Home.

I decided not to tell anything about my way over to Finland.
It was long and stressful.
Yet had good moments as well.
Felt like a hippie..


I am home now.
My true home.
One cannot believe how good I felt coming to this tiny flat in the middle of Turku.
It felt so easy, I felt almost ashamed.
Ashamed of being, in reality, a westerner, with a place to work at, a  heated apartment in the city, tap water of which warmth you can choose, all this stores with so much stuff in them, and money to buy that stuff.
And what is even luckier, a place to study at. For free.

Now I am enjoying a meal with cuscus, wok-veggies, broccoli, mushrooms, tomatoes, lentils, peas, chicken.
AH, versatility!!!

It will take ages to sort out my pictures and make them public.
As difficult as it is to tell my experiences.
Because I have at least 1200 photos and as many stories.

But hey,

now I am truly happy.

I, know better, to appreciate.

..heaven cont. 22.30 pm

...I almost got to share the bed with the cutest dog ever; Mariposa (butterfly).
She's lost because his owner is in a different village and she was created as a lapdog, not a jungle dog. She was teased by children today a lot; at my laps she got a chance to drift away to the dream world.

It's my last saturday in Peru. My stomach is full of good Italian spaghetti, minestrone soup, and welcome drink made of cat's claw, other herbs and rum. My mind is full of Elsiane and other music; we listened whole evening our iPods at Alex´s music player. So the night of Pampa Hermosa was filled with Iron Maiden, Block Party, Machinae Supremacy, Axium, Elsiane.. Before, at the lake watching the dance of Cocks-of-the-Rocks, we discussed the bad state of music in Peru. Alex had a CD-record store in Lima in the 90's, where he took all the new metal and rock from the States, but that died out because of piracy in the 2000´s.

Besides the good food and good chats with Alex, this night we also had a bonfire at the camp, like every saturday. The stars are competing with the light of the fire. 
Tomorrow, Alex told me, we are going to the sanctuary though we are not allowed. Just the two of us. He´s not been there in two months. This is going to be interesting.

Oh. My plans with biology studies are finally starting to clear out with me and this place is really helping with it. 

----

Holas desde el cielo. 14.10.2012

Lorenzo is feeling alone in the treetop; I can hear him.
My stomach is full of fresh vegetables, trout and potatoes, and home made lucuma ice cream.
I think I should pack, but I am just too tired and too happy. I hardly can hold the pen in my hand.

Alex and I woke up early today.

Pampa Hermosa was waiting for us.
It took us 2 hours to get to the place most magical.
I had an experience most unique.
With a huge dragonfly. (P.S. Look for Megaloprepus caerulatus!)
Fortunately I had Alex with me.
Otherwise I hardly could have believed my own eyes.

If Iquitos is my home in the city,
Pampa Hermosa will definitely be my home in the countryside.
In Peru.

Heaven. 13.10.12

At the mooment I really hope all my people in Finland are okay. And that I won`t die soon. Because I am in heaven right now and I am not sure why.

This morning I woke up without a stomach upset. Girl in a dream said to me I should wake up. And here I was, at 8 am. Listening the sounds of the nature as she had told me to in the dream.

After a breakfast of fruits and yucka, we went for a long hike to a sacred spot of the river and up to the mountain, Santa Lucia, where Alex`s brother has some coffee plants. Right next to it is the Sanctuary of Pampa Hermosa, where, at the moment, you are not allowed to go because the Peruvian government is doing a inventory of the flora & fauna.

We had profound conversatons with Alex, the son of the owners and my personal guide. We are going to enjoy some rock music this night. He`s amazing, he has really found his personal heaven here and I am througoutly lucky to share it.

This is really where a human being is supposed to be.

Highs of 25 degrees, lows of 18, humidity of the thousands of streams from the mountains, colibris, orchids, ferns, prehistoric plants.. and still, no mosquitos. What makes it even more perfect is the gourmè food of our lovely cook. Wow. After a 4 hour hike, you can only be so happy.

I do not know how to have a holiday. And now I`m having the 3 day vacation of my life. Gracias. Everyone, every people I care about, should get one chance to experience this.
The continuous sounds of the river. Tranquilo.
...

..to be continued. I have a flight to catch. See you, lovelies.

PHL 12.10.12

At the moment I`m watching a macaw eating a fruit on a tree next to the lodge. Tho mountains are cloudy, it`s raining, and few children are playing on the yard.

