Iquitos, The capital city of the Mayan Province in the Loreto Region of peru
Iquitos is home to many tribal communities in search of modernization. It is swarming with motorcycles and mopeds that have beenadapted to act as motorized tri-wheeled cabs. The poverty is high in this bustling city of markets, stray dogs, mopeds and smiling faces. It is home to almost 500,000 people,
thus considered the largest metropolitian area in the Peruvian Amazon and the 6th most populous city in all of Peru. Iquitos is located near the Amazon Basin and only accessable via boat or plane. Therefore, it is the largest city that cannot be reached by road in the world.
thus considered the largest metropolitian area in the Peruvian Amazon and the 6th most populous city in all of Peru. Iquitos is located near the Amazon Basin and only accessable via boat or plane. Therefore, it is the largest city that cannot be reached by road in the world.
By Hannah Cotten
July 25, 2017
As the plane landed, I saw the rainforest trees and snaking rivers below. We exited the plane down the stairs and right onto the gangway. We collected our bags and boarded a bus, with Dr. Meg Lowman, and about 20 other travelers, who we didn't know at the time, but would soon be fast friends. We met our fearless leaders and guides, Ricardo and Basillio.
Our first stop was the Belen Market. This local farmers market was colorful, not lacking in diverse foods, stray cats and dogs, children playing in the alley ways, and parents making and selling their goods. They sold everything from herb remedies to snakes in a bottle to raw chicken, displayed in a variety of ways. Smells were constantly wafting my way. Some odors were rather strong, especially the smell of fish cooking, urine on the damp street, and local spices displayed artistically. Children played with whatever they could. One boy had a deflated soccer ball and thought the world of it. Another girl clung to her doll as she swung back and forth in a hammock. Babies were nursed on the floor, as mothers prepared food and bartered with buyers in Spanish. Tarps hung overhead to shield the market-goers from sun and rain. Each alley housed different foods and goods that surprised you at each turn. I was most shocked at the lack of hygiene. Raw meat in stacks lay sitting on tables for hours. Chicken bits with a slew of buzzing flies lay ready for purchase by any local. Animals walked freely around the food, looking for any scraps possible.
I find it interesting that there is such a lack of hygiene and yet, the locals seem to not have stomach issues as a result. They must have pretty impressive immune systems! I have heard it said that dirt does a body good! Maybe us Americans can learn something from this Iquitos market. Sometimes we are so consumed with safety and hygiene that we don't allow are kids to play in the dirt, and get messy. Although I don't condone leaving your raw chicken out for days at a time, I do think a healthy dose of throwing caution to the wind and just enjoying the outdoors, even at the cost of a small cold, is sometimes just what the doctor ordered.
Although the smells and sight of such poverty is hard to take in, I was truly enriched by this experience. As I sauntered along the alley ways of this colorful, surprising and ordor-filled market, I came to realize one foundational truth: money does not buy happiness. When I looked around at all of the locals, I saw smiles. The people were content with the lives they lead. The children had smiles on their faces as they played with their basic, tattered toys. There were no cell phones. Children entertained themselves by dancing in the streets, talking with friends, and sharing a meal with family. A baby lay sleeping on the street in an alley as his sibling watched over, tossing a ball to a stray emaciated dog. Although basic needs do need to be met in order to survive, this empowering group of people manages to survive, appreciate what little they have and smile all the while.
July 25, 2017
As the plane landed, I saw the rainforest trees and snaking rivers below. We exited the plane down the stairs and right onto the gangway. We collected our bags and boarded a bus, with Dr. Meg Lowman, and about 20 other travelers, who we didn't know at the time, but would soon be fast friends. We met our fearless leaders and guides, Ricardo and Basillio.
Our first stop was the Belen Market. This local farmers market was colorful, not lacking in diverse foods, stray cats and dogs, children playing in the alley ways, and parents making and selling their goods. They sold everything from herb remedies to snakes in a bottle to raw chicken, displayed in a variety of ways. Smells were constantly wafting my way. Some odors were rather strong, especially the smell of fish cooking, urine on the damp street, and local spices displayed artistically. Children played with whatever they could. One boy had a deflated soccer ball and thought the world of it. Another girl clung to her doll as she swung back and forth in a hammock. Babies were nursed on the floor, as mothers prepared food and bartered with buyers in Spanish. Tarps hung overhead to shield the market-goers from sun and rain. Each alley housed different foods and goods that surprised you at each turn. I was most shocked at the lack of hygiene. Raw meat in stacks lay sitting on tables for hours. Chicken bits with a slew of buzzing flies lay ready for purchase by any local. Animals walked freely around the food, looking for any scraps possible.
I find it interesting that there is such a lack of hygiene and yet, the locals seem to not have stomach issues as a result. They must have pretty impressive immune systems! I have heard it said that dirt does a body good! Maybe us Americans can learn something from this Iquitos market. Sometimes we are so consumed with safety and hygiene that we don't allow are kids to play in the dirt, and get messy. Although I don't condone leaving your raw chicken out for days at a time, I do think a healthy dose of throwing caution to the wind and just enjoying the outdoors, even at the cost of a small cold, is sometimes just what the doctor ordered.
Although the smells and sight of such poverty is hard to take in, I was truly enriched by this experience. As I sauntered along the alley ways of this colorful, surprising and ordor-filled market, I came to realize one foundational truth: money does not buy happiness. When I looked around at all of the locals, I saw smiles. The people were content with the lives they lead. The children had smiles on their faces as they played with their basic, tattered toys. There were no cell phones. Children entertained themselves by dancing in the streets, talking with friends, and sharing a meal with family. A baby lay sleeping on the street in an alley as his sibling watched over, tossing a ball to a stray emaciated dog. Although basic needs do need to be met in order to survive, this empowering group of people manages to survive, appreciate what little they have and smile all the while.