Brazil - Day 1– The Amazon

How can I put Brazil into words! Amazing! This is one of the most amazing places I have ever been and also one of the most diverse. You can see everything here from city to rainforest to urban jungle.
The first day in Brazil we were docked in Manaus and got right off the boat and on to another. I was on boat number 2 with our guides Eddie and .....g (something). For the life i me i was not able to understand him when he said his name, but he was awesome. So after we stuffed our faces on the MV explorer in fear of not eating anything good that day we were immediately given breakfast.... And I am sorry mom, I don't know how they make that food but it was the most amazing food ever. We were given eggs, bread, fruit, chocolate bread, and plantains with cinnamon sugar on them. Any way it was delicious. If anyone gets a chance to have Brazilian fruit go for it. It is fantastic especially the guava and pineapple.
Any way continuing on from the food which if you know me was obviously my biggest concern; we went down the Rio Negro, the black river which is LEGIT BLACK. It is black from all the organic mineral deposits that sit in it. We only went down so far so that we could see where the two rivers meet. This should be one of the 7 wonders of the world. You can clearly see a distinct line were the two rivers meet yet do not mix! They won't mix because of the ph levels, density, temperature, velocity of the rivers.
Next we traveled back up stream and down a smaller part of the river were we passed floating villages. The villages are floating because of the rainy season the river will rise so high that any houses on the lower land will flood, another way the accommodate to these flooding are to build houses on stilts.
As we traveled up the stream the river got smaller and we were able to see some more wild life such as the great white crane and some river dolphins. We docked at a small port ate lunch on the boat quickly. Our lunch consisted of fruit, as always, fish stews, fried fish, salad dishes, rice and pasta. We got off the boat and went on to a local market that was clearly put there for tourists to shop around a little and then made our way up to the Lilly pads. Now these lilly pads were massive! They were a little bigger than a typical round cafe table and most had budding flowers on them. Some of the caiman were resting on them. We looked around on what could be called a risen dock. On the way back to the boat I held back a little with one of our tour guides Eddie and I was lucky I did. Eddie pointed out to me a sloth in the tree and a pair of monkeys jumping from tree to tree. I was one of the lucky ones who got to see this..... I kind think everyone was a little jealous as I would be if the tables were turned.
We then got back on the boat and traveled 5 miles up the river to the spot where we would be staying and anchoring. The first thing we did while on our journey up river was to set up our hammocks which would be our beds for the night. We were to sleep as the locals would if they were traveling. Some people napped on the boat because we were on the river so long and slow trip up the black river while I just laid out on the back of the boat soaking up the hot Brazilian, equator sun. The sun here is amongst the hottest most dangerous sun in the world, so we made sure to lather up in sun screen.....and bug spray as malaria is very prevalent here. We have also learned at this point that the malaria medication does not protect us against malaria but just makes it a more treatable form. It is just an antibiotic, it makes it so that the malaria cannot get to your liver, hide out and eventually kill you.
On the journey up it was not all just talk and sleep. The guides, nurse and some other staff of our small river boat taught us how to Fuha dance. Oh what I gathered the Fuha is much like salsa but a little crazier and a little less structured, it's a blast. We all took turns as the Brazilian music played we grabbed the hands of the staff and just started dancing! I think the other 2 boats riding along us were a little jealous as we were dancing at the tip of the boat as we road into the sunset. Now a little off topic let me add in that the sunsets in Brazil are among the most amazing in the world. I thought these colors that the sky radiated were only possible in a painting. The clouds come and go so swiftly through the setting sky it is a sight only thought to happen in a dream.
After the long journey up stream we finally anchored. We got prepared, put on bug spray and long sleeves so that we would not get a million bug bites and went on to yet another boat to go caiman hunting. Now you can only hunt caimans in the dark because their eyes will glow red so when you flash a light on them you can see them with ease. However, it is a little nerve racking being on a shallow boat so close to the water when you know there are caiman and piranhas in the surrounding water and you can hardly see the person sitting next to you. Suddenly our guide spots one! We move toward it slowing the engine eventually turning it off and without so much as a splash our guide grabbed one out of the water I didn’t even know he saw one. He was holding it showing us all fun little things about it. He then asked who wanted to hold it and the three girls in the back of the boat raised their hands, of course myself, Stephanie and Katie. None of the boys would untill we went back to the big boat and the lights were on. I cannot lie -- I held it a few more times when we were on the lit boat again…… I mean who wouldn’t it was soooo cool!!!!! This was such an awesome experience that I would have been disappointed leaving with out. (THANK YOU MOM) I was the first to hold it and the one who put it back in the water. I’ve recently been thinking about going into the caimans business!!!!!!
We ate dinner, than hung out for a little, than made our way to our hammocks where me and Stephanie laughed historically with our new friend Jared. None of us could figure out the proper way to sleep in the hammock even after being taught by the guides. We listened to a few stories of friends around the boat....mostly Becca's car accidents which are hilarious. Then finally went to bed waking up multiple times from people snoring on the boat. Haha

Over all the first day was a success! There will be more to come, brace yourself and look back soon for more!