saltwatersteve.com/travel

We finally made it to Tingo Maria, about 8:45 this morning. The views of the verdant cloud forests as we descended from the Andes into town were amazing! Clouds just hanging out halfway up a slope that by my estimates was about 4000 feet above us. Picturesque South American views - think of the movie Romancing the Stone, etc. This town seems much safer than downtown Lima. We are getting a few more smiles.

We got a hotel for the night for 20 soles = $6.60, went in and slept until noon. Then we wandered in to a restaurant for what will probably the best meal deal of the whole trip: 2 big plates of food (Meghan had chicken, I had beef) with rice, vegetables, papas fritas, a 675 mL Coke, and a handmade 1/2 Liter of fruit juice which had at least bananas and strawberries (probably more) in it - the whole meal (are you ready for this?) for less than $4.00. Not per person, that’s everything. If you ever make it to Tingo Maria, stop by and see Milton Lopez Flores at Restaurante Joseph (named after his ijo) for more of his comida tipica. His restaurant is located at 770 Avenida Raimondi.

Milton recommended that we hike up to the cross at the north of town that overlooks the city, as well as provides a perfect spot to see the Bella Durmiente (Sleeping Beauty) - the mountains that tower over this town to the south look kind of like a prone woman.

I am writing this at an internet cafe where it costs 1 sol = 30 cents for an hour and a half! Not bad speed either!

Tomorrow we hop a bus to Pucallpa.