La Bistecca

On Saturday our office staff, assistants and President and sister Tyler met President and sister Perez and the office staff of the North mission for a delightful and delicious luncheon at the restaurant La Bistecca.

We didn´t know the missionaries could eat so much.

Puerto Maldonado - Jungle - March 17-21 2001

We arrived from the airport and went directly to the Anaconda Lodge and Thai Restaurant. We stayed in these bungalows. It said it was air conditioned. That meant we had a fan. They were very nice.

Our bungalow had a loft above with three more beds.

Karen layed down in the hammock and fell asleep for a couple of hours.

Donald told us that the spiders come out at night and he knew where this nest was. On our walk we saw over a gazillion stars. Something we don't see in Lima.

At the lodge were all these baby monkey that loved us and we loved them.

They all wanted to check us out

Pedra and I became instant friends.

Unfortunately she became lost as she followed us to our bungalow and didn't know how to get back to the lodge.





This is Pedra telling me her troubles.

The jungle

We got on the river Madre de Dios and headed downstream. I was really surprised at the size of the river. Our guide said it is between 90 and 100 feet deep and between 1/4 to 1/2 mile wide. They are in the process of building a bridge to the other side in Puerto Maldonado.

This is the boat that we rode on with a canopy. It was nice with the wind blowing. We were on the water for an hour an a half getting to the Planet Amozon where we launched into the jungle proper.

This is an island out in the middle of the river. There were several that we passed by.

This is where we got off the river. One of the many butterflies that Karen was always trying to take a picture of.

Before heading into the jungle this is what we looked like. Clean!!!

We put on boots that came to just below the knees.

There were all kinds of trees. This is a walking tree with its long root system.

Some of the trees were extremely large. Some areas it was swampy and we walked on this narrow foot bridge.

Canopy Walk

150 feet above the jungle floor we climbed up this canopy walk to get to this platform. We could look down on the various trees.

This walkway is steeper than it looks and you need to use your arms to help you move along the way. Karen on her way down.

Notice the thick growth of trees and bushes.

This is looking on the way up.

We wore boots that came almost to our knees. Karen is mired in the mud

A log with fungus growing on it in the swamp.

We saw these animals along the way. The Jaguar and Tapiars.

Saying are goodbyes to Donald and Wadee who own the Anaconda Lodge. Starting next week they have agreed to have the sister missionaries come and teach them.

Donald and Wadee. She is from Thailand and he from Germany though he was born in Lima.

Sister Cleverly, Wadee and sister Tyler at the chapel.

In moto taxi getting ready to go to the airport.

President and sister Tyler.

Diversity of Peru

We left Puerto and the jungle and within a half an hour and before landing in Cusco we saw snow.

The Tambopata river that goes around Puerto Maldonado.



All pictures taken from the window of our airplane.