Amazon Basin and Rainforest

We had an incredible three days at the Reserva Amazonica located on the Madre Dios River and in the Tambopata National Park. The Reserve was an extraordinary setting with cabanas made from natural materials from the rainforest, each with wonderful hammocks and beds with mosquito netting. We took five excursions that included a two hour walk through the rainforest that surrounded the reserve. We saw all kinds of flora and fauna and numerous plants of medicinal benefit, including the Viagra Plant!!! Later that evening we could hear the sounds of chain saws in the rainforest!!!! The first morning we were up at 5am and off to Lake Sandoval for a five hour excursion where we saw a Three Toad Sloth, Mealy Parrots, Stink Birds, Scarlet Macaws, and so many more birds that one can´t remember without the list in front of us. We also saw and heard from a distance the Giant Otters but they decided to hide after we rowed across the entire lake to take their lousy picture! We had a afternoon excursion to Monkey Island but since it had just rained, the monkeys were no where to be found, however that evening on our night walk through the rainforest, we spotted numerous night monkeys. What great fun to hear them swinging in the trees and causing nuts and branches to fall. We also saw taranchalas and on our evening river cruise we saw Capybaras which are the worlds largest rodents weighing it at over 120 pounds! It was a thrill to spot several Caymans - spotting those two eyes with a flash light was quite a sight! One of the real thrills on our night river cruise was seeing the Southern Cross and Scorpio (since we have two in our family)! The stars were as numerous and bright as we have ever seen them. Yesterday morning was the highlight as we climbed the equivalent of ten stories to experience the canopy walk on the swinging bridges above the tree tops. We spottted lots of birds and the view of the rainforst from on high was incomparable. We will try posting pictures this afternoon after more meandering through Cusco and before we catch our flight to Santiago. Peru has been awesome with so much variety - the bustle of Lima, the incomparable beauty of Cusco, the mystic awe inspiring wonder of Machu Picchu, and the ecological magnificence of the Amazon basin and rainforest. The absolute highlight of Peru was climbing to the TOP of Waynupicchu, the highest mountain that forms the backdrop for the sacred ruins. It was certainly one of the greatest experiences of our lives - and to have done it together is a memory that will be with us forever! It´s off to Chile and Patagonia. Stay tuned.