Peru Trip #6

After over 24 hours of travel from Los Angeles we landed in the jungle. We had to stay thenight in Tarapoto (where the airport is), since we landed in the dark and the drive to Yantalo is not safe at night. We got a good 4 hours of sleep and then climbed in the van at 5:30am for a sunrise 3 hour drive to Moyobamba. We arrived at the hotel with 10min to unload before heading to Yantalo for a full day of filming. Welcome to the jungle. The arrival was made complete by ice cold Cusquena beers and a cold shower before bed. Always a reminder here how much less people,including myself, can live with and how much we have in the US.


Day 2 was AMAZING due to stumbling upon a circus in a town we had followed Luis to for ameeting at the city hall. I got up the guts, after filming the outside of the tent, to wander in and find the owner. We had the most wonderful interview. Even in the jungle of Peru when asked what circus means he replied, "it is art, it is culture, it is in our veins."

On the way back to Yantalo we passed fields of pineapples, I don't know why they made me so happy... just the FUNNIEST thing I had ever seen. Think of small plants in a huge field with a whole pineapple just sitting on top of them. It's like someone went out there and glued them to the top of each plant in a HUGE field.

I also ate a fried ant, actually really tasty, kind of smokey, salty, crunchy snack. But as soon as I thought about what I was chewing I gagged. Just don't think. Nothing like post meal turning to your friend and asking, "do I have ant legs in my teeth?"

Mis amigos. The best of the best. :o)