The Amazon port of Iquitos is simply impressive. The big river boats seem stuck like sluggish whales half in the water and half on the sandy beach. Over boards and chicken ladders, people climb up and down like ants and load or unload the cargo holds of the boats. Some just sit around and do nothing. Others run busily around the area. Motorcycles are crumbling everywhere. Here and there, one of those big whales alternates with the other.

The port was one of the stopovers of my Amazon tour in April 2016. Start was Leticia in Colombia. The tour should end in Perus Capital Lima. I did a large part of the way on the river.

From Iquitos I moved three days with one of the boats upstream to the hot town of Yurimaguas. It was a nice adventure. I rented a single cabin. A steely, hot hole with a bunk bed inside. During the day I could lie on deck in the hammock. Toilet and shower were operated with river water. The preparation of the quite rustic meals may also have been done with river water. Fortunately, they sold beer and cola.