as the river flows, so does life

The view along the river Madre de Dios

Another tropical rainstorm, another hour doing webdesign, another day translating to German tourists, another day fascinated by a random leaf.. it might sound repetitive, but actually life is getting more interesting every day, although I might not be doing the "big things" differently every day, I´m learning how to do the "small things" different, and in the long term this makes you develop a lot more than doing new "big things", but in the same way you´ve always done them.

I´m quietly but steadily carrying on with the webdesign, teaching at Potsiwa, and have now twice acted as translator into German for groups of tourists in different lodges along the river here in Puerto. The last thing I thought I´d be doing in Peru, improving my German! But life is full of such surprises...

Drop me a comment to let me know what is up in Europe (or elsewhere), at elisemundo@gmail.com and I will eventually respond... love to hear how (you feel) life is treating you there!
Abrazazos - Elise Feliz

and what a welcome from the Amazon!

I can´t believe it´s really been 2 months ago that I wrote the last time... and at the same time I can believe it very easily, because so many things have happened here "in the lungs of the world".
We´ve been in Puerto for about 2 months now, and have lots of ups and downs, that I would love to describe in detail, but it would be too much. Twice in the last 2 months, to offload and afterwards upload, I wrote a long document on my laptop, but both times it was eaten by a virus (the same virus both time, what persistent cockroach-like resistance that digital worm had!) before I had a chance to publish it in elisemundo. More and more I´m seeing with my own eyes that things happen for a definite reason, so this worm must have been part of that process, and the time wasn´t right for me to write about Puerto yet. I hope this time it makes it online, because I feel the last few weeks have brought important changes, and the time is right to share them now.

We made it to Brazil in a slightly roundabout way because of bureaucracy complications, sneaking through Brazil to get to Bolivia at the right hour, to get Helard´s yellow fever certificate changed. The part of Brazil we´ve seen, Rio Branco, was way different than I´d imagined Brazil from my knowledgebank of capoeira friends, films and general reputation, and it surprised me how much richer it was in comparison to Peru. Very interesting to see the difference, which has made me understand Peru better more than it has made me understand Brazil better...!
But, mission accomplished, berimbau bought, new capoeira friends made, who 2 weeks later came to Puerto for a capoeira event with an alternative school that I´m working at. Yup, I´m trying out something that had been playing in my head for a while as a possibility: teaching. I also had a short stint at a regular English institute, which was cool, and much easier that with the littl´uns, but I had to set my priorities straight, and I realised that what I really wanted to focus on was developing my webdesign, and with all so much teaching it was too much.

So that´s what I´m doing now, webdesign and with 2 mornings of the week with the crazy small lot, and helping Helard with his videos. At the moment we´re making a tv commercial for the English institute in which I will feature as a gringa touring Puerto Maldonado. Life cannot possibly be the same afterwards!

Apart from the usual worky stuff, I should really be focusing on telling you about how amazing the Amazon is, although I´m not even quite allowed to say I know the Amazon, because the furthest along the river I´ve been is 1 hour, to nearby Monkey Island.
But what I´ve seen so far is really amazing.. the region Puerto Maldonado is in has more or less the highest biodiversity on earth, and I´ve seen so many amazing creatures, with mostly being in town, not even deeper in the jungle itself. Insects, monkeys, snakes, birds, lizards, caimans... and then there are the amazing plants, flowers and trees, of dazzling sizes, shapes and colours.
Mother earth is treating us well here, and being so much closer in touch with her, you can´t help but increase your awe and respect.
Salud a la pachamama!

Puerto Maldonado is awaiting..

The view from Larapa where we are in Cusco:

Three months in the land of marvels, as Peruvians proudly call it, and even after this relatively short time, I think I agree with them. Coming back from the centre of Cusco in our usual combi, I couldn’t help but notice the difference with how I am feeling being here now, compared to the first few weeks. Getting accustomed to something new is usually a very gradual process, so much so that you don’t notice changes for a long time, until you have a specific moment of clarity where you make out the changes.
Living here, you are a lot more in touch with basic provisions and the earth in general, in different ways: it’s not uncommon to have water cuts, for up to 10 hours a day; there is no gas network, your gas to cook with comes from a container underneath the hob, which doesn’t sound like a big deal, but if you run out of gas at night when it’s cold and you’re dying for a cuppa tea, it hurts!; here in Cusco there is no hot shower, so it’s back to heating water and crouching over a plastic tub; mining is a considerable stream of income (even though many foreign companies completely rip off Peru in terms of pricing), and agriculture is also a lot more noticeable, even in Arequipa, a big city, you sometimes have to wait patiently for the cows to cross. Also, there are many families living with very little money, which means they for them basic provisions have a lot more value than for us spoilt westerners.
Other ways people are more in touch with earth is in the spiritual sense, generations have been living and still do to date, working the land, and have great respect for nature. There are many shamans here offering sessions with natural drugs, which mostly serve to feel more as one with nature. The old tradition of offering the first drop of a drink to Pachamama (the Quechua word for mother earth), is being carried on by Peruvian youth until today.

