Iquitos

Magical Mess

Sometimes I sit back in awe, the people, the landscape, the smells, the tastes, the unexpected, the paradoxical. It never ends. In America we have our nice little lives with our perfect kids, where a tough day is getting to work by 9am, dropping the kids by soccer practice after school and getting home with …

Magical Mess Read More »

Jungle Rafting

As she left I looked down and noticed she had grabbed my camera and left her own. An honest mistake but I panicked, jumping up I started in the direction she had gone. I didn’t even know her name, we had just sat and talked for a few minutes. Frantically I searched each cross street …

Jungle Rafting Read More »

Den of Thieves

There are few places in the world that I have been where there were more ingenious crooks, pickpockets and flim flam men then Iquitos. Everyone is working some sort of scam. I have a friend who was on his way home one night when he heard an argument ensue behind him. He turned around just …

Den of Thieves Read More »

Jungle Beauties

As we loaded into a rapido (fast boat) to head up the Amazon, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect for my first jungle beauty contest, actually my first beauty contest of any kind. We were headed towards Tamshiyacu, a town of about 6000 people that was established 129 years ago. A river outpost and …

Jungle Beauties Read More »

Special Time

I spent a good part of my last day with Maria and Ruth my sweet little amigas. I remember when I first met these two little girls begging on the boulevard, I knew there was something special about them. I could tell that Ruth was a very special little girl but she had a shield up. …

Special Time Read More »

Peruvian Gladiators – Gallos de Pelea

“Pelea!” (Fight!) “Pelea!” (Fight!) reverberated around the coliseo, a small ring surrounded by rudimentary bleachers. I looked beside me and a small child was blowing bubbles. The intensity grew as the match went on, the careadores (owners) yelling and cheering on their contestant. Another little boy proudly showed us his favorite fighter, Fernando. Each fighter …

Peruvian Gladiators – Gallos de Pelea Read More »

Lessons Learned

I was walking down the street yesterday when a man approached me in a panic, “Excuse me sir, do you speak English?” I acknowledged the obvious and he asked if I could help him. “What’s the problem?” I inquired. He held up has hand and said that someone had robbed him of all his money, …

Lessons Learned Read More »