Pictures from Peru

I leave you with the website of a friends(Kathleens) photo gallery, so that you may see some of the things that I have seen in Peru..

http://journeywithoutdistance.smugmug.com/gallery/589309/6

http://journeywithoutdistance.smugmug.com/gallery/589309/7

4th - 7th of July - return to Iquitos....

So on the morning of the 4th, we wake up, and decide to get breakfast on the way to the federal office where we can get our visas into Brazil.

Getting lost on the way to the Federal office, we eventually, end up buying some juices, before arriving at Immigrations, where the Austrians gain their entry stamps, and I get my entry and exit at the same time!

On our way back to the hotel we find the place that Sebastian had been looking for for breakfast, and buy some of this fruit that's meant to be a real brazilian specialty. Upon buying it, it doesn't taste quite like anyone expected, and becomes a gift to whoever picked it up off the street!

Buying a coconut, from which we drink the milk out of, we get back to the restaurant where we ate the first day, and have our lunch. Then, back in the hotel, I pack, and take the guys to meet the shop owner who I bought sandals from.

As the rain starts pouring down, I rush back to get my things packed, before too much time passes, and decide I should start heading over to Peru now.

Walking all the way down to the river, I don't see the Austrians anywhere, and loathe to leave without at least saying goodbye, I decide to go back up, and see if I missed them somewhere. They end up coming out of a shop, and seeing me, make their way down to me. I suggest why don't they come over to Peru for a bit, and so we all get the taxi boat together. There, we meet our boat, that is getting ready for it's return journey, and the Austrians end up joining the crew for a game of footie (football/soccer). Watching (since I'm too tired to join in), I think back to how slowly time has passed, and yet how it seems like it's been such a long time knowing all these people, even though it's hardly been a few days. Sebastian, and Joachim, especially have faces that remind me of people that either I know, or they have faces that I might have seen before...

Anyhow, after the football, and few beers with the guys from the ship, the Austrians head back to Brazil, and I set up my hammock in the boat.

By 7-30pm, I'm ready to unpack my things, and head back to Brazil, as the Immigrations lady hasn't arrived and the boat is scheduled to leave at 8pm! Fortunately, she arrives, just as I give up all hope, and I get my entry visa, as well as a bite to eat, before the boat leaves!

The next two days and nights get lost between the books I was reading, and the conversations I had with the crew. I had become a familiar face to many of the crew, and having spent the time to talk with them on the outward journey, they weren't shy and readily came upto me, and started cnversations - felt good - more like family, than a passenger!

As it turns out, I think my spanish might have been misunderstood, or the man collecting money for the tickets felt overly kind towards me, but I ended up travelling back to Iquitos on the same ticket that I had come out on. Saving myself an extra 40 Soles. That more than made up for buying an expensive hammock on the first day!!

Today, 7th of July, at about 12am, in the morning, we docked into Iquitos. Loathe to leave, I decided I'd sleep the night in the boat, like a few others had. In the morning, I made my way into town, with express purpose of getting my Webblog upto scratch, and for some reason I wanted to phone home too...

It turns out that today, in London, some bombs went off bringing fear and some panic to the capital. From what I've been reading... the strongest most constructive response to any violence, of any kind, is to be that much clearer in the light, and in the unconditional love, and to use it to reflect back to anyone that considers harming you the choice of the path of love, or the opportunity to destroy themselves with the amplified return of their own hatred, and fear.

The moment anything is experienced, and held as an emotion, it gains power, and so I stand strongly in this moment, spreading out and reaching out with my vision of a world of peace, love and harmony, holding it more strongly, returning the light ever more brightly, to those that would try to bring anything less than into my thoughts, feelings, or consciousness.

As long as I hold myself clearly I have seen my path out here in Peru unfold so clearly and effortlessly, it's unbelieveable. And in completing this vision, I hold that possibility out to you too dear friend, and brother.

Think of nothing but peace, talk of nothing but love, and see nothing but light, and then all your thoughts, words and visions will be filled with a truth which no-one will be able to deny.

I now leave this weblog, so that I may continue my journey up the river Mazan, into the forest, to meet the woman who is waiting for me.

With her, I shall return, and share my news with you all. Till then, may your prayers be filled with nothing but positive affirmative, constructive thoughts words and deeds, and may you too see the same light of the new dawn shining out brightly from the heart that is aflame within.

In love and light to all that read this... I wish you the highest vision of self that you can see - for you are perfect, and complete, if you only knew...

3rd July - Three countries in a day!

