Thanksgiving in the Amazon with Sloths: Manaus, Brazil

Traveling down the Amazon River on the ship was a whole different experience! It took us two whole days, but we did it. Every night they had to lock any and all electric doors because there are bugs big enough TO OPEN THE DOORS WITH THE SENSOR. It's crazy! And yes, they're actually that big. And the mosquitos! Ugh. But doing yoga at sunset while going down the Amazon River was a cool experience!

Day one was spent wandering around the huge city that is Manaus! Surprising, but true. The city holds over a middle people and is the capital of the Amazonas portion of Brazil. Bronwyn, Quinn, Katie, and I walked both ends of the city and saw just about all you can see. We ate more acai with leche and granola, and ended up eating our Thanksgiving lunch with our Professor, Don Gogniat (the man Katie and I ran with). While it was just a big combination of different types of juices and a grilled cheese, it was great to be surrounded by such wonderful company! After more wandering and a little bit of market shopping, we headed back to the ship for some (much needed) showers and dinner. We then went to the Amazonian Opera House/Theatre for the evening with almost all of the S@S community that didn't go on a river boat excursion! It was an AWESOME way to spend our Thanksgiving evening, and the Amazonian Symphony was incredible and talented.

Happy Thanksgiving! 

Thanksgiving lunch.

Acai!

Signing the wall of the Ecoshop.

The Opera House/Theatre

Inside the theatre.

A view of the main part of the city and the theatre.

Katie and I at the theatre.

Day two was spent in the Amazon Rainforest! Katie and I went on a S@S day-long river boat trip alongside all three of the deans and the American Ambassador of Brazil. And many others too, but mainly them! We went into the area in which the River Negro and the Amazon River meet. This place is cool because the two rivers are unable to mix! The River Negro is too acidic, the rivers run at different paces, and the amount of tannic is different. After we went into a relatively remote village in the middle of the forrest, talked to the locals, watched as they heat up rubber to make it into more of what we use today. After, we went to eat at a little floating restaurant! The food was alright, but the concept was brilliant. We then got to trek into the forest itself to see the HUGE lily pads. We also got to HOLD A SLOTH. It was a little baby sloth! Too cute for words. After all that was over, we went back to the ship and Katie and I spent the evening resting.

View of the city from the water.

The ship!

The village.

Making rubber.

Floating restaurant.

Homes on stilts.

Floating gas stations.

Welcome to Manaus

Meeting of the rivers!

Meeting of the rivers again.

The Ambassador!

Meeting of the rivers!

SLOTH.

HELD ONE.

Katie and me at the meeting of the waters.

Katie and me in the village.

Dean John and me.

Day three, Katie and I just wandered around the city and and saw the sights. We ate and talked and got some little knick-knacks and sat to get wi-fi for a little while when it got too hot.