Manaus

We returned from our jungle experience to Manaus. We should have had extra time here but the schedule wasn't to plan and we would be moving on in the morning, But there was one thing that I really wanted to see in Manaaus above all the other Trip Advisor suggested sights.

I wanted to see the Opera House. The local big wigs had made a lot of money from the rubber trade and other enterprises and wanted to show off their success / wealth and so built an opera house. They also spent a lot of money on both ecclesiastical and secular buildings. This is the front of the local hospital.

But it was the Opera House that they had splashed out for in spectacular style, even after the architects and builders warned them of the folly of building a European style building in the harsh wet humid climate of the mason jungle...but they went ahead anyway.

The building is spectacular  but soon started to succumb to the weather and another fortune was spent to refurbish and update it so that you can see the building in all its glory today. A full frontal.

A side view.

Even the government building nearby was in a 19th century Classical style.

Many local secular buildings, usually owned by merchants and the well to do were in a traditional European grand style.

But the next morning we were off early up the only road that connect Brazil to Venezuela...that leaves Manaus. And for the that have have been reading the blog, that is not much good when Manaus is not connected to the rest of Brazil by road for the whole year. The scenery was mile after mile of jungle.

And occasionally crossing a flooded river valley.

Then we came to a unique monument on the equator line around the world, and of course you just have to stop to get that photo.

 And then it as back into the jungle heading north. It is tiny season in the southern hemisphere but dry season in the north. It wasn't noticeable at first but what was noticeable was that there were hills and the jungle had thinned to savannah. This picture is similar to the one above but it does have a hill in the distance.

And then it was over the border into Venezuela.