The Peruvian Adventure

Ever since I can remember, my life has been difficult and many times I've contemplated the idea of suicide.

During puberty, a few times, I was facing my the window of the 4th level flat where I was living in with my family, thinking, should I jump and end this suffering now?

I wouldn't be able to write this if, my most often response wouldn't have been:"Don't jump, don't do it, you are loved, you are important to the world and the best of life is yet to come. Dare to dream of your best life instead of trying to end it."

I've been raised in a Christian family and used to go to church as a boy but during teens, I've discovered and read about Buddhism and felt curious about meditation.

Somehow I didn't know what was best for me and I was afraid that maybe Jesus would be jealous of Buddha.

I was so thirsty for the truth that nothing else could quench my thirst for it.

So I was asking myself what's the highest human potential? Who am I? What am I doing here? What's my purpose, what's the purpose of all this??

I just couldn't see the logic of going to school to learn how to work, so you can then go to work until your life-force is depleted and then what, wait for death?? It just doesn't make sense.

All the internal turmoil and the fevered questions led me to discover a documentary called "DMT - The spirit molecule".In this documentary, many doctors and professors would test DMT in a controlled environment and then report on their experiences. All reported similar things including out of body experiences. After watching this documentary I knew that if I were to have an out of body experience(OBE) and understand more about life and spirit than, I'd have to go to Perú and try Ayahuasca.

Ayahuasca, also known as the Grandmother medicine is a visionary brew made possible by the combination of 2 plants among the tens of thousands found in the amazon rain forest.

The combination of the ayahuasca vine with the leaves of the chackruna is boiled from sunrise to sunset while a medicine man or woman (curandero, shaman) chants songs (icaros) and blessings into the brew. The result is a thick, earthy and bitter substance everyone calls "the medicine"(la medicina).

Nine months after seeing the documentary I had it all set for a trip to Perú. In the original plan I was meant to go with some friends but, one by one, they all dropped out and I was left contemplating whether to go myself or not.

Apparently, you're faced with your own death,(death of Ego experience) and you throw up from this brew, amongst other things. It surely looks terrifying, but I said to myself there's nothing to fear really, I mean that's the whole point of it anyway, to have an out of body experience. The price to pay is insignificant compared with the reward of such an enriching experience.

I realised this was going to be a spiritual quest and therefore it was probably in my best interest to go on my own, so I gave thanks to the Universe for organising it for me in such a magical way.

Landed in Lima during the night and got to the hotel. I check-in and ask the guy at the reception where can I get some food and some weed. He directs me around the corner to get some food and tells me to withdraw some cash and he will arrange for the weed. I'm so excited, had some dinner and now smoking a joint on the balcony of my room. The air is slightly damp and warmish moved around by a soft breeze. I'll get some sleep now so I can have an early morning and explore as much as possible.

Let the adventure begin

~ Lima ~

The highlights of Lima are trying out the famous Pisco Sour to stir up my appetite and then indulge with a dish of Ceviche.

So I go on a beautiful terrace at the top of a high cliff to treat myself with the Pacific view, sounds and aroma. The terrace is on a few levels with shops, restaurants and bars. I choose the table with the best view and the waiter is happy to accommodate me.

- Welcome, welcome, first time in Lima?

- Yes, it is. And I'm very excited, it's my first day and I'm absolutely in love with this view. I've been recommended the Pisco Sour so I'm quite excited to give it a try.

- Absolutely, excellent choice. I'll bring you one right away. Would you like to have lunch too?

- I would love to but feel quite undecided. Definitely some fresh fish as we're by the ocean. What's the best dish to try?

- Ohh, that would be the Ceviche Sir, it's fresh Sea Bass with chilli, onions and lemon juice.

- Wow, that sounds delicious. Yes please, one Ceviche.

- Very well Sir.

I have a sip on the Pisco Sour and it tastes like my grandad's homemade brandy with a splash of lemon. Rather alcoholic with the intense burning effect but this seems to be somehow delicate and I find out it's because of the egg white.

Not my favourite drink, yet I kinda like it and get another one.

The ceviche is here and to my surprise, the fish looks like it's raw. It's diced raw Sea Bass in a citrus juice with freshly chopped chilli, aji and onions. I'm not a big fan of raw fish but I'm curious to try new foods and expand my palate. It's soft and squidgy and I can barely swallow it, however, the citrus juice made me take another bite and another and stop halfway. I'll have to give it another try some other time, for now, I will serve another Pisco Sour.

