NEW PUBLICATIONS : Poetic and Travel – June Solstice 2024

HAPPY JUNE SOLSTICE!

If you’re in the Northern Hemisphere, you are officially starting summer, enjoying the longest day of the year.

Whereas, if you’re in the Southern Hemisphere, then winter is officially beginning. This is the longest night of the year.

This is also the time when many Andean nations celebrate Inti Raymi.

AND – it is time for another quarterly round-up of my recent publications!

Yes, my poetry, travel writing and visual expressions continue to appear in journals and on websites around the world – this quarter, in the US, Croatia, Northern Ireland, Mexico / Canada, England, and the UK.

Spend this June solstice browsing through the list (with links) below, poetically journeying to Colombia, the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, Bolivia, Argentina, Honduras, Nicaragua, Cuba … and destinations within my self / Self …

This past quarter, my poetry and narratives have also appeared in a quartet of anthologies. As well, recordings of virtual readings in which I participated are now available.

In the realm of travel narratives and articles, we’ll be tripping into the world of magic realism  … and visiting a Peruvian market, riding a Mexican train, and traversing the Venezuelan plains … oh, and also taking a train in northern Honduras …

Until we next meet …..

Safe Journeys!

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Galápagos Mockingbird (Cucuve de Galápagos, Mimus parvulus). photo © Lorraine Caputo

NEW LITERARY EXPRESSIONS

[haiku] “of what are people” in Cold Moon Journal (20 March 2024)

“Seekers” in First Literary Review-East (March-April 2024)

“On Restless Wings” and “Yungas” in The Field Guide Magazine (Issue 6, March 2024)

“In the Plaza Independencia” + photography in MasticadoresUSA (30 March 2024)

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“These Deserted Streets” in ZVONA i NARI (Croatia) (24 April 2024)

“The House Speaks,” “Destinies,” “For a Split Moment” and “Sunday Morning Vignettes” in A New  Ulster – ANU (Northern Ireland) (Issue 134, April 2024)

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+ “Querida Managua” [en español] + translation by Jorge Javier Romero and the author in La Presa (México/Canada) (Nº 15, Spring 2024)

Ecuador Suite: “Under the Noon-Day Sun,” “Pescadores,” “This Dampened Night” and “Gilded Morn” in Rundelania (May 2024)

“On the Threshold,” “Seeking Refuge,” “Nocturne” and “Full Moon in January” in Canyon Voices (Spring 2024)

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“Illusions,” “Spirit Suite – Étude Nº 4” and “Drifting” in Lothlorien Poetry Journal (England) (9 June 2024)

“Mirrored Moon” in The Big Windows Review (11 June 2024)

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In the Forest Glade (pen & ink) drawing © Lorraine Caputo

NEW VISUAL EXPRESSIONS

My visual creations have been featured here :

[drawing] “In the Forest Glade” in Sein und Werden (UK) (To Settle a Score issue, Spring-Summer 2024)

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AND OTHER NEWS IN THE PUBLISHING and ARTS REALM

My literary works – both poetry and travel narratives – now appear in several new anthologies:

“Meditation : Galápagos Seas” and “Washed” in Lit Shark’s Best Of 2023 Anthology

“I Am a Mother,” in Dress Codes: A Poetry Anthology, edited by Crystal Miller and Tammy Melody Gomez (2023)

“Galápagos Sketches – A Village Feast Day” in A Place to Pause: A Lowestoft Chronicle Anthology Paperback (Lowestoft Chronicle, 2024)

“Santiago Stickball” and “We Ain’t Supposed to Play” in Who’s Your Team? (baseball anthology), ed. by Sandy Lee Carlson (Orenaug Mountain Publishing, 2024)

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I have participated in several virtual poetry readings. These are recent ones that are available for viewing:

Recordando Mi Time Suck, 16 March 2024

Jim’s Informal Open Mic #13, 16 May 2024

Jim’s Informal Open Mic #14, 30 May 2024

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Another microchap of my poetry is now available for FREE from Origami Poems Project. (If you are able, please make a donation to this non-profit press, so that it may continue with its mission to publish these free collections.)

