Sacsayhuaman and a Soothsayer

Today I got to go to Sacsayhuaman. The first time I tried to go there I got on the wrong bus and ended up back at the Plaza de Armas.  This time I was successful and what a treat.  The place is huge and there is so much to explore and yet again so much I just don't understand. 

I was drawn to one area of the ruins because there was a small pack of llamas there.  I found out that they are actually a mix between a llama and an alpaca.  The herder was busy at work keeping them in the site and they were busy at work eatign grass and trotting around looking cool.  As in- I am a llama, and therefore I am cooler than you, but I do not judge.  Oh how I want to pet one and squish my hands into that lovely wool.

I was traveling with another woman today, a student from Philadelphia.  She just arrived yesterday and speaks just enough Spanish to interupt conversations at awkward points.  We ended up talking to an old man, because I asked him something about the llamas.  He sat right down on the grass and visited with us.  He told me he was a spiritual guide and that he knew I had a strong personality and that the other woman was not as strong but was seeking.  He also told me that he knew I had two children, a boy and a girl.  Then he showed us a meteorite and handed it to the other woman.  She asked him "are you like an archeologist?" She kept asking me what he was saying and I told her I'd fill her in later.  It made for an interesting visit.  Later I thought it was pretty wise for him to compliment me since I was the one who could actually understand him.  As we parted I gave him a tiger's milk bar and a box of raisins. 

Back in town the student from Philadelphia used the ATM at the bank and her card got sucked in.  It was really interesting for me to see her reaction.  Even though she had a pocket full of Soles she was so stressed out (which I admit, I would be as well), but as I've observed people living with very limited means I had a hard time feeling very stressed out about her challenge.  She has plenty for the weekend and certainly plenty of loved ones who can wire her money.  I just keep saying "It's all relative" both in English and in Spanish.

Soon I will write about my visit to the special needs school of my teacher Jose's son Marcelo.  Marcelo is very disabled and can only communicate by smiling.  I will start volunteering there on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons.  All I will say right now is that the director was THRILLED to get the stack of books I brought.  She took time to look at each book and ensured me they would be well used at the school.  More later.  In the mean time, jump for joy if you can use your legs, and thank God when you land back on the ground.  I thank God for each of you because without everyone's love support and encouragement I wouldn't be here on this adventure.

Love to all,
Jen

Qorikancha and Cuss Words

I got to spend the afternoon at Qorikancha yesterday.  Many eager guides offered their services at the gate, but I opted to wander around on my own in a more meditative state.  This incredibly peaceful place was built on the Incan Temple of the Sun and was said to have walls plated with gold.  The Spaniards took the gold, but the dignity and beauty remain. 

I especially enjoyed walking around the gardens.  Large dark clouds were gathering the entire time I was there but I took my time to explore and tried not to worry about getting rained on.  Afterall I have a good raincoat and a cozy home to return to here in Cusco.

This last picture is for my bro Ed.  I thought it looked like Dozer smoking an ear of corn.  If any dog could have done that it would have been Dozer.  Corn is definitely king here.  Every day at lunch I have a corn drink called chicha morada that is delicious and refreshing.

One last note- if you've been reading all of this you must be waiting for Cuss Words (oh aren't you embarassed!).  Ha, well I'm not going to write any, but I have to tell you about why I'm trying to learn some.  Last week at the Chocolate museum with my instructor I had an embarssing and dramatic fall down some stairs.  My body was fine, but I felt like an idiot because as I was falling I yelled out "SHIT!" (there's your cuss word!).  Afterwards I told Wilfedo that I felt like I failed some kind of basic test.  Here I am in Peru and I don't even know a cuss word to yell out!  Well, Wilfredo was more than happy to help me out in that regard.  Don't worry Aly, I promise I only have a small handful of words to use in just the right circumstance.