Got me really tipsy and happy so I went for a long walk along the coast and smoked a few joints.

It's the first time I see the Pacific ocean and would really love to take a bath but the water is rather cold and I've been having a runny nose since I've landed. Maybe on my way back home...

The second day, went to Miraflores and got some souvenirs and from there had a walk on the beach to take some photos. I hear Spanish talking about the camera hanging around my neck and I turn around swiftly as if just taking in the landscape. I see a group of 6-7 teenagers up to no good following me.

"FUCK ME MAN! What the fuck?The guy at the hotel said to be careful around this area for fucks sake man. "- thinking to myself I need to get to a populated area fast so I'm gently picking up the pace so not to set them off on a run towards me. Up at the end of the beach is the famous fisherman's Market and I just pray I can make it close enough quick enough for the guys not to attack me. I turn around and I see the guys speeding up with 2 of them started jogging while fixing me as the target where my Reflex Camera was the easy prize.

I turn and start running as fast as I can towards the market and I begin to see shapes of people in the distance, the guys are all running now and spreading up so I sprint my best, feeling the adrenaline rush in my head and chest. I feel like I'm flying now and within seconds I'm only a few hundred metres away from the market. I can see people looking towards me so they've probably seen me and the guys chasing me, and, as I turned my head around saw the guys were slowing down and giving up on the chase. I begin to slow down but still running until I feel like I've reached a safe spot and I slow down to walking while catching up my breath.

"That was a close one! Fuck man let's be a bit more careful. PHEW... Wow, I feel so alive" I think to myself and I begin to laugh. With a big smile, I get my camera and snap some pictures.

The sun will be setting soon and the sky is turning orange violet with pelicans flying here and there. As I become present and take a look at the bay with many coloured fishing boats I hear the wind and the waves singing for me. The market is populated by people and pelicans alike. I'm smiling to myself watching the fisherman cleaning their fish on the banket and throwing the guts to the pelicans that would grab it in mid-air. They look like my grandmother's cats when she was cleaning a chicken of the guts and I feel so amused, pelicans behave like cats and dogs.

Next to the market a few round ladies that also remind me of Grandma, have a few stands where they cook the fresh fish and serve it on the few plastic tables spread around. I have a great dinner and go to the hotel. I refresh my weed supply and get some rest.

~ Cuzco ~

From Lima, I travelled to Cuzco with Cruz del Sur, a bus company that I've booked the tickets on-line at a friend's recommendation. To my surprise is a double-decker with luxurious and comfortable seats, and my seat is in the front row on the upper deck, right on top of the driver. Wow, this is even better than Air France, I think to myself while I get all excited about the view as we begin the journey south on the coast with the sun setting over the ocean to my right. I fell asleep and got up in Cuzco.

Here I visit the city and delight my self with Coca leaves tea. The atmospheric pressure due to the altitude gives me a constant headache but the tea helps to keep it off. I really like the flavour too and if you drink it rather fast you feel your mouth get all stiff like on Cocaine.

I can't help to notice the similarities of the Carpathian shepherds' way of life and the Andean alpaca shepherds' way of life. The colours, motifs and patterns on their clothing look quite similar and I get a sense of familiarity.

Most people are rather short as gravity took its toll on them and the skin wrinkled by the hard work under the Sun, like my grandparents' skin.

Here I go to the market and explore the stands for about 3 hours until I finally chose a beautiful fabric. The lady tells me it's alpaca wool and she's woven it herself with her mother and grandmother. The colours are absolutely amazing and the family weaving together reminds me of my childhood with my brother and grandmother. My brother and I would roll the string in a bundle on a stick, ready for grandma to weave it into some beautiful tapestry, rug or quilt.

I took the fabric to another shop where a lady with a sewing machine turned the fabric into a handbag and a smaller piece like a pouch.

One of a kind authentic alpaca hand-woven and custom made as a personalised gift and souvenir for myself. The pouch reminds me of the pouch my grandmother made for me when I was going to kindergarten and I'm super happy and grateful.

An impressive image of Cuzco is made by a group of really old and short grannies wearing hats to protect from the sun and their beautiful coloured clothing. They sit on massive sacks with an open sack in front of them. In the sack dried coca leaves for sale. I love this place so much and yes I love Coca leaves however I have to say now, Cocaine is not a choice for me as it's not my vibe. Gives me a headache and I'm anxious to get nowhere fast and I mean fast. But if I'm partying with my friends and I get too drunk to stand on my feet my Italian brother is ready to freshen me up with his "White espresso powder ". So I've only used Cocaine a few times when "necessary" and tried it out as an experience of its own where I realised it takes me nowhere really, really fast. The tea, however, is a completely different matter as it's made of the natural plant and people here have used it for millennia to survive and thrive in this environment.

