7/14 - Friday
      Departed the Colon Hilton Hotel at 9:15am for the airport and the short 35 minute flight on TAME Airlines to Lago Agrio, where, upon landing and hanging out for an hour, we finally boarded a bus for the 90 minute ride to the dock on the Aguarico River that had our "speed boats" waiting. Had to laugh at the Ecuadorian version of "speed boats", sort of a large, flatbed boat with plastic curtains to protect us from the wind and water. John Goddard was my boat partner for the noisy, 2-1/2 hour, 80 mile trip to our Flotel Orellana , a 48 passenger vessel which was to be home for the next 3 nights. All cabins faced out. Bunk beds, tiny dresser and even tinier bathroom were the quaint, but adequate accommodations.

      After a briefing about the layout of the boat and how to get our rain ponchos and rubber boots, we were treated to a special surprise. A village down the river a bit, made up of the Quitochua Tribe, was going to put on a pseudo wedding for us, with all of their traditional customs and attire. The whole event took about an hour (the real thing takes eight days) and no photos were allowed in the very dark house, one big room with benches along the wall and a hard dirt floor.

      Prior to it starting, a young man explained about the medicinal plants they had planted outside and a reminder that many of the things we would be seeing do not exist anywhere else in the world.
      The ceremony started with the parents of the bride coming in and sitting down, followed by the groom's parents, who had to ask for permission for their son to marry their daughter. Then the bride and groom came in with some attendants, and each spoke with the parents in turn. Likely an acknowledgement of their love and devotion to each other and promises to take care of each other. A flute then began playing to signal the start of the wedding. The simple ceremony was followed by music from the flute and additional drums were brought in and then there was much dancing within the wedding party.
      We were then invited to partake in a wedding toast made up of fermented yucca leaves, sort of a white pasty concoction. Jane and I went up, as did about 8-10 others from around the room. Odd tasting, but OK. However, rather than one simple toast/tasting, it turns out all 8 of the wedding participants did a special dance before each of us, involving us taking 8 individual spoonfuls of the mixture. All this was followed by more dancing. Each bite got harder to swallow and by the time they were done, I had a bit of a buzz.

      We returned to our Flotel for dinner, totally delicious. The first course was a soup made up of some sort of cheese, potato and some kind of leafy vegetable. The entre was rice, small pieces of beef, a beet and onion mixture and some cooked broccoli and red pepper. Dessert was hot bananas with something very sweet poured over them.

      Turns out Jim will catch up with us tomorrow afternoon. He will miss the first day in the jungle, but at least I signed him up for spending the night out there so he would have something special to look forward to. I hope he's thrilled with this idea. We then had a briefing to go over the details for the next day and then went to bed for a fitful night's sleep.

      We will not actually ever be on the Amazon River, we are in it's basin and on tributaries that feed into it. The start of the Amazon is about 350 miles away. There are hundreds of species of plants and animals in this very remote region. In fact, the 6000 acres we are on "The Cuyabena Wildlife Reserve" is one of the most concentrated areas in all the Amazon for varieties of plant and animal life. There are four naturalists as guides on board ship,1/2 for the Spanish speaking group and 1/2 for the English. Our group will have 11 when Jim arrives. There are about another 10 English speaking folks. The guides are Christina, Raul, Robbie and Isabella. Oswaldo and Louis are the 2 main ship directors. The Captain had the title "Purser"and his name is +++++++. There is a doctor on call 24 hours a day, the bartender and wait crew.

7/15 - Saturday
      Woke up at 6:00 am to soft, lovely music being piped into the cabin, a very nice touch. Had to be up and ready for breakfast at 6:30am. Breakfast consisted of fried eggs, croissants, some sort of other roll made from the same yucca leaves as the fermented toast at the wedding, fresh fruit, cheeses, juice and coffee.

      Meal companions have been Jane, Phyllis, Claude, Charles, and yesterday, John joined us. Much fun was made at my attempt to eat the passion fruit, a mucousy looking concoction with seeds.

      After breakfast we all boarded a smaller boat for a trip down the river, spending hours looking for birds and other wildlife. This is what I remember seeing: Toucans, Macaws, red howler monkeys, Kingfishers, a tiny pocket monkey, the smallest known species in the world, a tree bark loaded with bats, a 3-toed sloth, vultures, a white breasted falcon and a number of other birds. Part of the trip was by catamaran, definitely not the California version. This was a modest, dug out something or other with slats of wood attached for seats. Sits very low in the water.

