You Could Love Iquitos Peru
You Could Love Iquitos Peru
Iquitos, Peru, is surrounded by grand rivers and lush rainforest. This charming city has been my home port for adventure cruises on the magnificent Amazon River for three years. Please allow me to share my love for this frontier town with you.
Your first impression is the warm, oxygen rich, moist air. It feels good and is easy to breathe. Your second impression is there are thousands of motorcycles and three wheel rickshaws called moto-kars whizzing around. Be careful. The biggest adventure most travelers experience in Iquitos is racing through the streets perched on the edge of their seat in a moto-kar weaving in and out of traffic.
The rules of the road are different from what you are used to, so a bad wreck seems inevitable. Be sure to keep your arms, legs, and baggage inside the steel frame. When the Moto-kar arrives, make sure you get out on the sidewalk side, never the street side. Pedestrians have no right of way in Iquitos, Peru.
Iquitos has no roads connecting to other cities making it the largest, most isolated city on any continent. Cars are status symbols. I do not have one. Boats are important. I have four river boats. I walk or take a moto-kar, and I spend a lot of time in my boats.
I want to attempt to correct a mistake perpetuated by the travel industry, and the guide books, and found on the internet. Their combined wisdom is that the best time for the traveler to come to Iquitos, Peru, is during the “dry season” from June through November.
There are two seasons, but they are not dry and wet. What is called the “dry season” should actually be called the low water season when the water level can be 40 feet lower than the high water season. High water levels are from December through May.
The rise and fall of the water has little or nothing to do with rainfall on Iquitos. It is the snow melt and rainfall on the east slope of the Andes that causes our rivers to rise. In my opinion the only activities that are better in the low water season are fishing, collecting ornamental fish, and walking on the beach. Everything else is better in the high water season.
The most important historical event in Iquitos, Peru, was the rubber boom, which caused an explosion in population and prosperity from 1880 through 1912. The legacy from the rubber era can still be seen in the architecture of the city and the elegant mansions, as well as the Iron House and bandstand designed by Eiffel.
Most of the mansions are decorated with exquisitely painted ceramic tiles imported from Portugal, and with mahogany elaborately carved by the most skilled Italian artists. You could love a tour of the historical buildings of Iquitos. Be sure to visit the Museo Amazonico, constructed in 1863 to admire the many sculptures by Felipe Lettersten, as well as the old photographs from the turn of the 19th century.
Shopping is not good in Iquitos unless you want to buy tropical fruits, natural medicines, or other jungle extracts, in which case it is great. I wish every traveler would take a special tour with a knowledgeable guide to the Belen market in the morning for an unusual shopping experience. In the alleyway known as Pasaje Paquito there is a natural medicine to cure every imaginable illness, and in the lower Belen Market you can buy anything that can be sold.
The Plaza de Armas has a wonderful fountain. We like to buy ice cream cones from across the street and eat them in the cool mist from the fountain. It can be very romantic.
Another good place to hang out is the Malecon, also called the boulevard, or river walk, with the best view of the sunrise over the Itaya River. Perhaps we will meet. I live on the third floor of the corner building across the street from the historic chapel and seminary. My office is on the ground floor. Look for the sign that says Dawn on the Amazon Tours and Cruises. Stop in and say hi.
On Saturday and Sunday night the boulevard is the place to be, where people gather to see and be seen. You would love to visit with some of the “characters” from the ex-pat community, drink a cold Iquiteña Extra beer (locally brewed), and watch the action. Clowns on stilts, mimes, slapstick comedians, capoeira, a brass band, street musicians, a dog and monkey show, and beautiful women all compete for your attention. My favorite is the group of capoeiristas that performs the capoeira, an acrobatic martial arts dance, every Saturday at 8 p.m. I have the best seat in the house from my balcony.
You would love going with me in one of the boats for a few hours. The port area is one of the most interesting parts of the city and most travelers never see it. I like to cruise slowly close to shore and watch the tugs and barges, the colectivos, llevo-llevos, lanchas, lanchitas, canoes, and rafts, all so full of people, livestock, fruit, charcoal, and other jungle products they look like they would surely sink. Coming and going, loading and unloading…not many places in the world have more interesting maritime traffic than the Iquitos ports.