Santa Marta Ayres : On Colombia’s Caribbean Coast (Origami Poems Project, 2024)

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The complete manuscript of my works about the United and Standard Fruit Companies. photo © Lorraine Caputo

NEW TRAVEL EXPRESSIONS

Moonday Mag

“Endings” (Issue 2, April 2024)

Synchronized Chaos

“A Postcard from Peru – Yerbabuena,” “In the Frigid Night” and “Sunset Journey” (May 2024)

Book of Matches Literary Journal

“The Chiquita Train” (Issue 11, Spring 2024)

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Do you have a project in mind?

Rely on my decades of writing and publishing experience to make your writing or website shine!

If you need any of the following services, please feel free to contact me for a cost quote on your project:

• an article for your publication or website
• proofreading and editing of your blog articles
• a translation (Spanish-English)
• proofreading or copyediting of your dissertation, book or article
• design of an eBook or ready-to-print collection of your poetry (please see here for examples)

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I am also available to participate in literary events.

SOUTH-BOUND ON THE OAXAQUEÑO

On my first train ride, from Mexico City to Oaxaca.

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13-14 November 1988

El Oaxaqueño (Mexico City to Oaxaca), 1ª numerada

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Night

I arrived at the train station with ten minutes to spare, running around to find the Oaxaqueño’s platform, nervous with the anticipation, with the worry of missing my first train ride. Gene, Raúl & Rosario, their children Miguel & Joana, fared me well at the gates. Their son kissed me on the cheek.

I settle in. Three men in brown leather jackets walk through. We are told to pull our shades because of rocks. Not resisting temptation, I peek under the corner of mine & see the eerily lit shantytowns.

I pass the time sketching the old man across from me. Upon this page I capture his high forehead, high cheekbones, long Roman nose, his thinned hair. He reads a small book with a magnifying glass.

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~

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At the blue-tiled San Lorenzo station, a young man with headphones on sits in the office. In front of him are four old-fashioned telegraph machines. The leather-coated men walk back & forth along the train. One has a crowbar. Another holds a walkie-talkie. He walks into the station office.

Off in the distance is a string of city lights. Beyond them are mountains. The altitude aches my head.

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~       ~

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Just about everyone else has fallen asleep. I look out the window. The edge of the mountain is near this train. Pine trees silhouette against the night. I hear the strained chug of the engine up ahead.

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~       ~       ~

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By the middle of the night it has become unbelievably cold. I wrap my wool blanket about me. All the other passengers are asleep, bundled in this unheated car. The train personnel walk through, wearing parkas.

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Morning

In the coming light of morning, more becomes visible. The mountains are heavily forested with green curtains occasionally worn thread-bare brown. Below falls a meandering river. Branches scratch the side of this train.

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~ 

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We pass by a cemetery nestled in the woods.

A campesino stands behind a large gate, his arms behind him.

Orchards of papaya trees, a few palms … & banana saplings.

We cross over an orange trestle bridge.

Through a town where people watch this train go by. Others go on with their daily lives.

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~       ~ 

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The river thins & boils with rapids as we near its source. The mountains reveal their faulting & tilting.

Forests of saguaro cactus cut their own tree line across the heights.

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~       ~       ~ 

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The train winds & winds through this range. The sun is beginning to clear its peaks.

& after a while that sunlight brightens this valley. A couple walking along the sandbars waves at our train.

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~       ~       ~       ~

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A boy leads a burro, boxes hanging on either side. An old man walks behind.

A teacher stands at the schoolhouse door. The children look out the windows.

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~       ~       ~       ~       ~

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As we reach the heights of this montaña, I see the top of the valley below & rows upon rows of mountains unfolding beyond.

We click through rock passes.

& frequently stop at towns for a few moments. The ratchet of a jack echoes from between the cars.

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~       ~       ~       ~       ~       ~

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We clack through rock passes shielding us from the mid-morn sun. Through the spaces of this stone landscape, valleys spread between mountains. & we are descending, descending towards our final station.

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published in

Eucalyptus Lit (Issue 2, December 2023)

BIKING HOLIDAYS IN SOUTH AMERICA

Especially in rural areas, locals use bicycles to get around. Cabo de la Vela, Wajirra, Colombia. photo © Lorraine Caputo

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Sometimes on your travels, you just need to do something a bit different. It can get boring going from museum to museum, or from archaeological site to more ruins (it’s easy to get “ruined out”). Or, after a long bus ride, you just need to stretch your legs.

