Warm food is always a treat – be it in the Amazon rainforest or in the cold market of Jokkmokk! Cook!
Rainforest
WPC: Dense
Ben, at WordPress, is asking us to show Dense in photos – and what could be more dense than the rainforest? Here, in Ecuador and the Amazon area, the forest was a dream for tree lovers like me.
Breathtaking views from the canopy
Amazonas – Almost Airborne!
The last days at Sacha Lodge, we spent most of the time 40 metres up – above the canopy of the rainforest. In fact, ”Sacha” means ”forest” in Quichua, the local language here.
The biodiversity is extremely rich in the Amazon, and the list of birds sighted at Sacha, for example, is at 605 species – in an area of 5000 acres. 12 species of monkeys and plants somewhere in the thousands. Trees are about 100 species per acre – no wonder my treeloving spirit soared in the canopy!
This walk offered splendid views of the canopy and of the birds living here
Luis and Pablo spotted everything of interest
most of the birds seen had to be through the tube, but some came really close. Blue Dacnis, female.
Paradise Tanager – maybe 15 fluttering neonlights all over this tree!
Climbing down again and walking back to the lodge – Luis Andi shared some of his extensive knowledge of the medicinal plants in the rainforest. We had noticed him being an excellent scout, moving soundlessly on the narrow paths, but also an excellent birdman – he knew about 400 birds (and could sound like most of them!) I do not have to say he was born and bred in the Amazon. 90% of Sacha’s staff is made up of locals from Ecuador’s Amazon region.
Pablo listening to Luis’ stories
This butterfly would not leave my arm…finally I had another guest to handle him. But some ten minutes later, he found me again!
Iron palm or walking palm
The mushrooms were lovely, these looked like flowers…
Indeed they were all heavenly small and exquisite!
We were all very impressed – to say the least – of our guides’ knowledge. There was not one single question about birds or animals that Pablo could not answer, and Luis and him were the perfect couple to guide us through the secrets of the tropical rainforest.
But, now we were extremely hungry…knowing that a delicious lunch was waiting back at our lodge. We would need it before the afternoon and night adventures.
Amazonas Day Two – A Monkey Business
After having some (read MUCH) lunch, we were ready for the afternoon waterways.
Led by our excellent guides, Pablo Maya and Luis Andi, we spent hours under the dense vegetation exploring Anaconda Creek.
Water sallad was all over the lake – decoratively spreading its light green beauty.
More magic tunnels – imagine the sounds of the Amazon rainforest touching you…gently
…and then the monkeys were all over us! Howler monkeys, cappucciner monkeys and most lovely of them all: squirrel monkeys. Jumping and feasting in whole squadrons…they even jumped right over the canoe – curiously observing us. Enjoy!
Darkness descended early upon us in the Amazon basin. Around 6 pm it was time to return to Sacha Lodge after a long and eventful day.
Home, sweet home – by now Sacha really was our Home. The lights invitingly calling us…
Good night, this last night of the old year, 2016.
WPC: Resilient
Resilient – well, the crocodile species outlived the dinosaurs, and their relative, the caiman ”Lucy”, lived under our breakfast lodge in the rainforest. She might survive us all…
Amazonas Day Two – On The Napo River
A foggy morning, but no wind, only the sounds of the rainforest and the river. After a divine breakfast at the lodge by the lake, we started off early heading for the parrot lick.
Unfortunately the traffic on the Napo River also brings long vehicles for the oil business here…They told us that the oil people are building a road across the Amazon forest. We had read about it, but now we could even see the trailers and the flames. This just makes me feel so helpless…Their government had promised not to give in to big business – but money always wins over nature and our life on this beautiful planet. So far. Maybe one day, when everything is dead and gone…
Finally the fog lifted, and we could admire the parakeets using the clay to neutralize the poisonous metals in their food. Notice the one hanging upside down!
Friendly people washing
Great Egret
Spoonbills
Howler monkey
We continued canoeing to a village on the other side of the river. Here a women’s collective worked to inform about the old ways of living, the life of the Amazon indigenous people and of their cooking, art and craft.
Overall view
Cooking was, and mostly is, the mothers’ task. This was made for us – Yucca, fish baked in leaves, sugar canes, roasted nuts and baked banana. Totally Delicious!
Demostrating fishing tools
Fausto Andi was born and raised in the rainforest, and could tell us about everything from his childhood. This wivel he ate fresh…alive and kicking…
…but not curare. The cotton is used to fill up the pipe and give a smooth flight to the thin arrow
He hit the pumpkin – of course!
Goodbye to the shy and gentle ladies!
Back to the lodge for some lunch – and then on to our next adventure!
Thursday Thoughts – To Paradise and Back Again
So, I have been to Paradise – and back again. From Sweden to Amsterdam and then to Quito. After a couple of interesting days in beautiful world heritage, Quito Old Town, we flew down to the Amazon basin, Coca.
From Coca 1 1/2hour by motorized canoe on the Napo River …
Then 30 minutes hiking on jungle boardwalk before the last bit in a paddle canoe.
There was a slight drizzle, but we saw an abundance of flowers and birds already on this short way before reaching the lodge.
At Sacha Lodge we were welcomed by our hosts. The Lodge had rooms for 65 guests, but at the moment we were only 13-14. Lots of space and attention from our excellent guides.
Our own lodge was incredibly fresh and simple, just as in my dreams – but even better!
Spacey and open – in fact no walls on one side, so both shower and bedroom were open to the jungle. The only thing to separate us from the real world was a net, with all the sounds of the rainforest and its inhabitants just two steps away…I tell you, I have never slept better in my entire life. Birds, insects and howler monkeys feasting!
I remember staying in a clay and straw hut in the Nepalese jungle of Chitwan, in 1986, with giant spiders covering the ceiling and lizards and rats owning the mud floor. I did not sleep anything at all…even if I was young and brave.
A short canoe ride on the little lake Pilchicocha – Stinky Turkey, the most typical of the Amazon birds
Getting dark…but oh, the sounds of thousands and the beauty of the water
Back at the lodge for some food
We saw flycatchers and kingfishers among other birds, and in the waters below our breakfast house dwells….a cajman called Lucy!
Tarantula – less adorable
On the night walk we met many animals…many crawlers (millipeeds too), possums and some spiders of gigantic size. One of the The tarantulas was a pink toed giant sitting high up under the roof of the butterfly house. We also saw a wolf spider about the same size…Crickets, grasshoppers and the world’s biggest ant – a bullet ant – who has got the worst bite in the world with terrible pain for 24 hours. ”Watch out where you put your hands” was the advice. They might walk on the same rails or twigs you happen to use…
My favourite was the charming tree frog of course…!
This was our first day at Sacha Lodge – and I just Loved every minute of it. For the next day we were promised parrots, weavers, a women’s collective, curare, arrows and local cooking, canoe through narrow rainforest waterways and maybe…anaconda.
Good night to our extremely initiated and knowledgeable guides, Pablo and Luis.
Leya 
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