Day 1: January 2, 2014
This day in Manaus was spent exploring the many cultural sites of the city and was our first full day in Brazil. Our first stop on the tour was Sao Sebastiao Square and the Amazonas Theater, the cultural heart of Manaus. The paving of the square is compromised of black and white stone, symbolizing the meeting of the waters of the Rio Negro and the Solimoes. The theater, built in 1896 of funds generated from the rubber boom that occurred in the region and continues to hold performances till this day. A truly beautiful and strange sight to see in the middle of the Amazon rainforest. It is kept in amazing condition and the interior is full of well-maintained antiques. The main section of the opera house had a capacity of 700. The river motif was present inside the theater as well, with the utilization of dark and light wood for flooring. Our guide that was provided by a private company, was difficult to understand, and the tour guide of the opera house was sure to comment on that fact before explaining to us one of the most important features of the building. The design of the building was an innovative incite to the days of pre-air conditioning, the guide made note of the many portholes around the structure that helped with cross-flow ventilation, removing a seat cushion from a bench in a dressing room to reveal a hole to the outside. However a bit cool inside, especially in my shorts and t-shirt, it is hard to imagine how the people of that time were ever able to seek relieve from the clothing that was popular in that time. Next we visited the Porto de Manaus, which at the time were receiving passengers from a German cruise ship that had just anchored. As we walked closer to the river I caught the attention of an older man who kissed my hand and told me he trusted me, quite a sweet greeting but also pretty terrifying. There was a board that recorded the level of the waterline of years past, with the highest level happening in 2012. Another stop worth note on the tour was the Mercado Municipal Adolpho Lisboa. The architecture of this open-air market was reminiscent of some South Asian country id never been, and was filled with smells that were intriguing as well as nauseating. The market was definitely different from any in the United States.
Day 2: January 3, 2014
Our Amazon rainforest boat excursion was one of the most anticipated activities of the trip that I had looked forward to. I am not sure if my imagination had gotten the best of me but I had expected something like wielding machetes in the middle of the Amazon type of experience. However, the truth was much more subdued. After sometime had passed we came to the meeting of the waters. The paved motif that we had encountered in Sao Sebastiao Square was brought to life. The Rio Negro and the Solimoes never mix is because of the stark differences in temperature, speed and water density between the two, making for a truly incredible sight. The group and I mingled with the other passengers of the boat, which were from many different places within Brazil. At one point in the journey, three young Brazilian boys rode along side us in a much smaller boat until two were able to come abroad with a three-toed sloth and an anaconda. To generate income in this area, it is fairly common for people that live along the river to catch different animals and exhibit them to tourists for a fee. I had the opportunity to hold the sloth, which was surprisingly soft and didn’t carry much of an odor (for some odd reason I thought it would). It was quite exciting. On our way to our final destination, we passed a community that lived along the river, comprised of different structures, including homes and a school. I felt a bit guilty for taking pictures of members of the community, and thought about the many challenges they may experience on a route clogged with tourist boats. After lunch, we visited the indigenous community Tupe, the village Dessana. The dances they shared with us were meant to welcome visitors into their community. Before we made our final journey home, we stopped to swim with the Amazon River dolphins. Two of them were corralled into a section blocked off from open water and was fed by a young man that allowed from people to take pictures and touch them as their pink bodies emerged to the surface. Upon closer look, you can see the many scars possibly left behind from boat propellers, and among other dangers such as pollution, has caused this species to be placed on the vulnerable list by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Day 3: January 4, 2014
Our final day in Manaus was spent at Ponta Negro. Similar in concept to a boardwalk, however along the Rio Negro, and was suggested to us by a college student named Davidson, which we befriended quite quickly. It was located in a more affluent area of Manaus and boasted a mall, which was of better quality to the ones that we visited close to our hotel. This experience allowed the group to interact more with locals. As we walked toward the beach along the water, there was a lot of trash surrounding the areas that were most populated by sunbathers and few garbage cans which overflowed with trash. The water that was blocked off for swimming was cleaned by a system that was buried underneath the sand. Even though people in orange jumpsuits cleaned, none of them were addressing the garbage closest to the water. We traveled to the mall by bus. Everyone practically takes the bus because of the significant expenses of owning a car in the area. The bus system seemed to pride itself on efficiency through speed, as we almost a few members of the group departing the bus at our stop. The Ponta Negro mall was a stark contrast from the mall we visited earlier in the trip and included valet parking. After the mall, we returned to the hotel to get ready for our flight to Rio.
