A review of Monday, June 21, 2010

Our rooms at the Refugio Amazonas lodges. The fourth wall to our room is a giant window, which made me scared animals would come in at night, but we never had any cuddling with us.

Our rooms at the Refugio Amazonas lodges. The fourth wall to our room is a giant open wall, which made me scared animals would come in at night, but we never had any cuddling with us.

We woke up at 4:30 a.m. to hike to 30-meter canopy where we saw guans, parrots, toucans and butterflies for about 2 hours. The sunrise was beautiful!

We woke up at 4:30 a.m. to hike to a 30-meter canopy where we saw guans, parrots, toucans and butterflies for about 2 hours. The sunrise was beautiful!

We wore helmets and hiked 1.5 hours through the Castana (Brazilian nuts, some of the largest and tallest trees in the Amazon) Trail and saw mammal tracks and uprooted trees.

We wore helmets and hiked 1.5 hours through the Castana (Brazilian nuts, some of the largest and tallest trees in the Amazon) Trail and saw mammal tracks and uprooted trees.

Then, we cracked open castana shells (look like coconut shells) with machete knives to get to the Brazilian nuts. It took me the longest time, but the reward was good because I felt accomplished, and they were very tasty!

Then, we cracked open castana shells (look like coconut shells) with machete knives to get to the Brazilian nuts. It took me the longest time, but the reward was good because I felt accomplished, and they were very tasty!

I wrote in my journal in a hammock this afternoon.

I wrote in my journal in a hammock this afternoon.

We visited a farm along the Tambopatha River across from our lodge in the Amazon. We tasted fruits and vegetables native to Peru and others that are in Vietnam like coconut, sugar cane, starfruit, ladyfinger banana, ginger and others. This farm has five different types of bananas.

We visited a farm along the Tambopatha River across from our lodge in the Amazon. We tasted fruits and vegetables native to Peru and others that are in Vietnam like coconut, sugar cane, starfruit, ladyfinger banana, ginger and others. This farm has five different types of bananas.

 Then, we had a facepaint party with a natural dye from seeds. I painted OU on the tour guides' faces! Boomer Sooner from the Amazon!

Then, we had a facepaint party with a natural dye from seeds. I painted OU on the tour guides' faces! Boomer Sooner from the Amazon!

We had class in the upper-level of our lodge in the Amazon until we were distracted by a giant preying mantis, the size of my Hello Kitty iPhone--it was so cute...we played with it and it crawled on my head!

We had class in the upper-level of our lodge in the Amazon until we were distracted by a giant preying mantis, the size of my Hello Kitty iPhone--it was so cute...we played with it and it crawled on my head!

We woke up at 4:30 a.m. to hike to 30-meter canopy where we saw guans, parrots, toucans and butterflies for about 2 hours. The sunrise was beautiful!

Because there’s no electricity or phones, our alarms and wake-up calls consist of Peruvian workers saying “Good morning” by our door (which is a curtain) and we must say “Good morning” back to let them know we heard them.

After our 5 a.m. bird watch, we had scrambled eggs, papaya and melon, granola, hot chocolate and biscuits for breakfast. Then, we wore helmets and hiked 1.5 hours through the Castana (Brazilian nuts, some of the largest and tallest trees in the Amazon) Trail and saw mammal tracks and uprooted trees.

Then, we cracked open castana shells (look like coconut shells) with machete knives to get to the Brazilian nuts. It took me the longest time, but the reward was good because I felt accomplished, and they were very tasty!

I don’t understand how workers have the energy to crack open over 150 lbs of shells for about $7 a day. But then again, do they have any other options?

I wrote in my journal in a hammock this afternoon.

We had chicken and rice, potatoes and watermelon for lunch.

It’s so hot and humid here; I gave in and wore shorts and flip-flops around the lodge while covered in bug spray in hopes bugs won’t bite me. I got a few bites, but it was almost worth it compared to how hot I was in long pants.

We visited a farm along the Tambopatha River across from our lodge in the Amazon. We tasted fruits and vegetables native to Peru and others that are in Vietnam like cocona, sugar cane, starfruit, ladyfinger banana, ginger and others. This farm has five different types of bananas.

Then, we had a facepaint party with a natural dye from seeds. I painted OU on the tour guides’ faces! Boomer Sooner from the Amazon!

We had pork chops and rice, cream of leek soup, steamed vegetables and banana cake for dinner last night.

Then, we discussed the ways it means to be “indigenous” and its importance in society, particularly in Peru. We had class in the upper-level of our lodge in the Amazon until we were distracted by a giant preying mantis, the size of my Hello Kitty iPhone–it was so cute…we played with it and it crawled on my head!

One person got sick and another was stung by a wasp…we’ve only been here 24 hours!

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