We´re now only days away from going to Puerto Maldonado in the jungle, where there is a job waiting for me, along with the mosquitoes.

Cuscomanta !

This is more like it! Cusco in distance is about 10 hours from Arequipa, passing by the ugliest town I've seen so far in Peru, Juliaca, a dustbin of contrabandits and tornadoes. But Cusco, in terms of its feel, it's in a Peru of a parallel universe: much more indigenous, breathtaking remains of Inca architecture, locals calling you mama and papa and making you feel as if you were part of their family. The area where Helard and I are staying is a breath of fresh air as well, on a steep hill minutes away from tranquil woods, which feels miles from the city centre, but at the same time only 10 minutes by combi away from it. On our first night out on the town, we got talking to a 5 year old girl selling knitted fingerpuppets on the Plaza de Armas, and in an attempt to make her forget she's trying to sell us her goods, started asking questions. Do you speak Quechua? Si. What is the Quechua word for friend? Gringo, jijiji. Very typical!

The above pictures are from our last days in Arequipa, where I was trying to stay creative while fighting off my first parasital infection. In the top picture the virus was on the winning side...



These pictures are from an afternoon of chilling in Yura, small town near Arequipa. Beautiful sunset and subsequent moonrise!

ideas and plans

I haven´t got many big stories to share, so am deciding to share some details that paint a picture of elisemundo in Arequipa:
Had my first experience of being mugged, or rather, 2 ladies trying it on me. Their technique needs some improving because they didn´t get away with anything, I was too quick. And why? I´d like to say it´s because after living in Brixton, Hackney etc, I´m pretty streetwise and aware but I also seriously think their technique has some faults. To ¨distract¨ me, they threw water in my face, which, is more of an alarmbell than a mode of distraction, since in this season, it never rains in Arequipa... Anyway, it´s a shame my traditionally Andean woven bag now has a massive hole in it, but it was a good warning as well, to be more aware. And at exactly the same moment these ladies tried it on, Helard, 3 miles further on, cycling down a down hill track, received his own type of warning, in the shape of falling buttfirst onto a stone, hurting his back considerably. You see how connected we are?

My favourite hour of the day is between 4.30-5.30, when the sun changes from trying to burn your bones, never mind your skin, into a more subtle lightbulb, bathing everything with an orange glow, and creating a feeling of calm that seems neverending. I love sitting outside on the roof with my guitar or a book in this hour, and enjoy the calm before the night (and the cold) descend.
Readings at the moment are:
Osho, Eastern philosopher, to learn to let go of the silly every day things that I let myself get wound up about
Eduardo Galeano, Patas para arriba, Uruguayan journalist, to stay aware of the injustices in the world and the twofacedness of the human race
Aldous Huxley, Doors of perception, to learn about the science of other ways people use to learn, and-or escape from it all.

Walls I´m trying to break down are barriers to creativity, which is one of the most difficult things I´ve ever tried to do, for me, since my capricornness has shaped me into the kind of person that is too structured, and can´t handle it very well if something doesn´t come out absolutely perfect in the first instance. Obviously the creative process doesn´t work this way, and I´m trying to create the calmness to go through this process without getting annoyed. A few times I managed it, and I know it´s more about unlearning techniques and letting go, but if anyone has techniques to unlearn techniques, let me know! ; )

Besos, Elise lombriz

Cotahuasi

Arequipa - 3 de mayo 2006

Continuities: Still chilling in Arequipa, still full sunny, country still counting the votes, Chavez still calling Alan Garcia a rat while siding with Ollanta Humala, still very happy and in love, still working on trying out all 8000 different dishes Peru has.

