Living in the Amazon Jungle in Iquitos, Peru

   One of the young guys who helps out at the Manatee Rescue Centre kindly offered that I could stay with his family since his brother is away (studying) and his room was therefore available. So that´s where I am staying while volunteering there. It is very handy in that he goes there most days and a couple of other people who work at the centre live across the road. So mostly there is someone to travel with.

   This is a good thing since it takes a hour or more each day to get to the centre. It´s out of town, and we are all on the other side of town. Not that I mind, it´s cheap and there are always things to look at.

   The main forms of transport are personal motorbikes (for those who have them), mototaxi´s (the Peruvian form of the Thai tuk-tuk), and the Collectivo buses (so cute and constructed right here in the jungle).

The 'Collectivos', the bus part is built here in the Amazon at Iquitos. They are really cute, a bit like something my step grandfather would have constructed in miniture from leftover bits and pieces. The windows are extra cute. One day Alex (my host, the guy in the very left corner of the picture) told me to close the bus window as it was raining. I hadn't thought that they had windows... but he showed me that if you folded the hinged wooden sill back, you could pull up a loose perspex window from below and then put the sill back for the window to rest on. Cute!

Mototaxis galore. Apparently they are a Peruvian design. They chop a motorbike, extend the wheelbase, put a long axle on it and, well you can see the rest. Obviously we underestimated the power of the 110cc motorbike, I have seen these carrying 6 people!

Notes

1 hour in Collectivo 35c per person. Trip to work (collectivo bus with collectivo taxi for final part) 70c.

1 hour in Matotaxi with 3 friends (they really only seat 3 people, but this is Peru!) $3.50

Staying a while in the Amazon

Iquitos, Amazon Jungle, Peru

Now

   Last time I was in the Amazon (in Bolivia) I liked it so much I wanted to stay, but I had no reason to and I wasn't ready to stop and my Bolivia Visa (already extended) was going to expire. This time, in Iquitos (Peru), I found a reason to stay.

   I fell in love on my very first day in Iquitos, and decided to see if I could stick around. That first afternoon, while other tourists were watching the FIFA World Cup, I went out to a Manatee rescue project for a look. I found it very interesting, the staff very nice, and I immediately asked if they would like a volunteer. I was given an email address for the boss.

   I wrote to the boss that same afternoon. I was able to put in that I actually wrote an essay about Dugongs whilst at University a year ago (I did 6 months of University (B Sc) before deciding I'd rather be travelling). It might have helped.
   But what they seem to be finding is more of a help from me is my Marketing experience. I'm good at making money, and they need this more than another Biologist. They need to educate the locals to stop killing the Manatees and this educating them takes money and resources.
   This was my first week and I also got to attend a workshop to make an action plan to save the Manatees and River Dolphins. I actually got to have my say on what needs to be done, and they thanked me for my valuable input.
  

Can you see why I fell in love? This is Victoria.

The 3 in this area get hand fed by tourists.... bottled milk, aquatic plants, and bananas.

Amazon River Life

p   Whilst taking the boat up the Amazon River from Leticia to Iquitos, being able to view a little of the lives of the people living on it´s banks made the biggest impression on me. Firstly, there are lots of people living there that the boat staff refered to as 'Isrealites'. The men had beards (very uncommon in Latin America) and the women wore head scarves. They otherwise appeared to be Latinos. In Caballo Cocha I got off the boat and asked one of the bearded mean what it meant to be an 'Isrealite'. The most important bit I got from him was that they believe that when one dies their spirit goes to another, and this also happened with Jesus and his spirit went to another who now lives on the banks of the Amazon. And with this they believe that the Amazon River is very important and cleansing.

   Does this explain why they all throw their rubbish into the Amazon? I guess then it´s not their problem... the rubbish flows to elsewhere. It bothered Julian and I when we saw boat staff emptying boat rubbish into the Amazon, so we got plastic bags and kept our rubbish until we got to Iquitos.
   Another thing that amazed me was this-

The large white block is Ice. At about 60 x 30 x 15cms it can´t be light. The boy (I asked him) is 10 years old. He boarded the boat and added his ice to a stack of ice blocks. 5 hours later he disembarked with the ice and headed past the shacks (resting as he passed one) and continued, with ice, into the Jungle. This picture also shows an example of the head scarves of the 'Isrealite' women.

