AMACAYUCA NATIONAL PARK & LETICIA - Colombia, 18th & 19th August (Contd.)

18th August (contd) - We got our designated bed and hammock area at 4.00pm. The park guys were feeling bad for Rossini so they made him a bed on the floor as well just incase he got uncomfortable in the hammock. By then we had had the 'communal' lunch, been for a walk till as far as we were allowed to go on our own and settled in pretty well. The place was very beautiful ; a special feeling being in the jungle, so near the river, in the wilderness. Just wished that the 50 odd people from Bogota had chosen some other day to be there as well.

The sun was soon to set and the entire place was buzzing with jungle noises - birds and monkeys and don't know what else. It got dark real quick and the lights would be turned on only at 7.00 when dinner would be served. This was done intentionally to not interfere with the natural jungle activities, especially at dusk. The lights would be on till 9.30 and it would be dark again.

We had planned for the three of us to go for an early next morning 5.30 am walk through the jungle with a local guide. The Park organised various jungle activities including, canoeing down river at night, night walks, bird watching, sleeping on platforms up in the trees, tree climbs, etc. all with the help of local Indian guides. The good bit was that the money all went to the guides and the Indian Community.




It was special in the park with the limited lighting only around the rooms and the dining. At dinner we met Nelson who was originally from Bogota but had lived in Leticia for a long time that he could not think of going back. He lived in the same commune as Oscar who we had met the day earlier. Like Oscar, Nelson was very knowledgeable and world aware. He was spending time at the park completing a project. After dinner he brought us bowls of a nutty brown paste that only some of the staff were eating. It was Asai, made from the nut of the Asai Palm. Very nutritious. Surprisingly Letay loved the unique taste and ate one bowl all by herself.

Everyone hung around the central area until it was "lights out". A small group went off with a guide on a night canoeing trip, all with head lamps on. We went off to sleep. Rossini had a great sleep in the hammock - taking Oscar's advice to sleep slightly diagonal to the length of the hammock.

19th August - Up at 5:00am. Could not get Letay out of bed, especially as it was dark outside and a light rain was falling. Rossini had to go alone with the guide. He was a small man called Edison - but his Indian name was Pu-U. He was from the local Tikuna Community. He was amazing - the walk took over two hours through dense jungle, with Pu-U stopping at various plants and trees to explain what they were and what they were good for, what was poisonous, what cured what. He spotted birds and insects out of the corner of his eye, whilst still moving quite quickly.

In a way it was good that Letay had not come, with the rain the ground was extremely mucky, she would not have had an enjoyable time. It was strange being out in this Jungle with this small man, who was so comfortable there and in whom one had total confidence. At one point when the rain came down in an even more deafening roar, Pu-U straightened himself, and almost reversed into some tree roots, getting exposing the least of himself to the rain. We came across quite a few large Ceiba Trees, probably the tallest in this part of the Jungle. Their tops were not visible, but just dissapeared into the the dense green canopy above. Their gigantic size was certainly evident from the size and spread of the roots. Pu-U stopped suddenly on occasion and went into very long animated stories, told in his own style. One of them was about the spirit that lived in the Ceiba Tree.

Of all the amazing things of Pu-U, what I found most amazing was when he stopped in the middle of nowhere in this dense jungle that looked like any other part of the jungle and said that this was the cross-roads, going straight would go to his village, turning left would go to the Santa Marta Community and the opposite would take you to a third community, the Macagua - which he mentioned was "not far, only 3 hours walking".

Got back to breakfast drenched and muddy but feeling exhilirated from the walk. Nelson had arranged for more Asai for us. After breakfast, the large group from Bogota left and the park was back to its usual 15 - 20 people. It seemed so much better. Talked to a French family Alain & Elizabeth, with their sons Pierre (16) and Mark (14). They too were completely facinated by Colombia. Elizabeth made Cognac in France. La Grange du Bois was the name of the Cognac and she had some time off as it was presently harvest time in France. Mark (14) was very facinating with his interest in people, cultures and his ability to make such interesting conversation with us - especially on the boat back to Leticia. They promised to keep in touch.

Said good bye to all the staff at the Park. Everyone was quite intimate by the end. Leo wants to come to see us in Australia before his birthday in Feb 2007. He spent a year in Germany as an exchange student when he was in school. Caught the 11am boat back to Leticia with the French family.

Got back to Leticia at 1pm. Walked back to the hotel and then had a brilliant lunch at a place next door called Tierres Amazonas. The restaurant has the early makings of a bizarre restaurant, with a very exotic touch - something like the Andreas Carne De Res in Bogota. Some tables even had bowls of live Mojo-joy, a grub something like the witchety grubs in Australia. Local Indians eat these raw or fried. The food was very good.

Rossini then went to the Airport taking a motorcyle taxi - we needed to get our "Exit" stamped into our passports as we were off to Peru very early the next morning (4am) by boat, along the Amazon. At the Airport Rossini again got a taste of the Colombian common sense & courtesy. We did not think that all three of us were supposed to be there at the airport. With the airport immigration office closing in half an hour, us leaving very early the next morning, and the immigration officer realising that Deepa and Letay were back in the hotel, he saw no reason to drag them out in a rush. He arranged to stamp all three passports. On a funny note - of the two screens infront of the Immigration Officer, Rossini noticed that whilst one brought up all the passport details, the other was showing the Simpsons in spanish.

Met Diana Rosas that evening just for some Juice (Copoazu fruit juice is brilliant !!!). Got a few details about her Master's Thesis which she is trying to complete by December. For those interested - Diana is studying the Indian Communities on the Miriti-Parana River, in the north of the Colombian Amazon. The four ethnic groups she is working with are the Yucuna, Matapi, Tanimuka and the Letuama. The subject of her thesis is the relationship between their world and her world, especially the elements of money and commodities. Diana says she is now back in Leticia "weaving" her thesis on paper (for those who would like to know more, her email address is: artemiza22@yahoo.com ).

We said our goodbyes - feel we have known Diana for a long time. We did not bother with dinner as we were all tired and had to wake up at 3.00am.

Tomorrow we leave Colombia....certainly with a lot of apprehension that the other countries will not match up to Colombia. Colombia has been so kind, enriching, warm, classy, cool.............. We would certainly like to come back again someday and include the western parts of Medellin, Cali & Popayan.