part two...HAPPY HALLOWEEN

So I slept for at least four hours. I was quite groggy. I had this great dream where my phone worked, and I could call people in the States. And I dreamt about the hostel and the people living here. It was really wuite funny. There was a futbol game on the tele, and a fa,ily was coming back from the park. One guy was upset with me because he thought I plugged up his toilet, but I know the paper goes in the basket. I insisted and he relented. And everything was getting comfortable, and I woke up. I didn´t know where I was! I was so hungry yesterday, but I slept through lunch. Neither vegetarian restaurant was open. It was four o´clock, and very little was open. I found my way closer to the park, and there were some cafes open. Manuela would be so proud of my lunch of pie and tea. I did have some crackers and a fruit leather first - kind of the same thing in the end. And with my hunger a bit satisfied, I felt tired again. I made it back to the hostel, watching everything start to open back up again. I knew if I slept in the afternoon I wouldn´t be able to sleep at night. I journaled for a while in Spanish, and upon hearing someone asking Spanish homework questions, I got out my own notes to study. Next thing I knew, I had a friend - Delphine is from the french side of Switzerland. We talked in Spanish for quite a while, until I saw some people being shown into my dorm. I wanted to grab my towel, etc. More new friends! Sonia is from the german side of Switzerland. Mikey is from Ireland. The other people that arrived at the same time were a couple from England. We all ended up going out for dinner - which means only drinks to most, but I needed food, since I missed lunch. Gnocchi is good stick to your gut stuff, but unfortunately, it didn´t. It seems I still have something going on with my belly, despite the cipro, rest and water. In the end I should have slept during the afternoon. Sonia´s unnamed friend isn´t well, slept above me, asked for a plastic bag for ¨just in case¨, and coughed and snored alternately all night long. It was very difficult, and now I am still tired. My plans backfire sometimes, but I am headed now to get a ticket for the farm town. Moving ahead...hopefully my best move! saludes, victoria ps - Hassif asked me a question I ´didn´t answer sufficiently well: why don´t Americans (from US) backpack? Not many Americans to be met down here, though there are a few travelers, and the ones you meet are studying and returning, not taking a year or so to travel. I can´t quite figure it out. He hadn´t either, obviously.

Mendoza awaits...

And I will sleep. I tell you, the Israeli boys were ready to throw me off the bus, I think, once I disclosed that every bus I have been on seems to have a malady. This one didn´t even make it out of the station, so we just sat on the bus - I just sat on the bus. Many went out to smoke, which I dón´t care for and thing the smoke has been irritating my throat. Anyway, an hour later the new bus arrived. It was a bit cleaner and newer up top, though when I checked out the bathroom this morning, I remembered where I was and walked back for my toilet paper. Now I am at a hostel, and I am going back to bed. signing off temporarily...victoria

Pictures of Peru

Please check out the link below for the pictures from Peru. I think you will need a password to view them... Peru&Argentina Happy Halloween if I don't get a chance to write before then! tori

A case of the lunes....

Today I got up, had breakfast, packed, checked out...typical stuff. The sky was so over cast I thought it would cry, but the lady at Alex Hotel assured me, "no." Gratefully she said, "yes" when I asked if I could leave my huge mochilla there for the day. I purchased my bus ticket across the street and embarked on a walk toward the middle. It wasn't too bad. The Jesuits are well-known around here for starting the first school. I am actually using their free wi-fi in the library. Quite generous! I knew there was a "Jesuit block", so I headed for it first. There didn't seem to be much to see, so I wandered down the pedestrian mall. There was a church at just the right point. I needed to rest. I went in and prayed. I thought about posturing myself very devoutly and then falling asleep. I am sure it wouldn't be the first time, but I couldn't do it. So I pulled out my book, Out of Solitude, by Henri Nouwen. It is a lovely, short meditation book I would recommend to all. After a bit of that, I pulled out the map to find I was in the church of Our Lady of Mercy. (?) It seemed appropriate, so I said a rosary and some memorares at the different statues. I found my way back, a shorter route even, to the Jesuit church. I missed the beginning of mass, but I wouldn't have understood it anyways. I stayed around after mass and read some more of my book. It was nice to be there. It didn't feel quite so ostentatious as the other churches in Peru. (I have been doing a lot of that comparing back and forth.) I talked to a lady on the street in the morning who recommended a vegetarian restaurant. I found it, and it was delightful - a buffet reminiscent of Govinda's, but more variety and less Indian. I am glad I saw the scale at the register, so I wouldn't go hog wild. Hardly a worry considering how little I have been eating these days! I drank lots of herbal tea and water from the bubbler. What a treat! I stayed for a long while journaling before embarking for this library. I leave at 10:30 pm for Mendoza and arrive at 8ish am. I went for the bed bus - not the semi-bed bus. It's like the bus ride from Arequipa to Puno, but twice as long. This is great, since I slept well on that bus, but the ride was too short! I can get picked up right then and there by Azucena, but I think it might be better for me to take another day to rest. I can't imagine having to work a full day right now. I am still a weakling, and part of the deal is that it is an exchange of labor for a place to eat and live. I don't want to be a mooch. So tonight on the road and maybe arrive on Halloween at the farm! Who knows...things get a little crazy in Latin America around religious holidays. I may want to be on the farm before November first and second. Until next time...Victoria

