From Jungle to Opera House - WTRD 56

Friday, March 4, 2016, Worrall Travel R Day (WTRD) 56

Manuel presented us with a typical Amazonia breakfast this morning.  I can't remember the names of some of the fruits, but we had tapioca rolls filled with fruits and salty cheese.  It was certainly a departure from granola and yogurt, but very good.

After our breakfast, Luis picked us up at 9:00 am.  We made one stop at the ATM then headed many miles towards the outskirts of Manaus.

We arrived at an area that was once out of town, but now is incorporated into the town.  One of the government officials set aside a large tract of land as a nature preserve, and it has now become an outdoor museum with exhibits of reptiles, fish, plants, trees, and frogs,  The museum guides were knowledgeable, but spoke limited English.  Both Luis and Archie served as our translators.

The Amazon is bio-diverse with unique plants and animals.  We had the opportunity to see a prehistoric fish living in the aquarium.  It is the "bridge" animal between fish/gill breathers and air breathing reptile/amphibians.

The fish does not have gills but a nose that sticks out of the water to breath.  It holds fresh air in its intestine and can stay underwater for up to 45 minutes, absorbing the oxygen and carbon dioxide.   It does not need to exhale.  The fish, also has what appear to be small little legs.  A very interesting animal.

We were also able to see an oil eating aglae, that thrives on oil, and naturally cleans up oils that seep from the ocean floor.  Originally, a marine aglae, it has evolved to being a fresh water algae.

Of course, there were many other exhibits and things to see at the eco museum, butterflies, snakes, anthropological information of indigenous people living in the jungle.

Indigenous fishing nets and traps

Looking up searching for monkeys.

A sticky fruit

Viney Root Art

Dragon Fly

The last thing we did before leaving the park was to climb a 40 meter tower high above the tallest trees in the jungle.

The view from the top, looking down on the canopy gave us a bird's eye view of the jungle.  We had hoped to see some monkeys, but it was so warm and midday, they were undoubtedly taking a siesta in the shade hiding from the silly people climbing the tower in the sun.

After our learning experience at the museum, we had a leisurely lunch, followed by a tour of the old Opera House in the Historic section of Manaus.  This building was constructed in the late 1800's. All the materials with the exception of Brazilian wood used to make the furniture, were shipped over from Europe.  In fact, the beautiful artwork on the ceilings was painted in France before the building was completed.  There were many European immigrants to Manaus who wished their new city reflected European culture and it was imported here.

What is remarkable about Manaus is that this large cty is in the middle of the Amazon jungle where the only transportation for building materials (other than wood) was originally by boat and now also by plane.  There are still no continental roads into Manaus.  Cars and trucks are both imported and produced by major car companies here in Manaus.

Black and White Mosaic represents the meeting of the waters - Rio Negro and Amazon

 We were too late to go to the market, so we went to down the river and watched the fishing boats and the sunset before returning to our accommodations.

All is Well With the Worrall Travelers in the Amazon

Manaus on the Amazon -WTRD 55

Our Manaus Accommodations

Thursday, March 3, 2016, Worrall Travel R Day (WTRD) 55

Tharrya picked us up about 8:45 am from our accommodations and delivered us to the airport around 9:15.  It has been wonderful having suWe flew to Brasilia at 12:55, and the boarding time on our transfer was also 12:55.  The last boarding call was being announced as we disembarked from the first flight.  No time to buy any lunch. 

There were minimal snacks on the flight to Manaus.  By the time we got off the plane at 4:15, we were starving.  We worried about our luggage as there was so little time to transfer bags in Brasila, but no worries, our luggage arrived with us.  Pretty efficient and fast bag transfer in place.

Once we gathered our bags and exited baggage claim, we spotted our guide for the next week.  His name is Luis.  He was recommended to us by our AirBnB host, a botany professor, as the best, most knowledgeable Amazon eco guide he knows.  Russ made connections with the guide, and he will transport us wherever we go, and has made arrangements for five days of tour guiding, including and a trip to a jungle lodge for two nights by boat.