Love to you all and watch your step!
-Jen

Tiny Eggs and Beautiful Dances

In front of my school in the morning there is a woman selling boiled eggs mostly to the little kids who go to preschool next door.  That on its own is pretty cool, but these eggs are tiny!  Imagine a pigeon egg- but with a pretty shell.  The woman peels the eggs and serves them in a plastic baggie with a toothpick.  I was telling my host mom Nancy about them and she said she would get some for us to have some morning for breakfast.  Cool! 

The coolest part is that underneath the little stand are some baby birds....but wait!  They're full size!  Just tiny little birds that lay cute tiny little eggs.  Imagine the cute deviled eggs Kate and I could make with those eggs!

Last night I went to the Centro Cultural de Cusco and watched some folk dances.  It was just beautiful and my favorite part was the band in the background.  There were about fourteen people playing mandolins, guitars, fiddles, flutes and drums and the music was so rich and playful.  The dancers were of course beautiful and the costume changes they pulled off were impressive.  Lots of colorful spinning and twirling and also quite a lot of humor in the dancing which I didn't expect.  I went to the dance alone which was admittedly pretty lonely until I got to chat with a woman from Uruguay who was really friendly. 

Brenda and I are on the countdown for our trip to Puno to see her parents.  We will take the bus Friday afternoon.  I really like my teacher Jose this week.  He has a son who is severly disabled and we are going to go to visit his son's school this week hopefully.

Last night it rained really hard and reminded me of Oregon.  I got to talk to lots of family yesterday- Dan who is holding down the fort in Portland, and Mom, Kate and Alan who are all in Finley.  Alan only talked to me for about 30 seconds, long enough to tell me that he got to go shopping with Grandma and had new socks, underwear, a shirt and pants!  Kate was more chatty and she sounds so grown up! 

Love to you all,

Jen

My New Family Here

Today I met my friend Aly's Aunt and Uncle who live here in Cusco just 6 blocks from my house!  I have a lovely new Tía Lili and Tío Tomás and I couldn't be happier about this great fortune.  Tía Lili called me this morning and invited me to come for lunch.  Lunch is the biggest meal of the day and in Tía Lili's house that is an understatement!  We ate chicken noodle soup, gigantic corn with fresh cheese (the gigantic corn does have a name I just can't think of it right now).  I was already full and happy and then Tía Lili brought out the main dish!  It was trout, but not any kind of trout I've ever seen because it was as large as a salmon steak!  The most delicious fish I've ever eaten.  We also had potatoes- one yellow and the other purple on the outside, brocolli, and a vegetable salad.  After dinner we had a mate (Tea of herbs), that they said would be very good for the digestion.  The food was amazing, but I have to say the conversation was even more lovely.  Tía Lili's son Daniel and brother were there as well as her nephew and of course Tío Tomás.  They laughed and joked and we all feasted and everyone was so interested and curious about me and eagerly looked at my photo album.  We made some plans to meet early next week which I eagerly await.  It felt like a homecoming to be at their house and sit at such a friendly table. 

My body is achy all over from the horse ride, but I couldn't have a more happy spirit right now.  Also I got to talk to Kate and Mom and Dad today on the Skype telephone and everyone sounded really great.  Tonight the girls are spending the night at Aunt Kathy's and the boys are going to a Blazers game.  I feel very happy knowing they're all together having a good time.  Did I already mention my body is achy?  Even my ears!  This will all heal, but these memories will stay forever.

Love to you all,
Jen

The View from Up Here

My view for most of the day

Today I experienced one of the most beautiful days of my life on a horseback ride from Maras to Moray and then the salineras.  The beginning of the trip gave me a taste for what was to come- we drove from the city to Maras and the whole way were all different types of plants growing in fields, animals of every kind (pigs, cows, dogs, burros and sheep) and markets along the way since it was Saturday.  It felt so good to be out in the country.