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A Day of Rest

I have taken it easy today, and all is much better except for my headache. The park is very close by, as is the bus station. I think I will try to wrap up my convalescence in Cordoba and get a bit closer to the farm. If the fever returns, I will seek a doctor in Mendoza. I think some fresh air will do me well. More to come. tori Much later... I feel like a drama queen because today is so much better than yesterday, though I still have something lingering. I think my worst fear was getting encephylitis from malaria and never leaving the bed. It took a while to get moving today, and as it was, I didn't leave until mid-afternoon to check out my surroundings. At the bus station I found that the prices have just about doubled compared to those listed in the book Pat & Amy had from years and years ago. All the same, I found a really nice bus - or so they all say - with rides through the night to Mendoza. Before I thought riding during the day is a great way to see some scenery, but really it means you don't pay to sleep on a bus and then rent a room for 8 hours before check out. I have to be thrifty after I get the bill for this plush hotel! I also found the market above the bus station and bought more water and crackers. The cheese was in packages too big for me to eat, so I opted for a bag of cheesey poofs - one of Brad's favorites! Not the healthiest thing for me, but salt can be good when you are trying to stay hydrated, and it had flavor. The ham flavored crackers did not have the same appeal. To go with them, I picked out some mandarins, too. Nearly set for a picnic, just needed a park! It looked a block away on the map, but after walking at least five blocks, I only saw trash and broken glass and high fences - nothing resembling a park. Next came the hospitals, which was a relief to find out where they would have to take me if I wake up with a fever again. Then came the most pathetic excuse for some green space. It was really patchy and brown. A lot of bricks had fallen by the wayside, so steps began and ended in no particular destination. There was trash all over. It looked like a forgotten Central Park, and I was beginning to think it might not be safe to walk through it. Having walked so far, I knew that the shorter way back would be on the other side. I kept on with my wits about me. There was a nice outdoor theatre, but coming in from the back, I saw someone's laundry drying - not really an appealing vision of a theatre. I kept going, and as I pressed on, the sounds of kids and a carousel got louder. What a happy ending to that introduction to the park! There was a carousel and swings and slides and teeter-totters. There were soccer games and people running. Couples were cruising around on motocycles and scooters, and a couple different women were learning from their men how to drive them. The landscape was still pretty dry, but the trash was not so prominent. Soon there was a flower garden, and after a while there was a gate in the fence, so I went and sat and smelled roses. There was lavender, too. It sounded like an announcer, and while I thought it was someone announcing a futbol game, it was a circus! I stood around and watched a bit. Though I didn't understand the banter, I understand slapstick humor and clowns that don't talk. I walked on back, and it turns out the park is only a block away. It was all a matter of 90 degrees when I walked out of the terminal...if only I would not have turned that way. I need to gather my things. I hope to check out in the morning and wander around a little bit before catching a bus Monday night for Mendoza. That could put me at the farm on Tuesday! Thanks for the prayers. peace, tori

Time on my hands...

