Global Soundscape

Resurrection From the Abyss: The Tale Behind Austero’s Abismo

“I’ve compiled 10 melodies that tell my tale”

Abismo is a powerful and timeless piece of art. In his first full-length album,  Austero poured four long years of work into the 10 songs that make up his newest record, a personal antidote released on May 7, 2020. Known for his deep funky bass lines, gnarly glitch sounds and mesmerizing guitar, Austero has created a contemporary masterpiece. Each installment contains an audible story with an essential place in the larger message of the album: a resurrection from the abyss.

The title Abismo draws its name from the Spanish word for abyss and reflects an intensely personal period in the life of Albino Sosa (stage name Austero). A series of events that affected his heart and threw him into a dark place in life which would break him apart, only to rise anew through music. 

After a successful international tour during the summer of 2016, Albino returned to his adopted home in Melbourne, Australia to compose his most meaningful album yet. In late 2016, soon after writing the first song for the new album, ‘Let’s Get Started’, he received an ominous number of texts and calls from his family in Mexico. Albino is originally from Tampico, Mexico and frequently returned to his homeland to be with family. It was on a cold morning when Albino remembers shaking as he heard the news that his father’s life had been taken in an attempted robbery in his hometown. Life changed for Albino from that moment forward. Less than six months later he and his wife separated, effectively leaving him alone in this world. Albino says in the deepest darkest place, he had to make a home. “I knew that this album was my only way out of the abyss,” he shared in a recent interview.

“Trying my best to stay afloat, I wrote more music. Ironically, the most beautiful songs I’ve ever written arose from that place – it is funny how art works. In 2018, I completely lost myself. I got to a point where if I had stopped, I would’ve probably died. It was there that I knew waking up was the only way out or [I would] forever lose myself in the mists of the abyss. So, with the help of the voices in my head I picked up the few pieces that were still spirited and stood up, grabbed my guitar and kept on doing music. It was the only thing I could do, and the only thing that was keeping me away from descending back to that cold and lonely basement.”

The album is a cathartic expression of the human spirit. Knowing Abismo’s origins, it is easy to see how the music is a direct reflection of the visceral emotions present and very real in him through this tough period. Each song’s unique energy holds a deeply raw and heartfelt story that can have meaning to any listener. As the sonic palette changes between each composition, the album seamlessly transitions from frenetic excitement to downtempo introspection, and back again, concluding with his most sentimental track, “Ultima Llamada”. This personal homage to his father samples one of his father’s  final voicemails, where he shares that “it’s all OK”. Dissonant sounds in the song Waterdogs challenge the listener to look into the face of those feelings we may try to avoid; while Ultima Llamada carries listeners away on a cloud of stringed melodies and shuffling drums that really do make you feel like you are ascending to somewhere above.

Woven tapestries of sound can be found in songs like Catharsis, where the final notes of the piano put listeners into a transcendental state. Dripping guitar melodies and low end vibrations can be found on most songs, surrounded by the climactic body-moving bass track Mexican Music Man delightfully infused with Latin American flavors. Perhaps the following track, one of the most fun loving songs, Back to the Funk can resonate as an uplifting summary of the album’s intention. A beautiful light hearted party tune with lyrics by local Melbourne rapper Kudos telling the golden message: remember to live right now, give love and appreciate being alive. A meaningful musical remedy to reflect upon the true friends around us and the unforgettable moments we cherish in life. 

Breaking Borders: We began our recent conversation with curiosity as to how Austero’s intentions for the album shifted after the tragic events occurred and if there was a dramatic difference in his musical expression before and after. He explained that music production comes first from the heart, then the head. This album was a deep journey of transmuting the pain into a new level of expression, a type of medicinal reflection through music making that could help him process and heal his losses.

Austero: “Well for the first part, I really didn’t even think about making music. For about maybe a year or so nothing was coming out. I usually fuel my studio/creation time with emotions, good or bad, that has always been the dynamic. But this time was different. For the first year, my brain wasn’t ready for it. I had to relearn how to do it again. My brain and my heart were so destroyed, it was hard to even start songs. And when I did, it was like I had never done it before. 

So I tried over and over again. It took a while to get into it. I’m talking about more than a year. But once I started to groove, and started to feel again, it was on! Every time I made a riff or a cool beat it was like some part of me healed, because that made me smile you know. It was medicine.

So yeah, there was a shift of energy, a difference in my expression. Everything changed, but not for the worst. I had a purpose now – a meaning. Something very personal has been put on each and every song of this album. It became catharsis.”

