​PARINTINS

Parintins is a city located in the state of Amazonas, Brazil.  It is situated on Tupinambarana Island, enclosed by the Amazon River, approximately halfway between the cities of Manaus and Santarém.  

The city is known for its cultural vibrancy, particularly during the annual Bumba Meu Boi Festival in June.  

The Zuiderdam arrived around 10 am, with open tendering announced at 11:30.  

The tender ride was less than 10 minutes.  

BOI BUMBA FESTIVAL

Our plan for today was to attend the Boi Bumba Festival Show in the small convention center starting at 2:15 pm.  Attending this show was only available as a HAL tour since these shows only occur during cruise ship visits, and HAL buys all the space to sell as an excursion.  

The meeting time for the show was 1:30 pm at the tender pier, but we learned later that there wasn’t any formal meeting required and we should go directly to the convention center, less than 100 yards from the end of the tender pier.  

The doors opened at 1:45 pm and show started at 2:15.  People were lined up over an hour in advance to get front-row seats.  We got in line at about 1:15 which would give us a selection of second-row seats.  Along the back wall, there are two platforms with chairs stacked up nearby.  We put the chairs on the platform, which gave us a good view of the stage, even though we were along the back wall.  

Waiters delivered Caipirinha drinks during the pre-show.  

NOTE: The caipirinha (kai-purr-REEN-yah) is the national drink of Brazil.  It’s the most popular cocktail in the South American country, and everyone has their own way of making it.  The basic caipirinha recipe is straightforward and requires just three ingredients: cachaça, lime, and sugar.  Cachaça is similar to rum, but not as sweet with a grassy, vegetable taste.  

There wasn’t any information about the show provided in advance nor was there any useful narration during the show.  Here is a brief description of show from Wikipedia.  Reading about the show in advance will help you better understand the performance.  

Bumba Meu Boi is an interactive play celebrated in Brazil. It originated in the 18th century. It is a form of social criticism. Lower class Brazilians mock and criticize those of higher social status through a comedic Folklore story told in song and dance. Though not as well known internationally as Carnival and other Brazilian festivals, it is older and deeply rooted in the culture of Brazil. The tale can vary depending on the region and social setting at which it is practiced. However, its essential theme remains the same, with a focus on the death and resurrection of an ox

The show was colorful and energetic as the stage and area in front of the audience filled with performers, accompanied by loud rhythmic music.  

Here is a short video with a few highlights of the performance that lasted for an hour.  The cast was available both before and after the show to pose for photographs.  

CITY TOUR BY TRICICLO

After the show, we spotted a half dozen Triciclos with their drivers outside the convention center.  They were selling one-hour city tours for $20.  They had longer tours, but one hour was plenty of time.  

HAL offers a prepaid tour you can buy in advance, but the price is double what you can easily get on the street by yourself.  

The ride is bumpy and loud – no seatbelts, so hang on.  Don’t expect much, if any, commentary.  We spent a few minutes circling the Catedral Nossa Senhora do Carmo, or Cathedral of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and stopped for a picture.  

The most prominent structure in Parintins is The Centro Cultural de Parintins, better known as the Bumbódromo.  This is a multipurpose non-sports arena where the traditional Parintins Folklore Festival takes place every June.  It’s one of the most important popular festivals in the country, recognized as Cultural Heritage of Brazil by the National Institute of Historical and Artistic Heritage.  

Here is a video of the 2023 Festival

The festival celebrates a local legend about a resurrected ox.  It is also a competition where two teams, Garantido and Caprichoso, compete in extended retellings of the story, each attempting to outdo the other with flamboyant dances, singing, and parade floats.  Coca-Cola sponsors the event and produces both red and blue colored cans for sale during the festival.  

The winning team from the previous year will also perform in the convention center when cruise ships visit.  

As you can see on the map above, we made one lap of the city center before returning to our starting point near the convention center.

WORLD STAGE

Sid Davis performed for the second time this evening.  He is hilarious and well worth your time.