Yarapa & Puerto Miguel Village
A brand new day in the Peruvian Upper Amazon took us to a very remote location known as Yarapa. The typical, strong sun of this season warned us that it will be a very hot day.
We had two choices to explore the area. One was by kayaking and the second was by taking a ride on the skiffs. In both, we all had a great time. Kayakers had the chance to paddle along the creek occasionally stopping to contemplate a bird or to observe the local inhabitants working on their daily routine. Skiff riders had the chance to see several bird species and to observe the river from a different perspective. The highlight of the morning was the sighting of a fish species that a local fisherman trapped. He showed us the catch of the day that was the beautifully colored Peacock bass. The latter is one of the most beautiful and famous fish species of the Amazon. After many pictures the specimen was given back to his owner.
Once onboard, and after checking our wildlife checklist, we had lunch. Peruvian food is internationally renowned for its exquisiteness. Onboard the Delfin II the food has an additional touch, for the excellent meals served onboard have regional amazon flavors that make every meal not only delightful but an extraordinary learning experience as well.
In the afternoon we went to Puerto Miguel Village. In this cultural visit, that included a walk to a nearby pond where we observed the giant water lilies (Victoria regia), we had the great opportunity to be in contact with the local inhabitants.
We observed many children playing, men and women working on their daily chores. After visiting the community handicrafts market and before coming back onboard, the children of the community said goodbye to us by singing a couple of songs for us. Our visitors answered back by singing a couple of songs in English, to the delight of their spectators.
Late in the evening, at around 6:00 p.m. we finally arrived back onboard with the wonderful feeling that we spent a great day in one of the most indomitable places on earth, the mighty Amazon.
