[there are 122 pictures in the Pampas set. please take a look!]
Starting from chocolate croissant delivered to the doors of our tour company by a French baker (there was also an American guy selling banana-nut bread and granola bars) I was in love with my trip to Las Pampas (wetlands).
We were 7 in a large jeep heading for 3 hours to Santa Rosa de Yacuma where a boat was awaiting us. The road was the worst I´ve seen so far and I loved it! The scenery and basic villages is exactly how I imagined my trip to be in South America. Only now in Bolivia I found it! I felt the movie Motorcycle´s Diaries could have been filmed here yesterday. Wetlands started to dominate the landscape and I could not stare enough at very green everything with a few trees. I felt I was driving through Africa where I´ve never been before. Too many movies...
Before heading to the river we had lunch in Santa Rose. That day Bolivians were celebrating Mother´s Day and the restaurant was packed with families with kids. Also there was a black monkey - the cutest thing I have ever seen in my life! It was moving between branches using its tail as the fifth arm. Once I saw the monkey got close to the back buildings, I gave up my soup and grabbed my camera. I reached for the monkey and it jumped on my head. I extended my arm to take a picture of us two, but the monkey stick its head into the lens. Perfect size - 67 mm. So there was - I was playing-fighting with the monkey, kids were surrounding me, jumping to touch the monkey, others wanted to see pictures and at the same time monkey was jumping on my head. Given the loud band in the background it most probably looked like a circus performance. I cannot stop smiling looking at my pictures.
Las Pampas
Animals everywhere. Absolutely amazing. Alligators, tons of birds, turtles, monkeys, dolphins, capybaras, the river and funky trees with crazy roots above the ground - you just have to open your eyes and take it in. I always felt we were going to fast. I just wanted to float in the river and watch every colorful bird for a couple of minutes. One of the birds (name?) would jump into the water (and under), fish, get out, spread the wings for them to dry.
A chichilo monkey jumped into our boat and stole a banana. Then it could not decide what to do - whether to eat the banana or jump to the tree that was slowing getting away. Pure monkey jumped too late (who would give up banana???), fell into the water, but somehow managed to get to the bush.
After unpacking and a welcome tea, we headed to see the sunset and then return to the lodge in the dark. We were searching for the eyes of alligators with our torches. The light reflects in their red-orangy eyes. But this is not the best part. Floating in the boat with lights off, staring into the dark, listening to the pampas sounds under bright starry skies was overwhelming. This place is breathtaking.
Day 2
I woke at sunrise, took a cold shower and jumped into a hammock until breakfast. I would have never thought I would find such peace of mind here just by listening to birds and watching the river. I could totally see myself staying here for a week, taking slow boat rides, napping in a hammock.
But the program did not allow us doing nothing. We were told to put on rubber boots and get ready for "anaconda walk". We went to actual pampas to search for snakes. They don´t call it wetlands for nothing - there was hardly any dry soil. We were soaking in the mud. I even managed to fall on my butt, thankful I put my camera away 3 seconds ago. The hike through swaps with flowers was worth the dirt and heat! But we also found one anaconda. The guide said it was 7-8 years old, male, about 2 meter long.
When walking back to the river we were crossing little ponds instead of walking around. A lot of fun - walking in the rubber boots full of water.
After lunch we finally got our long awaited siesta - 2 hours in a hammock. Later another beautiful boat ride.
The next morning we went swimming with pink dolphins and piranhas fishing.
After lunch we went back to Rurrenabaque. The same night the weather changed - temperature cooled down from 30C to 16C. It rained and our flight got cancelled (runway is not paved...). I could not be happier. Rurrenabaque is such a cute place between the jungle and pampas!
Now I am back in La Paz, wearing everything I have and still cold.
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