| It happened in late September of 92, while I was in | | | | we would be let through, simply because we were on |
| Buenos Aires that I decided to go back to Lima, Peru | | | | a bus that was apparently carrying contraband, with |
| from where I knew I would go back to the United | | | | people who were to frugal to pay what would have |
| States but only after having captured that part of | | | | amounted to 10 dollars a piece for the bus to go |
| Peruvian life I had yet to really see. | | | | through or perhaps five would have done it. As a |
| The part I make reference to is those shanty towns | | | | matter of fact, Jorge and I even offered to put in five |
| which in Spanish or at least in Peru are referred to as | | | | dollars each to the collection that would have gone to |
| “pueblos Jovenes”, which if literally translated in | | | | the customs officer, only to find out that we and |
| to the English language would be “young | | | | another woman were the only ones willing to sacrifice |
| towns”. This an expression which to a certain | | | | money for the sake of saving time. |
| extent is kinder then the one coined in English, which | | | | It was when confronted with the options of having to |
| implies more or less extreme poverty. While the one in | | | | spend ten hours at customs or put up a lot more then |
| Spanish or from Peru ( I am not aware weather or not | | | | five dollars to pay a customs officer to ignore |
| this expression is used in every Spanish speaking | | | | contraband we did not even have that Jorge and I did |
| country) suggests that the town is “young” and | | | | the only sensible thing we could do, which was to take |
| by virtue of which is still in stages of early | | | | another bus to Lima. This we did first by getting off the |
| development; justifying a lack of certain facilities such | | | | bus with our luggage, me helping Jorge carry his as he |
| as running water or electricity. Of course from a | | | | had more then I did and walking across the border, |
| technical point of view we could say that every major | | | | which only included customs and not passport control. |
| city at one point was a settlement that eventually | | | | Once across the boarder, after having shown the |
| turned in to perhaps a metropolis. | | | | customs officer that we had nothing other then |
| By then I had been in South America, a little over a | | | | personal belongings; as neither of us had made any |
| year and decided after having visited places like | | | | purchases in Tacna, we got on a bus that had also |
| Curacao (a Dutch island located off Venezuela’s | | | | passed customs. Naturally, we had to pay the price of |
| coast), Chile and Argentina that it was time to head | | | | two more Tacna-Lima tickets, given that in Peru; one |
| back to the States but rather then catch a flight | | | | bus is not required to take passengers from another |
| directly from Buenos Aires to New York, I would take | | | | bus, even if it is the same company or to the same |
| the bus from Buenos Aires to Lima. From Lima, I would | | | | destination, simply because they could or would not |
| catch a flight to Miami and go the rest of the way by | | | | wait to get through customs. Jorge and I; however did |
| bus, me being short of money at the time. However | | | | not mind paying as it was not really all that much and |
| this only after having spent sometime in Lima; getting all | | | | we were able to get going faster. |
| those shots I had not during my first few months there, | | | | Once inside what was now our second bus; we |
| this the time in my life in which I was involved heavily in | | | | continued chatting away and our topic after having |
| photography. | | | | discussed Eva Peron, whom I labeled as demigod |
| It was in early October that I entered Peruvian territory, | | | | (much to Jorge’s protest to the contrary) ; turned |
| actually not by bus but in a shared taxi (with five other | | | | to the recent arrest of “Abimael Guzman”. This |
| people) as strangely enough or perhaps not so much | | | | the man, considered to be the leader of the terrorist |
| so there is no bus (or at least not at the time) which | | | | group “Sendero Luminoso” (Shinning Path), who |
| actually goes from Santiago to Lima but one that limits | | | | many in Peru wanted to be tried in a military court |
| itself to taking passengers across the boarder, which | | | | (though he had never been a member of the military) |
| means from Arica in Chile (which at one moment in | | | | for of all things treason. This a charge which in most |
| history was a part of Peru) to Tacna in Peru. This last | | | | countries (Peru included) is usually reserved for those |
| city being one that actually changed hands twice; first | | | | in the military past a certain rank or those with security |
| being Peruvian and then Chilean then back to Peru | | | | clearances, neither of which applied to Guzman. There |
