Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil

We spent five days in Manaus, the capital of the state of Amazonas, Brazil. We went on an overnight stay at a jungle resort and spent the rest of the time kicking around the city of Manaus. We visited the famous Opera House, the fish market, the rubber museum and the meeting of the waters of the Rio Negro River and the Amazon River.




Manaus Fish Market -- Fresh!!

 

Riverboats stand ready to take travelers deeper into the Amazon




Downtown business district




Manaus neighborhood. They are trying to imrove the looks of these before World Cup and Olympics



The next few photos show the houses built on stilts on the riverbanks. We were here as the river was slowly rising until it peaks in late May/early June. The lowest built structures may be under water by then. In the past decade, the highest year was '09 and the second-lowest was '10 so it's a yearly roll of the dice. I just love the colorful way the homes are painted. The government thinks these are an eyesore but I really like the interesting character and look of them.





Our Ship MV Explorer in Port

The Opera House is next

Meeting of the Waters is below

Cuddly Sloth

Sarge loved the Tiwa Jungle Resort

 Yes I caught this pirahnna

Caman on patrol

Rubber Museum

Goodbye Amazon

Dominica to the Amazon

MV Explorer from above in Dominica.

Dominica port area was very quaint. View from the ship. Beautiful port.

Suspension Bridge across the gorge. We saw this from the aerial tramway at the top of the rainforest.

Small local band played authentic Dominican music for us.

Liz and I on the suspension bridge

Sarge made the trip too, of course!

After two rough sea days, we finally enter the Amazon River and its smooth sailing



 


Just a little example of the bugs we encountered in this region






It was amazing how close we were to the riverbank at times.

What a view!!!





Sarge wanted to see the River





Small villages like these spotted along the riverbanks for many hundred miles.



Finally the port of Manaus



We Are Underway - Bahamas to Dominica

Well after a long wait to finally get all of the students embarked on Wednesday 1/12 we finally took of about three hours late with an 8pm (2000) departure. We left with only two students not making it in time and pulled away from Nassau to cheers, waves and hugs.

Home Sweet Home next 104 days!



Ditto!  Really not bad




Yes we really are now at Sea. Why we came right?

 

Sarge stands guard over our room.