Brazil, 2006
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Manaus: We flew into Sao Paulo for a night and the next morning took a TAM flight through Braslia to the town of Manaus on the Amazon River in the north central part of Brazil. In the late 1800's and early 1900's Manaus was the center of world rubber production and was a very wealthy town. In 1896 they built a 'French' opera house in what was described as in the middle of the jungle (think of the movie Fitzcarraldo).

Manaus was the first town in Brazil to have electricity and the first university in Brazil was founded there. After rubber tree seeds were stolen and planted in other countries and the development of artificial rubber the fortunes of Manaus declined until 1967 when it was established as as an Free Zone with economic incentives which has lead to the development of the largest commercial sector on the equator. We did a day tour to the Meeting of the Rivers, where the Rio Negro (Black River) and the brown Solimões River meet. Due to difference in the temperature and chemicals dissolved in the water the two rivers flow side by side for several miles, creating a river that is black on one side and brown on the other and a distinct line down the middle. After the rivers meet Brazil calls them the Amazon river, but up river in Peru, they call the Solimões River the Amazon River.

Go directly to sections: Manaus, Silves 1, Silves 2, Pantanal 1, Pantanal 2, Pantanal 3, Iguazu 1, Iguazu 2, and Iguazu 3.

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All Photos © 2006 by David Cary.
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