The background behind the album process can reveal the personality of each track and the record as a whole. We continued the conversation by opening up and deepening our understanding about certain experiences, moments of clarity and defining relationships that Austero channeled into this project. Our curiosity lay in how he reflected on the album as an extension and release of the deep emotional crises he was going through.   

“The Record as a whole has been the most alchemic healing experience of my life – real catharsis. Every song has a meaning behind it, a piece of my rollercoaster – unpredictable life at the time, printed in whichever way I could play it. Trust me, It’s all there. 

I think that more than an overall story for the album there’s an overall feeling about it. One of resilience and reinvention, overcoming life changing experiences, of dealing with life in whichever twisted ways it might present to you. The making of “Abismo” was like a musical diary, with memories and emotions transformed into something audible, almost tangible. Once the music was released, it felt so freeing, like a big weight off my shoulders. It became the conclusion of a hard, but wise chapter of my life that showed me how to let go. Now I can continue with the next chapter of my life. I’m Happy with the results.”

The four locations where Austero wrote and produced the songs for Abismo were three music studios in Melbourne and one in Monterey, Mexico. Given the diversity of sounds throughout the record from glitchy bass lines to melodic Mexican flavors, bilingual lyrics and eclectic electric guitar leads, Abismo surely gives listeners a dynamic adaptation of the cross-cultural life he lives as a music producer.

Austero also worked with several vocalists (Dub Princess, Arowe, Kudos, Caro Vargas) that added impactful words to his music. We asked him to explain how these specific artists became a part of the album process and what was the importance behind adding a defining lyrical element to this project. He expressed to us how each artist came through strong with their unique expression which complemented the musical story and emotional process he was going through very well. The human experience is a journey that can translate to every person, everywhere and with both lyrics and instrumentation, there can be a synchronized meaning that’s mutual. However, some songs in Abismo contain lyrics that are essential in translating the depth of reality he faced in the abyss.

“Well, I think that most importantly we have to establish that all these artists did their thing.. I definitely had a part on every song, but they just smashed it!! I think that the most important song for me is Ultima Llamada, the importance of the emotion it evokes is irreplaceable. Without words it would be impossible to explain the complexity of this puzzle.” 

 As we continued our conversation, the direction of interest turned towards the technical side of Austero’s work.  In our current time, electronic music production is very advanced and offers infinite possibilities for a producer to dial in a signature sound.  We started off with curiosity around the digital audio workstation (or DAW) he prefers to use to produce music and how he balances live recording with computer-based sounds for creating a composition. 

“I use Logic audio. I usually go for a lot of recording guitar, pianos, vocals, bass, synths, etc. I usually don’t use soft synths at all.  A lot of my drums were recorded in Mexico. I also use samples. I was never good at cracking software and all of that, so I always tried to use outboard gear. “

Austero went on to explain a general session flow for making a song and how he gets in the zone to produce quality music. We asked if there was a defined template of choice he built off from or if he preferred to start from scratch each time. 

“I start from scratch, I have a template but just to have my gear ready to use.  I usually start with a guitar riff or a piano scale, and then usually if it flows, I get in the zone and then time becomes a construction of the human mind, you’re out with the fairies! Usually when I see myself not moving forward much or stuck in the starting of a song and it’s not flowing, I just let go of the idea. Start over again.”

Our last technical question regarded his favorite plugs-ins and sampling techniques that are essential for the Austero sound. 

“Nope, no favorite plugins. I’ve got a big sky reverb unit that I love, and a Moog Moogerfooger analog delay pedal that I always use, so it’s almost all outta the box. Delays, reverbs, Fx. It’s good to have your own sound with some things, like my delay is never absolutely on time, cause it’s not a plug in, and that’s cool.”

Overall, the electronic sound design is diverse throughout Abismo, giving listeners a dynamic musical journey where each track holds a special production quality and displays a beautiful tapestry which is never redundant. Austero expressed the intention behind the types of arrangements that came through him for this album and how inspired emotions brought out his authentic sound.

“Look to be honest, I just flow with my capacities. I’m not a trained musician and I love that, everything I do is outta pure inspiration and emotion. Obviously after many years of doing this you know some things work better than others but usually I just get into the zone, when I can,  and caffeine infused hours pass without me having no track of it all, and then at the end of the day or usually the next day you just sit down to listen to what you’ve done with almost no recollection of what it was. 

I knew that I needed to do something special for Ultima Llamada because it’s a special song, emotive, and sincere. So I tried my best to merge Mexican flavors with electronic music and a lot of emotion. With Let’s Get Started I just wanted to sound new to myself, it was the first song I did, almost 5 yrs ago. I was coming from a long break of not doing anything and I just wanted to do something fresh and inspirational.”

