This morning we visited a colorful and lively Amazon human settlement, the San Francisco community. In this location, we witnessed and experienced the day-to-day of the people who currently live in the Amazon. We were able to speak to them, see their houses and observe and they went about their normal lives.
We listened to a presentation by some local representatives, who were speaking about “Minga Peru”, which is a local nonprofit organization founded in 1998 whose mission is to promote social justice and human dignity, primarily for women and families in rural communities of the Peruvian Amazon. Leadership training, radio programming, natural resources management are some of their main projects in the area.
The highlight of this cultural visit for many was the visit to the local school. We sang songs with many children and interacted with several members of the community as well. Before returning to the ship, we admired and bought some of the beautiful handcrafts that the locals make in this community.
Once onboard at around 11:15 in the morning, we had a very special celebration. The ship was located in the famous confluence of the Marañon and Ucayali Rivers, the geographical place from where the Amazon River takes its name. With a regional toast in hand, we commemorated this special event.
In the early afternoon, we had a photography talk with our photo instructor Jose Calvo. Jose explored various topics, especially related to taking better photographs under difficult light conditions.
After the talk we spent the rest of the afternoon exploring Clavero Lake. Some guests went swimming in the early afternoon, getting the chance to experience the warm and placid waters of this remote oxbow lake. Either in skiffs or in kayaks, our guests observed many bird species and several monkey troops. For many, according to their comments to me later in the day, the most spectacular sightings were the astonishing thick, green landscapes and foliage that surrounded us.
Once onboard, refreshed with a shower and with drinks in hand, we shared our impressions of the day at recap time. After dinner, we watched a nature documentary entitled “Amazon, River of the Sun” that gave us a broader idea of the drastic changes between the dry and wet seasons in the Amazon Basin, and also showed us interesting details about the Amazon ictiofauna, including the giant arapaima, and some other famous Amazon fish species.
Today, the magic of the Amazon, with its combination of exotic wildlife, fascinating people, colors and sounds, touched all of us deep in our hearts and minds forever. You have to live it to believe it, and the Amazon was at its best today. What an extraordinary first day of exploration on the beautiful Upper Amazon in Peru.