| again. All of which happening after the war Peru and | | | | were those in Peru who were even calling for his |
| Bolivia lost against Chile, which lead to both countries | | | | death though Peru did not have this penalty at the time, |
| loosing a good deal of their land. Bolivia arguable having | | | | and would not have it till President Fujimori (currently |
| more taken away, as they were forced to give up | | | | serving a prison term in Peru) imposed it on the |
| their connection to the Pacific ocean. | | | | constitution later that year. |
| Once in Tacna, I hooked up with a blonde man from | | | | “Sendero Luminoso”, a group which since its |
| Argentina who happened to be on his way back to | | | | formation in 1980 was responsible for the death’s |
| Venezuela. This, the place he and his Venezuelan wife | | | | of over 20,000 people and a car bomb which in that |
| had come to call home, given it was where he had | | | | very year killed 27 people in Lima’s district of |
| found a job in that country’s ever lucrative oil | | | | Miraflores. I must confess I did not know much about |
| industry. Tacna, as many may know is a city in a | | | | what was happening in connection with the arrest of |
| providence of Peru which also bears the same name, | | | | Guzman, other then what I had heard on television in |
| that in all truth has very little to offer anybody, specially | | | | Buenos Aires, which was that he had finally been |
| a tourist however this city does receive a lot visitors | | | | captured. This after many years of eluding the police; in |
| given it’s being what is commonly known as a | | | | a house located in Lima, in the district of “Surco”, |
| “Free Port”. This being a place where goods are | | | | where he was being hidden by a couple, running a |
| sold cheaply given they never really entered the | | | | dance school from the very house. I even |
| country, meaning import taxes were never added to | | | | remembered hearing that the lady of the house, who |
| their price. | | | | was a devout supporter of Guzman, was also the |
| It is this factor that lends cause to many Peruvians, | | | | niece of famed Peruvian writer “Mario Vargas |
| travelling a whole day by bus to an otherwise small, | | | | Llosa”, who had run and lost in a runoff election |
| dirty city in the middle of the desert, for it is there that | | | | against Fujimore, (President of Peru at the time) in |
| they fill up with goods to take back and above all sell in | | | | Peru’s 1990 presidential election. This, after actually |
| Lima, needless to say at a higher price. Of course | | | | having won the first round. |
| there are those that travel by plane from Lima to | | | | With the trip being long, Jorge and I got to sleep but not |
| Tacna, as I had done on my way there but these | | | | before chatting up some local Peruvian girls; whom I |
| would be tourist which this place does not really attract | | | | even took photos of, some of which included myself in |
| all that many unless they wish to catch a connecting | | | | the shot which Jorge took with my trusty Minolta. Indian |
| flight to Bolivia or Chile or Argentina. There are even | | | | girls from Peru, I must say were not unattractive or at |
| those who make the trip by car but these are few for | | | | least the ones we met on the bus. This perhaps, the |
| I found out that it is actually cheaper, for those | | | | reason that despite all his dedication to the USA, actor |
| Peruvians seeking to do business in Tacna to travel by | | | | Marion Morrison (a.k.a. John Wayne) married two |
| bus then by car, usually from Lima. | | | | Peruvian women, while Poland’s presidential |
| In all that concerns travel between Tacna and Lima or | | | | candidate “Tyminski” took one of his own for his |
| vice versa, one can discard the train option for it simply | | | | first wife, though he is presently married to a lady from |
| does not exist, not only between these two cities but | | | | China. It was through our conversations with these |
| any in Peru; save Lima and Cuzco. Though I imagine | | | | Peruvian ladies that we got to know more about our |
| the train would not have been all that more | | | | host country, in exchange for which I gave them some |
| comfortable or faster even if there had been one. | | | | of the photographs I had on me, taking in places like |
| Once in Tacna and seated next to each other on the | | | | Rome, Paris and London. |
| bus bound for Lima, my newly acquired traveling | | | | As for the bus, it was much dirtier then the one in Chile |
| companion from Argentina and I were able to see | | | | and went slower but it did perform its function though I |
| clearly what this trip; which I was taking for the first | | | | was afraid that I would have to go to the toilet, which |
| time, though not he was going to be all about. I having | | | | made it that I did not drink or eat much; for what |
