“Take me to the Amazon,” I proclaimed – and on we went, cutting through blankets of buttery lilies in our shallow boat; a traditional čun (pronounced chune), shaped like a sword, ideal for skimming reeds and shallow translucent waters. Before us was a wide blue jaw of liquid without a horizon, bordered entirely by land. Triangular mounds of forest-decorated mountains faded into the distance, into deeper shades of steely blue, layered like cake. As we glided along, pygmy cormorants began to glide with us – and for a moment, as surface reflected sky,…
