http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Loreto/Iquitos/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from South America , Peru , Loreto , Iquitos en-us Tue, 29 Dec 2009 23:22:53 +0000 Tue, 29 Dec 2009 23:22:53 +0000 An update on my weekend which was eventful to say the least On Saturday I got up really early and went to the butterfly farm alone as to go with a guide was 25 pounds more than my budget for a daytrip. The Lonely Planet guide had basic directions and I got an article from a local newspaper so I had figured pretty much how I was going to get there and how much money to pay. I had to get a moto http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Loreto/blog-455385.html Late morning on the final day aboard the Cabo Pantoja feels oddly like the last day of junior high in midMay. For one thing the sky is empty of clouds and the sun is out for the first time since we left Iquitos. There are only about fifteen passengers left on the top deck and like the last day of school there is an atmosphere of pleasant finality. Everyone is taking down hammocks repacking ba http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Loreto/Iquitos/Amazon-Rainforest/blog-444972.html A Five Day Excursion into the Amazon Rainforest of Pacaya SamiriaUsing a reliable travel agent a friend of my friends in Lima really paid off on this trip. She put me in touch with Ricardo a licensed jungle guide who runs a small tour company in Iquitos. I decided to go on a jungle excursion by myself without any other tourists a wise decision.Ricardo turned out to be a reliable knowledgeabl http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Loreto/Iquitos/Amazon-Rainforest/blog-443600.html On the fourth day the grey marbled blanket of clouds is still there and stretches out over the Napo sky. The jungle scene is still there and drifts past our field of view. At times the series of tree clusters and small coves seems to be an exact repeat of what we saw not two hours before. It reminds me of some 60's Saturday morning cartoon where the animators reuse the same strip of five buildi http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Loreto/Iquitos/Amazon-Rainforest/blog-443540.html Iquitos holiday destination in the jungle lsquoThe Heart of the Rainforestrsquo may not be the first thing that comes to mind when planning your vacation. Of course there are many people who like adventure travel and would rather go on a mountain trek for two weeks than spend their holiday on the beach. But even when they choose Peru as their holiday destination a tour of the central and s http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Loreto/Iquitos/Amazon-Rainforest/blog-441309.html Rosencrantz We're on a boat.Guildenstern I know.Rosencrantz Do you think Death could possibly be a boatGuildenstern No no no. Death is not. Death isn't. Take my meaning Death is the ultimate negative. Not being. You can't not be on a boat.Rosencrantz I've frequently not been on boats.Guildenstern No no. What you've been is not on boats.Rosencrantz I wish I was dead. I coul http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Loreto/Iquitos/Amazon-Rainforest/blog-429974.html Salutations I spent this past weekend FridaySunday in the Amazon and I must say it was a unique experience. I use the word unique loosely because it was both good and bad. It was unique in a good sense because I was able to see some amazing animals in their natural habitats like monkeys bugs spiders birds sloths snakes lizards etc. It was bad in the sense that there were an abun http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Loreto/Iquitos/Amazon-Rainforest/blog-409237.html Just have time for some quick notes about yesterdayrsquos excursions. I had a great time visiting the local villages especially Segundorsquos home on the other side of the river. I felt like the Pied Pier of Hamlin. Once they got over their intial shyness kids in both villages followed me around and had a great time seeing themselves on videotape. I spent several hours playing with them.Tod http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Loreto/Iquitos/Amazon-Rainforest/blog-408735.html Itrsquos early Sunday morning in the rainforest. Itrsquos about 650 in the morning as I write and it looks like a beautiful day ahead. The last two have been pretty overcast and a little wet but that has also kept us cloaked in unseasonably cool temperatures. Sleeping has been easy the last 2 nights. Irsquom curious to see what today will bring though I can take a little discomfort for an http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Loreto/Iquitos/Amazon-Rainforest/blog-408414.html Day 2 in the jungle is coming to a close and I hope to write a little more than yesterday.After a great nightrsquos sleep in unseasonably cool weather and a decent breakfast I headed down river to do some piranha fishing off the Rio Napo. We found a quiet little spot in the middle of a grassy area growing to the side of the river. Fishing for piranha is pretty simple put some cut meat on a ho http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Loreto/Iquitos/Amazon-Rainforest/blog-408273.html Well this rainforest adventure has begun and Irsquom making this latest report from 50 miles downriver from Iquitos about a mile back in the jungle from the Amazon River.I got up early after finally sleeping five hours following 43 hours without a wink of sleep. Explorama arrived about 15 minutes early unheard of in Peru and it turned out that my guide is Segundo the same man that I was wi http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Loreto/Iquitos/Amazon-Rainforest/blog-407863.html My first day in the Amazon is coming to an end. As with all trips it wasnrsquot without itrsquos challenges but for the most part this was a very interesting day.The plane ride was uneventful cloudy weather made an early morning view of the jungle almost impossible and only a short glimpse of the Amazon was possible just before landing. After arriving in Iquitos a few minutes early I was http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Loreto/Iquitos/blog-407760.html Nous voici au terme de notre petite semaine au coeur de la jungle amazonienne. Nous avons passe trois jours a Iquitos meme durant lesquels nous en avons profite pour visiter la ville flottante avec son marche haut en couleur ou des centaines d'odeurs montent de partout de quoi retirer l'appetit au plus affame des touristes...mais ca ne semble pas affecter plus que ca nous amis peruviens qui prof http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Loreto/Iquitos/Amazon-Rainforest/blog-407289.html Alors nous qui voulions de l'aventure cette fois nous avons ete bien servi et plutot deux fois qu'une. Mais commencons par le commencement nous avons quitte Salasaca le jeudi 28 mai en pleine forme et avec une patate d'enfer sans avoir la moindre idee de ce qui nous attendait. Nous avons embarque dans un premier bus en direction de Guayaquil. Un trajet de 7 heures....une paille quoi. A peine ar http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Loreto/Iquitos/Amazon-Rainforest/blog-405689.html Out of the JungleIn the morning we have a breakfast of scrambled eggs and bread. Luis and I each have a tall glass of limeade as per the shaman's instructions. Later after a failed attempt to search for pink dolphins in the Amazon with the Italians we gather up our things and board the speed boat back to Iquitos.No one talks much on the trip. Luis and I mostly just stare out at the passing jung http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Loreto/Iquitos/blog-400254.html .. http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Loreto/Iquitos/Amazon-Rainforest/blog-394110.html . http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Loreto/Iquitos/Amazon-Rainforest/blog-394066.html Psychotropics in the TropicsOne of the guides Luis Peter and I get into one of the longer canoes this one equipped with a small motor. We cruise up the narrow river away from the Amazon.Half an hour later we tether to a small wooden dock and climb out. In front of us on the bank of the river is another small village. This one has a large clearing in the center a sort of grassy village squa http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Loreto/Iquitos/Amazon-Rainforest/blog-391578.html sorry computer shut down of its own before I could load any photos so here we go again..... http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Loreto/Iquitos/Amazon-Rainforest/blog-388195.html Heres the photos... http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Loreto/Iquitos/Amazon-Rainforest/blog-388190.html