We are still traumatized by our experience at the site of the freshly destroyed rainforest. There are fires all the way to Trinidad. The light is yellow and the air is scratchy. It’s dry and the soot is sticking up our noses. It is incomprehensible to us how relaxed people are about this.

This situation has existed for days now, at least. Apart from burning down the forest illegally, it is also their home that is on fire and the health of your children, which is extremely endangered.

THE PEOPLE’S HOME IS ON FIRE.

BUT NO ONE Bothers.

We reach the city and first orient ourselves to the Plaza Principal or Plaza de Armas, which is found in every city. Leon urgently needs lunch, Sara knows no delay.

We also find a good restaurant on the main square and a Mennonite family sits silently at the next table. Otherwise we are the only ones.

In the Plaza Principal we see the rest of a festival. Groups appear in the most fantastic costumes and show traditional dances in firmly rehearsed choreography. One group is dressed like cowboys with ladies who could have come from the opera “Carmen”. Other groups have costumes that may or may not have come from Amazonian tribes. The groups dance with the cathedral in the background, making for an impressive sight. This image is only marred by the smoke, which also yellows the city air and my photos.

Police and fire brigade troops accompany the festival. A police band serenades Leon! That’s really very friendly. The police here are more corrupt than anywhere else, but the officers here have a sense of humor. But unfortunately no talent for music, because it squeaks very strangely. We think that the police officers and especially the firefighters should better take action out there against the fires and those who caused them than celebrate a party here. Incomprehensible!

There are still a few errands to run. In the “supermarket“, which is nothing bigger than a better grocery store (but according to Google the largest “supermarket” in town), we stock up on groceries for the next few days and get money from the machine. I’m walking across the Mennonites there again, their faces still looking like Judgment Day was yesterday and the jury was made up of members of the LGBQT community.

With everything we need, we leave Trinidad and continue into the bush towards Chuchini, an eco-reserve in the middle of the jungle.