Enferma como un perro! I think that means sick as a dog. Sick as a Tori! The flight from Lima to Santiago was quite fun. Each seat has it's own entertainment system. I could choose between movies, music, games, and television. Within each category were a long list of options. I watched Evan Almighty, one I had been curious to see, though not as funny as I had hoped. And I hoped laughter would be good medicine for me. I was starting to feel cold. It's pretty typical for me to be cold when I fly, but I felt a bit uneasy. When the movie finished, I checked out the music - over 500 albums! I settled on a Jack Johnson album to lullabye me to sleep. This was really nice. If only the flight was longer, so I could sleep more. By the time I arrived in Cordoba at 9 AM, I knew something had a grip on me. I was reminded of my infirmity after Guatemala - laying on the chair in front of the fireplace at the end of April - curled up like it was an arctic freeze outside. I was grateful for the tourist lady who helped me make a reservation, though this is no hostal. This is a bit above what I would pay for a place, but I really just needed to get into bed. Alex Hotel has its perks - I have cable TV, a heater/air conditioner (like the one in Ronda), and my own bathroom. Given my circumstances, these are luxuries that make spending a whole day in bed less painful. I spent all day Saturday in bed - waking up every hour or so to drink some water. I was in a real panic Saturday because of the fever and pain in my head. I couldn't do much, couldn't will myself to move. In the afternoon I knew I would need more water, I wanted to call Doctor Sister, and I needed a power adapter to use my computer. I got already to go and had to lay down again because I wore myself out. Further south of the equator, the days last longer. I was grateful to find a phone booth, ferreteria, and ice cream shop within a block. I left a tearful message for my sister, bought an adapter, bought water, and a pineapple sorbet. Sadly, I could barely enjoy the sorbet - what a tragedy! I made it back to my bed just in time. I layed down again for a long time. I didn't have the energy to pull out my computer. I cried. If you've never experienced it, I don't recommend getting really sick so far from your family and friends. I really wanted the lady at the front desk to care, to check in on me, but when you're solo, you have to be your own nurse. So I slept. I had a dream that I was at Grandma's house, and Roxie, Theresa, and Maria were there, too. I walked in and saw Grandpa sitting in the chair and almost reached over to hug him, but I knew he wasn't physically there. I started crying, and Roxie was asking me why I was crying. It only made sense in my head, but I miss him and want to hug him. I woke up from this dream crying and soaking wet. I worried that I wet the bed! Everything was drenched, but gratefully it was sweats from the fever, and my bladder had not chosen independently of me to empty itself in my sleep. I got up, about 1:30 am, and showered and cleaned up. The fever peaked. I am writing this Sunday morning. I am feeling better. I had breakfast. I am still planning on taking it easy today. I think it might be time for my next nap. You've been on my mind, as I have been missing the comforts of friends and family. I am really looking forward to getting to the farm this week. I wrote to tell them I was recovering from illness and would wait till I felt stronger. I am sure they're thrilled to be getting me at my low instead of with all the strength I had a week ago! Alas...pray for me. victoria

