The city awakes as we weave through the rush hour traffic down to the banks of the Amazon. After the edgy tension of Rio and Fortaleza, it\’s hard to immediately accept the evident relaxation of Manaus. It has the feel of a Mediteranean seaside town. Except we\’re probably as far from the ocean as it\’s possible to be! Manaus is comparatively modern and feels safe. The security we\’ve seen elsewhere is here – but it\’s as if the city has raised a quizzical eyebrow to say \”Really? You think we need that?\” It\’s one of those smiley, happy places which you find at end of the road locations. Like the Scottish Western Isles, or Key West or Freemantle Australia, no one is passing through. In it\’s splendid isolation they\’ve reached the terminus and are here because they want to be. And it shows in the relaxed smiles of the people clinging to the rush hour buses.
What! Scotland Qualified!!! 