CHANCHAMAYO 2
Last weekend I visited my grandmother in Alto San Juan, a very small town in Chanchamayo, in the central rain forest of Peru. Here are some pictures from the trip.
CEMENTERIO
Today I visited the Nueva Esperanza cemetery in Villa Maria del Triunfo. It is the largest cemetery in Latin America. It is so large most people hire a “mototaxi” (there is one in the center of this photo) to get around. Yes, those are all graves.
VILLA EL SALVADOR
I just started a photo essay on Villa El Salvador, a neighborhood in the outskirts of Lima. Back in the 70’s, Villa El Salvador was a shantytown formed by migrant families from the Peruvian heartland. Although Villa has come a long way from its humble beginnings, the community continues to struggle. I visited an area known as “Lomo de Corvina,” (“sea bass back”), a huge sand dune along the pacific coast. Many years ago this then desolate area was use as training grounds by army paratroopers. Hundreds of families live here today. When talking to the residents, the first problem mentioned was the lack of running water, something many of us take for granted. Past governments have promised to install water lines but those plans move slowly, just as progress does in this forgotten part of the capital.
One of the top assets this community has is its own people. Just by meeting a few community leaders and residents, I can tell this is a community that will not take no for an answer and will fight for better life. I deeply admire their resilience in their struggle to get ahead.
VISITING LIMA
I’m back in Lima and it’s great to visit family and friends. Here is a portrait of my grandmother.
