Page 50 - Sandy Jackman Pantai Hotel

A PERUVIAN AMAZON ADVENTURE

By Gerald M. Neff

By far the largest in water volume and the longest river in the world, the personalities that always seem to congregate in this historic monument.
Amazon is the world class Queen of fluvial waters: Named after the savage They have air-conditioning and can be found in the main square and along
arrow shooting female warriors, this majestic river snakes two thousand the main thoroughfare of El Prospero Street.
miles inland through Brazil and to the north-east frontier of Peru. The Ama-
You can also choose the modern cruise boats. The host takes you from
the airport in an air conditioned bus directly to the air conditioned ambi-
ance of the luxury cruisers with such names as The Delfin I, Delfin II, La
Amatista or other high end cruise boats: Complete with fifteen to twenty air
conditioned cabins and classy bar. This includes a tour of four days and five
nights for families and assorted tour groups to visit the attractions.

For those vacationing alone or with family in Iquitos and staying in one of
the various hotels, a visit to the river wharf will tell you what trips and tours
are available on a local basis to go up river to Nauta or down river to Peevas
or Tabatinga. A number of fifteen to twenty passengers size boats with quiet
out boards - so as not to frighten away the fauna – are reasonable priced
and negotiable for the day tours.
However, my favorite trips are on the beautiful three tiered Mississippi style
river boats of approximately eighty to a hundred and twenty feet long. Com-
plete with saloon, bar, dining room, beds and at times a hammock. And with
a wonderful variety of local and international personalities you are never
bored. On this trip you see the same sights as the more expensive luxurious
cruises, and it is just as exciting. These tours are negotiable at the hotels or
with the boat captain.

The area has a number of tree top canopy tours for the Eco-enthusiasts and
are located several hours by boat up or down river. Usually advanced reser-
vations are required for groups of fifteen to thirty persons in a planned site
with screened in breeze cooled cabins or air conditioning. A swimming pool
50 is (normally) provided.
The big attraction is
the high bridges in the
zon River is so wide here, at the port of Iquitos, that you can barely canopies of tall trees
see the other side. It is navigable by ocean going vessels to Iquitos, to observe the flora
carrying raw petroleum for the Peruvian refinery. These ships must and fauna in the early
turn around here and pick up international cargo as they return down morning and evenings.
river to the Atlantic Ocean. This is interlaced with
tours into the jungle
Within this river (and hundreds of feeder streams) are literally tens and exploration by boat
of thousands of animals and birds not found anywhere else in the or canoe.
world. The pink and gray porpoise or dolphin can be seen jumping
in and out of the waters and even following the boats. The Amazon
Basin was once an inland ocean and is teeming with all sorts of wild An endless combination
creatures, exotic fish and flora. The piranhas are found in the side of tours and transporta-
streams and must be respected, but are easily caught with any bait. tion with promised ports
Careful now! You could lose your favorite fingers; two people are of call, animals and
needed to unhook these nasty needle toothed critters. This means, aquatic life, complete
one to tightly hold the slippery fish and the other to remove the hook. with exotic plants
They are delicious but too many bones for my taste. and birds are yours
for the choosing. It is
With almost two thousand varieties of birds available in Peru, the the opportunity of a
majority are found in the Peruvian Amazon Basin which includes the lifetime. Tourism in the
adjoining Pacaya-Shamira National Reserve that has an unbelievable Peruvian Amazon is a
number of herons, finches, toucans, red and blue macaws, eagles, year-round activity with
and kites. There are also tree sloths, dozens of types of monkeys, the monsoons from
snakes and, if you are lucky, some evening or early morning you December through May
might see a tapir or otorongo (that is a jungle and high waters abating
Leopard of 180 to 250 pounds) rambling around. by August: Any time is
favorable for the river
tours., Remember, it
The city of Iquitos is quite clean, washed daily by rain; its unique rarely rains all day long,
architecture resembles the antique New Orleans style. You can find so there is always time
the original cast iron Round House built by Gustav Eiffel which was shipped to see the sights and enjoy all that the local area has to offer. In fact I have
up river during the glory days of the rubber boom. The Round House's been enjoying this for many years, so it is your turn to go south to make
present proprietor is a British ex-patriot who calls himself the extra official some fine memories and enjoy yourself.
British Consul of the Amazon. This interesting pub and restaurant is a must
see watering hole to eat and have a drink with a variety of foreign and local Buen Viaje !!! Bon Voyage!!!