Saturday, May 19: Ceiba Tops on the Amazon

 

Well, today we certainly found out why they call it the rain forest!! It was our excursion to the canopy walkway, so we had to be at the meeting place at 5:30am. The weather look great, but as always we took our ponchos for insurance. I really wished I'd worn Cathy's raincoat.

 We boarded one of the larger boats for the trip to Explorama Lodge. Less than halfway through the 1 3/4 hour trip the rain began. We put down the side curtains and many of us slept for much of the trip. It was pouring by the time we got there for breakfast.

Then we hit the trail through the jungle. It was deep in water so several of us rolled up our pant legs. It took about 45 minutes to arrive at the bottom of the Canopy Walkway. Then we began climbing by stairs and suspended swaying walkways to the highest platform at 116 feet. It was too bad that we were wet and cool.  Our views were hampered by the rain, but it was still an incredible experience to be in the tops of these giant trees.

We gradually came back down to earth and slogged across more wet jungle paths to the ACTS station. There we got a small boat, which took us through a tiny creek back to Explorama. Along the way a giant Blue Morpho butterfly suddenly appeared and flew over us and then trailed us for a few minutes. How beautiful!

It was still early, so we visited a Shaman in the medicinal garden. He explained and demonstrated a number of herbs and mixtures, then performed a ceremony for Tony, and one for Annie to protect them from evil spirits. It was the most relaxing thing. 

 

 

Then the Shaman gave each of us a tattoo - the design of our choice. Larry got a scorpion and I got a hummingbird.

While that was going on, an anteater wandered in; I guess seeking shelter from the rain. He was fearless and approached all of us. Cesar warned us of his sharp claws, so we tried to keep him at a distance. Both Cesar and the Shaman let him cling to them.

Back at the lodge we had lunch and then looked around at some of the features - Charlie, an example of the world's largest rodent,

a capibara, some parrots, tucans, some odd kind of chicken things, and so on.

We relaxed in hammocks for a half an hour or so before boarding the boat to return. The rain had let up, finally, so the curtains stayed up. We were all chilly, but had had such a good day that it was worth it.

 

After dinner we had terrific entertainment by the dance group from the high school from the nearby town of Indiana and the White-Bellied-Frogs, the Explorama staff musicians.

All Photos 19 May