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LIVE -To and From the Amazon - 11/17-12/12/2017

Travelcat2

By Travelcat2,
in Regent Seven Seas Cruises

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Travelcat2

Travelcat2

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Paul, I know that the sailing in the Spring is on the Navigator and that is a ship that I would prefer not taking. Not sure if the weather is better or worse but it is after the rainy season. Being on the equator, it is pretty much steaming hot all of the time but sometimes is dryer and sometimes is wetter (the season we are entering now).

 

It is so difficult to predict how things will be. I've been reading about these cruises for well over a year and heard about how smokey it is (irritatingly so), the deck that is black with bugs in the morning, etc. We have not experienced bugs at all and the only time there was smoke that was disturbing was the first day that we entered the Amazon.

 

Tomorrow will be 96 degrees. Today was 93 and it was the worst day since we've been here in terms of heat. Since tomorrow is the last day in Brazil and we want to use up our Reals, we will have to tender (30-40 minutes) into town - spend the money and return. While I have this before, I hope to not return to Brazil (still very happy that we visited the Amazon but it is difficult when you have heat intolerance issues. Even my ice pack wasn't helping today (sun umbrella was still a big help).

 

More tomorrow.

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Onkel_Ken

Onkel_Ken

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Travelcat2, Tell Dennis thanks for the beautiful opera house photos. Still hard to believe it is basically in the middle of the Amazon jungle. Jackie, thanks for sharing the picture of the bowl of toasty tasty ants and the folks swimming with the dolphins.

 

I think I would prefer something more along the line of Friand de Volaille aux Truffes - Feuilleté of Label Rouge Chicken with Truffles and Sauce Suprême instead of the obviously tasty ants. :-)

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Travelcat2

Travelcat2

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Protein with a nice crunch - nice! Love the opera house and the dolphins. Do the locals eat the ants as is, as a snack or do they get added to another dish?

 

The one ant did have a nice crunch but people that ate more ended up removing legs that were stuck between their teeth.

 

We didn't see them preparing anything else besides the grubs, fried ants and fish. They could have been veggies hiding out somewhere but it is difficult to grow anything in the Amazon.

 

Ken - Dennis appreciated your comments about his photography. He is using my iPhone - something that is new to both of us. Will write more about Dennis' impressions of the Opera House later. I'm trying to decide if I can tolerate going out in 96 degree heat - with a long tender tide and only a beach and maybe some shopping near where we land.

 

We haven't purchased anything in the Amazon because of the restrictions. You cannot bring anything with feathers (and they love to use feathers to make some lovely things) and wood (which I like) also has restrictions. So, if we go ashore it will be to pick up a trinket or two and spend what is left of our Brazilian money. Had I taken the advice and gone to the Opera House gift shop, I likely would have found something lovely:evilsmile:

 

When we leave here at 2:00 p.m. We will be on our way out of the Amazon. Quite smokey in the middle of the night and this morning. Not a pleasant thing to smell or breathe in. One more thing to accomplish here and we'll be done.

 

Still more photos from Manaus. It is easier to post photos after dinner so I'll wait until later.

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poss

poss

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Enjoying all the posts and photos, and here's another ant story for you:

 

Some decades ago, when we spent a week up in the rain forest in Australia, we were on a guided hike through the forest. Among other delights, there were several varieties of poisonous ants around and our guide taught us how to bite them in a certain way so that we wouldn't be stung. There was this green glop that oozed out, which was quite tasty. Not sure if I could get myself to take the plunge now, but was interesting then.

 

Continue to enjoy, Tc. And thanks to you and the other contributors.

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Travelcat2

Travelcat2

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4c6984a9083bffbbfdf54cc335a7ad70.jpg

 

Posting this photo because you can see more of the pink skin on the dolphin. I'm sure it would have been great swimming with them but we did not want to risk it.

 

0ffa1f3450b52d8e65bc4ce67d1502be.jpg

 

Amazing bridge from Manaus to ??? Wish I could remember all of the facts in my head but obviously there is too much information to remember.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

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Travelcat2

Travelcat2

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00297e7aed24c59246378ad7314dd8d0.jpg

 

Some photos from the Boi Bumba show. The real show/competition is held in a large stadium in Parintins. We saw an abbreviated version. It is what I picture Carnivale to be - beautiful costumes, non-stop dancing and lovely floats.

 

33c745f0edfd975bd90b8e61d36ee964.jpg

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

Edited by Travelcat2
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Travelcat2

Travelcat2

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Enjoying all the posts and photos, and here's another ant story for you:

 

Some decades ago, when we spent a week up in the rain forest in Australia, we were on a guided hike through the forest. Among other delights, there were several varieties of poisonous ants around and our guide taught us how to bite them in a certain way so that we wouldn't be stung. There was this green glop that oozed out, which was quite tasty. Not sure if I could get myself to take the plunge now, but was interesting then.

