Today we experienced firsthand the cultural and natural diversity of the Peruvian Upper Amazon. Just after breakfast, we went to visit the Amazonas Community. We were welcomed by the villagers, especially by a group of women leaders who are part of the several health, education, conservation, and community development projects led by Minga Peru, the NGO that the Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic Fund proudly supports. In fact, our illustrious guest speaker this week, Eliana Elias, is the co-founder and executive director of Minga Peru. A global leader in sustainable development, Eliana has spent over 20 years working in the Peruvian Amazon and several rural areas in Latin America.
We went on to spend a hot but enlightened morning learning about the local way of life and the several productive and cultural activities that people in this community engage in.
We had great opportunities to interact and share precious moments with people of all ages, ranging from small kids at a school class to elders and leaders.
In the afternoon, we visited the remote Clavero Lake, where we had the chance to go swimming. Finally, in the late afternoon we explored the area with our skiffs and enjoyed watching many birds and several mammals. Lively music, played after dinner by some talented members of the ship’s crew, was the golden finale of this long but productive day in the Upper Amazon of Peru.
