Metropolis in the jungle

Manaus is located at the confluence of the Rio Negro and Amazonas.  I expected it to be a small outpost in the wilderness, so you can imagine my surprise when I landed in a metropolis of over two million, which has ten major manufacturing companies, including Honda, in a tax free industrial zone.

The day I arrived I quickly boarded a boat to the jungle lodge located in an isolated area about ten miles up the Rio Negro and across from the city.  On my return from the cruise on the Amazon Clipper, I had three nights without reservations and planned on trying to arrange some jungle trekking.  I walked into the Go Inn Hotel and got a very nice, modern, clean, large room for about $60 per night.  I was planning on staying only one night, but could not get any response to my emails and phone messages to tour operators.  So I wandered the city, which is a little grungy, but has some culture and night life.  I finally made contact with a tour operator and booked a trek for the next day.  So I stayed a second night in Manaus.  After dinner, I stopped at a sidewalk bar where a young man was singing mostly American pop songs.  We talked for an hour about politics and life.  He said he is starting a commune and believes the Brazilian economy is headed for a dive.