Today started with me only waking up when we were already headed down the river some way! I know I got up, had breakfast, chatted with others and boarded the canoe... but I only really woke up on the river somewhere, to another lovely day. We headed just a little way down before seeing a clay lick filled with green parrots feasting away noisily. We hung out in silence, bobbing on the river just watching as more and more of these parrots arrived to get their go at the clay lick. They apparently need something that is in that clay for their diet and there are a good few spots like this around. There are three in this area that are easily accessible and apparently there is also a place the hummingbirds go to for this - now that should be something to see too.
After a while of watching these birds, they all suddenly, as one, squawked loudly and flew off, screaming loudly from the trees. Once they are in the trees, there is no way you can see them but they definitely made themselves heard... They were not going to come back again so we headed off to the official clay lick that we could sit in a hide and watch the parrots from a good deal closer. We walked up that walkway in silence but not hearing anything at all - no birds. So after about 15 minutes we left there as we were told that there had recently been anacondas there and the birds were probably not ready to come back yet. There is a place that they, the parrots, go to to drink water and we headed that way. Success..... there they were - in screaming glory. Hundreds and hundreds of them hopping around tree trunks, flying in and out of the small cave where there was water lying and generally creating a beautiful display. The tips of their winds are blue and sometimes there was a splash of orange too. We did not have strong binoculars at all, but looked through a telescope of one of the guides. What beautiful birds those are!
After a a good long while of watching this display, these birds also all flew off screaming into the trees and it was time again for us to head back home again for lunch, a rest and then off to see the alligators and many more birds.
Frank and I are not really into birds and especially when all we see is a black dot either flying way high in the sky, or perched obscurely on a branch in a nightmare tangle of camoflague green leaves. Occasionally a bird was close enough for us to see and enjoy, but mostly we just enjoyed the quiet as all the birdwatches had their binoculars glued to their eyes as they either hunted that bird that was definitely somewhere 'up that tall tree to the left', or gazed at it trying to decide what it was. Some of the birds were really lovely and many of them were really glad to see them. We just enjoyed being out on the water, bobbing gently and looking at the stunning scenery.
After our last lunch on board the Manatee, we all boarded the canoe again for the short ride to the main shoreline where we were going to be picked up and taken by road to Lemon Lake - its called that because of its color although it did not look green to us in the light at that time of day. This lake is not accessible by boat as the river leading to it is way to small and narrow for the canoe so we had to rely on the locals to get us to the lake and also to use their canoe for the exploration of the lake.
When we first got to the shoreline, there was no transport so we waited for a while, and soon after two pickup trucks/bakkies and a car pitched up. Frank and I quickly jumped into the back of one of them, sitting on the wheel wells and looking forward to this ride! Others piled inside the car and the pickups and off we all headed in loose convoy to the lake. The drive was only about 15 minutes but it was simply lovely! The bakkie bounced crazily as the driver screamed down the road, taking for granted that we would hold on tight. There was a short way of paved road, but most was a dirt road filled with potholes. The dust flew and it was not long before the other bakkie passed us by, giving us a dirt bath for the rest of the way.
The canoe was tiny by comparison and we all realised that we have been very spoiled with our canoe and its relatively comfortable seats all week long. These seats were small and the cushions not really filled with much padding at all. We were all a bit skittish about the ease that the canoe seemed to dip to one side and the other and there were many sharp gasps as we all leaned in the opposite direction to correct the balance. At least we all worked well as a team, even though it was not really necessary.
We saw many birds and some monkeys and mostly just hung out near the shoreline looking at birds and waiting for the sunset to arrive...... And as it got darker, we could see the glow worms everywhere, lighting up the waters along the shoreline and teh fireflies dancing in the darkness. And then the guides found some Cayman eyes! We all sat very quietly watching those eyes watch us in the ever deepening darkness. The moon was bright and full and those cayman just hung there as still as can be, and then just slid quietly without even a ripple, back under the water. The one that we watched for the longest was about 9 foot long, according to the Raol, the guide in front of the canoe. It was really interesting to see that eye just watching us and I wondered what would happen if we all tipped into that water right then! I bet we would all have made enough noise to scare them away for a long long time!
