2011 | Day 5 - May 21st

Today was a day of closure and reflection. We started our day with a half hour boat ride to the Tiririca Village. While there, we were greeted by three beautiful birds, a macaw, a parrot and a fish hawk. Leandro told us that the village consists of 11 families that live off the land.  They make barbeque skewers out of wood and sell them in bundles of 3,000 for 50 Reals (Brazilian currency). He explained that recently there was a huge change in the Brazilian government that put strict laws in place to protect the environment. Villagers who made money from cutting trees and hunting are now prohibited from doing so.  They now sustain themselves in other ways, for example, creating jewelry for tourists from the lodge. The jewelry is created from different items collected from the forest such as tree nuts, acai berries, and straw.  This change in government policies has also helped with sending the children from the village to school. Each village now has a school boat that brings the children to and from school each day.  While there, Leandro also taught us about different ways these villagers live off their land by showing us all the plants and fruits that they use. Before we left the village, we purchased some jewelry which was a small contribution to the village’s economy.

                After lunch, our next excursion was to another non-government organization called Novo Airao Aana. The organization consists of people making hand woven crafts such as baskets, place mats, hats, purses, and vases out of natural materials.  Edy Vado, the director, spoke to us about the organization and explained that it is difficult to get the younger population to commit to their work. This is due to the complex process and painful handling associated with making these artifacts. There is also a dye that comes from a fruit grown locally that stains fingers.  We learned that they are using their by-products or waste materials to create new products.  This cuts down on their waste and makes the business more sustainable by adding more products from the same materials. 

                When we came back to the lodge, we sat down with Augusto Costa, the Anavilihanas owner and creator.  He explained to us how the lodge came to be and how much effort it took him to create such a successful eco-lodge.  It was interesting to learn how Anavilihanas is different from other Amazonian jungle lodges.  One of the lessons that we learned is that everything starts as a simple idea.  Augusto told us the story of how his idea turned into reality and how much hard work he needed to put in to make his dream come true.  To execute this idea he created a business plan which included comfortable accommodations with guided tours by local people.  By using the locals as guides, the guests get a glimpse of the Amazonian culture through their real life stories and experiences.  The stories that were shared by our guides helped give us a better idea about the environment and culture we’ve been living in for the past five days. 

                Our Amazonian adventure was filled with new experiences, new stories, and laughter. We treked through the jungle, fished for piranha, visted local villages, and most imporantly gained a unique perspective on ecotourism. This truly was a journey to remember!

2011 | Day 4 - May 20th

Today was an exhausting day full of jungle trekking.  We traveled by boat for about an hour and a half and arrived at our hiking destination.  The boat pulled up to a local house where there used to be a cattle farm.  Due to the jaguars living in the jungle and the high cost to transport the cattle to Manaus, the cattle farmers could not continue cattle farming.  Now a hired family tends the land and house.  This family allows others to visit their land.  A pleasant surprise to all of us was the family’s pet monkey, Flora.  Normally, the locals do not take in wild animals as pets however, Flora was orphaned.  We learned that this is one way that wild animals become pets. 

                Our hike today was much more intense than our previous one.  We spent about four hours in the jungle spotting new creatures.  The trail was full of obstacles we had to overcome by working together.  We encountered fallen trees, roots, water, boulders, and mud.  Leandro showed us some survival tips such as how to roast a giant caterpillar.  Chico, our second Amazonian guide, started a fire using steel wool, a rock, and his machete as Leandro skewered the caterpillars.  To our surprise, the caterpillars did not taste too bad. 

                As we continued our hike, Leandro spotted an insect he had never seen before.  It looked similar to a ladybug however it was yellow with black spots and had red legs that resembled a spider’s.  Leandro asked us to give this new creature a name as he thought it had not yet been discovered.  We decided on “Laser,” our school mascot.  The end of our journey brought us to rock formations that made cave like paths.  Small streams and waterfalls ran through the paths and were refreshing after our long hike.  Two rock formations resembled a male and female hippo.  We learned that these rock formations, although home to creatures such as bats, can make excellent shelters if you were to get lost in the jungle. 

                We finished our adventure with lunch in a gazebo overlooking the Rio Negro.  In order to get to this gazebo, we had to climb a steep hill.  The climb was well worth it because of the beautiful view that could be seen from the top.  Leandro told us stories from his village while we ate.  It was interesting to hear his stories because they told about their faith system, myths, legends, and some of his personal experiences.  One of his experiences explained what motivated him to work with ecotourism.  When he lived in his village, he did not respect nature and was punished by the spirits.  After being taught a lesson by his tribe, he has been devoted to the environment ever since.  After filling up on sandwiches, we returned to the lodge.  It was an exhausting but incredibly rewarding day.

