• Southeast Asia & China Cruise - Peter & Geri Spencer share highlights of their latest adventure on a RWB fundraising trip.
  
• Amazon Adventure - Peter & Geri Spencer share highlights of their latest adventure on a RWB fundraising trip.

AMAZON ADVENTURE

Peter & Geri Spencer share highlights of their latest adventure on a RWB fundraising trip

Our RWB cruise began on January 28th at Manaus, Brazil, 1000 miles inland on the Amazon River. That evening a local folkloric group came aboard and gave an excellent introduction to the music and dance of the country. Like Winnipeg, the heyday of Manaus was between 1890 and 1910, when rubber was a valued commodity worldwide. During this time, a beautiful opera house was constructed in the fledgling city using material imported from Europe. Many of our group also enjoyed travelling by small boat along tributaries near the confluence of the clear Rio Negro and the muddy Amazon. We were welcomed mainly by children in small canoes, many of whom had an animal to show (sloth, caiman and anaconda).

Our next port of call was Boca Da Valeria, a tiny village occupied by 75 people (400 on cruise ship days). Again we were treated with smiles and were allowed to wander through the village, walk into the buildings and homes, and, for one dollar, take photographs of people in traditional garb. Next was Santarem, a large town 500 miles inland. Here we took an ecological hike through the jungle and past some small farms in an area of deforestation. Our walk was usually dry considering this was supposed to be the rainy season – great weather for tourists, however, and not too hot.
Following a day at sea, we arrived at Devil’s Island off the coast of French Guiana. This was a fascinating place to explore, with its decaying remnants of the convict settlement, 1852 – 1953. Some 80,000 prisoners including Henry Charriere, or “Papillion”, were sent there, with few ever returning.

The balance of the cruise took us to Eastern Caribbean Islands: Trinidad, Grenada, St. Vincent, Dominica, St. Kitts and Puerto Rico. These were all places of incredible beauty and historical interest. We toured spice plantations, botanic gardens, beaches, forests, colourful towns and cities and impressive fortresses. In addition to the original inhabitants, their history includes stories of European settlement, slave routes and colonial battles mainly including the Spanish, French and English.

Our cruise ship the “Regal Princess” had all the usual shipboard amenities; so there was something for everyone – a truly memorable journey!

Peter and Geri Spencer are long time supporters of the RWB and have been hosting RWB fundraising cruises with Carlson Wagonlit Travel since 2004.

The RWB, Carlson Wagonlit Travel and Peter & Geri Spencer invite you to join us on our next fundraising cruise September 30 – October 18, 2007 to Southeast Asia & China aboard the Sapphire Princess.

For more information please contact Carlson Wagonlit Travel at 204-944-9900 or 1-800-715-8747

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