Not a Good Friday

Wow - I went back and fixed some spelling in that last one - apalling, I know! So I headed to the bus station to catch a lift to Cuzco. It was pretty empty, which I hoped would last. I read while I still had light - the sun diligently sets about 6:30 pm, and the lights are pretty dim. There was some loud music that the three or four guys with the bus company knew by heart. They all thought it was fun to sing along. It made me think of the Three Amigos music, though I didn't hear Ned Nederlander, Dusty Bottoms, or Lucky Day singing, too. And then, there I was, in the middle of the pediatrics infirmary. Next to me, behind me, across from me: everywhere was another coughing child. The poor boy next to me sounded asthmatic, and as he tried to cough up some phlegm, my heart sank. There was nothing I could do to help the poor kid, though I had been in his shoes so many times I felt the pain in my own chest. I wished I could have made him comfortable, but he really didn't care to sit next to me in the first place. This ward was actually just the bus. It filled up in Juliaca. The young boy didn't want to sit next to me, while his mom, dad, and baby brother sat across the aisle, so I tried to joke that I wouldn't eat him, but it didn't go over well. I tried to protect myself from the germs, but I was already feeling a bit worn down. I finished Tuck Everlasting again - such a great book. One of the guys with the bus, who really gave me the creeps, sang terribly for us. He couldn't keep a rhythm clapping or anything. I didn't offer him any tip for his efforts, though if he would have asked before he sang, I would have paid him not to sing. Really awful! The next CD they put in was worse than the first and louder. I tried the ear plugs, but they did little to drown out the wailing. At least I managed to "hold it" for eight hours. The gas stations the bus pulled into looked three shades worse than going behind a tree. The seven hour ride was dragged out to eight by leaving late and dropping people off anywhere along the route. I snacked a little, and mostly I slept. At one point I woke up to see Cristo Blanco. I saw that people were getting off at different stops in the neighborhood, but I didn't recognize the neighborhoods. I though maybe I could get off close to my hostal, but then we headed back into the dark of night. I panicked! Did I just miss Cuzco? I went to the front of the bus and asked about the terminal terrestre, but I couldn't understand what was going on. They offered to drop me off on the side of the highway in the dark. I was so confused! We actually hadn't gotten to Cuzco yet. How silly I felt! I still don't know what I saw because the guys said there wasn't another city with a Cristo Blanco. It was after midnight, so I didn't care to pursue it. I got a taxi to the hostal and crashed hard. So much for my plans to meet up with my friends! So then Friday really begins - I slept until nine. I showered for a long time. Something was settling into my head and shoulders - a flu or something. I walked to Gloria's to get my backpack, and gratefully, my laundry had arrived in my absence. The Irish boys were still asleep, and Gloria and Freddie were out, so I left notes and caught a taxi back to the hostal. I couldn't stand to carry anything very far - what a change from the last week! I didn't have the energy to walk up the street to the school to see my friends, so I started to repack. I managed to make it halfway down the hill for a bit of lunch before leaving for the airport. I took a window seat, so I could catch Manuela if she walked by. She did. We chatted for a few minutes before she had to get going to get home for lunch. It was peculiar sitting in the doorway and watching all these familiar faces passing by - the teachers, other students, and the volunteers. I was once a part of that group, but now I sit on the other side. Not much time to be pensive...I paid, and the woman helped me get my pack on - 20 kg. I got a taxi right away in the plaza, and I was off again. Being on the move so much was getting to be a drag. I have been having second thoughts about Iguazu Falls because it is over twenty hours by bus from Cordoba, and the return to Mendoza is about 35 hours. That is a long time!! I don't know if I have it in me. Turns out I will have time to think about it...tori

Pobremio

Really - two blogs in one day means you´re lucky, but I am not! I think I have a curse. You would never believe that the boat I took to visit the floating islands of Uros broke down! The buses and now the boat! Please just pray for me. The islands are neat. I got some pictures of all sorts of things - solar panels and the communal kitchen, reed everything, the school children singing songs in four languages, and myself in a traditional outfit. It was quite amazing to see how a culture can thrive when given international support. If only other outlying communities were supported with solar panels, they could actually generate income for themselves. Anywho...my soapbox. I am headed for the bus station soon to catch my bus to Cuzco. I am excited to see some familar faces again, too! If I can pick up a signal, maybe I can try to post some pictures again. I think I may try to direct you to a snapfish page and upload them there. Anywho...I am on the move again! peace out....tori

Too early to be typing...

But what else am I going to do to kill time? I am felling a little more savvy with the computer because this keyboard looks like ours but acts Peruvian. I remember where to find the question mark and such, even though everything is labeled differently...a new fluency, you might say. So last night I had a ball catching up the past few days, and while not much time has passed, I just had to write about my bus ride. I hope I am not repeat-offending. When we returned from the Colca Canyon, many of us bought bus tickets. I wanted a night ticket to avoid getting a hostel for a night of sleep, and I wanted my afternoon to regroup. It never quite works out as well in real life as it does in my head, but at the counter was a woman wanting to return a first class ticket. It was only cinco soles more, but I paid for the regular ticket and got her seat down below. I was online for a few hours. I had to get off to go to the bathroom, but then I didn´t have to go. I walked around the plaza in Areqipa with an hour to goof off before meeting up with the group from the trek. We were going to grab dinner before I headed off. I waited to pick up my big mochilla from the hostel, so I wouldn´t have to haul it around. So it was dark when I left theinternet cafe, and I was a bit chilled. I found a bench unoccupied by the young couple making out in the plaza all the time, layered up, and pulled out my book, Tuck Everlasting. It doesn´t weigh much, and I figured I could read it over and over. Three from the group were making their way across the plaza, so I gave up my seat to catch up to them. They were going to meet a friend who might join us, so I said I would let the others know if they hadn´t returned. Darn it ´- my seat was taken. I walked around and found a half empty bench on the other side. All was well until the lady got up and two borrachos sat down. They stunk of alcohol and piss. Great! How is it these guys know to come straight for me and start talking?!?! I was ignored the one closest to me as long as I could, but I knew what he was saying. I couldn´t be rude. Shoot! So we started talking about the US and Peru and this and that. I was looking frantically for the others. He offered to buy me a piece of candy from a poor girl peddling bits of chocolates, and I graciously declined and said it was time to walk around to see if I could find my friends. I doubted he would be able to see very far past his buddy and the bottle they were sharing, but I walked to the otherside and kept the fountain between us. Phew! It wasn´t too long and the others arrived. It was a nice good-bye. I might have thought they were friends of Miki because the other ladies said how nice I was. Nice! Siempre! The bus was fine. I slept the whole time, though it was too short a ride. I still arrived shortly after 4 am. The seat was nice - quieter and spacious. If only they didn´t play Texas Chainsaw Massacre for the movie! Now I am in Puno waiting to go down to the lake to take lots of pictures of the straw islands, Uros. It will be a quick day, really just passing time till I can get back to Cuzco and get my things together, say hello to my friends, and catch my flight to Argentina. Wow!! Time is moving quickly. Thank goodness because I want to come and see all of you soon!! best, victoria

