Without air conditioning, we chose to call it an early night in preparation for the rainforest exploration in the days ahead.
The days exploring the rainforest consisted of piranha-fishing, sloth-sighting, monkey-feeding, fruit-eating and hiking led by our indigenous guides Francisca and Paime. During these hikes we swung on a natural tree-vine swing and learned how to make ceremonial crowns out of banana leaves. We picked fruit straight from the land and ate it, while giving some to the birds, monkeys, and giant fish co-habitating with us. I was able to squeeze in a soccer game with the children of a village along the Amazon River called Puerto Nariño, where I slipped multiple times in the muddy makeshift field, dirtying my body and clothes from head to toe. Although I had trouble cleaning these clothes in the river used for washing, it was worth it to be covered in this sacred earth.
While resting in moquito-net covered beds in the cabins of this village, I reflected on the beauty of the people, the flora and the fauna of this unique land, realizing that while amenities like air-conditioning, hot-water showers, and indoor plumbing do provide comfort, the experience of living in communion with nature provides a sense of peace and fulfillment that I have found difficult to find in cities like New York in the United States.
I expected to see some beautiful sights, but I was surprised by how connected I felt to the natural environment of the Amazon rainforest. On our final day, we walked to the point where Brazil, Peru, and Colombia intersect, and while it was interesting to recognize the boundaries of the lands, I was also aware of the fact that these fronteras (borders) are human-made.