So we arrive in Santa Rosa at about 11am, and get our 'exit' visa´s for Peru. Then we get a water boat taxi to take us to Brazil - to Tabatinga. There we don't find any immigration waiting for us to enter, and so we end up, after getting a few drinks of beer and cola (them and me!) to check into a hotel that a visitor from Switzerland recommends us, as he sees us in the street.

We check in, and I end up tagging along with the 3 foreigners who I had been following since we left the boat together. They had all gone ahead of me, and I followed them, as they seemed to know where our passports had been taken, and then seemed to know how to get to Brazil. It turns out Sebastian, Florian, and Joachim were from Austria, and they had travelled the river down to Iquitos from Ecuador, and were heading to visit a friend in Brazil, in Sao Paulo, after visiting Manaous.

I had originally planned to visit Manauaos myself - but deciding the journey would take too long, I had decided against it, and was planning to return to Peru the next day. As it happens, the Austrians were more than happy to share their room with me, and so I didn't really pay for much during my time in Brazil. Especially since they seemed to have the local money, and I didn't have anything but Peruvian Soles at the time.

I decided to go and buy some sandals, and in doing so, ended up spending over two hours chatting with the store keeper, who insisted I sit, and have some refreshments, as we talked (mainly repeatedly going back to the large shoe size I had, amongst other things!)

Well, returning to the hotel, I couldn't find sight of my Austrian buddies, and so went lookign for them. I first thought they'd have headed to a local place to eat, but I didn't see em anywhere to be found. Eventually, talking with a lady who served me some cheese and potato pie, I learned that there was celebrations happening that evening in Leticia, the next town down - and me being me I thought maybe they might have gone so far as there!

Getting onto the back of a motor taxi (read motorbike, with empty passenger seat behind!), I daringly ventured into the 'festival'. Upon arriving, at the Fiesta of San Pedro (a hallucinogenic Cactus!), I learnt that I had crossed into Columbia, and that Leticia was in a different country to Tabatinga, where we had our hotel.

After looking around briefly, deciding that there's no way that they would have been able to come all this way, alone, without leaving me a note at least, I decide to return to Brazil, and when I find the Austrians, to bring them along to here. The stage seems packed, with the audiences filling all the rows, and watching the performance, I'm sure they would appreciate it.

Returning to the hotel, with the same motortaxi, I arrive back at the hotel to find the Austrians playing cards, since clearly there doesn't seem to be anything to do in Tabatinga that evening.

We all get ready, and go to the fiesta for a few hours, in Colombia, and return back to get some sleep by 12 or 1 am the following morning. It was really beautiful seeing the fiesta, because everyone was joining in. Whilst you had whole groups of people standing around, as you'd expect, there'd be spontaneous acts of dancing by old people, as well as young. But most beautiful to watch was the older people... they had a grace and style, that did justice to the festive atmosphere, and reminded me of how in latino cultures, there just isn't the age difference in the same way... The old are as agile as the young, if not even stronger spirited even!

That night I slept well, tired from the travelling, and festivities!

1st July - 3rd of July Travel to Brazil

I get a taxi to take me some place to eat, after checking out at noon, and find unable to eat much - just feeling sickly from the heat.

So I get in a cab, and get to the river. There, a 'helpful' local gets me everything I need for my journey to Santa Rosa, the frontier of Peru, and ends up assisting me in buying a hammock, a lunch box, spoon, toilet paper, and water....

Turns out I discover in Brazil that the hammock was about half the price had I bought it in the market in town... but it get's balanced out in the end!

That night, the boat finally leaves, with me swinging in my hammock, unsure of what to expect. I spot a group of three foreigners travelling on the same boat, and as much as I am drawn to go upto them and start talking to them, I end up spending the bulk of my journey resting, or reading these books that I borrowed from Kathleen. ´Life and Teaching of the Masters of the Far East' by Baird T. Spalding (If you can I strongly recommend buying, and reading the 6 volumes of this set of books that were published back in the early 1900´s - I'm sure they are the truth behind books like the Celestine Prophecy!)

I also manage to arrange to have as a guide for my journey a man who hangs from a hammock beside me. We agree to meet on the same boat, on the return journey, and so I'm set for my travel upto the Rio Mazan.

Two days and two nights later, we arrive in Santa Rosa, on the afternoon of our third day... as you can tell, I've lost track of time here... According to my passport, we left Peru on the 3rd of July!

Sun 29th,30th June - Iquitos

Sun 29th, flight leaves at 10.55 from Cusco. On the journey to the Airport, Cousin Willy stops at a store where I can buy a hip bag - as somewhere to keep my valuables safe.