The best way to experience the most picturesque area in Iquitos, the Barrio de Belen, is from a boat during the high water season. The houses are built on balsa rafts and float up and down as the water level changes. The floating houses are laid out in streets of water.
This area is known as the Venice of Peru. Everyone has a canoe or llevo-llevo with a peque-peque motor. We like to cruise through slow and easy watching life being lived in a different way. One of my boats was built here so I know the neighborhood very well. This is one of the most interesting places I have ever been and I think you would love it to.
A short boat ride away from Iquitos are some of my favorite places, the Amazon Animal Orphanage and Pilpintuwasi Butterfly Farm, the Momon River, a small winding stream with the jungle close on both sides, a petting zoo where you can wrestle a giant anaconda, the Bora and Yagua indigenous villages, and a good place to watch the pink river dolphins. I think you would love to spend part of a day cruising around the rivers of Iquitos with me.
The best of Iquitos Peru are the people
The most important components of Iquitos, Peru, are the friendly non-violent people. The streets are the safest of any city I have known, and are swept by hand every night so they are usually clean. Violent crime is nearly unheard of, but of course there are plenty of hustlers so please use common sense like always.
The population census shows far more women than men. You have probably never see so many people smiling and laughing, ready to dance, drink, play, and flirt for fun. Every holiday is thoroughly celebrated and there are a lot of parades and parties. Plus we are blessed with eternal summer.
Iquitos, Peru, is known as The City of Love. If you are not in love when you arrive, there is a good chance you will be when you leave…
You Could Love Iquitos Peru
Follow this link to see pictures from the Belen Market and Iquitos set of our photo album.
Bill Grimes, www.dawnontheamazon.com
I think you have nailed it on the head , Iquitos is a wonderful place. I have been living in Peru the past two years stable with three prior years of travelling to the rivers on the outskirts. I never really got to know the center of Iquitos or its nooks well since I have been living and working in Iquitos for the past year. Spells of enchantment are casted umongst those who experience Iquitos. People who travel all over the world for work or leisure find themselves mostly attracted to Iquitos. They may have experienced culture on every continent but have found this Amazon City the perfect place live.
I must say though, for me waking up jungle even on a bad day is 500 times better than waking up on a good day in Iquitos
It felf very strange for me to take residence within the city itself. I was born between the Adirondack and Catskill Mountains of upstate New York. I lived in the country, haybails, cows and corn. I commuted to the university and enjoyed every night I heard the bullfrogs drumming and the screech owls whistling.
I get the same sweet feeling when I am laying in one of the many hammocks at my lodge. At any single moment hundreds of species of nocturnal insects are filling the silence while other Orthopterids are calling sporadically.
Meanwhile you may hear several species of grouse-sized Tinamiformes giving sad three noted whistles.
One spectacular night sound is the common potoo (Nyctibius griseus)a member of the nightjar family. This bird, the ayamama as it is called here in la selva sings from dusk to dawn. The call is hard to describe but it has five to eight whistles starting with the loudest and highest pitch tapering down to the lowest and quieti st.
The legend told of this eeire call is the birds are actually a pair of lost children in purgutory calling for their parents.
Strangely enough there is a Amazonian milk treefrog (Phrynohyas resinifrictix) that will always call from a moist hole in a tree. The frogs croak will resonate within and make it very hard to find.
I remember asking about local stories and one elder woman told me that the frog croaking is actually a small boy that wandered from the farm, lost in the jungle he parished but his soul persists calling for his parents.
I guess you could say that these stories were mainly told by natives to their children so they would not wander off.
The majority of the nights just after 7 or 8 you can hear something jumping from aguaje palm to charichuelo fruit trees. It is not just something, they are a troop of owl or night monkeys (Aoutus vociferans). They generally eat the fruits that are in season giving soft owl like hoots to one another. If I am lucky I can get the night vision in time to get a good glimpse of their enormous and curious eyes.
Other times we hear the noise in the trees and it is a pair or a solitary kinkajous (Potus flavus) a member of the racoon family. They are mainly arboreal, with thick dull orange to brown fur and a pointy muzzle.
I feel better already, I find it hard to get used to life here in the city but it will have to do for now. The most I can do is think about where I want to be and keep on working untill I can get some time to get out to my lodge.
