Living in Peru : your everyday companion

(Written by Doug Norvell)

Want to go for a jungle adventure, but, well... not quite ready for rainforest camping? Try, like I did an albergue, or jungle lodge near Iquitos on the big river Amazon.

The albergue I visited is called Heliconia, for the jungle flower.

Instead of a flower, Heliconia should have been named for a jewel, a kind of emerald that a hiker might kick up in the rainforest covered with the kinds of ferns and vines that consume everything with their color.

Helconia is a paradise, except for the mosquitoes. But what's a rain forest without mosquitoes?

Heliconia is two hours downstream from Iquitos, just about the right distance for a "jungle trip". Any closer and one would not feel like a true explorer and any further one might suffer the hard travel of a "riberno" (someone who lives up a tributary).

As it was, we loaded up with all the other folk who come to town once a week for supplies.

The first stop downstream was at a Bora Indian Village. Even the tour operator said the Bora village was "muy turistica" (very touristy), but I rather liked the big native hut and tribal dances put on by the community.

Boras from seven to seventy come out for a wiggle and stomp while wearing native costumes, then top it off with a blow gun demonstration.

One Bora woman was beautiful in her bark skirt.

Back in the boat and on the river we passed an antennae farm with a dock loaded with gunboats. "DEA" said the boatman, and I wondered what kind of dances they do in there.

After another hour on the river, we arrived at Heliconia and after a treacherous trip up a mud bank (but with plenty of help) we stepped onto the walkways and were greeted by Nelly, a former government economist who runs the lodge for the Acosta family tourism company.

Besides Heliconia, the Acosta family owns another jungle lodge near Iquitos, but acessible by road, the original Hotel Acosta (an art deco jewel in downtown Iquitos) and a luxury boutique hotel called the Victoria Regia. But they are proudest of Heliconia, as it sprawls through virgin jungle.

As walking in virgin jungle is not exactly comfortable, the owners of Heliconia built walkways everywhere, which was very ok with me, as I like to look down on army ants rather than be eyeball to eyeball with them.

Scooting along the walkway, the visitor finds a reception center, built of palm thatch, 50 feet across with 60 foot ceilings. Here the manager explains the lights (kerosene in the walkways and generator driven in the rooms until 10 p.m.), the meals (buffet style where everyone eats at once) and the activities (fishing for piranhas, swimming, etc.)

The meal was great, then the next morning we loaded up and said goodbye to the rain forest.

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But the name of the flower is Heliconia!!

Dear Doug Norvell:

I find you page very good from Peru for advise news "El Comercio", I placed you work when you living in Peru.

Excuse for my english not very good.

Best regards,

Ricardo Tello

I like very much you write about Perú, and I like very much this page.
I am peruvian and I have never been in Iquitos, but I will.
Just as suggestion, the name of the people living in the river shores is rivereño (from Rivera = river shore), logically when the local people speak fast you can just hear riverno

Greetings

ILR

Mr. Norvell

Back in Port Arthur, you were known as "Bullet", a loving nick-name because you were everyone's friend, including mine.

I am in awe of your Amazon experience. My wife, Maris, and I visited Iquitos 12 years ago for a 10 day Amazon experience and we would return tomorrow if the opportunity presented itself.

I hope to hear from you.

Doyle Reynolds

   My wife and I had the pleasure of visiting Iquitos in July '06 while on a Mission trip to the area. We stayed in an apartment on the Boulevard on the river. It was an experience we will never forget. We had two work-groups; my wife went out to various villages with the Drs and the other nurses to do health clinics while 4 or 5 of us stayed in Iquitos to build a Jungle-Gym set for the handicap school in el Jardin. It was quite a treat for me to work with the native woods in the workshop at el Jardin and see the playground come into existence from a small sketch. We also went on to Cusco for an extended stay and visit to MachuPicchu before returning to West Virginia, USA.
   We are returning late June '08 for another week of Service work, primarily in the village of Gallito, with our sister Church there. During this visit, we will be spending one night in a Jungle Camp, perhaps the Heliconia, and are looking forward to that adventure.
  

Dear Mr. Norvell,
                        Thank you for sharing your experience in the peruvian Amazon jungle. I enjoyed it very much, I was born in Pucallpa, Peru by the Ucayali River I hope you can visit there someday. I have lived in the US for 23 years. I do have family in Iquitos and I visit there at least every year isn't it just wonderful? beautifull sunsets by the amazon River,  people are so nice and lovely... and the food... how I miss the food.
      
                                 Best Regards,

                                                     Laura Eastman