 

Continue to enjoy, Tc. And thanks to you and the other contributors.

 

Thanks so much for sharing that story. I can not imagine eating the "green glop" - even if it were tasty. In my mind, the white things (grubs?) would be oozing some kind of liquid inside (yuck).

 

Ken - yes - would rather have almost anything (except grubs) rather than ants.

 

Getting back to Manaus. It is difficult to believe that 3,000,000 people live there. Lots of grafitti and crime - more or less like a mini Rio. Thrilled that we went there.

 

I'm sure that looking up the Opera House would give you much more information than I can. Dennis talked about how it was closed for 20 years (starting sometime in the 90's). When it was first built, it had gold and other precious metals. After 20 years of termites and having everything stolen from the structure, it was redone and is beautiful. However, I would have loved to see it in the 80's.

 

The zoo was very warm and the animals were caged (as seen in photos). Being an extreme animal lover, this would have been difficult for me to see.

 

While Dennis and the group were out in Manaus, there was a downpour and thunder/lightning storm. This will be happening daily as we have entered the wet season.

 

Going to the Boi Bumba show was interesting because we heard different stories of how to get there. We heard that you take a tender and then walk 15 minutes in the blazing sun to get to the indoor theater (slightly air conditioned). We also heard that there were taxis for 5 Reals. The reality was that you walk over a small bridge (1 block at the most), walk through a small building and into the one next store and you are there. I doubt if one could take if taxi if they wanted to.

 

Today, our last stop in the Amazon was Alter Do Chao - the Riviera of the Amazon. Stunning beaches with miles of white sand. Really lovely (forgot to take a camera). The main reason for the visit was to do tourist shopping and return to the ship.

 

The shopping was nice - a couple of items were wood and had to be taken into custody by the ship so they can quarantine it (allowing bugs to come out of the wood?). We'll get our items back before we disembark. The temperature outside was very hot but is likely more so now. We were back to the ship by 11:00 a.m.

 

Tonight will be an Indonesian dinner for the five of us. We are leaving it up to Regent to decide the menu. Looking forward to it.

 

Think that I'm up to date except for more photos that I want to post from the show.

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Pamela1

Pamela1

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Nice pictures Jackie. :D

 

Good to hear you managed to endure the heat of the Amazon, i don't know if i could do it myself but pleased you are having a good time.

 

I wondered if you managed to spend your $$ whilst you were there even after buying some trinkets and if there was a charity / fund that you could donate the rest of your unused currency? Oh also, could you give foreign currency to the crew fund?

Just interested, thanks.

 

Pam.

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Onkel_Ken

Onkel_Ken

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0ffa1f3450b52d8e65bc4ce67d1502be.jpg

 

Amazing bridge from Manaus to ??? Wish I could remember all of the facts in my head but obviously there is too much information to remember.

 

 

The Rio Negro Bridge (

Portuguese: Ponte Rio Negro) is a cable-stayed bridge over the Rio Negro with 3,595 metres (11,795 ft) of length that links the cities of Manaus and Iranduba in Brazil

 

The Manaus-Iranduba bridge in numbers



At 3,595m long, it is one of the longest bridges in Brazil

It has 74 supporting columns, with the central one standing 187m high

The height of the road rises to 55m in the middle

The cost is an estimated $400m and will be toll-free

Currently 2,500 vehicles a week are ferried across the river, at fares up to R100 (£37).

Its construction consumed 1m bags of cement - around 50,000 tonnes

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Travelcat2

Travelcat2

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Ken - loving the fact that you are adding so much to the thread with information about the bridge, etc. The support columns look extremely sturdy but also look rusty. Not sure how cement could be rusty. In any event -- it is quite a bridge.

 

Currently sailing by Santarem (first port stop in the Amazon).

 

Rick - thank. you for the good wishes - sending them back at you! Sounds as if you are enjoying Regent and the suite (in spite of the furniture size):D

 

Time for dinner yet again. Looking forward to having Indonesian food. May have to take some photos!

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Travelcat2

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Our Indonesian meal was over the top wonderful (have a couple of pictures that do not do it justice). The chefs onboard the Mariner are wonderful.

 

Interestingly, there is apparently a need for Regent to post an article regarding "The Use of Cell Phones". It addresses usage of cell phone in dining venues. Bravo Regent for highlighting this issue!!!!!

 

This afternoon we heard the Captain sound the "horn" (after a few glasses of wine I forget the proper name). It seems that people from Santeram (misspelled) were swimming too close to the ship -- obviously not a good thing to do.

 

Will check my iPad for more photos. Tomorrow is a sea day and we will have an Indian buffet on the pool deck. This is after our champagne and caviar breakfast. Life is great on the Mariner. Looking forward to it.

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