After completing our surveying in Belen on Monday (!!!), we had some time while we waited for the lab results to return which will make our data set complete. We had a few days to catch up on much needed rest and relaxation, which were fairly uneventful. Here are a few highlights:
On Tuesday, we celebrated the success of our data collection and the Peruvian soccer team by taking a boat to Al Frio y Al Fuego, a floating restaurant out on the Nanay tributary. The two-story thatched building is quite picturesque, even at night. From there we had a delicious dinner while watching Peru play Uruguay in the Copa America semi-finals. Unfortunately, the Peruvian team did not advance but we were still excited by how far they were able to go in the tournament.
Wednesday included a trip to Caza y Pesca, a local swimming spot near the Puerta Nanay (Nanay Port). With a restaurant up above on the second story of the stilted building, there is also a dock area down below for lounging and dipping in the river water. Lots of fun to be had here by all.
Thursday morning we set off for our excursion to the Amazon jungle! We met at the local tour company office at 9AM where we were taken by car (our first car ride in weeks!) to the marina area. From there we boarded a boat and set out on the Nanay in the direction of the mighty Amazon river. On the way out of Iquitos we were able to see the hustle and bustle of the local port activity. Iquitos, a city inaccessible by road, relies on the river for its import and export of goods. There is always a lot of movement on the river, as boats carrying all types of products move in and out of the city. We also saw several large ferries with four or five stories filled with hammocks. These boats transport people up and down the river to other countries like Brasil and Colombia. Some of these boat trips take several days, but are a very common option for local travel. One of the most striking images of that morning was the crossing over onto the Amazon river. The Nanay, a tributary of the Amazon, differs drastically in color, composition, and water movement from the Amazon itself. This difference manifests itself as a dramatic line between the two rivers, as you move from the more clear, calm, blue Nanay to the brown, turbid, choppier Amazon. Once on the Amazon, we braved the incoming ominous clouds for an hour journey to the Cumaceba Lodge. Arriving thoroughly soaked, we hopped onto the muddy banks and hurried to the elevated walkway that led us through the jungle to our final destination.
The moment we stepped into the jungle, we became aware of all the life that exists within it. We had barely been there 5 minutes before seeing a giant, brown, furry tarantula creeping above our heads along with a tiny bright green snake wrapped around one of the poles of the walkway. We hoped this was an indication of all the different creatures we were about to see over the next two days! After walking a few minutes we finally arrived at the lodge, a web of covered elevated walkways leading from bungalow to bungalow with a large dining room in the center and two round open-air hammock rooms on its sides. Everything is a few feet above ground because during the wet months (January to March especially), the river rises so much that the lodge becomes surrounded by water. The best part about the lodge was being surrounded by the jungle and all its noises. There are no walls or windows on the rooms. Where glass or wood would be, there is only thick mosquito netting so you can always listen to the soundtrack of the jungle throughout the day and night. This was one of the best parts for me.
Our jungle home for 2 days.
After eating a delicious lunch of fish, rice, beans, plantains and watermelon, we headed off on our first adventure to Isla de Los Monos (Monkey Island)! We grabbed some bananas to take with us at the suggestion of our guide Freddy and boarded another boat. As we pulled up to our destination, you could see the monkeys swinging from trees on the banks and making their way down to the dock. As soon as we got there, we were bombarded with monkeys of all shapes and sizes. They were not shy, scaling you like a tree in search of the bananas they knew you would bring. It takes a second to get used to having a monkey climb you, especially the sensation of them using their strong tail as essentially another limb. It is also mind-blowing how human like they are, especially their hands, ears, and distinct facial expressions. We spent some time visiting with each of the different types of monkeys until the bananas were gone and they indubitably lost interest. There were more than just monkeys on this Monkey Island. We also were able to hold a vibrant toucan, observe a roaming pack of anteaters, check out a prehistoric tortoise, sit next to a large anaconda, and take pictures of a baby Cayman alligator. We sampled a local drink called Siete Raices (Seven Roots, referencing its origin) and were told about some of the local jungle products like anaconda oil and how they are medicinally used. On our way back to the boat, we ran into Ramona the Sloth and were able to hold this unique jungle creature. Sloths have the slowest metabolism of all animals, which is very evident when you see up close how sloooooowly they move. They spend most of their time camouflaged in a tree, only coming down once a week. It was a treat to be able to catch a sight of this rarely seen animal. After departing the island, we turned up the river to try to see Los Bufeos Colorados (pink river dolphins), another rare sight. One man we met on our trip was working on completing his life goal of visiting every single country, with Peru being #38. He told us he specifically came to the Amazon to see these pink river dolphins because of how unique and rare they are. Lucky for us, we saw several at dusk, surfacing in small packs on the horizon. Next, we pulled up to a bank for a quick dip in the Amazon water. Kim and Derek braved the murky waters and took advantage of the rich river mud by slathering it all over in an impromptu spa treatment. Traveling back to the lodge, we got to witness the beautiful sunset over the river. It was a perfect day, but not over yet...
After dinner of grilled chicken, rice, beans, plantains, and papaya, we donned our rubber boots and trekked down to the lake on the back side of the Cumaceba Lodge. We boarded two wooden canoes and set off in complete silence in search of Caymans. Seeing the jungle at night gave us a whole different perspective. A myriad of stars lit up the sky and glowworms living on the lechuga de agua ("water lettuce"/water lilies) illuminated the water surface. Scanning the water's edge with a flashlight, we could see the red reflections of the sets of alligator eyes peering over the top of the water. We were able to sneak up on one, which Freddy somehow grabbed in a flash from underneath the surface. It was only a baby, about 3-6 months old, but was fascinating to see up close. We also saw a bright yellow parrot in a tree on the banks, and heard the loud echoing croaks of the Smoky Amazon Frog, the largest frog in the jungle. It makes quite an impressive noise, which lulled us to sleep that night in our bungalows.
The next morning there was a 5:30AM wake-up to see the sunrise on the river and to spot some Amazonian birds, each with a variety of bright colors and elaborate plumage. There was also the chance to see the giant Amazon lily pads,which are several feet in diameter and anchored to the bottom with spiny roots the size of garden hoses. Their flowers look like floating coconuts during the day, but at night open up to reveal a leafy white blossom. Breakfast included eggs, traditional bread with butter and jam, and papaya, and was followed by some relaxation time rocking in the hammock room. We have decided, after many trials and test runs, that hammock rooms should be included more often in America. They certainly are a great addition to any house, restaurant, bar, or hotel. Later, the rubber boots went back on for a really muddy walk through the jungle to a local Yagua tribe. On the way there, we saw different types of plants and trees, while Freddy told us about the unique uses that each of these have in traditional medicine. We also made a stop to see the largest type of tree in the Amazon, complete with swinging vines a la George of the Jungle. Having arrived at the Yagua tribe, we were treated to a traditional native song and dance as well as the opportunity to browse their handmade goods and try out our skills on the blow dart gun. We quickly found out that this does not come naturally.
We returned by boat to the lodge for our last lunch, another delicious type of fish with (you guessed it!) rice, beans, and plantains. Then we hopped back on the boat and sadly said goodbye to the Cumaceba Lodge and Amazon jungle. Our ride back was a great opportunity to see the last of the jungle scenery. We arrived at the apartment exhausted and mosquito-bitten, but happy at having been able to see a bit of all that the Amazon jungle has to offer. We all agreed it was one of the highs of our trip thus far!
The gang says hello from the Amazon!
