Docks at Manaus Central Market

Manaus, Brazil ~ April 25, 2007

I posted a photo of boats at the Manaus Central Market docks last year, but that was the "travel brochure" shot. In reality, the docks were fascinating and picturesque, but also hot and littered with garbage. The water is the Amazon River. Here at Manaus, the Rio Negro and the Solimoes join together to form the beginning of what we commonly think of as "The Amazon." The trees we see across the water may indicate the opposite bank, or they may be on a very long island marking part of the channel at this point. The width of the river changes vastly depending on the season, and what were once river banks become islands or are completely submerged. According to Wikipedia, "The width of the Amazon varies between 1.6 and 10 kilometres (0.99 and 6.2 mi) at low stage, but expands during the wet season to 48 kilometres (30 mi) or more." I expect that 30 miles is nearer the mouth of the river, but in any season the Amazon has fewer distinct banks than most rivers. I'll include a few more Amazon photos this weekend.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Boats at Manaus Central Market

Manaus, Brazil ~ April 25, 2007

Amazon River

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Manaus Market

Manaus, Brazil ~ April 5, 2007
Craft Market

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Along the Amazon

On the Amazon River, Brazil ~ April 27, 2007

Near Manaus

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Mama Jaguar

Manaus, Brazil ~ April 25, 2007

Jaguar with Cub, life size

For several days I passed this carved jaguar mother and her cub each time I went in or out of our hotel's main door. I was fascinated by the realism obtained by the airtist with the fur's texture and coloring.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Variety and Veneer

Manaus, Brazil ~ April 14, 2007

In and around the central market can be seen a variety of paving styles and patterns, mainly in black and white. The yellow-bordered truck ramp blends right in, especially as the rain created a veneer of mud like an artist's wash over everything.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Bordering the Central Market

Manaus, Brazil ~ April 25, 2007

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Play with the Dolphins

Manaus, Brazil ~ April 23, 2007

We found these botos, or pink Amazon River dolphins in the play yard of the Tropical Manaus Hotel in Manaus, Brazil. Although the pink coloration and long beak are typical of this dolphin, the real animals have a shorter dorsal fin, more like a hump. The play yard had other native animals in it, and I believe they were made by the talented woman who ran one of the gift shops at the hotel.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Tapir Mask?

Manaus, Brazil ~ April 25, 2007

Here's another of those pointy-nosed balsa wood masks we saw in the open-air market in Manaus. In this case, it just may be a tapir.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Three Armadillos and Something White with Eyes

Manaus, Brazil ~ April 25, 2007

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Alien Monster?

Manaus, Brazil ~ April 25, 2007

I couldn't tell you what this strange creature is other than some kind of imaginative or fantasy or mythological serpent. Note the teeth in the back of its neck. We saw this in the market square in Manaus, where I wanted to take home almost everything I saw, and fortunately (?) couldn't afford to and didn't have a big enough suitcase. Of course, it reminds me of the monster in Alien. Who knows? I don't even know what it's made of, other than it looks like modeling clay.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

I Have No Idea

Manaus, Brazil ~ April 25, 2007

I sometimes hope that every animal image with a long nose is a tapir, but it's not. The teeth are clearly opossum-like. These two carved animal heads are masks. The ecru-colored fibrous fabric shrouds the wearer. The mask on the right is a crocodilian of some sort, and to the right of that are carved wood fish and a bird. The piranhas at the bottom are the real thing, just dried out.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Peacock Bass with Lianas

Manaus, Brazil ~ April 25, 2007

We saw this hanging wood carving in the open-air market in Manaus. Note the spot on its tail; this is a peacock bass, a common fish in parts of Central and South America, and much prized for food. The man standing behind the carving is one of the team of IBAMA officials who were checking the market stalls for possible illegal items for sale. IBAMA stands for "Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente E Dos Recursos Naturais Renováveis" (Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources).

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.