Present in the Amazon

What a blessing getting sick can be sometimes (and I don’t just mean missing work). At first when you are sick it rips through you and removes your spirit & personality from you; you think the world is over & the plans you laid are all to rest. You compound the aches with anger for something you can’t even control.

In the Amazon Jungle, my top tenant on my to-do list here in Peru, I was struck with Montezuma’s worst Revenge; it was as though he was scorn by a woman. I laid in my bungalow without a fan (no electricity) as the heat & humidity crept in to stay & watch over me. I felt the temperature rise as I was shivering with chills but thank goodness the bathroom was private and I had no roommate. As I laid around I was upset at first but then realized I was still in the Amazon - just sick in the Amazon. Not everyone gets to experience such a thing.

It was a few hours before dawn & the jungle was awake. I took comfort through the wet air from the fact the River was a few meters from me rumbling along, the nocturnal predators were lurking & the constant whistle of the jungle was singing me to sleep (which it needed to do about every 90 minutes, if you catch my drift).

Day two was much the same without as many visits to the outhouse. I was fatigued & still ill but enough meds in me to stop a locomotive. As the day progressed I made my way to my enclosed porch where two hammocks swung; my new bed. As dusk rolled around it brought the most magnificently raucous clouds who had a light & sound show in store for me. Typically not a fan of the rain, but watching the lighting burst the sky & expose the wild jungle was thrilling. I swung as the storm strolled down the river helping me forgot how I was feeling.

I think the storm brought with it some special healing seeing soon after I felt I could have the tradition jungle dinner (chicken & rice cooked in a banana leaf…think jungle hobo packs). Afterwards, the highlight of not only this trip, but maybe the entire trip thus far, I went on a boat ride down the Rio de Madre looking for alligators. I saw a couple, but what was really special was the guide turned off the motor & his light, redirected the boat towards the lodge & just let the current take us home. I was incredibly present as we drifted down the massive river, the canopy of stars bright as I’ve ever seen. The magical storm was well down the river but it still cracked bright for us every few minutes to illuminate the beauty even more.

Such peace, enough to reaffirm your faith & only experienced by being truly present. I am thankful I fell ill; I know I missed somethings but slowing down I found something else.

[after two strikes, a missed orientation, and a change in route, I am finally leaving for Machu Picchu tomorrow. Much love everyone]

Adios Argentina

I have said adios to Argentina & to my traveling pals as I prepare for the final stretch on my trip. The last week in Argentina has a bit more luster on it than most other weeks I have lived. First the dramatic landscape change in the northern region towards Iguaza was so striking I still see green. The air was moist, yet not sticky, the dirt was red clay, the white from the rapids and falls, and the trees were these emeralds that soaked in the sun. We watched the sunrise on the bus without a cloud to be found, as the green rays shined back at us letting us know that things would be different for a few days. [See the pix for explanation]

Once we got our fill of the jungle, we returned to our first love of Argentina, Buenos Aires. As fortune would have it, our hostel was smack in the heart of the action -- El Centro, the theatre district to be more exact. It’d be like staying on Broadway with dozens of restaurants, shops, theatres, bars, etc all within a minute walk. For those times we needed to venture even further, our beloved metro was only blocks away (I think we all loved the metro so much because it was so different than the sardine cans we rode in Cusco). Along with the fantastic location, we picked up a third travel partner, Jenny J., who as Janelle’s friend, flew in from San Francisco. Not sure how I got so lucky to travel with three wonderful woman -- must be the beard.

In BA we did it all (except a Tango show) -- the cemetery, La Boca, a futbol match, a drag show, the bars, steak house, lamb/veal/hot dogs (they love them there), the Port, wine, etc. The lifestyle is designed to over indulge; dinner around 10pm, a show & then you go out until 5 or 6 in the morning. We tried our best to be real Argentineans!!! With modesty I must say the food was rich & abundant, the wine was cheap & delicious, the people were friendly, the woman were stunning & had no interest in me, the architecture was remarkable & you just felt think you were in a city where the people were happy. One of our most subtle of experiences were watching these 3 older men (70s+), sit together eating pizza having a beer & chatting at 11am. And although the city & people obviously care about appearance & perception no one came off as pretentious.

So in two week I saw Mendoza, Cordoba, Iguaza & Buenos Aires -- and I wish I had two years to do it again. The ladies headed south to see the rest of the country as I returned to Cusco for the Amazon Jungle (hoping I see a jaguar!!!!) & then Machu Picchu although it wont be on the Inca Trail due to a strike. Nonetheless, coming to Peru to help build schools was a great decision on my part, being able to go to Argentina was my reward.

Argentina TipOff

On Tuesday I got my second South American passport stamp, this one of Argentina, I will say I had to wait a bit longer than I had hoped. We -- Janelle, Jenny, and I, were stranded at the Lima airport for nearly 12hrs as we missed our flight due to weather; this actually was on an appetizer to my lengthy travel times, as 10hrs will be the shortest bus ride I take in Argentina, 22 being the longest. Nonetheless, we didn’t let the late arrival water down our excitement any & with an abbreviated day in Buenos Aires, we made the most of it by heading to Hollywood (naturally a hip part of town), eating veal for lunch, riding the metro & soaking up some sun at a plaza near midtown. In the few hours I was left to explore, it was apparent to me, that I was in love with BA; and not just the gaggle of jaw-dropping woman that roamed the streets.

