When we arrived in Puerto Maldonado we were told it's been raining a lot, and that we should go to the market and buy some rubber boots. Here's a local on the main drag.
Most people got around on small Japanese or Chinese motorcycles, some of which have extra carrosserie grafted on for more carrying capacity. Only a handful of streets in town are paved.
After a half hour by motor boat up the Madre de Dios river, a 45 minute walk through the jungle, and another 15 minutes through a narrow channel by canoe, we finally got to glass-smooth Lake Sandoval.
Caimans up to 6 feet long have been spotted in this lake, but not by us. These young ones were everywhere though. Just go out on the lake after dark and shine a flash light at the water. Their eyes look like LEDs.
The next morning we were up before sunrise to go out on the lake again. That's the trouble with wildlife -- they keep such inhuman hours!
I don't remember the local name for this bird, but it translates to "snake bird." They dive for fish, and afterwards sit on logs with their wings spread out to dry.
There are numerous channels fanning out from the lake. They are all lined with these palms called aguaje which stand in a few feet of water. Their fruits look a bit like dates.
These birds are called hoatzins. They are about the size of a hawk, look like punk turkeys, and make an unearthly noise.