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I had read that the best Amazon lodges are the ones situated the furthest from Iquitos. I selected the Muyuna Lodge, about three hours from Iquitos by speedboat. During the first couple of hours, there wasn't much to see. the river is just too wide, and the landscape too flat. That is why lodges on small arms of the Amazon are more interesting than a river cruise from Iquitos to Manaus. |
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As we turned
onto a small
tributary, the Río Yanayacu, on the way to the lodge, the
traffic
became much more noteworthy. Of course we slowed down so as not to
splash
or rock those tightly packed people.
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Muyuna Lodge is a wonderful place. August is part of the so-called dry season, so the river is low. During the dry season, it only (!) rains two or three times a day, not for very long. |
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During the wet
season,
the bungalows are over water. The lodge is open year round. There is no
electricity, and no hot water. The bungalows are made just like the
local
homes, but with mosquito screens. At night, the crew lights a kerosene
lamp in your bungalow. The jungle noises are actually very soothing.
After
a day of walking, rowing and generally sloshing about, you fall asleep
like a light.
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When it starts raining buckets, you have no choice but to relax and enjoy the wonderful smells. Or there's always someone willing to discuss Peruvian politics. |
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We spent a lot
of time
on the river. The birds seemed to enjoy racing with the motorboat. This
was early one morning, around 6:00. The white birds are egrets and the
black birds are cormorants.
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The egrets wait patiently among the water lettuce. When a fish swims by, they catch it with a comical flourish of the neck. |
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We fought our
way upstream
in this muddy gully to reach a deadly quiet lake...
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...where we caught a few piranhas. Victor, one of the talented Muyuna guides, let us catch them, but he took them off the hook for us. |
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This one
armored catfish
we didn't catch, we just "borrowed". It was being kept alive and fresh
in a mesh compartment in the water, a river refrigerator so to speak.
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Apparently it was a good day for fishing for everybody. |
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Rowing
utilizes muscles
that I had neglected of late. After a while, my arms felt like
applesauce
(I'm translating a French expression, les bras en compote). The two
British
schoolteachers who went on this particular side trip with me were
similarly
challenged: we kept changing which side to row.
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There were very few Victoria Regia water lilies at this time of the year. See how, once the flower is pollinated, the gigantic leaf quickly disintegrates. |
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This
sweetheart honored
me with an impromptu diving exhibition while her older sister was
washing
clothes in the river.
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The houses on the banks are so inviting. The people wave gently as you pass by. Chickens and dogs play near the water. Some aromatic smoke wafts from the hearth. This is a very special place. |
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Le Piranha
Grillé
à la Muyuna, hours after catching it. To tell the truth, more
bones
than meat...
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