January 2, 2015: Our first day in Brazil, what is there to say except for it is everything and nothing that i was expecting it to be. Despite it being winter in the Southern Hemisphere, our proximity to the equator ensured that as soon as we stepped off the plane it was like we slammed into a wall of heat and moisture. We landed in Manaus at 2:30am UTC, which is 11:30pm EST. We gathered our bags and left the airport in the taxi that was drove us to the hotel, and looking out the windows of the van and see the difference between the United States and Brazil. We arrived at the hotel at 3:30am, and the energy of the group plummeted, the hours of travelling from Philadelphia to Manaus finally took its toll. After sleeping for 6 or 7 hours, we regrouped and met in the hotel lobby to discuss what our plans are for the day, or what was left of it. And so began the first real adventure of the trip, albeit a relatively simple and tame one, but it was our first real taste of Brazil and its culture. We piled back into a taxi and it drove us through the streets of Manaus, arriving at a plaza square in the middle of town. Our tour guide told us that this was the center of the business district, and that historically this is where the majority of the rubber tapped from the surrounding rainforest had passed through at one point or another. In the center of the plaza stood a statue (pictured above with the Teatro Amazonas), on each side was one of the cardinal directions, meant to represent Brazil's trade with the 4 corners of the World. Next to the fountain stands the Teatro Amazonas, full of a rich history like much of the country, and it's monuments. Subsequent to visiting the fountain, we proceeded to visit the Port of Manaus, where many of the goods produced are brought for export. Like many other ports of trade, there stands a pretty substantial market (pictured below the theater). Many of the goods that are imported or exported can be purchased here, including an abundance of exotic local items. After seeing much of Manaus had to offer, we headed back to our hotel, where we talked about what we saw, and the significance of each thing. We then ventured off to the local mall to see some of the shopping, and to grab a bite to eat. Much to my surprise, a lot of the shops are very similar to the ones in America, the mall was scattered with high end electronic stores, kiosks selling trinkets, clothing stores, and a surprising variety of food. We walked back to our hotel after eating, and although it was only 10:00pm local time, we were all still exhausted from the travelling, plus being out and about all day. |