pickpocket "pand-imodium"

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Interesting title hey. I just looked at my blog stats and it appears that you are getting board with my stuff. less readers for the last couple of stories. Do I need to get more advertuous for you guys or what.
I am now in Iquitos my first stop in the jungle as I am heading down the Amazon tomorow by boat. I stop for a day in Lecticia Columbia should be interesting. then in to Brazil.

There were a few places here that I wanted to photograph. yesturday I ventured off the beaten path a bit to far but nothing magor went astray. I wandered down the coast of the amazon in Iquitos to where the local slums began. you enter the slums through a market selling all kinds on strange fish Piraunas and manythings I had neve seen before. the smell was enough to gag a goat. needless to say I moved rather quickly through. there was a point where I stopped to look out over the floating slum of Belen. I was soon surrounded by a bunch of currious locals checking me out. A young guy said in english sir you want a tour of Belen in canoe ten sole. Sure I thought that would be a great way to get to see things first hand. He led me through the maket and further into the slums. we walk for a long time this place is massive. we finally went towards the water and started walking along a long plank walkway between the houses biult on stilts. we walked up to another young guy with a canoe made from a tree trunk caved out. we started to float through the rest of the houses . we passed by the first guys house and said hi to his family then we floated on. we could hear the sound of squeeling pigs and tought what is going on. we saw a couple boys taking pigs from a canoe to one of the stilt houses. they tied a rope around the mid section of the pig and hoisted them up from the boat to the house. people had all kinds of animals living in these floating shacks. From there we headed across the river to see the houses built on rafts they all had little floaing outhouses built on the sides of the places. what really was a kicker the kids are all swimming in the water right beside the out houses. can't be to sanitary. Gotta watch out for the bown Amazonian water snake . People only leave there houses when they really need to it is a long paddle get anywhere. some of the houses were sinking and half under water. It was a reall eye opener to see people living like this. Most people were very friendly and curious and said hola with a smile. I did happen to catch the odd look of death here and there but very few, over all I felt comfortable with were I was. on our way back we stopped at buddies house to meet the family. It was a good chance to see what the inside ofthese places look like . Just a box with a few materesses and a barrel to cook in. The guy then took me back through the market and found me a place to buy a hammock for the river boat. as we walked through a tiny opening in the market to go to the hamock store I felt some one lift my back pack so I turned around to see this guy right there, It was very crowded so I thought nothing of it, he just ran into me. then he was there again right behind me in the store I felt him touch my backpack again so I turned to see what he was doing and he ran away. i noticed my one side pocket was open, all the rest are locked, he had nicked my hand soap and Imodium. I think he will be more disapointed then I was that he stole it. I hope he was looking for a quick fix with the imodium not realizing that it is for anti dyharea. He will be one clean handed stuck up thief.
I then went to a restuant for a bite. I was the only non local in the place. very good food. the waitresses were very good looking. I will say I have never been flited with some much by three girls all at the same time before in my life. I think they really wanted me to eat there again. The taxi driver from the airport said there are 6 girls here for every guy. nice odds but these girls where way to nice. one said I should stay for a month to lean more spanish. I said something in english and she answered in spanish. she was pretending to not be able to speak english so I asked a few more questions in Spanish before Iswitched back to english were I cuaght her again she knew what I had said . not sure what this game was about but I had an idea there is an exscape the jungle plan going on. what ever it was kinda fun so I played along for awhile. When I got to my hostel I realized that I did a really bad job of applying sun block to my legs . I am half lobster today, very baddly burnt so I am avoiding the sun as much as possible today. hopefully i am able to walk more tomorrow with out great pain.

so here is to pickpockets and Imodium a good combination

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Comments

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[Mike Smeltzer]

Response from Indianapolis
Sounds like a great experience. Can't wait to see your pictures. We are headed to Greece, Greek Islands, and Rome in mid-March. Planning a video layout for the church congregation.

[Vanessa]

Glad it was only Imodium
Thanks again for the updates. Remember, it is Family day weekend and reading week at school - that may be the bigger reason for lower reading stats. Wow - what experiences you are having down there. Stay safe and healthy. Prayers for good adventures and safety. Vanessa