When we arrived in Maras we met the horses and boy were they beautiful.  Most people who I told about my plans for Saturday said that the horses wouldn't really be Peruvian Paso horses but they were the real deal.  It was just me and one other student from my school, and then our guides were a super nice Peruvian man named Alvi and his sweet and gorgeous Cuban/Canadian girlfriend Evelyn.  They were both clearly in love with the horses and with each other and it made the whole trip that much more enjoyable.

We rode through the town at first to get out on the trail.  My first horse was Inti and then they switched me to the lead horse Picaflor (hummingbird).  So I was in the front on the horse that they said was "the boss"!  He was the fastest for sure which at first was so scary but by the end of the day I was charged with lovely adrenalin that I was having fun urging him to go a bit faster.  He knew the trail well and I never really had to guide him direction wise, but occasionally a guide would say "a la derecha"or "a la izquierda"and very gently I would adjust his reigns.

Our first stop was the Incan ruins of Moray.  It was used as an agricultural study by the Incans where they tried different plants in different microclimates.  So essentially they created 25 microclimates in this one place that is thought to be created by a meteor.  I really can't capture the depth, but hopefully you can get a bit of a feel for it.  We walked all the way to the bottom and the walk back up was surprisingly difficult.  Still the altitude I believe and my heart was pounding impressively.  Although I probably didn't look too impressive!

Moving from Moray we entered into an area where we could see the Sacred Valley and mountains so high they had snow on them.  I also saw some very stealthy birds of pray.  There were small farms everywhere with corn and quinoa and potatoes covering the land in a beautiful patchwork.  Several times I teared up with the beauty and immensity of it all.  All the while the horses were so incredibly gentle and yet still with unique personality and spirit.  We stopped for lunch and the guides urged us to relax while they set out a picnic.  It was a feast and they treated us to a drink of Chica Morada.  We toasted, and we also poured a small amount onto the ground to show our gratitude to the land for the wonderful day.

The next part of our trip took some serious guts.  It was too steep to ride the horses so instead we led them down a very narrow very dusty very scary path.  I felt very small at that moment and my horse felt incredibly large.  But at the end I felt like a rock star and again the tears rose up at the beauty and richness of the whole experience. 

Last stop was the Salineras.  We got off the horses and Alvi (who by the way studied archeology at university in Cusco) told us all about them.  It is the way the people gather salt in this area.  He had fun asking us where the salt we eat comes from and it was eye opening to realize that my answer was to say the supermarket.  So does anyone know where the salt you eat comes from?  Well, the folks here in Cusco do for sure and what a wonderful place to be proud of.  Short explaination is that there are a bunch of small ponds and as the salt water that comes from the mountains evaporates the salt is gathered up. 

It was a bit hard to say goodbye to the horses at the end of the day.  I felt so close to Picaflor- the two of us worked together so intensly the whole day.  It was a lovely drive back home and my whole body will rest well tonight.  Might be wise to take a couple of Ibuprofin I'm thinking!  Good news is that breakfast will be at 8:30 tomorrow instead of 7am.  We spoke Spanish the entire day, although Picaflor was mostly quiet, I am sure that he understood everything that I said.  Thank you Picaflor, I hope your butt and legs aren't nearly as sore as mine you sweet caballo!

Love to you all,

Jen

Helping a Canadian and Cooking Lomo Saltado

Another great day of classes.  Wilfredo and I put together a list of common questions I would ask a client at our first meeting.  It was pulling together so many different parts of my brain that at first I was just frozen.  Once we got going I really got on a roll and it was interesting to hear his ideas about what could be important.  I think he enjoyed himself as well.  We got permission to walk to a park that has lots of different plant species for the second part of class tomorrow.  I told him I could only go if I did my homework every day, so tonight I will finish my homework for sure!

