Manaus, Brazil, The Amazon

After an overnight in Manaus, we set off on a cute, old double-decker boat named the “Amazon Explorer” to see the meeting of the waters. It is where the Amazon River (coffee with cream color) runs next to the Rio Negro (black water that is quite acidic) without mixing. It is quite a remarkable sight. I had no idea that the contrast would be so startlingly dramatic! The “non-mixing” has to do with differences in the temperature, speed and water density.
Our next stop was a small settlement where we transferred into small motorized canoes that held about 10 people each. This mode of transportation gave us a chance to be quite intimate with the tributaries in this part of the jungle. As the waterways became narrower and darker and the birds began squawking at our intrusion, we truly felt a part of a totally different world that was very peaceful and rich.
All too soon we were back in our reality, but the memory of gliding through the small tributaries of the Amazon will stay with me forever.Read more