The Tarapoto Tree-Skimmers

Having never read any J.K. Rowling books, I’d overlooked one of Tarapoto’s most famous literary exports – the Tarapoto Tree-Skimmers.

Quidditch Through the Ages by Kennilworthy Wisp (Rowling) was released in 2001 as a fund-raiser for Comic Relief in the UK. For those who have somehow managed to avoid Harry Potter, Quidditch is the game played by Potter and his friends in the best-selling series of books and films.

In Quidditch Through the Ages, Rowling elaborates upon the history of the game and the various teams from around the world. The Tarapoto Tree-Skimmers are, apparently, Peru’s most famous team and have recently toured Europe to great acclaim. Well there you go, you learn something new every day.

According to Rowling, in a promotional interview with Scholastic, Peru are quite the up-and-coming Quidditch-playing nation: “At the moment, Bulgaria are pretty good. Ireland are very good and Peru, surprisingly, are also very good.”

Considering the current state of the Peruvian national football team, I guess any small triumphs should be accepted, even if they are fictional….

The Tarapoto – Tingo Maria Road

I’ve read a few warnings about the Tarapoto to Tingo Maria route. Lonely Planet (6th Edition) says that the journey “is still dangerous and not recommended because of drug-running and problems with bandits”. The Tripwolf website states that  “The journey from Tarapoto to Tingo María is not advisable. In the rainy season the roads are impossible and it is a coca-growing area”.

As far as first-hand information goes, I haven’t actually got any. This is a stop-gap post until I take the trip down to Tingo Maria and check it out for myself, so I’m relying on second-hand info for now. I’ve met a few people who have done the trip recently and, beyond it being a bit of a marathon (17-20 hours) and a slight bone-shaker, I haven’t yet heard any bad reports.

Pizana Express – Tarapoto to Tingo Maria

I was talking to one of the drivers at Pizana Express, a company who run 4 or 5 cars down to Tingo each day (S/115), and he basically said that the route was fine. Granted, he may have been slightly biased – it’s how he makes a living, after all – but he seemed fairly genuine. He told me that problems do occasionally occur involving bandits (not drug-runners), but such incidents are rare. With 4 or 5 cars plying the route at any given moment, these guys should know the score.

Anyway, I’ll update this post if I hear anything else. When I do the trip myself I’ll post a new account with some photos. One man’s personal experience of the route obviously won’t be worth much as far as safety goes, but I’d prefer to at least have done it once before offering my opinion!

In the meantime, feel free to post any personal experiences of the route in the comments box.

The Peru Pishtacos

I first heard about the Pishtacos just over a year ago when I was in Tingo Maria. The girl who told me this story (who later became my girlfriend, despite her tall stories) assured me that it was true. Needless to say, I’ve been pulling her leg about the Pishtacos for the last year or so – at least up until the last few days.

She told me that these men, these Pishtacos, abducted travelers on lonely roads, killed them, and then hung them upside down over a flaming candle in order to slowly extract the fat from their bodies. This valuable fat was then sold to major airlines as a lubricant for their aircraft.

Now, would you believe that?

Well, imagine my surprise when I stumbled across a breaking news article on the BBC website: “Four people have been arrested in Peru on suspicion of killing dozens of people in order to sell their fat and tissue for cosmetic uses in Europe.” The Pishtacos, it would seem, have passed from myth into reality.

This gang, operating in Peru’s Huanuco department where Tingo can be found, have apparently been killing for human fat for the last 30 years. The similarities with the ancient Peruvian myth are nothing short of bizarre.

Equally baffling is the absence of any black market for human fat. Supposedly, these Pishtacos are operating through Lima and selling on the human fat to European cosmetics manufacturers. The abundance of human fat available from medical sources would normally make this illegal trafficking obsolete. Quite how these Pishtacos are making enough money to warrant 60 (at least) murders is yet to become apparent.

The hunt continues for the other gang members (including two Italian nationals) and the buyers themselves.

Krotos Recreation Park – A Cheap Tarapoto Resort?

The Recreo Campestre Los Krotos lies 15 minutes (by mototaxi) outside Tarapoto on the road to Lamas. If you want to get out of Tarapoto for a relaxing day by the pool, Krotos provides an ideal escape.

