After a a groggy start we stocked-up our energy on Tapioca\u00a0pancakes (http:\/\/flavorsofbrazil.blogspot.com.br\/2011\/06\/tapioca-what-it-is-depends-on-where-you.html), caffeine and juice and\u00a0tried to start to address the issues that had arisen. We had a quick win over breakfast when George’s EMBRAPA colleague\u00a0Santarem came through big time – access to two sites, a vehicle and a cheap (almost free) field station to lodging – what a great way to start the day even if the restaurant coffee was a bit strange !!<\/p>\n
But this too was rectified when we arrived at Marlucia’s lab at the Goeldi Museum – she is wonderful lady and quickly picked up that coffee is an constant and essentiel part of my diet. At this point I should describe the Goeldi Museum as it may not be what you think. Belem will celebrate its 400th birthday next year and the
\nMuseum its 150th but the museum only has limited public exhibition space, the main site is a research station dedicated to collection and preserving the biodiversity, archeology and anthropology of Amazonia – its basically a research institute dedicate to that task.<\/p>\n
After a wonderful morning with Marlucia and her students we went ‘next door’ to visit George’s EMBRAPA colleagues and have some lunch – and like clockwork after lunch it rained. I love tropical rain when you are NOT trying to dig for worms. After the torrential rain had stopped ……<\/p>\n