      About 4-1/2 hours later we arrived back at the camp where we had a great lunch, consisting of shish-kabobs (sausage, beef, pork and chicken), roasted baby potatoes, huge kernel maize on the cob, macaroni salad and watermelon. Delightful.
      Several of the Quitochua Tribe rowed our catamaran and also sold necklaces and bracelets they had made. We then had time for about an hour siesta and I grabbed one of the two hammocks.

      Prior to arriving for lunch, Jane and a few others from the other group, swam in the black river, probably 150 yards or so to the shore. I had not packed my swimsuit for this portion of the trip, but even if I had, doubted I would jump into these unknown waters with piranha nearby. I did admire their spunk, however.

      Another fun thing that occurred a bit earlier was Christine eating a Royal Palm Nut grub worm! She was a riot, rolling it around on her tongue, biting it in half, chewing it and then opening her mouth to show us all the white goop floating around inside! What a trooper!

      After the siesta was our 2-1/2 hour jungle hike. It was only about 1-1/2 miles, but felt much longer. Heavy jungle. We wore the rubber boots supplied by the Flotel and had to carry the heavy ponchos. Although this was very dense jungle, we didn't actually see a lot of wildlife or bug life. Could hear it all around us, just couldnít see it. Did see a couple of millipedes, army ants, termites, leaf cutter ants, a boa (quite a distance away in a tree), and one of the Quitochua (Mesias), lectured us about a number of the plants. He also made a backpack fashioned from palm fronds, quite amazing.

      When we finally got back to the Flotel around 5:30pm, there was Jim, waving and smiling. He had quite the adventure catching up to us. So glad he had arrived. Had a few drinks at the bar and watched a number of the photos Charles had taken with his digital camera. Great pictures, lots of close-ups. Had another briefing about our day tomorrow and then went down for dinner. Dinner tonight consisted of chicken, potato, pickled radish, some sort of great soup (looked like puffed rice in a Chinese broth), and baby brussel sprouts in a cream sauce. Dessert was pineapple meringue pie- quite a feat for the middle of nowhere!

      After dinner we headed out again for our night cruise. The idea was that the bright spotlight Robbie flashed would spot the nocturnal animals. The only thing spotted was a Kookooroo (?), which I never did see. After about 1/2 hour we turned off the search light and sat quietly just listening to the sounds of the jungle. Then we returned to the Flotel. Jim stayed on board the little boat to be taken to his final destination, the jungle camp out. Steve and Rich from our group backed out, so Jim was on his own with a few others from the other groups. So glad he's here, can't think of anyone I'd like to share this adventure with more.

7/16 - Sunday
6:00am wakeup. 6:30am breakfast, consisting of cereal with fresh bananas, fruit, scrambled eggs with peppers, fruit juice and coffee.
      Then we headed out in the canoe for a short trip down the river to the village of the Cofan Tribe. Girls dressed up with makeup, lipstick and pretty dresses, greeted us with babies in tow. The tribal chief had an enormous necklace around his neck, layers and layers of gold beads (like for Mardi Gras) and under it all was a huge wild pigs teeth necklace to show his status as both a hunter and leader. Another 2 men had feathers through their noses and they all had red paint on their faces. The chief's name was Basoli and he was our Cofan guide for the next few hours. Our personal guide, Robbie, did all the translations again.
      Highlights: huge 400 year old Kapok tree, said to hold the devil's spirit. Panthers and wild pigs and snakes hide in its many secret places. Medicinal plants, butterflies and lots of mosquitoes.

      Upon returning to their camp, we were escorted to an outdoor room with a fire pit area, where a woman made up something like a fried tortilla that we each tasted, very interesting flavor. Artifacts of sorts were all around us, blow guns, clothes made out of bark, animal skulls, turtle shells, armadillo shells, hammocks, bags, cooking utensils, etc. Jim and I and a few others took turns blowing the poison darts (gurori) across the room.

      After this exhibition we went to where they were selling their wares , mostly seed necklaces, bracelets, hair combs, blow guns, bags out of twine and see baskets. Of course, we all bought a ton of stuff to take home.

      Then it was noon and we needed to head back to the Flotel for lunch, great soup again: tomato based with onion, tubers and some veggies in it, beef cubes, potato, an avocado, tomato and onion salad, and for dessert, a pear in pear juice.

