Blogs from Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil, South America - page 17

South America » Brazil » Amazonas » Manaus November 10th 2006

We found a cheap plane ticket from Manaus to Rio de Janeiro leaving tonight so we were on a time constraint in Venezuela and not able to see Angel Falls. We did not really see anything in Venezuela, just spent a lot of time busing through it. On the bus headed south in Venezuela the military and National Guard got on the bus quite a few times to check passports. They seemed to pick us out because we had to take everything out of our bags a few times. We were sitting in a bus station in Santa Elena, the border town to Brazil, trying to catch a ride over the border and this military guy just came over to us and we had to go to a certain area and were searched. It almost seemed ... read more

Welcome to the jungle senhor mario, aligator hunter!

South America » Brazil » Amazonas » Manaus November 7th 2006

crocodile hunter ;;;eat your heart out!

mars3

26th October- 7th November I loved Manaus. not a beautiful city by any means. It is the largest city on the amazon, and used to a centre for industrial trade for the Portugese. Evidence of its european heritage clear through historic buildings, most evident by its famous opera house. I have never seen a structure that is made out of material that has been brough from so many different plaecs around the world!!! I stayed in Hostel Manaus, owned by an Australian, and far from actually being completed...so it was really cheap!!! the people had darker features. morenos. not black. admittedly felt more insecure walking around...but ive come to realise the north of Brazil is not the danger hotspot that the south is so well known for. Having experienced the jungle in Bolivia, i was keen ... read more

Stuck in Manaus..

South America » Brazil » Amazonas » Manaus October 25th 2006

Welcome to Brazil!

Helena

I arrived in Manaus early morning and the taxi took me to the center.. I arrived early on a sunday morning, which is not the day to DO things. Everything is closed and only one guy had his business open, for a little bit. I didn't really want to buy a jungle tour, cause they are so touristy and they pull down sloths (sengangare) from the trees and I don't like it. And the companies are usually called ECO-something, I say ECO whatever. I heard there are as many interpretations of ECO as there are people using the word, I think that it is true.. As I asked about the tours but didn't show interest in any of them, the salesman probably thought I was bothered by the price and after barganing (he did, not me) ... read more

Yha edelleen Manauksessa

South America » Brazil » Amazonas » Manaus October 25th 2006

Paivi

Tanne oli kylla helppo tulla, mutta nakojaan mahdotonta paasta pois. Olimme eilen paatilla oikein hyvissa ajoin, kassit taynna vesipulloja (17 litraa yhteensa, ehka ylimitoitettua... mutta saunassa kuluu) ja loikoilimme matoissamme odottamassa laivan lahtoa. Vahan kylla huolestuneina katselimme kun muita laivoja varustettiin lahtoon ruoka-ja juomasammioin ja meidan laivamme pysyi tyhjana, mutta eihan me sille mitaan voitu. Kuudelta piti laivan lahtea ja kun puoli tuntia ennen lahtoaikaa kaikki pysyi edelleen kuolleena, lahdimme vihdoin kyselemaan etta milloinka tama botski oikein mahtaa lahtea. Vastaus oli, takalaiseen tapaan, mañana, mañana. Silloin kylla tuntui, etta hiukset nousee pystyyn ja paa hajoaa. Ilmankos eilen kaupunki sulkeutuikin jo kahdelta ja kaikki ruokapaikat olivat kiinni. Sattui olemaan joku Manaukselainen juhlapaiva (ilmeisesti sambarumba vei paikallisiltakin mehut) j... read more

Edelleen Manauksessa

South America » Brazil » Amazonas » Manaus October 24th 2006

Paivi

Eilen seikkailtiin kolmessa paikassa, laakarissa,ruokapaikassa ja veneella. Paatettiin kayda kysymassa tohtorilta,etta mita ne matoset ovat ja josko ovat vaarallisia. Footprintista otettiin tiedot ja painuttiin Clinicolle,jossa kukaan ei (tietenkaan) puhunut sanaakaan englantia tai edes espanjaa. Monimutkaisten selittelyjen jalkeen paasimme silti sisaan ja tiedon, etta ko matoset eivat ole vaarallisia vaan aivan tavallisia Manauksen alueen otuksia. Kiusallisia silti. No,Ilpo saa nyppia koipiaan laivassa :) Pitkien selittelyjen jalkeen saimme myos kuitin, jota vastaan Gouda toivottavasti korvaa kaynnin. Sen verran pitkaan matkalla hurahti, etta nalka jo kiljui. Etsimme ja etsimme, kavelimme ja katselimme, ei mitaan. Kaikki kiinni maanantai-iltana. Lopulta paadyimme eraan kivan nakoisen hotellin eteen,joka mainosti restaurantea. Ystavallinen vastaanottovirkailija soitti yllaolevaan rav... read more

