Coffee Break

After our amazing jungle experience it was off on another boat from Iquitos to Leticia.  We opted for the speed boat this time and the journey was only 12 hours instead of three days.  We zoomed through the murky waters of the amazon once again and arrived in a place called Tres Fronteras. The river divides Peru, Colombia, and Brazil. Our destination was  the border town of Leticia, Colombia.  After the long, fast boat ride we boarded a canoe to go to customs in Peru, and then to Leticia.  The driver beached the boat in Leticia and since its the dry season, the water was low and the boat didn't reach the dock.  This meant walking in through the mud to get to the street.  Armed with all of our belongings, we disembarked and made our way to the street.  I had sandals on since the amazon is one hot and sticky place.  This meant zero traction for me and coupled with my tendency to trip did help matters.  I had almost made it to the wooden planks when I felt my legs slip from underneath me, landing me sprawled out sideways on the muddy shore.  Like Andy said previously, the parts of the river close to the populated city's is full of trash and feces and any other human waste you can think of.  Once I made up to the street, a Colombian man asked if I had torn the skin on my arm when I fell.  I said, "no", and he said, "que suerte!".  I think I really dodged a bullet on this one!  

Next stop was Cali where we planned to meet Keith, our friend from home.  It was so nice to see a familiar face and catch up with an old friend.  We spent the next few days learning Salsa and taking a few day trips outside of town.  We were recommend a place to visit called San Cipriano.  It is a town that can only be reached by moto, rail platform.  This means you have to take a bus to a town and from there, board a wooden platform attached to a motorcycle that has been retro-fitted to transport people/luggage down the railroad tracks.  We boarded one of these contraptions for a 30 minute, exhilarating ride reaching speeds of about 40 kph.  There is only one track so when two carts meet going opposite directions, the drivers size up one another.  The general rule is the cart with the least amount of people/luggage will move off the tracks so the other can pass.  Although we didn't find it to be so easy.  There were often arguments.  One guy would say he had more luggage, the other would say he has more people, then the other guy would say there is another moto right behind us with a lot of people. Eventually a decision is reached and one cart unloads, people get off, the moto is lifted off the track and the other passes. Once in the town of San Cipriano, you rent tire tubes and tell one of the local women running a restaurant out of the family kitchen that you would like to eat lunch in a few hours.   With tubes over our shoulders, we hiked for about an hour via trail and swimming holes to get to a place in the river to tube down minor rapids.  The five of us (Andy, Keith, Lou- Keith's friend from home, and our new friend Yogi from Switzerland), floated down the river. Too much fun!  We returned for lunch and had the best soup and fish of the trip. 

Moto cart

Three hours north of Cali lies the coffee triangle and through recommendations, we found ourselves in a the high jungle town of Salento.  Being avid coffee drinkers, we couldn't pass up the chance to visit the region where 12% of the worlds coffee production comes from. You would think that South America would have great coffee wherever you go but unfortunately, that's not the case.  South America does not have a large coffee culture so almost all of the high quality beans are exported. We stayed on a very small organic coffee farm that only produces beans for the farm and for guests.  Our tour guide, Ricardo, showed us the entire process from seed to warm beverage.  We even roasted, hand ground, and brewed our coffee.  Delish!  After about four cups and discussing Colombia's politics and reputation with the coffee plantation works, we headed up the hill to see a spectacular sunset.  Thanks to an ex-pat aussie, our craving for summer BBQ was fulfilled.  We stumbled upon the one year anniversary of his restaurant and what better way to celebrate than with a BBQ and beers and an aussie drinking game called 4-2-1. Had a great night here with good food, great company, and funnels.

Coffee Farm

These are the beans in every stage of production.  

Ricardo gives Blue Bottle a run for their money!

The next day, Colombian Independence Day, the main plaza was filled with people and celebration.  We climbed on the back of jeep to get to the neighboring town famous for their wax palm forests.  On our way up one of the trails we ran into our friends Tom and Sheetal that we met climbing Machu Picchu.  They could spots Andy's blonde locks from a mile away.  It was a gorgeous hike that overlooked a jungle valley full of wax palms.  When we returned we tried one of the more interesting items of the trip....aguapanela con queso.  Its hot honey tea water that comes with a piece of cheese on the side.  Unsure how to eat or drink that dish we observed others around and found that each person has a different way to eat it.  Some put the entire piece of cheese in the mug to let it melt.  Others dipped a small piece into the honey tea and some like the two completely separate.  Regardless of how you like to eat it, aguapanela con queso is surprisingly tasty.  I wish we had more time to enjoy this amazing town.

