Doing The Tourist Thing
On the other side of Iquitos was the district of Nanay, a place with its own little mercado, outdoor kitchens selling delicious meals and a floating restaurant on the river. Paddleboats could be rented for an hour of diversion, but instead, we sought out a launch to take us to visit the Boras tribe. The short tour, if arranged with an agent could cost some s/80 each, hyperinflated for foreigners, but at the Nanay dock, we found a launch to take us for half that, including the s/.20 donation to the tribe.
It was a disappointing visit, unfortunately far from the real experience I was looking for. Instead of visiting an actual village, we were taken to a spot where a performance hut was built specifically for tourism. Inside were the drums used to communicate between villages, a long plank of wood with the head of an anaconda for ceremonial dancing, and artesan crafts for sale.
We were greeted by the Apu (chief) in his traditional dress, and after a brief talk about his tribe, we watched them sing and dance. Soon, with our feathered crowns, we were invited to join them and danced, feeling like a pair of tontos. As soon as the music stopped, bracelets were slapped onto our wrists like handcuffs, and after initially thinking the first was a gift, I quickly realized the unfortunate tourist trap that the visit was. We each bought one to be kind and the other bracelets were picked off unceremoniously.
A far better trip was to the reserve of Quistococha, about a half hour trip outside Iquitos. With a zoo housing birds, monkeys, wild cats, fish and reptiles set in the trees, it also boasted a lovely lake and beach with thatched shelters near a couple of restaurants. It was a lovely outing, worth far more than the small s/.3 entrance fee, and the highlight was interacting with the pink river dolphin. Joel tapped on the side of its pond and it came over with a small piece of cement balanced on its snout; a gift. Joel accepted the gift and reached out to rub its snout before it disappeared under the water again to reappear to other visitors, presenting them with a plastic straw. When it returned to Joel, the gift was a glob of clay.
It was a disappointing visit, unfortunately far from the real experience I was looking for. Instead of visiting an actual village, we were taken to a spot where a performance hut was built specifically for tourism. Inside were the drums used to communicate between villages, a long plank of wood with the head of an anaconda for ceremonial dancing, and artesan crafts for sale.We were greeted by the Apu (chief) in his traditional dress, and after a brief talk about his tribe, we watched them sing and dance. Soon, with our feathered crowns, we were invited to join them and danced, feeling like a pair of tontos. As soon as the music stopped, bracelets were slapped onto our wrists like handcuffs, and after initially thinking the first was a gift, I quickly realized the unfortunate tourist trap that the visit was. We each bought one to be kind and the other bracelets were picked off unceremoniously.
A far better trip was to the reserve of Quistococha, about a half hour trip outside Iquitos. With a zoo housing birds, monkeys, wild cats, fish and reptiles set in the trees, it also boasted a lovely lake and beach with thatched shelters near a couple of restaurants. It was a lovely outing, worth far more than the small s/.3 entrance fee, and the highlight was interacting with the pink river dolphin. Joel tapped on the side of its pond and it came over with a small piece of cement balanced on its snout; a gift. Joel accepted the gift and reached out to rub its snout before it disappeared under the water again to reappear to other visitors, presenting them with a plastic straw. When it returned to Joel, the gift was a glob of clay.
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