I leave Cuzco for a 2 nights stay over in Ollantaytambo from where I refresh my weed supply and then take the train to Machu Pichu.

This is truly a remarkable wonder, I take a selfie with a lama and explore the city of the Inkas full of curiosity.

I meditate and think if we did this on our own or did we have help from some alien friends. It really does feel like I'm on top of the world up here.

Soon enough I'm on my way back to Ollantaytambo and I refresh myself on the train journey with a warm and fast drunk coca tea. Here going nowhere really, really fast seems to help with simple things such as standing on your feet and having a lucid mind unclothed by the pressure of the altitude on the body.

Here in Ollantaytambo, the night sky is absolutely breathtaking. The stars shine so bright and seem so close that you could pick them up from the nights dark canvas and hold them in your hand.

I lay in a hammock at the hotel while I smoke a joint, gazing at the stars and meditate away...

I love the hammock and would like to sleep here but it's cold and getting colder so I'm off to bed in my room.

I leave Ollantaytambo for Cuzco where I board a plane to Iquitos.

Welcome to the jungle!

~ Iquitos ~

Iquitos is the largest remote city in the world. And sure enough, they have roads in the city however because it's so deep in the amazonian jungle it can only be reached by boat or by plane.

Landed in Iquitos late in the evening. The airport is small and looks fairly simple, all walls in white with open grills on the upper part and big fans on the ceiling. The air is so warm and moist and I'm in complete innocence staring around in awe.

- Benvenidos en la selva! "Welcome to the jungle!"

I'm being greeted by a wonderful airport security lady. Brunette, slim, a café creme shiny skin, black eyes and a beautiful smile. I'm buzzing with excitement and inebriated with beauty I smile and say Gracias, Thank you.

I got on a 3 wheel motorcycle, or tuk-tuk, which they call motokar, to the hotel.

I've chosen this hotel for the stunning view over the river and it took me a while to decide on it because it had no hot water and the ones that did were above my budget. Reading the reviews I understand it's so warm you literally want a cold shower 3 times a day just to cool down so I went with it. Sure enough, I soon discovered how true this was.

It's old and rugged with damp white hallways and the room doors look like from a dorm or shelter of some sort. The room is spacious and the bed is hard with a thin mattress but the windows are big and suited with mosquito nets. I'm going out for a walk and got some street food. I got some tamale in banana leaf, which I didn't like and some Juanes, rice and chicken steamed in bijao leaf, that I found absolutely delicious and became my favourite food.

I have 3 nights in this hotel and this is where my planing and online booking in advance stopped. This will sum up to 11 nights leaving me with another 17 nights free to find a good shaman and try some mind-blowing ayahuasca. In these next days, I am to discover if this is where I will meet my shaman or continue my journey and cruise up the Ucayali River to Puccalpa, another famous site for shamans and ayahuasca.

Waking up in the morning feels like a fairy tale. The view over the Amazon is absolutely epic. I notice rather close to the river shore a row of colourful houses made of wood. What's curious about these houses is that they float about 6 metres up from the ground level on a wooden structure with tall pillars. I wonder how did they make it so and why.

I take a shower and go out to a close-by market and have breakfast with fresh pineapple, Peruvian cactus apple (dragonfruit) and passion fruits. I feel so amazing and take a walk along the river.

I meet Rico, slim, dark-skinned local, offering a boat trip to see the rivers of Marañón and Ucayali coming together to form the Amazon and visit an animal rescue centre.

My heart jumps of excitement to the idea and after a short negotiation, I'm putting on my best smile and hopping on the boat.

It's a long wooden boat powered by a small engine and Rico is taking us down the river.

It's amazing how the colours of the 2 rivers stay separated and have such a clear border of where one river ends and the other begins.

On the way to the animal sanctuary, I learn from Rico that it's been built by his friend who rescues injured animals, treats them and then releases them into the wild so any donations would be appreciated.

Here I get to see a giant piton and I make a video with a 4meters long anaconda around my neck. I take a picture holding a sloth and I mean this guy just looks so happy and higher than I've ever been.

I saw some macaws and finally 2 baby jaguars. The jaguars looked like giant kittens and felt like petting them so I raise my hand to touch the fence of their cage when Rico and the animal caretaker command me to stop.

