June 29th - Travel back to Cusco

See June 25th in reverse...picturing the Gran Prix through the Andes. 

So we departed the camp at 5:30am in dense fog, riding with the current of the Madre de Dios thus our trip was only three hours to Colorado Village (instead of 5).

Here are some indigenous people on the banks of the river.

At Colorado Village we piled into a minivan (5 of us plus the minivan driver) and drove down the road with the infamous bridges.

Next we got in another boat to cross a river to Puerto Carlos. Mind you they are loading and unloading food, supplies, backpacks, fuel, etc. each time we change transportation.  Pictured here are our "Tres Amigos" who have been with us for the last 5 days: Abraham, our guide, is on the left; Agripino, our driver, is center; Jorge, the chef, is on the right.

At Puerto Carlos we locate a banos for much needed "relief"...complete with dog and satellite dish!

Agripino must have a hot date back in Cusco by the speed he is going through the Andes!

Here are some more views from the car window!

And alpacas were everywhere!

We should be back in Cusco by 7pm

June 28th - Maquisapayoj Trails

Today we hiked around the camp trails...we observed lots of fungi....

Beautiful dragonflies, butterflies and cicada mud spouts which contained the larvae...

And we saw black spider monkeys, white front capuchins and saddleback tamarinds up in the trees while we walked.  See if you can find the monkeys in these photos.  My camera does not zoom like Joyce's camera does, so it will be a challenge for you!

We went on a late afternoon hike and saw more black spider monkeys and a cute litte frog!

Then we climbed a platform that was 30 meters tall...we had a view of the canopy...and two white-throated toucans posed in a tree just for us!

We stayed up there until the sunset!

Our clothes are so sweaty and smelly!  They may walk off by themselves!  

June 27th - Blanco Lake

Today we left at 6 am and hiked to Blanco Lake where we floated on a pontoon boat around the lake.  Can you see the leaf-cutter ants?  In the roof of the boat dock, there were lots of long-nosed bats!

The reflections on the still water of the lake were beautiful.  Joyce added many birds to her list!

In the bottom right corner you can see the head of a great Caiman!  We hear that he likes dogs and even ate a tourist who decided to go for a swim!  True story!  Yikes!

As we were heading back, a band of squirrel monkeys and brown capuchin monkeys put on a show for us complete with "high wire" acts and trapeze swinging and jumping!  Hilarious!

Our clothes reeked and needed to be peeled off when we returned.  The air is steamy and the Mosquitos and ants "love" me...makes me feel so special!

June 26th - Macaw Clay Lick and Tapir Lick

We left at 5 am in the dark, following Abraham with our head lights for the Macaw Claylick.  First came the parrots to eat on the clay.

Later on came the Macaws!

Afterwards, we walked to a great Kapok Tree and climbed up 227 steps (42 meters) to a platform on the top. Can you make out the camouflaged bird?  It's the Great Potoo!

Then we boarded a pontoon boat and floated around Camungo Lake observing many birds and the otters.  In the top right picture you can see the great Kapok tree that we had climbed.

One of the birds pictured here is the Hoatzin.  The large bird on the right is the aptly named Horned Screamer!  The large rodents are capybaras.  Oh, and the butterflies are beautiful!

We returned to the camp after sunset!  After dinner, we hiked an hour in the dark to a tapir lick.

We were lucky, a tapir was just finishing up his evening Claylick!

June 25th - Manu Jungle

   

We were picked up at 3 am and driven over the Andean Mountains (highest pass - 15,583 feet) and then we were fed breakfast on the side of the road. Abraham our guide, Jorge the cook, Agripino the driver took very good care of us....although, being a male has distinct advantages when using the "wilderness facilities"!

We descended through the cloud forest and crossed the Inambari River by boat and then were driven in another vehicle to Puerto Carlos.  On the way, we crossed many questionable "bridges".  One of the bridges had been totally washed out so we walked across some boards while the driver carefully maneuvered the truck across two boards.

At Puerto Carlos, we boarded another boat and road 5 hours up the Madre de Dios to the "camp".

We sleep under mosquito nets and have candles for light after 6pm.

June 23rd - Cusco

We began the day with Heidi, Jorge and Gio walking through the San Blas artisan neighborhood with a beautiful view overlooking Cusco.  Gio met another Inca Warrior!

After saying "goodbye" to Heidi, Jorge and Gio, we toured the Cathedral and the Coricancha which is the site of the pre-colonial Inca Empire.  The stonework was incredible!

We ended the evening with a folkloric music and dance presentation.