Since I've been gone...

I finally decided to LIVE in Peru, instead of just write about it.

NPR: Peru's Exotic Jungle Fruit

This NPR story on the jungle fruit aguaje's popularity was reported from Peru's jungle city Iquitos.  Besides their being delicious, the fruit is thought to make women more beautiful.

Experts are concerned that rate at which aguaje is being harvested is straining the Amazon forests.

NY Times Travel Blog features Arequipa!

Seth Kugel of the NYT's travel blog covered Arequipa over the weekend and will soon write on northern Peru. 

There were a few things missing--pisco sours and a trip to Majes valley/Cotahuasi canyon--but overall, it's a pretty good article. 

I can, however, confirm that this "frugal traveler" definitely got ripped off; I've never taken a taxi to anywhere in Arequipa for more than 6 soles.

NPR: Oil in Peru's Amazon Basin

So I'm back in the States for a few months (family events). But I want to keep the flow of Peru news at least at a steady drip...

...so here is a story on NPR's Morning Edition on the effects of oil drilling in Peru's Amazon basin.

One year after Bagua

Even a year later, the broad ramifications of the Bagua incident (see post "Free Trade and the Amazon: the Case of Bagua") are still being seen.

Amnesty International called on Peru to drop charges (of rebellion, conspirancy and sedition) against Alberto Pizango, an indigenous leader. 

He was involved in last summer's demonstrations against the opening of the Amazon to foreign companies that led to the deadly clash between police and indigenous protests.

Peru to surpass Colombia as biggest cocaine exporter

According to last Sunday's NYT article (its eighth on Peru in 10 months), recent and dramatic increases in Peru's production is "making Peru a contender to surpass Colombia as the world's largest exporter of cocaine." 

In other words, U.S. anti-drug efforts in Colombia have not stopped production, just displaced it. And worst yet for Peru, the violent, anarchist Shining Path guerrilla groups still lurking in Peru's jungle are growing bolder and stronger with the money.

While I'm glad this article made it to the World Section (way overdue), it fails to differentiate between coca and cocaine (see my earlier post "I drank cocaine?"). 

Coca leaves (used to make cocaine) have a special cultural significance here, especially for indigenous people. They have used coca for centuries, to chew in social settings, to brew in teas and to make spiritual offerings. Today, coca leaves are sold in most markets. 

The legalization of coca production is a controversial subject in Peru. People who support its cultivation are perceived as propping up the drug trade. People who oppose it are seen as ignoring the cultural and historical significance of the plants, as well as undermining the livelihood of legitimate coca growers. 

The NYT ignores this oh-so-important cultural detail, presenting only the USG's position that coca production should be eradicated, which Peru eventually bowed to under pressure. I'm just an observer here, but even I can tell that this issue is a little more nuanced than that. 

But the NYT does do a good job to remind us where demand for these drugs come from--the U.S., Brazil and Europe. 

(NYT posted a slideshow of related photos)

Turning 25

My birthday was like a month ago, but this is just too funny not to share.

Halfway through cooking my "American" birthday breakfast, the kitchen table broke, sending raw eggs, bacon, juice and pancake mix all over the floor:

I would have given up, but Sergio stuck with it. One hour later, I had this wonderful breakfast on my 25th birthday:

Thanks, Sergio, for making my birthday a memorable one!

Taquile Island in Lake Titicaca

I almost forgot! On our trip, Ben and I also visited one of the islands in Lake Titicaca--Taquile:

The turtle-speed, three-hour boat ride out to the island was worth it. From the island, we could see the lake's more expansive portion not seen from Puno. You can tell from the map that we also weren't too far from the Bolivian border:

What the map doesn't show is the Cordillera Real in Bolivia. We were able to see it from the island. Let's just say my photography skills don't do these mountains justice:

What impressed me most was the island culture. While most islanders in the region speak Aymara, the people of Taquile speak Quechua, and have for centuries. They maintain their unique culture, although surely tourism helps that. 

The men of the island are expert knitters, and make their own stocking (pajama-like) hats--red ones for married men, white for bachelors. The wives also weaves their husbands a wide belt, which is worn with calf-length pants and a white peasant shirt. 

