Iquitos- the Amazon's !

The Amazon River and the rain forest ...The Iquitos city is located in the Great Plains of the Amazon Basin, surrounded by the Amazon, Nanay and Itaya rivers.
The Northeast area of Peru..18 hours boat ride to Colombia and 6 days in rio Amazon to Manaus,Brazil.

Relaxed and refreshed as never before after a cold shower in the 37degrees C heat. Believe me it has a far better feeling than a hot water shower in freezing weather.
Half a million residents in Iquitos, the only city in the world of this size without any road connection. Only accessible by Water and air.
Once attracted prospectors from Europe for its Rubber and petroleum.
Amazon's fascinating jungles and the magic of the expanse of world's largest water volume, in the Amazon River is very enchanting.
Staying with a most hospitable welcoming family ( friends )has added to the joy of the visit. Family of 9 siblings ,grandparents and children. Even tonite's birthday of one of the sisters....Mila...had a family gathering of over 20.
Eating home cooked food after a long time is a blessing.
Ceviches, the raw fish dish with a delicious lemony sauce, red onions ,local  beer and the world's hottest littlest habanero was the best meal of the trip at Marjorie, Jaqi and Manual's home...Susan's (from Lima)aunt.
A visit to the Susan's grand parents ( in their 90' s) was so humbling. Sharing of beer with the grandfather was so fun.Stories  of their parents immigration (1915) from Spain were fascinating.
Every day has been so enjoyable.Amazon boat ride, Sun set , passing thr a village..dancing with indigenous folks and the markedo street food just awesome.
A morning walk thr the Belen mercado in Iquitos was fun..tasting the freshest home cooked local meals from soups to ceviches. Fresh cut meat, fillets, steaks, chicken cut to your taste.  Almost as interesting as the jungle itself, Belen is the center of an incredible variety of Amazon products; tropical fruits (the likes of which I have never seen before), fish of all shapes and sizes, turtles, birds, frogs and herbal medicines.
In Belen's floating neighborhood.. for a few dollars one can take one of the small canoe-taxis for a tour of the waterways, some being paddled by small children eager to practice their English....as water level were so low we could not do it.
Walter ,our host warned us of pickpockteers. No cameras, no bags, no watches ... just a little money to be taken to the marcado . But frankly I did not see any robbers.
37 degrees C a minute ago and now a really fast brust of rain. Walter and me walked for an hour in the rain. Childhood memories came back alive.
Although I have been to Amazon jungle before in Colombia, I still went to the Zoo and took a boat ride in the Amazon River where River Nanay converges..two water colours ...... just awesome.
FBg
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Adios Colombia, April 2013

Good bye Colombia,06 April, 2013                                          19Jan-06 April, Colombia, 2013

Adios Colombia....

The Amazing Amazonia river

Tonite while I board the plane from Bogota airport, I take with me sweet memories of the people I met and the most exciting coutry I explored for almost seventy six days. I have never stayed this long in anyother country except India.

Some little town along the Gorgeous Amazona

I arrived here with mixed feelimgs..a country which have  stigmas like the centre of the drug dealers,

the mafia clan,the smugglers paradise and the guerillas ready for any opportunity to kidnap a foreigner apart from other violent activities. All exagerated  stories from the past perceptions.

The trip took me accross the land..

The grande , the Amazon

 from the jungles and rivers of  Amazonias to the largest Tyerona parque mountains range along the

Policia, protecting the public in case ,
enroute Ciuadad Perdida

atlanatic..from the salt mines of the Boyaca to the caravan festival city of Brranquilla...from the lush valleys of the Salento cafetora regions to the Colonial township of San Gill.. from the busting grande city of Bogota to the beauties of the Medellin... from the thermales of Pereira and 

The colonial city , Bari Chura

Manisales to the  obleas and dulces of Buccarmanga..across the high snow capped peaks  of the Nevdos to the deserts of the North east..from the salsa capital of the south America,Cali to the drum beats of the Atñlantic . 

The wonderful adventurers enroute to the Ciuada Perdida, the lost city

Such a diverisity of people and pacha mama.... ...awesome !

 Used to spicy food but have started enjoying the Colombian food..and realised that Colombian food is not all that bland..try the salasas with picqiente green chillies..I  have gotten adjusted to the two meals a day habit...  heavy breakfast and a  early dinner and  a lite snck at nite.

Getting addicted to the Colombian coffee..where does the Chai ( Indian tea con leche and spices) 

Roamnce rises when the rain falls

go..donot know yet ?

I will take with me the tastes of the arrepas,enpanada, papa de rellana, choruso,pollo asados, bendeja paisa, trichuchas ,palatain fritos, bunelos, suncocho ,mote and the  ajiuako soup--- the lulo juice, panela lemon drink and  marraquirra and Champus juices amongst a variety of delicioso juices..

I stayed with couch surfers, friends`s ( from Canada`)friends and families and  youth hostels.

Last nite was a blast farewell party  in Bogota at Clovis`s place, More than eighteen n ewly made friends, drank, ate and danced together.I was humbled.

Carnaval, Barranquilla, 4 days ( and nights) of fantasy, sheer joy

I enjoyed every bit of the Colombian landscape...from the deep down snorkelling in the atlantic occean to the trekking  6000 plus feet high altitude in the Piedra blanca mountain in the 

Enjoying a swin enroute the Lost city..6 days trip

Quindon state...Crossing   small  rios along with altura mountains to Ciudad Perdida... to the boat ride in the  widest river in the world..The Amazon... Enjoyed learning salsa and dancing in the nite clubs of Cali and 

All smiles, old and the young at the Carnaval, Barranquilla

watching the worry free happy Carnavalists in the streets of Barranquilla ...  drinking , gossiping and dancing till the wee hours 

Community preparations for the
Ayahuasaca congregation tonite
In the Amazonia jungle

..and experiencing hallucination with Ayahuaska drink in the deep jungles of Amazonias . Visiting the heroic and tragic  history in the national museos in Bogota ..  was amazed to see so much gold jewelery in the Orro Museo ..the designs will challenge  any modern designer..