Rain on the Amazon River (continued)

Leticia, Colombian Amazon

5-9 June 2010

River Cargo and Passenger Boat Leticia (Colombia) to Iquitos (Peru)

9-12 June 2010

Iquitos, Peru

12 June - now

   These photos are from the journey up the river from Santa Rosa (Leticia) to Iquitos. I met Julian in Iquitos and he was going the same direction so, being that the boats are known for theft and digestive problems (from the food), we teamed up to share the burden of looking after things and us. We didn´t have any problems and found the trip really cruizy. Julian was also great company.

First glimpseof the boat Julian and I thought it looked pretty rough, but we soon learnt it was one of the better ones.

Logging from the Amazon.

Julian and I arrived in Santa Rosa to board the boat while it was there, but it hadn't finished it's previous journey. It had to still go down to Icelandia (spelling might be wrong) to drop more passengers off and then back again to Santa Rosa to load up. But they let us on and come for the ride anyway. By doing this we made friends with the crew. Barman Francisco was continually nice to us, shouting me soda´s (like this bimbo).

The first morning the boat stopped at Caballo Cocha and Francisco went ashore to buy special fish from the area, which he then cooked for the staff and for Julian and I. It´s a bottom feeder, so rather muddy, but quiet tasty.

The boat is 2 floors of hammocks and 1 floor of cargo. Passage, including meals for the 3 nights, 2 days, was about $25.

Everyone has to buy their own hammock... Julian bought a cheapie for $11, I bought a pretty one that was bigger (to lie diagonally, as I heard it was the trick) for $15.

One of many towns along the Amazon.

The front view of our boat, the Gran Diego. From those from balconies I saw many grey river dolphins and just one pink one.

Church in Caballo Coche.

Locals meeting on the river edge.

One on the larger towns on the river, Veras. The third from the left is for sale. River views I guess, sometimes with the river right underneath.

Note the dunny (toilet), dumps right into the river or onto the ground, depending on the season. This is still in  Veras.

Rainbow over the Amazon.

Julian entertaining kids on the boat (Valentine and Stephanie) by getting them to communicate with Aliens using his special equipment.

´

There goes the Amazon Jungle.

Rain on the Amazon River

Leticia, Colombian Amazon
5-9 June 2010
River Cargo and Passenger Boat Leticia (Colombia) to Iquitos (Peru)
9-12 June 2010
Iquitos, Peru
12 June - now

   Heavy rain on the Amazon River sounds like those Indian rain sticks that you turn from end to end as a kind of musical instrument. Until this point I had thought they didn't make a sound like rain. Being that (I believe) those sticks are a product of North American Indians, I imagine they must have listened to rain falling on a large flat body of water like the American great lakes.

   The Amazon River is bigger than I had ever imagined, and I only saw it as close as 3000 kms from it's mouth and then continued travelling up river. Even at this distance from its end on the coast of Brazil it's astounding.
   I came upriver, that means I´m back in Peru. The Brazilian Consulate in Leticia wanted 3 days to issue my visa. So, applying on Tuesday I wouldn't have had it until Friday and I didn't want to wait that long in Leticia, especially being that I had arrived on Saturday and had already been touristing around. The other bit that bothered me was that they wanted proof (a paid ticket) showing that I would be leaving Brazil. I have a ticket to fly out of Santiago (Chile), and usually this suffices. Obviously, one cannot leave Santiago Chile unless they are first in Santiago Chile, but this doesn´t satisfy the Brazilian Consulate. To satisfy this most overland travellers usually either falsify a bus ticket or buy a fully refundable plane ticket (and then get it fully refunded). But I don´t like red tape, so I walked out of the office, stood on the street thinking, and said "stuff it, I´ll go back to Peru."
   And why do they require Australia, USA, and Canadians to get a visa? I don't know. Many people suggest it is monetary and reciprical (we charge them so they charge us) but this type is usually charged at the border without much fuss.
   At any rate, coming back to Peru isn´t a bad thing. It´s way cheaper than Brazil. Also, Machu Pichu was closed last time I was near it, and so this gives me a chance to explore it and Cuzco.
   I am disappointed that I'm not going to Manuas, it´s a duty free port and I had decided to buy myself a iphone.... figured that way I could write blogs without going to an internet place. Oh well, maybe I will find another good spot to buy one. Of course, Brazil would have been nice too.