Then, at the airport, after checking in, I go buy some breakfast, and some cheese for my journey... Returning to the airport I bump into Billie, who's on her way to Porta Maldonado, the Jungle, but in another direction. We get chatting, and I also meet her artist friend, who insists I look him up upon my return to Cusco.

We chat some more in the waiting lounge, I again share my insights, and learn of Billies, before I have to head off.

I get my flight to Lima, and then to Iquitos, and before I know it, I'm there... it's so hot!

I check into the Hotel Internacionale, and spend the night resting.

Mon 30th June The next day, I spend the better part of the day lazing around the room, watching movies in English with spanish subtitles. Deciding to get something to eat, I eventually get to the Tourist office, and get directions for local transport. I decide tomorrow I have to leave, cos the heat is sweltering hot, and it's pointless walking around Iquitos. Not least because of the noise of all the motor taxis!

That evening, I get my stuff together, and decide that in the morning I leave!

Sat Jun 27 - Sun Jun 28

Sat Jun 27 - Today I end up booking my flights to Lima and Iquitos, as I've decided that I don't want to take a bus to Lima - as it would take too long... I had to travel on the 29th... dunno why... but it just seemed the date I had to travel!

In the evening, back at Kathleens, I set Kathleen up with an Addressbook on my website.
Her friend Angel, who performed her Ayuhuasca journey with her comes round to visit, and joins us for supper.
In the evening, we end up watching 'What Dreams May Come', with Robin Williams - a most timely film, if ever I could imagine a more fitting moment to see such fantasy, and adventure come to life!

That night, I sleep like a baby!

Sun June 28 - Today, I just have to get to Puma's house. It feels like it would be wrong to go to Iquitos without at least spending one night there. Intent on leaving early, I end up running errands, until it becomes 7pm, and by the time I get to the house it becomes 8-30pm. Spend a little time with everyone, including the Baby, and with Puma who returned from Canada today, and with my flight set to leave tomorrow morning, I spend a bit of time packing only things for the warm jungle weather, leaving all my other clothes at Puma's house for when I return.

Sun June 26 - Rest and Relaxation

Scott comes in the morning, just as Kathleen finishes up with a friend who has given her a tarot reading. We all end up together in the kitchen talking for a while... all exchange valuable knowledge, and as Kathleens friend leaves, Scott starts my reiki session, whilst Kathleen works. Then after me, Kathleen gets her Reiki session. We have lunch, hang around talking a while, and then end up going out for some Mazamorra. (as you can tell time passes real fast!)

As we eat Mazamorra, I meet Puma's aunt, and say I'll try to go visit her tomorrow. We end up visiting a South African lady who runs the Gringo Hostal, and organises San Pedro journeys. We have a chef from Lima who prepares some food for us, and then get home tired - as usual.

Sat June 25 - cooking Indian

Morning comes, we head for the bakery for some breakfast, after sorting out some things on the Internet. After a few hours of having one of those 'deep and meaningful' conversations, we head off for our errands, and bump into a friend of Kathleens, who starts telling Kathleen all sorts of Visa things she needs to know... I hang around, and end up asking about my visa, which is when I learn it's best if I leave the country to renew it, and get a 90 day visa on my return. Rosie, Kathleens friend asks if I can cook Indian food, and before I know, I'll be cooking dinner tonight, missing Barry before he leaves for his flight, I end up getting back to the house, and Kathleen goes off to get some supplies... tired, I end up resting till she returns.
After guests start arriving, and dinner is only partially cooked, Rosie lets on that she used to be a chef, and reminds me of the altitude difference, which makes cooking slower. Dinner ends up being a group effort, with the many people that Kathleen invites as all coming, and helping out. After dinner, we chill, and Kathleen shows everyone the pictures of her travels. Once everyone else leaves, Scott is left washing up in the kitchen, and we end up chatting along more spiritual lines... We leave it with Scott to return tomorrow, and provide us both with Reiki, and late into the night, get to bed!

Fri June 24 - Return to Cusco

Fri 24 Jun - I get up early, say good bye to everyone, and end up getting a train to Oyllantaytambo. The lady who had stopped to give me a huge smile turned out to be 'Billie', and as she saw me at the train station, she came over to talk to me, and we just 'connected'! It was wonderful - I switched places with her friend Barbara, and we spoke for the whole journey, never once noticing the time go by. They were also returning to Cusco, and were going to pay for a taxi, so I joined them.