Flowers in full bloom , Bari Chura

Colombia  is  third growing economy in South America.

Snorkelling in Parque Tyrone

But as a  naive observer, I see it growing faster..the universities and the schools are full of students with big ambitions and dreams.

Worlds second largest exporter of flowers...famous for its Emeralds,textiles,plastics,ferro alloys and of course the Colombian coffee..enjoyed all over the wrold..The transportation systems may beat any of the developed nation`s..the highways, the transmillion bus system in urban centres are very well designed and constructed.No wonder HSBC bank's economic perspective  for Colombia by 2050 as playing a vital role in the global economy.

Colombia`s national parks are full of natural beauty, trails, hikes,lakes, rivers, moutains and are  complimented with facilities with well trained guides.

Hopes of good days ahead
 despite despair and poverty

We are always striving to achieve higher goals. Colombia is not any different. The present Goevernment is fighting hard to get rid of its dark sides..the smuggling, the mafia, the drug lords, the guerrilas, the poverty, 

the orpahaned children, the displaced indegenious people... but which nations does not have problems?

Perhaps the saddest part, which I found very alarming is the highest rate of divorces inspite of the fact that very few people get married as compared to other countries...1.5% per 1000.

A colonial heritage home in Cali, the salsa capital of South America

Most of the people I made friends with, happened to be single moms, single dads, step fathers, step mothers in law, step sister, step grandfather and so on... .. And the remarried couples have children from other marriages either living with them or with their ex partners. It is hard for everyone especially for the children. Perhaps they have accepted this new relationships . I attended some family get togethers where all these ex`s and steps were enjoying together. The challenge to the institution of marriage`s survival   predominates.No efforts seem to be initiated either by the church or the Governemnt.

I am indebted and very thankful to all my couchsurfers, my hosts and the new friends who made my trip  a very enjoyable one.I take back with me  the sweet memories of great times we spent together. I am indebted to you all...Sandra, 

Fernando,the great host
 but a better cook, Meddelin

Tatiana,Diana, Ivon, Mary,Chistian, 

The ever happy Taitana, Bogota
Nothing less tha a bottle wl do

Vallentina, Xio,Idalba, Clovis, Lina, Sergio, Ivon S, Nicolous, Johana,Adireana, David, Guillermo,Gloria, 

Eager to learn and teach ,
Vallentina, Bogota

Eager to help and please,
 Christian and Mary, Bogota

Lina, teaching me salasa,
Of course in Cali, where else?

Oliver,Dora, Fernando and Fernando and  parents,Linita, Soffy,

Johana,the most organised , displined host,
Barranquilla, caranaval
 looking after 8 guest at one tine

Idalba, Bogota
 Diana,my host from Belize days.
 now hosted me in  Cajmarca

Adriana,Pueblos, Carolina, Favio,Luisa E, Nancy, 

My best friend and a great host,
 Clovis, Bogota

Idalba and me in the farm house party,
 Pereira

Luisa,Bernardo, Hugo family, Michael, Adan, 
Norabala, Melida, Mariam...

Ccarolina, the doctor and Ruby her mom,
wonderful hosts in Pereira

Lina, my host in Cali

David and mom in Buccarmanga

Ivon and Sergio, Buccaramanga

Gloria and Oliver, Cartagena

God bless you all !

Sandra and Tati, my on going hosts
 from Belize to Bogota.
They encouraged me to visit Colombia.

Vivo Colombia !!!

Johana in the Cranaval, Barranquilla
David, Daniel and memo Gurain

The Amazon queen, Nancy, Leticia

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Some of the people ( now friends) I met along the way and still communcatting with....

Enroute the Lost city, Irene,New York,
 and the Pueblos, Cali, Colombia. We trekked together.5N 6D,
 to find the Lost City, Ciudad Perdida

Bwernardo, Salento of adventure

The hougo family who gave me ride
 in valley de Cocora, from Pereira. 

Tamaity, met in Buccaramanga, from Argentina

Marelena and Rebecca, the Brazilions in Santa Marta

Leti, met in Santa Marta from Uruguay

The Pueblos, Cali

Adraiana, One of the nicest person I met, Cali.

Dora,the great enetrtainer, from Bogota,
met her in Santa Marta.
 Common friend Mary from Bogota

Norabala, Clovis`s friend, great persona

David and Guillermo, Barranquilla. We were
drinking scotch,David brought, all day at the carnaval

Xio and Vallentina, Bogota, more than hosts.
Showed me the  otherside of Bogota,
where no visitors normally go.

Anna from Germany, my Ayahuasaca partener,
from the Amazon jungles

On the way to the ayhuasca adventure in the boat,
Anna and Tina

 Carrol and my host Nancy, leticia

Tina sharing a parting joke joke in Leticia

Daniel herera, from Mexico, metin Cali

Eunice, from Cartgena

Ibrahim cohen,One of the leads ,The AEque,
The chilean band . Met in the youth hostel
 in Cali, where they invited all of us to their concert.

Christine from France enroute the Lost    city, 

Ivon, my friend from belize and her friend in  Barranquilla Martha during Caranval days.

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More photos....