppeldeckerbusrundfahrt at about 8 km long dam with such information. What is possible, which traffickers can bring everything done, impressed us both not enough.
was but of course by the operators of tourist-trip, which put together with the power plant operators in cahoots not highlighted necessarily mean that for the construction of 40,000 people - preferably Indians - had to be forcibly relocated before its initial Jagdgruende in the Atlantic rain forest forever sank in the waters of the reservoir.
absorption are thus the so-called Waterfalls of "Sete Quadas" in their Dimension of the Iguaçu cases probably equal. Thus already one tastes from remaining after the tour with us back and we could about that a lot to discuss: Is it feasible to implement a project with such consequences for people and the environment if, instead, no coal and nuclear power plants are built must, whose long-term pollution problems for all Earthlings may turn out much worse? Time for philosophy!
An exhausting, but at the same time breathtaking and very interesting day was ended. Wait - not quite! At the very lush buffet dinner, we used not necessarily holding back and ate a delicious meal, which, since we spent so in southern Brazil, more reminiscent of the domestic kitchen than in Bahia. With proper Koernerbrot, potato salad, tomato and mozzarella-Schnittis and ready. At the same time there was live music in the Paraná-Gaucho-style required and the waiter looked somewhat funny with all their red Scarves and the most flat cowboy hat. Quite as funny as it was me but then a few hours later, no more. As happened must be
the men cooks well in a small Maloerchen any Sossenzubereitung. My stomach turned in a circle and let me tremble, going to the toilet was for the next 24 hours for routine ritual every five minutes. And as we had agreed, my mother continued the tradition of my activities after by many for me Hours at least Cola and electrolyte solution would remain so slowly splashing around again. So we both spent our New Year turn - off, sleep, rueckwaertstrinkend.
Somehow we have it on the last day of our weakness but still managed to take a little trip to a tropical bird sanctuary for animals that had been recommended to us. This has been worth it. All sorts of colorful macaws, parrots, a house full of toucans that are not enough could be stroked, a Riesenkaefig full of lust-moving hummingbirds and giant butterflies, an anaconda, a boa Contrictor that around my neck wound (creepy feeling - goose bumps!) And much more let us once again delighted with this fascinating nature.
And then there was the short stay already over now and we went from the plane, continue to Cuiabá, the capital of Mato Grosso. This is a few hundred kilometers east of the border with Bolivia, which in the extreme west of Brazil, while funds from the northern tip of the largest wetland in the world: the Pantanal.
More than 650 bird species - more than in all of Europe together are - jaguars, pumas, caimans, hyacinth macaws, capybaras, piranhas, giant otters, Riesenstoerche, anteater, tapir, fishing hawks, king vulture, one could go on for hours with the list of species that is home to the area with its wildlife security one of the most diverse ecosystem in the world.
we were receiving at the airport by our Pantanalfuehrer Pedro, a very experienced and nice guy who was even recommended in our guide books as Topguide. The luggage in the trunk of the white VW Van Marsh motorhome packed, we headed immediately abenteuerwuetig on the road. Away from the big city at the airport, to the country, miles and miles of straight, straight, straight. In the pouring rain. Passing countless cows, green Grassflaechen, large mounds of earth piled - illegal gold mines.
My mother overcame ever sleep. Thus it was then but over, after a short snack at a very nice well-known Pedro's family had taken hold. For this village, the last civilized outpost at the entrance was to the Pantanal. And when we, well moisturised with anti-mosquito, the Transpantaneira made, an old gravel road from Militaerzeiten shook the car so much back and forth, that was impossible to imagine a nap.
This "road", which has hineinrakt about 50 kilometers deep into the Pantanal the way, a funny story. In the arrogance of the military dictatorship years one-visioned about the insane project to build a road to pass through the Pantanal. Only the men forgot the generals crazy plan in mind that the rainy season, about two-thirds of the Pantanal are under water. When it was found that, However, they had already started the construction work. Reserve left short hand then this is it, that can only be reclaimed slope with gravel and earth as it was at this time. And today it is the main artery for tourists. However, this does not mean that it is full of foreign adventurers, on the contrary. The street is largely deserted and left and right extends to several kilometers Pasture finally the free and unspoiled wetlands.
And so we went along on this now so lonely, red-colored by the iron-saline soil slopes. Due to the road characteristics, we have used for the 20 kilometers an hour and half, but it has seen a lot. Fortunately, can Pedro both the Brazilian, and the German names of the animals all by heart (English coming soon!) And so we stopped again and again to admire kingfishers (bird of the year 2009), herons, falcons, marsh deer and caiman.
caimans, crocodiles so they see at first glance, quite frightening. A big mouth with teeth at the other end, and the attitude are the animals in the water to do the rest. to see because in the water really only the two nostrils, and the pungent and searching eyes of these reptiles. For hours they can remain as motionless in the water, then suddenly swallow a big "Happs" a passing floating fish.