Bicycling is not only a way to spice up your trip. It is also a great way to get to more out-of-the-way attractions and away from the maddening crowds.

But fear not – you won’t stand out like the proverbial sore thumb, like a crazy foreigner heading out on two wheels. For many years, Latin American have relied on these two-wheel transports for getting around in their daily lives!

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The Bicycle Star Rises over South America

South Americans are rivaling Europeans in using bicycles to get around. According to a 2022 IPSOS study, 37% of Colombian adults, 37% of Peruvians, 28% of Brazilians, 35% of Argentinians and 29% of Chilean adults ride a bicycle at least one a week. This beats out Belgians, Brits, Norwegians and other denizens on the opposite side of the Atlantic pond.

More and more South Americans are relying on these two-wheel vehicles to avoid the usual overcrowded local transportation and to have more freedom in getting around their cities. And in the post-Covid era, many ciudades are allotting more funds to increase the number and distance of designated bicycle lanes (ciclovías). These include major cities like Bogotá (Colombia) and Quito (Ecuador), though smaller towns, like Ambato and Riobamba in Ecuador, are also expanding their ciclovías.

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What This Means for Travelers

We travelers can take advantage of this growing bicycle trend. We’ll be able to avoid overcrowded public transportation and save money on taxi rides to museums or nearby attractions. Going by bike is great physical exercise that’s fun to boot!

You can join a formal biking tour with a local agency. But you can (alone or with another traveler or two) also head out on your own, designing your own excursions. You can stop to take photos, chat with locals, rest – go at your own pace while exploring the places you choose to visit. You will be able to stay as long as you wish at each attraction – or skip the ones you’re not interested in. You’ll also be able to get to places where organized bike tours aren’t offered.

But more importantly, it allows us to put into practice several tenets of SLOW (Sustainable, Local, Organic, Whole) travel, which some travel experts say will be the cornerstone of post-Covid-pandemic travel. The concept of SLOW travel is to take a longer trip (a week or longer) focused to a single destination or small geographic area. Adding bicycling tours to our itineraries allows us to travel SLOW and more sustainable.

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Taking a break on Chile’s Carretera Austral. photo © Lorraine Caputo

Types of Biking Excursions

Some travelers plan for years to do long-distance and long term biking excursions, limited to one country or one region – or even undertaking the ultimate challenge of biking the entire Pan-American Highway from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego.

But if you’re not up for such adventures, you can incorporate the humble bicycle into your holiday itinerary in many ways. No matter whether just to get around the city or out into the countryside, a trip to the local bike shop can help you see the sights.

Biking is a great way to get around town to the museums, parks and other attractions that are accessible by ciclovías, or bicycle lanes. Ask at the local tourism office for a map showing these routes, and plan your itinerary.

In some towns, there are city biking tours to show you the local colors, sights and sounds. These are much like walking tours you may have read about – only these are on two wheels!

Another option is to join the weekly (usually on Sunday) bicycle outings that Bogotá, Quito and other cities have. City streets are closed and dedicated to bike riding. In some places you can rent a bike for the day.

Bicycling is also fantastic for getting out of town to waterfalls and national parks, or to archaeological ruins (especially in Peru – Trujillo and Nazca have tons of ancient sites nearby to explore), or to small, traditional villages. Another invigorating biking day trip is to viñedos or bodegas (vineyards) in Peru, Chile and Argentina. Many of these sights can be done with formal tours or on your own.

The region’s many hot springs are another worthy destinations for your biking explorations – and a great way to relax your bike-riding-sore muscles.

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Before Heading Out – Tips for Your Biking Outing

Before heading out on your bicycling adventure, there are a few things to do in order to have a more pleasant and safer excursion.