One of the most notable aspects of Austero’s latest work is the overarching theme of Mexican influences that are apparent in Abismo, embedding musical flavors of his heritage. He describes how the inherent relationship with Mexico he possesses is always present during the production process and by weaving those ancestral qualities of his homeland with the other international collaborations was the best part of the creative journey.

“I was born a Mexican and I’ll die a Mexican my friend, like we would say back home, “this ain’t the flu”, meaning it doesn’t go away. I’m very proud of my heritage, it will always be a part of me so it comes naturally just to infuse those rhythms or colorful scenarios cause, that’s who I am. Batteries are included. Weaving it all together was the best part of it, for example in Ultima Llamada, a completely Mexican Ranchera style song in essence. I recorded Megumi Hope (Dub Princess) doing back vocals for Caro Vargas, someone she’s never met, both trying to portray my story, a feeling of something that had never happened to them.”

The album’s diverse sound dynamic in exceptional but we felt the most defining take away from Abismo is the streaming current of heart and soul through Austero’s melodies, lyrics and samples, thus bringing a humanistic depth that can connect to listeners and dance floors worldwide. Austero speaks upon how he feels these compositions can help bring the world together in this time and the real beauty of his music is through the emotions that go into each project which can resonate with the personal struggles that all people face.

“Well, as we all know it, life sometimes gets hard. I know from experience and making these songs got me through some heavy times. I could only hope that they would do the same for other people too. Whatever hardships they’re going through..”

To conclude our interview we brought the focus to the future and asked Austero to give us a glimpse of how he intends to share the Abismo live after it has been released. Unfortunately, like most performing artists at the moment, his plans for a tour changed. A return for the Symbiosis’s Global Eclipse gathering in Patagonia this year is still pending but all is uncertain now. He shares thoughts on the global pandemic and an exciting vision to bring his live act back to the stage consisting of all featured artists on the album.

“Well the “collective” as I like to call it, is, almost all the featured artists of the album playing in one stage, we’ve done it a few times and it’s amazing.. the level of musicality and spontaneity is great, and fun, and terrifying at the same time.  It’s Alejandro on the Mexican guitars which is such a show to watch, Arowe on vocals, Kudos Mc’ing and backbone of the arrangements is Mista Savona with his unique piano flavour. Just orchestrate everything from behind. They do their thing, and they do it well. 

We had a national tour for the album launch, but everything changed. I don’t know if the Patagonia gig is going on. It’s all limbo vision at the moment – shit has hit the fan. Probably a good time to rethink how we live our lives. We’re all in this together and play our unique part in the ecosystem, might as well respect all living beings as much as we can. Everybody deserves to be happy.”

Global Soundscape

Serenity Gathering Recap: Conversation with Kalya Scintilla & Eve Olution

Upon returning from Serenity Gathering, we feel the utmost exuberance from the experience we had. The intimacy, openness and intention of the festival allowed for a container to fully drop in, release the body and recharge the heart and mind. The smaller production of Serenity at Woodward Reservoir was easily noticed compared to the large scale of Symbiosis we observed in the past. The close knit feel provided a nourishing energy, that was not over stimulating and fluidly comfortable throughout.

The music, spirit and community connection during the weekend created great momentum to carry forward into the vibrant summer months ahead. In celebration of the festival’s strong impression on us, we are incredibly excited to present our post-coverage interview with the closing artist and headliner Kalya Scintilla and Eve Olution.

As a leading contributor at Serenity Gathering and events like it, we invited Kalya to offer personal insights on how he makes his music and how it is received. Our conversation ranges from a discussion on the inclusion of nature and sampling techniques to appropriation and the importance of ancient culture in electronic music production today. Enjoy!

  1. Australian Inspiration

Breaking Borders: Inspiration from your Australian background has certainly helped you create a signature for your sound. You’ve mentioned that you’ve even picked up the didgeridoo after a series of dreams. How has aboriginal dreamtime and integration of nature consciousness played into your music production?

Kalya Scintilla and Eve Olution: There is an intimate link that has been there from the start. It is only now after living abroad for 5+ years that I see and feel how deep that link is. Growing up in that ancient land and spending a lot of my early years from child to adult in ‘the bush’ it was just second nature. I never really  thought about the influence that Land has on art until I started to see the patterns when creating music in other foreign lands. Nature is ever present. Infinitely inspiring. She is clear and focused, serene and calming (most of the time). When you immerse yourself in her world you have no choice but to breathe that soothing energy into your life and all that you do. She is still the number one inspiration for all my artistic endeavors.

