Tarapoto
At last I’m back in Tarapoto, after staying longer in Iquitos than I had originally planned. I had several interesting meetings there, and now I’m continuing to explore potential projects in both cities, before deciding where and with which organization I’ll be working next. I’m also looking into a...
Iquitos
After a 14-hour voyage in a cramped speedboat traveling upriver from Santa Rosa, I arrived in Iquitos – the largest city in the Peruvian Amazon, and accessible only by boat or plane. There were some beautiful views from the boat, but it was also very sad to see all of the pollution on many long stre...
Tres Fronteras
I’m now at the only point on my route that intersects the route of my map from 2 years ago. This is also where the Amazon River crosses the border between Peru and Colombia on the west, and Brazil on the east. Leticia, Colombia is on the north shore of the river, and Santa Rosa, Peru is on the south...
Belém
This large city in the north of Brazil lies about 100 km from the Atlantic Ocean, along the Rio Pará, which feeds into the same delta as the Amazon River. Although it’s about on the equator, it doesn’t feel quite as hot here, due to frequent evening rain showers and more shade along the streets.
Cayenne
I’m now in the main city of this department of France in South America. It’s odd that Guyane seems to be much more connected to France in Europe than it does to neighboring countries Brazil and Suriname. Today I went to a Guyanese cultural museum, which I was surprised to find had exhibits only on t...
Saint Laurent du Maroni
After arriving in French Guiana, or Guyane, I’ve now visited all the countries in South America! While the other Guianas – Guyana and Suriname – seem culturally distinct from the other South American countries, French Guiana is like a world apart. Politically it’s a part of France and the European U...
Brownsberg
Went on a long day tour and steep, sweaty hike through the rainforest in the Brownsberg nature reserve, situated by the shores of an enormous reservoir created in the sixties to provide hydroelectric energy to a bauxite mine. From the road and overlook, we saw some of the effects of bauxite and gold...
Paramaribo
Paramaribo, or “Parbo” for short, is home for about half the population of Suriname, the smallest sovereign country in South America (French Guiana is smaller, but is a department of France). Dutch is spoken here, although fortunately for me, many people also speak English.
Sloth Island
Stayed overnight on this small island on the mighty Essequibo River, southwest of Georgetown. To get there I took three boats and a taxi between ports or “stellings.” On the island the guide spotted two sloths I could see from our kayak, but from the skiff cruise around dusk we saw thousands of cong...
Georgetown
After two years of living the vida sudamericana, followed by a 2-month tour around the US to reconnect with family and friends, I’m now headed back to the work I started in Peru and Brazil. To get there I decided to take an indirect route, through the northeastern Amazon. I’ve never visited this par...