Hennessy in the Amazon

**Miguel** · 08-21-2009, 08:22

I really enjoyed the slideshow....those are some serious Lilly pads! In the first photo I thought they were about a foot wide and was shocked to later discover they were almost as long as your paddle. The Amazon is still one of my fantasy trips. Thanks for sharing yours.

Miguel

**Cannibal** · 08-21-2009, 08:40

Originally Posted by billvann

What were you collecting? I've taken a break from the hobby but used to keep Apistos and Killifis.

Actually, I was on the study team. We were doing mortality studies on Inia geoffrensis (pink river dolphins). The locals called them "Botos", I think. The students doing the collection had a wish list about 2 pages long. If I remember correctly they were fairly successful, but I have no idea what they were after. The year was 1991ish and there were a few years of college between then and now, soooo not all the memory cells are still intact. Especially after drinking a bunch of home brewed Pinga in those villiages. Very sweet and potent liquor down there. Quite tasty too.

**k7lro** · 08-21-2009, 13:12

Originally Posted by Miguel

I really enjoyed the slideshow....those are some serious Lilly pads! In the first photo I thought they were about a foot wide and was shocked to later discover they were almost as long as your paddle. The Amazon is still one of my fantasy trips. Thanks for sharing yours.

Miguel

My pleasure.

The scientific name is "Victoria Amazonica". According to one site, they were described by British explorers in 1801 and was named after the British Queen Victoria.

The bottom can be quite dangerous to a folding kayak with air sponsons - they're covered with thorns on the bottom. The ones we saw were quite distressed I suppose due to all of the rain.

**k7lro** · 08-21-2009, 13:14

Originally Posted by Cannibal

The year was 1991ish and there were a few years of college between then and now, soooo not all the memory cells are still intact. Especially after drinking a bunch of home brewed Pinga in those villiages. Very sweet and potent liquor down there. Quite tasty too.

*snicker* One of our guys got a bottle of cachaça - we made caipirinha on the boat. Boy - that stuff is inexpensive.

**Ekul** · 08-21-2009, 14:03

Nice pics. You made me jealous!

**k7lro** · 08-21-2009, 14:21

Originally Posted by Ekul

Nice pics. You made me jealous!

You live in GA - and you make *me* jealous. I've lived in Baxley in the early 80's, Norcross in the early 80's and Norcross again in the early to mid-90's.

I would kill to live in the south again.

**k7lro** · 08-21-2009, 14:27

You peaked my interest - I love all things Brazilian. I even married one.

I want to retire there. I'm ready now...just not old enough to retire yet - just give me nine more years good Lord.

I found his site - needless to say, I'll be checking out his blog. I find this stuff amazing and my wife, who just rolls our eyes at my dreams, understands that I'll never outgrow my dreams of trips like this. Thank goodness she's accepted me for my strange tendencies.

Linky

**Ekul** · 08-21-2009, 14:36

Originally Posted by k7lro

You live in GA - and you make *me* jealous. I've lived in Baxley in the early 80's, Norcross in the early 80's and Norcross again in the early to mid-90's.

I would kill to live in the south again.

Traffic is a nightmare around ATL but Im sure there is room for one more

. I still have family in Norcross and both my parents grew up there. What a small world!

**Hawk-eye** · 08-21-2009, 15:52

Originally Posted by k7lro

*snicker* One of our guys got a bottle of cachaça - we made caipirinha on the boat. ....

Hmm ... the problem with a caipirinha is one will make you think you can speak Portuguese ... two will have you speaking Portuguese fluently ... three ... well couldn't tell ya!

And try that with a bunch of second generation Germans who want to have yager shots after that!

Glad I survived and got smarter in my old age!