The Dreamtime, stories and wisdom of the indigenous tribes of Australia have started to weave their way into my life in a big way in the last 6 months. I have been reading books, listening to music and chants, watching documentaries and brought a new Dreaming Diary to write down my dreams again. The new Merkaba songs intend to focus this inspiration and energy.

https://soundcloud.com/kalyascintilla/01-kalya-scintilla-manzanita?in=kalyascintilla/sets/listen-to-the-trees

  1. Inspiration From the Ancient

Your music blends technological elements from today with traditional elements from the past. What inspires you to root your music so deeply in these indigenous sounds? Do you feel that incorporating ancient culture elicits something in the listener that is relevant today?

For the most part ancient tribes and peoples had a stronger and more healthy relationship with our mother earth. Not all of them of course, there were many ancients that caused destruction. But I tend to listen for stories of those attuned to the mother and weave that into the narrative and intention of the songs. Eve weaves this energy in through the live performance.

We echo the stories and sounds of the ancients because we feel it as a necessary grounding force for our current state as a human family. There is currently so much disconnection from an awareness, relationship and responsibility to the earth. It looks as though things are very much out of balance and yet inside every human lies the connection to all that has come before. Many humans live a lot of their life looking into a screen, living entirely from their head. There is nothing wrong with technology but if we quest for it in a way where we forget our connection to the mother then its game over, which is now becoming obvious to everyone.

Through music and performance that has intentionally been created to carry a feeling of something ancient, we intend to offer a moment to reconnect to our bodies and thus reconnect to mother earth.

It’s as simple as a drum beat and bare feet dancing on the earth.

  1. Audio Alchemy

With your participation as a speaker for the Audio Alchemy Retreat last year, you had the opportunity to teach about your music production process on a deeper level. Can you sum up your connection to the Audio Alchemy process in reflection to your own workflow? How does incorporating esoteric elements into your process help define your sound?

We (Eve and I)  simply create stories and intentions based on what inspires and resonates with us. Then we jam and collage ideas and throw things back and forth. The key is to be light hearted and to have fun during the creation process. The times I have become to serious or mental the music stops writing itself and the struggle is real. There is a huge link between self work, respect, and the creative process; so when it is creation time we like to get in a flow of eating well, getting lots of sleep, taking time to rest and be in nature.

Whatever you are embodying in your life will end up in your creative mandala.

  1. Using Samples to Connect with Former Selves

Your insights from a past interview have brought forth the idea that using samples from a variety of locations and time periods can evoke a connection to past incarnations of the self. Bridging off from this, what instruments, rhythms and/or frequencies do you particularly resonate with for this purpose? What are some of the ways you work with specific samples and sound design techniques that transmit a strong effect on the listener?

It’s all in the feeling. A simple beat of an African drum is already taking you back to an ancient place…. Why? Because we now know that the current human came from Africa and all of our blood links back to that place. There is a library of human story in our blood and DNA and we are just starting to understand this concept and its importance. That’s why I feel a certain place, sound or smell can trigger a familiar feeling when experiencing it for the first time. It’s like time travel but the technology is not some advanced machine created on the outside, its the human body and its infinite wisdom on the inside.

The way we tap into this wisdom is not through the mind and its brilliant ability to calculate but through the heart and it’s effortless ability to navigate.

So as far as technique goes it’s all about feeling throughout the process. Playing with ideas, visions and concepts and feeling them as you create. It’s a feedback loop between your body and your art… always.

I intend to translate this process deeper into a video or course one day.

  1. Sampling and Appropriation

In recent years, there has been a debate over the act of appropriation versus appreciation within electronic music production. When incorporating samples from other cultures that are not your own, where do you see this line drawn with regards to appropriating traditions versus honoring them through music?

The fact I stated earlier sums it up. Through DNA testing we can see and know that we are ALL connected. Through awareness of the lines of wisdom from ancient Tibet, India, Indonesia, Egypt, Africa, and so many more we hear a human story of reincarnation. A story that for thousands of years has told us that the soul never dies and choses to come back into human form again and again. Through these two lines of science and spirituality we are already seeing the story of separation dissolve.

If we look at the history of most countries around the world we see a story of invasion. Tribes conquering tribes, countries invading countries. All ethnic expressions dominating each other and themselves for thousands and thousands of years. Again this awareness gives us a sense of moving from a story of us versus them and into a story of us…. All Humans.

