I saw photos of the Amazon once from my well-travelled friend and thought it would be a unique to see this expansive rainforest. Yes it is home to many dangerous creatures but it would be an adventure to explore… at least for a few days.

Day 6 – Wednesday February 10, 2016

We departed our hotel for a 3-hour car ride followed by a 40 min boat ride into the jungle. I had no idea what to expected and what our lodge would be like since Dionne did the research and booked the tour.

We arrived to find our lodge floating on the river. It was built from wood and bamboo materials –very appropriate for the jungle. For our comfort, there is electricity, running water showers and flushing toilets. 

We settled in before the chef made us lunch… Oh and what a lunch it was! It was home-cooked beans, served with rice and chicken. After our meal, the tour guide, Marco took us out on the river to visit an Amazon family. I had no idea how people lived in the Amazon or what their houses looked, so it was fascinating to see. I also learned that the people in the area had only gotten electricity two years ago. It showed me how this civilization group is developing and becoming more modern while some tribes are still isolated from society. The family was so welcoming and friendly. It was very sweet. 

I knew the Amazon would be hot but I wasn’t prepared for how hot and moist it was under the sun. Within moments, the clouds rolled in and it started to pour. Boy, it was refreshing from the heat. I was prepared with a poncho while the other girls got drenched and cold. The rain didn’t last long and we went to river dolphin watching. I learned that there are two types of river dolphins; one that is born pink and turns grey as it ages and one that is always grey. It was great to see them from afar in their natural habitat. “Welcome to the Amazon” our guide told us.

We went back to our lodge for a shower and got out of our wet clothes. The showers are weak but it was still refreshing to rinse off the sunscreen, bug spray and sweat accumulated all day. Our break didn’t last long as our tour guide took us out for a night tour to go crocodile watching. It was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. It was a boat ride into the dark to find caimans, part of the alligatoridae family. It was thrilling yet comfortable since you’re not walking through the jungle in the dark. It was an hilarious experience too because when you shine your flashlight onto the water, the sardines get scared and jump out of the water. A couple of them landed into our boat and hit us. We were screaming and laughing like little kids.”Welcome to the Amazon” our guide told us… agian. After that excitement, our guides caught a baby caiman for us to hold. It was creepy and I squealed. 

When we got back, dinner was served. The onsite chef made a “Brazilian fried rice” and a hearty chicken soup. This was one of the best meal I’ve had so far on this trip. That night, we had lost electricity so we were really getting the Amazon experience using candles and flashlights. I slept under a mosquito net for the first time but it didn’t bother me and I slept peacefully. 

Day 7 – Thursday February 11, 2016

We started our day with a lovely breakfast and got ready for the jungle trek. I was fully covered in light loose clothing and well-misted in very strong deet bug repellent. We explored through the jungle with our guide in hot and damp conditions. It was exactly what I expected from movies and rainforest replicas at botanical gardens or zoos. Everything was untouched and you could hear wildlife for miles. It was an easy 2-3 hour trek with small survival tips, medicinal plants and neat bugs along the way. I was glad to be wearing loose light clothing because you’re so sticky and gross. It wasn’t comfortable that is for sure. Our guide was still saying “Welcome to the Amazon”…

We went back to the lodge to rest and have another delicious meal. We had Tambaqui, a local fish today which was fresh and meaty. We also got some free time to relax from all the morning exercise so Michelle and Tania went for a swim/paddleboarding where most of us took a nap. 

In the afternoon as the sun was slowly setting. We went out to try piranha fishing. Using raw chicken as bait, I successfully caught a Mandi and a Red Belly Piranha! It was my first time fishing and I felt accomplished when I pulled a fish out of the water.

I liked that the guides kept the piranhas to feed the dolphins and put others back in the river. Yes, we killed the piranha for our entertainment but it was going back into the natural food chain. We fed the dolphins after to get them closer but they were still afar. Tania and Michelle went for a swim in the safe area while I watched as I can’t tread water, I’m nervous about swimming in the murky Amazon river and I don’t want to feel wet and dirty after. 

Our dinner was yet again delicious. The fish soup was one of the best soups I’ve ever had and it reminded me of the sour fish soup from Vietnam. We also got a wonderful fruit salad dessert and refreshing watermelon juice. Our guide accommodated our early departure by offering a second night tour on the boat. We jumped on the offer and saw an abundant of stars. It was breathtaking and reminded me of the Sahara desert and Cuba’s isolated Coco beach. We also looked for more Caimans and got a quick glimpse at a large one, about 4 meters long. Our second guide, Rafael also caught us a bird called “Ani”. Before calling it a night, we played a new drinking card game with Marco and our driver. That night was much more warmer and I was sleeping sticky. It was disgusting and I was looking forward to a proper shower. 