BA, is nothing like its western sister of Peru. Peru is beautiful for its simplicity, poverty, and diverse landscapes that is was blessed with; almost like a gorgeous woman that was born into a can’t win life situation. You stare at her in awe, but much of you feels extreme sympathy towards her. Argentina has a much more developed feel; not that there isn’t poverty & struggle here, but the sense I get from BA to Mendoza to Cordoba, is confidence, progress and a lack of contempt for where they stand today. Each of the cities I have visited so far have a striking beauty of an old world still respected, gorgeous trees and parks, but a refreshing gasp of contemporary air. The contrast between Peru & Argentina is remarkable, nonetheless, I am happy for the reason I came to each - one needing more hands in the dirt to help and the other to participate in the development of a strong country.

Thus far the bulk of our time has been in Mendoza; the town reminds me of The M Streets in Dallas, or the Fab 40s in Sacramento or Westchester in Bakersfield; each house had a distinctive personality, and it has been flaunting that personality for decades. As much as I would care to rattle on about the incredible trees and the beauty they offer the city, we were there for one reason; wine. Mendoza is the wine capital of South America (not sure if Chile would agree) and there are many ways to choose to explore. We decided on saddling up to a couple street cruisers and ride a 30k loop and experience the best Argentina has to offer.

The day was grand - you’ve been wine tasting (if not, what are you waiting for?) - so you know how this went. We visited five wineries and after the first two tastings we abandoned the ~$15 pesos fee & just started splitting bottles. I’m not sure what we’ve done in this world to deserve this, but we found ourselves sitting in a century old winery, the vines a few meters away, tree lined streets that seemed to touch the clouds and the Andes cropping the picture for us as we shared a bottle of sparkling wine. As much as I like traveling alone, I was filled with delight to toast away with J&J and share stories all afternoon. For an encore, we took our three person show to the fabulous park in Mendoza on our second day where we had a picnic, played black jack, rode the carousel & swings. side note: I was on the carousel & the conductor kicked me off the horse that goes up & down and stuck me on a stationary donkey; I suppose all of South America isn’t for grande sized mean. Those two days of soaking up the rich and relaxing culture of Mendoza is worth any length bus ride, without question.

Things I like about Argentina so far:
-Beer is about $1.50USD per liter
-Although I am only doing it b/c of the girls; the hostels have treated me well (so far)
-If there is a stereotype that Argentinean woman are gorgeous it is justified & probably has been too humbled worldwide
-When we’ve eaten, I’ve eaten meat; today had a meal with beef, lamb & veal

More later as the trip heads to the Brazilian border to see the Iguaza Falls; 22hr bus ride is already having my restless-leg-syndrome flare up. Early Mother’s Day wishes to my fabulous & supportive mom, the other moms who all helped raise my unique ass, my friends who have become mom’s of late & a special shout to Amy Tackett who will soon be a fantastic mom!

Peruvian Reception & An Audible

As my trip progresses I find each week more beautiful than the previous. The joy of each week increases but so does my own edification on new cultures and situations. I couldn’t resist the temptation either of calling an audible and adding two weeks in Argentina to my itinerary, so this Tuesday I will be flying out with two new friends, Janelle & Jenny. I have gotten out what I wanted from Cusco & I am getting a little restless so we will be seeing the Iguaza Falls, Salta, Mendoza & Buenos Aires. Once my two weeks are up, I will head back to Cusco to see Machu Picchu & the Amazon Jungle.

As for this past week we finished the project at the school in Chinchaysuyo; I was working with the girls, Conor & our boss, Marcos. The final days were spent painting the logo -- seeing Marcos had told Conor & I we paint like we are drunk, and the girls can’t draw or cut a straight line if money was at stake, this made for the highest levels of comedy. Now add in my strong lack of desire to be on the scaffolding that was balanced by rocks, just painting the Peru Flag (my job) was a exercise in terror. Nonetheless we finished the job (see pix) and were able to play with the ninos for a couple hours afterwards. I don’t think we will see any Peruvians in the NBA anytime soon, but they do love to be swung around by their arms until they are so dizzy they fall over.

On Saturday two of my favorite friends, Mark & Lorin, were married in North Carolina. Missing their wedding was one of my only regrets about my trip; I desperately wanted to be there. Instead of making the actual event, I hosted a Peruvian Reception for them; we had a cake made, bought some champagne, beer & rum, and decorated a little bit. The girls in my house were really excited about the idea, and contributed by making garter belts for the ladies, and bow ties for the fellas, plus they put together a beautiful bouquet from flowers I bought at the market. We had about a dozen or so people come over, had cake, toasted to the couple and then we partied the night away. Some of the highlights were the fireworks we let off, the bouquet toss (tossed by yours truly & caught by Janelle), and the drinking games that led to the many different ways bow ties could be worn. Once the booze ran dry and the Alanis Morriestte sing-along began, we quickly headed to a favorite bar, 7-Angilitos, to dance to some live music. It was without a doubt the most fun since the trip began & I want to wish Mark & Lorin the best marriage possible.

This morning, all operating on about 4hrs of sleep, worked our hangovers off & headed to a futbol match. The game itself was fun but the pizza afterwards was a huge hit. I’m wrapping up my time here in Cusco tomorrow with a little pub trivia & showing the new volunteers the ropes. One of the constants here is change; volunteers come and go in weekly increments, and it’s interesting to think that now I’ve been here long enough to be able to walk people around town & pass along the advice given to me (its like The Wire; the game never stops, no matter who the players are).

I’m looking forward to red meat & wine in Argentina, learning a little about another culture, traveling with new friends, and finishing East of Eden. Home is only a month away; it keeps getting closer & closer while I wish time would just slow down.