Rainforests of Ecuador, the Importance of the "Rain-" Part

After descending into the Amazon Basin, I took a route North and had a few days to spend in Tena and its surroundings. This area is full of communities-owned territories just as it is rich in natural beauty. My couchsurfing host advised me to visit a couple of places around, including a giant tree Misahuallí and waterfalls nearby. It was a sunny morning with clear skies when I took a bus going to that village. However, I was quick to learn just how big a mistake I made by believing my eyes and not taking any raincoat.

Little by little weather was getting worse. By the moment I left the bus there was a brutal downpour raging from the sky, making people seek shelter under whatever roof was available.

In an hour or so it got a bit better so I was able to venture outside and across the bridge over Rio Napo.

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Very soon, though, the skies opened up again and I had to retreat back to the village and eventually, back to Tena. The day was pretty much wasted, but I managed to take a neat photo of the native people who were preparing to start selling handicrafts on the street:

Next day I reiterated my way back fully prepared to take on whatever would come, but the weather was hot and sunny this time.

^{This giant tree is at least 70 mts tall and I could not fit in into a single frame, it's as big as a house}

^{The regular tree against the wall of enormous trunk of that behemoth}

Next was the waterfalls Cascadas de Latas:

Walking there I managed to take a wrong turn and returning back I stumbled into a snake. I nearly stepped on it, as I wasn't expecting to run into it where was nothing just 5 minutes ago. We both were startled by the encounter, and the snake flew before I could make any decent shots.

^{Anybody knows, what species is that?}

Proceeding to the waterfall:

And finally, a couple of pictures of Tena itself, which is a calm little town with an old airport re-purposed as a city park.

^{Rooftop view of Tena}