Going up the Teleférico, from 8,300 feet to 12,300 feet. And up and up.....
Finally! Then we had to climb the rest of the way. But gorgeous views!! I think Juan Carlos should be my official photographer.
Then off to the rainforest! That began with a series of buses like this one - can´t wait for the post on transportation, it´s so fascinating! - and an overnight in a rainforest town called Tena.
And after the bus, a scramble down the hill to the river and the canoe.
First stop at the lodge, the butterfly house. They do breed butterflies here, including the amazingly beautiful blue morpho, which we never did capture by camera.
This is a typical path at the lodge, including tropical forest flowers.
Our lodging area. And our classroom / dining room.
The view during meals and class. And yes, always watch out for the webs and spiders!
My room. It also had a patio with a hammock.
And for entertainment we had Yolanda, who was a bit of a crazy parrot. She liked to pull the tablecloth off the table and attack our feet. Yes, sunsets were beautiful.
Going birding! And the only good shot I have until I get Hannele´s photos, but this is one of the many toucans we saw. I have names, and will get that sorted for the birding post later. Incredible!!
One of many many many bugs. This one was really pretty. And in my hat and boots during a hike. Classy huh?
The forest canopy is just amazing! Juan showing us the fruit of a cork tree, but not a cork tree like wine-bottle-cork....
Juan found a poison dart frog for us too. Yes, paper ant hive. Very cool.
The lodge then prepared a special traditional lunch for us - many of the staff are Quichua from the rainforest. And they let us help cook too!
Very similar to lau lau I´ve had and made in Hawai´i, these meitos had tilapia inside. I had fun making it. Below, Juan tells us about the cooking while chef works. Chef was very very good - we ate really well all week.
I was ¨volunteered¨ to open the last packet, and knew what was coming. Yes, the gusanitas, or grubs. Yes, I had to eat these.
Next day´s hike, and more birding....
Achiote, a plant used to dye skin and ceramics. Below, one of the many beautiful heliaconas.
The foundation also runs a technical high school for area indigenous students where they learn about sustainable development, agriculture, aquaculture, etc. It´s a boarding school, and here are the dorms. Below, one last shot of the beauty that surrounded us every day.
Then back in the canoa to the bus to Tena. Overnight there, then I caught a very early bus to Puyo to meet my friends at their workshop.
The reception area of the lodge where the workshop was held. Below, the bridge over the river to town. These bridges were all over, always metal, and always moving when you walked on them.
COICA´s banners at the marketplace. My new friend Liz at her booth with goods made by the indigenous women of Surinam.
Back to class in the morning. More pix when I return!!
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