   In Leticia I took 2 half day tours. The first, kayaking, was really disappointing. Firstly we didn´t kayak very far, then we kayaked back much the same way as we had come. Then the guide suggested we go to the middle of the amazonian lagoon and swim and hopefully the pink dolphins would come and swim with us. Cool, huh! But when we got to the swimming spot and jumped in the river he started propositioning me for sex.... apparently, according to him, it would be an excellent thing to experiment with whilst swimming in an amozonian lagoon. I said no. Apparently I am a hard women... I wonder how many say yes? The guide and I were alone at this point as the rest of the group had paid an extra $100 to boat to a lodge where they would spend the night.
   I did complain to the owner of the tour company, and the next tour was much better. It was to the Malokas, or Indian settlements in the jungle. The guide (a different one) taught us about many jungle trees and plants and a lot of walking was involved.

From the kayak.

Rubber production was big in these parts, the guide said those leaf less trees are rubber trees.

Regia Victoria water Lillies grow to 2 metres diameter, the biggest I saw was 1 metre. The big ones apparently can support the weight of a one year one child, I saw one supporting a large bird.

I didn't like the place we canoed to... its main feature was animals for human entertainment, but not well housed or cared for. This is a large snake.

If you imagined big fences of country borders you'd be wrong.... mostly border control in about honestly declaring your intentions. At the end of this road is Brazil, but the hostel is in Colombia.

Those bananas must be heavy.

Fruit market in Leticia

Street food, Leticia, filled with cheese and jam.

Malokas, or indian housing in the jungle.

Whopping tall tree they made the seat out of!

Bit dark inside the big maloka, but I hope you can see the preparation for the birthdayt party which will see 300 attendees in the middle jungle.... it makes you wonder how does a person living in the jungle acquire so many friends?

Slash and burn agriculture. Goodbye Amazon. So sad.

Country folk at home complain about their lack of mobile phone service, but they work here in the amazon. They also worked in the biggest salt flats in the world (Salar de Uyuni), and in the Galapagos Islands.

I think I understood it was sniffing tobacco. It smelled like gunpowder.

Notes

Hostel Mahatu $12.50 per night. It´s ok. The owner comes off as a bit crazy, but I liked his character.

2 tours $50 (so $25 each).... friend of friend deal.

Flight Bogota to Leticia $75.

Where to next?

   I could have cried. I was so shocked and disappointed! On Friday I went to the Brazilian Embassy in Bogota to get my Visa for Brazil only to find out that it would take a whole 5 days. I didn´t have 5 days. I had assumed that the visa would be issued on the spot or, at least, on the same day and I had a flight booked on the following day.
   Even various African Visa´s in Africa 12 years ago were issued the same day. I had never had to wait before unless I was at home and posting my passport and application to an Embassy in Canberra. I just hadn´t thought this would happen. Apparently a new computerised system is in place and visa's now take 5 days. I told them I would then get the visa issued at the Brazilian Consulate in Leticia (a town on the border of Colombia and Brazil, with Consulate office, where I am now). The lady told me that the Consulate doesn´t issue visa's anymore.
   Well, now I am in Leticia. The owner of my hostel swears that I can get a same day visa at the consulate. So I am waiting for Tuesday (tomorrow is a public holiday). In Latin America I have learnt not to accept the first no you get. You have to try again, it might work.
   If I don´t get the visa, I'll be taking to boat into Peru. Oh well, at least there are options.

Bogota Photo's

Bogota, Capital of Colombia
1 -5 June 2010

   In my last post I mentioned my Colombian friend, Ricardo. Well, in Bogota I stayed with his parents and his Aunts and a Cousin looked after me really well by taking me sightseeing and on errands I needed to do. It was great to be staying in a house (and a beautiful house it was too), and to experience a bit more of Colombian lifestyle. In general I should say that Colombians are the freindliest of people!.

What the??? Baby of the House?

Of all the sights I visited in Bogota, I really liked Botero´s gallery. This is odd for me, becuase I's not much of an art gallery type. Botero is Colombia's most famous artist, I already posted some photos of his sculptures from Medellin. His paintings mostly feature people and domestic animals that some people say are fat, others say are disproportionate.

Botero's Mona Lisa.

I bought a postcard of Botero's art to send home to Australia. Posting it proved extremely difficult. It seems that Colombia has allowed all its postal services to be privatised. The first place I inquired at wanted almost $8 to send it, the second $45!, the third wanted $35!. Then Ricardo's Aunt made a phone call and we found a place that sent it for $3.15.... but there was no simple stamp. Instead paperwork in duplicate was completed. Yikes!

