Our journey starts in Manaus, capital of the state of Amazonas, Brazil.  I have heard many different opinions of this city, but there’s one thing everyone agrees on: it is unbelievably hot. We arrive in the evening and, to my surprise, the temperature is a balmy 23 degrees celsius. The taxi driver claims it’s “cold”. […]

We’ve been back for a few weeks now. But the Amazon never really left us. Between busy school days, weekend trips and birthday parties, the girls (and their parents) are still entranced with our Amazonian experience. They miss their new friends. They still talk about all the animals they saw, the hikes in the jungle, the swimming in […]

I love the fact that my daughters speak my native language – Portuguese. Even though we have never lived in Brazil, Portuguese is still their first language (I guess it’s called mother tongue for a reason). Not for long, I realize, but I am enjoying it while it lasts. However, no matter how good their […]

As I walk by the beautiful Amazonas Theater in Manaus, Brazil, I feel dizzy and lightheaded. Maybe it’s the Christmas lights that have taken over every corner of the main square, or the wavy pavement pattern that inspired the famous Copacabana beach in Rio. Or perhaps it’s because I have just spent 8 days on […]