Pucallpa, Peru

[Martin Hash]

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“Pucallpa” is the Quechua word for red dirt. It's located on the bank of the Ucayali River, a tributary of the Amazon in Eastern Peru. Though indigenous people from the Shipibo-Conibo ethnic group lived in the region for three millennium, the city itself was founded in the 1840s by Franciscan missionaries but remained small due to being isolated between the Amazon rain forest and the Andes mountains. Most transportation is by 3-wheel motorbike cab despite the heavy rainfall and washed out roads. I loved riding in those things, especially with all the impressive topiary along the main street.



We were there to celebrate our son, Haven's, and our grandson, Felix's, birthdays which are a day apart. The first night, Felix, little terror that he is, split his chin open jumping on the bed in the room. We took him to the little carnival anyway, and he loved it. It's interesting that a place with so much rain has an outdoor carnival that's open year round. Obviously all the rides were plastic. Remarkably, just across the street is another, similar carnival that sells beer. I went over there and had one while waiting for my wife, Gwynne, and Felix to get tired, which he eventually did, but I didn't care because there was plenty of beer; nobody else was drinking any.

Felix & Gwynne with Bandage s.jpg

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