As we approached, the ship's horn was sounded, and then as we headed ashore on tenders. The small stream leading to the village soon became lively with dugout boats filled with families coming in from the jungle. The villagers still project innocence. Tourism has not taken hold yet. Many of the children hold sloths, snakes, monkeys, even alligators and birds, and also offer them to us to hold for a photo.
Villagers sell beads, carvings of dugout canoes and riverboats, masks and wall carvings.
Perhaps the strangest thing to happen in the jungle occurred as we went to reboard the tender to return to the ship. Two men were standing there handing out leaflets and small gifts. Just before leaving the ship for our jungle excursion, we heard a short presentation from H. Stern, the jeweler, on shopping for gemstones in Manaus and in particular on shopping at their store. Sergio, the Stern representative, said his company would provide free transportation to the store, and we'd be free to also see what the nearby competition offered. These men were the competition, Amsterdam Saur.