| A
city of 400,000 yet cut off from the
world by jungle all around except for the its
northern border, the mighty Amazon. The river will become
many times mightier as it accepts its many tributaries on
its way to the distant Atlantic.
 |
To
call the river a border of Iquitos is a bit imprecise.
There is a portion of the city that extends past the
changing banks of the river onto the water floating
on logs, rising and falling according to the whims
of the river. |
At the junction of Belen, the floating portion of the city
and the fixed remainder of Iquitos, there exists a market
with exotic wares certainly not found anywhere else.
 |
I had considered myself an open-minded eater until
I encountered the gigantic grubworms for sale. About
the size of my thumb in both length and girth, they
are available live, raw and wriggling in a big blue
bowl or skewered over charcoal. Just watching the
preparation was an unforgettably visceral experience.
Eeehh. Not a chance. Not even a taste.
|
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