# Peru continued



## Ron-NY (Nov 13, 2006)

After an ordealing 15 drive over the Andes we arrived in the selva alta(high jungle). We stayed in the town of Oxapampa. It is a remote valley surrounded by cloud forest mountains. It lies at 1800 meters = 6,000 feet elevation. You can see the town in the distance.





The town was originally settled by Germans in the late 1890's. I came across a few blue-eyed, blond haired residents during my stay. As in most towns the center is the Plaza de Armas with it's church. Here is the wooden church IGLESIA SANTA ROSA




We stayed at a hotel at the edge of town, across from the airport. As you can see it is a strip surrounded by a weedy area. I didn't see a single plane the whole time there.

I felt very comfortable walking around town by myself and loved visiting the market with it's outdoor flower vendors and




indoor fruit, meat  ,and vegetable stalls . Here is another picture of Oxapampa. Many houses were atypical of Peru and looked more German in structure.




All of the valley has been cleared for the town and farms as well as the local hillsides. Areas are still being slashed and burned for farms. Our days were spent hiking and our evenings were spent in the local community center sharing a beer with the locals and playing Sapo . In this game "gold" coins are tossed about 20 feet onto the Sapo table and different holes are worth different amount of points.
Later in the week I will post pics from the jungle hikes.


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## Heather (Nov 13, 2006)

Neat photos. I love the market pics I spent my morning hyrdating a shipment of flowers from Columbia, and was thinking of your trip. What is that green vegetable in the right of the veg. photo, do you know?? Interesting about the architecture, and the slash and burn photo makes me kinda sad but I know it's the way down there.


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## Ron-NY (Nov 13, 2006)

It was either some type of squash or pepper. There were many veggies that I was not familiar with.


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## Heather (Nov 13, 2006)

Ron-NY said:


> There were many veggies that I was not familiar with.




I find that so fascinating! What else are we missing?? Likely a LOT!
We are so akin to wanting new species of orchids from these countries. What could the vegetables bring, I wonder? I giggled a little seeing some blue-ish potatoes. All the rage here now, and Peru is home to so many interesting potato varieties. It just makes me wonder what all has gone extinct while people weren't paying enough attention. Sigh....

If I had to name a favorite moment in food history (loooonnngggg moment) it would be the whole issue of cultural exchange. You know, no french fries in France or Tomato Sauce (aka pizza!) in France and Italy. No pizza dough here in the new world!

It's really amazing, I think, the combinations we've come up with in the last 500 years!


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