Until the 60s the Pantanal Brillenkaimanbestaende were continuously depleted by man. A beautiful crocodile handbag was in Europe to have cheap. In this respect, the situation today is much more relaxed, gentle 35 million caimans again populate the Pantanal and are much better protected.
Nevertheless, the illegal animal trade is flourishing in other species as before. The jaguar population is recovering only slowly, as related hyacinth macaws and other rare birds are still foreign Abehmer who are willing to spend much money in return to put on the table. But this is a shame because we can only begin in ourselves: that we may never buy Jaguar pelts and anyone who has the audacity must be paid by such or endangered species in any hoarding a form to task, if need be little harder than allowed. And who should find something in stores, has the right to whitewashing the Washington Convention to report to display and should make use of it!
But if this would be only the only threat to the Pantanal. Much bigger threats come from industry and agriculture in the area. According to estimates, in 2050 is no more of the Biodiversity and remain pristine area of the Pantanal way, if the destruction continues to progress in this matter.
Illegal logging and slash and burn 17 percent of the area have been irrevocably Flattened. 17 percent of the area of the former Federal Republic, is well along in about as much as the trees of Black Forest, Swabian Alb and Odenwald.
soy plantations and cattle are in turn for the Unnutzbarmachung of the soil that is devoid of nutrients after a few years, as such, monocultural agriculture promoted its degradation incredibly fast. After a few years so the farmers are always forced to burn new land and move on.
at the periphery of the Pantanal ansiedelnde major industries also need to have left to do to drive the destruction of this unique landscape ahead. This mainly includes the production of bioethanol, ie those who Convert sugar cane into fuel vehicle. These process steps upfront highly toxic chemical compounds that are introduced as yet unknown, in the river systems of the Pantanal. Of course, by the fish die, absolute food base and the base of the food pyramid of the entire ecosystem.
And also the time of Goldgraeber is not, as suspected, in the 19 Century gone by, but holds today in the region threatening collection. With huge machines dig these people to wash all areas and the gold compounds by means of the use of mercury and mercury compounds from the rock. That mercury is very toxic, we all know, for only thus mercury thermometers were then removed - for reasons the health effects for humans. And these chemical waste land now in the ground water of the marshes, where do their terrible work, the insidious infiltration of food web and poisoning of the animal and plant species.
The degree of responsibility that we humans impose on us in terms of our nature, if any, are minimal. We too often that we too are animals that are dependent on our environment forgotten. Does it come as more and only the absolute ecological catastrophes, man gives birth to a stop? This is simply a sad chapter in history and one can only hope that it eventually comes to repentance. And before we realize that our own health is suffering under the circumstances - bird flu, BSE and antibiotics can fish are just the beginning of the "setback of nature," we even have provoked, which can not deny my opinion.
do After this little digression, but we once again focus on the journey. Arrived in our midst in the open jungle Pousada, we were immediately introduced to our excursions. Rides through the countryside, day and night tours on a small rowing boat, safaris with the VW, walks, and piranha fishing - all of these offers, we should take in the next four days, you come after all not over all the days of the end of the world.
followed very relaxed and yet exciting excursions through the (still) intact Areas of the world. I would like to enumerate in detail now, not every detail, but there are three things which have to be told thanks to their originality, in any case.
one hand there are the piranha fish. Quite early in the morning we headed to a slightly larger lake nearby. With luggage in a small bucket with Rindfleischstuecken, and two bamboo fish with sharp hooks. Since January is the rainy season in the Pantanal yet, we already knew in advance that it should not be too easy to get one of these carnivorous Suesswassermonsterchen on a leash. Because in the rainy season, rivers and lakes stretching out in such a way that a giant was linked Gewaesserflaeche spreads over the grasslands.
Thus, the fish grow much because it is a large supply of food for them there and little to fear competition from their own ranks is. The dry season but then things look a bit different. Due to the extremely hot temperatures then evaporates the water and quickly gives way to pristine lakes and rivers back. But then always remain isolated mini lakes scattered over the landscape left in which to gather the fish that have not found the way back in time into a river before being cut off from the mainland. You have most probably not before death by Altersschwaeche, but they are either evaporating puddles dry up by sometime painful, lack of food die (by fellow competitors), or the hordes of other, larger animals - especially the Caymans - mercilessly eaten, which might eat into the dry season, really tired. And that may in combination to 35 million animals "breathe" per day for up to six kilos of fish.
It should therefore unfortunately not be too easy to catch a piranha in the big lake, we visited now. Until finally, after several minutes with my Rindfleischkoeder inheritances Angel aufzitterte for a fraction of a second. I immediately pulled it and was amazed: the meat was gone! Quick set up another bait, fishing kept clean, keep shaking out, fishing, gone! The Piranha seemed like about the game with me to have, but he had not reckoned with our guide, who threw out calmly, on the other side of the boat's fishing rod. Who had over decades of training a very rapid reactive appropriated and then suddenly heaved the now not so smart-looking boot Piranha on board.
