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 5 - Flying and Floating to the Kendjam Fishing Lodge

Anglers Assemble!
L to R - Fred, Brian, Danny, Jared, Larry, Harlan, Dave, Mike

Quote of the Day: "Are you going to wear that hat fishing?" - Brian

The official itinerary for 26-July:

"Breakfast Buffet at Hotel. The host will pick up the group at approximately 5:30 AM and head to the local airport, to board the charter flight to Kendjam. After a 3:30 hours flight, guests will arrive at the Kendjam Indian Community landing strip where our guides and staff will be waiting. There will be a “Meet and Greet” providing anglers time to discover the Kayapo culture, social organization and more. We will present the group to the Indian chiefs. The group will head downstream to the Lodge. Anglers will be served a simple lunch of sandwiches for the 3 hours boat trip downstream. It’s a great trip to the lodge where anglers will see great river scenery, birds, animals and obviously lots of fish in the Iriri clear waters. Anglers will use this first afternoon to get situated and ready their tackle for the following day. That evening the fishing team will brief anglers on the daily fishing plans and make arrangements for any exploratory camping trip plans." 

On our way

The itinerary closely matched reality.  We're up before dawn, breakfast at the hotel, check out, gather luggage in the lobby, then loaded into a mini-van and whisked to a local airport. The bags are weighed and loaded. It's actually a two-step before we're on out way. The plane takes off with our bags to fly to the main airport and refuel. We bus there, clear security, and board. 

Flying and Floating to the Kendjam Lodge

Although we greeted our traveling companions individually the night before, this is our first opportunity to meet as a group. Only eight anglers are allowed at Kendjam for each one week slot during the dry season. The five in the Heller / Wallach family contingent are the majority of the group. As I'm older than Danny by a few months, I thought I'd be the old man in the group. But of the remaining three, Dave was 76, and Fred 84.  So there's that. 

Another way to divvy up the group was by fishing style. Danny, Larry and Jared are pure spin fisherman. Dave, Fred, Brian and Harlan are committed fly fisherman. I brought both a spinning and fly rod /reel, but planned to primarily spin. Let the debates begin. 

Flying

The plane is a single engine Cessna 208/B Caravan. And we're off..

On board and on our way.

Mike, Brian, Harlan

 

Upon departing Manaus, we are offered another unique perspective of the Encontro das Águas as we fly over the confluence of Rio Negro and Rio Amazonas.

Brazil is a big country. Approximately 85% the geographic area of the United States. And about 60% of the country is encompassed by native vegetation, primarily in the Amazon Rain Forest and associated geographies and ecoystems. That area alone is comparable to the size of Europe. 

It is relatively easy to understand these numbers in a dispassionate analytical way.  Not so looking out the window during our flight. Our views from the the plane over the 3.5+ hour flight covered a small percentage of Amazon Rain Forest. But even with that limited scope, it presents a perspective on the size of the Amazon forest, rivers, highlands, wetlands and wilderness that is so incomprehensively vast, it fills you with wonder and astonishment.

The landing at the Kayapo village of Kendjam offers a bit of excitement as the plane banks over Kendjam Rock, clears the trees and lands on a dirt strip that doubles as a road the rest of the week.

Kendjam Rock and locals strolling down the landing strip.

Floating

 

Shortly after we disembark and bags are unloaded, the anglers from the previous week at the lodge board the Cessna and take off for Manaus. A cycle that will be repeated for us one week hence. 

There's not much time to interact with the locals as the bags are quickly loaded onto the waiting aluminum skiffs, as are we. We change into water shoes and sun shirts for protection during the ride. The itinerary accurately describes the journey as we are handed a "simple" sandwich and push off for the downstream cruise.

So, after 3 1/2 hours in the plane we now embark on a 3 1/2 hour boat ride down the Iriri River to the Lodge. I labeled this blog section as "Floating", but that's fake news. It's more like an exciting motorized nature tour, while running small rapids and portaging around shallow areas and small waterfalls. There are two angler guests in each boat along with a guide and one or two native guides controlling the motor and/or paddling from the bow. Harlan and I are paired with a couple of native guides. 

Let's check in again with Teddy:

"The paddlers were a strapping set. They were expert rivermen and men of the forest, skilled veterans in wilderness work. They were lithe as panthers and brawny as bears. They swam like waterdogs. They were equally at home with pole and paddle, with axe and machete; and one was a good cook and others were good men around camp." - Teddy Roosevelt, "Through the Brazilian Wilderness" 

At the lodge we settle into our rooms, and start setting up our rods, reels and bait. The guides check out our gear, make suggestions, and change out some lines. Mostly they cut out the flourocarbon and go with long wire leaders and biteline.

We convene for dinner in the lodge and get to know each other. 

Many fish stories are told. Some of them true. 

The 7/26/25 - 8/2/25 guests first dinner at Ketcham
L to R - Danny, Jared, Mike, Harlan, Fred, Dave, Brian

Tomorrow we fish. 

Amazon Adventure Day 4 - Preparing for Kendjam (plus piranha)

Packing before departing on this trip.

This is the official itinerary of the first day as we received from Untamed Angling at the Kendjam Lodge:  

"Overnight accommodation (sharing room) at the Juma Ópera Hotel in Manaus, the night before departure to the Kendjam, is included in the package. You will receive all the information regarding the next day’s plan for time of departure, typically around 5:30 AM weather depending. Arrive in Manaus. Our representatives will be waiting for you at the Manaus International Airport (MAO)." - Kendjam Itinerary for 25-July

From this point forward, things start to get a little sketchy for time and internet access as far as maintaining a daily journal. I am pre-posting the itinerary for each day, with the intent of back-filling with pictures and the events of the day. That's my good intention, "Road to Hell" notwithstanding. 

