summer is ending in patagonia by risa
From LK.
ecuador´s southern jungle has been overtaken by the banana
companies. for about 8 hours only banana trees and dirty
little banana towns roll by. my clothes were drenched from
the humidity and my own sweat, but the campesinos were out
hacking giant loads of bananas out of the tress, loading
them on to rickety trucks and taking them somewhere to be
sent all over the world. couldn´t help but be reminded of
marquez´magically real ruthless insidious gringo banana
company in hundred years of solitude as the dole and bonita
emblems popped up from time to time. arrival into peru
brings a change from putrid low hot jungle to dry arid hot
coastal desert, and they say not to buy soles on the
ecuadorian side as they are all falsos, this after I bought
20 dollars worth of suspiciously new currency from a nice
man on the bus. ah well theyll make great souvenirs.
mancora is a dirty little peruvian fishing village turned
almost beach getaway because of the gorgeous left that
breaks out in front. the town just grew up along the
coastal highway, so big busses and trucks and old chevys
retrofitted with diesel engines and moto-taxis provide a
constant background noise and dusty haze that just makes
the desert feel that much drier. anyway, the swedish birds
and i found a nice little oasis set back a bit with
adequate palm cover and hammocking. was elated to find no
wetsuit needed, contrary to initial reports. yestderday
was a big breakthrough day for my surfing despite breaking
my baby´s nose on a shallow rocky closeout. really feeling
it go to the next level so am hesitant to move anywhere,
but summer is ending in patagonia so that mysterious land
is calling for now. the colder waves of chile should ween
me off the tropical perfection i have been spoiled with.
so here i am in a sweaty internet cafe in tumbes, 2 hours
north b-c there are no adequate money changing facilities
down there. naturally the bankers take a 3 hour lunch, so
i have been able to catch up on e-mail and listen to all
the best mainstream latin hits of the day.
anyway i woke up before the girls this morning and just lay
there thinking about how on march second i will be in the
quarter century club and how damn short life is. it seems
there are too many great options to pick from so how is it
that so many end up in ruts? surely fodder for oceanside
microbrew discussion in seal harbor this summer. michael,
congratulations on getting home with only a case of the
shingles, and cant wait to view all of those photos. jan,
careful in namibia, where the hell is that anyway. love,
scoob
Leave a Comment