Monday, June 2nd, 2003 - Day 104 (PART A)
Was up at 9.00am to have a shower and shave. Did the tourist thing by seeing the Catherdral, Plaza Armas and various sites by the river.
"Iquitos, the gateway to the northern Amazon, is Peru's largest jungle town and the capital of its largest department, Loreto, which occupies nearly a third of the national territory and is nearly the size of Germany. Though you must fly to get here--unless you have a week to kill for hot and uncomfortable river travel--the pockets of jungle down- and upriver from Iquitos are the most accessible of the Peruvian Amazon basin. Some of the best jungle lodges in the country, some of which are entering their fourth decade of ecotourism, are located just a few hours by boat from Iquitos.
The city was founded in 1754 by Jesuit missionaries, although some continue to claim it was actually not founded until nearly a century later. The city's proximity to South America's greatest rain forest and its isolation from the rest of Peru have created a unique tropical atmosphere.
Iquitos is far from the grand port of old. The modern city of nearly a half million is composed of descendants of original ethnic groups such as the Yaguas, Boras, Kukama, and Iquitos, as well as significant populations of immigrant groups from Europe and Asia."
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Iquitis - Peru - taken from the riverfront promenade called Malec?n Tarapac? nne block back from the plaza, facing the Amazon River (02-06-2003)
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Iquitis - Peru. Taken near to the Belem Market (02-06-2003)
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Iquitis - Peru. Belem market - hot, crowded and steamy. (02-06-2003)
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Iquitis - Peru. Banasas, Bananas "10 for a pound" (02-06-2003)
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Iquitis - Peru. Instead of having a dog as a pet, this girl had a tortoise complete with lead. Poor thing. (02-06-2003)
Labels: backpacker, backpacking, blog, drifters, Gap Year, irish guy, neo-nomad, round the world trip, Vagabonding, Wanderers
posted by Michael at 1:19 PM