Unlike Punto Verde and other pools closer to Tarapoto, Krotos is more open to the elements and more in touch with nature. The staff are friendly, the food is good, and the lush green setting makes lounging by the pool a far more pleasant experience.

Palms and plants of the krotos species (hence the name) surround the pool area, the restaurant, and the individual seating areas all with their own characteristics. Most importantly, the water in the pool is clean and inviting.

After swimming, have a look at the menu. The prices are reasonable, all your favorite Peruvian specialities can be ordered, every dish is cooked with care and the portions are huge.

After a good lunch take a stroll around the area. There is a mirador overlooking Tarapoto below, there are fruit trees growing in abundance, and there is an area with some very content looking chickens and ducks.

Krotos – A Cheap Tarapoto Resort?

Krotos has now been open for about 7 years. Plans are underway for the construction of chalet-type bungalows for guests. Most Tarapoto resorts are very expensive for the average backpacker or holidaymaker budget. Once the chalets are opened, a weekend or weeklong stay at Krotos could be ideal for visitors looking for both a relaxing atmosphere, a natural environment, and an affordable retreat from the city.

For now, Krotos is a great day trip from Tarapoto. A swim in the pool, a hammock in the shade, a hearty meal, and all in a natural environment….who could ask for more? If planning a trip to Krotos, get their early enough to leave before sunset – the mosquitos can be vicious once it starts to get dark!

Just Who are those Famous Peruvians on Peruvian Banknotes?

Yep, we carry them with us wherever we go and we sometimes wonder who those people are staring up at us. Peruvian banknotes, the Nuevo Sol paper money which nobody ever has change for.

But who are these presumably famous people from peru who adorn the 10, 20, 50, 100 and (yes, it does exist!) 200 Nuevos Soles banknotes? Why is that guy on the 10 Soles note flying his plane upside down so close to the ground? And who is that fellow with glasses who looks like an ageing Harry Potter? As for the 200 Soles note, has anyone actually seen one?

Well, to find out more about these figures from Peruvian history, these famous Peruvians honored by their inclusion on Peruvian money, take a look at Famous People from Peru and Peruvian Currency. And if anyone has ever seen a 200, let me know.

More Famous Peruvians

In the meantime, get up to speed on some other famous people from Peru with these three articles:

• Famous Peruvian Actors and Actresses
• Famous Peruvians from Peruvian Sports
• Peru Heroes – Miguel Grau Seminario

Tarapoto “Dangerous Without an Armed Escort”

A traveler review post on www.tripadvisor.com recently claimed that Tarapoto, Peru, was “dangerous without an armed escort”. The traveler had definitely had a bad experience: “we were held up by armed bandits and were shocked how routine it all is”.

However, I was pretty taken aback by this review. I’ve been here 5 months now. I am still surprised at how relaxed the place is. I haven’t had any problems so far, touch wood. I haven’t felt threatened once here, and I don’t think it’s just luck.

Updates on Tarapoto Safety

If I do run into any problems, bad neighborhoods, dangerous routes etc I’ll be sure to inform you. So far I can’t think of one safety issue that has to be mentioned. Even the normal “South American safety procedures” seem like overkill here. I have pretty much let my guard drop, and that’s something I haven’t often done in all my time in South America, from coast to coast, from sea to shining sea.

That’s not to say that any new arrivals should do the same. Just don’t stay away because your budget won’t stretch to hiring armed guards…..

Welcome to Tarapoto Life!

Hello and welcome. The aim of this site is to fill in all the gaps, answer all the questions, and tell you all the news about Tarapoto, Peru.

Tarapoto is not perfect guide book fodder. Lonely Planet et al don’t rave about it, tourists don’t flock towards it. Is that a bad thing?

Tarapoto reveals itself slowly. For backpackers who are short on time that can pose a problem. Hopefully this site will quicken the process of discovering all that Tarapoto has to offer.

For the leisurely traveller – or anyone looking for a piece of Peru to settle down in – take your time. Tarapoto is worth the effort and, with a little information from Tarapoto Life, you may just find yourself sticking around….