New Backpack

I don't get it. I couldn't find a backpack with a frame Panama City, Medellin, or Bogota. Now I'm in Lima, a city with far more people than the entire state of Michigan. I figured if I couldn't get a backpack here I was doomed to carrying a boat bag for months. Two people at the hotel sent me to a large grocery store, which was far from a supermarket; it just carried groceries.

When I returned to the hotel, the front door was locked as always, but this time nobody replied to the bell. After a few frustrating minutes the cook, waiter, front office clerk, maid and concierge walked up the street. He apologized profusely, "Lo siento Jaime" and then pushed a hidden panel in the door, without using a key, reached through and undid the lock. I asked him to call around to find a store at which I could buy a backpack. Five minutes later he returned with a large pack a bit worn but eminently servicable and offered to sell it to me for 40. "Sols?" I enquired and he confirmed. Seventeen bucks for a framed backpack? I checked it out. The strap waist strap was just about severed and asked if he could take it to a tailor or shoe repair place to get it fixed and he agreed.

Let's see what happens. In less time than it took to type this blog entry he returned with strap fixed. The bag is a big North Face, a beauty with a full zippered front which means I don't have to empty it to take something out. Not the kind of thing you would use in the jungle but excellent for the purpose intended.

Now for coffee and laundry. Six soles a kilo? Go my man these close haven't seen a washing machine in over a month. You can only do so well in sink; actually I've done amazingly well with the bar of detergent I bought in Colombia.

The bus leaves at 5 and it is a 14 hour ride to my first stop.

The boots that I bought in Iquitos are refurbished Peruvian military boots. The clerk looked at my boots and said "militar?"

"Si"

"Ohh" and he looked me up and down giving me the same sort of look the guy who inspected the 18 inch knife I had in my carry on when flying out of Panama. It was a big fighting knife and the guard asked me the same question. A sort of deference that is unwarranted.