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Features eight essays by Euclides da Cunha, about his trip through the Amazonin 1905, written to describe the Brazilian hinterlands to the urban citizens.
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I had the wonderful opportunity to visit Peru for a month (June 2011) and just wanted to mention the food at Dawn on the Amazon (DOTA), at the end of the boulevard. While I like Peruvian food, it is as you know wholesome and delicious; sometimes I craved some old-fashioned American style food. The food at DOTA is meticulously prepared, and is the most similar to back-home cooking that I have found in Iquitos. I suggest that you try the menu; I found nothing served to be less than excellent, but I have several favorites that I want to mention. The first are the many fruit drinks: mango, camu-camu, or mixtures of several tropical drinks. I especially enjoyed the drinks served “frozen”. My two favorite meals were the spicy breakfast burrito and the spaghetti with meat sauce. The breakfast burrito consisted of two egg burritos covered with gravy. It was absolutely delicious. The spaghetti was to die for, and the portions were enough to satisfy the biggest appetite. The spaghetti dinner came with a delicious red sauce, a wonderful tossed salad (very clean), and a hearty serving of garlic bread. I suggest that you try other items on the menu, and see what you like the best. I guarantee that you won’t be disappointed.
Maddogmike sometimes referred to as Michael Stewart, Professor of Environmental Sciences, Troy University, Troy, AL, USA
Bill Grimes here, reporting from Iquitos Peru. Thank you Miguel
We are fortunate to have Joanna Cisowska enchant us with her violin again on Wednesday, June 15, 7:00pm.
We are double lucky to have the multi-talented Caleb Whitaker singing and playing acoustical guitar on Thursday, June 16, 7:00pm.
Help raise the bar a little higher and have some new fun in Iquitos at the same time. Join us for a good time and you could love Iquitos.
Bill Grimes, reporting from the boulevard.
Caleb Whitaker performing, the Dawn on the Amazon on the boulevard, Iquitos
Caleb Whitaker entertained us at the Dawn on the Amazon. I wish you could have been here with us. It was fun. Caleb’s a charming guy. He combined playing and singing with nice mannerisms and an appealing style.
It was a welcome musical change of pace from the wondering minstrels playing panpipes, quenas, cajóns, and guitars with a string missing. Caleb covered some Dylan, early Elvis, and some of my favorite Beetles songs. He branched out with an original impromptu, “Ain’t Got No Acai Blues.”
Caleb told me, ” I saved up money from mowing yards and odd jobs. When I turned 18 I bought my first guitar and never put it down.”
Caleb is a multi-talented guy. Some call him Dante. He is working on a novel, partially based on the characters of Iquitos. That should be a fun read. In the mean time, I always look forward to new posts on his blog, Jungle Love. He tells a good story. Be sure to check out, I Saw A UFO In Iquitos. When I Was On Ayahuasca. No, Really. That article has the distinction of having the only three sentence title in the modern internet age, among other things.
In conclusion, we are planning Caleb’s second performance at the Dawn on the Amazon Cafe in the near future. Stay in tune.
Bill Grimes congratulating Caleb Whitaker for a great performance at the Dawn on the Amazon, Iquitos
Bill Grimes reporting from Iquitos Peru.
A Sunday scene you might see walking the boulevard between Dawn on the Amazon and the Bistro
It’s 11:30am Sunday, The Dawn on the Amazon Cafe is closed on Sundays. My wife Marmelita, my beloved, is guiding a 4 day cruise in Dawn on the Amazon, up the Nanay River into Allpahuayo Mishana National Reserve. I thought about going out to the Amazon Golf Course. Several of my friends will be there. Instead I decided to stroll the three blocks on the scenic boulevard with my camera and laptop to hang out at the French restaurant, the Amazon Bistro. I captured some of the scenes on my little Leica along the way.
The view toward the river as you stroll along the boulevard between the Dawn on the Amazon Cafe and the Amazon Bistro.
It felt good being warmly greeted at the door by both Marc and Tanya. Marc and I had a brief conversation about some of our similar experiences running a restaurant. We shared a laugh.
When you are walking along the boulevard between Dawn on the Amazon and the Amazon Bistro, this is some of what you will see.
Now I’m sitting up on the balcony with the fan blowing. Oscar is my waiter. He is a nice young man that speaks good English and smiles a lot. He engages me with polite conversation while explaining my choices. I’m hungry, so every thing he mentions sounds so good. I choose the american breakfast over the french breakfast.
The entrance to the Amazon Bistro is well guarded.
Aahhhh That was fast! Here comes my brunch, a cheese omelet with mushrooms, toasted french bread, with mandarin juice and a small espresso. The small salad is a pleasant surprise, and the large sprig of parsley decorating the omelet is a nice touch. I love this bread with the butter melting into the texture. Well, as fast as it arrived, I devoured it with no typing in between.
The view from where I was sitting while having insperation about the renaissance in Iquitos
Now I’m sipping another espresso, writing this article, and wondering why this couldn’t be a part of a modern version of what it was like in the cafes along the Seine in Paris in the 1920s. Several bright immigrants met at three cafe’s with-in a few blocks of one another for stimulating conversation and inspiration; then wrote, painted or composed music that withstands the test of time today.
My train of thought was interrupted by two women from the Netherlands that told me they come to the Amazon Bistro nearly everyday.
When you are walking along the boulevard and see this statue of Simón Bolívar, you will be half a block from the Amazon Bistro.
