George and Matt up a tree

Launching the Trip in Manaus

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September 4th 2014
We began our trip flying from Columbus, Ohio to Manaus, Brazil, where the mighty Amazon is actually formed as the Rio Negro and Rio Solimeos come together. The Rio Negro's black water refuses to combine with the Solimeos' creamy white water for a number of kilometers, forming the 'meeting of the waters' that is hard to describe. A late night arrival at the hotel taught us the first lesson about Br ... read more

South America » Brazil » Amazonas » Manaus

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Following three centuries under the rule of Portugal, Brazil became an independent nation in 1822. By far the largest and most populous country in South America, Brazil overcame more than half a century of military intervention in the governance of t... ... read more