As we woke up at 5:30, we were eager to explore the entrance of a connection between the Maranon and the Ucayali rivers: the Marayali, a busy navigation shortcut that unites the two bodies of water that form the mighty Amazon. Our usual pre-breakfast activity took us to see a number of early birds of the shore, including the migratory barn swallows, and the local horn screamer. We also saw a couple of three-toed sloths and squirrel monkeys having breakfast before us. Maybe the most interesting sighting was a small troop of the tiny saddleback tamarin monkey! Upon our return, we were ready to have our breakfast with camu-camu fruit, among other deliciousness. Right after breakfast, we had the opportunity to visit the community of San Francisco, with a cemented system of walking streets, and a very friendly and young population of river people. We disembarked in their little yet charming bay, known as the Bay Area, and we met the villagers, who showed us the work they do to live out of the forest welcomed us. They are the recipients of one of the projects of “Minga Peru”, an NGO that develops and protects the Amazon area and communities, and that is helped by the National Geographic-Lindblad funds. They shared with us the technique of roof making, dyeing of natural fibers, and the process of empowering that women have received from the project. There were testimonials and examples of the work, and eventually we got to know each other much better. We visited the local school, where the kids sang a couple of songs for us with some dancing, and then asked us to do the same. If the level of applause could be used as any indication of success, the little ones seemed to perform somehow better than us.
Before we had a very rich lunch, we were summoned by the captain to enjoy the arrival to the meeting of today’s visit two big rivers: the Maranon and the Ucayali rivers. Right after lunch and siesta, we were ready for a Photo presentation by our resident photo instructor. Next activity was a tasty recap on local fruits, by our knowledgeable naturalists, and we finished the day with a skiff ride along the Clavero Lake. This was a great day to be added to our adventure in the Amazon!