My last day in Arequipa

I woke up feeling a bit off. Not everyone was ready, so we left a bit late. I found my one-two-three-four rhythm. I was leading the packwith Jenny, but as the mornign progressed, I moved down the order. I became the leader for the slower crew, which was good because I wasn´t afraid to take a break. We seemed to move in half hour increments. The only way in and out of the canyon is by foot or burro. The locals can summit this 6 km of uphill with an elevation gain of over 1 km in an hour and a half. Typical tourist trekker time - 3 hours. I am sure Miki did it in less, the amazing Miki has the competitive edge that some guy with a yellow backpack who passed us the first two days had. I can tell these things. I thought I was going to be sick the whole way up. It was quite difficult to manage. We hiked by headlamp or ¨torch¨- flashlight. It was a long morning. The moon set before we started, but the light lasted a little bit. Then it started to get light around 5 am. The morning star made me happy, or at least that is what I called it. I never used my inhaler, but I had it in my back pocket. I was pooped, and felling sick only made me want to vomit or rest longer, but we pushed on. We were never going to make breakfast and the 6:30 am bu to the condor viewpoint, but we all wanted to finish it on foot. We did, and Jenny led us through some fields and over rock fences to shortcut us back to the restaurant for breakfast. A fried egg in pan never tasted so good. If only I had some of Erik´s potatoes!! We got seats on the bus, gratefully! I slept for a bit, and it helped. We saw a few condor, but I felt like I couldn´t be bothered. I wanted back on the bus to sleep. We watched our bus drive away as we hiked up these stairs to the road. Every step felt like a hike, and we were confused about why it left because we had half an hour. Turns out we were going to catch the next bus. Tourists off and on buses all morning, so they never go back empty. The bus ride to Chivay was quite rocky and bumpy, and the music was too loud, abut I managed to sleep a little. In Chivay we took taxis to the hot springs. It was a treat to rest and also a treat to shower, since I don´t have a place to shower for a while. I dozed in and out on the way back to Arequipa. We actualy got air on some of the potholes. I was flying out of my seat! This is more difficult for sleeping. I bought a ticket for Puno in the bus station and head off tonight. I got a sleeping room because a woman wanted a refund because she can´t use her ticket. I bought it for less than seven dollars! Hopefully, I will get some good sleep. Being on the first floor, I might not feel the sway so much either. Until ten thirty tonight, I am blogging, grabbing my other bag and resorting, meeting up with the gang for dinner, and killing time! Tomorrow I hope to see the floating islands of Uros before catching the bus to Cuzco. Friday afternoon I fly to Argentina. Believe me, I haven´t seen my last bus for a long time! I love you all. Go Rockies! Go Broncos! Thanks for the e-mails, friends. I love to share what I am doing. It is one way for me to practice my English. In Argentina the farm is Spanish only. My Spanish is actually quite good. I speak mostly in Spanish, even when I have a choice. And I think in Spanish, too! Fun, huh!? Loveyoumeanit...victoria