Independence Day

Care for a popsicle?

Wax palm forest

The Horse Whisperer

Aguapanela con queso

Bandeja Paisa, another traditonal colombian dish

Fuimos a la selva

Welcome to the jungle, we've got fun and games....
Bungle in the jungle, well thats alright by me...


Two of the songs that I couldn't escape as we spent 11ish days deep in the Amazon Jungle. But I am getting ahead of myself.
We left the falls at Gocta from the previous post, and traveled by three precariously propelled wheels to a little burg off the beaten path where we hoped to encounter an autobus that could take us overnight to Yurimaguas, the last accessible town by wheel at the edge of the Amazon basin.

Our steed

 This was the afternoon of July 3rd. Our mission, be somewhere to celebrate tomorrow. The trip was overnight, the numbers were staggering, we were the only gringos on the bus and this one had a certain feel to it. Our bags hooked around our ankles, we attempted sleep as the winding roads were straightened by drivers who dont know any better. Three in the morning found us stopped at the drop point for the entirety of the buses' payload of passengers. The drivers decided it was time...to take a nap. At around five they awoke and woke us to say that there were not enough remaining passengers to go all of the way to Yurimaguas but that we could take a collectivo, or van to the final destination about 2 hours away. So sure we said, and they begrudgingly opened their wallets to dish out our already paid for fair to the next drivers. We were on our way, or not, the bus will not leave til 9
8AM, it is 90° and very humid.
11Am We arrive in Yurimaguas after dropping off 7 other passengers along the way. The surrounding landscape is green, wet, and calling to our inner wild children. We dropped off the guy with two packed pallets of live chickens stored on the roof and the next stop was ours.  From here we were assaulted with smells of sewage, vintage meats, and overripe fruit. Sweat and swear words flew from every passing moto (three wheeler cab) and pedestrians and peddlers alike all moved at a quarter pace designed to keep the temperature of life closest to the bottom rung. We secured passage on a barge departing that afternoon at 1pm for Iquitos, a three day trip. Before we could board though, we needed to buy the traveler's essentials, a Tupperware for the porridge served thrice daily and hammocks.
Once procured we were led to the third deck of the 65 meter long barge and tied our hammocks among 15 others who had already begun to call this house a home. Time-12:30. Temperature-90°. Excitement level-high, humidity level - higher.

Home for a coulpe of days

Were warned before hand that these things leave late sometimes. 20 hours later we shoved off from the shore and began our journey. Happy 5th of July! This turned out to be an ok development though because while sitting dockside the barge's gringo population skyrocketed. We acquired a new Dutch friend Tom and an Aussie/Spanish couple, Tom and Neni. We had three days, we had a lifetime.

Kelly continuing her losing streak

The time spent on the boat was commonly horizontal as the hammocks proved surprisingly addicting. Shade protected us for the most part from the oppressing heat and the constant 6 knots/hr meant a nice breeze. We saw pink and grey dolphins racing along side our barge and three times a day the bell would ring for chow. We line up and hold out our slop tray and hope to hell our chicken wing is bigger today. Every day, every meal, chicken, rice, and potato.

This is what all of the barges look like

Sunset over the Amazon

When we get to Iquitos we have arrived in the world's largest city unreachable by car- 600,000 people living by boat and canoe. We immediately sign the five of us up for a 3 day jungle trek taking off the next morning.
A four hour boat ride to the company lodge in a secluded backwater of the Amazon river feels just right.

 We have a guide named Paco who proves to be one of the more capable humans I have ever met. Night one we all decide to camp out in the jungle so we high tail it to a spot 2 hours from the lodge and are all lost within ten minutes. Without Paco we are Jaguar food. Also there are jaguars. Beyond that though, it seems that pretty much everything in the jungle wants to kill you. Thankfully we have Paco.

Paco with his electric eel

We arrived at our campsite along side a stagnant pool in a stagnant forest infested with mosquitoes and Paco proceeds to make us a camp with one plastic tarp and palm fronds. We all get a mosquitero or mosquito net and a sheet.

Shelter

Our dinner was ramen with Amazon flavor because we pulled water out of the pool we were sleeping next to. As the night progressed we were shown Cayman in the water next to our camp clearly visible because the way the light reflects on their eyes. Fireflies and a chorus of monkeys and insects kept us entertained until Paco decided it was time to hunt.

