<< Back

Chanchamayo - Another View
By Larry J. Pitman

Perched on the veranda of the Fundo San Jose, an eco-lodge, located above the little jungle town of La Merced, I absorbed the silent beauty. It was the ideal location for someone who is not especially fond of the jungle scene, a jungle without all the negative aspects of jungle. A jungle for the dilettante. There is no need to hack your way through the foliage with your machette, others will do that for you. Instead of being hot and sticky, the temperature was just right. Not too hot, not too humid. Looking around me as I was comfortably seated, I could see beautiful flowers growing, tropical fruits in abundance and brightly colored birds. A perfect scene.

One of the things I liked best was the silence. I expected to hear the usual noise of a city, cars honking, people shouting, dogs barking. There was none of that. The evening was especially silent; the only prominent sound was that of the river, the water rushing, far below. The soothing sounds of the water, in fact, further added to the peace of the scene.What a contrast to the urban scene in Lima or in the mountains. Only a few hours journey, but almost a different planet. The urban scene means noise, dust, lots of people, and those pesky cars all over the place.The mountains are a different beauty: brown, without greenery and cold. This place is totally different.As I inclined comfortably in my lounge chair, I speculated that this is how it used to be. A time long ago when we all lived in the country or in small villages, life was simple.

It doesn't mean that it is a place where I want to live permanently. But, it is a place for contemplation, for rest, for recovery. A refuge.

Yes, I could see myself escaping, retreating as you like, every once in a while to the kind ministrations of our hosts at the Fundo San Jose. Jungle at its very best.

<< Back