IQUITOS, PERU
IQUITOS!
We have now been going 5 weeks! But Iquitos is something different. Machu Picchu was so cool (in more ways than 1), and now we are in Amazon/jungle country, it is damn hot!
It doesn[t resemble other places in Peru where we{ve been. (Sorry can{t find the apostrophe!) I believe this is the largest city in the world without vehicle access.... I mean road access! Maybe half a mill.
We were staying with a contact but felt...uncomfortable. (Lucky you{d left Debs!) Our host was not particularly warm and we were left 2nd guessing what{s happening next. eg what are we gonna do for tea_ (that was a question mark!) The bathroom was a couple of stars below what we are acustomed to. Sue D would not have coped... maybe neither would Deb. It had only cold water...(no big prob), but no rose on shower, no seat on toilet and no paper till we asked. There was no bed for Jem so he bunked down on the concrete floor on sleeping bags. Neither he nor PJ slept very well. Rain came in their window in the night and got his sleeping bag. But it was really the lack of warmth, friendship and communication that clinched the deal. (Fay and I had concerns that our hostess might have had designs on our 27 yr old son!)
We took our hostess and her neice out for a lovely dinner last night. I paid the bill but was surprised that there was not the slightest thanks. Kids were also surprised at that.
We decided this morning we{d move on. When we told her, it didn{t seem to phase her at all.
We have moved to El Dorado Hotel ' some stars (hey I've found the apostrophe!) It's $54 AUS a room (we have 2 rooms) or $40 US each room. There{s a pool and AIR CONDITIONING. If you know Fay you'll know how much that is appreciated. Today we went to a zoo and then visited Belen - the floating city. The area...the market area was...horrific! It was dirty, dodgey, it was ugly...it was squallid (don{t think I've ever used that word before.) Guys offered us a boat trip but none of us wanted to acept their offer. We headed by motor taxi (another story) back to the comfort of our hotel. Our luxurious hotel. It is so hard to adequately describe what we saw. I've never seen markets so less inviting than what we saw today. Food markets! And guess what_ (there's that question mark again)... God loves each one of them. Just like He loves you and me! Unreal. Every one of the 20 persons to read this blog is just so fortunate! Sorry but I can't do justice to the situation. ... to our experience today.
Tomorrow we visit some villages and go for a cruise on the Amazon.... Cheers from us.
posted by Keasty @ 11:10 AM
6 Comments:
Hola, Keasty! Wow, what an exciting adventure you are having. So sorry about your bad experience, but I guess it makes you value toilet paper that much more, right? I would love to see Machu Picchu! And you are so right - God loves every one of them. We are all squalid before we find the Lord. Oh, and I'm glad you found the apostrophe! :0) Be safe.
well middle bro - I can tell you haven't used the term squalid before ... it has one L (very big grin).
THANKS MARG for speling correction!
Yes Jen, you'd just love some of this country like Machu Picchu and Iquitos I'm sure. Right down your alley!
WOW! I wish you had pictures! Will be praying for you guys, hope the rest of your trip is an exciting one!!
Well, you have to realise that what you got was experience, and you know what that is ,don't you?
Experience is what you get when you don't get what you expect!
It's great to see the family helping out with the spelling lessons now that you have left school, but you might like to check out the difference between "phased" and "fazed", seeing as your world-wide readers may be drawing some conclusions about Aussie literacy standards if they realise that they are reading the work of a former principal (they may not realise the difference between the states).Be aware that you are one of the few Gray Nomads not congregating in Mount Gambier this week as South Australia's second city ( are there only 2?) hosts the national motorhome convention.Our streets are gridlocked with mobile mansions (all equipped with toilets and showers) that you would give your number-plate collection to have available for your accommodation in Peru ( but the lack of access roads could cause a problem). :o)
Thanks Col! Grab a spare plate or 2 for me will you!
Post a Comment
<< Home