Doing the Amazon!

Wow! How do i encapsulate this somewhat briefly? Let´s start with the most exciting and go in random order from there!
I got talked into the Ayahuasca ceremony! It involves a shaman, a vine which makes you vomit and a plant that makes you halucinate! A winning combination n'est pas? So you get in a dark room with a witch doctor and a couple other tourists who are just as retarded as you are. The shaman serves up little juice glasses of the nasty looking, foul smelling brew he has previously prepared. You drain it to the dregs in one gulp, sit back on your mat, position your vomiting bowl at a convenient distance and sit in the dark waiting for the brew to take effect. In about 20 minutes the shaman begins to whistle softly while shaking a rattle made with leaves. The room begins to sway softly and the leaves take on a hypnotic tone as the shaman begins to sing. Gradually the room sways faster and faster like a washing machine and you begin to feel ill. Then you start retching thick brown sludge that tastes like the bottom of a duck pond. Dream like images flit across your brain and if you are lucky you get visions. I didn´t really but one of the other guys spoke to his deceased grandfather. If you open your eyes you see light trails. The worst of it is over in three hours. I began feeling some other effects after about 2 hours and had to be supported to the outhouse where I gave nature it´s due repeatedly and then proceeded to lie flat on my back on the filthy outhouse floor for about 45 minutes before stumbling back into the ceremony room. I eventually made it back to my mosquito net and gradually recovered overnight. Needless to say I cannot recommend the treatment much as it is meant to lead to enlightenment. Hmmm... I wonder about San Pedro which is the halucinogen of choice in Lake Titicaca.... Other than it was an awesome time. Hung primarily with two very crazy English Guys. Lister and Will. One a pharmaceutal sales guy the other a recently graduated medical doctor. I did the ayahuasca with them of course :) We went on lots of walks and canoe rides, day and night, in the jungle with our guide and assistant guide who slashed a path through the undergrowth for us. We went camping which was the bomb, and climbed a semi-abandoned observation tower that was fastened to an absolutely immense tree. We messed with every conceivable form of wildlife that wasn´t fast enough to out run our eager guides. We held four different kinds of snakes, a sloth, monkeys, and lots of other stuff. We drank out vines, ate jungle fruits and caught and ate giant bullfrogs. We got stung to bits and eaten by ants and blood sucking flies. We swam with dolphins and piranhas. In short it was everything you could ask for in a jungle experience.

Amazon 1

Amazon 2

Mud Volcano

The Mud Volcano was one of the strangest things I´ve ever experienced. After a couple hours on a bus you arrive on the banks of a lagoon at the base of a mini-volcano made entirely of dried mud. After changing into your swim gear you ascend the 100 foot makeshift wooden staircase and peer into the crater. The crater is a 15ft by 15ft square reinforced with planks and entirely filled with mud. There are already about 20 people in there but apparently there is always room for more. So you slither down the mud caked ladder and plop into the mixture which is remarkebly like chocolate pudding. The crater spout descends a mile and a half into the earth´s crust but is absolutely impossible to sink. You can´t really move but the resident "massuers" grab you and shove you, flat on your back like a log to the far side of the pit. Here your remaining surfaces are covered in mud and you are given a 10 minute massage. As you are shoved aside to make room for yet another tourist you begin to get the claustrophobic sensation of an over-occupied seal colony and, in an effort to ensure your survival, make a grab for the bottom rung of the ladder. No, no, cuarenta minutos! an authoritative voice dictates from above and you gingerly lower yourself back into the mass of bodies. Actually the mud is surprisingly cool and quite enjoyable. I spent most of my time in a standing position with the top of foot and a half of my torso protruding like a buoy from the mud. Once your egress is officially sanctioned you stand at the top of the ladder and use your hands to spatula off the inch of mousse de chocolat that is coating you. The runoff slops noisily back into the trough splashing in the open mouths of the other guests remonstrating the waterfall of mud cascading over the edge. The sloppy noises verge on the obscene. You are now guided to the washer ladies in the lagoon who make it their business to cleanse you. You are entirely divested of your attire, surprised screams from the lady travelers, and are scrubbed from head to foot. Still in a bit of a daze you make your way back to the bus wiping and spiting to remove the remaining grit, have a snack of ripe mango and a whisked back to the seaside metropolis that is Cartagena.

