March 1 - Day 16

7:00 a.m. and its already 29C! It rained all morning - probably because Luana stayed home from work to spend time with us. However it stopped by noon and there was sunshine and heat. We went to the zoo which is surrounded by a military complex. It seemed strange to see the zoo and at the same time see soldiers being trained in marching on the periphery. Reconstruction of the zoo's animal habitats began by orders of the Brazilian Army Center for Jungle Warfare Training, and the zoo has undergone many recent improvements to make it more attractive to visitors. The entrance fee is a very reasonable 2 real. Our Manaus zoo experience was as close to nature as you can get without actually going off into the jungle on your own. We were able to walk over bridges that hang precariously above an animal's habitat allowing us to peacefully stroll above a lion's den or a tiger's napping spot in the shade. However there weren't too many other animals or birds on display. A few notable exceptions were the spider monkeys and the colorful toucans and parrots. The reason we were given why there were so few animals on display and many empty areas was that this zoo technically was no longer a viewing zoo that we are familiar with back at home but rather a place where animals are brought for veterinary purposes to be treated, rehabilitated and, if possible, re-admitted back to their former natural habitats. We picked up tickets for a river and jungle cruise. Apparently we were now going on a Friday and not on Saturday which left only Luana and Patti and me for the expedition. From the hotel we went and picked up Nae , took out some reals at the bank, and went home. Here it was decided we would all go out to the best place in Manaus(according to Nae) for pasteles. Pasteles are a typical fast food Brazilian dish, consisting of thin pastry envelope wrappings with assorted fillings that are deep fried in vegetable oil. The result is a crispy, brownish pastry. The most common fillings are ground meat, mozzarella cheese, heart of palm, catupiry cream cheese, chicken meat, and small shrimp. There are also sweet fillings like guava jam with Minas cheese, banana, and chocolate. These pasteles were about 3 times the size of a normal pastele and were extremely delicious and surprisingly filling. Amoedo, Salete, Worney and his girl friend, Luana, Nae, Patti, and I and also Joanna, the family person who took care of the household and the meals, enjoyed our meal together as we visited and ate. Pasteles are definitely something I am going to learn to make in Canada! They are heaven-sent! Back at home, we all watched Brazilian Big Brother together. It is extremely popular in Brazil and very much so in the House of Amoedo! Early to bed at 11:00 because there would be an early wakeup for our jungle trip tomorrow.