We ate lunch there and then took a quick walk over to the Peru-facing side of the island to catch our boat back another three hours. Here's the view towards Puno:

Doing Machu Picchu, etc... on a shoestring budget

Because of the international demand for trips to Machu Picchu, prices for everything from laundry and postcards to hotels and transportation are through the roof. Some of those costs, like the Boleto Turístico (the $40 ticket to all the sites) and the $40 Machu Picchu entrance fee can’t be easily avoided. Others can. Here’s some tips for travelers looking to save a few bucks:

Tip #1: Ignore your guidebook’s recommendations on hotels. Those places are overpriced. When you arrive in Cusco, the Sacred Valley or Aguas Calientes (the base town for Machu Picchu), hotel advertisers will hassle you to come see their places. They aren’t luxury, but you can negotiate the prices down more with them than with established hotels. However, definitely check the room and its hot water.

Tip #2: Unless you’re really needing a treat, or comfort food, ignore your guidebook’s recommendations on restaurants too. You can find a perfectly delicious Peruvian lunch (drink, soup, main dish) for less than seven soles on your own. In Cusco, we liked Restaurant “Egos” on Loreto off the plaza.

Tip #3: Don’t take taxis in or around Cusco unless you’ve asked two-three people what the price should be. They charge outrageous amounts to tourists who don’t know--which happened to us once admittedly. A taxi from the bus terminal to the plaza, for example, should cost two or three soles.

Tip #4: Take the provincial buses to the Sacred Valley.  They cost three to five soles whereas a taxi might cost 70 soles or more. Buses for Pisac leave from Puputi street in front of a green garage door (take a taxi for two soles to get there).  Buses from Pisac on to Urubamba are two soles. You can take another one in Urubama for Ollantaytambo for two soles.

Tip #5: While I didn’t do this, I want to: Lonely Planet says you can get to Aguas Calientes without doing the Inca Trail (expensive) or taking the train ($43 each way). Take a bus for Quillabama from Cusco and get off at Santa Maria to stay the night in a simple lodge run by Lorenzo Cahuana. Catch another bus in the morning from Santa Maria to Santa Teresa. Walk two hours to the hydroelectric plant and another two hours along the old train tracks to Aguas Calientes.

Tip #6: Don’t take the $15 bus up the hill from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu. Walk the 20 minutes to the park gate then do the (extremely steep) hour hike up the hill. ALSO: If tickets to Waynu Picchu are important to you (another part of the ruins), you should probably leave the hotel at 3:00 am for your hike. Taking the bus won’t get you there in time to reserve one of the 400 tickets they give each day. 

An abridged history: Cusco and the Sacred Valley

Regarding the previous post, f you’re saying, “wait, where?” here’s the abridged version:

The Incan civilization extended from Ecuador to Argentina during the 1200-1500s, and was eventually conquered by Francisco Pizarro and his conquistador crew in 1536.

Cusco was the Inca’s capital city. Their impressive architecture remains the foundation of Cusco’s center, on top of which the conquistadors constructed Spanish-style buildings with red-tile roofs. Cusco is a living record of two cultures colliding, like you can see in the photo below:

The city sits at an elevation of 10,912 feet in a high mountain valley bordering Peru’s Amazon. Jungle fruits and vegetables are often seen in Cusco’s markets. Yet from a good viewpoint in the city’s hillside neighborhood of San Blas, snow-covered peaks with elevations reaching almost 21,000 feet.

Thanks to its location near Machu Picchu, Cusco is now an international tourist mecca filled with hotels, travel agencies and pricey restaurants. More than 2,000 tourists visit the ruins each day. Others visit the city for its known special spiritual energy, magnetic forces and evidence of extraterrestrial visits.

But Machu Picchu aren’t the only ruins in the Cusco area. Just a short walk up the hill from Cusco is Saqsaywaman, the Incan fortress that protected the city. From there, the Incans laid siege on the Spanish in Cusco, before finally being defeated and retreating to Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley (pictured below).

The Sacred Valley, only 45 minutes from the city, contains various small villages surrounded by elaborate Incan ruins. There’s also the villages of Pisac, Urubama and Chincheros that are worth seeing.

This is a picture of Pisac's market:

What every Peru blog needs

...is pictures of Machu Picchu. Now my work is complete.