If you understand this you can experience reverence, honoring and intention to all human cultures. These shape the expression, your authentic connection, and awareness of ancient peoples when you choose to echo their sounds or stories. I feel that if your choice is to express an ancient culture’s sound or story which is intentionally done in a way of honoring, celebrating them, as well as respecting their customs, traditions, and rituals then this is extremely positive.

The way that the term ‘cultural appropriation’ is being used nowadays is a form of racism and segregation. Imagine if someone yelled ‘cultural appropriation’ at you because you ate a pizza and you’re not Italian. You see…. It doesn’t make sense. You are a human celebrating being a human and loving your pizza when you eat it.

The ancient stories, rituals, cultures, are becoming lost and forgotten; so it’s our responsibility to assist them to echo back to the future. If an ancient culture does not want their story told, then we need to respect that too.

And the story of the drunk kid at a festival wearing a Native American War Bonnet…. Why waste your energy shaming them when you can take the time to educate and inspire them instead. Teach them something about those ancient peoples that will then show them the doorway to knowledge and reverence.

  1. Live Elements

Adding a live component can certainly bring more energy and connection to an electronic music experience, just as you introduced with the live performance art and narrative of Eve Olution. How do you feel the crowd’s interaction with your music has evolved now that there is additional live accompaniment on top of an already rich tapestry of sound?

In the same way that music can trigger an emotion and an altered state so can theatre. Through her training and background in classical theatre, Eve brings a cultivated transmission of true embodiment. She invites us into the present moment, authentically modulating her emotion body and subtle energy so that it may be felt by those open to feel it. This assists in creating another, deeper, more subtle layer to the experience on the dance floor. The human energy field extends far beyond the body and we know that humans experience cathartic and empathic connections with one another over distance. So Eve will create an archetype/character or emotion matching the music and that will ripple out through the crowd. The vibe of the entire space changes as people become energetically invited into experiencing the present moment where sensations are heightened and everyone feels more connected & alive.

That’s the magic, power, and medicine of true theatre!

https://soundcloud.com/kalyascintilla/01-evocation-master-2444-full?in=kalyascintilla/sets/ope-ancient-eyes-a-story-book-of-earth

  1. Serenity’s Size

Serenity Gathering’s relatively small size must be exciting for you to play as it allows for a more intimate connection with the crowd and a unified experience. What about Serenity Gathering and smaller festivals in general do you look forward to as opposed to larger attractions? Do you have an ideal environment to perform in?

Intimate gatherings can and do have a special vibe to them that’s not often found at larger ones. But that said there are some large festivals out there that hold a special vibe overall. This concept of a unified experience is something I feel we, as a festival culture, are still working towards. When you have so many substances available these days to change your filter and perspective, the energy can become quite the opposite of unified. Now I’m not saying that anyone should not do anything if it’s not hurting another human, but imagine what it would be like if when we shift from using festivals, substances and dancing as a way to escape to instead using them to re-connect. Green superfood smoothies for all!

Africa, Pictures, Tunisia

Tunis: Medieval souqs and 21st Century Politics

Only two hours from Paris by plane, Tunis is a city of ancient Roman ruins, chaotic Middle Eastern markets and grand French boulevards. At times, Tunis can feel like any other large European city, with modern technology companies sprouting out of new developments on the outskirts, with freeways and trolly lines criss crossing the city. Yet sometimes, between the last call to prayer and the sip of a hot mint tea in an ancient cafe, it feels distinctly North African. Tunis is not only compelling for visitors with of its assault on the senses, it is also the scene of some of the most important moments in 21st century politics and history.

Tunisia was the first and, so far, only successful democratic revolution to come out of the Arab Spring. After decades of dictatorship, young Tunisians brought down the regime and are now in the process of building a new, democratic Tunisia. However the direction of the country is yet to be determined. In the dusty coffee shops and cafes of the medieval medina, locals argue over the pros and cons of democracy, dictatorship and Islam. Did the stability of the dictatorship help keep unemployment low? Did the revolution give power to Islamist groups? And if so, what does that mean for Tunisia’s liberal and secular youth? One would be hard pressed to find another city in the world where these different world views are being so openly discussed.

