Piranha Fishing in Amazon

Quote: I TOOK THE 2 HOUR FLIGHT FROM LIMA TO IQUITOS ON AERO-PERU AND ARRIVED THAT MORNING. IQUITOS IS A UNIQUE CITY IN THAT IT CAN ONLY BE REACHED BY AIR OR BOAT. IT WAS FOUNDED IN 1750 AND FROM 1880-1917 PROSPERED DURING THE RUBBER BOOM . IN 1950 IT WAS A CITY OF ONLY 10,000 BUT WHEN OIL WAS DISCOVERED THERE IT BEGAN TO GROW AND TODAY HAS A POPULATION OVER 300,000. ARRIVING AT THE AIRPORT IS LIKE BEING IN AN INDIANA JONES MOVIE. THE AIRPORT IS SMALL AND IS SURROUNDED BY JUNGLE. IF YOU ARRIVE IN THE MORNING YOU DO NOT IMMEDIALTEY FEEL THE INTENSE HEAT BUT JUST WAIT UNTIL THE AFETERNOON! HOTEL EUROPA HAS A VAN THAT PICKS UP PASSENGERS BUT IF YOU STAY SOMEWHERE ELSE YOU CAN GET AN INEXPENSIVE RIDE FROM THE AIRPORT BY TAXI-CHOLO. (THREE WHEELED MOTOR CYCLE WITH SEAT ON BACK THAT WILL CARRY TWO PASSENGERS) TAXI-CHOLO IS MAIN METHOD OF TRANSPORTATION HERE. FROM HOTEL EUROPA THE MALECON IS JUST SHORT WALK AND YOU CAN LOOK OUT TOWARD THE AMAZON RIVER FROM THERE. POST OFFICE AND SEVERAL RESTAURANTS ARE NEAR AND THERE IS INTERNET CAFE ACROSS THE STREET. BEST PLACE TO GO FISHING IS IN ONE OF THE MANY TRIBUTARIES OF THE AMAZON. NEVERTHELESS, I WOULD RECOMMEND AN EXCURSION ON THE AMAZON WHERE YOU SEE MILITARY BOATS, MISSIONARY BOATS, OCEAN LINERS AND SMALL CRAFT TAKING GOODS TO MARKET. YOU CAN ALSO TRAVEL BY RIVER TO SEVERAL JUNGLE VILLAGES AND TRADE WITH THE LOCALS FOR HAND MADE ITEMS. THE AMAZON NEAR IQUITOS IS NOT AS WILD AS THE LEGENDARY AND HISTORICAL AMAZON BUT THERE ARE STILL PRECAUTIONS THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN. MALARIA IS STILL A DANGER AND IT IS NOT A GOOD IDEA TO SWIM IN THE AMAZON SINCE THE WATER IS FULL OF DANGEROUS BACTERIA AND LEECHES. THE DANGER FROM PIRANHAS IS ALMOST NON EXISTENT AND THE MORE DANGEROUS ANIMALS SUCH AS THE JAGUAR AND ANACONDA HAVE RETREATED MUCH FARTHER INTO THE JUNGLE AS MAN HAS INVADED MORE OF THE RAINFOREST. DON'T EXPECT TO SEE MUCH WILDLIFE. THE ONLY CREATURES I SAW WERE IGUANAS AND SNAKES AND ONE MONKEY.