Amazonas Day 5: So Long Iquitos

We made it back to the city center.  What a story this place has!!!  

Iquitos is the largest city in the world that is inaccessible by car.  You can only get here by plane or boat.  This is the Iglesia Matriz.  Known for it's Swiss-looking clock, it is a trademark for the city.

Getting ready for the evenings celebrations.

The rubber boom in the early 20th century put this place on the map.  Ridiculous amounts of money ended up in this town.  

The iron building behind us, Casa de Fierro, was purchased at the International Exposition of Paris in 1889.  Once dismantled, it was brought in pieces to Iquitos (the metal sheets were carried by hundreds of men through the jungle), and assembled there in 1890.

The former Hotel Palace took 4 years to build (1908-1912).  All of the tiles came across the Atlantic from Malaga.  The outside main floor was plated in bronze, the next level up was plated in silver and the top level in gold, of course.  

Pizza Delivery ;)

Homes on the Nanay River

Leaf cutter ants up close and personal

2015 here we come.  What a great way to bring in the New Year!

After we ended our tour around downtown, we parked ourselves at a restaurant right in the Plaza de Armas and watched the excitement unfold before our eyes.  It cracked the kids up that Santa and Mickey Mouse were riding around in a sled together.  There were actually 2 Mickeys.  One wasn't looking too good.  He was more like Goth Mickey.  I tried to get the kids to go over and get a picture with him, but they didn't go for it :)

Evening was fast approaching.  

We ate dinner and made our way around the Plaza for a bit before catching our ride to the airport.  It was time to go home.  

We landed in the Lima airport for the New Years Eve Countdown.  We tiredly but happily joined in with everyone else as they yelled, "Diez, nueve, ocho...."  You can see that Luke didn't make it til the end.  As everyone kissed and hugged and wished each other a "Feliz Ano Nuevo," suddenly these two women were standing right next to us.  We wished them a happy new year, and then they asked permission to give Jake a kiss on the cheek and wish him the same.  Sure!  Thankfully, he just smiled and went right along with the whole thing.  

Then they told us why.  These two ladies were cousins.  One had cervical cancer and she knew that if she could come to the airport and find the right child to kiss on New Years Eve, it would bring her good fortune and she would be healed.  

I didn't even think about it at the time, but the color YELLOW brings good luck to people down here.  Weeks leading up to NYE, people are selling yellow underwear in the streets everywhere you go.  

So, this sweet woman, has her cousin bring her to the airport a little before midnight.  They walk into the food court and she sees a little rubio (blond) boy in a yellow shirt and she knows he is the one.  She had tears in her eyes as she thanked us for letting her touch Jake.  She had so much faith, I truly hope she was blessed and healed because of it!  St. Jake :)  It was midnight and he had no clue what was going on.  But he smiled. And I was grateful.  

Amazonas Day 5: Belen- Amazon's Biggest Marketplace

Before we knew it, we were back in Iquitos.  Our flight didn't take off until much later on New Years Eve, so we grabbed another Moto-taxi and headed to Belen.  The largest Peruvian Amazon Marketplace.  This would be interesting!

 I don't think these things are made for families of 5.  

Good thing we still have a few little bums that can squeeze!

 We drove across and out of town and as we got further and further, I prayed we would be safe!  Our guide had told us before he dropped us off, to be careful in Iquitos, especially because it was New Years Eve.  Once again, Kate voiced her concern.  When we climbed out of the taxi she said, "Ok, we've seen it.  Can we go back?"  

Check this out:

 Turtle Eggs

 Look at these grubs.  

They are enormous!  

 And delicious!!  Tastes like chicken!  Haha!  No, we didn't try them.  We didn't want to be suffering from any melodramatic intestinal issues on the plane ride home.  

 Wow.

 Do you see that alligator head behind the fish? 

What about it's arm?!!!!  I am so grateful I live where I live.  

Thankfully our driver returned us to the city center of Iquitos after an exhaust-filled taxi ride.  

We were safe.  We made it.  It was time to explore the downtown a bit!

Amazonas Day 5: Getting ready to head home

 We returned to Ceiba Tops after our morning adventure to shower and pack up our things.  

It was time to start making our way home.  

 Check out the water level marks at the dock!!!

 As we made our way back up to our room, we stopped to pick some apple bananas along the way from the trees.  They were this guys favorite.  Soooo sweet.  

 I was so excited taking pictures of all of the places we went during the week, that I didn't take any pictures of where we stayed!  So here you go.  Ceiba Tops Lodge.  

 Our morning meeting spot.

 Our rooms.

The many walkways around the lodge 

The Dining Hall

 Our table for the week.

The pool had THE GREATEST slide.  It catapulted you out into the water. 

 We all spent some quality time chasing each other down it at record speeds :)

 And here is Peru.  See the big green area up at the top?  We were smack dab in the middle of it.  

The beginning of the Amazon River.