Wait--what is Machu Picchu? 

In 1911, British adventurer Hiram Bingham mistakenly thought it was the lost jungle refuge of the last Incan emperor. More recent evidence however, including the discovery of a similar structure (Choquequirao), leads us to think it was a vacation estate for the emperor. 

In other words, Machu Picchu was the equivalent of the American president’s Camp David--only way cooler, obviously. 

My friend Ben and I (hi Ben!) started our hour hike up the steep trail from the Urubama river.

We arrived at around 7:30, when the mist of the cloud forest still hid the ruins from our view.

While waiting, we hiked to see the Inca drawbridge. Built on a dizzying cliff, no one can cross it anymore after a tourist fell to her death a few years ago.

As the morning went on, the site emerged bit by bit.

Finally, we could see all of it:

Machu Picchu, and even more so its surrounding views, definitely live up to the hype.

Getting a work visa for Peru--check!

Congratulations to me! After two and a half months and $275 in fees (not to mention travel, photo, copying and notary costs), I finally have my work visa and foreign resident card!

Even after visiting a few blogs (expatPeru and The Ultimate Peru List were great), the process was a mystery to me, so I thought I would post what my process was, just so there’s more information out there to consult.

If you are an American and trying to get a work visa in Arequipa (or any other southern city), the following might serve as a guide for you, although fees do increase periodically:

1) Permission to sign contracts 

(Arequipa, Jefatura de Migraciones Urb. Quinta Tristan 2do Parque, José Bustamante y Rivero, 1 week)

a) F-004 (download from migraciones.gov.pe)

b) Banco de la Nacion payment #1814 S/. 12.43

c) Banco de la Nacion payment #01643 $50.00

d) Passport copy

e) TAM (Tarjeta Andina Migratoria) copy

2) Work contract approval by the Ministerio de Trabajo 

(Arequipa, Ministerio de Trabajo, 1 week)

a) Contract signed by you and your work

b) Original, legalized copy of Bachelor’s degree or any other relevant degrees

c) Notarized copy of passport

d) Notarized copy of TAM

3) Visa solicitation 

(Arequipa, Migraciones, 1 month)

a) F-007 (download from migraciones.gov.pe)

b) Banco de la Nacion payment #01857 S/. 57.51

c) Original or copy of the work contract approved by the Ministerio de Trabajo, with an expiration of no less than one year

d) Notarized copy of passport

e) Notarized copy of TAM

f) Sworn, legalized statement declaring no police, judicial or     health history and confirming your address

3.5) Picking up the visa  

After I dropped off my solicitation papers, Migraciones told me to pick a Peruvian Consulate outside of the country where I would pick up my work visa. I chose Arica, Chile because it’s the closest to Arequipa. Migraciones told me to call back in three weeks to see if my papers were waiting for me in Arica. After three weeks, I called Migraciones. They then told me to call the Peruvian consulate in Arica, Chile, who confirmed that my visa was waiting for me.

4) Pick up visa in Peruvian Consulate 

(Arica, Av. 18 de Setiembre 1554, 1 day)

a) Payment of $82

b) Copy of work contract and its approval

c) Passport copy

d) 3 color photos, passport size

5) Inscription in Foreign Registry 

(Arequipa, Migraciones, 10 days)

a) F-007A

b) Sworn, legalized statement declaring no police, judicial or health history and confirming your address

c) Banco de la Nacion payment #01873 S/. 36

d) Banco de la Nacion payment #02682 $15

e) Copy of work contract

f) Copy of work contract’s approval by the Ministerio de Trabajo

g) Notarized copy of passport

h) Notarized copy of TAM

i) 2 profile/3 frontal color pictures w/ white background, passport size

6) Letter from Interpol about criminal background 

(Lima Av. Velasco Astete 1491, Surco; 1-5 days, but ask if they can do it faster since you’re coming from “provincia”)

a) Banco de la Nacion: 73.44 soles

b) Giro al extranjero of $30 (pay it at the Banco de la Nacion in Caminos del Inca/Benavides--4 blocks from Interpol down Caminos del Inca)

c) Copy of your passport, your TAM, and your work visa

d) Numero de expediente given to you by migraciones after they processed your inscription (first page of F-007A). To get this, you've got to go to Migraciones in Arequipa before coming to Lima.

