The Amazon Jungle in Ecuador
Photo Album. Andy and I had an unforgettable four days in the Amazon jungle. The Shangrila Lodge reminded me of a giant tree house made completely of wood with loads of different levels and stairways. It faces west, perched on a cliff 100 meters above the winding Rio Anzu below. It was consistently about 70 - 75 degrees with only slight humidity. Thousands of hectares of secondary rainforest stretched out before us glittering in a spectrum of brilliant green colors. In the distance, the Camino des Volanes popped out from above the clouds - four volcanoes in the Andes mountains. The panoramic view was completely private with no other lodges or people in sight from our private deck and hammock. No mosquitoes this high up, either. A perfect paradise.
It was pouring rain the first day we arrived with the river too high to be able to canoe across for our scheduled activity to visit the indigenous Quichoa community in the rainforest. As an alternative, our guide Gilberto (pronounced Hilberto) decided to take us on a three hour canyon hike to the east in the dense primary rainforest. Little did we know we'd be scaling canyon walls and waterfalls in narrow passages with bats whipping by our faces and their screech in our ears. Though we had rubber boots to our knees, the rain was so insistent and intense that we were completely soaked through by the end, yet strangely satisfied. After all, this IS the rainforest.
Because the forest is so dense, the majority of the trail was in the stream bed which that day was up to my mid-calf. Gilberto only speaks Spanish with a few important jungle-related nouns or verbs in English thrown in, like "resvaloso" (slippery), "semillas" (seeds), "hoja" (leaf) and "monos" (monkeys). I was both surprised and pleased that during the hike we not only became acquainted with the jungle, but Spanish as well. It's incredible to hear about the various leaves, plants, roots and mushrooms the indigenous cultures have used over the centuries to cure headaches and stomach problems, malaria, as an antibiotic, to hallucinate or increase energy levels. Andy was daring enough to eat some crunchy lemon ants but I passed on that one.
The next day the sun shone brightly as we hiked in the secondary forest filled with thousands of brightly-colored butterfies to the Quichoa village. Along the way we tried fresh bananas and saw tiny monkeys swinging in the trees. I could hardly believe this jungle is only ten years old - the original primary forest was cut down years ago to make room for cow pastures. It's beautiful to see it back in its natural state now. At one point, Gilberto grabbed a spiky plant and hit my arm with it and stung like nettle. Red rash bumps quickly appeared but before I could get pissed off at him, Gilberto explained it's good for blood circulation as he pegged his own arm and lower back. Who knows.
Le Comunidad de Santa Maria is one giant family of 80 inhabitants. Maria and Delphin are the matriarch and patriarch, respectively. We arrived around 11:30am yet it felt like a ghost town because no one was up and around. Gilberto took us inside Delphin's house and explained because it is Saturday, they all get "baracho" (drunk) on the weekend from fermented yuca root until the wee hours of the morning and that is why everyone is still asleep. His house is made of bamboo with a couple of bamboo benches and a space for a fire in the center of the room. As Gilberto served us some tea from the huayusa plant (the "Viagra of the Jungle" as he called it), Delphin appeared (still half drunk it seemed) and we greeted him with "alipuncha," Quichoa for good morning. He spoke Spanish also so we could understand him some. We also tried the fermented yuca (which tasted like thin rotten yogurt to me) and Gilberto showed us the baskets they use for fishing when the river runs low. Along the hike, Gilberto had picked up other various leaves, mushrooms and a giant buttery grub which he cooked up in a banana leaf. Though otherwise completely primitive, I was not surprised to see a television in the room. In Southeast Asia it was the same way.
After lunch at the lodge, we tied three tubes together and cruised down the Rio Anzu for a couple of hours. It was both relaxing and beautiful to watch the "selva" (jungle) pass us by, engaging in yet another impromptu Spanish lesson. Gilberto was interested to know English words as well, so it was a fun activity to banter back and forth, teaching one another, asking questions and telling stories. I have never taken a formal Spanish lesson, but my comprehension and basic speech is improving drastically by the day. This is a gift from South America that I didn't expect but will cherish always. The trick is to CONTINUE practicing...
The next day we went white water rafting with a group of Germans on the Rio Jalunyacu, mostly level three rapids but with the tricks, games, our company and sheer number of rapids, it was a blast. Our guide (who also didn't speak English, shocker!) Jorge was a kick, with a bright smile and contagious zest for life. I decided he might have one of the best jobs in existance. My cheeks hurt at the end of the day from all the smiles and laughter (but now my neck and shoulders hurt from all the rowing). Also a memorable day, indeed, with the added bonus of the continuous Spanish lesson which I am growing to love and purposely find myself seeking out.
