Upper Amazon, Ecuador

More photos from the Upper Amazon.  This shot is taken on a riverbank and for some reason butterflies found the area very enticing. There must have been something in the water or mixed with the sand that kept them coming back.

Not too far from our dining hall was an elevated rack which held an entire bunch (like a hundred) bananas. The bananas were green and I wondered why they were sitting out in the sun unattended. After a couple of days I was distracted by a raucous sound...at least thirty monkeys were partying over their 'newly' discovered treasure.  I think I get it now!

After leaving our lodge, we travelled to  Coco a town in the western upper amazon. It was the closest thing to civilization that we had seen in days, and yet it had all the charm of a remote village. I loved walking through the streets with our guide.  Here we walked through an open air market, there were lots of them, but this one had too many interesting things to pass up.

A bowl full of those infamous grubs. Yes, these were still alive too.  They were swimming in water. On the grill you can see a few of them being cooked on skewers...that seems to be the method of choice.

The fish there were amazing, but man does not live by fish alone...so you could grab a chicken or two instead.

This was our mode of getting to the airport.  It was just a big truck with benches installed across the bed.  Climbing up was a challenge for some and the open air added just the right excitement. I got this shot from my seat, it looks as though everyone else was enjoying it as well.

While traveling in the Amazon we stopped at a center that was a haven for hummingbirds. It was a rainy misty day and it was difficult to get a good picture, but  I managed a few.

Grocery shopping is very different here in Eastern Ecuador.

We visited a native family. Yes, we actually had to walk across this swinging bridge in order to get to her house. They live off the land growing their own vegetables and raising their own beef and poultry. The house had a plain wood plank floor and wood frame, but it was clean and very well maintained.

Through an interpreter we learned about her life including the joys and some of the hardships.  Her smile was genuine and it was clear she did not want to change a thing.

We stopped at a local restaurant noted for fish on the way back, so I indulged in my favorite: whole fish in garlic sauce. Fabulous!

This is an ant.  But not any ordinary ant.  This one has been known to attach humans by crawling in any cavity they can ( nose, ear etc) and then eating the skin or membrane from the inside out. They kill mammals this way.  I was pretty anxious to keep movin' on!

The beetles here in the Amazon grow pretty big!