Sunday, November 28, 2010

The Mysteries of the Amazon and the Nazca Lines

This is a demonstration of blow guns by Yagua Indians in the Peruvian Amazon down river from Iquitos. We hiked through this jungle to visit this village. These native Americans spoke their own language rather than Spanish. They would put some poison from a poison dart frog on the tip of a dart, then they can blow a dart to hit and paralyze a monkey to fall from a tree. Fortunately, with us they only demonstrated target practice.
A tapir came walking through our lodge. It looks like he wants to eat one of the huts.
This is a capybara, South America's largest rodent. He was not shy. He walked through the lodge where we ate lunch.
The Nazca Lines along the Pacific Coast of Peru, 4 hours sough of Lima, are amazing. They are giant figures, some of animal motifs and some geometric, made by uncovering the desert rocks to expose different colored stone. They were made between 400 and 650 A.D. This photo shows a hummingbird.
This is a spider in the Nazca Lines. There are about 70 of these figures. Some are 200 meters across in size. Some are lines that continue for miles. The only way to appreciate these figures is to fly over them in an airplane. They are barely visible on the ground, and certainly the shapes and patterns cannot be appreciated except from the air. This leaves most people to beleive that they were made for viewing by the gods of the Nazca culture.
This is our lunch break at a lodge in the jungle. Yes, it was hot and humid. My husband, Dave is on the left, and our good friend from Scottsdale, Tim, is on the right. He is an architect and artist, and we have a collection of his pen and ink sketches in our house. His work can be seen on the Leaf Dog Art website.
This photo shows the little motorcycle rickshaw vehicle that we used to portage across a narrow peninsula to catch a boat on the other side to continue boat journey into the Amazon. The Amazon around Iquitos, Peru has lots of fingers and tributaries. Traveling in the area involves a combination of boat trips on the river, portages across fingers of land, and hiking into the jungle.

13 comments:

Traveling Hawk said...

It seems to me it was a very interesting trip. Nice remembrance photos.

Unknown said...

I spent some of the most fantastic days of my life at the restricted Manu Biosphere Reserve in the southern Peruvian Amazon. I will never forget those adventures! But I didn't manage to spot a tapir, only the footprints... :-)

brattcat said...

It's very clear from the images and from your faces how much you enjoyed this journey.

Expats Again said...

An amazing trip. We have traveled all over the world, but have somehow skipped over much of S. America. This is a trip I know my husband and i would enjoy. Your photos are remarkable. I have a 7 year old grandson who just discovered capybaras and would like his parents to get him one for a pet. Judging from the size of the one in your photo, he is going to be sadly disappointed when his parents don't comply.

glenda said...

What an interesting place. The Nazca Lines are so mysterious. Strange little animals.

RIZALENIO said...

These are fantastic photos. Wow! Finding your site is like discovering treasures. Love reading your stories and looking at your photographs.

Judy said...

It's like a little vacation every time I visit this blog! Fantastic!

Margaret said...

I love South America. What a special opportunity seeing both the tapir and the capybara up close!
Margaret

Cezar and Léia said...

Amazing pictures dear Julie,
Glad that you enjoy a lot this adventure!
** thanks for the tapir picture, this little critter reminds my Brazil, I'm a kind of homesick now! :)
purrs and love
Luna - WE LOVE LUNA ( and mommy Léia )

Crazy Tourists said...

It must have been a great trip!

Anonymous said...

interesting,bravo

SKIZO said...

Excellente
Work
Tank you for sharing

tapirgal said...

I am sure the tapir would prefer your meal to the dry thatch. Pffft! Bananas??? I'm glad I found your blog. I will enjoy further viewing :-)

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