Manaus and the Jungle

Sunday we toured the city of Manaus and were supposed to go by bus.  Our local Guide, however, wanted to surprise us and do a tour of the fish market before we met the buses on the other side of the fish market.  There were 70 of  us trying to make our way down crowded sidewalks, stepping past stalls selling everything imaginable.  When we entered the market, the first thing we saw were the  knives chopping off heads of fish with guts flying everywhere and we had just had breakfast.  Zigzagged our way through the fruit, vegetables

 and lost half of the group which didn't make a turn in the market.  By the time we got to the buses, it was a welcome relief to be in airconditioning.


We drove to the " wealthy" part of Manaus.  The only wealthy-looking homes were condos.  We did see a small favela (hillside slums) although nothing like Rio's favelas.  The government is little-by-little removing the slums, building housing with running water and electricity and fixing the infrastructure in time for the World Cup in 2014.  Then the buses stopped in a small town for a photo op, which I found very intrusive.  Picture two buses and 70 people taking photos of your house.

We then drove to the center of town to the Opera House which is Manaus' pride and joy.  Built in 1868, the Opera House was built by a slave population and over 1000 were killed in the construction.  The indigenous Indian population was not used to working for hours on end, and many died from exhaustion and disease contracted from outsiders.  Marble from Brazil was sent to England for cutting, Brazilian lumber was sent to France to make Louis XIV chairs and the House is beautiful.  We just missed a concert and if we had not gone through the fish market, we would have seen it!

On Tuesday, Rick and I were sitting on a bench in the square in front of the Opera House and a very nattily dressed  man stopped and asked: "Italiano?" We shook our heads and he said:  "Espanol?'  We shook our heads and finally he said "Anglaise?"  When we said yes, he warned us to watch our valuables!


The greatest day so far was yesterday when we left early (0800) hours for an Amazon Adventure on the rivers on a large ferry.  We rode past the industrial part of Manaus where thousands of containers were prepared to put on barges to push up the river by tugboats.  We passed 4 gasoline stations anchored in the river for the horrendous river traffic, which is almost as bad as the automobile traffice in Manaus.

 Although Brazil used to be famous for its rubber plantations, since synthetic rubber was invented, electronics is its main industry.   Our ship is docked on the Rio Negra (black river), which is black because of the decomposition of matter on the floor of the river, and which is very acidic (tannic aciid) and therefore Manaus doesn't have mosquitoes because of the acidic water (or so they say). 

Then we arrived at the meeting of the Rio Negra and the Amazon (which has another Indian name also).  It is incredible to see the black river run alongside  the brown, muddy Amazon!  The Amazon flows from the Andes and carries water and sediments which makes it milky brown.  The 2 rivers run side by side for 18 miles before they merge into one:  the Amazon.  The Rio Negra because it  is black absorbs more sunlight than the Amazon, hence is warmer, and runs slower than the Amazon.  The contrast between the two colors is very distinct and we'll probably never see anything like it again in our lifetimes.

Then we headed for the jungle, going through water with tall grasses that look like they were floating.  This is just the beginning of the wet season which lasts through June and this area will get 6 feet or more of water. Lots of white herons and another colorful bird whose name I can't remember.  It's not really a swamp because it is very clean.  The village houses are either on stilts or are floating.  The ferry docked at a restaurant and we all got into canoes, 12 to a canoe, two on each bench.  There were 4 canoes and off we went.  They are motorized and have a canopy, but it wasn't hot so it was fun, whizzing through the channels.  We stopped to go see the oldest tree in the Amazon.

We landed on a dock and first we were given a look at the owner's pool where they keep fish.  For a few rial he would bring the fish up. The first was a large catfish, and then he brought up two huge shark-like fish, called Pirarucu.  They raise them until they're 6' long and then they eat it and get new babies to raise.

 We then crossed a wobbly walkway, trekked for 15 minutes to a 400 year-old Cyprus- looking huge tree. You can see how this area is flooded by the line on the tree.  Looks like more than 6'.  After everyone had their picture taken, up walks a woman with a sloth around her neck.  Of course, all the girls had to hold it but I thought it was ugly.  Then it started to sprinkle.  Under the canopy of the trees, it was a gentle rain.  Then it started to pour, a true tropical rain.  We were drenched by the time we crossed the walkway, which was even more wobbly with the rain, and ran for shelter.  But the Guides said, Come on and we headed for the canoes in driving rain.  I wanted to sit in front because it was the easiest way to get into the canoe.  Well, we protected everyone behind us and in the process were further drenched, if that's possible. By the tine we got to the restaurant, I was walking in water inside my shoes.  Actually, the rain wasn't cold, thank goodness.


The lunch they served was delicious and huge.  Bananas, pineapple, watermelon (everyday on the ship), lots of different salads, (which I didn't eat), chicken, beef and the kind of fish we saw in that pool!  It was delicious.  After lunch, the students were given bamboo poles with beef as bait and fished for piranha.  The first fish caught was a baby catfish but several others caught pinranha which the Guides took off the hooks.  The re-bellied is the most dangerous and Marshall caught one!  Then we toured the huge lilypads.

The trip back on the ferry which was parked at the restaurant took an hour and we stood in the front of the boat trying vainly to dry our clothes.  As soon as we got back to the ship, we showered and washed everything we had on, including our shoes which were very muddy.  There has been no laundry since we entered the Amazon (no clean water to take on) and won't be until be get back into the Atlantic.


All in all, a very satisfying trip  and day.  The ship is like a ghost ship, hundreds flew to Rio and others are on overnight trips into the jungle!  Sleeping in hammocks in mosquito-infested areas is not my idea of fun