the bird with the long beek on the branch is the most brazilian of all animals, the tucano. it is a gorgeous bird, and exceptionally loud - i woke up every morning to its morning singing and it was the best way to rise to a new day :) 

that is us poking a tarantula in its burrow on the ground. i didnt think it was a great idea, but indio francisco explained that the impressive hairy minimonsters are actually quite safe to poke :), relying more on their impressive looks than real venom to strike fear into feeble humans :). 

he is a very charecterful fellow :-), marching determenidly across the ground to the dinner table. 

this is when i learned to lose my fear of snakes, giant furry spiders and other princes of the jungle. 

a dinner party in the jungle. this is a couple, and the one closest to the camera is the male, very bossy one at that. they lived with us in the camp we made in the middle of the jungle. the way it works is the i travelled for a couple of days with the guide from manaus to this location, and we made camp our home for daily and one overnight trips around the region. we slept in hamocks strung between trees, covered by a manmade canope, and hunted whatever we ate, mostly fish, but also other local creatures... 

a very elegant dinner guest :).