We have now gone out in skiffs two or three times each day and we were as still excited about it today as we were on our first day. They are a great way to explore this land of rivers. There is always something new to be seen and a new creek to explore. The early morning outings, although early, are always worth it. The air is a wonderful temperature, the wildlife is more active, and there is an extra peacefulness to watching the sunrise on the water. This morning we saw an abundance of birds. A special highlight (spotted by our skiff driver) was the spectacled owl, the largest owl in the Peruvian Amazon.
In addition to the wildlife and rain forest plants we have seen this week, we have also been learning about many of the foods of the region. We eat local fish, fruits, and vegetables. And when in Peru, one should try a pisco sour, too. Pisco is a type of brandy distilled from wine and only made in Peru and Chile. It is also the official national drink of Peru, and the favorite drink of many of us now that we have been sampling them for a week. Just before lunch we had some fun learning how to make pisco with our bartender Martin. The recipe was pretty straight forward, but the final touch was the shaking. To make sure we had the right rhythm, there was music. Several of us got to show off our dancing skills while shaking the drinks, but Martin still has the best moves!
It has been an amazing week in the jungle with comfortable skiffs, beautiful clear days, delicious food, a gorgeous ship, and wonderful shipmates. We have definitely bonded with our new friends as well as this place. To add to that we have a new sense of what the word Amazon means. Besides being the largest river in the world, and an expansive area of tropical rain forest full of amazing plants and animals, it is also the people who live here, the Ribereños. They are the people who make their lives on and beside and tied closely to this river. We cannot go more than a few miles without seeing a dugout canoe, a fisherman, a temporary camp, or a village. The people who live here are as much a part of the Amazon as anything else and it has been an honor to have a glimpse into their lives this week, too.