Day two - Colca Canyon

Though under the impression that the second day was a relatively falt walk down to the next stay, I found out we had to climb up significantly to catch the trail down to the next stays. The path also became quite narrow with sheer edges, making me a bit nervous on my tired legs. We pushed on and on, little by little. I was beginning to think we were a bit Troop Beverly Hills-ish, with our digital cameras, iPods, and frequent stops. Not your crew of hard core hikers, though I thought I was in better shape than I proved to be. I got a bit winded, but I started a rhythm counting to four only God knows how many times. I know those numbers really well, but it helped to keep moving. As the trail leveled off, the talking started again. It was a relatively easy day because we arrived at the Oasis before noon. We all peeled off into the pool and cooled down. Really surreal to see a lush area in the midst of the desert-like mountain side. Actually, it was interesting to think it is deeper than the Grand Canyon because it set up an image in my mind of the mesas and such (I´ve never actually been), but Colca Canyon is mountains all around. Anne asked me the difference between a valley and canyon - the ratio between depth and width, but even this knowledge doesn´t make it seem right. Stunning views, sunny afternoon lounging by the pool! Most of the other groups decided before we started to carry on to the top after lunch. This, we decided, would wait to day three: a 6 km climb of over 1 km elevation gain. Steep! We would be starting at 2:30 am in the dark, but it seemed worth it to enjoy and relax in the Oasis. Cabanaconde didn´t have much to offer. I walked down to the river on my own and took pictures and played with the rocks. It was nice to hear the sound of the water and enjoy the peace. When I hiked back up, we all got beers and talked some more. I sprayed twice and didn´t get eaten by mosquitos, but the flies got me pretty good. Dinner was early, so we could get a good night of sleep. We ate by candlelight, so when the natural light goes away, there is not much to do but sleep. Jenny asked numerous times if we wanted mules to ride out of the canyon, but we all wanted to do it. I think she foresaw our slowness, but overlooked our determination. I was getting my bags packed and ready to hike and found my toothbrush to get ready for bed, but yelling started. As I walked out of our straw hut, I saw a huge fire down two levels of terrace and a bit farther away from the center of the Oasis. There was abit of pandomonium. No hoses, but I remebered the buckets they used for cooling the beers. I found one in the shop. ¨Donde es agua?¨I yelled, and recieved the obvious answer, ¨Piscina¨(pool). I filled my bucket and traded it for an empty one. I filled it and traded it. The fire was on the other side of the huts on that terrace, and there were cactus and other plants blocking easy access. I decided filling buckets was my best skill. They got the fire out rather quickly, though I shouted that it jumped into a tree. One trekker climbed the tree, but it was a palm, and he had a bad angle to get the water up to the top. We filled more, and the men through it up little by little. Doused it, too! Phew! What a close call, and another adventure, to boot! I saw Dave and Sam helping, there were other trekkers, the Peruvians, including a mother with a baby on her back. Jenny told me to go. I had (have) soot on my jacket and got a bit dirty. The aquaducts were opened in rotation during the day for irrigation, and that terrace was quite wet. My socks and chacos got wet, too. The smoke seemed to go out pretty quickly, though there were still embers. Dave and Sam said the Peruvians took off, but the other trekkers continued to throw water because of the embers. When I found the girls outside our huts, they said someone told them they couldn´t go. I can understand the liability, but I couldn´t hear anyone tell me, ¨no¨. I hope you´re proud, Oren. We all had a good laugh because nobody saw James. We found him fast asleep in bed - in the hut next to ours. We teased him greatly because he had just said at dinner that he didn´t know how he would be able to sleep! Unfortunately, I didn´t sleep a wink after that. signing off - tori

The trek...

