PERU,Amazon, Canoe trip to Camp

Saturday June 9, 2007

We took a canoe and went down a tributary of the Amazon River to our camp site. We passed several houses that belonged to friends of my guide. While traveling down the river my guide filled up my empty coke bottle with river water and drank it. He showed me the water and it was perfectly clear. The guide said the Amazon was the cleanest river in the world and was just dark due to the soil on the top which has not settled yet. We passed balsa wood that had been cut and tied together to float down the river at a later date. Hard to believe that as remote as were were there was still some logging going on.

PERU, Slow Boat Down the Amazon

I caught the slow boat down the Amazon to get to my remote destination 150 miles from the nearest city or town of any size. The trip will last about 18 hrs and my sleeping quarters will be a hammock along 250 other people. There will also be bananas, cattle and various other goods which will be transported back to Iquitos on the return trip. Many villagers also pay the fee to return to their villages after going to the city for supplies. The Amazon was so enormous it was almost unbelievable. You can not see the banks of both sides at some times. It looks like an ocean.

PERU, Belen Market, Amazon

In the Belen District is a market which is on higher ground but contains items from love potions to hand-rolled cigarettes from the Amazon Jungle. The turtle in the picture may not immediately be recognizable. lol The market is so large it would take several hours to walk by each stall if you did not get lost first.

PERU, Belen District {Venice of the Amazon}

In Iquitos is the Belen District which is the slum area consisting mostly of floating houses and floating shops. The rise and fall of the river makes this necessary for the low lying area.

PERU, Iquitos and Yellow Rose of Texas

Thursday June 7, 2007

Talked to Exploroma about 4 night/5 day Amazon trip and they wanted $832. Finally found a local tourist company who offered me a 6 night/7 day trip without the luxury accommodations for $360. I went to a restaurant I had read about in the Lonely Planet guide that had great American food, The Yellow Rose of Texas. Gerald, the owner, is originally from Thibideaux, Louisiana but moved to Texas when he was a young boy. He has been in Iquitos for about 30 yrs he said. Good food, great looking waitresses and is open 24 hrs a day. Mostly visited by tourists.

PERU, Iquitos, {Gateway to the Amazon}

Wednesday June 6, 2007

I left Arequipa at 11:20 am to go to Iquitos, Peru to begin my Amazon adventure. I had a 4 hr. layover in Lima but still arrived in Iquitos at 7 pm. I took my taxi {3 wheel motorcycle to center of town and found a hostel. My taxi stopped at a street money changer to let me change dollars into soles. I caught him trying to cheat me the 1st time but somehow he shortchanged me the second time. Lesson learned. The road for 3 miles to the city from the airport were covered in glass and burning trash. The taxi driver said they were having peaceful demonstrations. I hope I don't see any demonstrations. The taxi driver tried to double the price at the end of the ride. Due to the road conditions he said. I denied his request and just walked away. Going to sleep and will try and find an inexpensive trip down the Amazon tomorrow.

PERU, Colca Canyon and Andean Condors

Tuesday June 5, 2007

"We take to the breeze, we go as we please."

Charlottes Web E.B. White

Took the bus at 6 am to go to Condor Cross. This is the site at the Colca Canyon which is best for viewing the Andean Condors soaring in the Andes. The Condors, about 7 of them, would almost appear out of nowhere catching the updrafts of wind in the canyon. At times they would fly only 15-20 feet over our heads. It was nature at its finest. The Colca Canyon was also impressive and is at least twice as deep as the Grand Canyon according to the guide. The baby alpaca was the center of attention when we stopped for lunch in the next village.

PERU, Chivay {base for Colca Canyon}

Monday June 4, 2007

I took the bus early on a tour from Arequipa to Chivay which would be our base to visit the Colca Canyon and see the Andean Condors. The first picture is of Acuna grazing on the plains. The Acuna are the official animal of Peru, not the Llama. Good jeopardy question. Our vehicle broke down on the way for 1.5 hrs but we finally made it. The uninvited alpaca keep licking the bottom of our roadside table. We finally looked and saw he was licking gum stuck to the bottom of the table. I met two great Canadian girls, Alex and Kylie, with whom I spent the night partying at the local Irish Pub {yes they had an Irish Pub in Chivay} even though it is very small. At dinner, we saw Peruvian folk dancing and had good meal.