7) Processing of Foreign Resident Card 

(Lima, Av. España 730, 3rd floor, Breña, 1 day)

a) Bring your original letter from INTERPOL plus one copy

b) Copy of the letter with the original goes to Mesa de Partes on the first floor; they give you the copy back with a sello and you take that to the third floor

c) Banco de la Nacion payment of $35 paid within Extranjeria

d) Original passport

Note:

*To apply for a resident visa, you must have a work contract for at least a year. 

*While with your resident visa, you cannot be out of the country for more than 183 days (6 months) or its like you’re not living in Peru a majority of the year and you lose your visa. To leave the country while having your resident work visa for any amount of time, you must have completed the above process and also have a notarized letter from your work saying that you have permission “sin goza de haber” to be gone for that time. 

Planeta Agua: Learning Portuguese in Peru?

 The more I learn about Latin America, the more I learn about the importance of Brazil in South America. I wanted to learn more, so a few months ago, I started taking a Portuguese class at a Brazilian institute here. 

I'm still at a basic level, but I understand enough to interpret this beautiful song about water. By Guilherme Arantes, it's called Planeta Agua. My favorite line is the one about the water always returning humbly deep within the earth, after giving us so many awe-inspiring phenomena.

Água que nasce na fonte serena do mundo

Water that's born in the serene spring of the world

E que abre um profundo grotão

And that opens a deep canyon

Água que faz inocente riacho e deságua na corrente do ribeirão

Water that makes an innocent creek and consumes the current on the riverbed

Águas escuras dos rios que levam a fertilidade ao sertão

Dark waters of the rivers that bring fertility to the desert

Águas que banham aldeias e matam a sede da população

Waters that bathe villages and kill the thirst of the population

Águas que caem das pedras no véu das cascatas, ronco de trovão

Waters that fall from the rocks of the waterfalls, thundering down

E depois dormem tranqüilas no leito dos lagos, no leito doslagos

And afterwards sleeps calmy on the lakebed, the lakebed

Água dos igarapés, onde Iara, a mãe d'água é misteriosa canção

Water from the , where Iara*, the water's mother sings her mysterious song

Água que o sol evapora, pro céu vai embora, virar nuvem de algodão

Water that the sun evaporates, then makes into cotton clouds

Gotas de água da chuva, alegre arco-íris sobre a plantação

Drops of rain hearten a rainbow over the plantation

Gotas de água da chuva, tão tristes, são lágrimas na inundação

Drops of rain, so sad, are the tears of the flood

Águas que movem moinhos são as mesmas águas que encharcam ochão

Waters that move mills are the same waters that fall from the cliff

E sempre voltam humildes pro fundo da terra, pro fundo da terra

And they always go back to their humble state, deep in the earth, deep in the earth.

Terra, planeta água (2x)

Land, water planeta

*Iara is a fabled mermaid in Brasil who enchants sailors with her beautiful sea song. Those who hear the song never return. 

A day in old Arequipa: Mollebaya

Last weekend Noelia (a friend from the English institute) took me to the outskirts of the Arequipa, to one of the traditional villages that are not yet part of the sprawling urban growth that has overtaken the city's countryside in recent years. Her best friend's father is the mayor of the town, which must have less than 100 people living in it. 

When we arrived, we went walking to buy some water. On the way to the store, everyone said "Buenos dias" to me, which, only 30 minutes away in downtown Arequipa, is not common. We passed a family pulling their two cattle behind them. The community's cathedral had finally been rebuilt after the steeple fell during the 2001 earthquake. 

From there, we hiked about 30 minutes to the hill overlooking the town. Noelia and I could see Misti, the volcano, the Chachani mountains in the distance, and the green fields that surround Arequipa, a city of 1 million. 

Noelia, pictured here, and I talk mostly in English because when I'm around her I get all shy about my Spanish. She spent two years in Parker, in my home state of Colorado, as an au pair, so we have a lot to talk about. We also have the same taste for hiking. I think I found myself another good friend. 

Where did she go? To work..

For the three people that read my blog, you might have been wondering where I've been the past month. It's almost as if I had found a life or something. 