If you would like to see some pictures of the frogs or birds you can check out my website go to photos and my picasa account. www.peruamazonrainforestadventures.com
www.picasaweb.google.com/otorongolodge
This is Anthony signing out on a hot humid Iquitos night.
Comment by Anthony Giardenelli — August 13, 2007 @ 8:59 pm
Good writeup on Iquitos. It’s been a few years since I’ve been there but I suspect that growth is in terms of new streets, new building, new commerce and new people. Much like Santarem, where I live, downstream on the Amazon. Keep walkin the blog!
Comment by Steven Alexander — August 18, 2007 @ 10:23 am
Hi Anthony, thank you for the thoughtful comment. I think it shows our readers what I already know, that you are a nice young man, with a good working knowledge of natural history. Night vision goggles are a great tool for knowing the night life in the jungle. I recommend Otorongo Lodge for a group looking for a non-touristy rainforest experience.
Hi Steven, I am delighted to read your comment. We are the flip side of the coin, old gringos willing to share our hard earned experience and love for the natural wonders of the tropical rainforest. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be 27 again? I bet Anthony’s ankles don’t hurt.
I just finished reading for the third time, Henry Bates, Naturalist on the River Amazons, In Search of Evolution. Bates spent three years collecting, and observing the flora and fauna around Santarém. Do you know if he lived, collected and studied in or near your home at Bosque Santa Lucia, Santarém? Is there a monument? Is he considered part of the history of your area? He is one of my heroes…so I was just wondering. Bates would make a good blog post for you…and for me.
If you are interested in tropical bio-diversity I recommend Steven’s blog at; http://bosque-santa.blogspot.com/ . Unlike this two-bit blog, Steven makes an interesting new post nearly every day. The writing and photography are first rate. He has a brand new book published which I hope to get an autographed copy of, titled, Santarém, Riverboat Town by Steven Alexander. It can be ordered on Amazon.com .
Leave a comment here and then visit the other old gringo’s blog and leave a comment there. We like to get your feedback.
Steven, as one old gringo on the big river to another, thank you sir.
Comment by Bill — August 18, 2007 @ 11:47 am
Damn, your good. That is a great story and presentation. You see the city just like I do. Your tempting me to book an excursion with you even thou I am a legal resident of Iquitos. You didn’t miss anything. You keep writing like this and your going to ruin our secret. Iquitos. The mist from the fountain. That is good. Real good.
Comment by David Volkmann — August 20, 2007 @ 12:52 pm
As always Bill a great piece of work. You portray Iquitos as it is, a beautiful, peaceful place so full of charm and wonderful people.
I was wondering if you would mind if I copied it and put it in the Iquitos Times newspaper and on the ,
www.iquitostimes.com website.
Thank You
Comment by Mike Collis — August 30, 2007 @ 6:58 pm
Hi Dave, it is Mike that is trying to ruin our little secret, Iquitos Peru. Now he is going to add this article to his very popular Iquitos Times. Thanks Mike it is an honor to be included in your excellent newspaper and web site. I recommend anyone visiting or thinking of visiting our charming jungle, river port city to click the live link www.iquitostimes.com .
Comment by Bill — August 31, 2007 @ 4:32 pm
Come on, no one is going to ruin Iquitos other than the few, the horrible….. no, this blog is not about assholes, it is about Iquitos….
Iquitos is great, but I love the jungle more….. I seem to go a little Mad here. mabey a little more mad than mad mick himself….
I need to get out. mabey I will leave monday, I need to organize some public work or a Minga as it is called here.
They will make the Masato with 2 sacks of Yucca.. a mingada de arroz…. tuesday the masato will be strong and I will have about 30-50 villagers at my disposal to clean the quebrada. Of course the to men with chainsaws will have to be paid…
After the cleaning, the majority of the logs and sticks are thrown up on the banks to be taken as firewood or to be taken by the rising waters….
Once it is clean, with one strong rain, the water will flush out tons of sand exposing the bottom clay or greda.
Thats when we find petrified wood, pottery bowls or strange rocks and sometimes even a little bit of gold!!
If there is anyone interested in going, let me know throw in for the gas and we are gone!!!!!
and bill….. no my ankles dont hurt but the three herniated disks in my back give me a hell of a time… doctors have diagnosed my back as that of a 50yr old man……
por mientras…..
chau
Comment by Anthony — September 1, 2007 @ 11:28 am
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