Getting up at 3 am to catch our boat from Iquitos to Pebas - the gateway town to our partner native villages in the Ampiyacu River area. In the past we have usually taken a "lancha" that is basically a ferry boat to make this trip. it is rather slow and makes a lot of stops en route so it generally took 12-15 hours going down the Amazon and 18-22 hours coming back - usually in hammock strung next to 100 other people packed like sardines. For the same price as getting a "camarote" (a cabin that is a metal box with two bunk beds) on the lancha we will be able to sit in comfortable airline style seats on the new Ferry and make the same trip in only five hours. During this trip we plan to make quick visits to Brillo Nuevo to visit artisans and have a meeting with the whole community and Puca Urquillo where we will meet with artisans and leader of the native federation FECONA. Below are some colorful woven chambira bracelets made by Brillo Nuevo artisans earlier this year. What do you think of them?