Day 8 – Friday February 12, 2016

We woke up early to catch the sunrise but it was too cloudy. We did spot some more wildlife including a fish named Pejavado that walks on water when it gets scared. Crazy! “Welcome to the Amazon” our guide continued to say… Okay we get it…

After breakfast, we waved goodbye to our guides and headed back to the main city, Manaus. It was an indescribable unique experience. The jungle is so raw, massive and abundant with wildlife. It was very peaceful and untouched like when I camp back in Ontario… You can’t capture the beauty in photos or videos… you just simply have to experience it. 

This is a list of all the wildlife we saw;

Birds: Mascouey Duck, Great Egret, Caracara Hawk, Vultures, Roughson Tigereron, River Gull, King Fisher, Ani, Swallows, Grey Heron, Parrot, Osprey

Fish: Peixe, Pejavado, Pink Dolphin, Grey Dolphin,Spotted Piranha, Red Belly Piranha, White Piranha, Catfish, Mandi, Aracu, Sardine, Pacu

Other: Baby Tarantula, Caterpillao, Termites, Bat, Moths, Butterflies, Grasshopper, Caiman

One thing that stuck with me was how our guide mentioned that the river tides have been unnatural… when they are suppose to be high, they are low and when they are to be low, they are high. It makes you reflect on climate change and habitat destruction in the rainforest.

We got to meet, Pedro, the owner of the tour company, Amazon Eco Adventures. He was very friendly with decent English to accompany us back. We stopped by a little house on the way to meet a parrot and tasted one of my favorite fruits, Jackfruit! At another stop, Pedro bought us a delicious tapioca crepe with sweet bananas and orange yam-like vegetable. It was more chewy like I originally expected and was the best one I ate on the trip. 

We arrived at the airport and headed back to Rio de Janeiro, where Michelle and I would depart the rest of the girls as we’re leaving 2 days earlier. Michelle generously used her Sheraton loyalty points for a free night and it was perfect after our jungle adventure. Proper luxurious beds and showers never felt so good. 

Day 9 – Saturday February 13, 2016

Before we slept, Michelle said she might not be able to wake up… But ironically she jumped out of bed to my first alarm and pulled opened the blinds to admire the partial view of the beach. For convenience, we decided on the Sheraton breakfast buffet by the beachfront. Food was fine but the view was worthwhile. Lucky for us the buffet never made it to our room charge!

We changed and headed towards the small beach,  behind Sheraton. It was great since it wasn’t as packed as Ipanama or Copacabana beach. It was the perfect way to end our trip. The only complaint was the current was too strong and difficult to swim in. As a result, I didn’t get in the waters and went to the hotel pool to swim.

We lounged, napped and swam until the our late checkout around 4pm and then headed towards a restaurant I wanted to try in Leblon. CT Boucherie was created by Claude Troisgro, Rio’s most famous chef. This innovative restaurant takes a spin on the all-you-can-eat churrascaria. You order a main course and you are served all-you-can-eat sides by the male servers. It was the best restaurant meal I had in Brazil. The meat with my chimichurri sauce was flavorful and the sides, such as mashed corn, grilled veggies, polenta, parmesan tomatoes and more, were perfect accompanies. The meal had some a variety of textures and unique flavors to enjoy. The restaurant atmosphere and decor was also welcoming and charming. 

After our final meal in Brazil, Michelle and I picked up our stored luggage and headed to the airport for a long stopover in Toronto to visit our respective families. 

The trip went by smoothly and my appreciation for the Rio grew as time went on. My first impressions was the city didn’t have much sights or unique culture to offer but after Sugarloaf Mountain, the Carnival parade and the Amazon, it changed my perspective. Rio was unlike any other place I’ve experienced. It reminded me of Ho Chi Minh City and Cuba but in areas and aspects more developed. For example, there was so much graffiti and “favelas” (slums) in the city but the public buses were so modern and there were so many garbage bins to control littering! 

I will be back to Brazil to visit Iguassu Falls, another world wonder I missed on this trip but I’m not sure I’ll be back to Rio de Janeiro again — there are just too many other countries and cities to see.