Our day today was spent amongst the Amazon rain forest. From sunrise to sunset, we enjoyed being in the forest. Whether on foot, through a series of bridges in the canopy, by kayak, or skiff, we were IN the Amazon rain forest. This world of massive trees, thick vines, and every hue of green was ours to explore.
In the morning we visited a spectacular forest in a private reserve. Shortly after entering the forest, the trail was flanked by a fat, bloated Bombacacea tree on one side, and a massive strangler fig on the other. As we wove our way along the trail, more giants towered above us. After enjoying learning about the many uses of these trees, and seeing some saddleback tamarin monkeys, we arrived to a series of walkways. Here, we left the forest floor and entered the mid-story and above. Quietly strolling along, we were now inside the forest, with leaves on all sides of us. What a spot!
In the afternoon, it was time to hit the water and either kayak or go for a skiff ride. The small stream we entered was filled with blackwater—rain that had fallen locally and filtered through the forest, stained a near black with the tannins. Once again, we were amongst the trees, this time however, gliding along the surface of the water. Birdlife was abundant, and numerous monkeys as well. A lake was filled with floating vegetation, including water hyacinths with purple flowers. Many of these floating plants were streaming out, a brilliant green contrasting with the black water. The current pushed them downstream, leading us back home to the Delfin II.
