Only one final adventure remained as we left the Atlantic Ocean and cruised up the Amazon River. Or so we thought.

We were in the last week of a month long cruise around the lower half of South America. We were headed for Manaus, a city that rose out of the jungle a hundred years ago because of rubber and it being a major sea port to move the rubber to world markets.

But we made several interesting stops along the way, including a tiny Indian village that still lives in the past. So we were in for some surprises ahead, both on ... (more)