Dear Tudor;
I am an American living in Bolivia and I have been 'down South" for quite a few years now and I can state with some authority that Stan Grist is becoming a legend down here. I do feel that he is a very self-promoting sort of guy, kind of like that Tony Robbins person that used to be on TV back in the USA, but I have not met Stan in person, therefore I cannot state with any degree of certainty what sort of person he is. I will state that there are several other Americans living down here and they all seem to feel that he is somewhat of an *exaggerationist*. It seems that he uses all of the popular treasure stories in these parts and embellishes them to some degree. The sad part is that he seem to miss most of the really GOOD treasure stories though. I mean the ones that the local indians having been telling to their children around campfires for centuries. My favorite "lost city" story is "El cuidad de Paititi" or the City of El Dorado. Yes, I am talking about the Lost CIty of Gold that so many conquistadores spent their lives and meager fortunes searching for.? All historic accounts place the first references to Paititi? in the present-day locale of Bolivia, more exactly, in the province of Beni, Bolivia, which is basically a huge swamp or marsh, for lack of a better description. I've heard the basic story of Paititi at least 100 times since I've been here, along with lots of the variations. It is an interesting "lost city" story, and one which I would share with the group if anyone is interested. Also, the stories of lost cities and fabulous treasures pale in comparsion to the actual historical finds in South America too. Take Samiapata for example. This sandstone hillside sits high in the mountains 2 hours South Of Santa Cruz, Bolivia, and it must have been some type of ceremonial site. There is evidence that the carvings of Samiapata were actually started 100s of years before the Incas conquered the region and then the Incas sort of "added" to the site, including carving niches in the hillside around the circumference of the site. It is commonly stated that the Inca placed 'holy dolls" in these niches, but I feel that the truth may be slightly more sinister to us modern type of people. It is a well known fact that among the Incas, there was a sect that believed that the dead did not truly die, and that they only left their bodies behind. Ths they were mummified, and various times throughout the year, they were paraded around and given food and drink. Thus began the "Cult of the dead". One can still see remnants of this cult in the various Roman Catholic holy days. Intead of mummies however, the locals parade images of saints.? Anyway, my short answer has become longwinded, so I will close for now.
Your friend;
LAMAR