My mother and I were not so enthusiastic about it, be it because of that nasty fidgeting, or rather by this giant teeth that naked in front of us. 40% of the body is Beissapparat and the teeth are sharp as that of an oversized bread knife. Horrible to imagine that most Brazilians have no hesitation to go swimming in these areas. Apart from the other spitzzaehnigen creatures since in the murky water, their hunting instincts to pursue such as water snakes, of which we have a lawn about 3 feet long once over with a little distance from the water surface - yes, like a remote controlled boat for kids! - Could see. Well, now we have a photo of a piranha in our repertoire, and perhaps a gift idea for your next birthday with our friends to the aquarium.
Another interlude led to an observation tower in a small forest, we climbed to the adventurous and armed with binoculars. Once at the top but we were already expecting a few friends with whom we had not expected. A family of monkeys made themselves comfortable in the sun, stuffed chairs in fruits and leaves in their mouths, jumped around in time to the Nachbarbaeumen and seemed absolutely no fear of us to have people. For those who take it seriously, there were howler monkeys, the largest in the Pantanal common type, although a full-grown animal to a person only goes up to the knees. With great big eyes you
was carefully examined. These monkeys were not the idea to throw at us with their excrement, as it has been taken already so many visitors at the Heidelberg Zoo. No, it was extremely peaceful experience, maybe even too peaceful. For a savvy poachers there would be nothing easier than to make such a trusting creatures Lord. But because we are fortunately a different aspect, we just enjoyed this rare moment of harmony.
And thirdly, because of course the boat excursions, we laid back, depending on the length of the paddle or a small motor. Who can claim to have watched a 9-member family of giant otters in hunting? We can! Stunning as these huge animals marderaehnlichen in solid formation - meander through the water and combing it over the fish - probably a kind of family hierarchy. In front of our approaching boat but they did return quite rapidly, so that the sight of all micht should last for too long. But the regret we did not, but was the next highlight before us.
Kaimanfuetterung was announced, an experience that my mother will not necessarily remember. A very shallow near the shore point, our guide began suddenly all sorts of funny noises to give of himself - he can all the sounds of monkey to buzzard - and also called a name. "Zico, Zico." A Brazilian soccer star of the 80s in the last corner of the world? Only fast! Zico is the house of Pedro's crocodile, which he and the owner of the nearby Pousada it had been taught in years of training, fish Vespers on command from the wooden pole. And indeed, suddenly from a water lily-covered body ghostly pair of eyes appeared in the water behind them and made a meandering Movement felt quite obvious - the tail of the caiman had begun slowly to row in our direction.
He was hungry. With little inhibitions came the estimated 3-meter long animal at the edge over our boat and jumped finally - like a water polo goalkeeper - with his mouth advance a few feet from the water surface to top out to harvest the fish from a wooden rod that held out Pedro him . With a loud "folding" crashing over each other's jaws, bye bye Fischli. No false fears: caimans are afraid of people. There are and were in this type of crocodiles almost never assaults on them, because they are big and walk upright, which specialized in fish caimans prepares more fear. There was even freaks of nature, which - in the dry season! - Camped in the middle of a hundertkoepfigen Cayman colony without them is not an option.
The photographer of our Pantanalbildbandes must have been such a type, but well, who is also changed for months without eating through the Pantanal, and has nourished only by river water and fish is not necessarily our scale. However, I want to play down in any case, the danger of crocodiles in general. Australian saltwater crocodiles have been there a few fishermen and Hafenkaispaziergaenger on conscience and the models in Florida and in the Amazon should not quite as pacifist compared to people must be set. The guarantee I give so this only for the Pantanal from, as I said, the people bathe together there with the crocodiles, not 10 yards away from them.
Yes, these and many other beautiful things we have seen in the Pantanal, I have in my life have never seen such a fascinating and clear starry sky, let alone at night in the headlights shining crocodile eyes, which reflect orange ... have only one Jaguar I catch a glimpse, although I secretly held out for more desperate. Maybe that's why I'm
again in the summer when it is dry season. About my vacation plans I'm not quite sure where I want to go for - the selection is just too big (just like the Torhueterfrage the FIFA World Cup, Lehmann on the second?). What is certain is certain: there's another little paradise in this world and it is necessary to seize every opportunity to protect it!
After this super holiday - despite Erbrechungsunterbrechungn - separated my mother and I have been in Mato Grosso, they flew directly over Sao Paulo back into the icy Germany, while I opened my thoughtful to Salvador. There I had intended, as my father puts it nice so expect the adventures of everyday life, which I in these days of God--won thanks to a little distance. This was sorely needed. For show how in the next report is not all peace, joy and pancakes in the "harmonious society" by Terra Mirim been.
Part 1: Between toucans, crocodiles and beach paradise Part 2: Where is no light and shade
Part 3: Metropolis
Part 4: Weeks of change? calls
