The Floating City

The reason that humans are one of the most prolific species on earth is our adaptability – at least that’s what they said in my Anthro class. People have used various means to adapt to be able to live in nearly every climate on Earth. Human ingenuity never ceases to amaze me. . .

Next to Iquitos, on the Amazon River in northern Peru, is the floating city of Belen.

There is a 30 foot difference in the waterline on the Amazon between the rainy season (roughly February to July) and the dry season. In order to build homes in these conditions, many of the homes in Belen are built on stilts to cope with the variable water level.

Not all of the homes in Belen are built over the water, some are built on land. But all of these homes (and stores) are two stories high. In the rainy season, the first floor floods entirely and the families move all of their belongings upstairs until the water recedes.

The majority of the homes, however, are built on rafts of balsa wood (which floats) and tied to poles in the water or to other homes to keep them from floating away. Hundreds of homes float during the wet season and rest on dry land during the dry season, others are floating year round.

And it’s not just homes, the entire city is over the water. There are schools, churches, stores, gas stations, etc. – all either on stilts or floating on the Amazon. 

The town is like any other – with various “streets” on a grid system – wide paths of water between the houses. 

The people of the town get around in small boats. Most of the families have their own, but there are plenty of boat taxis available to take people through the neighborhood or over to Iquitos. 

Unfortunately, as fascinating and uniquely beautiful as this city is, this area is very poor. While all of the houses and business in the floating city have electricity (although in some areas, the power lines dangle dangerously close to the water), none have “running water” apart from the river. Therefore, the river is used for all of the basic needs: to drink, to bathe, and as the family bathroom. Outhouses are built over the river and are basically just a hole that drains into the river below.

But, the water condition doesn’t stop kids from being kids and jumping off their front porch to go for a swim with their friends.

The smiles on the faces of the people I met in Belen are a reminder of how impressive the human spirit and human ingenuity are. And a day trip to Belen has reminded me of how many things I have to be thankful for. . .and how many things aren’t really necessary for happiness.

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