Precerpt from In with the Wind: A Mary Poppins Kind of Life - Brazil: Belem
Belem Belem is probably one of the lesser known cities of Brazil, but it is definitely one of my favorites. A major Amazonian port city shaped by its rivers, equatorial climate, and deep colonial roots, Belém sits on Guajará Bay near the mouth of the Amazon system, about 80 miles up the Pará River from the Atlantic, giving it a landscape defined by tidal waters, mangroves, and constant river traffic. Founded in 1616 as a Portuguese fort, it grew into the first European colony on the Amazon and later became a thriving hub during the 19th‑century rubber boom. Today the city blends colonial architecture, tree‑lined squares, and modern districts. Its port remains the principal gateway for goods flowing from the Amazon basin, exporting products such as Brazil nuts, hardwoods, and metals. With its equatorial climate—hot, humid, and marked by heavy rainfall—Belém’s daily life is inseparable from the river: markets brim with Amazonian fish and fruits, boats move as readily as buses, and the ...