• Check bike (tires, brakes, chain, etc.) for condition – do not rent a bike with problems.
• Check rental agreement.
• Don’t forget a bike helmet!
• Use a good lock and chain (or cable). When you get to your destination, lock the bike up properly (i.e. pass the chain through the front wheel and the bike’s frame).
• Do warm-up (and warm-down) exercises, to prevent injuries that might affect your holiday.
• If biking at high altitudes, be sure you have acclimatized to the heights first.
• Pick up a map (whether physical or virtual) of the route you’ll be taking.
• Pack high-energy snacks – and a picnic lunch!
• Take plenty of water
• Don’t forget sun protection (hat, sun protector, etc.), and anything you may need for the weather (rain gear, windbreaker, a sweater, etc.)

Bikes can be rented by the hour, half-day (usually 4-hour block) or full day (8 hours); it’s usually cheaper per hour to rent a bike for a half-day or (even better) full day. Plan your route and figure out how long it’ll take. While long (in both distance and time, lasting weeks or even months) bike tours cover, on average, 65-95 kilometers (40-60 miles) per day, you may want to stick to shorter routes, pedaling only 30-50 kilometers (20-30 miles).

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Great Biking Adventures Await You

To whet your biking appetite, here are some day-trip adventures you might want to add to your itinerary. The kilometers given in parentheses are the distances one way; it may be possible to take local transportation back to the main town. As well, organized tours may be available for some of these routes.

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The interior courtyard of Monasterio Santo Ecce Homo. near Villa de Leyva, Colombia. photo © Lorraine Caputo

Villa de Leyva (Colombia) – Road to Santa Sofía (12+ kilometers / 7+ miles)

The road heading from Villa de Leyva to Santa Sofía is jam-packed with all sorts of stuff to see – from botanical gardens to archaeological sites, from a colonial-era monastery to fascinating fossils – all within a 12-kilometer stretch. The attractions you can stop off to see are: Pozos Azules, sapphire-blue pools cast across the desert (3 km); Amonita, a large ammonite fossil monument (4 km), marking the turn-off for the Criadero de Avestruces, an ostrich farm (2 km away); Fibas Jardín Botánico del Desierto botanical garden (3.5 km); Museo El Fósil, a museum housing a gigantic crocodile-ancestor fossil (4.5 km); Ruinas de Monquirá, ruins of a mid-16^th century church (6 km); Parque Arqueológico de Monquirá, a.k.a. El Infiernito, an archaeological site with stone calendar and phallic statues (7.5 km); Viñedo Aim Karin, a vineyard set 600 meters from the Santa Sofía road (10.6 km); and lastly Monasterio Santo Ecce Homo, a beautiful 17^th-century monastery set 1 kilometer off the road (11.7 km from Villa de Leyva).

This is a fairly straight-forward and flat route. You will be going through desert, so have plenty of water and sun protection. If you are a walker, you can also take a local bus as far as the Monasterio and walk back, stopping off at the attractions that interest you. Colombia Highlands conducts bicycle tours to Parque Arqueológico Monquirá and other sites along this route, as well as to other attractions in the region.

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Baños (Ecuador) – The Waterfalls Route (18 kilometers / 11 miles)

One of Ecuador’s most famous bicycle routes is the Ruta de las Cascadas which visits some of the country’s best waterfalls. The route follows the highway towards Puyo, a town in the Amazonian jungle. Along the 60-kilometer way are 60 waterfalls. The most renowned are Agoyan, Culebrillas, Manto de la Novia (Bridal Veil), San Jorge, San Pedro, the über-famous Pailón del Diablo, and Machay. Most people go only as far as Pailón del Diablo, 18 kilometers from Baños.

You can rent a bicycle in Baños and do the route on your own or with other travelers (maps are available at bike shops and the tourism office), or join a tour. Be aware that although it is mostly downhill, some stretches are quite demanding – and the way back will be uphill! (You can also catch a ride on a bus or truck heading back to Baños.) Also beware the traffic, as this route is the main highway into the jungle. There are also several tunnels to go through.

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Pimentel, Peru. photo © Lorraine Caputo

Chiclayo (Peru) – Monsefú-Santa Rosa-Pimentel circuit (29 kilometers / 18 miles)

If you’re feeling like taking a break from visiting ruins, and want to experience some of the living culture of northern Peru, then this circuit might be just what you need!

