RoCaPho Blog Ecuador Peru & Mexico

I’m not sure what got hit first my face or my stomach but I fell back against the stairs ..my hands were panicky and uncoordinated trying to hold myself down..,when being water boarded by mother nature you have a host of thoughts running through your head; cold , you feel cold , but more than anything else you feel the need to breath, but it’s not a need that can be met until it finally stops…

But I’m getting ahead of myself, today was a very full day. To say the least it started at eight with sunlight peaking through the curtains, waking me up, I’d lost my glasses so every thing was a fuzzy mangle of colors … But I managed to dress warm layers and my swim suit, we were going to puyo; equadores jungle gateway. To the amazon , after a quick cup of yogurt the group was off. We hopped a bus to rio verde first to see the waterfall. The locals calls “el pillion del diablo” which I believe translated to the devils caldron? Any way the trail to the falls is beautiful, nature at It’s best, then after a few meters down, you come to a small cafe (yes even here we find a cafe) called. What else” cafe pillion”, the suspension bridge just above the falls was closed for repairs so it was strait to the falls

PhoJess about to get wet at Diablo water falls

A short walk, then a sharp cold blast of air (by this point I was slightly ahead of the group) I saw the bottom of the stairs of the first level of the balcony facing the water , I made it about half way down the stairs when the water hit me, it was probably over in less than three seconds, but I screamed and gasped all the same, and I could hear Rocky laughing. So I grabed the rail and pulled myself down, finally on the balcony I felt safe, even silly for being so scared but.. I was wrong! Before I even turned to look another fist full of water hit me up side of my head, knocking me down, this time I popped up like a daisy ; head tucked to my chest sucking in air,… I caught myself screaming ” this was a bad idea!” again laughter from Rocky, another vicious blast of cold water and then a look of agreement, we grabed the rails and headed up a level totally soaked just moments before I had taken pictures with Jess , ignorant of the soggy mess we would soon be.

In my whole life, I’ve never been so wet. Seriously I’ve been in water (fully dressed) and been less wet. But the experience wasn’t over … You see if you turn to the right of the first balcony you’ll find there is the opening to a cave which leads to the back of the water fall…no I hadn’t learned my lesson and yes we climbed through it, now the opening is not very big mind you I’m. About 5’4 and I had to crawl or hunch the whole way , hunching over budding stalagmites and hunching beneath the would be stalactites until finally a rest, some make shift stairs in the rocks and a hole with some of the rock face scoured on the inside for traction, I’m wearing flip flops and the girls are in muddy flats, there is a muddy paste in between every single one of my toes but we go up,.. One at at time twisting My body , I go first one foot against the ledge one against the rock, then I’m there. The. crashing of the falls gives a dulling white noise effect, creating a semi silence,
I don’t feel cold any more but I’m still holding myself, and I feel…. Stupid so I let out a yelp ( which in my head is supposed to be loud and free ) I’m not a good yelper….so I feel stupider, I throw my hands to my sides and scream until I feel something Leave my lungs… i can finally breath without drowning…. but feel no sense of liberation, as just then suddenly the the falls quake and the water starts gushing out, even harder than before, darkening the little alcove, I catch myself screaming “I’m sorry!”

Pho swimming river Puyo entrance amazona

The girls come up, Josie first, (Jess couldn’t be without her camera and had gone back for it) and like a little kid I feel safer; not to be alone in the dark, but as we both look out over the water hands out like pilgrims I start to feel uneasy ; if I were to stick my hand into the falls it would snap like a dry chicken wing, eha…. We took our pictures (which none are posted here since they are on Jessica’s camera) and made it back while Camilla was surprised to see us back so soon(the recount is always wa—ay longer than the event) she was kind enough to give me my dry change of clothes, and the rather aghast group of French tourist coming up behind us was kind enough to let me cut in line to the bath room to change, I was that wet. Long story short that was the best cup of over priced coffee I have EVER had, it was glorious.

CaliGirls watch PhoGirl Swim Puyo River

This was followed by an hour and a half bus ride to Puyo, sitting which is a treat in Ecuador the busses take fares till the doors can’t close, but this road was soo bendy (bendy but beautiful like all dangerous things) the road to Puyo always makes me feel small, tiny, like a fruit fly… A really lucky fruit fly.

Any way once we got to Puyo we were starved, we devoured two volcatores (a nacho type dish like chote with canned tuna) and headed to the Puyo river it’s the beginning of the Amazon, and a local swimming hole after working up the nerve. To jump in alone, no one else had suits handy, I swam myself ragged. Eventually getting some locals to jump off the rocks with me, not cliff jumping mind you just good clean fun. Kind of like being allowed to go play after getting spanked; you forget the punishment and the lesson but find yourself sore, and wonderfully exhausted.

Sign Puyo advertising delicious Volcatores in restaurant overlooking river entrance Amazona

The bus back home was full and I have just enough energy to finish this post and pass out, no advice of my own tonight,just a quote I found at the reserve that stuck with me

” the good man is always free, even as a slave, the wicked always a slave even when king” — unknown
good night kiddos– pj