This afternoon I arrived at the school early to take a cooking class.  There was a tourist in front of my school holding a map and looking very lost.  I asked him if I could help and he seemed so relieved.  He was sure that he had followed the right path and that his hotel should be at exactly that spot, so we looked together and figured out he was one plaza away from his hotel.  Since I had time and he seemed pretty out of it (again the altitude) I walked with him.  At our parting he asked me if I liked camping and said he had something for me.  I was so exciting wondering what it could be....a cool water bottle, some kind of newfangled thing or another, oooh what would my reward for good behavior be?  He handed me his card and told me he manufactures tents and if I ever wanted to buy one please call him.  It gave me a good laugh anyway, at my eagerness to get some little treasure and his eagerness to sell something to anyone who might listen.  So if you're in the market for a tent I recommend that you.......go to REI.

On to the cooking!  We met at the school and watched a cooking video about Lomo Saltado.  Then we walked to the house of the education director from our school.  Her house is also her family's restaurant.  Rebecca was a great teacher and her elderly father was in the background talking to us and making jokes and asking who was dating who.  I said that his daughter was such a sweet woman and he said "well yes, but what about her father!?".  Milue and I were put in charge of cutting the beef into small piece which you'll see above.  Rohan was busy frying potatoes and Johnny who is not pictured put himself in charge of entertaining us all. 

The recipe had beef, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, cumin, salt, onions, peppers, tomatoes, and an herb very similar to cilantro.  It was served with rice and fried potatoes.  It is a fusion dish with Andean as well as Chinese ingredients.

Here is our teacher Rebecca with the final product.  Rebecca's daughter who is a mini version of her was close at hand and very excited about having students at her house.  When I asked her what her favorite food was she told me trout- trucha- which I am looking forward to trying.

And here is a photo of the final product.  It was delicious, although they didn't serve anything to drink with it so we were pretty thirsty by the time we left there!  Thirsts were quenched with Cusqueñas soon after in the plaza.  Boy this is the life, eh!?  But I promise, I really am working on my Spanish- nearly every waking hour in fact!  It's amazing all the small little interactions that happen in a day's time.

Love to you all,

Jen

Kids and a Random Bus Ride

Can you tell which kid is disgruntled?  Fabio has mastered the grumpy face and uses it very effectively to influence his parents and grandma!

Ah, now Fabio is happy, and so is Brendita.  They played in my room for a while yesterday afternoon.  Brenda and I folded an origami cactus and Fabio entertained us with his balancing trick. 

This little guy was playing near where his mom was selling something.  He had a tiny little tractor and was bringing rocks from one place to another.  Content little guy and I was able to take his picture from a distance so as not to distract him from his important work!

After completing day three of class today I had a nice dinner at my house and then planned to meet up with some students from my school to explore Sacsayhuaman, some ruins just out of town.  We waited and waited for a taxi but that didn't work (which is hard to really explain because there are more taxis than people here, but we were looking for a "tourist" taxi and all the taxis available were the ones for the commute).  So we decided to walk down to the bus stop and take a bus up to el Cristo Blanco and walk to the ruins from there.  It was my first bus ride and I was a bit nervous but it was the answer to our dilemna so I found a coin and we walked to the stop.  We waited about five minutes and the bus door opened (a cross between a bus and a mini van) and the woman said "Cristo blanco" and I double checked, this bus is going to Cristo Blanco?  And she said yes!  So we hopped on and after about fifteen minutes then bus was clearing out and the woman said "Where are you going?"and we said "Cristo Blanco".  "Cristo Blanco is far from here!" she said, "This bus doesn't go to Cristo Blanco!".  She was totally friendly about the whole thing, and of course all of this was in Spanish, but I can't figure out how we got this wrong.  So we got off the bus and they gave us directions to the main square.  Really all I wanted was a good long walk anyway, so that's what I got to have- a bus ride and a nice long walk back to the Plaza de Armas.  I saved 12 soles by not taking a taxi and got to spend that on a nice cold Cusqueña beer at the plaza where we had a perfect view of the Cristo Blanco up on the hill.

