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Ninth report from Peru.

Jim is still under the weather but we are in Chile and managed to climb the headland and view the military museum. He loved it but I always feel really sad that we are still solving the world´s problems by force instead of compromise and talk. After coming back to our hostel, I headed off to the fish market, I do love to take photos of dead fish. My favourite painting to date is probably the woman weighing fish in Thailand. This afternoon I put on my bathing suit and headed off to the beach. I was walking on the train tracks and when it crossed an area about 15 feet from the ground I just couldn´t do it. I tried twice but then gave up and headed up the hill to the road with a side walk.

I did have a lovely splash in the Pacific. Their were a whole lot of pelicans in the water. Also I got a great photo of a turkey vulture. I am minding the heat. Today my eyelids were sweating and dripping sun block into my eyes.

Seventh report from Peru.

Well Jim and I spent a couple of days planning our trip to Colca Canyon and in the end it was totally different from what we planned but probably much better, certainly safer and easier since we weren´t hiking the canyon in the dark. We did have a wonderful hike yesterday afternoon but it was easy and enjoyable.

We were picked up yesterday at 8 am and once the van was filled we set off from Arequipa. Its a long drive higher and higher and higher and going took us five hours due to several stops. We saw hundreds of lama and alpaca and the smaller wild form called vicinia. The landscape initially is rolling mountainous rubble, quite without any trees. In the distance there were volcanoes and snow capped peaks. At one point we saw a south american wood pecker; obviously misnamed because he lives in a huge area where there is absolutely no wood. Upto about 4000 meters the landscape grows cactus. From 4000 meters to 4500 meters there are no cactus but there is a scruffy staw like plant that is used for thatching roofs. About 4500 meters (and we did get to 4830 meter) the only thing that grows is a sort of moss that grows a cm a year and looks a bit like a very green pillow. (of course we are in the rainly season right now so it may not be green most of the year.) After several hours of driving we left the rolling rubble and entered the Colca valley followed by the Colca canyon which is twice as deep as the grand canyon. The beauty was spectacular, huge and rugged and filled with tiny preIncan terraces, and the snow capped peaks in the background, and the river far far far down below at the bottom of the canyon. This morning we saw Condors soaring overhead!

Of course the highlight for the trip for me was watching the women and children. They milked cows, used pick axes, herded sheep and sat and washed their clothes in ditches, all the time wearing their fantastic traditional clothing. Woven skirts, embroidered blouses and vests and woven ponchos and then gorgeous embroidered hats. The people have long black braided hair, dark complexions, high cheek bones and distinctive noses and I just loved to watch them. When it wasn´t too intrusive my camera was clicking away. Thank goodness for the 10 time optical zoom as often I could capture the photo without disturbing the natural rhythym of the day.

Fifth report from Peru.

Jim and I spent the night on a bus traveling through the most amazing mountain moonscape-like scenery on the way to Arequipa. The bus passed every other vehicle except other buses despite the fact that the road was continuous switchbacks up and down and around with very very dramatic drop offs. Most of the area had no vegetation but every now and again there would be a valley filled with lush green, set against the brown rumbly rock set again snow capped volcanoes. I would suppose that snow capped volcanoes would ensure that they are no longer active. Upon our arrival at 9 am we caught a taxi to our first choice for a hostel from our tour book. It was too expensive so without looking at the room we left. Lucky we did because the hostel manager followed us out and offered us the same room for 40 soles ($15) less and we snapped it up. It´s in an old grand cas right in the centre of Arequipa and all the local sites are within walking distance. It is really nice to visit a town without the destruction and total devistation of an earthquake, although this place has had it´s share of earthquakes as well.

Third report from Peru.

It was thirty-two years ago today that my Mom died. I still miss her and feel her influence. Due to our illnesses we decided to spend an extra day in this lovely oasis of Hachachina. Yesterday I did two sketches, one of the luguna and one a reflection of the umbrellas in the swimming pool. Then we set out by tuk tuk to Ica. The regional museum there was excellent. We saw textiles and ceramics spaning the four cultures from 1600bc until the Incas in 1500 ad. Certainly the craft tradition is highly developed here and the works are very beautiful. The pieces on display were all cerimonial pieces found buried with mummies. The mummies as well were on display. My stomach was still feeling queezy and I thought it might be hunger

From my guide book of 2001, we located a restauant and got a tuk tuk to take us there. It was a big cement hall with a few Peruvians eating at plastic tables and a small band was playing. The guitarist singer was very good and the passion of the latin american music came through even though we couldn´t understand a word. The menu was totally in Spanish and noone had any English. I though I ordered a vegetarian lunch´sans carne. To my surprise I got a huge lump of chewy beef and a dish of lima beans and guinea pig. This is all part of the experience of travel. Today we are leaving this area and travelling down the trans american highway by bus to Nasca. We will both miss the relaxed peacefulness of the oasis.

First report from Peru.

Jim and I have been here a week and it´s been very very interesting as well as extremely warm.

Yesterday was a hard long interesting day. Jim volunteered to build houses again and I went to the school project. We were to meet up at 6 at the volunteer headquarters. I should have know it would be an interesting day when I had to carry a humongous maul to the school site. As well we had to hitch hike to the site. It was all I could do to carry it. Thankfully when we started work one of the younger strong women smashed concrete for the morning to lower the floor level before pouring the cement. I got a relatively easy job of straightening reebar and weaving supports for the cement floor. The cement mixer that had been ordered for the day arrived an hour late and then was broken for five hours. But then suddenly it was fixed. I have never worked so hard in my life, shovelling cement and sand and gravel, nonstop until the floor was done!!!! Unfortunately I had better get lots of credit for this effort since my doctor now recommends that I refrain from such labout. I really did enjoy being a cog with all the young strong volunteers from all over the world.

After the floor was poured it was getting dark and David the organizer behind Hands On distaster Relief bought us some beer. Then he and his friend left. Quite a little party ensued and of course having no idea where we were I had to wait until it was over. Then we walked to the highway and hithhiked back to volunteer central. Sparky our volunteer dog raced after the truck. this was my first ride in the back of a truck!!!! Anyways Jim was no where to be found at volunteer central This didn´t bother me because I was two hours late but now I had to get a tuk tuk back to our hostel and I didn´t know the name of the hostel. Advice here is to always know where you are staying. Anyways I did recognize the place in a guide book and one of the chaps with a bit of Spanish helped me flag a tuk tuk. Luckily he was there because when another man also hopped in he got his out yelling Solo Solo. On the way back the tuk tuk ran out of gas but no more men tried to hop in and eventually I made it back safely.. Jim unfortunately had only worked to lunch time when he was hit with the trots. He´s spent today trotting, while I´ve been sketching the market.

The market is a kalidoscope of site sound and smells. Streets that sell only nails, streets that sell rope or fish or chickens, or vegetables. The colour and confusion is all superimposed on the rubble and destruction of the earth quake. At one point a umpapa band came down the street. It was a funeral procession. A hearse covered in flowers, men carrying the coffin and then a huge crowd walking followed by the trumpets and drums. I think I´d like trumpets and drums and umpapa for my funeral!!!!!