Here we are again, bringing you Part 2 of our 3-part series counting down the days until the USA starts their World Cup adventure. In each part we bring traveling tips to those who are hitting the road to follow our red, white, and blue as they head off to face Germany, Ghana, and Portugal in what’s been labeled “the group of death.” But on the happier side of things 😉 Americans are slowly starting to move past the Landon Donovan snub (the face of USA soccer didn’t make the 23-man squad going to Brazil) as we’ve won both of our warmup games leading to our departure. With everyone from players to fans feeling great so far about our chances, today is the perfect day to tell you all about Manaus.
Manaus is where we will be facing a strong Portugal team captained by Cristiano Ronaldo. While in the Amazon it’s important to take advantage of the natural wonders around you. Whether you’re scheduling time before/after the match or just going there to explore, we have some suggestions that should help you out on your quest 😉
The Amazon Theatre is an opera house located in Manaus, in the heart of the Amazon rainforest in Brazil. It is the location of the annual Festival Amazonas de Ópera (Amazonas Opera Festival) and the home of the Amazonas Philharmonic Orchestra which regularly rehearses and performs at the Amazon Theater along with choirs, musical concerts and other performances. The theater was built during the Belle Époque (the beautiful era) at a time when fortunes were made in the rubber boom.
Other must-see cultural sites include: Rio Negro Palace Cultural Center, Amazonian Museum, Euclides da Cunha School, Dom Pedro II Square, and Amazonas Academy of Letters.
Jungle accommodations, the “lodges”, are perfect if you want to feel 100% in touch with the forest universe. Built along the banks of the rivers, or even over the water of one of the regional lakes, your experience in one of them will be even more intense and you can sleep in hammocks in the light of kerosene lamps.
Brasil has done a great job this year of staying on task for the world’s newest interest, Ecotourism. “Ecotourism is responsible for 24% of foreign tourists arrivals in the country, in addition to promoting productive inclusion and strongly contributing to the protection of the environment,” said the Minister of Tourism, Vinicius Lages.
Other places to see are: The Piranha and Mamirauá Reserves, Adolpho Ducke Botanical Garden, Anavilhanas Archipelago, Jaú National Park, and the Jungle War Instruction Center Zoo.
Clearly, there’s no point of traveling all the way to Manaus without seeing the Amazon! Get ready to explore the world’s largest biodiversity reserve. With about 5.5 million sq. km (60% of them in Brazilian territory) its vegetation is formed of large trees. However, on the river banks, you can see many aquatic plants, such as the vitória-régia, the symbol of the Amazon.
Last but not least we have 2 videos to get you excited for your travels! With so much culture to experience in Manaus, there’s no better time to see it than the World Cup! 😉
We hope we’ve given you enough at least for a start to your adventures in Manaus! We hope you cheer on the USA and safely enjoy your travels 🙂 Remember to check back with us next week for our last and final showcase of the USA’s trek to the Cup through Brazil as we show you Recife 😀
If you click on MANAUS you’ll also find some more ideas from the Ministry of Tourism 😉
-TPR