Last Updated on June 24, 2019 by PowersToTravel
The Cattleya Cruise
Interestingly enough, the part of the trip which I spent the most time planning turned out to be the most successful. We flew from Boston to Panama City then to Lima on Copa Airlines. We spent the night at the airport hotel in Lima, and then took a morning flight from Lima to Iquitos, arriving about noon. Someone from the ship’s tour company, Ucamara Expeditions, was there to greet us, as well as two other couples who arrived at the same time. The six of us, plus driver, piled into the mini-van and we headed off into the town of Iquitos.
It was arranged for that we would have lunch in town, pick up one more couple from a hotel in town after lunch, and then drive the one hundred kilometers south to Nauta to board our ship.
Chifa in Inquitos
The other couples were from Hong Kong. One couple, W.S. and Elaine, spoke English well, and the other couple, Raymond and Mae, not as well. Greg and I had looked forward to our first Peruvian meal for lunch, however they were very insistent on eating Chinese Food. Well, for us, Chinese Food in Peru would be an interesting experience so we graciously went along, having no choice in the matter.
The van driver announced “Chifa!” as he pulled up in the front of a restaurant called Loon Fung. We soon learned that when the Chinese immigrants arrived in Peru in the 1800’s they were gracious and invited the Peruvians to eat with them. Not speaking Spanish, “¡Chifa!” they would say, meaning “Eat rice!” The Peruvians soon called Chinese food “Chifa.”
Our new Chinese friends, asked us what kind of Chinese food we liked. Noodles, egg rolls were easily communicated. Clear soup with dumplings also made the list. The Spanish waiters though, not speaking English or Chinese, had a difficult time understanding our new Chinese friends. Finally, W.S. walked into the kitchen, carried on a long conversation with the chef, presumably Chinese, came out and announced, “It is all ordered.”
The table so filled with food we wondered if we would be there all afternoon. I think I ate all the egg rolls and pineapple chicken.
Finally we re-joined our van, picked up the final couple, Brian and Ronnie, from the Boston area, and began our journey to Nauta. The road was windy but fast, and not terribly bumpy. There were houses and businesses, then countryside to look at and the time passed very quickly. Did you know there are more than 30,000 three-wheeled vehicles registered in Iquitos and 20,000 two wheeled vehicles? There were few cars and trucks because all the vehicles have to be flown in or floated in, there being no roads to the outside world from the two towns, only the river and the skies.
We also saw squatters villages at the side of the road. One night there would be no one there, we were told, and the next, an entire village would have appeared. There was nothing a land-owner could do. The problem is that so many from the Amazon would arrive looking for work in the oil industries, with no home to move to, and with limited jobs, would be forced into squatter living.
Nauta
Nauta is a small town, with a square, a park, business area, and a few hotels. We soon found ourselves out of the van, standing on the roadside, suitcases at our feet, looking down past a few houses to the Amazon river. We were quickly ushered through gates into a working yard, filled with vehicles and dirt, into a small waiting room overlooking the river. I looked down at the river, “down” being the key phrase, as the river was down at the bottom of a muddy cliff. Rickety stairs and paths ran down to the water’s edge where a number of boats tied up at a rickety pier.
I was glad to find myself in this dirty, interesting location instead of some modern quai with trolleys and porters. I knew for certain we weren’t on one of those wedding cake ship cruises.
We did benefit from porters nonetheless, soon we were escorted down the rickety stairs, the porters carrying our large suitcases. We arrived at a small powerboat.
Life-jackets on, we sped away on the river, the wind in our hair. It was fascinating to see how very low low-water could be. I had chosen the low-water season, during the second half of August, as I learned it was slightly less humid and drier than the high-water season.
In retrospect, either season would have been fascinating, and having seen low-water season, I really can’t wait to return in high-water season, to see how different life would be. Everywhere along the river and through the villages we saw the mud lines and marks left by the previous high waters. We could see how very high high-water would be, and at the moment were experiencing how very low low-water season could be.
The Cattleya
The river was busy with small boats carrying goods and passengers, and we traveled for about fifteen minutes, across and up the river, to find our Cattleya alone at the side of a steep muddy riverbank, tied up to a tree. We clambered from the speedboat into our luxury ship. Our cabin was on the front of the lower deck. There were two cabins on the lower deck and two on the upper. We later learned from some of our Chinese friends that their cabins on the upper deck were much smaller than ours. We had booked our trip in November of the previous year, during a pre-season special, specifically to benefit from the King-Sized bed and cabin, and I was very happy I had done so.
We were rushed upstairs to the lounge for our welcome drink and naturalist briefing. While the preparations were made to get underway, he would be taking us on our first small boat ride, to see some nature.
Remembering the wind in my hair and the exhilaration of the trip to the boat, I failed to consider we were on the Amazon river. I made sure to carry plenty of juice and glucose tablets, and my camera. Greg and I hopped back into the speed boat and off we went. We happily zipped down the river, however dusk soon flowed down from the sky and along with it the mosquitos. Had I thought of dusk and bugs? No, I had thought only of cameras and batteries. When the boat had turned into the creek, the other guests had pulled out their jackets, and hats and repellent. Greg had looked at me and I was able to only shrug.
The boat headed up a smaller creek, and the trees at the sides grew ever closer. As the dusk flowed down, the boat slowed down and the flying bugs flowed up. Our guide stopped the skiff and was able to capture a small cayman from the riverside.
The expression on my face says it all, both about the proximity of the cayman and my comfort.
Finally the boat picked up speed and headed back to our ship. The wind did blow the bugs away from eating me, however also blew them into my face and eyes.
My huge lesson learned: be prepared at all times with the sunscreen (not needed at night!), the bug repellent and jackets. The good news is that while we were a bit bitten that night, all the lumps had disappeared by the next day, and we suffered no ill affects.
Five-Star Dining and Catfish
It was with great relief that we arrived back at our ship. We were given little time to relax; I feel I must have showered. Dinner was served! We headed to the lounge to find the tables dressed like a five-star restaurant. The dinner itself was three course, and presented also in a five-star fashion. The cuisine was Peruvian, which to me became synonymous with vegetables and potatoes.
In Peru, the potatoes aren’t just a white lump at the side of your plate; they have so many unique flavors. Did you know there are over 3,000 varieties of potatoes in Peru? And that the potato originated in Peru? It is a very good thing I love potatoes.
The chef also served fresh catfish from the river, with a very tasty cream sauce. Greg doesn’t generally like fish, and while I like cod and haddock, the thought of catfish was appalling to me, with its strange shape and whiskers, and the knowledge that it was a bottom-dweller. However, it wasn’t until I had devoured that splendid meal that I learned it was catfish. What a tender, flavorful food. I am now a catfish lover.
After our exquisite meal we turned on our air-conditioner and tucked ourselves into our King-Sized bed with fine cotton sheets. Definitely a luxurious experience.
Check out this article of mine too:
Peru Travel Blog – Itinerary, Reviews and Diabetic Travel Tips
