In The Canopy

A view from the top

Today we had a wonderful rest day with a special jungle canopy excursion. Rick, Sammie, Kate, Leslie and three of our Lion’s Club hosts traveled by boat for 45 minutes to reach a trail into the jungle. There we walked to a 40 meter high tower from which 6 hanging bridges took us through the canopy. It was magical, and even the light looked green by the time it reached us on the jungle floor. Those sounds we associate with movies set in the jungle? They are real, we heard them.

Our guide, Geraldine, answered all our questions and more. We saw a hummingbird (solid black!), other birds for which we have no names, termite nests high on the trees, lizards and an armadillo hole. Also “garlic” trees whose woods juices are used to repel mosquitoes and bad spirits. It was all fascinating and definitely felt as if we were in a different world. At the end of the excursion we went to the boat for a relaxing ride back to Puerto Maldonado.

Leslie, Kate, Tamara and Sammie just off the boat

Later this evening we shared a bottle of wine on the porch and enjoyed the beautiful sunset before heading out for our final dinner in Puerto Maldonado. This morning we parted ways with Kim, Rachael, Laura and Mary Jo who flew to Lima and on home tonight. Tomorrow the rest of us leave on three different flights – Kate and the students to fly on home. Sammie, Rick and I will remain one more night in Lima to visit friends and participate in meetings on Monday, prior to our flights home on Monday night.