The Amazon - Day Two
Oct. 6, 2009
Today we head down the Amazon River to the Napo River, and then up the
Napo River to the Explornapo Lodge - a distance of about 48 miles.
About a half hour walk from the lodge is a forest canopy walk which
takes you high into the trees for a closer look at life there.
On the walk to the river to catch the boat our guide Cliver spotted
these three jacamars; they are a rare tropical bird sought by bird
watchers. The brown blob where the branch emerges from the tree trunk
is an ant nest. It is composed partly of mud and partly of ant poop.
Ant and termite activity was to be seen almost everwhere.
These two baby capybaras were waiting for us at the dock at the
Explornapo Lodge. Capybara are the largest rodents in the world; an
adult capybara averages about 140 pounds and is about 4 feet long.
These two babies were very friendly and would come right up to you.
Nancy is starting out on the canopy walk. It consists of cables between
trees, a narrow walkway suspended from the cables, and netting
preventing you from slipping off the walkway. The canopy walkway is
over a quarter-mile long and gradually takes you higher as you go from
tree to tree. It reaches a maximum height of 118 feet above the ground.
The suspension walkways end at platforms attached to trees where you
can view the forest canopy around you. Here, Heather and Leona are
approaching one of the platforms.
Heading back to the Explornapo Lodge for lunch, Cliver spotted a hole
in the ground and wanted to see what lived in it. He took a stick,
stuck it in the hole a short distance and shook it, waited a few
seconds, then shoved the stick in farther and then drug out a tarantula.
This is the tarantula he drug out of the hole.
This is a leaf mimic frog we spotted along the trail. His coloration
makes it look just like the leaves on the forest floor. This one
is a baby.
After lunch we went to a botanical garden where this shaman gave a
talk on the different types of medicinal herbs and plants that grow in
the jungle. No matter what ails you, he seemed to have something for it.
These two grey winged troubadours walked along with us on the trail to
the shaman. They were very friendly, although they didn't want to
be petted.
Back at Explorama Lodge, we were called to dinner by the sound of these
two drums. At this point there were only five guests in the lodge - the
four of us on the OAT tour and this American woman who lives in
Nicaragua. It was like having a private lodge.