2017.02.27-28 Manaus, Brazil

Manaus is the capital city of the State of Amazonas, and is entirely surrounded by the Brazilian Amazon Rain Forest. This isolation helped preserve the regions natural treasures as well as its cultural heritage. With a current population of 2.6 million people, Manaus was first settled by the Portuguese in the mid 17^th century. During the latter part of the 19^th century and early 20^th century, the Brazilian Amazon enjoyed a period of great wealth, when it was the world’s only rubber supplier. This relatively short lived period was known as the “rubber boom” and created many wealthy businessmen, who shaped the appearance of the region’s main cities and areas of commerce. Manaus was especially affected by the frenzy of the rubber boom and a number of its most impressive landmarks date from this period of opulence, including buildings such as the magnificent Teatro Amazonas (Opera House), the Customs House, and Mercado Municipal Adolfo Lisboa (market). Manaus deservedly earned the nickname, Paris of the Jungle during this period. Today, Manaus is the Amazons largest city, an uncanny pocket of sophistication in the middle of a jungle. The city is the main portal to the fantastic fauna and flora of the Brazilian Amazon. Few places in the world offer such a wide variety of plants, trees, birds, insects and wildlife. One of the most spectacular natural highlights is the Encontro das Aguas (Meeting of the Waters), where the dark Rio Negro joins with the much lighter, sandy Rio Solimoes.

Here we did two private tours, one each day. On day one we took a boat for our tour. Here the ship is docked, but you still need to take a shuttle to the gate. On the first day it was rainy, and not just a little but really rainy when we started out. Here is the boats that we were on. We had three boats with 11 people per boat. Steve and I were towards the front and it was a little wet going out.

Our first stop was to go to the meeting of the waters. This is where the black Rio Negro meets the brown Amazon. The reason they do not mix is because the Rio Negro is warmer than the Amazon. Those with arms long enough to reach over the gunnel were able to feel the difference between the two. Also here is a picture of the height of the waters over the years.

Our next stop was a floating village. The Amazon will rise and fall over the year many feet, so houses are either on stilts or they float. The highest water is not till June, but it is still high now. The yellow one is the elementary school and the blue one is one of the churches.

We next got out of the boats at this where they are raising the Pirarucu, the largest Brazilian scaled fresh water fish and possibly the largest in the world. Its scales are used as exotic, but very efficient nail files. We first saw the smaller ones swimming and then were able to fish for the big ones in a confined area. They sounded like shot guns as they bit the bait.

We were then off to lunch and a trip into the rain forest. When we got there we had to walk over this bridge that look like it had not been well constructed, but we made it. There were a lot of squirrel monkeys in the forest and they came right up to you. At the end of the walk we were at these enormous lily pads that can be many meters wide. Very amazing as was the walk.

Then we had lunch on this floating restaurant. It was a buffet and was very good.

After lunch we had an hour and half ride to our next stop that was an Indian village. We were going against the waves in this metal boat and it was a very rough ride, but we all made it. This was an experience. There are many Indian tribes in this area and this was just one of them. They had a big meeting hall that we were in and they demonstrated their different dances. At the end they asked everyone to dance. Steve even danced, as he told me he could never turn down a topless female that asked him to dance.

We then were ready for the last part of the trip and it had started raining again; it had stopped about lunch time. This was to swim with the pink dolphins. Their real name is Boto Vermelho, of which there are many legends. The older ones are very pink and the younger ones are more gray. You did not really swim with them, but stood on a platform as they fed fish to them. We did not get into the water. Steve would have (so he said) if it had not been raining.

You can see that most of these are younger. Then back to the ship, a little beat as the ride back was another hour; however, we were with the waves. Great day, great guide, Herman.

Then it was day two (Mardi Gras or Carnival). Today we were supposed to vist the Opera House, the Rio Negro Palace, Adolpho Lisbo market, Indian Museum and the floating port. However, as I said it was Carnival and the palace and Museum were closed, so we took a ride over the Rio Negro bridge.

Okay, first stop was the market. This was amazing. It is a fish market, goods market, food market and a banana market. Notice in a couple of pictures there like for Viagra.

We walked past the customs house. It was prefabricate in 1904 in Liverpool and then brought here and put together.

We then went to the floating port. This allows it to work even in the very high water season. They have these big boats that they use to take people up and down the river. You need to bring a hammock and when you get on you hang it up to reserve your space. There are private cabins if you want to pay a lot more. They go from 4 days to 8 days up and down the river.

We then went to the Opera House. It is amazing that something like this would be in the middle of the Amazon. It hold 700 +1 people, the one being the governor, and if he does not show up, his box is empty. It is not air conditioned so under the seats are these pots in the floor where they put ice to keep them cooled. It was built in 1896, and then was closed for 60 years and reopened in 1976. The chandelier is from Paris and has four pieces so it would resemble the Eiffel Tower. The curtain is silk and is not rolled up but goes up in one piece.

We then went to the Rio Negro Palace, which we found closed. However, I do have a picture.

We then went over the Rio Negro Bridge and came back to the ship. This bridge was completed 10/24/12 and is 3.5 km long. It connects Manaus with three cities that are on the other side. Before the bridge was built they had to commute to Manaus by water.