This morning we started at 7:00 a.m. We had breakfast and then went to visit a local Amazon town. There is a very small community of people here; they live in small houses made of wood, they farm and fish, and are mostly self-sufficient. Our visit to the community is a very important event for them. Many of them come out of their houses to see our guests, and we are invited to learn about the ways they live, cook, what they do every day in this inhospitable area to survive, including coexisting with nature and wild animals. The experience is very enriching for our guests, and at the end we were invited to a local small market to see and purchase multicolored handicrafts that they create. Items were created by hand with fiber from a local tree called “chambira” that they color with many combinations of seeds and fruits from the Amazonia region to get vibrant variations of colors. Thanks to the creativity and ability of the locals, the souvenirs are truly beautiful.
In the afternoon, after lunch, we took some of our intrepid guests to dive and swim in Clavero Lake before going out again to discover more of the jungle. Clavero Lake is a big black water area that has some communities living along the shoreline. As soon as we get to the entrance there are many birds, different types of egrets, and cormorants. Ducks are seen plunging, or just hunting their prey. We also spot some of the very famous pink dolphins.
After riding further in, we saw more birds such as macaws, oropendulas, hawks, and few types of monkeys eating on trees. The highlight of the afternoon for many of us were the sloths, they are incredible mammals that have a very slow metabolism, and because of that they move very slowly.
A few minutes before sunset we started our return to our ship. The very last rays of light lit the sky, turning it red and orange as we started to motor to our next destination to have another great day, as it was today, in the Peruvian jungle.