Changes: More relaxed in Arequipa, with a tan, everyone knows Alan Garcia will win the second round, hanging out with Helard´s sister who is over with the brand spanking new baby, overcame the typical tourist stomach bug and had a to pause my quest for trying all the different dishes for a few days and resort to crackers and rice..

oh and not to forget Helard and I went on a 5 day trip to the Cotahuasi canyon.. the deepest canyon in the world (or so say the posters in the agencies..!)
Note the picture of the overturned lorry which we encountered on the way up... Helard and all other blokes from the vehicles of both sides that were held up organised moving all the cargo the lorry was carrying out of the way, and the most macho truck near hauled it to one side so our bus and others could pass. The experience was made all the better since me and Helard had been on the pisco on the busride, with 2 Frenchies who were also on the bus.
When we arrived, after 14 hours on the road, we stayed in a wonderful hostal in el pueblo de Cotahuasi for 2 nights, where the dueño was really welcoming, Don Jose, muy buena voz, biggups! Then went camping on the side of the river for 2 nights, drinking coffee made from the water of the river, heated over a homemade campfire... it defo beats having a Starbucks in Soho!

mas Arequipa!

Still in Arequipa, still loving it..
The last two weeks have really been about me and Helard hanging out together, learning more about eachother, and me getting to know his crazy friends and Arequipa itself. He and a few of his mates love cycling, including doing all sorts of weird stunts, and I go with them sometimes, being a rude girl on my less hightech borrowed bicycle, though I give the stunts a miss.. haha

We´ve mostly stayed in the city, apart from a short visit to Quequeña, a small town outside Arequipa in the hills. This week we´re planning to go to the Cotahuasi Canyon on a 4 day trip, seeing the Canyon and some other sights near, a bit like described here: http://www.condorjourneys-adventures.com/peru_cotahuasitrek.asp

It´s also been fantastic to link up with my London girly Ulli, who has been in Arequipa for nearly 4 months, also in love with an Arequipeño, although she met hers here! It´s been great fun trekking the city together, without the boys, so we could spend time at our leisure in wool shops, drink expensive coffee in gringo coffee bars, and ofcourse, gossip about the boys! Have a look at her blog to see how she´s been getting on, and for some pictures of Arequipa to feed your imagination: http://lonelyplanet.mytripjournal.com/ulli

Before I left, everyone asked me what I thought I would miss from London-Europe, and the only thing I could think of was.. a good curry! Definitely in Arequipa there are no curry restaurants, only some chinese, but to be honest, the Peruvian dishes are so delicious that I´m not quite missing my chicken tikka. Arequipa has it´s own special pepper called rocoto to keep you warm inside, and pollo a la brasa.. ooh la la, I revel in the fact that I´m not vegetarian!

What I do miss a bit is my friends (hugs to all), and capoeira... which I both will try to find a new over here as well as hold on to what I had before.

Hugs,

Elise

PS: Also check out Eleanors blog who falls in both categories of friend and capoeira, and who is still living it up in Brasil! Beijos! eleanorbrasil.blogspot.com

hermoso peru

I still can´t quite believe it, but I´m here, and everything is wonderful. The flights from London-Madrid were fine, apart from the fact that I lost/broke the 2 most important parts of my berimbau in transit..
Being reunited with Helard was and is dreamily wonderful and strangely easy after 2 months apart. You will all see soon when I develop the pictures of us together, both with smiles a mile wide!

We spent a few days in Lima where I landed, hanging out with some of Helard´s family who live just outside Lima in Callao, and who were amazing, so sweet and welcoming.
The best Lima moment has to be when we were sitting at the beach enjoying the view, chatting away, when suddenly a really big wave came and soaked us from top to toe! Menos mal that it´s still very warm and we just laughed our heads off!

We got to Arequipa yesterday, and I´ve already fallen in love with the surrounding mountains, getting used to the crazy traffic (you need to see it to believe it.. really) and the slang. It´s also been very interesting to arrive just before the general elections, all over the walls, hills and wherever possible are pictures and slogans of people going for the presidency or to enter the congress. The voting happens tomorrow, which is very strictly compulsory, if people don´t vote, the fine is about 140 soles (about 30 pounds, which is a lot for people here) and they even block all your financial transactions until you pay. Also, since last night, ¨la ley seca¨ (the dry law) started, which means it is illegal to sell alcohol and all bars are closed, until elections are over! Obviously though, like with most laws here, there are ways around it...

Will put some pictures on next time, warm hugs to all,

Elise

2 weeks to go

7 weeks down, 2 more to go... and as usual, it has all gone completely *not* according to plan the last 7 weeks, but has been very interesting through audits, tonsilitis and yes no yes no yes no playing capoeira.

From first week of April and I'll drop a line from the mountains, with a smile the width of the Atlantic because of being with H again..

Besos,

E