South America (Peru)

We joined fish collecting expedition. Visiting Amazonian basin was one of my old dreams. Jungles, undiscovered land and Indians living for from civilization. For many years my hobby was freshwater aquarium. Most of the fish that sold in the pet shops is coming from the Peruvian Amazon basin. Knife fish, tetras, plecos freshwater dolphins are common there and you can catch them in small streams right in the villages. Some locals make their living by selling tropical fish and selling them to distributors. Those people who make money (distributors) are very knowledgeable and easily will tell you Latin name of the specie without looking in the book.
Our first city was Lima. We stayed there only for one day. Dumpy, gray, big, unfriendly, dangerous city. Tat was my first impression. Our guide told us to be very careful when we are on the street.
Our next stop was Iquitos. Worm, friendly, low crime, difficult to breeze. Hundreds of cabs offering ride to any part of the city. Fully isolated by jungles from outside world this city is the base for most of the Peruvian Amazon expedition. We stayed in the Eldorado hotel. After driving half an hour through hot and un breezable air at the moment you walk in the hotel you feel the same as the somebody who got lost in the desert and found oasis with cold refreshing water.