We first went to Inti Ayllu since I'd left a charger there - but it seems I was to miss Susan who had possession of it, locked in her room. So we got back in the cab, and went the distance to Cusco airport, where Barbara and Billie would fly to Puno. We had lunch, after checking them into the airport, and as they returned to the airport, I checked my emails. I met Kathleen on my way out of the Cybercafe, and get her keys to leave my things in her apartment, whilst she went to dinner with a friend. I return her the keys, and go off to try to find Barry who was also returning to Cusco later today. No sign of Barry at his hotel, so I leave a message and return to Kathleen's flat.

No Kathleen either. Just as I'm leaving, the lady frm the flat below, Jane, appears, and she happens to have a spare key for Kathleens place, and lets me in... Waiting in Kathleens flat, Barry calls, and we connect... We arrange to have dinner, and I leave to meet him. It appears that Kathleen returned just a short while after I left, and after a tired evening, since both Barry and I have been waking up early and sleeping late, we have a light supper, and both return to our respective beds. It was pretty late!

Thurs June 23 - Macchu Picchu

Get up early in the morning, as we want to get an early bus upto Macchu Picchu, before it fills up with too many tourists. End up getting up there after the sun has risen, but it's light hasn't reached the ruins, since they're so high up. We start by walking through the ruins, towards the other mountain Wayna Picchu. We decide as a group that we'd like to go to the Temple of the Moon which is like the heart of Wayna Picchu first, and then spend time in Macchu Picchu.

The bus makes the ride upto Macchu Picchu easy - but walking from Macchu Picchu, up and around Wayna Picchu, is a real adventure (I guess I forgot to read the sign that said not to attempt the walk unless you had a good level of health!) Well after losing the rest of the group, and being supported by Vidal, who at times was my walking stick, as well as my safety rope, I managed to get about half of the way round, and decided I'd not go any further. I ended up sitting on the steps, and encouraged Vidal to go on, saying I would wait for the group to return, and would return with them.

Three or four hours later, the group starts coming past... I'd almost given up hope on them... but decided to carry on waiting. Whilst waiting, I'd met some wonderful people giving mostly smiles, and some coca leaves, to a few that seemed really to be struggling with the height.. There was one lady that even stopped to look straight at me, and shone a smile directly at me...
Eventually my group returned, and I made my way back. I had fortunately had a wonderful view straight at the back of Macchu Picchu, but I'd more importantly developed a patience whilst waiting... expectant, but not rushed for anything. On the journey back, I managed to slowly but surely get there.... last as usual! The rest of the group was returning to town, to meet Freddy, their Shaman from Chicago - but I was too tired to move, and decided I should stay a while here, and then spend a bit of time in Macchu Picchu since I wouldn't have time the next day. After spending perhaps another two or three hours in the ruins, meandering my way round, I end up leaving, getting back to the hotel, after spending over an hour talking to a lady in a spiritual new age store that happened to carry a banner of peace, as well as a Jose Arguelles Dreamspell book, and guide.

I have dinner alone, spend some time resting in the hotel, and end up getting to sleep quite late.

Tues June 21 - Wed June 22

Tues June 21 - Get back to Inti Ayllu, after a long night, and ready to fall asleep.
Wake up to find that it's afternoon.
In the evening, a whole group of Americans turn up unexpected. Martin and I get moved into the same room so that everyone can be accomodated.
Go shopping for food with Barry from the group... we turn out having a lot in common.
We end up cooking the food we bought, whilst the rest of the group is in Qorikancha, in ceremony. I manage to get the fire going... though with help and guidance from Carmen.

Tomorrow the group leaves for Aguas Calientes, the entrance to Macchu Picchu, and because I want to talk with Barry more, I decide I'll go with them to the station, and if I can go, I'll go with them.

Wed June 22 - Travelling to the train station, I realise I don't have enough money to pay for everything... but I decide to 'trust' and see what happens. As the americans are queueing up for the train, I try to buy a ticket, but find it way too expensive. Ready to leave them there - I get asked how much extra do I need to come? I end up being given money from each person, and with the combined total I have enough to buy a ticket there! They get on their train, and the Peruvian guides help me buy a ticket, and then get on their train, with me travelling on the train after them. Turns out there was a group of protestors on the tracks, and I arrive in Aguas Calientes just a short while after everyone else - even though their train had left Ollantaytambo over an hour before mine! I took it as a good sign for my choice of travelling. In Aguas Calientes, I end up with a hotel room sharing with Don Juan the Q'ero Shaman, and Vidal, the local Shaman, and decide to hold off returning to Cusco for tomorrow, as planned - so that I can spend a whole day at Macchu Picchu tomorrow - and in the evening I just go to the hot water baths, where everyone in their swimming costumes gets to clean themselves, and just relax in the open air, facing a mountain range, and the river that feeds the baths we bathe in.