2011 | Day 3 - May 19th

Wow, we learned a lot about ecotourism today! First we sat down and talked to Leandro about a local project he has been working on for the past five years. He is interested in educating the locals about recycling.  Local villages and tribes are used to using natural materials that can be thrown into the jungle and decompose back into the earth.  According to Leandro, because of this, they do not know how to properly dispose of materials like plastic, tin, and aluminum. Leandro goes to villages along the river educating children and adults to reduce, reuse, recycle and properly dispose of trash. He only has limited resources and we hope to come up with some ideas to continue to help him expand his program. It was inspiring how passionate he was about his work, and it was truly humbling how he shared his experiences with us.  

Next, we went to a local town, Novo Airão, and visited the Fundação Almerinda Malaquias. It is a non-profit organization “in search of economical, social, and environmental solutions for the Rio Negro’s riverbank communities.” This organization teaches locals to use leftover materials to create products for tourists. They use scrap wood to create handicrafts and recycle used paper to create new paper. They even create paper gift bags, photo albums, and scrap books using other natural materials like banana leaves, saw dust, and seeds. We were really surprised to learn about the seeded paper, which is full of seeds that can be planted to grow flowers.  Before giving us a tour, the director and cofounder sat down and talked to us about the programs that the organization operates. Among other things, they run after-school programs for children 5-12 to educate them on the environment. They also educate adults on ecotourism and on how to market the products they make, including setting prices and advertising to tourists. For more information, you should check out their website http://www.fam-na-am.com.br/.  

While in Novo Airão, we got a chance to see some pink river dolphins. We learned about a local woman who helps save dolphins who have been attacked by fishermen or hurt in fishing nets. She also educates the local community about the dolphins. Tourists used to be able to feed and swim with the dolphins, but as we learned yesterday, feeding the animals is not a good idea. Instead, we sat at the dock and rubbed their bellies as the local woman fed them. She fed them small amounts of food to avoid making them dependent on these resources.

After lunch, we went piranha fishing. We used bamboo fishing rods because it grows so easily and quickly. After catching the piranha, we released them back into the water. It was a great time! We finished the day with a night hike through the grounds around the lodge. We saw several different types of spiders, even one spotted by our very own Shawndrae. Looks like we’re getting used to the jungle life!

2011 | Day 2 - May 18th

We began our day early this morning with a natural and local breakfast buffet including fresh pineapple and passion fruit. Breakfast was followed by an adventurous trek into the jungle. It was supposed to be an hour long but we had so much fun exploring and learning about different parts of the jungle and ecotourism that we ended up spending a little over three hours out there. Leandro explained to us that the lodge uses three different trails.  Every two years, they let these trails grow over and create new ones in order to allow the trails to recoup to their natural state.  He also told us about why the lodge guides are instructed not to feed the animals. Many people think that animals enjoy being fed and in fact lodges that adopt this practice do so in order to attract animals so that tourists may get a closer look. In actuality, it harms the animals because they learn to depend on humans instead of their natural instincts. This is one of the many things that eco-tourists are taught to do to preserve the environment that they are exploring by responsible and sustainable lodges. As we journeyed farther through the jungle, one of our guides, Chico, made us each our own crown out of palm leaves. Toward the end of the trail, we came across some coconut larva. We then proceeded to eat them live by placing them in our mouths and crushing their milky texture out with our teeth. It was definitely an experience to remember!  This is actually a high-protein source of food that one might eat in order to survive in the jungle.

After canoeing back to the lodge and eating lunch, we got into a boat and went on a tour of the archipelago, which is an area of the Amazon that is protected by the government. We put our bathing suits on under our clothes, determined to jump into the river. After a short rainfall passed and a beautiful rainbow appeared, we jumped into the warm Rio Negro for a once in a life time opportunity. We then entered a sunken island canal and swung from vines that were connected to an enormous tree. Before we left the canal, we noticed a number of exotic spiders on a tree right next to us. We then returned to the lodge where we awaited a second night time spotting tour. This time we spotted a tree boa constrictor and another sloth.  We’re all really looking forward to what tomorrow has in store for us!

2011 | Day 1- May 17th

After eight hours of flying, a forty minute ferry ride, and a four hour car ride, we have finally arrived in the Amazon! Upon our arrival, and to our surprise, we were presented with a delicious, much needed dinner.  The homemade carrot soup, fresh cut passion fruit, steak parmesan and other native food definitely filled us up.  Leandro, our local Amazonian guide, then took us on a night time spotting tour. After being packed into the motor boat, Leandro flashed his big spotlight on the tree lines, looking for the red eyes of jungle critters. After an hour of exploring and listening to the sounds of the forest, we found two pairs of Night Jars (birds), one teenage- female caiman, and a female sloth!

We all think being here has been a bit of culture shock, but it has only been four hours, and we are completely amazed. All the lodges and bedrooms are built with natural material, the weather is much warmer than what we are used to in Boston, and we can’t wait for tomorrow. When we wake up we have a jungle trek to look forward to, and everything else the Amazon has to offer!