Well, I've been here, the Peruvian-American Cultural Center, where I now work:

Since November, I had been giving a Conversation class at the "Cultural" in exchange for a Spanish class. They had offered me a teaching job there starting in January. Why did it take until April to start working there, you ask?

Well, in order to work legally in Peru, I needed to get my work visa. The first step in that process is signing a contract. I had heard more than a few unfortunate stories about foreigners working at English institutes and having bad experiences: not getting paid on time (or at all) or not being given the hours they were promised. I wanted to be sure I committed to a place I felt comfortable with before I signed a year-long contract that was linked to by legal status in the country. 

But after seven months observing this institute, and now working there, I can say I am more than satisfied with my choice. The Cultural is professional, dynamic and a positive environment to work in. They even offer teacher training courses, which I plan to take starting in October. Because the institute serves more than 5,000 students, you can be sure that there will always be at least one class for me to teach.

Check out the Cultural's website here to learn more about it.

For now I have four classes of widely differing levels, each 1 1/2 hours plus planning time. That doesn't leave too much time to blog. But I promise to be back here soon. 

In the meantime, here is a photo of a few of my Peruvian colleagues that I snagged from the website. Claudio, left, and Giselle, middle, were also my Spanish teachers!

Majes Valley: Witchcraft, Dinosaurs & Shrimp

Bryam and Briggitte (who I met through basketball) have become some of my favorite people in Arequipa. Also our neighbors in Miraflores, they are down to earth, sweet and always up for an adventure. 

 

A few weeks ago, they took us to Majes valley, about three and a half hours through the desert from Arequipa. Briggitte, Bryam, Bryam's friend Oliver, Sergio and I loaded up and headed out on Sunday morning around 8:30.

Located on the dusty road to Cotahuasi canyon--the deepest in South America--is this breathtaking, fertile oasis. Southern Peru is full of river valleys like this. 

Majes valley, however, is particularly attractive. Pre-Incan petroglyphs (called Toro Muerto) are located nearby. The freshwater shrimp, as well as Majes brand piscos and wines, are famous. There are dinosaur tracks etched in the rock. But what really caught my hear was the area's reputation for witchcraft. 

As Briggitte told me, one of the smaller towns is known for producing towns of curses. You always have to be careful to accept food and drink there with the left hand, because if you accept something with your right, you could be cursed. Many people in Arequipa come to the Majes valley to visit the witches, and have a love curse placed on someone they're infatuated with. At the least, I can vouch for the bewitching scenery and energy in Majes.

We drove through the valley floor until we found a patch of shrimp shacks that Oliver had heard about. But before we settled down to eat, we took a walk out to the river nearby. A group of boys were getting informal swimming lessons near this wooden bridge where Oliver (red) and Bryam (pink) are standing. You can see the boys in the background.

Explorer Sergio immediately found the shrimp nets, made of bamboo, I think? 

After we'd played around in the water enough, we found our shrimp shack. For, I think it was, $7 we each had a *giant* plate of freshwater shrimp. Here's Briggitte with some Inka Kola showing off all of our plates:

Afterwards, we took a drive up the valley to see the dinosaur tracks. Here Briggitte and Bryam are pushing each other up the hill, with the impressive footprints in the background. 

And of course, what would a dinosaur park be without a giant T-rex model? 

We spent the whole day in the valley and had even more fun on the drive chatting. Thanks again Briggitte and Bryam for a wonderful weekend!

*The* Matadero: The Prince

[[Preface: So for the three people that read this thing, sorry for being MIA these past two weeks. Life was calling me.]]

Finally, I have friends here--about five in total, but still!  A few of them have seen my blog and, as native Arequipeños, had a few important corrections to make. 

They immediately noted that my previous post--"Mataderos=Back of a Chevy?"--lacked mention of the most notorious sleezy hotels for young couples: El Principe or The Prince. 

Obviously, we had to go there immediately and take a few discreet photos:

Why everyone knows about this little one that's a bit out of the way still puzzles me, but I sure liked the name, and the matadero coat of arms. 

Thanks Bryam and Eder :)

Miguel Angel's Emoliente

Usually after closing the downtown bakery stores for the night, on our way back up the hill to Miraflores, we stop for a bit of Miguel Angel's emoliente (herbal tea).

