May 22, 2017

Today was a normal working day. The first one I experienced here in the jungle. Usually, there was always something special.
Waking up slowly at 6 o'clock, slowly getting ready to go to the village of Tawasap at 8 o'clock, breakfast at half past nine at the table in Tzamas' house with a host family, at 9 o'clock going to the greenhouse, working until 12:30, strolling back across the village square, lying on the bench because lunch is only at one o'clock, having lunch at half past one, after that Tzama tells about his projects. The next one is a museum for indigenous peoples that he will build (I have no doubt about that), but there is much more to it. A tourism project with a hotel. I ask him if he wants to bring tourism to the village. Yes, but a different kind of tourism. Not tourism based on money. Exchange: you give me, I give you. On a completely different level than 'I give you money and you show me all the beautiful things and animals of the rainforest with 5-star service and luxury.'
The man has visions and not only that. He has drawn X-plans and thought about all the details. I have to recognize, he is more than a shaman and head of the organization of indigenous peoples of Ecuador. He is simply a multi-talent, a Leonardo da Vinci of his time and his jungle, who stands on the ground and enjoys life.
After lunch and some videos he shows me on the laptop, I return to the greenhouse for an hour and a half. Until evening, no more rain, so I stop at five o'clock, pass by Maria Maria's house and tell her that I don't need dinner (I simply don't have much appetite here) and return to my hotel room overlooking the jungle. I wash myself at the rainwater barrel, sit in the evening sun for a while and realize on Whatsapp that Andi is still awake at home. Brief exchange, because Whatsapp works intermittently up here and then off to bed, the magical hour begins.