Our most memorable moment was when we were invited to celebrate Carnival with a small village deep in the Amazon Jungle. This was the village that our guide’s girlfriend lived in and was well off the beaten tourist track. In fact, it seemed like the majority of the villagers had never seen an outsider before.
The celebrations consisted of dancing around a tall pole with rags and pots on the top while the adults took turns chopping the pole with a machete. While this was going on, the children would throw water and mud at us while a local band was playing some native music.
After the festivities, we were invited into the main hut, where we were given a drink. After drinking the "Chunky" alcoholic beverage, we found out how it was made... the women would sit around a pot chewing sugar cane and spitting it into the pot. This mash would then ferment, and make their alcoholic beverage. Yum.
Quick Tips:
When looking for a lodge to stay in, do not book ahead of time. Go to Iquitos and head to the tourist office. From there you can see what all the lodges are like and read customer reviews. Then go to the lodge headquarters and negotiate your stay there. You well save large amounts of money by doing it this way.
Best Way To Get Around:
In Iquitos, there is only one way to get around. Three-wheeler motorcycle taxis, which are everywhere.