| flown from Lima to Tacna, when time was what I had | | | | should be obvious reasons. I for my part did not take |
| less of while money more of was saved the | | | | long to fall asleep, since I had been traveling from |
| experience. Naturally, it would not have been the same. | | | | Buenos Aires and I figured I could get some sleep, |
| This because when people went from Lima to Tacna | | | | since we probably would have no more problems |
| they did not take much in the way of luggage with | | | | however one slight one did come up. After having |
| them but it was the other way around. It was the | | | | traveled on the bus, for what must have been two or |
| Tacna-Lima trips were the busses were loaded to | | | | three hours, we went through a police passport control, |
| maximum capacity given that all these “travelling | | | | which was only intended for non-Peruvians and since |
| merchants” brought back with them all their goods, | | | | Jorge and I were the only ones who were; it was us |
| which literally filled the bus to the point where one | | | | who were required to get off the bus and show our |
| could not take two steps in the aisle without having to | | | | passports. |
| go around or over somebody’s luggage. | | | | Somebody, actually shouted out something which |
| This being the case since the bus companies set no | | | | struck me as being rather funny while Jorge and I |
| limits on how much one could actually transport on | | | | were on our way off the bus (to get back on of |
| these busses which resulted in the roofs of the | | | | course) that when translated to English went “all |
| busses being stacked almost two meters high, while | | | | those from Arequipa, get off”. This a reference to |
| the carry on compartments were also jammed pack | | | | how Peruvians joke about those who came from the |
| as well as the overhead ones. There were some who | | | | province Arequipa, not being real Peruvians, given their |
| even travelled the whole way standing; as they | | | | independent stand from the government in Lima, that |
| preferred to volunteer their seats so there Pioneer | | | | goes to the extreme of them having their own |
| stereo might travel in comfort. Fortunately, in all this I | | | | passports which in Arequipa are used to get discounts |
| was spared from having to travel with any livestock, | | | | in some hotels and restaurants. As a personal matter; |
| given that Tacna did not really offer any. | | | | my sister’s husband at the time, who she would go |
| Naturally, as always Peruvian bus companies; always | | | | on to divorce came from this part of Peru. |
| in an attempt of being considerate to their passengers | | | | Night time eventually fell on what had been this long |
| tried to install as many seats on the bus as possible | | | | day and journey, and the bus made a stop, near a |
| which was awfully descent of them in wanting to take | | | | restaurant in Arequipa, which saw everybody get off |
| as many as possible even if it meant removing the | | | | the bus, mainly to get something to eat or go to the |
| toilet, so this might be accomplished. Yes, the toilet was | | | | toilet. Of course, the reality was that we in fact had no |
| sacrificed from these types of busses that normally | | | | choice but to get off the bus while it was being fueled, |
| have them, so two more paying passengers could | | | | this because since everybody (but Jorge and I) had |
| make the more then 24 hour trip. For all things | | | | very expensive goods, so much that they had to |
| considered even in Peru, it would be hard to find | | | | leave them on the bus. It created a situation that |
| someone willing to pay for a seat in the toilet. | | | | nobody was trusted on the bus with so much value |
| Once however the bus started on its way, my | | | | merchandise, specially while most were a way from |
| Argentine traveling companion by the name of Jorge | | | | their seats and contraband goods. |
| (last name I do not recall) and I got seated and even | | | | Jorge and I got of the bus, not really minding that we |
| comfortable, well more or less and got to talking about | | | | had to and I must confess that unlike most of what I |
| the many curious aspects of our journey. One of them | | | | had seen on that road; this restaurant in Arequipa, |
| being that the roads in Peru, were simply nothing that | | | | though humble gave an appearance of being clean or |
| could even be compared to either Chile or Argentina; | | | | at least enough that I ordered something to eat, which |
| as at least these two countries had paved ones. The | | | | did not even come wrapped in plastic. A large chicken |
| road we were traveling on; which could not be called a | | | | and rice meal, was what I had in spite of my being a |
| “highway” by any stretch of the imagination was | | | | vegetarian in those days, while Jorge had the same |
| a dry dirt road, which made it specially dusty for us in | | | | and I would even add that the food in its simplicity was |