It begins in Chiclayo and heads west towards the coast. The first stop is at Monsefú (15 kilometers from Chiclayo), an artisan village with a crafts market and workshops you may visit, and an interesting church with small museum. Monsefú is known for its cotton, wool and straw weavings.

Continue down the road to the coastal village of Santa Rosa (7 km from Monsefú). In this typical fishing village you can see locals still using the ancient caballitos de totora reed boats. South of the beach is the popular surfing spot El Farol. The beach here is over 14 kilometers long.

Taking the road northward, you next come to Pimentel, a popular weekend destination for Chiclayo residents (7 km from Santa Rosa). Stretch your legs strolling along the Malecón Seoane seafront promenade and the long pier jutting into the sea. Surfing is a big sport here (several shops offer board rentals and lessons). If you want to check out a few ruins, there are Huaca Agujereada (north of the beach) and Huaca Blanca (south of the beach). Or you can relax with a fresh seafood dinner at one of the beachside eateries and watch the sun set.

Be aware, though, that from Pimentel, it is a 12-kilometer ride back to Chiclayo – or see if you can hop a local minibus back to the big city.

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Coroico (Bolivia) – The Death Road (39 kilometers / 24 miles)

Bolivia’s most famous bike ride is on the infamous Death Road (Camino de la Muerte). The route winds from the snowy La Cumbre mountain range (4,700 meters altitude) and descends about 3,600 meters to the village of Coroico in the steamy Yungas jungle. It is a high-adrenaline adventure on The World’s Most Dangerous Road (which is this gravel road’s other nickname). Before the new La Paz-Coroico highway was built, this was the “highway” from the high Andes to the jungle. Look over the side of the road and you’ll see the twisted wreckage of vehicles that had met their unhappy fate on this camino.

Many tour agencies in La Paz offer this adventure. This is an expedition not to be taken lightly, as bicyclists have died on this route, and others have been injured. You can choose to return to La Paz or stay in Coroico.

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Volcán and Lago Villarrica. Pucón, Chile. photo © Lorraine Caputo

Pucón (Chile) – to various sites (19-35 kilometers / 12-22 miles)

Pucón has a wonderful network of bicycle trails (ciclovía) to the region’s beautiful natural wonders. Taking a bike outing is a great way to escape the tourist crowds, visiting small indigenous villages and getting out to one of the numerous hot springs near Pucón.

The main ciclovía begins on Calle O’Higgins, just east of Calle Colo Colo. This route heads northeast to the Ojos de Caburgua waterfalls and Laguna Azul (19 km), and on to the village of Caburgua and the south shore of the same-named lake (24 km) or to Huerquehue National Park (35 km).

Or you can make a day trip out westward, to the village of Villarrica by taking the ciclovía that follows the south shore of Lago Villarrica (26 km). In that town, visit the Mapuche cultural center, Wenteche Mapu (Aviador Acevedo and Avenida Pedro de Valdivia), and several museums, including Museo de Leandro Penchulef, established with the cooperation of the Mapuche community (Bernardo O’Higgins 501).

Several tour operators offer bicycle tours. Or, if you prefer to do it on your own, pick up a map at the tourist office or from a cycle shop, and rent a bike for the day.

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Mendoza (Argentina) – Vineyards (13-16 kilometers / 8-10 miles)

Argentina’s most famous wine-producing region extends from Mendoza to San Juan. In the Mendoza region are Luján de Cuyo, Valle de Uco and Maipú, an area that contains over 1,200 bodegas (vineyards). The best time to visit bodegas is between October and April. You can experience the harvest season festivals in March.

In the Luján de Cuyo area south of Mendoza are the Clos de Chacras (13 km) and Alta Vista (15 Km) wineries. Biking east of Mendoza into the Maipú-Coquimbito region, you’ll find La Rural bodega and museum (16 km). All of these are open to the public.

So, if you’re ready to try some of the local reds (like Cabernet Sauvignon or Malbec) or whites (such as Torrontés or Chardonnay), then hie down to a tour agency and book a day biking tour – or hire a bike and head out on your own! (If going it alone, be sure to make reservations at the wineries first.)

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A version of this article was originally published by AndesTransit.

Used with permission.

