ON ON to Cusco!

On the boat ride back to Iquitos yesterday, our tour leader surprised us with a stop at Monkey Island, a rescue center that returns new world monkeys to the wild, if possible. They have spider monkeys, woolly monkeys, a gray woolly monkey (natural habitat is at 1000 meters and higher), red faced titi monkeys, and white faced saki monkeys.

35,000 monkeys are taken out of the Amazon every year, mostly for the illegal pet trade. Only 1 in 10 survive.

We had so much fun playing with the little brown woolly monkeys. Their hands were so soft yet so strong, and they could be rough, using you as a tree while playing with the other monkeys. But if you could get one to latch his prehensile tail on your hand then pull him up to get your other forearm under his butt, you could cuddle him on your shoulder just like a toddler. He would make these cooing sounds with his face buried in your neck while you pet his back. It was a fleeting but special moment I will cherish.

After playtime, we continued upriver to Iquitos and our hotel. After checking in, almost all of us and even one of our tour guides went to The Yellow Rose of Texas restaurant. What a great last evening in the Peruvian Amazon.

We left the hotel at 6 this morning to make our first flight to Lima. Now, we're on our second leg heading to Cusco, home to the famous Machu Picchu Incan ruins. Another adventure just ahead!

So long [for now] and thanks for all the MONKEYS. ✌️Read more