Passage through the Amazon
Trip Details
| Destination: | Bahamas |
| Places visited: |
Nassau, Bahamas San Juan, Puerto Rico Basseterre, St. Kitts St. George's, Grenada Manaus, Brazil Santarem, Brazil Port of Spain, Trinidad Bridgetown, Barbados Roseau, Dominica Fort Lauderdale, Florida |
| From: | Dec 21, 2011 |
| To: | Jan 12, 2012 |
| Hotel: | M/V Explorer - Enrichment Voyages - |
| Itinerary/Activities | The trip started in Nassau and ended in Fort Lauderdale. Had visited most of the islands many times before so I concentrated more on visiting Manaus and Santarem in Brazil. |
| Most memorable part of trip | Manaus City Tour: Leave from the floating port, designed to move with the river tide of the Rio Negro, and begin your orientation to Manaus. Pass the Customs House, prefabricated in Liverpool and shipped to Manaus a hundred years ago, the clock tower, the Cathedral and the Palacio Rio Negro – the private residence of a German rubber baron and later the Governor's office. Visit the Palacio Rio Negro and its museum that depicts the Amazonian way of life. A visit to the Indian Museum is an interesting way to understand the traditions, habits and behavior of the indigenous populations. The highlight of your tour will be a visit to the city's most famous landmark, the lavish pink and white Teatro Amazonas Opera House. Built in 1896, this marvel of architecture features a dome of 36,000 vitrified ceramic tiles imported from Europe, set in a mosaic of the colors of the Brazilian flag. The amazing painting that graces the inside of the dome is a recreation of the view you would have if you stood under the Eiffel Tower and looked up. The dazzling auditorium boasts perfect acoustics, and performances here range from single guitar concerts to entire ballet companies and philharmonic orchestras. As stunning as the building is, perhaps its most extraordinary element is the fact that it is located in the heart of the Amazon jungle, in the city of Manausa testament to the dazzling affluence that accompanied the rubber boom of 1896. MAICA – PORTRAIT OF THE AMAZON REGION From the dock, board a regional boat and float downstream toward the Meeting of the Waters. An unusual phenomenon, this is the area where the mighty Amazon and Tapajós Rivers come together. Continue to the Maica Area, a natural outlet of the Amazon River. The area is a much smaller stream than the Amazon and makes it easier to see the sights while the boat meanders through the flood plain. The beautiful landscape showcases the simple yet rich way of life in the Amazon Basin. Bird watching is one of the highlights of this tour as many different species of birds are easily spotted and identified. If you are lucky, you may spot the fresh water dolphins that frequent these waters. Before returning to Santarém, try your luck at piranha fishing or just relax on board and listen to the soothing sounds of the forest. |
| Useful tips | Remember to get your Brazilian visa before you arrive there. Bring mosquito repellent. Got my yellow fever shot a month before. Some passengers also took malaria pills before arriving there. |
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