One of the students on the adventure told us how yesterday he had gotten turned around and ended up stuck in a rain storm and wandering for about two hours before he found his way back home.  It was a good laugh, but even more of a laugh after we parted.  He said he was headed back to the school, and after walking a few blocks I realized that he had gone exactly the wrong direction.  Cusqueña beers aren't really that strong, but the alitude continues to be a good excuse for being clueless.  Hopefully he will be at school in the morning, and I'm guessing he'll have a story to tell!  Fortunately I am safe and sound in my little room here in Cusco.  The people here continue to be incredibly kind and warm.  Even my teacher is warming up, especially once I discovered he's very into movies.  Yes, we did do plenty of grammar today, but also lots of good discussion about cinema!

Love to you all,

-Jen

Watch out Pachacuteq, I think it's going to rain!

I have spent nearly four days in Cusco and every day it has been incredibly sunny.  Big fluffy clouds have floated by, but no rain until....Look at those big dark clouds beind el monumento Pachacuteq.  This afternoon before the rains I climbed to the top of the monument and could see around my neighborhood.  I live just one block away.  Now it's POURING. 

Day two of classes went really well.  I worked on grammar the first two and half hours which is really like a full day of brain work for me.  For the next hour I managed to distract my teacher with pictures of Oregon and discussion about the plants here, native species, and a long discussion about how people are named.  It was all in Spanish, so I can still feel good about my day's work, but four hours of grammar and my head might explode.  So really I was saving my own life with the distractions. 

Walking back and forth to school and around the town is quite an experience.  I am starting to figure out the town, and since I live near the monument I can always find my way back home.  There are so many things to look at, but mostly I have to watch my step.  Crossing the street is quite an adventure as well- I try to sidle up to someone else and wait until they have the guts to cross.  One time there were four dogs trying to cross so I thought that would give me a break in the traffic but they each managed to cross in uniquely dangerous ways and traffic just kept rolling.  Right next to my school is a kindergarten and their school lets out at the same time as mine.  The kids are so sweet with their little uniforms and big smiles and bright eyes.  Many happy sounds come from the school- lots of singing and happy playground screams.  I told my teacher it was so wonderful and he said after five years I might have a different opinion.  Today when I was trying to cross the street after school this boy who couldn't have been more than four walked up to the curb with his mom and put his hand out just like a traffic cop.  Amazingly the traffic stopped!  I told him he was my hero and I got a big old smile from him and his mom. 

The beauty here for me is all about the people.  There is a peacefulness that I can't really describe.  The traffic, the busyiness is fascinating and easy to capture.  I want to take so many pictures of kids and babies and moms, but it doesn't feel right somehow, so you'll have to imagine but hopefully I can capture more pictures from a distance.  Here's a great traffic shot to leave you with.  This picture was taken from in front of my school during the morning hour.  Love to all.

First class today!

This morning Nancy walked me to my school.  It was kind of a maze getting there, but with a bit of luck I even found my way back home in time for lunch!  The first thing I did at my new school was take a long test.  Then I was placed in a class with my teacher for the week Wilfredo.  He seems very nice, a bit reserved, and like a good teacher.  Before the break he gave me directions to the bank and to a stationary store where I could buy a notebook.  It was only about five blocks away, but the blocks here are completely different from what I'm used to.  For those of you familiar with Ladd's addition it's like that but with bumpier sidewalks, more side streets with bigger potholes, and cool plazas strewn throughout. Oh yeah, and about a million little taxis to dodge. 

I don't have a picture of what I looked like when I returned to the school (saying a big prayer of thanks that I found my way back) but here is the description....I was carrying a bright orange school notebook and an orange soda.  Everything orange.  Boy was my look screaming out tourist.  But it's okay, I made it back, I had a notebook to write in and a soda to enjoy.  My teacher even smiled when I pointed out what a geek I was.  At the end of our studies he asked me to review what I had learned today.  I told him I had learned how to get to the bank for Nuevo Soles and where to buy orange soda.  I don't think that's what he was getting at, but since it was just my first day he humored me.