By Walker Dawson

Sunset over the medina of Tunis, a vast district of winding lanes, shops, mosques and mausoleums.
Street musicians performing on Avenue Habib Bourguiba, named after the country’s first president after independence from France in the 1950s.
Lined with open air coffee shops and restaurants, Avenue Habib Bourguiba is considered the Champs-Elysées of Tunis. The avenue was the epicenter of mass protests in 2011 when the Arab Spring began.
Weeks of sustained protests finally led to the downfall of the dictatorship, ushering in a new area of democracy.
A local resident on one of the medinas back alleys.
The front steps of the Al-Zaytuna Mosque, the heart of the medina quarter.
The Al-Zaytuna Mosque, which was built in 732 using pieces from the ruins of Carthage.
Typical Tunisian door fronts. The tradition of nail-decorated doors was originally introduced to North Africa by the Andalusians of Spain. The Tunisians mastered this art and now these painted doors became one of the characteristics of North African homes.
Café du Souk, located in the heart of the medieval quarter, attracts young folks looking for a place to watch soccer games, smoke shisha and drink tea or coffee.
Traditional North African bath houses are an integral part of the regions culture. Bath houses in Tunisia go as far back as 145 AD during the Roman period in Carthage.
El-Kachachine Hammam has been around for over 400 years, a holdout from the Ottoman era when Turkish bathhouses peppered the medina quarter.
However, the bathhouse has fallen on hard times since the Arab Spring. Foreign tourism is down in Tunisia. For more on the situation of traditional Tunisian bathhouses, check out this article by Simon Speakman Cordall: http://www.tunisia-live.net/2014/01/19/a-tale-of-two-hammams/
On the outskirts of Tunis, the expansive Bardo National Museum houses one of the largest art collections in the Middle East.
Housed in a 15th century palace, the museum contains one of the finest and most extensive collection of Roman mosaics in the world. Tunisia was once an integral part of the Roman Empire.
Barbed wire surrounding the French embassy in downtown Tunis.
Cathédrale Saint-Vincent-de-Paul de Tunis, built in 1897. Tunis is a city of mosques, catholic cathedrals and even a Jewish synagogue.
Théâtre municipal de Tunis, built in 1902.

 

 

Peru, Pictures, South America

Into the Jungles of Peru

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Vast Amazonian jungle is not always the first thing that comes to mind when people imagine Peru. However, the Peruvian Amazon covers 60% of the country and a remarkable 96% of its fresh water eventually drains into the Amazon basin.

During our last excursion to Peru we explored the land of the Incas, ventured up the highest inhabited place on earth, and ate our way through Lima, South America’s culinary capital, so we figured it was time to return to Peru and head into the jungle.

This time I had a Peruvian friend, Marissé, who was willing to accompany me on a jungle adventure. She has family in Lamas, a enchanting town in the hills near Tarapoto. So we decided to head there and make a few stops along the way.

The sweltering jungle rainforest metropolis of Tarapoto lies at the edge of the Andean foothills and the boundless jungle. The muggy streets are packed with mototaxis, three wheeled motorcycles, and stalls piled high with fresh fruit.  The locals almost sing when they speak Spanish and are exceedingly friendly.

Tarapoto is popular vacation destination for Peruvians, usually the gringos head to Iquitos.  During the 80’s Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path) terrorized the Amazon jungle and the central highlands. Years of coca cultivation and trafficking followed in these regions. Thus for many years large areas in Peru were off limits to travelers, but now it  is mostly safe and the burgeoning Peruvian middle class is taking advantage of the their country’s natural wealth.

The jungle is worlds away from the chaos of dusty Lima and the breathless colonial, Andean cities. It is a land of plenty. Seemingly every plant can be eaten or used in some way.  There will always be dinner. What they lack in modern amenities they more than make up for in spirit. No trip to Peru is complete with out a journey into the jungles of Peru.

