MAO => GRU => ORD

Sometimes you have to take 2 hours back to go 8 hours forward

Manaus to Sao Paulo to Chicago. 

A three airport day with a three hour layover in Sao Paulo. 

MAO - We ate at Bob's Burger

MAO

GRU

Hanging in the Sao Paulo lounge during 3 hour layover

ORD - 16 hours total travel time.

Amazon Adventure Day 13 - Manaus & Teddy Roosevelt Redux

The venue and the show.

The cousins are on their way back to the states. Harlan and I chose to spend another night at the Juma Opera Hotel in Manaus to recover, relax, and enjoy another performance at the Teatra Amazonas across the street.

I started this travel journal by invoking Teddy Roosevelt's memoir about his 1914 expedition down the River of Doubt in Brazil. I thought it would be fun to find and post extracts from the journal that are relevant and/or vaguely comparable to our Amazon adventure. But, until perusing the hotel brochure, I did not realize that at the completion of his journey, Roosevelt stayed in the same building as we are staying now: 

"In the early 20th century, the Juma Opera Hotel building housed the Consulate of the United States of America. Around this time, Theodore Roosevelt, the US ex-President. was officially invited by the Brazilian government to take part in a scientific expedition to the Amazon region and its rivers... During his visit to Manaus, Roosevelt stayed awhile in the American Consulate, in the very same building that now houses our Hotel." - Juma Opera Hotel Brochure

Teddy's description of his stay in Manaus was complimentary to the city, but he was less than forthcoming about his own health at the end of the trip:

"Every one was most courteous at Manaos, especially the governor of the state and the mayor of the city. Mr. Robiliard, the British consular representative, and also the representative of the Booth line of steamers, was particularly kind. He secured for us passages on one of the cargo boats of the line to Para... Belen and Manaos are very striking examples of what can be done in the mid-tropics. The governor of Para and his charming wife were more than kind." -  Teddy Roosevelt, "Through the Brazilian Wilderness"

Candice Millard's biography painted a more complete picture:

"Physically at least, Theodore Roosevelt was not the same man he had been when he left New York nearly eight months earlier. Even Leo Miller, who had endured dangers and deprivations of his own during his descent of the Gy-Paraná, had been horrified when he saw Roosevelt in Manáos, writing that his commander had “wasted to a mere shadow of his former self.” For his trip from Manáos to Pará, Brazil, Roosevelt had been transported to his steamship in an ambulance and carried on board on a stretcher." - Candice Millard,  "The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey"

Teddy and me in the hotel bar. 

There were plenty of opportunities for injury and sickness on this adventure. We frequently were wading over slippery sharp rocks in the river. There are many stinging, biting, and venomous critters in the Amazon including bees, flies, mosquitos, scorpions, spiders, snakes, sting rays, electric eels, and piranhas. And we saw most of them over the course of the week, some inside our cabin. 

A couple of uninvited guests in the cabin.

And, of course, for travelers experiencing different cuisine, intestinal distress is always a risk. That said, I am happy to report that except for a minor scrape and a single mosquito bite, Harlan and I avoided all of this while at the Kendjam Lodge. Which brings me to my own tragic injury on this adventure. 

It occurred at the danger filled location of the hotel rooftop pool and bar. Victor, my favorite bartender, was on duty. After a cooling swim, I bellied up to the bar and asked for a local brew in a glass.  As I reached for a sip, I bumped the glass, then lunged for it, grabbing broken glass as it hit the bar and taking a slice out of my finger tip. It created quite a bloody mess. Ever the professional, Victor poured me another one, cleaned up the mess, and procured bandage material. Not necessarily in that order. 

No harm, no foul. 

That evening we strolled across the street to the square...

...where an impromptu concert was underway.

Then we were ushered in to the Teatro Amazonas...

... for another enjoyable performance in that spectacular venue.

Après theater, back to the square and dinner al fresco at Tambaqui de Banda.

Where we ordered the signature dish also named "Tambaqui de Banda". 

A great finish to a wonderful trip. Tomorrow we fly. 

Amazon Adventure Day 12 - Back to Manaus

The morning mist on the river reflected our mood as we gathered our things for the boat ride back to the Kendjam village.There we'll board our Cessna flight back to Manaus.

