Everyone knows about Carnaval but what the heck is “Boi Bumba?” Celebrated in the town of Parintins (population 100,000) located on the Amazon River in the state of Pará, it is fast becoming one of Brazil’s most popular local celebrations complete with elaborate costumes and fantasy floats.

Boi Bumba means,“Charge the bull,” and originated as a rural festival. It is held the last weekend in June. The story goes that a wealthy rancher gave his trusted farm hand a prized bull for his care. The farmhand’s pregnant wife became overwhelmed with cravings for (of all things) a taste of the bull’s tongue. So the obedient husband killed the bull and waited for the impeding punishment of the rancher. However, before telling his boss, the farmhand employs the help of a local shaman who manages to resurrect the bull and they all live happily ever after.

But wait - there’s more! The story is played out in town by two competing teams that are represented by a red bull (Garantido) and a blue bull (Caprichoso). During the weeklong festival, the teams compete in the Bumbadromo Stadium. The bigger and better presentation wins the title of reigning team.

As Boi Bumba becomes more popular not just within Brazil but also worldwide, the pageantry is becoming more spectacular. New characters and choreographed dances have been added. With domestic jet service into Parintins from Manaus, the town is full and hotels rooms are booked a year in advance. For more information on Boi Bumba contact www.boibumba.com.

How many times have I been asked which cruise offers the best way to see and experience the Amazon? If you are not ready to string up a hammock on a local riverboat but you do want to get closer to nature than from what can be seen on a large cruise ship – have I got a trip for you!

Its the M/V IberoStar. Last year for the first time I saw the IberoStar docked in Manaus. I was gob-stopped! A 4 star shallow draft expeditionary riverboat it has 72 air-conditioned cabins, some with sliding glass doors leading to a spacious balcony. There are two restaurants, a swimming pool, Jacuzzi, fitness center and internet access. However, most importantly it carries five zodiacs for up close and personal exploration of tributaries with pre-excursions lectures by naturalists specializing in Amazonian flora and fauna. It took everything for me to resist jumping ship – I would love to work in that environment!

The IberoStar offers three and four night programs out of Manaus. Itineraries are complimentary and can be combined back-to-back for a one week cruise. For more information contact: www.iberostar.com or my friends at www.ladatco.com.

Here at home winter’s cold is starting to set in; however down south – way down south – spring has sprung and summer is not far behind. South of the equator in the temperate zones below the tropics, climate is exactly like ours only in reverse. For some it’s hard to imagine that places within South America contain landscapes reminiscent of the fertile plains and prairies of North America and the spectacular, glacially created fjords of Scandinavia. More than a dozen cruise ships will be setting sail south to explore this fascinating continent. However, luxury ships are not the only option for cruising in South America.

The southern portion of the 2,700 mile long coastline of the incomparably beautiful, shoestring country of Chile is best explored by sea. Here the Andes, the longest mountain range in the world, plunge precipitously into the Pacific Ocean forming a perilous coastline of uncharted bays and inlets defined by rocky cliffs. The Humboldt Current races up from Antarctica bringing cold water and bitter winds that strip the land bare of vegetation. All but the hardiest species survive. Unlike areas in the northern hemisphere, Southern Chile lacks terrestrial wildlife. However the area abounds in sea birds and marine mammals.

One of the best ways of getting “up close and personal” in the fjords of Chile is by experiencing them from the decks of a Navimag ferry. Navimag (Navigaciones Magallanes) has been in business since 1979.The ships are a combination ferry, cargo, mail and passenger service transporting walk on day-travelers, overnight guests, as well as cars, trucks, and even livestock. The fleet of 2 vessels departs from Puerto Montt. From here they serve a handful of small towns not normally accessed by large cruise ships. Because of their size and draft, Navimag can cruise along channels too shallow for big ships giving passengers a closer look at nature. You’ll be hard-pressed to see any vestige of human habitation along the way.

Onboard life is not six-star; you won’t find chocolates on your pillow or evening entertainment. Overnight guests wishing a bed can pay for a private cabin with bath or a bunk with shared restroom facilities. For those not wishing a bed, there are plenty of chairs and deck space for tents and sleeping bags. Food is cafeteria style and there is a sitting room for quiet reading. But who wants to be inside when condors are soaring overhead and glaciers are on the horizon?

For those travelers looking for an adventure, I suggest Navimag. Your adventure will begin once you reach the breathtaking Lake District and end in Puerto Natales gateway to the spectacular peaks of Torres del Paine National Park. This is a special part of the world still pristine; untouched by the outside world. For more information contact www.navimag.com.

Taiwan Straits - I must set the time line; North Korea just conducted its first nuclear test. Tension was high as Japan and South Korea immediately started to talk of needed arms build-up and China was cautiously eyeing its unpredictable neighbor to the east. The Seven Seas Mariner was in Dalian, China’s closest large city bordering North Korea where though the streets seemed to be “business as usual” there was a palpable sense of waiting for the next shoe to fall.