I didn´t sleep a wink Sunday night, expecting that I was going to sleep through my alarm and not be ready. Rough! I did get up with my alarm and was ready when Jenny, our guide, picked me up. We barely made our bus because not everyone was ready when picked up, and then we stood around in the airport. We literally ran after the bus as it was pulling out. (This is foreshadowing.) I couldn´t sleep much because everything was so interesting to see, particularly the exercise of letting people on a full tour bus. We would slow down on the shoulder where people, mostly men, were yelling and waving their arms. We would barely stop before rolling on. A minute later five or six people would come filing down the aisle to stand. The road is only paved for the first hour of the three hour journey to Chivay. This happened a couple more times, the last time about twenty people got on, including women with children on their backs and older women. The volume quickly elevated to that of a Dieringer dinner, and the baby next to our seats started sooing at us. As we approached a security check point, all of the extra passengers were instructed to sit down - their heads no higher than those of us in seats. We were stopped briefly, and then moved on. There was cheering as everyone stood back up. Despite the chaos, I managed to fall asleep, and almost all were gone when I awoke. Not surprising, the bus had some mechanical issues when we reached Chivay. The next leg of our bus ride was two hours to Cabanaconde. The buses seem to come through in the morning more regulary than in the afternoon for the tourists going to see the condors. We were then a popular bus for local people. Most people out that far walk, use donkeys, or catch the tourist buses as they pass through. This is also how the goods enter the villages. Many people hopped on and off during the next two hour drive, which made it take closer to three. We stopped for lunch in Cabanaconde before beginning our descent into the canyon. In our group were me, our guide Jenny, Sam & EJ, Dave & Michelle - both couples from England, Anne from Ireland, James from Australia, and Karolina from Sweden. We all got along well in English, so I practiced my Spanish with Jenny. The first day was nearly all down hill. Once at the river, we did have to climb back out and hike along to our ¨hostal¨. Taking after my sister, I´m sure, I was at the front of the pack. I enjoyed asking questions in Spanish about the plants and animals, about food and other local customs, and about the mountains. The first day was fun, though my legs had the shakti shakes by the end. We settled into the primitive camp, three of us single girls in a stone room. My bed was like a soft bathtub, but I slept hard, so I didn´t mind. Everything gets carried into the valley by burro or mule, so things are pricey and sparse. I didn´t mind. We played cards and talked before dinner and generally bonded. Much laughing took place! Rest well....

THE CENSUS

I slept in until 9 am - what a dream! I had shopped for snacks before I left Cuzco, so I dug out some crackers and juice fro breakfast on the terrace. I knew that there was a census this Sunday, and that Peruvians had been ordered by law to remain in their homes from 6:30 - 6:30 until they had been interviewed. My host at Hostal Regis informed me this included me. I was not aware, but was glad I slept in, and didn´t try to start my day out on the town early. The questions were pretty basic and impersonal. I didn´t plan to get out early because I knew very little woul be open. This is an exaggeration because almost nothing was open. The Plaza de Armas was tourist central, and pigeon central. None of the tourist shops or agencies were open. However, the monastery of Santa Catalina was open. I saw tourist bus after tourist bus unload there. I waited till the afternoon to go, and it was much more tranquilo. I think I went through backwards, but that´s sounds like me, huh? The artwork was beautiful. The architecture was pretty incredible, considering this was a city within a city - with streets and laundry and church and everything. No police station, but I think Mother Superior probably kept her nuns in line. There were so many casitas, all connected by walls, but all private. It was incrdeible how many people could live there. I was quite enamored with it, and took photos until my batteries died. (Turned out my charger wasn´t charging...had to replace it from one at a corner shop because Radio Shack didn´t open until really late.) I spoke with a man traveling from UK. He´d been workingin a hospital in Lima studying tropical diseases, something they don´t have much of in UK. It was awkward, but really just a relief to be able to say something outloud. Everybody knows I like to talk, so it can be difficult going a day silent. I headed on for lunch, but still nothing was open. I walked around some more, journaled on many parkbenches. I finally found the office of Colonial Tours open, so I could book a trek into the Colca Canyon. Miki highly recommended them, but unfortunately they couldn´t get me in for a three day starting Monday. I could do a two day starting Tuesday, but that meant getting up at 1:30 am for a bus, hiking some serious klicks, and rising at 2:30 am the second day to finish. Yikes! (One fellow thinks he remembers you, Miki, but Omar mostly does the bus tours now.) Gratefully, as we were discussing the options, another woman offered that they could get me on a three day starting Monday with another group. This was great! I picked up some more sunscreen and bugspray at the corner pharmacy, and I was set. I didn´t have a lot of time before the night mass at the Jesuit church, so I ran back to my room to dress warmer. I tried to grab a falafel, but waited too long to be seated and even longer for a menu. What a lousy day of snacking! Mass was nice, but it seems you can come anytime during the service. I also don´t know why everyone doesn´t go to communion. Peruvian mysteries... Up at 5 am Monday for the trip, so I packed and tried to sleep. Hasta! tori

After a rough night...

