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One renowned district in Iquitos is Belén (Bethlehem). It is a very poor neighborhood, and you could call it a slum. Belén is on the bank of the river, and during the rainy season, all the houses are perched over the water, earning this shantytown the hopeful nickname of Venice of the Amazon. |
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I had read
that it is
unsafe to visit Belén alone, but that it is easy to find a
guide.
Indeed, this young ticket-taker at the Iquitos Museo Etnografico
followed
me like a puppy until I agreed to visit Belén with him. Jorge
didn't
speak any English, but he still was a heck of a guide.
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The main thoroughfare of Belén is an outdoor market teeming with children, animals and motorcycles. Music is blaring from dozens of boomboxes. |
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For a while, I
clutched
my wallet pocket with one hand and my passport with the other, but I
soon
relaxed. Anyway, Jorge was looking out for me. After every little
commotion,
he gestured for me to check my pockets. He also kept me from slipping
in
the dirty mud a couple of times.
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Still, I was the only gringo in sight and I felt quite conspicuous. |
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After
traversing the market,
we walked down a most slippery embankment and hired a canoe with a
oarsman.
The river was the color of cafe con leche, and children were having a
good
time.
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Jorge explained to me that most of the people of Belén are from the jungle. I asked him why they come here to live in such crowded and dirty conditions. He explained that many people find the quiet and wholesome jungle life boring. Of course, 48h later, I would hear the reverse story from the jungle folks, proud of their healthy ways and their gentle pace. |
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The best part
of being
with a guide is when you start exchanging questions and information.
When
I told Jorge, on the way back to town, that a chicken in the US
costs
about 10 Soles, he was amazed. And when I told him that we didn't even
get the head or the feet for that princely sum, he just couldn't
believe
it.
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By now we were friends, and Jorge just had to show me his street and his house. So we hopped in a motocar. |
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Jorge's
neighborhood,
Moronacocha, is also built on stilts, but it is cleaner and less tight
than Belén. I enjoyed the tour and the warm hospitality.
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