We descended through conical, forested hills into the lush and sticky market town of Tingo Maria.
Resting adjacent to the town in a hill that the locals refer to as La Bella Durmiente (Sleeping Beauty). They say she was princess of one of two tribes who was secretly in love with the other tribe’s prince. When the elders found out she was turned into stone.
Mototaxis dominate the jungle streets. They can tackle anything from flooded streets to bumpy dirt roads.
We could have wander the market all day eating unknown fruits and drinking the freshes juices. Like all markets in Peru it was chaotic, raw and full of life, but the market in Tingo was the craziest. We were lured to the mountains of salted river fish by the pungent smell.
Armadillo was just one of the many animals, alive and dead, that were on sale in the market.
After a bumpy 8 hour journey through former narco country we arrived in Juanjui. We rode with a cop who explained that this inaccessible region was a hotbed of coca, but since the creation of a new police force in Juanjui that activity has decreased. In remote regions coca is preferable because of its accessibility compared to other heavier crops.
As we sat alongside the surging Rio Huallaga a girl brought her pig for a drink.
From Juanjui we took a combi (shared van) to Tarapoto, the department’s largest city and economic hub. The family seated in front of us was bringing what appeared to be a juvenile jaguar pelt to sell in the market.
Tarapoto and the surrounding area have been inhabited for hundreds of year. In many places the jungle has been tamed for the cultivation of numerous crops and cattle grazing.
While searching for a waterfall we discovered a clandestine aguardiente still. The friendly family running it were using a rudimentary machine to mash the juice out of the sugar cane. They fed what was left over to the cows.
One of the children looks on while his brother mashes the suger cane.
A bottle of Aguardiente cost around .50 cents.
The hills around Tarapoto are often shrouded in clouds and flush with waterfalls.
Majas soup is a speciality in the region. It was very tasty.
Napoleon sells masks near the main plaza in Tarapoto.
The best place to start in any city or town is the market. A group of colorful, young men wandered the market singing and dancing, trying to make an extra buck.
They danced their way through the market.
Cars are rare in the jungle. Motorcyles and scooters are common.
We were wondering why there were pictures of this man all over Tarapoto. Turns out he is a homeless man who spends his days cleaning the streets of the city. He is a local hero.
By far one my favorite meals in Peru. The Upscale restaurant served typical food from the jungle with a little extra flare. We tried chonta salad made from buttery heart of palm and avacados and sampled four types of Juane. Juane is one of the main dishes in the jungle. It is rice, olives, hard boiled eggs and meat, wrapped in a bijao leaf and boiled. We tried river shrimp, fish, pork and chicken (the most common.)
In the hills above Tarapoto where the temperature is noticably cooler lies the enchanting town of Lamas. My friend has a chacra (small farm) on the outskirts of the town. We decided to brave the mosquitos and spiders to sleep there.
As the night engulfed us on the chacra an array of bright stars illuminated the night.
The next morning we discovered Virginia, the neighbor and caretaker, preparing aji, a salsa made from spicy, native peppers
This was her father Jose.
Her mother was happy to host us for breakfast.
Boiled pijuayo (peach palm) and coffee for breakfast.
A typical home in the jungle. The houses usually have a second level for sleeping.
The father of Jean, the little boy, asked me to be his godfather. I said I would think about it, but soon he was telling everyone that I was his godfather. So its pretty much official.
HIs energetic sister wanted me to try all the different fruits she could find.
Ciruela (similar to a plum) was one of my favorite new fruit discoveries. Fruit is free in the jungle because it is growing everywhere. I found a tree and was eating these all day long.
We walked to a community deeper in the jungle where people were gathering to play football. While the men played the women made white clay pots.
She was tending to the fire while the pots baked.
A typical jungle lunch of rice, beans, a little bit of pork and of course bananas. Bananas are used in what seems like every dish in the jungle.
Resting in the shade.
The winding road through the Cordillera Azul, the Blue Mountains, was stunning.
A last glimpse of the jungle before we crossed up and over into the Andes.
Balkans, Macedonia, Pictures

Unmasking Macedonia

In Europe the road less traveled leads directly to Macedonia.  A land of stunning natural beauty, an eclectic mix of ancient history and modernity and some of the most welcoming people on the continent.

At every turn I was welcomed with open arms, offered coffee, followed quickly by a shot (or two) of rakiya, a strong fruit brandy, and often food followed. This is not the cold Europe that many have come to expect. In fact it is more reminiscent of an Ottoman and Soviet infused dreamland.

The landscape is absolutely stunning from the glittering shores of Lake Ohrit to the steep cliffs of Matka Canyon. Unfortunately, as is the case across much of the former Yugoslavia, industry has disappeared, and along with it went the jobs and the social safety net. While everything is relatively cheap, the average wage is the lowest in Balkans at less than $400 per month.

Jobs are increasingly scarce in Macedonia’s slumping economy, however the younger generation is tapping into the global, digital gold rush. In Veles I met a professional video game player.  A few of his friends are part of a ring of over 100 fake new websites based in Veles that tapped into the US economy by spreading fake news. It turned into a very lucrative hobby as the US election heated up.

Corruption runs rampant and is clearly visible in the capital, Skopje,  currently undergoing a massive government-led transformation. Most Macedonians think that the money is being misused. Giant statues of Alexander are great, but all the money could be spent in far more productive way.  The roads are full of potholes and crucial infrastructure is crumbling.  Turns out construction is a wonderful way to launder money and this is not lost on the people.  They voiced their disgust with the ruling party during the Colorful Revolution this past summer, but so far it was only a small step in the right direction.