      Claude spotted several squirrel monkeys and Jim and I ran out to the deck with him to get a better look. They were difficult to spot, so it was quite a find. A short while later, Claude looks intensely outside again and starts moving to the deck. I grabbed Jim to follow him again, convinced he had spotted more monkeys or something else of interest. He just went over to the side of the deck and pretended to throw up, was catching us in a joke and it was quite funny.

      There was a long liana vine hanging over a convenient stump (arranged) and Marcia couldn't resist doing the Tarzan thing. Charles didn't have the camera set right and she had to repeat it times before he got the picture.

      It's been fun getting to know our group better, especially our dinner partners. Lunch was followed by a short siesta again.

      At 2:45pm the sound system came on to announce our afternoon jungle walk. This one was down river again, a short boat ride of about 10 minutes and the hike about another 1-1/2 miles taking about 90 minutes. Saw flowers, leaf-cutting ants again, but not much else. This hike was very buggy and we were all pretty pooped when it was over.

      Enjoyed the boat ride back to the Flotel, the sun actually came out for awhile, something that we hadn't seen much of since we arrived on the river. Saw some parrots and other birds, but not many. Just before we got to the Flotel, Robbie or Raul potted a fresh water pink dolphin. We got to see them several times come to the surface and then go back down. It was pretty exciting to get to have this opportunity.

      Dinner consisted of fish, pickled cabbage, potato, another great soup, and cake and fruit for dessert. Prior to that we sipped vodka tonics, were greeted with popped corn and great company.

Sounds and Smells of the Amazon:
    Early morning fog
    Waking up on the river
    Sounds at night: locust or crickets, birds, frogs
    Lots of spiders on the walkways of the Flotel in webs above our heads
    Huge spider webs in the jungle, big spiders
    Dampness
    Trees thick overhead, felt like dusk all the time on our walks
    Thought we would see many more bugs and birds and monkeys than we actually did
    Wonderful friendly crew
       Robbie was our naturalist, very knowledgeable and spoke excellent English
    Briefings each afternoon for the next day
    Tiny cabins, had to use their bug spray each night to spray the room while we were at dinner
    Fan in room, no air conditioning
    Flotel supplied the rubber boots which were a terrific asset in the jungle
    Fishing for piranhas
    The rope swing at the camp
    Dug out canoes and speedboats

7/17 - Monday
      4:30am wakeup call today, planned for a 5:30am departure for the speedboat ride back to the bus and then the bus ride back to the airport for our return to Quito.

      The weather had been foggy and overcast since we arrived in the Amazon, but yesterday afternoon the clouds parted and the sun started to sparkle. Once the early morning fog lifted, it was truly a beautiful day, lots of fluffy clouds and the green foliage just glimmered. Saw lots of birds on the boat ride, mostly orioles, macaws and parrots.

      Our group is becoming closer each day, more interaction and sharing. Getting to know the others better.

      Once in Quito we headed back to the Colon Hilton and checked in. Had lunch and then went shopping in the blocks around the hotel. Lots of great stuff. Will be returning Wednesday afternoon to purchase a few more items we had found, but didn't buy yet. Wanted to see what would be at the Otavalo Market first.

      Got back around 7pm in time to shower before meeting the group for a briefing at 7:30pm. John asked both Jim and I to share a little about ourselves , the idea being that each night we would learn more about each other. Jim recounted his trip on the square rigger through the Panama Canal last year and I recapped my life story, culminating with Blue Feather Managements and how we came to know John and be a part of this adventure.

      Hadn't eaten yet, so afterward, Jim and I joined John and Claude in the dining room. Fun, enjoyable conversation, and lots of laughs. John is full of surprises. So is Claude.

7/18 - Tuesday    If it's Tuesday, it must be Quito!
      Departed Quito at 9am for a 2-hour bus trip into some of the quaint little villages of Ecuador. Our first stop was in a lovely little town called Calderon, altitude 8600 ,where bread dough ornaments are handcrafted. There was a woman in the shop we visited who was busily assembling large bread dough figures into an intricate pattern of color and design. So many tiny pieces and colors go into one single piece. And the price? Only $2 for these large, colorful gifts. The tiny tree ornaments sold for 5 for $1. We gobbled up bags full to take home for souvenirs. After browsing through several more shops and buying more items, we headed out once again.