Taxi tour and GIGANTIC corn

Here I am next to the twelve angled stone.  I am smiling, but actually I am in the middle of saying "lo siento" because across from me was a man dressed as El Inka and when I stood next to the stone I put my hand up to the wall and El Inka said "DONT TOUCH THE WALL"only El Inca speaks Spanish.  Yikes, of course don't touch the wall, what was I thinking!  And when El Inca tells you to do something you do it fast!  I was on a taxi tour with Cesár, the same man who picked me up from the airport.  The neighborhood where I am living doesn't really have tourists in it, but on our drive I saw lots more tourists.  There are tourists from all over and many from Perú are here as well. 

For lunch today we had corn on the cob.  Only this corn is gigantic!  There were only maybe 7 rows on the ear because that was all that would fit.  I told Cesár how good it was and he stopped at a restaurant and came out with a bag of even huger corn!  Incredible.  It was warm and sweet and my stomach is now very happy.  We drove to San Blas, La Plaza del Armas and up to el Cristo Blanco.  From up on the hill near Cristo Blanco I could see the whole layout of the city.  I could even see the stadium where there is a BIG soccor game going on between the two Cusco teams.  You could actually see from a distance that half of the stadium was full of people in red shirts and the other half was blue!  From my room at my little house I can still hear the game.  El Cristo Blanco doesn't talk, but for one quick moment he sounded like he was broadcasting the game because a man nearby had his radio on real loud to listen to the game.  Not sure what he'll say when he does talk, but he has an incredible view of Cusco.

You might be wondering why I am playing on my computer when I could be out seeing this amazing city.  It is quite an adjustment with the high altitute of 10,000 feet.  I have been out walking a bit but it is laughable how fast I feel winded.  So after a walk and some food I have been back in my room resting and reading.  Tomorrow I start classes.  My host mom Nancy will walk me to the school.  I just hope I can find my way back to my new house!

One last piece of good news-  I might get to go to Puno to visit the family of Nancy's son (Jose Ivan, Brenda's parents).  Jose Ivan was telling me that I could visit Puno and when I asked if Brenda and I could travel there together for a weekend his face lit up with a smile.  We'll see if it works out- sounds like it would be a cool adventure!

Origami and Chess

The house I am staying at has some kids!  Fernanda and Fabio are not here this weekend, but fortunately Brenda is (all grandchildren of my host mom Nancy).  Brenda and I ate lunch together with her great grandmother who is nearly completely deaf.  So Brenda and I chatted while the grandma ate and occasional reminded Brenda to talk to me (which Brenda was already eagerly doing).  What a treat to get to hear about the world from a nine year old here in Cusco.  After lunch we made some origami together.  I taught her the fish and she taught me el barco.  Tomorrow she wants to teach me how to play chess! 

Today I am taking it SUPER easy so I don't get altitute sick.  That gives me a good excuse to play on the computer and rest in my little room.  Great bird sighting this morning in the patio- there is a beautiful fuschia and a gigantic hummingbird was buzzing around it drinking nectar. 

I have arrived!

I am happily resting in my new house in Cusco.  It was an epic 24 hours of plane travel (driving from Portland to Seattle, then flying to Dallas, Miami, Lima and Cusco) that went amazingly smooth!  When I arrrived in Cusco my host mom Nancy was waiting for me with a sign with my name.  After a quick taxi ride we arrived at my house and Nancy showed me my room.  Taking my bags up the stairs had my heart pounding as if I'd run around the block!  Nancy gave me a cup of Coca tea and then said I should take a nap to rest and adjust to the altitude.  I slept deeply unlike my catnaps on the airplane and what a relief to wake up here in my new little room. 

Next time I will add pictures, but for now just wanted everyone to know I am here safe and sound.
xo,
Jen

Getting ready!

I leave for Cusco, Peru in less than two weeks.  I'm immunized, nearly packed, and geared up.  Now I'm just enjoying the time with my family before I leave!