Beachfront

Yesterday, after a couple hours of tennis, we went to the "Black Port" beachfront area near the Rio Negro, just down from the Tropical Hotel. Monteiro, our driver, led us around the area and showed us the sights. The river is still too high for there to be any real beach, but there is a promenade that runs along the river where families were gathered, couples cuddled together, and groups of teenagers goofing around. One area featured a wooden deck that protruded out over the river, and a group of boys were jumping off the railing, some doing flips, others just flailing in the air for a bit, before they were caught by the black waters of the river.
We didn't head all the way down the promenade, so instead we swung around the upper parking area, where there were a number of small shops selling souvenirs and snacks. One shop was selling
t-shirts, another had hand-carved wooden goblets, pestle & mortar, and bowls. One shop had a massage bed and there were three attendants wearing white lab coats under a sign that said "shiatsu massage". The port looks like a popular spot for people to hang out day or night,
and certainly a central feature to the city of Manaus.