I am at the pier of Iquitos, a massive strike on a gentle slope. board the lancha, I readily binds to know my neighbors hammock. I arrived several hours before departure (unofficial because the captain does what he wants) to get a good spot before the tangle of hammocks.
I am surrounded by "old", which means it's me who installs their hammocks, as even those who accompany them are too small to reach the overhead handrail ...
This fisherman takes a fish every 30 seconds, and is attracting young people. One of my neighbors, Andres, accompanied by his family, came to say goodbye (the despedida). I spoke with her daughter, Emily. She is 22 years old, she is very pretty, with her restless son of 5 years. In Peru, like Bolivia, the majority of teenage girls are mothers, which provides components worthy of sociological study. Par exemple, une fille qui a eu son enfant à 16 ans, peut être facilement grand-mère à 35 ans ! Et potentielement, plein de grands-parents aux réunions de famille (jusqu’à 12 si je ne m’abuse...)
Quelques heures avant le départ
photo prise au même endroit, mais le lendemain. Pendant que la lancha se remplie, je discute avec Emily. Elle passe pour une rebelle dans sa famille, car le père de son fils est américain, mais elle l’a largué (ou lui l’a fait, va savoir...) et ça, ça passe mal auprès des parents, pour qui un gringo représente toujours le bon choix ! Elle ressemble à Angelina Joly (version latina). Mieux vaut être belle et rebelle, que moche et remoche :o) Elle insiste plusieurs fois pour que je reste à Iquitos !! Ouais, bien sûr... Les filles de la selva ont plus de fougue que de bon sens (il n’y a qu’à voir le taux de natalité...)
Le soleil vient de se coucher et le capitaine de la lancha décide que finalement, c’est le bon moment pour lever l’ancre. Mon voyage jusqu’à Yurimaguas dure 3 jours. Les vieilles à ma gauche, s’inquiètent en pensant que je vais m’ennuyer. Mais j’adore ce genre de voyage ! J’alterne avec some fun discussions and quiet moments of reading in my hammock, taking a look from time to time on the Amazon rainforest that runs ...
As on previous pictures of villages (the ride Pucallpa / Iquitos) you may notice the large majority of children. Above, the 2 large waving and are now selling a parrot to a moron who does nothing to shake the bug, but wants to make a profit selling it in town ... a Another moron who will buy the same purpose. Or will the bird cage.
We sail on a river other than the go: the Marañon. As the Ucayali, we will make frequent stops in villages, many more on this river.
I meet a little less of people on the trip Pucallpa / Iquitos; probably because there are less than 1 day shipping and a little less crowded. But the discussions are rich! Two people invite me to sleep at home in Yurimaguas, and one invites me to Tarapoto, the next town. We'll have to make choices ...
The three days passed quickly and pleasantly. We arrive at dawn to Yurimaguas, and I decided to "pass" the city by jumping directly into a bus to Tarapoto. I buy my ticket rapidos, but Manuel, who invited me to sleep with him, it is too late (ah those Latinos!) And will have to take the next bus. In an emergency, it leaves me son n° me disant de l’appeler en arrivant, ou de le rejoindre à une adresse qu’il me griffonne sur du papier higiénique...
Nous sommes toujours dans la région tropicale, et la route entre Yurimaguas et Tarapoto grimpe dans la montagne luxuriante.
Arrivé à Tarapoto, Manuel ne répond pas au téléphone. Je prends une moto-taxi en direction de l’université, qui est notre point de rencontre. A l’ombre, adossé à mes bagages j’attends... 1 heure passe. Je tente une dernière time to join but without success.
I decide to leave and at that time, a man me: "You're French? He looks a little hurry, I did not even see it! He had to be dropped. "I have a message for you." He said, looking very serious with his little bag. It's like a bad spy movie ...
short, I understand that Manuel arrived earlier than expected, and he sped home to wait, asking a teacher at the University of spinning the news to me. This is surprising anachronistic, but I usually ...
An old Chevrolet. It's like "The Racers"
indication of teacher was a bit too short, and I find myself lost down a street in ground under a blazing sun. I am seriously thinking to take a hotel, a shower, a meal ... I looked around for a taxi, when suddenly I hear: "Eric! "Right behind me on the terrace of a large house, I see the Manual, all smiles ... The large house in question is actually shared by different tenants. I have 24 hours Tarapoto. Manuel makes me discover the city, his parents, his girlfriend, his neighbors, his favorite retailers ... in a short time I am the most famous French city.
Manual
view terrace
Manual is super friendly, but you really my point! I want to be in Panama late January, and if I accept all the invitations, I can not do. For those with whom I could talk on Skype, I must say that I set myself a goal: I want to go to Panama, a place of convergence of all boats, and embark on a sailing ship set sail for the Pacific Islands ... the boat-stop, in fact!
anticyclonic season, between January and May, is recommended for this great journey. After it is harder to find a sailboat, longer, more dangerous. So I come over early in Panama, the better.
Chance encounters is something fascinating! At Tumbes, the last major town before Peru Ecuador, I recognize a French teenager who takes the same bus as me. It was in Iquitos, but not anywhere! At the same festival as me, December 31, at Roy! It is accompanied by a French couple, who themselves were not at that party. We did a little knowledge.