It was an exciting boat ride downstream through the rapids to the Kendjam Lodge on our first day here. It was even more exciting traveling upstream through the same rapids to get back to the village. There were a few spots where we disembarked and hiked a bit while boats were dragged upriver through shallow rapids.

 And more excitement when shooting up a two foot waterfall between rocks in the river. I was continually impressed with the skill and moxie of native guide boat drivers and paddlers. 

In the village we had time to relax and shop local crafts while waiting for our ride.

Solar array powering Starlink in Kendjam

Then, back on the plane for another 4+ hours to get back to Manaus with a stop for gas along the way.

Our last look at the Iriri River as we took off...

... and a look at Manaus as we landed.

 Back in Manaus, we had one more group dinner at the Juma Opera Hotel, toasting each other and the trip before saying our farewells. Everyone except Harlan and I were to be picked up and returned to the airport a little after midnight this same night, just a few hours after our long day getting here. This apparently due to something they called "work".  We elected to relax and  spend another day and night in Manaus.

I finish the night with an "Insomnia" served by my favorite bartender Victor. 

The Insomnia - Irish whiskey, guarana syrup, basil and lemon juice

Despite the name of the drink, I fell asleep the minute my head hit the pillow. 

Amazon Adventure Day 11 - Last Dance, Last Chance, Last Cast

Catch of the Day (and Week and Year) - HW with Wolf Fish

 Fishing Day 6:

Guide: Ciru
Native Guides: Nee, Bep bu Di
Fishing Beat: 2
Quote of the Day: "It's the dry season. But it's also the Amazon Rain Forest."  - Brian
Other Quote of the Day: "The wolf fish is the stupidest fish." - Ciru
Other Other Quote of the Day:"I told you." - MW 

Rainbow over the Iriri River

Our last day fishing was ushered in with thunder, lightning and a driving rain overnight. By morning the rain subsided. A few light showers gave way to a spectacular rainbow over the boats, a mystical gateway to our last day on the river.   

Ciru was our guide today. We told him the same story we've told every guide the last few days. More wading and less fishing from the boat. And we'd like to get a wolf fish. 

This clip was supposed to end with me catching a fish. It didn't. 

Ciru tried. Anywhere a wolf fish might be found on our beat, he put us in a position to catch one. With some of the most spectacular river scenery yet. We did catch more fish. More peacock bass. More piranha. But no wolf fish. Until...

It was late afternoon. Time was running out. Last day. Last afternoon. Ciru guided me to a spot where a feeder stream flowed into the Iriri. I was casting across the stream to a rock face under a tree. Another likely wolf fish lair. Harlan was wading upriver with the native guides.  Far enough away that we could barely hear the commotion. I saw Nee running back and shouting. Ciru looked at me and said "He has a wolf fish!".  I said "Go get the picture!" There was no way I could get across the stream and to Harlan's location in time. "Wait. Do you have a camera?" Ciru shook his head no. I knew Harlan left his in the boat. "Here..." I tossed my phone to him. "If it locks out, the pin is [REDACTED]". Ciru was across the stream and out of sight in seconds, heading to Harlan's location, carrying my phone with my entire life on it, and with the pin that accessed everything. No matter. Getting the picture was the only thing that mattered now. 

He got the picture. A lot of them.

Harlan later described what I did not see: 

"We spent 7 days at the Kendjam Camp fishing on the Iriri River. Caught 8 species of fish I’d never seen before but the Amazonian Wolf Fish had evaded me. On the last day, in the last hour, on my last cast before heading back to camp I caught this beast. The native Kayapo warrior behind me, Bep bu Di, jumped in to the neck-deep water to net this fish. An amazing experience all around." - HW

Amazing indeed. What a way to finish. Almost mystical. 

With the magicians: L to R - MW, Nee, Ciru, HW, Bep bu Di

Our last dinner at the lodge tasted particularly good. 

A magical day. A magical week. A magical trip. 

All that's left to say is  "I told you."

Oh wait. Almost forgot. The Requisite Daily Token Heller Fish Pic...

Larry also caught a Wolf Fish.