Tarapoto

Four seperate cars got me from Chachapoyas to Tarapoto, the highlight being having to share a front seat with a large Peruvian who had obviously just had a nice and oniony Ceviche lunch.
After a mere 9 hours, I got into Tarapoto and took a moto taxi to the Plaza de Armas. Just like with people it is easy to take an instant like or dislike to a place and with Tarapoto it was a definite "like". Warm, clean, easy going, families out in the streets, women grilling up a storm on the side of the alleyways, in fact it reminded me of Asia. So I spent a very pleasant evening having some street food and a couple of beers, before retiring to my room to get a quick TV fix. Have become a big fan of Anthony Bourdain in his "No Reservations" show. If chefs were rock and roll stars, Jamie Oliver would be a boy band (like thousands of others, no particular talent), Ramsey would be Oasis (loud and showy, but not much substance) and Bourdain would definitely be The Ramones.

After a leisurely start the next morning (i.e. getting up 10 minutes before check out), I had some lunch and made my way to the bustling Tarapoto airport for my flight to Iquitos.