Mud Volcano

Leticia

I´m out of rhythm with everything right now. Don´t really care for this town very much. There is some mofo in the internet cafe talking on the phone very animatedly at 120 decibels. Very annoying. Got ripped off by a motorcycle taxi driver yesterday. I don´t think my hotel room is safe so I´m having to haul all my valuables around. The sheet is too small for the mattress and keeps on coming off. There are almost no other tourists around. I´ve definitely reached a low point. Am going canoeing this afternoon though. Am going by myself with the guide so it was expensive. Hoping a tour will form for tomorrow to go to Puerto Nariño where the pink dolphins are. Missed the one from yesterday because I was not yet oriented.

Panama to Cartagena

There were six of us in total that sailed to Columbia together excluding the captain. We had all met at the Gran Kahuna Hostel in Panama City and some of us had traveled together previously. The passenger list included "Swiss Chris", Cathrine from Denmark, Tessa from New Zealand but most recently living in NYC, Justin also from New Zealand, Sarah from Germany and myself. We all journeyed by land across the Panamanian istmus to Puerto Lindo about 60 miles South of the canal and on the other side of Panama from Panama City. There we met our vessel, the Rita II, and our captain, Roberto, a retired construction engineer from Argentina of almost 70 who has been sailing around the Caribbean for the last 7 years or so. The ship was built around 1977 had 2 masts and a length of about 45 feet. The quarters were adequate and included six berths a kitchen and a rudementary bathroom. We took a dinghy out the boat and on Tuesday evening (8/11?) set sail for the San Blas islands. Almost as soon as we got underway most of us started getting seasick. I wasn´t long before a couple threw up. I managed to crawl below and as long as I was lying flat or asleep I was ok. We arrived at the island for which were aiming early the next morning. We were inside a reef and were surrounded by small islands at varying distances in all directions. The Kuna indians lost no time in riding up in a dugout canoe to sell us their embroidery. We spent the whole day there. Snorkeled went on the little islands and bought some coconuts from the Kunas. The next day we went to the tiny little immigration island to have our passports stamped. There was also an extremely scary, very short runway and a single hotel, simply labeled as "hotel". From there we sailed on to another island where we spent the rest of the day. It was the most beautiful snorkeling I can remember doing in my life. I saw a couple stingrays, cool fish and corals. Got lots of cool underwater pics. That night we set off for Cartagena. Nothing but sea for 3 nights and 2 days. It was miserable. I had to throw up the first night and laid flat on my back most of the time all the way to Columbia. The last afternoon/night was calmer though and coming in to Cartagena was simply beautiful. Cartagena is one of the most romantic Caribbean ports you can imagine it has a walled city and a long history of pirate attacks, Spanish gold and the like. Now adays it looks like Miami. Lots of high rises and very modern. Our hostel is in the old walled city though, which retains its colonial charm. So much for today. The food on the boat was beyond terrible and we are looking at eating at an Argentine Churrasqueria tonight. Lots of meat. Hmmm!

Panama to Columbia

Finally a decent internet connection! Got to talk to everyone on Skype today which was very nice. Tami returned to Syracuse this morning. I'm feeling a little blue but holding up well otherwise. Had an interesting conversation with a local "tico" accountant and the bus ride here and also met a Belgian volunteer who is working with turtles a little north of here. Puerto Viejo reminds me of Cay Caulker in Belize. It has wonderful Caribbean charm although it is definitely commercialized. Tonight's specials are all you can eat sushi for $10 at the "Chile Rojo" and "Reggae Night" at Johnny's place. I got a dusky soak on the beach which was wonderful. I'm staying in "private room" for $10 a night. It's a little like a monk's cell except smaller. I like it though. Windows on two ends and a ceiling fan. The people are helpful and friendly. I've already been scheduled for a surfing lesson tomorrow!

Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica

Monteverde

In Monteverde we experienced a lot of rainfall but we saw a sloth, we explored the cloudforest by means of hanging bridges and ate delicious Costarican spaghetti! We visited a frog museum and a combination coffee, sugar, banana, tilapia plantation where we also rode a traditional oxcart. We were able to see the traditional way of processing the cane into sugar and made our own candy. The harvesting and processing of coffee beans was also explained to us. We stayed at Cabinas el Pueblo for $15 and met up with some loud and obnoxious americans!

Monteverde, Costa Rica

Arenal and hot springs

Yesterday we went and saw Arenal volcano by night and bathed in the Baldi hot springs. The volcano was a bit clouded over so we could only see the lava a little but the hot springs were incredible! More pictures to come. Our room has a view of the volcano and this morning we could see it perfectly. Here we are eating "gallo pinto" for breakfast. Today we are going to see a waterfall.

Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica