The Amazon.
Where time stands still.
10 Days. 8 flights. 2 trains. 2 busses. A boat.
To be fully present while trying to capture all of the magic of Peru would have made me a wizard. But, I aspire.
During the hour bus ride from the airport to Iquitos, edges of forests flattened into the distance. Life stories of the trees reduced to an imprint onto their graves. Political billboards sprouted up like weeds from the fertile soil. Witnessing the effects of capitalism on the environment in real time, mile after mile was devastating.
The humid hustle of the city buzzed by on mototaxis as vendors sold their fresh fish and fruit by the kilo.
The commercial chaos began to decrescendo with the sun, as our boat left the rivers edge and headed south towards Puerto Prado.
We arrived the following day to the tiny self-sustaining village tucked away behind the trees. The now near extinct indigenous Cocama-Cocamilla descendants reside here as educators, farmers, fisherman and craftspeople.
It was supernatural.
Stillness was accompanied by howls and twitters that beckoned from the forest. Giggling kids played on the riverbank forming mud pies from the marl. We disembarked from the boat as they led us into their world. Glittering dew kissed the ferns above. Lotus flowers flourished in a pond near the deeply rooted Ceiba trees. We followed our guide on a dirt path that led us to a wooden futbol post that framed the picturesque Amazon river. The human connection of play beat the language barrier as we kicked off our shoes to join the kids in a game. Hours passed yet time stood still.
Feeling grounded with the bouncy soil beneath my feet, I felt infinite and connected with the natural and world. In tune with the rhythm of the forest and its people. 
Sacred Valley, Cusco + Machu Picchu
Stolen moments
After gaining a few pounds eating full plates of ají de gallina, I was excited to start the journey to the top of Montaña Machu Picchu. The 15th-century Incan citadel is a testament to how man and nature worked together in the past. Stories of the studies of stars and festivals brought ghosts to life. Atop the mountain, the chaos of city life dwindled with the wind.
Within hours we were back to the living world, scheduled for a stop every hour. I tried to piece together a story of life in Cusco and Sacred Valley, squeezing in shots while juggling questions about the country’s history from guide to guide.
I saw a woman and her llama get into a taxi. Got swindled by a tour guide and drank chicha on the street. I nicknamed a baby llama "Houdini" because it was within view one second-- gone the next.
Great opportunities for photographs happened when I wasn't prepared. Time constraints make me feel as if I have stolen a photographic moment rather than earned it. But just because I didn’t capture the moment, doesn’t make it any less memorable. And next time, I’ll book more days.