I feel cold and nauseous. I had luxurious breakfast here with a mother of a family. She`s from MYNAMAKI! You heard that right! She`s working here at Finnish Embassy. She`ll be here also until Sunday. It was strangely difficult to speak finnish after a month and a half plain spanish and english.

The bustrip was more comfortable I had thought. Transportes Junin has two floor busses with movies, really comfy bed-seats and trustworthy peruanos as passengers.

But I still didn`t manage to sleep well. Only couple of hours.
The drive here from the centere of Sam Ramon was long and beautiful. I got a new friend of my driver, Jonathan. The food here is rich and lots, compared to the Amazon.
Yes I`m very happy to pay tons on maoney for this short visit.

I want to move so much but my stomach thinks otherwise.

-------

(notes on the book: 12 de Octubre 1:41 PM La Catarata Sagrada - written by Alex)

Forgot to mention about yesterday. Israeli girl. Also from Cusco. Also sick. Also loves sushi. I`m glad we bumped into her.

And the bus last jnight. I was chatting with Caesar how I grew up with X-files. And in the buss, feeling as crappy as I did, guy next to mme started to watch interenting episode of x-files on his laptop. With english subtitles.

Today has been magical. This place is amazing. The host is amazing.
We think so aliike of the higher, natural powers. And he treats me like a queen. Which is so, so so nice because I feel like shit physically.

He also loves Nightwish, has played in punk  rock band, loves dogsm loves the jungle.. BTW if I ever move to jungle, this is the place to be; no mosquitos!

Oh! Marika, the Finn, is old classmate of my best friend`s aunt. In San Ramon.  

THE WORST DAY EVER.

That is exactly what you get after
the most beautiful, unique, spectacular, memorable and meaningful 
weekend ever.

I have so much to say
so little time

I want to sleep
just sleep

(i have found my place)

I hope you are in good health. Love.

Cusco airport

The reality of cocaine smuggling is hitting my face here in the airport constantly. My luggage has been checked 3 times. I almost became friends with a police officer who did me a drug check with x-rays. He`s from Iquitos. Moment ago, a couple police officers wanted to see my passport and boarding pass here in the departures lobby. Yay for a woman travelling alone!

The attention is probably also because of my quite hippieish look. Yesterday in Cusco, I chatted a bit with a similar artesan they have in Iquitos. The travelline one. After I had said goodbye to him, a peruvian lady who was walking ahead of me, turned around and said "esta artesano con hablaste? mal! venda drugos"
hahah. worried.

----

Now I am in Lima. Internet cafe. With this cool dude called Caesar.

Guess what? This stupid girl apparently left her cellphone to Los Aticos in Cusco. YAY! :)

So no messages to me!

Besides, when I`ll be in San Ramon next morning, no contact to outer space in 3 days.


See ya. 

Cold Cusco

How was I so stupid that I didn't realize how much the altitude affects the temperature.
Days hot, nights freezing.

Last night I wasn't feeling too good. Now I feel like I generally feel at Finland. Tired, cold, bad.
The jungle suits me better. No problems there.

Yesterday.
I got a stomach bug from a soup I ate at Aguas Calientes; the train trip to Cusco wasn't the most pleasant.
I burned my face, didn't help with the nause.
I have got the flu thanks to the air conditionings of trains and planes.
And sleeping in rooms without heaters and thick walls is like back in old, wonderful Finland in the midwinter when there's -20 celsius degrees.

Anyhow, I am very lucky.
My room in the Hotel I am now supposed to be at had some bathroom issues,
so the owner of the hotel moved me to his soon-to-be homestay place.
I do not think I couldn't be freezing in more luxurious place.
Hot shower in the morning, what is that?
Ice cream from the freezer to help with my upset stomach last night?
The wife and the daughter of the owner are spoiling me to pieces.

But damn this cold. I was "sleeping" under 3 thick blankets with a heat bottle and this heating machine on, but nothing helped with my frozen bones.

Today,
Cusco. 
Peruvian Andes.
And the souveniers. Warm clothes.
I didn't realize the city is as it big as it is.

Yay, some cute guys from Toronto, came for breakfast too.
The other one is singer, the other graphic designer. Toronto <3

Machu Picchu

To be truthful, I really didn't know much about Inka culture. I just wanted to see the mountains when I reserved this trip. Now I am also awestruck. Fully awestruck. I am throughtoutly happy I wasted huge amount of money for the "mountains".

