Fan Mail

I’m back from my month-long trip to Peru and Argentina, and am back on my regular writing/posting schedule. Tuesdays are the days I post something about my work. Today, I’d like to share an email I received from a reader while I was in Lima, Peru.

 Mr. Chin, I have recently read three of your books and have been amazed and moved by each.  "Buddha's Bad Boys" was wonderful.  I loved the story threads that wove through all six.  I kept thinking it was like Wagner or Berlioz who could move a theme through a long work, and change it and let it evolve.  Thank you!

All writers love fan mail. This one came on gloomy, wet afternoon and managed to make the day shine. Thank for taking the time to contact me, Larry.

Iguazu Falls, 2nd Largest Falls on Earth

From the margins of tropical rainforest, my first view of Iguazu Falls was gained from our hotel lobby. It is the second largest falls on earth.

Even from that distance it seems so grand that I knew it would enrich my life forever after.

After a long wait with hundreds of other tourists, we took a short train ride, which deposited us at a series of metal bridges that spans several arms of the upper Iguazu river. It had the feel of being on a Yosemite guided tour. There were so many tourist, all moving at a snail’s pace, that I began to regret coming here. But all at once I saw the falls, beautiful in the way its brow leaped free from the horseshoe-shaped cliffs and tumbled hundreds of feet into the gorge. After that, the crowd didn’t matter.

So much mist pushed back up the cliffs that I couldn’t see the river below. The gauzy, sun-sifted spray, half falling, half floating, seemed infinitely fine, but the thunder-like detonations of water hitting the granite boulders below blasted up from the canyon, telling a story of force beyond any power I’ve known.

There are a series of massive falls, dozens, all blending into a breathtaking landscape, veiled in numerous rainbows. It is so vast—almost two miles long—I couldn’t see it all from one place. I had to walk miles of trails and see portions of it from several vantage points.

One surprise was how many butterflies are in the surrounding rainforest. I’ve never seen so many in one place. It was not uncommon to have several landing on me at once. And the colors jumped out at you, mostly deep blues, electric purples, and neon yellows. They made the experience magical as well as awesome.

Tomorrow we take a boat on the lower river, right up to the place they call the Devil’s Throat, which is as close to the falls as a boat can get. I’m prepared to get soaked.

The Amazing Graffiti of Buenos Aires

So I’m two and a half weeks into my month-long sabbatical from writing. I’m missing work terribly, but we are keeping busy by staying on the move and seeing the sites Buenos Aires has to offer.

One of the interesting things about this colorful city is the artwork (also known as graffiti) that decorate many of the walls all over town. Most of it is amateurish and ugly, but there are many examples of lovely, playful art. For the most part, I’m enjoying the graffiti. I keep my eye out because you never know when you’ll pass something like Miro on a corner wall.

I don’t think this city would be nearly as interesting if they cracked down on the graffiti. 

The 2nd Most Beautiful Bookstore in the World

El Ateneo bookstore, in down town Buenos Aires, was voted the 2^nd most beautiful bookstore in the world. It was originally built as an opera house, but it was too small to make it, and closed after two years. It was later opened as movie theater but soon closed as well. It stood empty for several years before its current owner bought it, restored it, and opened for business as a bookstore. I’ve seen some impressive sights here in BA, but this ranks near the top of my list.

Procession, Flagellation, Crucifixion, Black Cross-dressing Jesus, and Meringues. It must be Holy Week in Cusco, Peru

While traveling other countries, every blue moon or so you happen into something wonderful that you weren’t expecting. After two days at Machu Picchu, we came back to Cusco, Peru and found ourselves in the middle of a Catholic procession honoring the beginning of Holy Week. I must say, these Catholics really enjoy a procession.

It began at 2p.m., with a marching band and the main image of Jesus, black and wearing a skirt, was take from the Basilica and paraded about the streets with hundreds of marchers and several hundred military soldiers to keep the crowds back. It took about an hour just to get Jesus out of the church and halfway around the main square.

In addition to the procession, I saw a number of people selling whips for the masses to perform self-flagellation. I confess, I didn’t see anyone whipping themselves.

The procession continued to wind through the streets with people throwing handfuls of red flowers over black Jesus, and finally made its way back to the Basilica around 8p.m. By then, the entire population of the city had crammed into and around the main square to receive the blessing before the black Jesus was carried back into the church. There were literally hundreds of thousands of men, women, and children packed like sardines into the square and surrounding streets. We were caught in the crush. We couldn’t move. We were forced to stand there until the procession and blessing ended, and the people began to disperse. It was scary, as I get claustrophobic in crowds like that. There was nothing to do but endure, praying that no one panicked and started a stamped.

Also, earlier in the day, we found a market selling special cookies and meringues that are made just for this celebration. We, of course, had to buy a bag and taste the goods to get us into the proper mood of the celebration.

It was exciting and wonderful to take part in this local event, especially since were weren’t expecting it.

I have really loved every part of my stay in Peru. Tomorrow, we fly to Lima. We’ll have one day there, which we have arranged a city tour, and then fly on to Argentina for two more weeks of fun.