Amazon to Manaus

 

Thursday, February 22, 2018

Merging Waters with Amazon

Last night set sail for Manaus, Brail, arriving at noon. 
Noted the convergence of tributaries to the Amazon.
Amazon the "muddy brown" because of its powerful current.

Arriving Manaus Port

Manaus is the largest, most secluded, and furthest city along the Amazon.  Over 2 million people, mostly developed by Amazon forest tribes, still representing many cultural tribal beliefs.  Primarily assessable by boat or plane, with only one road leading to Venezuela.   A tour of the city certainly shows a very low standard of living.  Historic markets, street vendors, etc.  Fishing is by far the most dominant market,  locals eat fish seven days a week. Some 25 languages spoken.  Our local tour guide was born in the forest tribe, calls himself the “black sheep” one of twenty children in his family.  Left tribe at 14 years old under the adoption of a missionary family from Texas.  Speaks English, but sometimes hard to follow.  Tour bus to their "Opera House", appears the only highlight of the city.

Opera House

 

Friday, February 23, 2018

Still at dock in Manaus, so Bill and I decided to go to the downtown market for a walking tour.  Very busy market place. 

Market

Looked like mostly locals shopping, so Bill and I stand out like a sore thumb.  Lots of vendors hustling everything you can imagine, most notably a young lady hustling the “oldest profession on earth”.   Must have hit the “red district”.

Back to ship for lunch and a free afternoon at port. Noted the loading of a "very large fish" just below our deck.  Catch of the day? 

Catch of the day?  6', 200 lbs.

Ship departs 5:00 pm prox.  Then four straight days at sea along the Amazon.  No scheduled stops until Caribbean sea, ie; Barbados scheduled for Feb 28.  That will have been 10 days on the Amazon with only a few hours of sunlight.  As our tour guide says, it is the “Rainy Season”.  They rather enjoy the cool rains.  As he says, the seasons are “Hot & Hotter”.

Enjoyable exploration and wonderful ship accommodations, but probably not a trip we would repeat.