We spot Luis, and we are off.  Luis speaks excellent English and Portuguese, and is the owner of Tuhiri Tours, which means in an indigenous language, Living in the Forest (Jungle).  See our Trip Advisor Review.  He is rebuilding his current website.  But he also is on Facebook
.

Luiz Magalhaes

He brings us to our accommodations, a vey old and rustic home of a botany professor, in a neighborhood that has seen better days and looks a bit sketchy to me.  I am not sure it will be safe, but the house is gated and looks comfortable inside. Luis drops and picks us up at the door.

Manuel is warm and welcoming. He has lived in this house for 25 years.  He and Luis attended high school together.  Members of Manuel's family live upstairs.  He lives downstairs.  There are five bedrooms, 3 with ensuite bathrooms, two with a shared bathroom.  The common areas do not have air conditioning, but the bedrooms do.  Thank goodness.

Manuel is a Botony Professor, specialized in seeds. Note the seed work in the doorway of dining area.

He rents out rooms through AirBnB to mature individuals.  He and Archie Robert (Rob) are the same age, only 16 days different and they bond easily.  But every one warms up to Archie Rob easily.  His big smile, laugh, and Portuguese are endearing.

After meeting our host and dropping off our luggage, Luis takes us to a local restaurant where we finally can feed ourselves on steak and vegetables, and then to a supermarket, where we buy cheese, snacks, beer, and wine.  By the time we return to our casa, we are ready to take showers.  Unfortunately, our bathroom has a plumbing problem.  The toilet works, but the running water in the  sink and shower do not.  Our threesome are the only guests, so we use another of the bathrooms off the rooms that are setup with bunk beds.

Russ cranks the temperature down in our room and we fall into a fitful sleep in a new environment.  The bed reminds me of the one we had in Las Brancas in Mexico.  The mattress has a slippery plastic covering, and the sheets are not cotton but a slippery polyester nylon fabric.  With just a little body movement, it doesn't take long before everything slips around and off and the sheets are tangled all around us and our bodies are on the plastic mattress.  We remake the bed a couple of times during the night and try to sleep like a corpse, perfectly still.  Ha!

Tomorrow, we will be going with Luis on a scientific tour in the morning and historic opera house in the afternoon.

All is well with the Worrall Travel Rs in Amazonia

Salvador, Brasil, WTRD 51-53

Sunday, February 28, 2016 - WTRD 51

After a full day and evening the day before, we all slept in.  When we woke, we took a good look at the house we are renting.  After our experience in Iguacu, we were definitely spoiled.  This house is big, has lots of room, and a swimming pool, but it is in need of some heavy duty maintenance and cleaning.  We talked with the owner and care taker and they have promised to take care of some issues that are not satisfactory.

By 11:30 we were out the door and on our way with Tharrya and her family to Paia de Forte, an old fishing community and now and upscale beach community with a turtle preserve, about 80 kilometers north of Salavador.  We enjoyed walking around the small village and ocean,

having a wonderful lunch, and visiting the turtle preserve.

This was a typical Sunday for the Camera family and we were happy to be a part of it.

And and Ice Cream Finale

Monday, February 29, 2016 - Leap Day! WTRD 52

Today was the day for me to catchup on our photos and blogs.  It was a tough job sitting by the pool, in the breeze, drinking wine coolers, while Archie was relaxing in the hammock, and Russ was reading....but somebody had to do it.   Dang, despite the mosquito repellant, I got three bites.  Keeping my fingers crossed that these little guys are benign.

Archie went to a nearby tennis club and caught a doubles game with three of the pros.  We all met up at a local restaurant and had crepes for dinner.

Tuesday, March 1, 2016 - WTRD 53

This morning, we woke up and had a leisurely morning until we boarded the local bus to the historic section of Salvador.  Wow!  We must have picked up the bus stops everywhere bus.  It took us an hour at 10:00 a.m. in the morning to get to the historic city center.  There is no air conditioning in the bus, so all the windows are open and we gleefully receive the breeze. The problem is the traffic!  When slow or stopped, there is no breeze and we all swelter.  We get several glances from people who undoubtedly wonder why the gringos are taking the public bus.  One of the men who got off the last stop with us commented that mostly poor people take the bus.  Ahh!  but it is a cultural experience not to be missed.

