A lake up a little river on a island in a big river

Piranha really do live in the Amazon!

An awesome neighbor of ours invited us to visit his family ranch on an island in the Amazon.

 After a long ride up the big river, we turned into a small river in his island, which wasn't easy to navigate with all the vegetation growing in the water, then we got to the ranch on a lovely lake. 

It was cattle day on the ranch, and men from around the island came together to help each other. It was great to see how well they enjoyed working together. 

They had to separate the new calves from the heard. The men worked hard! They were impressive at wrestling and chasing the cattle and the calves. 

Some of them worked at heating the branding irons and keeping track of whose brand to use.

It wasn't easy to hold the calves down for branding. They were strong!

They also gave the calves immunizations.

They were also kind to let us ride horses along the lake. 

One of the men who came to help was actually a professional fisherman. He showed us how he makes his nets.

He also taught us how to throw a "tarrafa" or hand net.

Then we all took turns.

It wasn't as easy as he made it look, but it was fun!

Saebra caught a piranha...then it caught her!

After a fun, long day...

....we enjoyed the beautiful ride back home.