badgerjenvstheworld

On our last full day in Leticia, we decided to sleep in a bit and stay on dry land. Or so we thought. We decided to go to Parque Ecologico Mundo Amazonico just outside of Leticia to see some rain forest plants. We took a nice taxi ride out and joined a tour group for an informational tour of medicinal, edible, and aesthetic plants. Also, a cultural talk and trek through rain forest. It was beautiful and quite educational. There were coca plants. Cocoa plants. Ayahuasca plants. And this: He was the guide's dog and trotted along with us everywhere we went.  Today there would be no sloths or pink dolphins or monkeys. But there would be this: And this:  Just as we were about to go on our trek through the rain forest...it started to downpour!! I was not really prepared for this. I had on a short sleeve shirt and tevas. But luckily they provided rubber ponchos and boots. So off we went- T, me and the female guide. As we were walking, the guide told us ...

Up early again...we headed down to the port and crossed the mucky island to join the tour group again. This time we were headed to Puerto Narino. But first, there were many animals to meet and hold along the way. Our first stop brought us to a tiny little village where local women had a menagerie of animals. There was a monkey, a tortoise of some sort, pretty green birds. And sloths!! I was standing there and this woman just plunked one in my arms. It was a super surreal experience. This was a baby and she or he (I didn't figure that out) clung to me- with it's big, sharp talons. And they do move sllloooooowwwwwwlllllyyyyy. Think the sloths in the DMV in the movie Sing! ha      ha         ha        ha Their fur is very coarse and almost greasy, but soft as well. What an amazing experience to have. I really can't even believe that just 5 months ago I was in Czech Republic and now here I am in the Amazon, holding a ...