Days went by and our cruise continued; Beijing, Shanghai and then on to Hong Kong. The night we sailed from Shanghai we entered the Taiwan Straits, the body of water separating Mainland China from The Republic of China, a.k.a. Taiwan. Deep in conversation with our Computer Instructor, I was stopped mid-sentence when I noticed the horizon was filled with what looked like rectangular bricks of intense bright light. Not one or two, but twenty or thirty on both sides of the ship. We were surrounded. We were not the only ones who dashed outside for a better look; the decks were filled with guests, crew and officers who could not figure out what these hovering blocks were. The lights never appeared separate but rather held together as though they were one huge bar of light. And the light itself never twinkled, pulsed or flashed as lights on a boat or ship. But what was really strange was the way they moved – they looked like they were coming toward us horizontally at a very high speed. Both the port and starboard sides of the ship were being rushed by blocks of unwavering light. And as soon as they came – poof – they were gone!

The next morning I prepared my bags for my trip home. I quickly downloaded my photos from my digital camera. As I scanned the images I blurted out – that’s it! Earlier in the cruise while in Hakodate I took a picture of a squid boat. These unusual boats have row after row of huge lights contained in thick glass, globe-like bulbs. The lights are used to attract up the squid. Once caught the lights go out. Remembering how the UFO’s the previous night seemed to hover like blocks of bright light – bingo! – they were squid boats. So the mystery was solved but they became known as the Unidentified Floating Objects!

When calling on Japan, most cruise ships sail as far north as Tokyo. Few venture to explore the northern cities of Honshu and Hokkaido. As the first leg of the Asia-Pacific cruise, the Seven Seas Mariner begins its Pacific crossing in the north starting from the whacky little town of Whittier, Alaska. From there she calls on Kodiak, Alaska’s largest island, and Dutch Harbor. Sailing north of the arcing Aleutian Islands, she officially arrives in Asia via Petropavlosk, Russia on the Kamchatka Penisula. From there it is a two day sail south to the north islands of Japan. This approach affords guests a chance to experience an area of the world few travelers see.

On the island of Hokkaido, the city of Otaru is the port for Sapporo. Most people remember Sapporo from the 1972 Winter Olympic Games. Keeping that in mind it makes sense that the hills of Otaru are covered with ski runs! Otaru is called Little Sakhalin for its proximity to the Russian island. The harbor is filled with Russian ferries and fishing boats. Russian patrons were equally well represented in the department stores and groceries. Just north of Hokkaido are the Kurile Islands, also belonging to Russia they were of strategic importance to both sides during World War II.

Otaru is an old city founded on its fishing fleet. Ornately decorated brick warehouses line the canals leading from the harbor. In the late 1800’s they were used for the processing of herring. Though herring is still a major part of the city’s economy, many of the old buildings are being renovated as part of gentrified pedestrian promenade that includes colorful shops, galleries and cafes. Though the northermost city in the country prices were much more reasonable than the uber-pricey capital city of Tokyo. Otaru hopes to attract more tourists in the future as it promotes itself as a four season resort. Guests onboard the Seven Seas Mariner were very pleased with the clean and relaxed atmosphere of the city. With such great comments I hope Otaru will be included on more cruise itineraries.

For those of us who for decades have advocated travel to South America, it comes as no surprise that the post 9/11 world is realizing the Western Hemisphere south of the border is a vast and beautiful land of safe and inviting destinations. There are many advantages to cruising South America; diverse ports of call, exotic cultures; spectacular scenery; one of a kind experiences; world class cities; sophisticated resorts; great shopping; unique flora and fauna, etc. … all this under sunny summer skies while back home North America is covered by winter’s blanket of cold and dark. For many even the time zone is the same minimizing jet-lag; and no trans-oceanic flights!

This winter season (2006/2007) over ten cruise lines will offer cruises to South America! That is a far cry for just a few years ago when only a handful of ships ventured south of the equator. Today cruisers are taking advantage of everything from great weather to great exchange rates.

Most popular South American cruise experiences include sailing the Amazon River – largest river in the world and circumnavigating legendary Cape Horn! Top destinations; where else? Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires! But don’t forget many cruises begin and end in strategic ports allowing travelers to visit more remote areas like Machu Picchu, the Galapagos Islands, and Iguasu Falls, in pre and post-cruise excursions. For more information on excursions ashore contact the experts at Ladatco (www.ladatco.com). After thirty years in business, no one knows South America better!

For those contemplating a cruise to South America, don’t forget your, “The Cruiser Friendly Onboard Guide.” As noted earlier, I am putting the finishing touches on three new books about the area!

Cruising the Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia

Originally uploaded by cruiserfriendly.com.

On this crisp, clear morning approaching Petropavlosk, all the area’s snow-clad volcanoes can be seen.

Caviar by the pound!

Originally uploaded by cruiserfriendly.com.

A woman in Petropavlosk sells caviar by the kilo.