 He attempted going after some of our local Cayman but it was unsuccessful and as the rain began to pour down spotted tons of frogs, fish, and electric eels. A quick flick of the wrist and Paco has speared a meter long electric eel directly though the noggin. In Paco we trust. After this excitement we head to bed for what little sleep we can muster from through the driving rain and poorly designed mosquitero with fashion holes. It is not cool when you can feel the weight of the cockroach as it lands on your chest.

Kelly modeling our mosquitero

The next morning we gathered round sopping wet to see the eel in the daylight. Paco goes on to explain that they use oils from the fat of these eels for arthritis but otherwise they are not used. Electric eels don't taste good, shocking.
We walked back to our lodge through muddy pools and a freshly washed jungle. Along the way we stop to eat grubs the size of a Cheeto that taste surprisingly good. We cut the bark off of a termite infested tree to let the bugs slowly cover our hands before removing them and rubbing them together vigorously to kill the termites and rub their oils in. Paco says it will keep the mosquitos away. I am am willing to try anything.

Mosquito repellant

We learn some more interesting survival techniques as we go and are thoroughly amazed when Paco cuts a meter from a woody vine called Una de Gato (cat claw) and leans it toward our mouths. Fresh delicious water pours out, enough to fill all five of our mouths twice. The jungle is a wild place.

Una de Gato=water

Back at the lodge we get ourselves cleaned up and really get a chance to see this amazing little place.

Our lodge

 The afternoon is scheduled with some piranha fishing and a visit to a jungle village. We set out after a great lunch where our cooks serenade us with extraordinary musician skills and story songs of the Amazon.

Catch of the day

 The fishing was rudimentary, a stick with a line and hook. We had bits of raw chicken as bait and the fish were biting. Everyone pulled in several little piranha and none of us became bait so it can be called a success. Unfortunately none of the fish were big enough to eat.

The village was our next stop. It was quaint as can be expected, but only half the population was present due to the extreme amount of rain that fell this season. The river levels rose by over 20 feet and many of the crops and houses were destroyed. As we walked around you could see the marks from mud on the tree trunks towering overhead. Its wild to think that an area that is so wet all of the time anyway can still suffer from floods.

Recently procured by the inhabitants of this village

We left after a short tour to once again go for a Cayman hunt. It was pitch black outside but Paco was leading the boat so we were in good hands. As we speed down the river and back through the spot we had earlier been catching piranha he was laughing and dangling his toes in the water. Eventually he called to the boatman to kill the motor and head for the thickly vegetated side of the river. as we slowly nudge our bow into the plants Paco leans out over the front of the boat and with his machete takes a full overhand swipe. Holy crap, I think Paco just cut the head off of a cayman. He laughs and reaches down into the inky black water. He reveals to us an 18 inch cayman that he has knocked out with the back of his blade. Then - he hands it to me. So cool.

Andy Crockett

On this tour we saw many different animals including pink and grey river dolphins, a small anaconda, huge spiders, tons of fish, cayman, poison dart frogs, jungle toads, electric eels, macaws, several different types of monkeys, sloths, bats, and all of the bugs on the planet. We also had a medicinal ceremony with a true shaman of the Amazon on the second night. It included some tranquil chants, calling the spirits of the jungle plants and animals, and a lot of mapacha which is wild Amazonian tobacco.
The next day we have to head home and it is way too soon. The amazon is a very thought provoking place. The waters of the tributaries we had just spent the last couple of days in are the lifeblood of the planet. Crystal clear and just teeming with life. Head back to the main drag though and you find oil slicks and trash all around. It is really a question of culture and a serious lack of education. These people are shitting directly in the water they are fishing and then throwing their coke bottles in right after that. Obviously it is their country and they should be allowed to make their own mistakes without us butting into say whats wrong and right, but damn its a shame. Educational programs can only reach so far. Until the Peruvian government steps up and leads the charge nothing is going to have a lasting effect.

Our troupe

One of six fish that jumped into our boat on the way home. Paco killed this one with my sandal and he will go on to eat all of them.

Our Amazon trip was wild. A tremendous learning experience and it will forever be near in my mind. We have desert, beach, mountains, snow, and forests, but there is nothing that can compare to the vast reaches of the landscape of the rain forest. Everyone needs to see what we've only seen on tv and movies and read about first hand. It is a completely different world that only an experience like this can really make a reality. Your imagination is not doing this any justice.