Sambatron

South America » Brazil » Amazonas » Manaus October 23rd 2006

Encontro das Aguas

Paivi

Tapasimme sattumalta taalla Manauksessa Helenan, jonka kanssa olimme samalla retkella Venezuelassa. Helena taas kuuli isoista sambajuhlista, jotka jarjestiin viikonloppuna. Sinne siis! Lauantai-iltana kokoonnuimme isolla porukalla (loput olivat laheisesta hostellista) ja istuimme iltaa ensin taalla Manauksessa, kunnes lahdimme muutaman kilometrin paahan sambastadionille. Iso stadion oli aivan taynna paikallista vakea, lanteita keinuttava musiikki raikasi lujalla ja kulkueet halkoivat vakijoukon valilla kahtia. Caipirinhat olivat kylmia ja tujakoita, vesi ja cerveja jaakylmia. Tanssijalkaa alkoi kutkuttaa entista enemman ja liityimme mukaan kulkueeseen. Aikamme tanssiuttamme paikalliset ilmeisesti tulivat kateellisiksi huikeista lantioliikkeistamme ja taitavista jalkakoukeroistamme, koska meidat poistettiin kulkueesta! Mutta ei se mitaan, kiipesimme ylemmas stadionin portaille, mista itse... read more

Welcome to the Jungle

South America » Brazil » Amazonas » Manaus October 22nd 2006

Sunset from the Acajatuba lodge

spf333

My journey through Brazil begins with a trip to the Amazon. There I have visited the city of Manaus, a large city that sits far inland along the Amazon river. Manaus was a boom and bust city, with the boom being the harvesting of rubber from the jungle that occurred decades ago. At some point the rubber industry decided it was better off taking the rubber trees elsewhere and so the city hit some economic troubles. Today it fairs somewhat better with many industrial factories having established themselves here for cheap labor and tax breaks from the Brazilian government. Outside of Manaus the Amazon and its tributaries stretch out for countless miles. Somewhere about 60 kilometers west of the city there sits a jungle lodge called Acajatuba, my ultimate destination in the area. After a somewhat ... read more

Viidakkoseikkailu

South America » Brazil » Amazonas » Manaus October 21st 2006

Aamu viidakossa

Paivi

Hola! Eilen palasimme viidakosta kengat savisina ja hiukset taynna muurahaisia, mutta monta kokemusta rikkaampana. Yovyimme ensimmaisen yon basic campissa, bambumajassa riippumatossa killuen. Menimme ensin bussilla pari tuntia Manauksesta koilliseen ja siita jatkoimme viela tunnin viela veneella leiriin. Mennessa satoi vetta kaatamalla ja tunnelma oli vahan lattea. Kun viela perilla hypattiin veteen ja tallusteltiin paljain jaloin leiriin tarantellojen ohi, niin kieltamatta mielessa kavi ajatus, etta mita h***a tuli tehtya. Mieliala kuitenkin koheni aamiaisen myota ja riippumatossa kiikkuessa olikin jo mokkifiilikset. Iltapaivalla kavimme kalastamassa piraijoita, noita verenhimoisia petoja. No jaa, verenhimosta en tieda, ainakaan minun syottini eivat heille kelvanneet. Ilpo kalasteli ensin apinoita, mutta sai muikean kalasen loppujen lopuksi. Ensimmainen yo riippumatossa oli ihana, nu... read more

Venezuela travels!

South America » Brazil » Amazonas » Manaus October 21st 2006

Let's go!!!

Helena

From Caracas I took the over night bus (only 10 hours or so) down to Cuidad Bolivar. After almost no sleep I was supposed to go on the tour to Canaima. I was pretty tired, and asked the people who picked me up if I could go the next day instead. No no, don't worry, it won't be hard. Only resting today. Tomorrow hiking. I guess there was no way out and as I was just waking up (it was still like 6 am I think) I was not in an arguing mode. So I was taken straight to the aiport where the little Cessna would take me and a bunch of people out to Canaima national park. That was not a big plane. But awesome!!! After dozing off a few times, I defenitely woke up ... read more

Manauksessa

South America » Brazil » Amazonas » Manaus October 15th 2006

Paivi

Toissapaivana ylitimme rajan ja saavuimme Brasilian puolelle. Passiin alkaa kertya hienoja leimoja ja ensimmaisen kerran niilla leimoilla on oikeasti jotain valia. Etenkin Venezuelan puolella ollaan tosi tarkkoja siita, etta passista loytyy tulo-ja lahtoleimat. Aiemmin passin leimaukset kun ovat olleet niita, "pistetaanpa koristeeksi yksi leima" merkintoja. Eilisaamuna tulla tupsahdimme tanne Manaukseen, keskelle "viidakkoa". No, onhan taalla "Amazonin Pariisissa" isoja bulevardeja, Manauksen Champs Elyseita. Mutta miljoonakaupungista on turha suurta viidakkotunnelmaa etsia, joten ensi viikolla lahdemme muutamaksi paivaksi viidakkoretkelle oikeaan metsaan. Eilen kavimme katsomassa kuuluisaa suurta jokea, ja olihan se iso, ei voi kieltaa. Ihan kiva puro tuo Amazon :) Tykataan kovasti olla Brasiliassa, en ihmettele yhtaan miksi niin monet tata maata kehuu. Ihmiset on tosi ystavallisia... read more