A Rosinha e as coisas de que me orgulho

Está a fazer 2 anos que o meu texto foi escolhido e publicado pelo concurso promovido pela Navigator, “Around the World in 80 pages-The Book”. Este ano voltei a concorrer, desta vez inspirada pela minha última viagem aos Açores.

Recordo agora o texto publicado em 2016, inspirado na Selva da Amazónia e em José Mauro de Vasconcelos. Se nunca leram “Rosinha Minha Canoa” não sabem o que perdem sobre a bondade e a inocência da natureza humana. Em tempos tão rudes é bom acreditar que a Rosinha existe e que o mundo sem as Rosinhas não faz muito sentido.

(desculpem o texto estar em inglês, as regras do concurso internacional assim obrigam)  

 

Rosinha, my canoe does exist….

Once the rubber capital of the world, Manaus is a city with strong ties to the Rio Negro (Black River) and the Amazon jungle.

With over 2 million inhabitants, it is the sixth wealthiest city in Brazil and the main financial and corporate centre in the North Region, being a well-known industrial hub for the Brazilian economy. Manaus was the second city in Brazil to have electricity and the first one to house a public university. Whether you have recently read the book “Rosinha Minha Canoa” (Rosinha My Canoe) or just forgot it, immersing yourself in the jungle recalls the tale of Zé Ocoró. You can swim with botos, visit native tribes, fish for piranhas, go night focusing on alligators, feel the trill of the Meeting of Waters, watch an unforgettable sunset or canoe the night away. Even though modern civilization has reached the native tribes that liv along the banks of Rio Negro, there is a strong will to preserve tradition. Every tribe member participates, explaining rituals and customs, songs and life philosophy. If asked to dance, do not hesitate. Enjoy. Hold hands and let yourself go. And the jungle experience goes on. Swimming with the botos-river dolphins that inhabit the Rio Negro and measure up to 2.5metres. In spite of their size, these are gentle creatures. You can safely venture into the dark river waters, while they feast on fish and jump around, having fun. If bathing here is a thrilling experience, strolling through the jungle is an unforgettable one. Take the opportunity to learn basic safety rules, identify plants and trees, discover medical species or, if you are felling adventurous, stay the night. Nature has a lot of offer, including a river teeming with piranhas, which, being easy fun to fish, turn into an amazing broth. At night, you must not miss the alligator focusing. From a little faft, in the middle of the river, you see their eyes gleaming along the banks. A native swiftly navigates his raft, returning with a small specimen.

At night, the jungle noises change and the sky glows unique full of stars. No one leaves without visiting the place where the two giang rivers meet. The Meeting of Waters is the confluence of the dark waters of Rio Negro and the muddy waters of the Rio Solimões. For ever 10 kilometers, both rivers run alongside each other, never mixing, due to their different speeds, densities, ph levels and temperatures. By now, the book of José Mauro de Vasconcelos is no longer a tale. And one cannot help but to look around, hoping to see Rosinha.