A voyage to the Amazon, part two.
In the morning Rodrigo and Dario took us on a short hike from La Selva to a tall tower constructed beside a huge tree. We climbed up into the tree’s crown where we were awarded with an incredible view of the jungle canopy.
Rodrigo set up a telescope and he and Dario proceeded to spot birds as they alighted on various trees, some hundreds of meters away. We were impressed with the number of birds upon which they were able to train the telescope, and the speed with which they found new species throughout the morning.
Now and again monkeys appeared in the trees, and we all excitedly watched as they picked fruit and made their way through the jungle canopy. Mothers carried babies on their back, and we found ourselves focusing our attention on them, much to Rodrigo's chagrin as he tried to call our attention to rare birds he and Dario had sighted.
As the day started to warm, activity slowed, and after a few hours in the canopy, it was time to pack the telescope away and descend.
I took the lead, knowing that I'd want to pause often to take photos of the jungle at various heights. On the way up I had concentrated on putting one foot in front of another.
The jungle didn't disappoint, as each new turn in the stairs offered another view of the jungle. I took my time, trying to take in all the splendor.
Back on the ground, we walked through the brush, Rodrigo and Dario pointing out various flora and fauna as we came across it.
At one point, Dario paused, and then leapt at a pile of leaves. Cupped in his hand was a poisonous dart frog, which he held for a moment before it leapt away. Later we'd see another calmly perched on a log.
At one point, it seemed that everywhere we looked we could see millipedes making their way unhurriedly amongst the underbrush.
Sometimes it's hard to grasp how small you are in the world, and how lost you can get in the jungle. Rodrigo told me a story about how he was once lost as a child. He went off to hunt an animal with his blowgun and wandered off the trail. He figured he'd find his way back easily, but it was close to sunset and suddenly he was lost.
He walked for hours without finding his way and then decided to sleep in the jungle. In the morning, he saw that he was but 200 meters from the path.
In the early afternoon I took a kayak and went out on the lagoon, following the paths shown by Rodrigo and Dario. It was hot—the sun was out and there was no shade—but it felt great to be out on the water, getting some exercise.
The animals I saw the most of were turtles, sunning themselves on logs sticking out of the water, their backs sandy with dried mud.
In the late afternoon Rodrigo and Dario took us on a canoe ride around the lagoon to search for wildlife, and otherwise enjoy the sense of place.
The night before, we took another ride. After the sun set, Dario beached the canoe and we went on a short hike in the dark. Bats buzzed our heads as we walked through the brush. Rodrigo stopped us now and then to point out a spider or an insect.
At one point, he had us put out our lamps. We stood in the dark, eyes unadjusted, listening to the jungle around us. 🇪🇨