Miguel Angel is 14 years old; he works most nights from 8-11, or until his emoliente runs out. He sells each glass for about $0.20 and comes with a yapa (an extra glass full). When we came with the camera, he was a really good sport.

Someday, when I understand my computer, I'll put subtitles on it, but in sum, Sergio is explaining what different herbs Miguel Angel puts into his emoliente. 

I thought I would try and find a recipe, but someone much more qualified beat me to it. This Oregonian culinary artist visited South America and thoroughly researched emoliente recipes. Here is his take:

I have asked various vendors about the ingredients and I have squeezed the secrets out of a few guys about what they use:

• The main ingredient is linasa (flax seed) which is well known for being a source of Omega-3’s and lignans (heart-healthy, anti-cancer, blood sugar stabilizer)
• Aloe vera, scraped right off the stem.
• Cola de cabello/Horse tail (it grown near streams and wetlands in the US too) (a diuretic good for the kidneys and bladder and may help with senility due to the high silica content that balances the aluminum in the body)
• Chanca piedra (helps with the kidneys (especially stones), the liver and is an anti-viral that fights intestinal parasites)
• Barley (good source of selenium, phosphorus, copper and manganese and can help combat diabetes, high cholesterol and colon cancer)
• Boldo (cleanses the liver, aids digestion and fights intestinal parasites, among other things)
• Una de gato/Cat’s claw (the inner bark of a jungle vine that helps boost the immune system as well as colds, arthritis, tumors and digestive problems)
• Alfalfa juice (a superfood high in phytonutrients that also can aid in digestion, diabetes and anemia)
• Lime juice (um, Vit C)

The drink itself has a surprisingly viscous consistency, but always seems to settle my stomach after too many chicharrones and I sleep like a baby. 

Near Arequipa: Police/Miners Clash Leaves 6 Dead

Six dead. 29 injured. Dozens detained. Thousands more stranded on the highway for two nights.

Halfway between Lima and Arequipa on the Panamerican highway, more than 5,000 informal miners blocked the highway on Sunday, impeding the thousands of passengers heading home for work on Monday after Holy Week. 

Protesters reject the government's new laws protecting the environment against damage caused by informal mining. But the clash had a violent outburst. First on Sunday, Peru's RPP radio was reporting rumors of thirteen deaths. Six deaths have now been confirmed by authorities and witnesses. 

Here's an excerpt of Reuters' reporting on the conflict that appeared on the NYT and WashPost websites today:

Thousands of Peruvian wildcat miners were locked in a tense standoff with police on Monday after six people were killed during a protest against stricter environmental controls imposed by the government.

The violence broke out near the town of Chala, 372 miles south of the capital Lima, on Sunday when police tried to clear a roadblock set by the miners on the Panamerican Highway leading to Chile.

Two of the dead were bystanders, including a taxi driver struck by a stray bullet and a woman who suffered a heart attack. Police said 20 protesters and nine officers were injured in the country's latest conflict over natural resources.

Congressional delegation met with strike leaders today, but didn't arrive at any agreement. Peru's President Alan Garcia also responded to the protests, saying that his policy toward informal mining would not be changing. He pointed to the polluted rivers of the jungle province Madre de Dios as his defense. 

America TV's Cuarto Poder filmed the following from Chala, including eyewitness accounts of the shootings:

Today, traffic in Arequipa's downtown was shut down all day by widespread protests denouncing the violence against the miners. 

And as for our side of the story, Sergio's brother just arrived back in Arequipa after 48 hours stuck on the Panamericana. Protesters had blocked the national highway from here to Lima. They'll have to fly to Lima and then take an overnight bus to Huaraz tomorrow morning, arriving to work two days late. 

The Pope's Easter Words on Latin America

(Reuters)

In his Easter mass today, Pope Benedict XVI's words on Latin America made headlines across the continent, or at least in Peru.

He expressed solidarity for earthquake victims in Haiti and Chile. To those Latin American and Caribbean countries that face increased danger from drug trafficking-related crime, the Pope hoped Jesus would bring renewed peace and respect for the common good. While he didn't specifically say Mexico, his Americas audience knew what he was talking about. 

But Pope Benedict didn't address the recent scandals, as was the headline on most U.S. news websites this morning.