We arrive at the historic city about 11:00, just in front of the swarms of tour busses.  A cruise ship is in port.  

It is a warm, almost breezeless.  We have been advised to keep our cameras close and to pull out the big boys only when there is a strong police presence.  I rely on Archie and Russ to take photos today, content to take a few panoramas with my I phone.
Honestly, I'm "photoed out" and tired of having to wear the Canon around my neck.

There are beach scenes,

city scenes,

people scenes,

church scenes,

and market scenes.  We walk on cobbled stoned streets, stop for sodas, and seek shade wherever we can find it.








Around 1:00 we stop for lunch at a hospitality school

Today is our wait servers 2nd day at the school.

where adults are learning to cook and to be wait servers.  The food is interesting and unusual with Brazilian fruits and vegetables (Jaca, manioc, etc.)  There was a lot of fish which I bypassed, but did get some shrimp.  The meal was interesting,but all in all, neither Russ nor I are endeared Brazilian food, unless it's bar-b-qued.

After lunch we took the elevator down to the market street.  Archie got a new wallet in anticipation of getting his new debit card today, followed by some money to put in the wallet.  Russ and I were content to look around.  The market is indoors.  There were a few fans, but we were anxious to get outdoors where we could catch a breeze.  

We caught a bus back to our house.  The trip home was faster than the morning ride.  The swimming pool beckoned as did naps.  Later in the evening, Russ and Archie went to dinner with Tharrya, Terek, and children.  Me, I took a shower and went to bed.

Tuesday, March 2, 2016, WTRD 53 - Kicking back and relaxing.

Today is our last full day in Salvador.  Russ and I started taking our Malaria medication for Manaus.  We are to start one day before, take daily while in the area, and 7 days after we leave.  We have NOTHING planned.  Yeah!  Time to catch up on laundry, swim, nap, and do more photo editing (a never ending job it seems, but if I don't keep up with, I'll never do it when we get home).  Archie is going out again with Tharrya and family to visit her mom this evening.  At this point in the text discussions, I'm not sure whether we will go out for dinner or bring pizza back to the house.

We leave tomorrow morning.  Tharrya will drive us to the airport and we will be saying goodbye to Salvador.

All is Well With the Worrall Travel Rs in Salvador, Brasil

Goodbye Iguacu, Hello Salvador WTRD 50

Saturday, February 27, 2016 - Today is a Travel Day, WTRD 50

With reluctance we are leaving our beautiful little hideaway in Iguacu.  Our driver has brought a van today instead of trying to pack us into a sedan.  Yeah! We check in at the airport at 11:30.  Our plane for Sao Paulo leaves at 12:50 and arrives around 2:30.  We have a three hour layover, and arrive in Salvador around 10:30.

Our AirBnb host has sent a friend in a small car to pick us up which we now know will not work very well with all of our gear.  Fortunately, Archie's friend Tharryra has also offered to pick us up.  We contact her as well and have two cars meet us at the airport.  Archie rides with Tharryra, and Russ and I ride with Sandro to our new place.

This time we are staying in a 4,000 square foot home in a gated community.  The house is nice enough but has been locked up all day, warm inside and smells a bit off.  Sandro gives a quick run through, we drop our baggage, thank Sandro, hop into Tharryra's car and are whisked to her home to meet her husband, 2 children, and 4 friends all preparing to feast on a midnight bar-b-que.

We stay until almost 2:00 in the morning eating delicious chicken, beef, and pork, slowly grilled over perfect embers.  Thay's friends will stay longer, but we are ready to drop.  She loads us up with breakfast foods for the morning and takes us home.  It's been a long day.

All is Well with the Worrall Travel R's in Salvador, Brazil