nary a mosquito in Iquitos

Unless you're walking along malecon, the riverside walkway. But even then the mosquitoes are too tiny to see. The real mosquitoes are waiting in the jungle.

But first, we must get acquainted with the city. Actually, we have to get there, first.

I flew on the cheapest of the three major airlines that fly in Peru: StarPeru. This means I paid less than 50% of the fare that LAN charges for a flight from Lima to Iquitos. This also meant that there was an unannounced stop in Tarapoto... okay, it was announced on the plane but I certainly did not know about this when I purchased the ticket online. So travelers beware, StarPeru does not fly directly from Lima to Iquitos.

On a side note, people in Iquitos told me that Tarapoto is also a good jumping-off point for Amazon adventures but it's more touristy. I'm sure the people of Tarapoto would say the same about Iquitos.

boarding the plane in Lima... in the lower terminal

re-boarding the plane in Tarapoto.
A StarPeru employee counted the passengers on the plane, figured I was missing,
found me at baggage claim, and directed me back onto the plane.
Without him I would've been in the wrong city!
At least StarPeru ensures that everyone arrives at the correct destination.

You know you're in the jungle when you step out of the airport and the first thing you see is a woman carrying a baby monkey swaddled in a pink baby blanket. I wish I had a picture but I was too busy staring to take out my camera.


Iquitos is the largest city in the Amazon... so these pictures will say a lot about the development in the jungle:

that road must be hell when it rains

There are no roads from Iquitos to the rest of Peru, save for a small route that leads to another jungle town. And that town only connects to Iquitos. The seat of the Loreto region is accessible only by boat (to Brazil) and plane, so bulky cars aren't that common here. Rather, motos and moto-taxis are the preferred vehicle in Iquitos. Depending where you live, you might have a boat.

It's so hot the boys wear their shirts rolled up!

After arriving at out city lodging, my companion and Peruvian sister Pame and I went for a walk. We were drawn to the waterfront and the artisanal market called Anaconda. No snakes here... no live ones, anyways.

All manner of souvenirs... I picked up a family of nine sloths for 20 soles.

Piercings... a far cry from Madame Jade's dark old jewelry shop
where I got my ears pierced when I was four.
Well, maybe they're not that different...

We took a stroll along the Momon River...

... and I encountered some local graffiti, a milestone of urban culture. Looks like William is the go-to guy in Iquitos.

People really live here...

A passerby navigates the river...

Like other Peruvian cities, nighttime brings seems to draw out more people.

colored fountain at the Plaza de Armas in Iquitos

Iquitos also still wears the trappings of Christmas

In Iquitos, you just don't have a predictable Nativity scene...

According to the Jungle Book, tapirs, capybaras, and caimen came to visit baby Jesus, too!

That night - January 4, 2012 - was no ordinary night. It just so happens that we arrived in Iquitos on the eve of the148th anniversary of what is considered the beginning of modern times in the land. Two ships sailed from Lima all the way around Tierra del Fuego and up the Amazon River just to build themselves a real riverport. They arrived January 5, 1864 and Iquitos never looked back.

Celebrations kicked off with a naval band playing in the square...

Other nearby plazas had dance classes and some carnival games...

Tired from our journey and in need of nourishing sleep before the next day's foray into the jungle, Pame and I were content to chomp on a few slices of watermelon and hit the hay. We had successfully booked an overnight tour into the Amazon and couldn't wait to step foot after muddy foot into that great fantastical forest.

I ended up dreaming about Avatar's jungle that night. Drats!