      The scenery on the drive was almost Colorado-like. Rivers and mountains, some big fluffy clouds and two lane roads. Before very long we arrived at the equator, quite the Kodak moment! It was fun to place a foot on either side, which everyone of us did, and then a group photo, and then one with Jim and I smooching over the dividing line. A little cafÈ there was marked 0 Latitude 0 Longitude. [Of course, it wasn't 0 longitude. The real 0-0 is in Africa!

      Our next stop was in the Valley of Otavalo with a great view of San Pablo Lake. Just a little rest stop to get some soda and snacks, buy more trinkets and take some beautiful photos. I purchased a lovely purple scarf from a local woman and took a photo of her and her little girl. The mountain was called Imbabura Mountain, godlike in meaning as it protects the people and provides water for farming. As we rode through the town of Otavalo, enroute to Peguiche Village, we noticed all the uniforms of different colors on the school children. All the men and women were dressed in traditional clothing and most wore hats.

      A short while later we had the delight of pulling into our lunch spot, a beautiful location called La Mirage. It was a gorgeous white building on beautifully landscaped grounds with hummingbirds, gardens, flowers, fountains, a spa and lovely suites. It looked very Grecian. Very elegant dining, fancy pewter covers over each of our food courses. I had something called a Goat Stew, which was quite interesting and a soup with tiny little grains in it. Dessert was sweet Barbaco, looked like gummy worms, with sherbet on the side! The spa was gleaming, with tall white columns surrounding the glistening swimming pool. Total luxury. We asked the hostess to show us a suite and that was just lovely also. Macaws of blue, yellow, red and green were in a cage on the grounds. A totally delightful experience.

      After lunch we headed out to Cotacachi, a village known for their leather products. Many jackets, purses, hats and suitcases. My only purchase was a llama hanging made out of alpaca wool, as leather isn't my thing.

      From Cotacachi we stopped at our third and last village for the day, the town of San Antonio de Ybarra, known for its wood carving. Saw a few carvers working their trade. Everything is hand carved and it really gives you an appreciation of the skills involved in these inexpensive items. I found a carved llama and Ecuadorian man for only $1.50! It was the only thing I bought.
      Charles bought a 30" carving of Don Quixote for Sauny for $20. Then the man said, "Don't you want Sancho Panza?" And he said, "Yes!", and they got it and he asked how much. Theman looked at them for a minute and said $20. Charles had a wood goblet in his hand so he put it down alongside and again said how much. The man looked them over and then said $20. They obviously aren't greedy. Charles would have been glad to pay more.

      Ahhh, & another delightful surprise greeted us at our lodging for the evening, Hacienda Cusin, a 398 year old hacienda/inn. Each room was charmingly different, albeit very modest in decor. Most rooms consisted of a little entrance hallway, a sitting room with fireplace, desk, books and chairs. The bedrooms had colorful spreads on them, and our room had 2 bathrooms, one with a sink and toilet, and the other with a sink and shower. It was a bit chilly and we ended up using the little portable heater that was provided. There were lots of pebble walkways and courtyards. Totally charming. The bar was off the main dining room in one of the large buildings, fully stocked. Tangarey Gin, Bailey's, Absolut Vodka, all the good stuff! The dining room was reached through a large sitting room filled with a large fireplace and huge, overstuffed chairs and sofas. Formal place settings with tablecloths and cloth napkins. Another fireplace to ward off the evening chill. Dinner was at a large table where we were all able to sit together for the first time. Filet mignon, veggies, potatoes, rhubarb pie, good food, not excellent. The ceilings were a dark, rust color and looked like leather. We later found out it was only a cheap quality plywood painted brown, earned a few giggles.

7/19 - Wednesday
      Charles joined Jim and I on our exploration of the grounds and gardens. Part of our journey was to the Monastery, which we found out was only built 10 years ago when the current owner bought it. It consisted of a conference room additional sleeping quarters and two towers, one had a secret doorway through a bookcase. Great views from the top and, of course, we had to ring the bells. Sat in the courtyard for a bit, listening to the beautiful music, singing monks perhaps? Very peaceful.

      Charles helped us find a helper to take us to the stables up the road where there was a newly born llama, only 3 days old. We also saw a man pick up a huge bundle of wood on his back, quite a load. Wonder how far he had to walk with it and what it's final use was for. Lots of mountains around, beautiful clouds, lovely country.

      Some trees in the garden were filled with bromeliads. Orchids, impatiens, iris, geraniums, roses, lots of flowers around, very, very pretty.