broke to four star, and back to broke

Said goodbye to my parents on friday. sad to see them go after an incredible week and a half. Last I wrote we were headed into the rainforest (NOT THE JUNGLE! there is a big difference apparently) and we spent four days in the paradise known as the tombopata national reserve at the Inka Terra Eco Lodge. By far the most incredible place I have ever stayed. It was simple, breathtakingly beautiful, and set in acres and acres of perfectly preserved rainforest. We spent our days walking around the canopy, bird watching (not as borring as it sounds) and hiking through untouched wilderness. We saw everything you could hope to see: 2 types of monkeys, caymans, HUGE spiders, the second most venomous snake in the amazon, and a few dozen birds who woke us up each morning with their exotic and beautiful calls.

I knew I would like the rainforest, but I didn't expect it to have such a dramatic effect on me. I was in constant awe, never fully able to believe where I was. We also completely lucked out on the weather, around 70 degrees most of the time, which is frigid for the rainforest, and perfect for us hot Bettles.

Of course I couldnt leave the rainforest without making a little bit of an ass of myself, this happened when we went to visit a local family that continues to live according to indigenous traditions (or at least they do when the gringos come). I have been trying so hard to get the greetings right in south america. and I have finally mastered the kiss on the cheek for women (who regard a handshake as cold and unfriendly) so when the young village girl came out to greet us I of course went in for the kiss, thinking I would impress everyone there with how "with it" I was on local custom. However, I quickly learned that a kiss on the cheek is NOT THE NATIVE TRADITION. The poor girl ran away from me as if I had pulled a knife on her, and the leader of the family was yelling "no no no no no no!!!!" and our guide almost as red as me was between laughter and shock. I was ready to offer myself in ritual sacrifice I was so embarrased. But in the end they all kind of laughed (the family was also between laughter and shock at the horrribly inapropriate behavior of the gringo). Well by the end we each kind of took turns looking dumb, but that is kind of unavoidable. Another favorite was my dad in the dance circle imitating the leader by doing half turns and crouching down to half his size.

It was an incredible week and a half that I will never forget. Now I am back in Lima, exploring the local sites, trying to meet some limenos and figure out where I am going next. Right now all I know is that I am headed north to Ecuador.

I've got a lot of new pictures posted on my picassa, look for the album Jbettles (bad name I know) for pictures from the north of Chile, South of Peru, Cusco and Machu Pichu. Rainforest pictures coming soon...*cough* "MOM" *cough*