Time to face the Wild
5/17/2018 - 5/19/2018 Quito to Coca to Cruise the Amazon
This morning we flew from Quito to Coca, a small town on the Napo River in the Amazon River watershed. Once we arrived in Coca we boarded our boat for a 2-hour cruise to the Napo Cultural Center Lodge - our new jungle home for the next 3 days.
My first impression of the jungle is that plants, flowers, trees and other fauna appear to be on steroids. Animals love these incredibly high canopies that keep them nearly invisible to the humans below - making photography a major challenge. But the colors are breathtaking!
After we stowed our gear in our rooms it was time for our first nature walk and our first battle with our stylish rubber boots...
And then there are the leaf cutter ants...
This morning we flew from Quito to Coca, a small town on the Napo River in the Amazon River watershed. Once we arrived in Coca we boarded our boat for a 2-hour cruise to the Napo Cultural Center Lodge - our new jungle home for the next 3 days.
The dock in Coca.
Our meeting place for meals, meetings and happy hours.
Our rooms.
Comfy bed with mosquito netting.
My first impression of the jungle is that plants, flowers, trees and other fauna appear to be on steroids. Animals love these incredibly high canopies that keep them nearly invisible to the humans below - making photography a major challenge. But the colors are breathtaking!
After we stowed our gear in our rooms it was time for our first nature walk and our first battle with our stylish rubber boots...
Beth and Jerry
Janet shows off her stylish yellow boots.
Jerry and I are new fashion plates.
The community built this tower - complete with a tree platform about 2/3 to the top - where Avel set up his scope to capture some Macaws.
I couldn't believe I made it to the very top without fear
(of course I didn't look down or go anywhere near the edge).
Tammy and Beth after a tiring day.
I tried all 3 of these Ecuadorean beers.
Most of us decided to go with the $4 Pilsener
(but in the larger bottle, which was equivalent to 2 of this size).
It was quite enjoyable spending time watching the community wake up each morning - children walking to school; men beginning construction; women cooking; and later, in the afternoon, boys playing soccer despite the downpour...
These 3 days were a birder's paradise - but photographing them was a challenge since they were so high up in the tree canopies...
https://youtu.be/uv9qz-lPbqk
Live grubs wiggling around...
Avel demonstrates the method.
Mac copies Avel.
We enjoyed a home-hosted meal of tilapia, yucca, beans, corn and fruit. Shades of Survivor and The Amazing Race when the challenge of eating grubs was laid down.
Avel demonstrated how to eat a raw one, but only Mac was willing to try. I waited until he said they tasted like bacon and they were cooked until I tried 2 of them. They were pretty good actually.
Live grubs wiggling around...
Avel demonstrates the method.
Mac copies Avel.
Our tilapia (in palm leaves), vegetables, yucca and grubs
finish up over the fire in time for lunch.
After lunch Avel grabbed a blowgun, set up our Macaw target, and we took turns trying to hit it by blowing out the darts. Our girls vs. boys competition ended in a 1-1 tie since one dart did hit the pole and stuck and 1 actually hit the round base of the Macaw.
These 3 days were a birder's paradise - but photographing them was a challenge since they were so high up in the tree canopies...
Richard spots something afar.
Our favorite bird was the punk rocker - the Hoatzin
(photos by Avel using my camera)
Avel was our man!
He loved using my camera and helped anyone with a cell phone get a better shot through the magnified scope lens.
This Southern Lapwing provided entertainment -
performing a daily mating ritual in the middle of the soccer field.
The nocturnal Nighjar - sound asleep and totally oblivious to our noise.
(Photo by Sofy)
(Photo by Sofy)
And then there were the snakes...
(photos by Sofy and Avel)
(photos by Sofy and Avel)
Olive whip snake.
Anaconda (above and below)
And the Black Agouti, Two-Toed Sloth...
Agouti
Two-toed sloth.
A beautiful sunset on the Napo - with one of the 2 active volcanoes in Ecuador in the background on the left.
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