Life on the River

A scene from the boat ride going up and down the streets of the Belen neighborhood in Iquitos; These houses appear to be floating on water, but are actually built on stilts 10-15 feet high. In low water season people use the lower level for outdoor living like a covered lanai.

"The humidity is very high here; about 15 seconds out of the hotel and your clothes are soaking wet. The rainy season has just ended here and a lot of huts that are normally on dry ground are floating on logs.We took a primitive boat ride on a river today, when I say primitive.... I mean a wood slat to sit on, and trust me is was not a very secure feeling. Of course, there was a bucket to bail out any water that we took on. Oh, and the motor was teeny tiny...I couldn't believe that these people think these boats are fabulous.

The food is very different. We only drink bottled water. We do not drink anything with ice because of contamination. They grow over 2,800 different types of potatoes here in Peru. Let's just say that we eat only at certain places that we are told the food is safe. I have washed my hands quite a bit more often here. A person can buy all types of food from street corner vendors. I would not advise eating any of it, due to the flies and other critters swarming all over it."

Sam & Carol Miller


In "low water season" the stilt houses look quite different as a previous Porter group tours the same street in Belen.