Iquitos, Peru: Christmas Fire in Belen

Just days before Christmas in the poorest section of the Amazonian city of Iquitos, Peru, a gas cannister exploded and set the district of Belen (Spanish: Bethlehem) on fire. Many of those who had little in life now have nothing. Approximately 150 houses burned to the ground. A thousand people are homeless. A dozen or so are in hospital. Immigrants from the jungle to the city are set back a decade now as they will have to start again to build their inventories of simple provisions and goods from nothing. Many will return to the jungle from which they came to escape that life of poverty, there being nothing left for them in the city. Belen burned badly on 20 Dec. 2012.

To read the rest of this story, please turn to the following link;
http://www.amazon.com/Iquitos-Peru-D-W-Walker/dp/098776151X

A gentle reminder that my book, An Occasional Walker, is available at the link here:

http://www.amazon.com/Occasional-Walker-D-W/dp/0987761501/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1331063095&sr=1-1

And here are some reviews and comments on said book:

http://nodhimmitude.blogspot.com/2012/04/dagness-at-noon.html

Iquitos, Peru: Curse of the Naipe Card Readers (Part Two)

The Maestro is the man at hand, and so it is that I hiked over to Belen Market to Pasaje Pauquito to get my cards read. I'm not at all impressed with conformity hippie bullshit in the Groniad, and I couldn't care less about bashing Christianity just because it's hip to be Gnostic. I'm not a believer in pomo orthodoxy. But Naipe cards, well, that's a whole nother story!

To read the rest of this story, please turn to the following link;
http://www.amazon.com/Iquitos-Peru-D-W-Walker/dp/098776151X

A gentle reminder that my book, An Occasional Walker, is available at the link here:

http://www.amazon.com/Occasional-Walker-D-W/dp/0987761501/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1331063095&sr=1-1

And here are some reviews and comments on said book:

http://nodhimmitude.blogspot.com/2012/04/dagness-at-noon.html

Iquitos, Peru: El Shoppe de Cure-all Winstonisms

[T]he best medicine for me-- the best part of my day-- is to stop and chat up folks I know in the market; and Winston is fun to chat up, for sure.

Winston is in the cure-all medicines business at Pasaje Paquito in Belen Market....

To read the rest of this story, please turn to the following link;
http://www.amazon.com/Iquitos-Peru-D-W-Walker/dp/098776151X

A gentle reminder that my book, An Occasional Walker, is available at the link here:

http://www.amazon.com/Occasional-Walker-D-W/dp/0987761501/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1331063095&sr=1-1

And here are some reviews and comments on said book:

http://nodhimmitude.blogspot.com/2012/04/dagness-at-noon.html

Dag Walker, American Writer, Goes to Prison, Iquitos, Peru

"Welcome to the penal colony at Devil's Island, whose prisoners you are, and from which there is no escape."

Papillon, (1973)

That's what I heard when we approached the gates to Iquitos' regional jungle prison.

The penitentiary of Iquitos, Establecimiento Penal para Sentenciados e Inculpados de Maynas (Epsim)- Penitentiary establishment for Sentenced and Accused of Maynas, has been categorized by various organizations as unsafe; roofs about to collapse, stairs missing for guards to get up onto the watch towers and exposed electrical circuits are among the main problems. Currently, the jail holds 644 people, 55 of those being women....

“Iquitos penitentiary posses danger to inhabitants.” 17 Feb. 2006
http://archive.peruthisweek.com/news-1259-iquitos-penitentiary-posses-danger-to-inhabitants/


I didn't do it, man. It wasn't my fault. But I went to prison in Iquitos, Peru anyway. Some people will be surprised not that I went but that they let me out.In fact, they kept me out.

INPE. Max. Sec.

To read the rest of this story, please turn to the following link;
http://www.amazon.com/Iquitos-Peru-D-W-Walker/dp/098776151X

A gentle reminder that my book, An Occasional Walker, is available at the link here:

http://www.amazon.com/Occasional-Walker-D-W/dp/0987761501/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF

8&qid=1331063095&sr=1-1

And here are some reviews and comments on said book:

http://nodhimmitude.blogspot.com/2012/04/dagness-at-noon.html