Now I wish I could teleport all my science people here, for even one time in their life to see this. I am sitting in the middle of the true civilization. An Inka University. Perfect in it's aims. In the honour of the God that exists in everything, a community created for knowledge. For the novelty. Not for families, labour, farmers, but the ones who know the most and the ones who will transfer the knowledge.

*Writing system, codes, people who interpret the codes...all destroyed by the Spaniards
*Use of granit, use of sand, wood and water for cutting them to smaller pieces, using the flocks for making the soil more permeable for water.
*Earthequake proof architecture
*Vegetarians, use of grains in which 100 g have proteins as much as 3 kilos of meat
 etc etc etc etc...

---

Now I am in a place where I probably am not allowed to be, but it has the best view and breeze and sounds of waterfalls. Came down from the ruins to check out the beautiful nature by myself. I am surrounded by high granit mountains covered by lush vegetation.

Thinking about Aguas Calientes and last night - I was missing Iquitos so much I hardly could sleep. In Iquitos, on the shores of Rio Amazonas, still exist the true Peruvian culture of sharing everything you have with the community. Yesterday I felt like a total outcast here, in this "civilized" place. Cleanliness, safety rules, high prices (45 soles for one pizza - compare to Mazan´s 3 soles of proper meal haha), English, M&M's in the shops, crumpy faced locals.. This morning, I was like a monkey, I was so amazed by all the things one breakfast table may include! I hadn´t eaten that various things in a month!

I miss Iquitos. The love, the simplicity, smiling faces, the fact that your favorite food or hot tap water is no important. The inka trail tourists here, travelling in groups and pairs, are faceless, they do not wan´t to bond, to the locals they are passbyers. To the locals, I am a passbyer. In the Amazon, no person is passed without a Buenos Tardes and Que tal's. Every each is worth of a hello.

I am proud to say that I have lived a month in the jungle city, and for that, the people I am with, matter more than how you hold your fork and a knife in a table.

PS. On this rocky riverside I´m sitting at, is growing tomatoes here and there. Cute. I think I burned my skin today, because in the morning I was wearing 4 layers of clothes and no sunscreen because it was FREEZING, yet at the midday the sun has been burning like in ol´ Iquitos.

Chau.

Train Ollantaytambo Aguas Calientes, 7.30 pm.

Talking with a 27-year old Brazilian jurist who has always dreamed about travelling to the ruins. We had chips and chocolate as snacks. That´s what I´ve been mostly eating to day. And cake.
Me and he connect and are amazed by the world.

My way here to this train almost caused me a stroke; not because of altitude but because of my plane from Lima to Cusco, which was 2 hours late!! When I got to the airport at 5pm, we had exactly two hours time to drive to the train in Ollantaytumbo which was leaving in 2 hours at 7pm.  In the ticket it said you had to be at the station at 18;30 pm, otherwise you could not board, but thank god this is Peru..
Thank god, because otherwise all my plans would have changed and money wasted.
From now on, I won´t ever again use travel services to organize my trips, I´ll just go and see by myself! Too nervewrecking otherwise.

(BTW, Thanks for Mick and Jack at the Lima airport for intenting to help me out with organising my stuff, in case you read this! :) Luck for hiking! )

Black coffee with sugar 8.10.

Getting ready for high altitudes. Heard coffee is good for that. Great excuse to enjoy it better than ever before.

I am on my way from Iquitos to Lima.
Let's see.
Some of my friends have been hearing notions about "enamorado" here.
I'll clarify.

Three weeks ago, something happened and I ended up knowing one of the most good hearted persons in the world.
Two persons in one package.. Amazonas, a poser, son of shaman, entertainer, Don Juan, el Joven.
And Criss, one with the nature type of artesan who embrazes everyone he meets and knows most of the artesans and other human beings in Iquitos, who love live and live it for its' sake. Doesn´t eat meat, doesn´t smoke, drink alchohol; only Ayahuasca.

He was my second "perro", followed me around, loved me, made me one with Iquitos. Yesterday I made food with him, bought lots of souveniers from his amazing friends and enjoyed the last rays of the sunset with him the way no one can imagine.

This morning he accompanied me to the airport. Lots of memories to caress, "regalos" giving me luck in the future, and which is most important, I feel like someone is securing my back no matter where I will be and what I will do. Tengo suerte, tengo amor. (or is this thanks to ayahuasca, do not know.)