- Be very careful, they may look cute but their still wild predators. These ones lost their mom to poachers and I took them in for a season. I know poachers would have come back looking for the cubs so they are safe here for now. As soon as they can hunt on their own I'll set them free.

- Wow, it's hard to imagine someone wanting to kill such a beautiful animal, but it's amazing to see the great work people like you are doing. Bless you brother.

I make a donation for the centre and get on the boat with Rico. On our way back I learn about Belén Market, that is a famous floating market. I also learn it's so dangerous I'm sure to fall victim if I go on my own. So he offers to be my guide and protector on a tour of the market.

Sure enough, I agree, I mean just the fact that it's so dangerous and all the things I might see there make it sound like an adventure.

Next day I meet Rico and head to Belén Market, and after just a couple of minutes in the market, I understand what he meant.

I mean this is the size of a village and I can barely keep up with Rico, I can see how I could have been lost already have I been on my own.

There's a mixture of smells that I can't even begin to describe but I'll give you some images and you can make something out of it.

There's one stand next to the other on each side, about maybe 1-meter wide walk between them. The stream of people going up and down is really impressive and makes it difficult to move around without bumping into someone.

On the stands anything that you can possibly think of. From life caged chicken to dead one's and butchered one's in between. Caged life turtles with a few monkeys tied up from their neck next to the cage. Tobacco rolling and cigars or mapacho, tinctures and plant medicines, fruits and vegetables, souvenirs, fabrics, strange alien-looking fish, some dead and some still moving. I mean it's truly diverse and unique.

I had my camera around my neck but was impossible to stop or take a good shot of anything amidst all the frenetic people and the few times I did manage to snap some pictures Rico would give me a hint as to who is looking at me in a no good way. So I carefully tucked it away in my backpack. I've never seen anything like this, it's incredible. I notice half of the market is built on the same kind of tall wooden structures high up above the ground. And now Rico is explaining that during the rainy season the river grows up to the level and sometimes even higher and some people may find their houses flooded nevertheless. We leave the market and the chaos after I bought some mapachos to smoke for myself. On the way to the hotel, I see what else can I find out from Rico, so far he's proved himself honest and trustworthy, and his insights on the ayahuasca mafia are of great value. I find out in the last years he's heard of many people going out crazy or having been scammed by the fake curanderos or the dark shamans. He tells me stories of girls that were sexual abused in the ceremony, of guys that had lost their minds and run into the jungle never to be found again.

My spider-sense tells me I should continue my journey up the river so I tell Rico about my plan.

He considers it a better idea and advises me I will be needing a hammock for the journey so he takes me to a shop where I choose a large hammock with blue, yellow and red stripes.

Rico directs me to the port where I can get information about the boats, and helps me refresh my weed supply followed by saluting each other with big smiles and many thanks completed with a hug.

The first boat leaves tomorrow at 2 pm and I find out I can't reserve a ticket but will have to be there tomorrow around lunchtime.

~ The Amazon Cruise ~

The Boat is about 50 meters long and has 2 decks or 3 if you count the open platform on top of the 2nd deck, complete with a giant tiger painting on the bridge.

I get my ticket and go check out the boat. I find out we will not be leaving for another 3 hours but that I can grab a spot and set up my hammock.

I get on the boat and deck 1 looks like a giant long platform. Long metal benches on each side and iron rods on the top part. A long metal table with metal benches was lined up through the centre with another long iron rod above, that passed through the centre of the deck longways. I observe people setting up their hammock by tieing one end to the central iron rod and the other end on the side iron road on top of the benches forming 2 long rows of hammocks. It's quite a big space but I can see how it can get hot with many people on board. Just as I think of heat I notice at the end of the platform to one side what appears to be the kitchen, confirming my thoughts about heat, so I move to the 2nd deck and this one looks shorter as just half the deck is covered to set up hammock while the other half is an open terrace with the toilets and showers. In the front part what appears to be sleeping cabins on each side of the command bridge that look more like isolation prison cells than anything else. I'm glad I've taken Rico's advice on not getting a cabin but just a hammock. I go and check the upper deck that is all open and also leads to the bridge. It's beautiful up here but can't set up the hammock so I decide for the 2nd deck a meter away from the entrance so when the boat is cruising up the river the airflow should produce some ventilation and keep me fresh.

I set up my hammock and leave my backpack inside and I go off the boat to do some food shopping. Got some cans of tuna and some other snacks and got on the top deck to smoke a joint and enjoy the departure.