| the bus when we were overtaken by any faster | | | | not bad. |
| moving vehicle, which was not all that difficult given the | | | | The break finished which I also used to go to the toilet, |
| limited speed our bus had to travel at due to all that | | | | after which we got on our way and I figured wrongly, |
| had been packed on top. | | | | of coarse that I would sleep through the night and we |
| During our trip, Jorge and I talked about our lives, me | | | | would get to Lima early, so I could take a much |
| telling him about my career as a photographer while he | | | | needed shower. This was what I planned but like most |
| told me about his life in Venezuela; though our topics | | | | plans, it went slightly astray as did the bus, actually. It |
| did include historical ones like, Eva Peron. It was on this | | | | happened, well in to the night that the bus driver, who |
| aspect that he told me that my understanding of this | | | | did not have anybody to relieve him, ended up falling |
| subject was that of the typical American, which I | | | | asleep at the wheel, while going quite fast; especially |
| asked what that was to his reply that my view was | | | | for the kind of road we were on. |
| like all Americans who believed in a simplified version | | | | The bus, went off the road though fortunately not off |
| of Eva Peron. The one that she and her husband, led | | | | one of the many high cliffs, (some over 20 meters) but |
| a government which was perhaps generous to the | | | | just the road and in to a sort of sand trap, which we |
| poor but very corrupt, to which I asked if that was not | | | | required all the passengers to get off the bus, while the |
| the case, to hear that all was not that simple. | | | | men were made to push the bus. We had dogged a |
| Our bus trip however would be interrupted at the | | | | bullet, one could say as things definitely could have |
| borderline between the province of Tacna, and the | | | | been worse, as the bus might have fallen from a great |
| rest of Peru. This because though Tacna is a part of | | | | height or turned over but luckily no one was hurt. Most |
| Peru, it is treated because of its status as a “free | | | | on the bus even took what had happened in stride, as |
| port” as another country; where one is in fact | | | | it was not uncommon. |
| required not only to show one’s passport but go | | | | I for my part however found it hard to get back to |
| through customs and even pay duty on what one has | | | | sleep, spending much of the night awake in fear of the |
| purchased in Tacna. This however not a process one | | | | same thing reoccurring which however did not. The |
| is not required to under go when one enters Tacna | | | | night however was a beautiful one, despite it all; |
| from the rest of Peru. | | | | traveling under a clear, desert sky that displayed the |
| As one can suspect with all those people on the bus | | | | wonder that is the Southern Cross, which I could not |
| who were full up with goods, customs would be an | | | | help but admire in my sleeplessness. |
| issue which would take a great deal of time, specially | | | | Morning eventually did come, to find our bus still on the |
| since there were several other busses in front of us | | | | road and making its way to Peru’s capital of more |
| on line to get across the boarder. Many busses | | | | then six million inhabitants, I however had not managed |
| however, more often then not would take up a | | | | to get much sleep after what had transpired but did |
| collection amongst its passengers to pass on to the | | | | not feel all that sleepy despite it. Jorge and I continued |
| custom officer who in turn would not look too carefully | | | | our chatting till we finally got to Lima, where we |
| or at all for that matter and even let busses that paid | | | | exchanged addresses and said our good byes after |
| go through without having to wait online. All of which | | | | what had been, a most memorable trip for many |
| making life easier but with my travel companion’s | | | | reasons. One of them being Jorge’s pleasant |
| fortune and mine on that occasion, we just happened | | | | personality and interesting comments, on the many |
| to get on a bus of passengers; who apart from being | | | | topics of mutual interest we hit upon. Jorge and I, |
| loaded with goods, were not really willing to shell out | | | | however would never meet again and it is unlikely we |
| any money to bribe the customs officer. All of which | | | | ever will though I in later years took his personality and |
| meant, Jorge and I; who had nothing on us apart from | | | | looks and put them in to the fictional Polish speaking |
| our clothes and personal belongings would have to | | | | cab driver from Argentina, who appears in my first |
| wait ten hours or perhaps more at the boarder before | | | | “New York’s Opera Society”. |