TO MAKE A LIVING

Ride El Tren Macho from Huancayo to Huancavelica in Peru’s Central Andes.

In Peru, you have only one opportunity to take a real, honest-to-goodness local train: El Tren Macho – Sale cuando quiere, llega cuando puede (It leaves when it wants to, it arrives when it can) – between Huancayo and Huancavelica.

With Peru’s privatization of its railroads in 1998, this line is the only one with accessible prices, serving the local communities, and supporting their economies by allowing vendors aboard. All of the other passenger services these days in that Andean country are luxury services between Arequipa, Puno, Cuzco, and Machu Picchu.

The Tren Macho, though, is for ordinary folk and ordinary travelers. Inhabitants of the pueblos scattered along its route and foreigners journey together unsegregated. This is a heck of a ride, with a breathtaking landscape and vendors vying each other for your business.

Wending through the central Andes, it is actually the shortest, most direct way to get from Huancayo to Huancavelica (or vice-versa). Its 128-kilometer route runs along the Mantaro and Ichu rivers, passing through 38 tunnels and over 15 bridges. The Huancayo station is at Chilca (3,240 meters above sea level). The lowest point of the line is at Mariscal Cáceres (2,819 m.a.s.l.). It then climbs to its highest point at Huancavelica (3,676 m.a.s.l.). Between Huancayo and Huancavelica, there were 25 stops.

In 2008, work began to modernize these rail lines. A major project was to change the rails from narrow gauge to standard gauge. Locomotives were also upgraded. Service resumed in March 2023. El Tren Maho now makes 11 stops along the way.

The present schedule is:

Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday

from Chilca (Huancayo) – leave 6:30 a.m. – arrive 8:30 a.m.

from Cuenca (Huancavelica) – leave 1 p.m. – arrive 2:45 p.m.

Consult locally about how early you should arrive at the station to ensure a ticket to ride. Eat, chat with your seatmates — and experience the Peru behind the tourism façade.

So, come join me in this train journey.

Aaaalllll Aboooooard!

Safe Journeys!

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16 September 1998 / Huancayo to Huancavelica, Peru

In the lightening of morning, I arrive at the station. Pots steam on stands in front. People hustle for the line serpentining from the ticket window. They wobble and tottle beneath their bundles and boxes. The damp chill bites toes and noses.

Another queue winds from the locked patio gate. On the track awaits our ride: five orange passenger cars, along with two freighters, all emblazoned with the name ENAFER (meaning Empresa Nacional de Ferrocarriles, National Train Company).

At 6 a.m., that gate is opened. The rush is on to the numbered cars, to the numbered seats. Passengers jostle past passengers, past vendors. Within, folks stow their baggage overhead and under the cushioned seat benches facing one another.

I arrive to my seat grouping and discover that the woman that was behind me in line has the seat next to the window. Her box blocks the space between the benches. Her hand brushes her red sweater and then rests on her wool skirt. Her scuffed shoes rest atop a bundle. Her young son in my place. The man in our grouping complains to her. I search for a space for my battered knapsack. As I wait for my seat, I am butted by passing travelers and sellers.

The train jolts with the connection of the engine to the cars. Everyone in this vagón has settled in at last. A woman comes through, selling breads from a rice sack. Another mujer calls El Correo, Primicia, holds the day’s papers up.

The blast of the horn. Young boy walks by us, Toilet paper, 50 céntimos.

Three clangs of the station bell. The horn blows and slowly we pull away. Cold air drifts through open windows.

From a bucket, a woman sells hot yucca with picante. From buckets a man sells mugs of spiced apple-quinoa drink.

A man with withered legs hobbles down the aisle and sits on the edge of a bench. He lays the crutches against his thigh. He adjusts a white ball cap on his short black hair, then smooths his bright blue sweater with his thick dark fingers. A bag hangs around his neck. He begins to sing huayños.

The city streets roll by. Then small ranchos with plots of potatoes and new corn separated by adobe walls click by.

After a few songs, his sales pitch comes

 For a Chinese tea caramelo

to cure your sinusitis

arthritis, bad stomach

Or for those skinny ones

or ones with no energy

or those who are so tall

50 céntimos for four hard candies

Now, look, no-one is going

to be driven into poverty

It’s only 50 céntimos

And for those who don’t collaborate

I’ll sing another huayño

People quietly laugh in their sleeves, their shawls.

