When not working.....

bitten tree in the afternoon sun
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A big part of my time here I have barely mentioned in this personal flog. I figured I would add it…why not….. it includes bugs and slugs and sloths!

I love this city, but the moment I figure how to steal 2 to 3 days off in a row I bail. I am here to work though, and as such, 2 days off in a row is something about as rare as 2 to 3 days of sunshine in St. John’s. That said, since moving here A YEAR AGO I have gotten myself out of the city and up to the area of Central America 4 times. C. A. is a tiny village off the Amazon River which has the Chullachaqui lodge at its side. I found this wee paradise as the company office is on my street and have come to know the owner and guides quite well. Like to be clear here, I do not want this to come out like a commercial for them, but if I was to recommend…..I’ve gone 4 times. I may not be objective though anymore.

learning to drive
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My first visit was with my sis back in April. We went for the night. It was high water and low tourist season; we had the whole place to ourselves. Hot coffee in the morning, hammock swinging, amazing food and private trips up the Amazon and through the jungle with the lovely Lindley.

The story of how my sister made a village fall in love with her….to this day when I pass by they ask me how she is and when she is coming back. Day trips generally go to Central America, as it is close and in low water season you can walk there, but when we went with Sarah, Lin brought us to another village farther up river. Here we met the whole village ready and waiting with all their wares. Sarah being her everything equal and fair self, bought one gift from each family. As we had no cash with us (not thinking of going shopping while in the jungle) the village diplomatically offered us the option of a credit account. As Sarah passed from parcha to parcha Lin wrote up the bill …we left owing S/120. After the shopping spree and her moment with the sloth the 3 of us jumped off the boat into the water to have a wee swim with our dolphin friends.

after the down pour
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Every time I think about my trip with my sister I am amazed at the time we had together. We’ve got a potential Saturday afternoon special on our hands here.

2^nd round on the Amazon was with friend Brad. Again needing a break from the city, work and personal things we stole 3 days and headed out. This trip I was a bit lazier…..which I needed. More time in the hammock, less time being guided. A wonderful 3 days with a book….I am my father’s daughter….and a good bit of translating….again. I love the young guides that are up there, but given the chance they do make you work for your meal. Tis a good confidence boost for my language though….they say it sounds weird to them when I speak English. I found a home away from home away from home, and it is filled with a lovely family and a parrot named Paco.

me and luigi
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Rising at 5:30 in the morning with sounds you have never imagined, to sit on your bench by the river, watch the birds and the sun rise to the heavens….not a sign of human existence infront of you but the wee kids trundling down the tributary in their dugouts with spear in hand hunting for breakfast. I am serious….it is different than in your head though, a little….most of the kids have their soccer jerseys on or favourite soccer team baseball cap. The water is their street…dogs even chase after the canoes…swimming, not running. Can you even imagine a 7 year old having the consciousness or balance to steer a canoe by themselves in Canada? A lot that I see here would enrage a Canadian parent, but the kids here have a resolution and responsibility about them that is breathtaking. …I realize that though many rules and laws we have in Canada are indeed founded in a reason…not all of them make sense.

brad and his fish
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So trip 3……third times a charm. Sometimes we see something that we can’t get out of our heads. Though I am also talking about nature and its wonders….I shyly admit that I saw a smile and face of an angel in trip 2. So I went back, made a deal with the owner to do photography for the weekend in exchange for my passage and stay. …. and take advantage of the fact that the angel was there. There is something about a boy….who loves his home, can walk through any jungle or forest in the night and not get lost, work a machete like it is an extension of his own hand, shimmy up a tree like it contains a ladder and find food or drink in any tree or plant. I used to have this dream…and now I have met it. I feel a bit silly writing this stuff in my flog, but …it is a flog.

cara drinking una de gato...good for the cancer
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Yes…..new friends. My “intern”….also known as lovely lady from St. John’s, Cara has been with us for a little over a month. To welcome her, myself and boy (turned out well) arranged for us to go back up to the lodge as all the stars somehow magically aligned and we ended up with four days, yes I said it, FOUR days off in a ROW! Still don’t understand it, but there it is. So we chatted with boss man and stole the boy as our private guide. I think she liked it. The three days away included drinking from vines cut by said boy and his machete, eating grubs he pulled form crazy big and hard seed things, searching for snakes…which we never found…..but I did manage to spot a sloth which boy proceeded chase up a tree…they say that sloths are slow, but they can move. We found a mini sloth…. if a teddy bear lover had seen that the squeal that would have erupted would have shaken it from its perch; went piranha fishing….she caught a goldfish!... but we did managed to leave with 3 piranhas for our supper. She experienced a true Amazon down pour..or three, swam in the Amazon, played in magic mud, saw pink dolphins, ate chicken (those faux veggies…) and played with the resident frogs in our room.

mini one talon sloth
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Thar tis. I love the jungle…and my guide. I love my work. I love my life. I love that I can share it. I hope gooshiness is excused.