Manaus, Brazil

Manaus, the "Paris of the Jungle," is the capital of Brazil's state of Amazonas. The former river village rests along the left bank of the Rio Negro, which merges with the mighty Amazon.
The Meeting of the Waters Cruise began with a scenic riverboat cruise on the Rio Negro toward a small cluster of islands. We were switched to motorized canoes and cruised the narrow channels in the tropical forest. Huge water lilies and a closer look at forest land made this like the "jungle boat ride" at Disneyland. After reboarding the riverboat we proceeded down river to view the Meeting of the Waters. This natural phenomenon occurs when the dark, clear waters of the Rio Negro and the muddy, yellow waters of the Solimoes River flow side by side. Where they meet is the official starting point of the Amazon.

Amazon River

We entered the Amazon on March 9 and did a technical stop to do the paperwork for the river transit. No one was able to leave the ship. March 10 we were in the community of Alter Do Chao. This island offered quaint cottages along the beach lined with palm trees. Thanks to Indian handicrafts, lush vegetation, turquoise lagoons and clear water, Alter Do Chao is becoming a popular destination for travelers.

Today, March 11 we arrived at anchor at Boca Do Valeria. It is an Indian village with a permanent population of from 75-100 people. The colorful village contains a few wooden house and an abundance of local wildlife. Locals are friendly and want to share their basic lifestyle with those who come ashore.

Fortaleza, Day 2

Mike and the gang set out early for a Dune Buggy tour. I opted out as I thought it might be too bouncy for me. Looks like they had a great time. Rode the dunes, stopped at the beach, drank out of a coconut and slid down the sand.

Fortaleza, Brazil

We docked in Fortaleza about 6 pm on March 6. The ship would overnight, so a deck bar b q was planned. It was a Carnivale celebration. Not sure about the guy wearing a kilt, but he is our Cruise Director, so he can do whatever he wants!

Salvador de Bahia, Brazil

The city of Salvador, founded in 1549, lost its status as capitol of Brazil in 1763, when that honor was given to Rio and later to Brasilia. At least 70% of its 2,250,000 residents are classified as Afro-Brazilian. The city is divided into the upper city and the lower city. You can move between them on foot, by taxi,or by elevator.
Mike and Bob set out after lunch to explore both the lower and upper cities. They went on foot and elevator. Carnival starts on March 5, so the upper city is making final preparations for the celebration. The streets were getting more crowded as time passed and people were in a festive mood. Carnival is celebrated for 5 days. The ship will leave Salvador at 10:00 pm when the sounds of the celebrating may be apparent.

Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

Synonymous with the "Girl From Ipanema", the dramatic view from Christ the Redeemer atop Corcovado Mountain, and famous Carnival celebrations, Rio is also a city of stunning architecture, abundant museums and marvelous food. For almost 300 years the Portuguese ruled Brazil, so the national language is Portuguese, not Spanish.
We had been here in 2007 and toured most of the sights, but not Sugar Loaf Mountain. We bused to the cable car station through lots of city traffic. We boarded our cable car, which held 60 people, and took a short climb of 650 feet to the first level. The second phase of our journey involved a breathtaking ride to the 1200 foot summit. The view was incredible. There was a gift shop and small food court and lots of people. We reversed our ride and were back down in the parking lot in minutes. We drove past Copacabana Beach and Ipanema. It was a weekday, so the beaches were not real crowded, and not many Brazilian beauties were visible.