It's my first time cruising on a river and I give thanks for the wonderful sunset.

By day 2 I've finished the weed and made some friends, a young boy who comes and calls me Gringo(foreigner /outsider), an Argentinian couple, that was selling handmade accessories like bracelets, earrings and pendants, and their 2 dogs and a nice American lady in her 60s travelling with her son who was in his 30s.

Except for the little boy travelling with his dad, they all smoke weed and we all shared our herbs.

It was my plan to only have a bit of weed with me so when it's finished for the rest of the journey I can start my diet in preparation for ayahuasca, meaning no weed, meat or fish and no spices. What I haven't considered was the lack of choice in regards to food as we would get served 3 meals a day. It was porridge for breakfast, sometimes vegetable broth or fish for lunch and again some chicken for dinner. All meals were served with boiled plantain and everyone qued up in front of the kitchen when we heard the bell ring to get our meal. I'm a bit fussy about food so the looks and smells of the food were not appealing to me but with the tuna cans running low I learned to like the plantain and only got food when was really starving or the food was looking good. As to the weed I had no clue it was going to be so boring I mean besides chilling in the hammock I sleep and nap a lot in the hammock and have a few walks up and down the deck or spend some time out in the sun on the upper deck. I've learnt to make bracelets from the couple and I've read a book already and still thinking about what else to do... I reassess the situation and realise weed is going to be of great help and I will still have time to diet and have ayahuasca when we reach Puccalpa on day 5 late in the evening.

By the 3rd day, everyone is out of herbs so I feel like the game is up and I have a mission at hand, the problem is, that for the last 3 days of cruising we haven't seen a proper town, which builds up my excitement given the improbable circumstances. The boat stops on the banc of the river and unloads ice in out of use refrigerators and loads fresh fish on ice or other products from the villagers.

Sometimes a village will send someone, most often a teenager boy, to the city too. A village is not accurate and maybe settlement is more appropriate. The smallest was composed of 4 bungalows were a large family would live together while some of the biggest had maybe like 20 bungalows. In larger settlements, little boys and girls would hop on the boat during a stop and sell ice-cream or aguaje fruits.

While little boys and girls would hop on the boat, the little devil I am would hopp off the boat in search of the magic herb.

I'd go around and ask if I can find any marijuana to smoke anywhere or from anyone, but most of the people I'd ask had no clue as to what I was talking about. Piecing together the observations of the settlement and the knowing that marijuana doesn't grow in the jungle I knew I was up for a Mission Impossible. So I played the Mission Impossible game for the last 36 hours without an

The whole group has lost hope but I can't settle. I don't have anything better to do anyway so will continue the search at every stop. I begin to ask around the boat and some locals let me know that if there's any chance of finding marijuana before reaching Puccalpa that's at the next stop, the Cuntamana city which is the largest one on our way upstream.

It's night time and by the lights on the shore, I can tell Cuntamana is rather big and it's quite a distance from the port to the central square, where I can imagine my best shot at getting some dried herbs.

The group puts together their money and I'm on my way to get us some good vibes. One young Peruvian guy comes with me, as a wings man, on a tuk-tuk ride to the central square where I begin to ask whoever looked a bit suspicious where I can buy some weed.

The boat is supposed to stop for an hour and we've already travelled 15 minutes and been around here for 20 minutes without luck. On top of the fact that I'm getting a bit cranky since I haven't smoked for 2 days now and have all the adrenaline rushing through my head, reminding me I can lose the boat and remain stranded here, losing my staff on the boat too, the wingman is anxious and talking about losing the boat too. I tell him he can go back to the ship and I make my way towards a bar when I see a tipsy guy walking out with very red eyes and I think "BINGO".

- Excuse me, do you know where I can buy some marijuana to smoke?

I strike the conversation in Spanish and I've got his attention. He stops and looks at me, examines me from head to toes all while wabbling on his feet. After a moment of pause, I ask again.

- Do you have any weed for sale?

- I've got a friend, I can call him, maybe he does, I'm not sure...

- Yes please do you want to check out with him, I have 10 minutes to get back to the port or I'll lose the boat.

I try to put my time pressure on him but clearly, the alcohol and weed made him immune to it, so he was taking his time. Meanwhile, my heart rate is increasing as I begin to see flashes of the boat leaving me behind and being all screwed up.

