“Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.” -Gustav Flaubert

This was not our average trip……and this was not the average destination. Only 17000 people ever made it to this part of the world every year. We knew we were onto something special……it was a region filled with mystery and allure for me. Wild things and wild places…….

ON OUR WAY:

A puddle jumper from Quito to Lago Agrio, followed by a two hour bus ride and then a 2 hour boat ride on Cuyabeno River, a tributary of the Amazon River brought us to Cuyabeno Ecological Forest preserve.
We came to the Siona Lodge, our headquarters for the next 5 days.   In the middle of the Amazon, here we stayed, played and took in the wondrous miracles of nature! This small, intimate setting with just 6 thatched roof huts was the perfect home base to explore the vast rainforest.

SETTLING IN:

Comfortable of course, and no frills attached……our humble abode with thatched roof and mosquito nets and swinging hammocks all in the midst of the thick forest and flowing rivers.

CANOE SAFARI:

Our ride into the lodge was our first of many canoe safaris. Baby anacondas, scarlet snakes, scores of birds, monkeys and turtles and more….and all these in just a couple hours!

NIGHT WALKING SAFARI- not just a ‘walk in the park’

After an afternoon siesta, it was time for a delicious meal and then onto a night walking safari into the forest all equipped with flashlights and headlights. Now if you are the quesy sorts, you might want to skip the next couple pictures!!

Next day started bright and early, bird watching on the vast lagoon, as the sun was rising, it appeared that life started popping its head out all over. The brisk cool air, lapping of the water with the oars of the boat and the sound of pure silence with just some bird calls to interrupt……….

After a scrumptious breakfast, we set out again into the thick forest. The sun rays peering through the dense vegetation, butterflies, frogs,

Evening sunset swim in the lagoon was very refreshing, it was a good thing the guide told us after the fact that the same lagoon had caimans swimming right around there!

Night hunt for Caimans in the Amazon River was something like a detective hunt. Flashlights in hand and headlights on the forehead, we assisted the guide to look in crevices and hiding places for the caimans.

Next day saw us going for piranha fishing, and althought we were not successful, the guide managed to get some to show us.

Yucca harvesting with the locals and Yucca bread making was the actvity of the next day. We went to an indigenious village and spent time with the local folks and kids.

And we actually crossed the equator line when canoeing around that day!

Experiencing the torrential Amazon rains was quite the moment. It poured for a few minutes and the forest was bathed in bright greens and before we knew it, it disappeared just as suddenly as it had appeared. Since it was the dry season, that’s all we saw as far as the rain was concerned, but glad to have experienced the great Amazonian rainforest rains!

The next couple days flew by with more forest hikes. canoe rides, a very interesting visit to the Shamam ( Medicine man/witch doctor) to see their customs, an education about Iawasa ( ahhh, you need to look that one up) in their medicine culture, tribal games and in the wonderful company of our fellow lodge mates.