And in the meantime, another vendor passes, displaying rat poison and mothballs.

The seller of miracle caramelos continues his pitch:

For the skinny, it fattens them

  For the fat, fattens them more

And in the meantime, a mute vendor passes with crackers and motions, Five packs, one sol. He stops and rubs the candyman atop his ball-capped head, arms waving as if to say, “You’re stealing the show. I’ve gotta sell, too!”

And that seller of caramelos continues his pitch:

And for the mute, it gives them speech

Just 50 céntimos for four candies

Outside our window, the Mantaro Valley ends and we enter the mountains. Ravines drop to icy rivers.

The woman next to me keeps looking over my shoulder, at my words appearing on this page.

A porter walks up the aisle, his arms loaded with steaming plates of chicken and rice. Only three and a half soles.

The vendors get to roughhousing. Then the candy, the cracker, and the quinoa drink sellers move their business to the next car back.

Our course follows a river. We hang partway down the canyon wall.

At the first stop, the yucca woman leaves with her now-empty basket. More vendors board and take their turns at making a living aboard this train.

A ginseng tea man steps onto the stage first:

This is not Chinese or Japanese

 This is specially imported

from Korea

It will keep your insides clean

Just like you wash yourself

after a day of work

You should wash yourself

after a meal

A cup of this

one packet

Buy one for you, your

wife, your children

A special offer

three for five soles

Next, a blind fiddle player sings huayños. He stumbles down the aisle, feeling his way with his staff, violin and bow in one hand. The tips gather in his hand and into his pocket. One man requests a song and further down this car, he begins another, leaning against the seat as the train makes a short stop at a grouping of houses.

Out in a field, a man leads pair of oxen. The mother next to me falls asleep, her two-year-old cradled in her arms. Our train travels through shadow. Patches of sunlight peek through the east-facing windows.

And after each town, the conductor punches tickets and collects the fares of new arrivals.

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Izcuchaca

The blind man leaves, his now-silent fiddle wrapped in a blue plastic bag. Women come aboard with baskets of empanada and bread, with bowls of roast pork and corn.

With a horn blast, we leave that market behind. We continue our journey through the mountains scattered with maguey, nopal, and scrub trees. We traverse blackening tunnels and emerge into sunlight.

Past our sister train pulled on a siding. Some of its riders are out on the vestibules. Others have stuck their heads out windows.

This is a quiet journey. Passengers are engaged in muted conversations. Or they are sleeping … or gazing out the window …

The porters in their red and black vests still walk back with four or five plates of food balanced on their arms and in their hands. A tres-cincuenta, they call. They walk to the front, towards the dining car with empty plates.

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Mariscal Cáceres

The National Police come on board. Some walk through, others take position at the end of each car. They ask each passenger for their identification. The head of this operation checks the cards and calls off the name to a young assistant with a list of fugitives in hand. The process is slow.

The sellers, though, are not deterred. Some women offer gelatina con flan, others have bread. A young boy swings a silver bucket full of bottles of chicha. And the porters still rush back and forth with their plates of food.

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Acoria

Eucalyptus forests and farm rows climb and cling to the sides of mountains that rise into the robin-egg sky. The clear, moss-bottomed river rushes, the frothing rapids foaming over rocks where ducks alight with a splash.

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Alausí

The mother and son get off here. She shoves and shuffles their bundles and boxes.

We then return to the countryside of ravines and stone-walled terraces.

Two women sit in my seat grouping, taking a rest from their sales. One has a basket of bread, the other a bucket of chuños. They speak in rapid, clicking, shushing Quechua. The train clicks and shushes as it nears our destination.

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Glossary

caramel – hard candy

céntimos – cents

chicha – corn beer

chuño – a variety of potato from the altiplano of Peru and Bolivia that can be dried

gelatin con flan – gelatin with custard

huayños – a traditional Peruvian musical genre

mujer – woman

nopal – prickly pear cactus

picante – hot sauce

sol (plural: soles) – the national currency of Peru

tres-cincuenta – three-fifty

vagón – train car