Travels with Frank: Scraps of Life in a Small Amazonian Village

FB Posts that would have been had I decent Internet for my 10 days in Pantoja...

-dreamed about quesedias with velveeta cheese. I don't even eat velveeta cheese but DAMN those looked GOOD! Wonder when the last time anyone here actually ate cheese...

-actually won at poker last night...too bad we were only wagering with aluminium Peruvian centimos and old military buttons...

-YAY for firefly filled trees and insanely bright (light pollution-free) starry skies!

-would like to thank Frank for at least getting that MONSTROUS intimidating arachnid to move behind the shelving--outta sight, outta mind! I'll sleep tonight!


-feels really sorry for the two turtles waiting out the end in Rodrigo's kitchen...wonder how long they've been waiting there to be cooked...

-had a really TASTY dish of "majas," a local jungle rodent, relative of the guinea pig. Better than chicken or pork! YUM! MORE MAJAS, PLEASE!

-wonders how truly preventative a mosquito net is when you wake up and the first thing you see is a HUGE cockroach hanging out right above your head IN your netting...I guess they only call it a "mosquito" net...

-Yay! One of the turtles trapped in the kitchen escaped!

-spent the afternoon walking through the jungle munching on freshly scavenged sugar cane.

-finally found a board that will allow her to sit with comfort on Rodrigo's toilet. YAY! Never been so excited about a piece of wood before. It really is the little things...

-can't get enough fried plantains. YUM!


-would be a fan of Amazonian fish if it weren't absolutely FULL of bones (that get lodged in her gums!) OUCH!

-BROKE AN HOUR TODAY ON HER RUN! SUCCESS!

-saw a little boy carrying the charred corpse of half a monkey by the arm home for dinner...


-along with her friend Dara, were the honorary guests on the Pantoja military base for their monthly celebration. Watched their football matches and then for 3 hours was surrounded by 70 soldiers dancing salsa...

-would like to extend a "thank you" to Frank for doing another good job trimming her hair. Not exactly professional, but it'll do in a pinch.

-admits that constantly being serenaded by the town poet every time she leaves her accommodation, while initially flattering, is now getting a bit old...

-SALVATION! A small commercial boat arrived randomly in town today! It will be going to Iquitos! WE ARE SAVED!