Day 50- February 22, 2008 - Manaus, Brazil

Manaus day 3 photos
Today is our last day in Manaus. Our first day here we overheard a man say that for his morning in Manaus, he had earned credit for time spent in hell. He may not be far off the mark. It is hot, hot, humid and so noisy here. There are people everywhere!
Clay finally got really sick overnight. So, it is his day to stay in. Debbie still has no voice and Margie is still nursing a cough. Debbie and Margie are on their own. We had only planned today to take the complimentary H. Stern shuttle to the Tropical Hotel and visit the zoo there. Also, Clay had some shopping that he wanted done and Margie had one item she wanted to purchase. Debbie also had the assignment of finding Clay drugs.
Debbie got a small bowl of raspberries this morning!! Hurray for Chimi in LaVeranda! A good start. It is about a 20 minute car ride out to the Tropical Hotel. We came and went by different routes. Manaus is big too. There is a lot of military here as well. The Tropical Hotel was very nice and right on the river. It had a helicopter pad and the mini-zoo, plus a small shopping center. The zoo was interesting, though the animals are in fairly small cages, which was sad. We had a good morning. We went back through the H. Stern shop, where we had bought little toucan statues and they put us in another taxi. We got out at the port entrance. We started to walk towards the old market area and got stopped by a local character who told us to call him Cockroach. His name was really Joseph. He spoke pretty good English, but he was trying to get people into taxis. We did not need a taxi, but asked him where is a good place to buy a hammock. He told us he would take us and keep us from being ripped off and we could pay him whatever we thought was fair. OK.
This guy was a complete card. He could whistle so loud it would stop traffic and he did! We got all our shopping done and then he showed us off to the guides along the way back to the ship's shuttle. It was all probably worth the $10.
We got back in time for the last 1/2 hourof LaVeranda for lunch. They were lined up there to get plates about 15-20 people deep! It was like rush hour at K&W Cafeteria! It is hard to believe that we only got 50 extra people. We have never seen a line up like that, except once in Myanmar, when it looked like half the military boarded to get us cleared and then had to eat before they could decide to clear the ship. Anyway, it was amazing and we hope not to see that again everyday for the rest of this trip! Nothing on the docket for the rest of the day and we sail at 6pm. Tonight is Country Club Casual again. So, it looks like naps are the order of the afternoon. Manaus seems like a really excellent place to take a nap.
Clay was up for dinner tonight. So, we all planned to have a quick, quiet dinner in Compass Rose. So much for the best laid plans. It was a zoo in there. Apparently, there were some problems with the Theater at Sea group. We hear there are around 100 of them. They thought they would be seated together in a block and their organizer had no arranged such a thing with the ship, so a good portion of them just went ape over it individually. It made for some awkward dining and beverage service. Oh, well live and learn. Hopefully, that won't happen again.
Clay went to bed early. Debbie and Margie stayed up for the show. It was Sean O'Shea. He was a vocalist/impressionist. (I hope his name is spelled right, doing from memory without the newsletter!) He got off to a weak start, but he got up to speed pretty quickly and was a dynamo. He kept everyone awake and he was funny. We enjoyed it.
Tomorrow night is Tovah Feldshuh. We all hope to be up for that one. Tomorrow is a short afternoon port stop with a Complimentary Event. Description is pasted below.
Boi-Bumba Folkloric Show
Duration: 1¼ Hour.
Special Event, Walking.
Code: PRT-3646
This special event is included for all guests with the compliments of Regent Seven Seas Cruises.
Experience an hour of the folklore of the Amazonduring a special festival held in the village of Parintins, which is situated along the southern bank of the Amazon. A short drive from the pier takes you to the Caprichoso, a covered stadium hosting a truly festive atmosphere. You'll be served Caipirinha, soft drinks and mineral water as the excitement and anticipation rises.
Performers will dance, sing and celebrate the joy of life in a mesmerizing display of revelry. The captivating story of feuding families, the Cids and the Monteverdes, will unfold before you. Legend has it that these clans started a folkloric dispute, which manifested into a competition between woman-made bulls. The Cids created a black bull, Caprichoso (meaning careful), and the Monteverdes built a white bull, Garantido (meaning guaranteed). Each family was also armed with a repentista, or singer, who would challenge the other to sing a better song or recite a better poem.
Please note: You must confirm your plans with the Travel Concierge Office so they can finalize arrangements for Parintins. No substitutions or compensation are available for non-participation in this exclusive program. On certain dates, there may be two performances. If advised by the Travel Concierge Office that there are two shows, please check your tour ticket carefully for the scheduled time of your performance.
Manaus day 3 photos