Mon June 20 - 21 Welcoming the new year

So I took the resin/detox medicine back to Inti Ayllu, and with the requisite freshly squeezed orange juice at the ready, I took the tea with resin in one big gulp, and then downed the orange juice straight after. I'd already drunk a gooey liquid, in the form of a cactus (I think it was called Tonno, or Tunno), which reminded me of Aloe Vera, so not wanting to think about it too much, I just downed the liquid, and let the OJ wash away the taste. It seems I didn't have long to wait for the effects to take effect...
Within minutes, I was in the toilet, vomiting everything I'd had so far, and I'm sure a bit more.

Then I had to wait the 4 hours, before the diarrohea like symptoms were to set in, and start to relieve my body of anything that could be left in my digestive system. We were told we had to continue to drink hot tea, so that our insides wouldn't get messed up, and that we had to keep moving, to try to keep our bowels moving...

I tried the walking up the mountain, behind Inti Ayllu, but the thought that I may need a toilet, and the steepness of the slope made me choose the simpler path of walking along the main road.

After about an hours walking, and no significant change in my bodys willingness to give up anymore of its contents, I got back to the house, to find that Susan had eaten some food, and her body had started purging. I thought I'll try that approach... and so ate a full plate full of food. No luck. After spending an hour lying with crystals over my tummy to also help... no luck... It turns out, that by the evening, when we started to get ready to go to the temple for the all night fire, my body hadn't responded to the cleansing process.

Perhaps I had nothing left to cleanse, or perhaps I needed more resin... In any case, I decided that my body wasn't going to give me trouble, and headed with the group to the temple.

Once our 'group' had assembled outside the entrance to Oyllantaytambo, one of the guardians of this 'tourist' site, let us in, so that we could continue the sacred tradition of keeping a fire burning all night, before welcoming the sun in the new year.

After climbing up all the stairs to the top of the temple (and we stopped a few times on the way up), we began by gathering where the fire had been burnt in the past, and gave thanks to the space, before finding a new location, that we would be able to cover up, and where we would be able to hide the fact that we had burnt a fire. It seems that whilst the guardian was more than willing to allow us access to this sacred site, it was 'unofficial', and so we had to make sure that we cleared away all signs of our fire before the tourists started visiting in the morning. It felt a shame that Tourists had priority over the 'traditions' that the place had been built to maintain. It's almost like going into a mosque or a church as a tourist, whilst worshippers of that holy place have to perform their prayers in secret. Such is the way of governments that try to catch up financially with what little they have.


Anyhow, we have a wonderful evening, started by each person placing a log into the pile from which the fire will burn. Each person placing those things from the past year that they are ready to let go of, or have transformed.

Then, once the fire is lit, one of our group (a New Yorker, called Michael) is chosen to keep the fire burning. He's already familiar with the practice, having kept fires alive in the US, during native american ceremonies, and so it seems the perfect choice!

Through the evening, offerings are made, with k'intus (coca leaves) despachos (sacred bundles), and we keep tending the fire until about 3 or 4am in the morning. This is when we put a huge offering into the fire, for the Apus (the mountain spirits), from all the circle, for all of humanity. Wanting the Apus to consume the offering in private, we leave the fire, and walk away, allowing it to burn, unattended.

We then open a 'talking' circle, where everyone is invited to share anything that moved them, or touched them, or to even just talk, with the group, about their experience. We even get a few songs shared by people. Some traditional, quechua songs, some in spanish... Eventually, after everyone had shared.. people started to huddle under the blankets, and fall asleep. I had thought that it was a good time to return to the fire, as it would heat us, and as it felt like we should stay awake to honour that which we were doing. The fire, reduced to embers, was nothing more than glowing ash, but with some wood, and some fanning, we were able to bring the fire back into flames. And then kept it alive, until it was time to 'tidy up'.

Tidying up, we kept a small amount of the fire burning on a plate sized slate of rock, whilst the remaining ash, and embers were put out, and hidden behind big rocks, out of site, in the grass.

Then with our remaining fire, smoking away, we moved to a more prominent position, from where we would be able to see the sun, as it hit the first 'gateway' that had been built with the temple, to be able to see the progression of the sun through the sky.