And just in case you didn´t believe I was there.

 Bogota from the top of Montserrat lookout. It´s the third biggest city in Latin America.

Ville de Leiva Photos

Ville de Leiva, Colombia
30 May - 1 June 2010

    I have another Colombian friend, but he is in New Zealand. I met him and his parents and brother last year when they were all in Brisbane. He (Ricardo) has given me a few instructions on who to visit, so with that my friend Suzanne and I headed to Ville de Leiva to visit his friend Oscar who runs a hostel there. Unfortunately, Oscar wasn´t there to meet us.

The sign says For Sale, $9 per metre .... with water in the parcel. Cheap huh? Wonder if there's a catch.

My friend Suzanne poses beside the whopping big fossil, that they found right where it is. Then they cemented it in and built a shed over it. It's a Cronosuarus (and that mighn´t be spelt right).

Ville de Leiva reputedly has the second biggest plaza in Latin America.

At Zipaquira, between Ville de Leiva and Bogota is an underground Catedral built into a Salt mine. Surfaces appear like marble, but they are Salt.

Notes: 

Accomodation in Ville de Leiva, Hostel Ranacer (Colombian Highlands) dorm $7.50. Excellent.

Flight Santa Marta to Bogota $70, Bus Bogota to Ville de Leiva $10.

2 buses to get to Zipaquira $10, Zipaquira to Bogota $5.

Taganga Photos

Taganga, Colombia

27-29 May 2010

   Taganga might not have been the best choice for me, I didn't have time to do the National Park or the Lost City trek and the beach was dirty and I don't do drugs.

   Getting there included an hours wait roadside at nowhere in the midst of miles of stopped traffic while a town further on striked because they have no water supply and no electricity supply.

Playa Grande from the hike over to it.

Byron declared that with enough coconut oil, carrot, and sun, I would turn brown. But I had already smothered myself in Sunscreen. I'm still white, but I think my hair is slightly orange now.... he put the oil and carrot in it too. He told me I have the body of a model (maybe a short one?), and the massage must have been about 30 minutes and cost $2.50.

I guess the icecream man got hot and continued his call for sales from the water. Shame their money isnt plastic like ours!

The beach scene. Chairs for day 50c.

Notes

Accomodation in Taganga; Divanga. Not recommened due to foggy swiming pool water and staff quoting $10 but then charging $14.50 on check out. Other tourists had same problem. I have written letter of complaint to owner, if they don't respond soon I will forward letter to Lonely Planet and Footprints guide.

Tourist Bus direct Cartagena to Taganga $20.

Cartagena Photos

Cartagena, Colombia

24-27 May 2010

   Cartagena, on the Carribean cost of Colombia, is one of the most popular places in Colombia for tourists. It is a Colonial walled city that has been declared a world heritage site. Because it was an important port and because the Spanish were extracting so much gold from the Americas the city was a popular target for pirates, and so a great wall and many forts were built to protect it.

San Felipe de Barajas, just one of the impressive forts build to guard Cartagena

I wish I had taken a torch (flashlight).... the fort is full of underground tunnels which seem to carry on forever, they were lit to a certain distance, then I tried to use my camera flash to keep going, until I stepped into a big dirty puddle and realised I was being foolish.

This is the church and santuary of St Peter Claver. I know the Sisters of St Peter Claver in Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia, so I had to visit.

St Peter Claver, Slave of the Slaves. He worked with the slaves brought to this part of the world. His story is very interesting and you can learn more with wikipedia.

Under the alter, in the glowing orange part, is the remains of Saint Peter Claver

Old streets of Cartagena.

The Ceviche street market.... my and a fellow traveller stopped for a small serve of Ceviche.

Cartagena glows at night.

Night scene in Cartagena

Elegance is in the buildings of Cartagena.

Notes
Accomodation: Hotel Marlin, Dorm Bed $10, includes Air conditioning (needed) and breakfast. Across the road is a party hostel... better to stay in the quiet and air conditioning of Hotel Marlin and go over for a drink.
Flight Medellin to Cartagena $85, direct, 1hr 20mins.... compared to $50 bus, 12 hours.
Student entry to Fort $3.50. Entry to Santuary of St Peter Claver $2.