Catt-Trax 2 - Brazil

Manaus, Brazil - Meeting of the Waters

Danny Catt — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 15:22:56 -0700

The Meeting of the Waters, near Manaus, Brazil

With a population of around 2 million, Manaus is the largest city in the state of Amazonas, Brazil. It is located about 1500 kilometres up the Amazon from the river’s mouth and is situated on the shore of the Rio Negro just a mile or two up river from where the Rio Negro meets the Rio Solimoes.

The waters of the Rio Negro are black coffee coloured and are without sediments whereas the Rio Solimoes is a milky brown colour and is loaded with sediments and associated nutrients. The differences in colour and water characteristics are a function of what part of the basin each river drains.

The Rio Solimoes is a muddy, milky brown because it is loaded with sediments from the Andes (and other sources) while the Rio Negro is black coffee (or weak tea) coloured because it drains the nutrient poor upper Amazon basin (near Colombia & Venezuela) and has virtually no sediment in it.

The river we know as the Amazon actually changes its name a number of times along its route to the sea. It starts as the Acayali River in Peru (when I was in Pucallpa, Peru I was on the Acayali River). The Acayali joins the Rio Maranon near Iquitos, Peru. From Iquitos to the Brazilian border the river is known as the Amazon, but once the river flows into Brazil (from Peru) it is called the Rio Solimoes until it joins the Rio Negro near Manaus. Once they meet, it takes many miles for the waters of the two rivers to mix completely.

Once past Manaus the river is once again referred to as the Amazon, the name it retains for the rest of its journey to the sea. (That may sound a bit confusing but I hope it makes sense).

Belem – near the Mouth of the World’s Greatest River

Danny Catt — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 15:07:13 -0700

The Port of Belem, Brazil

It is hot and sticky today. As I write I am looking out across the brown silt-laden waters of one of the tributaries of the Amazon River. The Amazon is an amazing river. Its basin is the largest of any river on the planet and covers approximately 40% of the continent of South America (and 40% of Brazil).

All of the rivers and streams (big and small) that eventually feed into the Amazon are part of the Amazon basin. There are an estimated 15,000 tributaries (give or take a few) that all contribute to the Amazon and its mind-boggling volume of water. During the wet season (rather than having seasons of hot and cold like we do in the northern hemisphere, in the Amazon the seasons are wet and dry) an estimated 300,000 cubic metres of water per second enters the Atlantic Ocean when the Amazon meets the sea. What is astounding is that 20% of all the fresh water on the planet that enters into the ocean does so via the Amazon River. In fact the area covered by the Amazon River and its tributaries more than triples over the course of a year. In an average dry season 110,000 square km of land are water-covered, while in the wet season the flooded area of the Amazon Basin rises to 350,000 square km.

At approximately 6400 kilometres in length the Amazon is the second longest river in the world. The only river longer is the Nile, in Africa, but when you compare the volume of water of each, the Amazon contributes 60 times more fresh water into the ocean. Thus the Amazon is definitely worthy of the title, the “World’s Greatest River”.

Fruit Vendor, Belem, Brazil

The city that I am in now, Belem, is the capital city of the state of Para in north-east Brazil. With over 2 million inhabitants, it is the largest city along the Amazon River. Belem is one of two key ports along the Brazilian section of river, the other being Manaus, located approximately 1500 kilometres upstream from the river’s mouth.

Belem’s major exports include lumber, fruits, Brazil nuts, and a broad array of other commodities. It also has some eco-tourism activities for those travellers looking to explore a part of the Brazilian Amazon.

Riverboat Near Belem, Brazil

Salvador - A Carnaval of Musical Proportions

Danny Catt — Sun, 04 Mar 2007 18:55:46 -0800

Carnaval Celebration, Salvador, Brazil

Carnaval celebrations in Brazil are biggest (and consequently most famous) in the larger centres of Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo (the largest city in South America at an estimated 19 million inhabitants) and also the lively city of Salvador on the north-east coast of the Brazil.

Clown at Work During Carnaval, Salvador, Brazil

We had an opportunity to get a brief taste of Salvador’s unique and colourful carnival celebrations. Salvador is a city full of colour and music.

Rather than having floats with elaborate costumed samba dancers (as in Rio) in Salvador trucks carrying what appear to be the largest mobile speakers on the planet make their way through the city following a pre-determined route with thousands (and I mean thousands) of people lining the streets!

Although my time in Salvador was short… I at least got to see the city at its liveliest!

Salvador, Brazil

Christ the Redeemer - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Danny Catt — Sun, 04 Mar 2007 14:44:43 -0800

Christ the Redeemer, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Friends who have visited South America have told me that Rio de Janeiro is one of the most beautiful cities in South America, if not the world. It has been described as fun-loving, boisterous, free-spirited, friendly, dangerous and wild all in one!

Rio is also home to one of the most famous icons in South America, the Christ the Redeemer statue, situated on the peak of Cordovado Mountain in Tijuca National Park, the one of the largest national parks, found within a city, in the world.

View from the Top of Corcovado, Rio de Janeiro

The views from the city are amazing and if you are in Rio… it is really worth the time and effort to make your way up to the top. It was my first time to Rio so we did it. You can hike… but we opted for the cable car that whisks you to the top in a matter of minutes. The added bonus to the cable car was that we were serenaded by a drum pounding dancing musical group celebrating the first day of Carnaval!

At the Christ the Redeemer Statue, Rio