Boca Da Valeria, Brazil

We are visiting the rather remote village of Boca Da Valeria today.  The village is very small, with only about 120 inhabitants who all make their living on -- and from -- the Amazon.  There are no roads here.  When cruise ships call, everyone turns out in the hopes of making a few extra dollars from the passengers.  Little children greet you and call you "Abuela" or "Abuelo"  (Grandmother/Grandfather), grab you by the hand, and ask for money. 

Several local boats came out to the ship, and clustered around the tenders as they were loading and unloading.  What was really heartbreaking was that each boat had a sloth on board, which was being held up to tourists so they could photograph them for the price of a dollar or two.  These poor creatures will die within a very short time, because they have been removed from the trees that they depend on to survive.  I feel guilty about photographing them, but I did so from our balcony, and at the risk of sounding preachy, wanted to show the downside of tourism in an area such as this.