After enjoying the fairylike lights from the lightening bugs and fireflies, it was once again time to gead back to the Manatee........and we zipped across that lake in the darkness and quiet just knowing that there were a good many eyes watching and ears listening.
Back into the bakkies we climbed with huge smiles and headed back along the road to the canoe. About half way there I realised that the guides were all still waiting for their ride, and only us tourists were in these bakkies bouncing crazily along a road that was no long visible in the night and not being able to speak the language..... It was quite a thought, even though none of us were at all worried in any way whatsoever, it made me even more determined to learn Spanish when we get home again......besides, it was just plain fun.. The ride to the Manatee was also in total darkness - it was a perfect ending to the day. I must say that the best part of the day for me was those rides in the back of the bakkies.. that crazy bouning along the roads, the dust, the smells and .......well, it was all so raw and basic and just wonderful.
We had a late dinner on board - our last, settled the onboard bills and were then presented with a lovely slideshow of pictures taken by the guides during our week with them.. it was simply wonderful! We laughed at each other, remembered so many good times and started the slide towards the inevitable goodbyes. But it was late and we had a 5am wake up call in the morning in order to make the 2 hour canoe ride back to Coca and our flights back to Quito.
We slept like logs, all woke up on time, had a quick breakfast, took more photos and started the ride away from a totally wonderful week.
The people we met were just great. I particularly got on well with a lovely lady by the name of Ann and we shared many laughs. She and her honey of a husband, Keith, got some sad news about her brother while on river, but kept on going as there really was no alternative. We shared many laughs along the way and my memories of the river cruise will always be tightly woven with her. Thanks Ann! All the others were just wonderful too and we all got on very easily without any problems at all even though we were not a part of their bird watching tour.
The crew was totally amazing..... the cook did a stupendous job as did those that brought us those fabulous cooked meals at night and made sure there was enough beer and wine to go around.... Jose, your singing in the bar at night when you thought no one could hear, was lovely - yes, we could hear you from our cabin and it always made us smile. The captain was friendly and very capable and always had a smile for us all.
The guides, Raol, Ernesto, Marco and Ian were incredible. They shared so much knowledge along the way that it was impossible to retain it all. They showed a total love for the area and the wildlife as well as a genuine concern for the people who live along the rivers and a want to better the lives of the children particularly.. Each of them kept us going with laughter and fun, information and help along the slippery paths when we walked. A huge thank you to all of you - you made this a really tremendous week for us - one that touched me deeply in many ways and that I will never forget. Muchos, muchos Gracias!
And so we found ourselves at Coca airport after making sure that it was not a picture of The Chippendales on the side of the Airplane Resturant on the banks of the river..... I really should look closely at the photos as when some looked through the binoculars at that picture, there were a good few "oh my!"s :) We boarded the plane for the short ride back to Quito - its only about 25 minutes as we hopped over the Andes Mountains again. Those mountains are just beautiful and some of the volcano's have snow on the tops still - just lovely. After landing and getting our baggage, the final goodbyes were said and we headed off on our own again. They will stay in a group together in a different hotel and leave Quito on Monday for home again. We might bump into them on Sunday at MIndo Cloud Forest, but our goodbyes are done, email addresses exchanged and each one of them, their smiles and laughter and sparkle in their eyes will be a part of me from now on.
We are back in Quito again now, in the same hotel room as before. We had left some of our luggage here and now need to sort it all out again for the Galapagos leg. But first we have two days here - Saturday we will spend at the Otavalo Market outside of Quito and Sunday at Mindo and then off to Galapagos very early on Monday morning - the flight is at 5.45am - go ahead, laugh at me Lisa! I wish this on you one day - on you all!
I will try to get some more photos up tomorrow evening again as well as an email about this weekend. I dont believe that we will have any internet while on the ship at Galapagos, so all will probably be quiet from us until we get to Lima, Peru around the 13th October.
This has been a truely incredible week that will live with me for a long time. When we are home again, I will be able to sift properly through the photos and memories and relive it all - after a few days of lots of sleep and rest. We had some concerns about travelling in an organised fashion like this as we had always gone where and when we wanted to - but this has been so easy and so good....
So, with a huge smile and a million memories, we say goodbye to the jungle - for now. I miss it already.
love and light
Annie
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