The friend doesn't answer his phone so we set in motion to his home some 5 minutes away. We begin walking on a street with no illumination and as we get further from the square it gets darker as do my thoughts and increased paranoia.

"Fuck man! What the fuck are you thinking, maybe this guy will stab you right here and no one will even know you're gone. And what if you get the weed and lose the boat, what are you going to do? smoke all the weed and fly to Puccalpa? What the fuck man, now I'm really fucking scared. "

Ring ding ding - a cell phone ringing interrupts my thoughts. It's the friend with the weed and he does have some to sell just that his not home but at the bar.

We go back to the same bar and Red-eye goes in to get his friend. The Weed man comes out in pretty much the same intoxicated stated as Red-eye.

-Hola amigo, can you sell me some weed?

-Hola amigo, how much do you want?

- For 50 soles but I have to move fast or I will lose the boat.

- Yes, no problem, let's go to my home.

Again we walk on the dark street and this time we're going further and further. I try to push for a faster walk but they're so chilled there's nothing I can do.

"Fuck man, don't you find it suspicious that the weed guy was in the same bar you met red-eye and maybe he thought he can't kill you on his own. The Fuck, I'm so freaking scared this is worse than the time in Jamaica where I thought I was about to die. I think this is it, man, you can begin to say your prayer you dumb fuck, losing you live for some stupid weed. You'd better start praying" I think to myself so I start to repeat Our Father.

We arrive at his house and we go inside this wooden bungalow. Red-eye waits outside while I follow the weed man inside what appears to be a labyrinth of some sort with doors on both sides and see some people lying on the floor in one of the rooms. Paranoia through the roof, but hey, I didn't come so far to give it all up now. We stop into in this labyrinth hallway and he enters a room, coming out with a groceries plastic bag full of weed. He sells really big buds, about 20cm tall, nice and dry for 10 sol. I buy 5 and he guides me outside. Once I pass the front gate I begin to run to the square, it's been about 1hour and 20 minutes since I left the boat so I might be in greater trouble. I hop on a tuk-tuk and tell the guy to speed it up and I'll have a tip for him if I get my boat ride. We arrive at the port and it appears that they are still loading and unloading goods. Phew, that was such a close one, and that is exactly what makes the celebration sweeter not to mention the Mission Impossible element. I guess I can say impossible things give me a kick.

All the group is now gathered on the top deck, rolling and smoking away while listening and laughing to my hilarious adventure. And sure it's hilarious now but it sure did feel more like a life and death situation.

After a while, I find myself alone on the top deck and I look into the dark jungle on the closest shore. Suddenly I see these little flickering lights in sets of 2 up in the canopy. The more I look the more of them I see, up in the trees low in the ground and in between. I have chills and goosebumps all over my body as I become aware I'm being observed, possibly by a monkeys community.

Tonight the weed had an excellent taste and the feeling I'm cuddling to sleep with, in my lovely hammock, is of great pride and excitement.

The cruise has come to its last day, and it's estimated we will arrive late in the evening.

The American lady with her son has booked a hotel close to the city centre so I share the taxi with them and check in myself for the night. Finally, a proper shower after 5 days of becoming wilder and wilder and I sleep like a king.

I'm down to 11 days now so I'd better get this party started. Woke up early and went to the local market for a breakfast of fresh fruits and began my search. Went to an info point and they couldn't really help me. So I ask how can I get to San Francisco, a village I've read about online, that supposedly has the greatest community of authentic shipibo shamans. I find out the location from were taxis depart once all seats are occupied, functioning like a shuttle bus.

The taxi leaves me in the "Town centre" and I find myself baffled again by the similarities of these tribespeople settlements and the essence of the way of life in harmony with the Earth just as my Dacian ancestors did I explore the whole community on foot and after 2 hours of walking in the scorching heat, I find myself in the same place I've begun the exploration. There's nobody around to ask of a curandero so I decide to pass the front gate of a property that had written ceramics on the front gate.

Inside a couple of round and bubbly women are making clay pots.

I ask the women if they can direct me to a good shaman and this time I'm at a disadvantage because they're not talking Spanish among themselves but Quechua which I don't understand at all. After a chat amongst themselves, they look at me and begin telling me a few names of shamans but I have no clue how to find them. As they chat amongst themselves and with me, one lady, looking out over the fence, begins to shout out to a group of school kids.

One of these kids comes in and the women tell me to go with him to see his mother Eliza.

We walk to the edge of the village and then walk some more when we finally arrive.

To be continued...

~ Centro de Sanacion y Cura Sankenete ~