Macedonia is immune to labels and endlessly fascinating.  Part Balkan, part Mediterranean and rich in Greek, Roman and Ottoman history, this tiny country has much to offer.  Ultimately I would return simply for the people.  It is not too late to explore Macedonia and experience a little known slice of Europe before it lurches out of obscurity.

Through couchsurfing I me a guy traversing the Balkans in a van. We decided to drive to Macedonia together. After corrupt border officials held the van for hours, we were finally let through and set off to find a obscure village in the rural Macedonian hills. This is the village we stumbled upon.
The village was Rusjatsi (Русјаци) in the western hills of Macedonia. As we pulled up, we ran into Simon. Here he is standing on top of the guesthouse he is constructing in the center of the village. He had recently returned from Australia, after spending the last 35 years there in the ‘special forces.’
In typical Macedonian fashion Simon immediately quickly invited us in to his home and offered us coffee, followed by whiskey and beer. We ended up staying with him for two nights.
Feeling slightly buzzed from the potent mix of beverages, Simon offered to show us around the village.
Upon returning to his house it was clear that word had spread quickly of our arrival.
Simon’s next door neighbor was Milosim Vojneski, the mayor of Macedonia Brod. Later that evening he too invited over for a more coffee and Rakija.
All across the former Yugoslavia, industry has collapsed. Leaving many towns, like Macedonia Brod much worse off than they were during days of Yugaslavia when there was a big arms factory nearby. It is not uncommon to hear people longing for the good old days when work and wives were plentiful.
I set up camp in the mayor’s back yard.
It was Sunday and we were wandering the streets of Macedonia Brod looking for a place to eat. I asked this man if he could point me in the right direction. Instead he invited me into his home and his mother quickly prepared coffee, while the father fetched the rakiya. As we drank they harvested some tomatoes, peppers and corn from their small garden and served them to us with big hunk of Sirene cheese from their farm outside of the town. Sirene is a brined cheese like feta. We could not have asked for better meal.
After returning to Rusjatsi, I ventured off on my own to explore. As I was taking pictures of the donkey, this woman invited me in for coffee.
Stepping into their home was like going back in time.
Turns out their children live in Chicago. One is a barber. They had a little shrine of all the items their kids had sent them. Everything was untouched in its original packaging, They didn’t know how to open the plastic packaging.
It was to be our last night in Rusjatsi so Peter’s pal, Slavko, cooked us feast. He piled pork, potatoes, onions and chillies in the wood fired stove and cooked it to perfection. Great way to end our stay in the obscure Macedonian village.
After a few days in rural Macedonia I headed out on my own to the capital Skopje, which lies on the banks of the Vardar River.
The center of Skopje is undergoing a massive transformation.
Alexander the Great towers over everyone.
Last summer anti government protests erupted in Skopje when the President stopped the ongoing investigations of the Prime minister and dozens of other politicians involved in a wiretapping scandal.
Protesters threw paint filled balloons at government buildings, statues and monuments. The colors have been left as a constant visual reminder of the corrupt government.
Crawling through the streets of Skopje is a fleet of new Chinese knockoffs of London’s classic Routemaster double decker busses.
The oldest references to Skopje’s Old Bazaar date back to the 12th century. It was damaged numerous times during the 20th century, but it is still going strong and full of cafes and mosques.
No trip to Macedonia is complete without tasting the Kebapi at Destan, Skopje’s oldest Kebapi spot in the Old Bazaar.
I ate burek every morning with a glass of yogurt. There were usually three options: meat, spinach and cheese. It is similar to quiche with croissant crust.
I ran into the owner of my hostel in a the city park practicing axe throwing. Never know when it could come in handy.
Shutka, the gypsy capital of the world, lies on the outskirts of Skopje. As one of the largest Romani towns in the world, it is the only place where Romani language is the official language and taught in primary school.
It is also home to cheap and bustling street market.
It is a wonderful place to wander around, shop, eat and meet people.
Like this guy, the local goose walker.
Or this happy guy.
A mosque in the center of Shutka.
Just west of Skopje is Matka Canyon. The canyon area is home to several historic churches and monasteries dating back to the 14th Century, including St. Andrew’s Monastery which contains frescoes painted by Jovan the Metropolitan.
I was invited by a friend to visit her home in Veles. The city made international news in 2016 when it was revealed that a group of teenagers were controlling over 100 websites producing fake news articles in support of U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump, which were heavily publicized on the social media sites like Facebook.
My friend’s grandma rocking traditional clothing.
Her parents spent all afternoon preparing a delicious dinner of succulent pork, juicy chicken, and stuffed peppers, followed by homemade mastika (Macedonian ouzo.)