When we arrived in Ecuador, I will help to retrieve a bag that the porters refused to give him ... well, we must clarify that the French had lost his ticket, said the luggage ... Briefly, I digress!
On the map below, you can see sidebar, almost every city where I went (and stayed at least overnight). Cities framed in red, match my route to Iquitos, Ecuador.
On leaving Peru, I get stuck at the border post by an agent who told me that I exceeded the time allowed in Peru. It's a bit long to explain, but basically, the law changed on 1st January and I am subject to a fine. The agent wants me to go to town on a motorcycle taxi, to pay this tax to the Banco de la Nación "and come back so he could stamp the passport. The driver of my bus, he does not want to wait that long! (We started with 45 min late and now it is pressed).
A wholesale uniform is useless (except for that moment!) Beckons me. He is so relaxed it does not seem to be part of the movie we ... He told me that there is a way to fix this. I see it coming ...
I've never been confronted with this kind of problem, but I'm in Latin America long enough to know that corruption is rife. A $ 20 bill given to the customs chief, removed the formalities and you can leave ...
Why did I dollars on me? Just because it is the new currency of Ecuador since 2000! Before that date, the country had sugar as currency, which has nothing to do with 'sugar' in French, which says "azucar" in English. This name was given in honor of Antonio José de Sucre, who had distinguished himself in several battles in Peru.
dolarisation This has provoked in 2000, violent protests, which culminated in the overthrow of President! But without restore Sucre (currency, you follow?). Even if the cost of living is lower than in the U.S., the transition to the dollar is felt. We can say that the disappearance of sugar has made adding more salt ... A bit like France and the euro (but then, I do not teach you anything).
So Ecuador rolls green dollar, and it is quite difficult for me to pay all , 2 times more expensive than in Peru!
During my stay in Ecuador, I would have seen the sky with clouds. It is certainly hot, but when it rains, the rain curtain ... If it's a little frustrating for me is happiness for the banana. It's everywhere along the roads, out of sight!
The country is the first world exporter of bananas, and throughout the American continent, that the label "Ecuador", which is still stuck on the fruit.
I finally saw a UFO! I expect the expertise of UFO
Turning from Bolivia to Peru, there was no difference in the appearance population. Although crossbreeding has existed since the arrival of the conquistadors, Bolivians and Peruvians were "preserved" genetic heritage of the Incas: little, big head, lots of hair and skin color very recognizable (especially at altitude).
ago shades of course! For example, in big cities or in the Peruvian Amazon, where the human comes origne Indians of the great forest, so different morphology. In Ecuador, people are physically different from Peru. Some blacks, whites and skins more reminiscent of the Creole Caribbean.
I arrived in Guayaquil at night around 20h (map above). I negotiate my taxi (in dollars so ...) and asked him to drop me off in town, in an area where I can choose a hotel. I ended up finding a room at a reasonable price and I go to bed soon. The next morning he I sometimes something very stupid:
Wasting no time, out of bed, I decided to go buy my bus ticket for Esmeraldas, my next destination. I leave the hotel and take a taxi a bit further. Installed at the back, I watch the streets, people ... when suddenly I realize I do not know the name of my hotel, or address!
Usually I spot, but my arrival the previous day, tired, and my hasty departure this morning, made me forget to write anything! I asked the driver what's his name the street where I went, but he does not know the guy! Immediately, I look at the name of the avenue where we are: Raphael Ximena. OK, that's my only reference ...
Fortunately I speak English because for the return, when I have to explain to the taxi I go into the avenue Raphael Ximena, he said, "Okay, but what cuadra? Avenue is super long! "I try to remember some details, and I ended up giving a pseudo management. Arrived in the famous avenue, I get off the taxi and the treasure hunt begin!
The capital is Quito the country, but the largest city is Guayaquil, and its port is one of the largest in South America! You know what I mean ...
The city is large, modern, urban architecture more American and European or Australian. Having arrived at night, it complicates the matter, everything looks the same. The streets are clean, there are quite a few well-dressed pedestrians, some in suits and ties. A cosmopolitan blend.
I'm looking for 10 minutes, trying to find my way, but without success. I decide to walk at random from the street Ximena, and the miracle work! 5 minutes later I find myself in front of my hotel, a place I would not imagine ...
The same day I left Guayaquil for Esmeralda in the north. I really liked take longer, but making a point, it seems obvious that we must speed up my pace a nomad. It's a shame, Ecuador offers contrasts of giants! I learn by example that there are two volcanoes, which are among the highest in the southern hemisphere: the Chimborazo 6,310 m, and the Nevado Ojos del Salado at 6,891 m! Cotopaxi, is not a drug, but the highest active volcano in the world (5897 m).
All that to say that there are no bananas to see ...
Click on the map. Esmeralda is north on the coast.
I arrived in Esmeraldas with 4 hours late! were first rolled slowly along the contours of the coast, stopping at any guy who raises his arm, even if it just wipes his forehead ... then took the bus to the inland, borrowing chaotic tracks. And of course it rained!
It is 23 pm and I'm so exhausted, I spent a night in a cheap hotel and save myself the next morning for San Lorenzo, near the Colombian border.
And that is where the adventure begins!
Soon: you discover how I was smuggled into Colombia, and how I failed to return to Ecuador ... But more importantly, why should I avoid to go back! : O)
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