This day in Manaus was spent exploring the many cultural sites of the city and was our first full day in Brazil. Our first stop on the tour was Sao Sebastiao Square and the Amazonas Theater, the cultural heart of Manaus. The paving of the square is compromised of black and white stone, symbolizing the meeting of the waters of the Rio Negro and the Solimoes. The theater, built in 1896 of funds generated from the rubber boom that occurred in the region and continues to hold performances till this day. A truly beautiful and strange sight to see in the middle of the Amazon rainforest. It is kept in amazing condition and the interior is full of well-maintained antiques. The main section of the opera house had a capacity of 700. The river motif was present inside the theater as well, with the utilization of dark and light wood for flooring. Our guide that was provided by a private company, was difficult to understand, and the tour guide of the opera house was sure to comment on that fact before explaining to us one of the most important features of the building. The design of the building was an innovative incite to the days of pre-air conditioning, the guide made note of the many portholes around the structure that helped with cross-flow ventilation, removing a seat cushion from a bench in a dressing room to reveal a hole to the outside. However a bit cool inside, especially in my shorts and t-shirt, it is hard to imagine how the people of that time were ever able to seek relieve from the clothing that was popular in that time. Next we visited the Porto de Manaus, which at the time were receiving passengers from a German cruise ship that had just anchored. As we walked closer to the river I caught the attention of an older man who kissed my hand and told me he trusted me, quite a sweet greeting but also pretty terrifying. There was a board that recorded the level of the waterline of years past, with the highest level happening in 2012. Another stop worth note on the tour was the Mercado Municipal Adolpho Lisboa. The architecture of this open-air market was reminiscent of some South Asian country id never been, and was filled with smells that were intriguing as well as nauseating. The market was definitely different from any in the United States.
Day 2: January 3, 2014
Our Amazon rainforest boat excursion was one of the most anticipated activities of the trip that I had looked forward to. I am not sure if my imagination had gotten the best of me but I had expected something like wielding machetes in the middle of the Amazon type of experience. However, the truth was much more subdued. After sometime had passed we came to the meeting of the waters. The paved motif that we had encountered in Sao Sebastiao Square was brought to life. The Rio Negro and the Solimoes never mix is because of the stark differences in temperature, speed and water density between the two, making for a truly incredible sight. The group and I mingled with the other passengers of the boat, which were from many different places within Brazil. At one point in the journey, three young Brazilian boys rode along side us in a much smaller boat until two were able to come abroad with a three-toed sloth and an anaconda. To generate income in this area, it is fairly common for people that live along the river to catch different animals and exhibit them to tourists for a fee. I had the opportunity to hold the sloth, which was surprisingly soft and didn’t carry much of an odor (for some odd reason I thought it would). It was quite exciting. On our way to our final destination, we passed a community that lived along the river, comprised of different structures, including homes and a school. I felt a bit guilty for taking pictures of members of the community, and thought about the many challenges they may experience on a route clogged with tourist boats. After lunch, we visited the indigenous community Tupe, the village Dessana. The dances they shared with us were meant to welcome visitors into their community. Before we made our final journey home, we stopped to swim with the Amazon River dolphins. Two of them were corralled into a section blocked off from open water and was fed by a young man that allowed from people to take pictures and touch them as their pink bodies emerged to the surface. Upon closer look, you can see the many scars possibly left behind from boat propellers, and among other dangers such as pollution, has caused this species to be placed on the vulnerable list by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Day 3: January 4, 2014
Our final day in Manaus was spent at Ponta Negro. Similar in concept to a boardwalk, however along the Rio Negro, and was suggested to us by a college student named Davidson, which we befriended quite quickly. It was located in a more affluent area of Manaus and boasted a mall, which was of better quality to the ones that we visited close to our hotel. This experience allowed the group to interact more with locals. As we walked toward the beach along the water, there was a lot of trash surrounding the areas that were most populated by sunbathers and few garbage cans which overflowed with trash. The water that was blocked off for swimming was cleaned by a system that was buried underneath the sand. Even though people in orange jumpsuits cleaned, none of them were addressing the garbage closest to the water. We traveled to the mall by bus. Everyone practically takes the bus because of the significant expenses of owning a car in the area. The bus system seemed to pride itself on efficiency through speed, as we almost a few members of the group departing the bus at our stop. The Ponta Negro mall was a stark contrast from the mall we visited earlier in the trip and included valet parking. After the mall, we returned to the hotel to get ready for our flight to Rio.