Igapó or várzea is the Brazilian name for flooded forest, and we entered it by canoeing through openings between the trees. Sometimes the forest was thick and the guide in our boat had to cut branches for the boat to go through. He also used his machete to make marks on the trees so he could find his way back.
When the jungle starts to flood, the land animals that live here swim across the river to the mainland, to only return during the dry season. Birds and butterflies are found everywhere though. And we also got to see and smell a beautiful wild orchid.
We then left the igapó and went to an area where we could walk on land. Our guide brought us there to show us the largest species of the Amazon trees: the Samaúma. Its trunk reminded me of bones.
I got to walk barefoot and as was doing it, I kept thinking how this soil is made up of layers and layers of leaves, like an ancient carpet of nature on top of nature…
Just as it started to rain, we arrived in the town of Novo Airão.
We docked, and something came aboard to welcome us. His name was Chitão, a Red Howler Monkey. We played with Chitão who sometimes scared me, like when he tried to grad my hair or my still camera. But he was a pretty friendly guy for the most part, and in the evening, together with his owner, he sat on the dinner table with us.
