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Spiderweb??
HUGE web with a ton of spiders on it... pretty sweet!The French girls, who jump at anything that move, had been screaming to Isabel that there was a mouse in their room... or a rat.... and it developed to become a pacarana (huge rodents that we had at the center, which escaped last week. Happens periodically... they´re crafty). Shouting "¡La pacarana es aquí!" has become commonplace.
Or rather, had... the French girls, myself, and the other Laura (along with a girl who was here only for a week) are all now finished at Taricaya. It was an absolutely packed week... actually felt like several, to be honest. Lots of Americans arrived on Sunday for 2-week specials (one college student, some high schoolers)... it was packed. I spent most of my time hanging out with Isabel, Daniel, Raul, and a new temporary staff member (ornithologist) named Mauricio, and the volunteers I´ve gotten to know over the past month. More than the place, I will really miss these people I´ve gotten to know... they all are incredible and know SO much about the rainforest.
Ok, so weekly details... the usual observations, mostly... canopy walkway twice (the only goal I didn´t reach was sleeping up there... we were going to on Tuesday
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Two types of leaves on this tree... depending on which type you put under your pillow, you'll attract someone, according to folklore. but the group that wanted to was sick, and Thursday night it rained- a friaje, or cold storm from the Atlantic, moved in. Ah, well. I´m not really afraid of heights anymore, which is a plus), couple "hikes" (flat walking doesn´t seem like hiking), birdwatching with Mauricio (more like listening, and he identified an incredible number by sound.... Peru has the second-highest number of bird species in South America, and is only slightly behind Brazil, at something like 400+ found species. More probably exist in the unexplored forest between here and Iquitos in the north.)...
Otherwise, quite a few really good talks this week, as well; one with Isabel and a British, Australian, and Swiss about Peru´s relations with other countries, government corruption, life in other countries, and the like. Another with Planton (nickname meaning ´Big Plant´- he´s really tall) about religion, and about plants, as well. Answered my question about figs... they´re one of the most important trees in the rainforest, but humans can´t eat this type (only the Mediterranean type) as there are toxins in them that we cannot digest.
Caiman "hunting" on Tuesday night was productive... caught one black caiman on the banks right by
Taricaya (Stuart, one of the leaders, leans off the front of the boat and snags them, or tries to), and another smooth-fronted caiman a bit farther downriver. They´ve become nocturnal because their main prey is capybara, and capybara have become nocturnal to avoid hunting from farmers (they´re pests, apparently). Black caiman are endangered (and can reach 7 meters in length...), and have softer skin than smooth-fronted (which are like dinosaurs).
Early in the week I was feeling stir-crazy; I adjusted to the relaxed atmosphere, but just wanted to do something active, despite the heat. Luckily, Friday, it rained so hard that it was pointless to put on a poncho, so I put my suit on and a bunch of people took a boat to the sandbar island to play soccer and frisbee (not much frisbee... not very big here, sadly). It was cold once again as a friaje (cold storm from Argentina) moved in, and I still feel waterlogged, to be honest, but it was nice to have space to run, as the rainforest gets a little bit clausterphobic with so many trees. That storm was incredible... 20 seconds solid of thunder RIGHT on top of us. Sounded like
bowling balls. Before 11 am that morning, I had consumed 3 cups of coffee, talked with Maria, Mauricio, and Daniel about Peru, eaten homemade chocolate cookies at 6am, collected papayas from the farm upriver, had breakfast, played on the island... good day.
Anyway. I leave for the Inca Project tomorrow, on a flight around 10:30 am. I don´t know about update schedules for that yet, however. Today is a lazy day... I´m really tired as last night was a late night (tried to go to bed early, but the music was loud...), so lunch and then I´m headed to Isabel´s house to transcribe some music that she has on a cassette tape! Should be a fun, relaxing day. Hope all is well... adios from the rainforest!
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Tom P.
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Caiman "hunting"???
Woa . . . I'm trying picture the caiman hunting! Leaning over the front of a boat trying to snag a 10+ foot, 1000+ pound, hungry reptile without joining it! I can just hear Marlin Perkins: "while Jim wrestles this black caiman, I'd like to tell you about Mutual of Omaha's latest . . .". :-) I remember always thinking that Marlin got to write their job descriptions. The storm sounds amazing! Sustained thunder must have also meant sustained lightning . . . ack! Hope the Inca Project is exciting too, Tom