Blogs from Cajamarca, Peru, South America - page 2

Cajamarca - Carnaval From the humid jungle to the mountainous, dairy capital, and largest Carnaval celebration in Peru we went. Cajamarca is definitely my favorite spot in Peru. It is absolutely beautiful and the people there are very kind. It is surrounded my green mountains, full of day hikes and pre inca ruins. It has an awesome plaza de armas, that is absolutely wild during Carnaval. Carnaval was full of parades, elaborate costumes, reynas, dancing, live music, parties in the plaza that went on all night long for 4 days with people singing and dancing while passing around bottles of warm, homemade liquor mixed with maracuya juice. The last day of Carnaval is a "mourning" celebration. Las viudas (widows), which are actually men dressed as old woman from each barrio compete to see who does the ... read more

Buses and taxis and little buses and cars. We have been travelling in all of the above to get from Vilcabamba to the border at La Balsa, then to Grand Buoya or something or other, and NOT to Pedro Ruiz, to arrive late and hot and tired in San Ignacio. But, we met an nice Australian bloke named Joel and it was good to have someone to compare notes with. Onwards to Chachapoyas... if we can get on the right bus or combi or taxi or mule or...something. ... read more

Although I felt SO much better on Monday after my amusing trip to the clinic on Sunday, I didn´t feel quite up to attending the hospital... not as a student at least! I did however make it to my Spanish class with Wilmar (my male Spanish tutor who´s commonly referred to as Wilma it would appear!). And that evening I joined Ian and the girls for a nourishing meal of consomé soup and coffee... Everything was to improve as the week went on! I was astonished, but thrilled, at how quickly my tonsilitis cleared up! By Tuesday I felt almost back to normal and was able to spend the whole morning in "Cirugia", the surgical department, at El Hospital Regional Cajamarca, before going to my Spanish class in the afternoon. Again we all went out for ... read more

Just a quick message to say I´ve arrived safely in Cajamarca and have spent the first few days settling in and getting to know the city and surrounding area a bit. I´m due to start my medical placement tomorrow having had the first 3 days this week off on holiday because of Peru´s Independence Day celebrations and public holidays. Will add another, more detailed blog entry at the weekend with all my stories so far from this my 5th destination in 4 weeks! Love and besos, Ricardo x... read more

NAVIGANDO LUNGO IL RIO DELLE AMAZZONI Diario di bordo Risalire quel fiume era come compiere un viaggio indietro nel tempo, ai primordi del mondo, quando la vegetazione spadroneggiava sulla terra e i grandi alberi erano sovrani. Un corso d'acqua vuoto, un silenzio assoluto, una foresta impenetrabile; l'aria calda, spessa, greve, immota. Non c'era gioia nello splendere del sole. Deserte, le lunghe distese d'acqua si perdevano nell'oscurità di adombrate distanze. Joseph Conrad E' tempo di andare "off the beaten track".... E' tempo di intraprendere un viaggio verso l'ignoto... un viaggio che ci portera' dentro a noi stessi.... All'inizio non l'avevo preso in considerazione: interessante ma poco fattibile... e forse preicoloso... Poi ho cominciato a collezionare notizie da tutte le fonti possibili, internet in testa... e a render... read more