Thanksgiving in Iquitos
Thursday morning. I am dragging pretty badly, but adrenalin is keeping me going. I am in an internet shop typing away with the loud music of the Mexican group ¨Mana¨ playing over the loudspeakers.
The long night in the Lima airport led to a nice flight across the Andes and the rainforest right into the hot, sweltering city of Iquitos. I made it through 44 hours without sleeping before finally crashing about 1 am last night. Over half a million people fill this frontier outpost on the Amazon River and seemingly every single one drove a loud motorcycle passed my hotel window about 6:00 this morning. My room is nice and comfortable complete with a rock-hard bed that would be miserable for most, but fits my preference perfectly though even my 5-8 frame drapes over the edge.
I spent a lot of time yesterday sitting on a park bench watching the tourists pass by and practicing my Spanish with every tour guide and tout that swarm tourists in the main plaza with tales of how their lodge or tour is the best in the world! Once you get past that, they really are quite friendly. I spent about three hours last night talking with three young ment who shine shoes, sell curious, and try to get customers for some of the Amazon river lodges. We talked about similarities betrween US and Peruvian politics, differences in our cultures, and, of course, the many beautiful women in Iquitos (the same as single guys all over the world!).
Today I am off to eat breakfast at ¨The Yellow Rose of Texas¨. It´s not the best, but it´s filling and cheap, plus the Peruvian waitresses wearing University of Texas cheerleading or drill team outfits is something to see. Then it´s off to the market of Belen which is one of the largest jungle markets in the world. I´m told you can find everything you can imagine and just as much you can´t imagine there -- all kinds of food from fruit to fish to exotic meats, jungle herbs to cure all your ills, a host of creatures that would make Noah proud, and curios and craftsmade by native ribeños all up and down the river.
After that I´may explore the floating village of Belen which is a slum that sits on stilts or floats on one back bay of the river. (Picture Venice filled with native palm-roofed huts and you´ll get the idea.)
Well, it´s time for breakfast. Last night´s late-night fare of milanesa con arroz has just faded away leaving me hungry for some eggs and coffee. I´ll try to update again in the evening. If I can find a place where I can upload some pictures, I´ll try to post a few.