If you are following along with me you will be hearing a lot more about this renaissance that is taking place right now in Iquitos. We have authors writing, artists painting, musicians playing, photographers composing, and bloggers blogging. Although we are in the middle of the jungle, surrounded by rivers, we are communicating with each other, exchanging ideas, we are connected. We are friends in real life and on FaceBook, telling whats on our minds. Tweeters are tweeting, we are communicating with the world. And we are hanging out in cafes along the boulevard for good conversation and inspiration. Like this article, inspired by hanging out with Marc and Tania, the chef Guillaume and some of our friends at the Amazon Bistro. Tomorrow I will be at the Dawn on the Amazon Cafe, just a 3 block stroll along river. The sky is the limit when we work together.
It’s a tranquil sunny scene, people come and go from the Bistro, soft music playing in the background, a comfortable ambiance. I really like the Amazon Bistro and I bet you would too.
This friendly motocarrista called me by name when I was walking along. I told him I was going to the Amazon Bistro. He pointed the direction to the bistro and nodded his head. Yes.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the boulevard is the place to be! Slow down and enjoy the scene.
Bill Grimes is host of the Dawn on the Amazon Café, and the self appointed restaurant critic of Iquitos. To read over 30 more of his restaurant critiques, click Where To Eat In Iquitos; or the condensed list, Where Will You Eat In Iquitos Peru, to be updated soon.
Fine French Cuisine At Amazon Bistro On The Boulevard In Iquitos;
A study recently published by Peru’s national statistics and information bureau, INEI, and the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) reports that the languages spoken among the indigenous population in the country’s Amazon region are grouped into 12 linguistic families. The linguistic families include Arahuaca, Jibaro, Quechua, Pano, Cahuapana, Tupi-Guarani, Pebayagua, Huitoto, Huarakmbut-Harakmbet, Tucano, Zaparo, and Tacana, plus [...]
Peruvian Times
Guest post by Anthony Giardenelli
Giant freshwater stingray, (Potamotrygon brachyura or short tailed river stingray), caught by Anthony Giardenelli near the village of Oran on the Amazon River
This Incredible specimen of giant freshwater stingray was caught near Oran, Peru Lower Amazon River region. She weighed in at 154lb over 4ft long including her short tail. We were fishing on the point of two rivers combining when she sucked the live bait directly into her mouth. She managed to swim a distance until it became like a rock at the bottom of the river. We had to untie and follow her downstream. When a stingray is hooked, they bury themselves in the sediment practically suctioned to the bottom. They are very stubborn, and at this point, if you do not have the right gear, it’s really easy to lose.
After about 30 agonizing minutes, we had a crowd of other local fisherman in awe at the braided nylon fishing line that is almost as fine as thread. Some of them were very impressed and stayed until we had beached the ray. We decided to take it to Oran Village to weigh and distribute to villagers and fisherman who followed us. It took 2 men to pull this ray up on the front of my speedboat and had to be tied down in several parts due to its slipperiness.
Freshwater stingrays of the Amazon river Basin are unique from others due to their natural history of isolation through geological change (uplift of Andes Mountains approx 60 million years ago). All species of Amazonian rays have genetic roots with ray species found in the pacific ocean and none in the Atlantic furthermore solidifying the case that the Amazon flowed westward before the end of the Cretaceous period. There are over 20 species of rays here in the Amazon as well as many species of fish, mollusks and other invertebrates that evolved from marine dwelling organisms.
A guest post by my friend Anthony Giardenelli, a great fisherman, birder, falconer, outdoorsman and all around good guy. Ant and his brilliant, charming wife Ivonne own and operate Otorongo Expeditions. I highly recommend you click on the link and check out their web site.
Cap’n Bill Grimes is the publisher of the Captain’s Blog and president of Dawn on the Amazon Tours and Cruises. While you are at it, check us out to.
In celebration of the International Year of Forests, we are highlighting those individuals, communities and businesses actively safeguarding the lungs of the planet. In 1972, Max Gunther was working as a veterinarian, assisting sheep and cattle farmers in the Peruvian Andes. But when a national land reform eradicated all large, private land holdings in Peru [...]
The Frog Blog UK: The blog of the Rainforest Alliance in the UK
Extraordinary film footage narrated by movie star Gillian Anderson has launched Survival International’s new campaign to protect some of the world’s last uncontacted tribes.
New film footage released today shows uncontacted Indians on the Brazil-Peru border in never-seen-before detail. It is the first-ever aerial footage of an uncontacted community.
Ms Anderson said today, ‘What comes across very powerfully from this amazing footage is how healthy and confident these people appear. I hope they can be left alone – but that will only happen if the loggers are stopped.’
The footage was filmed by the BBC in collaboration with the Brazilian government, for the new BBC 1 ‘Human Planet’ series (broadcast 3 Feb). The Brazilian government has authorized Survival to use the footage as part of its campaign. Photos of the tribe were published worldwide by Survival earlier this week.
Global coverage of the story has already pushed the Peruvian authorities into action – they have announced they will work with Brazil’s Indian Affairs department (FUNAI) to protect the area more effectively.
The Indians’ survival is in jeopardy as an influx of illegal loggers invades the Peru side of the border. Brazilian authorities believe the influx of loggers is pushing isolated Indians from Peru into Brazil, and the two groups are likely to come into conflict.
Survival Director Stephen Corry said today, ‘The very dangerous future for uncontacted tribal peoples should be of worldwide concern. Gillian Anderson’s help here will draw more attention to it – vital if the world is finally going to call a real halt to the centuries of destruction.’
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