But do not be fooled, these people didn't take good care of me; I did myself.
That is what I have learned, and that will stay with me forever.
I can imagine, for a blond, western girl of a young age, alone in a culture of machos, everyone after your money (and ass!), to get in the trouble fairly easily. But it's all in the mind. I am glad I have a strong "NO" by nature, which has been in good use here.

Criss taught me lots of the "Basics".
Thank him. <3

Mazán, last day.

Mi amigo is back.
I was missing him.
A lot. The dog.

It's killing hot. Horrible. Absolutely horrible.  I´ve been boiling since I got from work. Ugh.
I sit at the boulevard.

(The village crazy is at me again. Trying to stick fresh fishes at my face. Oh why did my amigo go back to eat?? I need his security control! Fortunately I can handle all kinds of crazy people..)

I worked hard today and almost saw a "parto". Unfortunately the mother had papilloma virus and apparently HIV too, and she wasn't exactly due yet, so she was sent to Iquitos.

(AH, new crazy person! Fun. I think they are just drunk. "I am not here". And alike in Finland, no one comes to help a woman in trouble.)

I am determined to sit here in the boulevard until it starts to rain. I don't care when people are whistling, drunk talking, staring at this skinny girl with too much curly hair.

What a lovely wind. Storm is getting closer.

Today at work the nurses asked why I am with a guy who wears feather earrings. Hahah.
I made a card for them today and bought tons of candy.

Yesterday was mostly spent in a course for health care professional. It was about nutrition, yay my fave subject! I was amazed how little the nurses knew about it though. They didn´t even know the difference with margarine and butter.

I like this place, but I'd rather live in Canada. And work in Finland.

5/6.10.2012

At midnight. Lots of dancing. I was happy to meet this 42-year old company owner called Mitch, from Oklahoma. He came here to hide from the world and party, and I wanted to dance on my last night = good combination. He was, of course hitting on me all the time. But at least he spoke english and bought me drinks. Too much spanish talking drunk Don Juans for this day. I got to dance a lot with his translator, who was so cute.

Beautiful night. Bats, stars, frogs, moon. Mitch was trying to make me forget Criss because he has been hitting on his cousin in Iquitos. Hahah. Also he's like the 10th guy saying I´m crazy travelling alone. Like he might kidnap me. But here I am, in my room, had lots of fun and now will sleep. :) Men.

6.10.2012

I was trying to leave very subtle way from the village, but didn´t manage. I was going to just throw the candy and card to the hospital. But it turned out to be a 2 hour coffee session with lots of photos with the staff, and them having fun because I couldn´t understand a word they were talking about me. :) Peruano style!

rest of the time here.

Mazan.

Iquitos.

Lima.

Cusco.

Lima.

San Ramon.

Lima.

Iquitos.

Finland.


I´ll get back with Mazan and everything when I have more privacy.

:)

a las siete cinquenta y cinco

Que mas. Nothing new in Mazan.  Same insecurities. Same strengths. Same desires.

I am hoping to see “una parto” this week at the health center because I have never seen one, but I doubt it is going to happen. Because they usually happen at night but I work only in the mornings. And no one can call my cell.

This day

Thursday

Friday

Saturday back to Iquitos. How I love thee and thou laundry and varying dishes! And the life. Life!

I have had d company here. Helped me to feel less bored and more loved.

I feel so lucky, and I always ponder the same question. Why me?

At the health center I haven´t been feeling too lucky though. It´s because I am new, my behavior is different, I don´t understand, and understand even less in exhaustion and stress. But it´s ok. The feeling when I am not trusted in is just always so overwhelming. Others may think you´re stupid foreigner and you are not able to explain otherwise.

These days here I have been missing Finland more and more all the time. Yesterday, since my companion came here without warning, to brighten up my day, I felt extremely lonely and full of homesickness. Hahah not expected outcome for surprise? Tired and annoyd. So much, so soon, so different. This night I was in Turku, it was autumn. I had thin stockins on, thick jacket, and I bought  nokkosleipaa from Kauppatori.

I quite like the feelings I am going through. They make me see what´s important and how I behave.

P.S. One of the things I absolutely hate in this world is of not being listened. Not being appreciated so that my wants were heard.

P.P.S. Peruanos use plastic bags as mugs. And wash their hands with soap trillion times per day at the health clinic. And do not want me to use my sanitizing gel.

P.P.S I think I have gotten used to eat 3 heavy meals a day, the latest at 8 pm. Rice and fat, I am hungry!

P.P.P.S. Just met lovely doctor from Lima who is staying in Mazan for tomorrow. See you at the clinic. :)