Like dozens of our experiences on this world trip, it was sad to leave this jungle sanctuary and a handful of new friends. But everything is temporary and this notion forces us to remain living and enjoying in the present moment to the fullest.
It was pouring rain the first day we arrived with the river too high to be able to canoe across for our scheduled activity to visit the indigenous Quichoa community in the rainforest. As an alternative, our guide Gilberto (pronounced Hilberto) decided to take us on a three hour canyon hike to the east in the dense primary rainforest. Little did we know we'd be scaling canyon walls and waterfalls in narrow passages with bats whipping by our faces and their screech in our ears. Though we had rubber boots to our knees, the rain was so insistent and intense that we were completely soaked through by the end, yet strangely satisfied. After all, this IS the rainforest.
Because the forest is so dense, the majority of the trail was in the stream bed which that day was up to my mid-calf. Gilberto only speaks Spanish with a few important jungle-related nouns or verbs in English thrown in, like "resvaloso" (slippery), "semillas" (seeds), "hoja" (leaf) and "monos" (monkeys). I was both surprised and pleased that during the hike we not only became acquainted with the jungle, but Spanish as well. It's incredible to hear about the various leaves, plants, roots and mushrooms the indigenous cultures have used over the centuries to cure headaches and stomach problems, malaria, as an antibiotic, to hallucinate or increase energy levels. Andy was daring enough to eat some crunchy lemon ants but I passed on that one.
The next day the sun shone brightly as we hiked in the secondary forest filled with thousands of brightly-colored butterfies to the Quichoa village. Along the way we tried fresh bananas and saw tiny monkeys swinging in the trees. I could hardly believe this jungle is only ten years old - the original primary forest was cut down years ago to make room for cow pastures. It's beautiful to see it back in its natural state now. At one point, Gilberto grabbed a spiky plant and hit my arm with it and stung like nettle. Red rash bumps quickly appeared but before I could get pissed off at him, Gilberto explained it's good for blood circulation as he pegged his own arm and lower back. Who knows.
Le Comunidad de Santa Maria is one giant family of 80 inhabitants. Maria and Delphin are the matriarch and patriarch, respectively. We arrived around 11:30am yet it felt like a ghost town because no one was up and around. Gilberto took us inside Delphin's house and explained because it is Saturday, they all get "baracho" (drunk) on the weekend from fermented yuca root until the wee hours of the morning and that is why everyone is still asleep. His house is made of bamboo with a couple of bamboo benches and a space for a fire in the center of the room. As Gilberto served us some tea from the huayusa plant (the "Viagra of the Jungle" as he called it), Delphin appeared (still half drunk it seemed) and we greeted him with "alipuncha," Quichoa for good morning. He spoke Spanish also so we could understand him some. We also tried the fermented yuca (which tasted like thin rotten yogurt to me) and Gilberto showed us the baskets they use for fishing when the river runs low. Along the hike, Gilberto had picked up other various leaves, mushrooms and a giant buttery grub which he cooked up in a banana leaf. Though otherwise completely primitive, I was not surprised to see a television in the room. In Southeast Asia it was the same way.
After lunch at the lodge, we tied three tubes together and cruised down the Rio Anzu for a couple of hours. It was both relaxing and beautiful to watch the "selva" (jungle) pass us by, engaging in yet another impromptu Spanish lesson. Gilberto was interested to know English words as well, so it was a fun activity to banter back and forth, teaching one another, asking questions and telling stories. I have never taken a formal Spanish lesson, but my comprehension and basic speech is improving drastically by the day. This is a gift from South America that I didn't expect but will cherish always. The trick is to CONTINUE practicing...
The next day we went white water rafting with a group of Germans on the Rio Jalunyacu, mostly level three rapids but with the tricks, games, our company and sheer number of rapids, it was a blast. Our guide (who also didn't speak English, shocker!) Jorge was a kick, with a bright smile and contagious zest for life. I decided he might have one of the best jobs in existance. My cheeks hurt at the end of the day from all the smiles and laughter (but now my neck and shoulders hurt from all the rowing). Also a memorable day, indeed, with the added bonus of the continuous Spanish lesson which I am growing to love and purposely find myself seeking out.
Like dozens of our experiences on this world trip, it was sad to leave this jungle sanctuary and a handful of new friends. But everything is temporary and this notion forces us to remain living and enjoying in the present moment to the fullest.
posted by Stacy @TheZenGirl at
1:20 PM
1 Comments:
I can't tell you guys enough how awesome it is that you share so much with us. Your writing style is truly a beautiful thing and I ALWAYS look forward to reading your blog. Keep it up guys, you have no idea (or maybe a little) how many people you are inspiring on a daily basis.
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