No one really warned me or told me that Peru is pretty much all mountains. The sacred valley reminds me of the mountains of the west coast and the peaks and valleys of the rainforest remind me of the east coast. I mean in reality the country is so large of course it’s not mountains everywhere but existence is in the valleys and now I understand how deforestation of the rainforest appears.
On this journey between Pucallpa to Tarapoto we ride up north through the rainforest so obviously I get a higher viewpoint of the rainforest rather than the river boat level experience of following the river north to Iquitos. I think next time I come I would like to spend some time on the river but this time Tarapoto is the destination. I am happy about this as I heard going to Iquitos is a sacred war hell. Good and evil duking it out for the resources of the divine rainforest. No thank you! That is not my journey this time. I much rather just go 20+ hours up the river from Pucallpa and enjoy the lower region of the rainforest some more. People are quite humble there and I didn’t feel as though my energy had to be guarded from advances to join such and such “shaman” on an experience I could pay thousands to drink their sacred brew. I also heard in Iquitos you have the corporations and other poachers there to get into the rainforest and a black market…ok I would go just to see what the fuck people have at that market, just to say I’ve seen it but knowing me it would hurt my heart and I much rather have a better grip on my Spanish. Anyway I digress…
The rainforest here reminds me so much of the East Coast of America. Lush green hills with large jungle trees, vines, and a plethora of plant flora. Everything is in a fresh late spring wet bloom of glory. The drops between the moutain stone into the road create miniature waterfalls that flow into the road and off the other side of the mountain into the expansive lower region of the hill and off into the great river. This reminds me so much of the little waterfalls in the hills of Vermont in late spring. The clouds loom into the valleys as the hills peak out for as far as the eye can see.
Parts were lush and so diverse and then the other parts of this journey show how deforestation and farming killed off the diverse flora. Just like in the states, they plow down what exists in the valley and put farms, grass, animals herding. A vast difference from those who lived in the rainforest and had their horse tied to the front door. I do not think one is better than the other just an observation.
5 more hours until we arrive at our destination. With 15hrs under my belt I am getting good at kirtan because I keep playing the same playlist over and over again.