This day was primarily about getting our kits ready for departure. As there was a strict 40 lb weight limit for the single checked bag on the small plane charter flight to the lodge, strategic management was in order. We needed to decide what we really needed for our fishing adventure, how much we could pack into our carry-on, and what to leave at the hotel where we would return at the conclusion of the trip. 

Repacking in Manaus Hotel before departure to Kendjam

Time to again consult the Teddy Roosevelts memoir about his 1914 journey of exploration down the River of Doubt:

"The Outfit for Travelling in the South American Wilderness South America includes so many different kinds of country that it is impossible to devise a scheme of equipment which shall suit all. A hunting-trip in the pantanals, in the swamp country of the upper Paraguay, offers a simple problem. An exploring trip through an unknown tropical forest region, even if the work is chiefly done by river, offers a very difficult problem. All that I can pretend to do is to give a few hints as the results of our own experience." - TR, "Through the Brazilian Wilderness"

"A good medicine-chest is indispensable. Nowadays doctors know so much of tropical diseases that there is no difficulty in fitting one out. It is better not to make the trip at all than to fail to take an ample supply of quinine pills. Cholera pills and cathartic pills come next in importance. In liquid shape there should be serum to inject for the stoppage of amoebic dysentery, and anti-snake-venom serum. Fly-dope should be taken in quantities." - TR" 

"For clothing Kermit and I used what was left over from our African trip. Sun helmets are best in the open; slouch-hats are infinitely preferable in the woods. There should be hobnailed shoes—the nails many and small, not few and large; and also moccasins or rubber-soled shoes; and light, flexible leggings. Tastes differ in socks; I like mine of thick wool." - TR

"A khaki-colored shirt should be worn, or, as a better substitute, a khaki jacket with many pockets. Very light underclothes are good. If one’s knees and legs are unfortunately tender, knickerbockers with long stockings and leggings should be worn; ordinary trousers tend to bind the knee. Better still, if one’s legs will stand the exposure, are shorts, not coming down to the knee. A kilt would probably be best of all." - Teddy Roosevelt, Through the Brazilian Wilderness 

I didn't bring the kilt. But otherwise, we think we've got the bases covered. 

It wasn't all about preparation for the trip to the lodge this day. Once we had our shite together, we convened with the cousins for dinner at the Caxiri restaurant down the street. I ordered the piranha. 

 

It was delicious.  Jared and I also ordered the Amazon Caipirinha -described on the menu as: "Jambu Cachaga, Brazil's national Amazon Spirit combined with a Amazonian herb called Jambu, sugar syrups, lemon, and puxuri seeds."

We agreed that the first sip was pretty bad, but by the end of the drink we ordered another. 

Amazon Adventure Day 2 - Teatras Amazonas and Acclimatizing

 

Acclimating to the temperatures facing me in the days ahead.

Day 2 in Manaus and the process of acclimating to temperature, food, and culture continues apace. I think of Manaus much like climbers think of  Base Camp before ascending Everest. It is a place to adjust to the atmosphere and prepare yourself mentally and physically for the adventure ahead. Like "base camp", our few days in Manaus at the Juna Opera Hotel gives us time to adjust before our flight to the wilderness fishing lodge a few days hence. 

Disciplined training will ensure adequate preparation. 

As a 40 year San Francisco resident I am accustomed to a temperate climate year round. The first order of business is to spend as much time in the heat as possible to get used to what I will experience at the jungle lodge. To that end I found the Juma Opera hotel rooftop pool to be the perfect training ground. My thinking was that spending as much time as possible outside at the pool would quickly accustom me to heat I will experience at the lodge, and so I acted accordingly.

Next food. In general, when traveling to new environs, it is prudent to carefully watch what you eat to avoid the kind of trip ruining maladies that typically afflict travelers. That said, I still had  a couple days to recover before our flight to the lodge on Saturday. And the breakfast spread at the hotel was too tempting to avoid interesting local Brazilian fare. 

Among the breakfast firsts for me were the Brazil nut bread, Tucupi bread, Rice and Brazil nut porridge, and a beautiful selection of fresh fruits including some that I have never seen or tasted and could not name. The fruit was obviously the highest risk to consume, but I could not resist. So far so good.

Finally, the historical Teatras Amazonas is the cultural center of Manaus, the state of Amazonas, and arguably the country of Brazil. I couldn't find a Teddy Roosevelt reference for the theater, but the opening scene of Werner Herzog's 1982 epic Fitzcarraldo was filmed at the theater and captures the ambiance of the Belle Epoque era when the rubber trade was king:

Part of the attraction of staying at the Juma Opera Hotel is the Teatras Amazonas is directly across the street. No opera was scheduled while we were in town, but there were different performances every night. We didn't care who or what was on the stage. We just wanted to experience a performance in that venue. We were told the night's performance was sold out but Harlan finagled tickets at the box office and we were in. 

Teatras Amazonas amid the square opposite the hotel.

We told we should get in line an hour early, as each section had open seating and we might get an obstructed view. So we dutifully got in line early. Soon a young women scouting the line found us and  escorted us with other gray hairs to a shorter VIP line. I guess getting older does have some advantages. 

We were in, in our box seats off to the side. The theater was spectacular. Our seats were great. The show was fun - an assortment of 4 men and 2 women alternating pop songs with indigenous native dancers interspersed throughout. We didn't understand the words but appreciated the music and energy. 

It was great fun and we appreciated the opportunity to experience a performance at the theater. If we can get tickets we'll go back again.