In the end, it’s all about the people you meet.That’s what I’ve learned after every journey. Visiting the southernmost city of Colombia, which borders Peru and Brazil, has taught me different. The city is called Leticia and is most famous for the river that passes by. The Amazon river that captures about a third of the south American continent was something I had to see while working and travelling in Colombia. I grabbed a friend I found in Bogotá and we decided to fly to Leticia with no plan whatsoever.
Before the adventure would unfold itself, we met the ornithologist Ottoniel, or short Otto. He ended up guiding us for the next days. As a tourist, I don’t want to take a selfie with a monkey on a leash, neither do I want a well-structured vacation. I’m looking for spontaneity and authenticity. My motto as a tourist isn’t to make noise, but to listen.
And oh boy, did I listen. The first early morning I watched a swarm of parrots turn a green, still tree into a colorful, lively one, in the park. Sounds beyond beautiful, and it was, but the sound of the birds was simply deafening. Colorful and lively also were the streets of Leticia, on which you haven’t been if you hadn’t had a near-death experience with a roaring Tuk Tuk or scooter. I listened to a Shaman’s words to move into the woods and I listened to the gentle sound of the water when a caiman dove down shallowly. Enough to be overwhelmed as a 19-year-old, or anybody who travels with opened ears.
Durch den Saft einer Pflanze am Amazonas, färbte sich meine Haut blau und bei einem Spaziergang durch den Regenwald, ist das Foto entstanden.
It wasn’t all the exterior noises that impressed me, most memorable were the noises inside my head. A nearly unbearable buzz broke out in situations of panic or shock. For instance, when you’re climbing a tree next to the Amazon river and your hand finds its way into the web of a really real and really hairy Tarantula or when something strives your leg while invading the home of piranhas, anacondas and pink dolphins. The last one would rather be delightful.
So, what is this story about? It is about going out of my comfort zone, it also is about the local connections that I’ve made, but personally it’s about a place I’ll never forget. Moreover, it’s about a single moment. The moment I climbed up a wooden scaffolding and just listened. There were birds singing of course, but truly memorable was the silence in my head. The Amazon river clothed in the rainforest at sunset. Every attempt of describing it would be a disgrace to mother nature. A place I’ll never forget.
In the end, it’s all about the people you meet. That’s what I’ve learned after every journey. Visiting the southernmost city of Colombia, which borders Peru and Brazil, has taught me different. The city is called Leticia and is most famous for the river that passes by. The Amazon river that captures about a third of the south American continent was something I had to see while working and travelling in Colombia. I grabbed a friend, I found in Bogotá and we decided to fly to Leticia with no plan whatsoever.
Before the adventure would unfold itself, we met the ornithologist Ottoniel, or short Otto. He ended up guiding us for the next days. As a tourist, I don’t want to take a selfie with a monkey on a leash, neither do I want a well-structured vacation. I’m looking for spontaneity and authenticity. My motto as a tourist isn’t to make noise, but to listen.
And oh boy, did I listen. The first early morning, I watched a swarm of parrots turn a green and still tree into a colorful and lively one, in the park. Sounds beyond beautiful, and it was, but the sound of the birds was simply deafening. Colorful and lively also were the streets of Leticia, on which you haven’t been if you hadn’t had a near-death experience with a roaring Tuk Tuk or scooter. I listened to a Shaman’s words to move into the woods and I listened to the gentle sound of the water when a caiman dove down shallowly. Enough to be overwhelmed as a 19-year-old, or anybody who travels with an opened mind.
It wasn’t all the exterior noises that impressed me, most memorable were the noises inside my head. A nearly unbearable buzz broke out in situations of panic or shock. For instance, when you’re climbing a tree next to the Amazon river and your hand finds its way into the web of a really real and really hairy Tarantula or when something strives your leg while invading the home of piranhas, anacondas and pink dolphins. Now, as I mention it, the last one sounds rather delightful.
So, what is this story about? It is about going out of my comfort zone, it also is about the local connections that I’ve made, but personally it’s about a place I’ll never forget. Moreover, it’s about a single moment. The moment I climbed up a wooden scaffolding and just listened. There were birds singing of course, but truly memorable was the silence in my head. The Amazon river clothed in the rainforest at sunset. My dreams could have taken me anywhere at that moment. Every attempt of describing it would be a disgrace to mother nature. A place I listened to.