I can´t believe how I jinxed myself with that upbeat message Friday night. I heard the bustle, but it was time to pick up my laundry, too. So I went to the office to grab it for my ceremony. I didn´t get any farther. I wanted to cry. I couldn´t believ my bad luck! The woman in the office had no idea what happened. I could tell my face was hot, and Spanish was not coming as clearly as usual, but I didn´t want to fall back on English. Did someone else take it? Did it not get delivered? Did the laundry decide to sell it? What bum luck!! And they kept me there as they tried to figure something out, but they were all checking out for the weekend, too. I insisted this was important because I had a 9am bus to Arequipa. I was intending to take my fleece pants and my sleeping bag liner. The other things, and there were only a few, since I did most of my laundry earlier in the week, were not so necessary. ¨Where can we send them in Arequipa?¨ This made me want to cry more because I (1) didn´t know where I was staying, which was feeling a little unsettling for me and (2) I was not planning on staying in Arequipa - hike the canyon, head to Lake Titicaca, and return to Cuzco for my flight to Argentina. No phone or e-mail to reach me. (By the by, it´s Wednesday, and I didn´t have an e-mail from her.) Little consolation, Eva gave me my certificate before she went to the terrace for graduation. I scored an A on the test, and she said I did really well in my written piece! No consolation was that when I did get up there, I had to scrounge for my lousy free pisco sour to celebrate. There was one left in the kitchen. I tried to laugh off the laundry situation, knowing that nothing I could say or do was going to change it. So I waited with old friends and new for the salsa class to start. Meanwhile, I am starting to get cold because I was planning on pulling my fleece pants under my skirt (hippie that I am), and without them the night air noticed my bare legs and feet. The class never happened - for the second week in a row. We stood around long enough, and the Irish chicos from my house arrived from dinner, so a group of us headed to Indigo, a bar with happy hour until ten. I enjoyed my pisco sours and said good-bye to my friends. I took pictures, but I cannot upload them to this public computer. Gratefully, I had something to look forward to all night; Erik was calling before I hit the road and became transient. Ah...sweet dreams. So really, this is about Saturday, which was an okay day. I spent a lot of time on a bus to Arequipa. A lot roughly translates to 13 hours. We did have some problems in Puno, which bought me some time to make a reservation at Hostal Regis. I was relieved to have an address to give the taxi driver when I did arrive in Arequipa. But all during the drive, I journaled and transferred my school notes and new vocabulary into a little notebook. It was a good review, and the time passed quickly. The bus had a few movies - Man on Fire, Eight Below, and Hot Chick. None had subtitles, and all were dubbed. I didn´t mind too much, since I had other things to do, like stare at the window at the amazing mountains. They got smaller the further south we went, but they were amazing! Some had snow, but very little. The picture I got of the Rockies accumulation of snow thus far (thanks, Oren) is quite a contrast to Peru. The primary months for snow are Enero y Febrero. And even then, only on the top halves of the mountains. Additionally, the glaciers are so puny now, I wanted to cry. I have talked with some Peruvians about the glaciers, and they are all too familiar with global warming. The drive was dull from Puno to Arequipa, as the bus filled up. I had a seat mate, and the sun goes down behind the mountains between 6 and 7 pm. I tried to do some sudoku, but the lights on the bus were pretty dim. Sleeping was an option, though I was really looking forward to a bed for that. There was also the smell...not so pleasant. And the curves were tight. The luxury of a double decker bus is nice, but it means that the bus has a high center of gravity, causing it to sway stiffly with the turns, jerking a passenger from one side to another. It isn´t a pleasant rocking motion, more of a - hold on tight, so you don´t steamroll the woman sleeping in the next seat! Hostal Regis was pretty closed up for the night, but I didn´t mind just taking a hot shower, popping in my ear plugs, and going to bed! Cheers! tori

el ultimo de Cuzco

It took me a minute to figure out how to get around typing the "and" symbol in my e-mail address to sign on and post. Tomorrow I leave fro Arequipa and hope to hike the Colca Canyon. I opted for the more expensive bus at 9 am instead of 630 am because I am not a great morning person! (I am having a bit of trouble with this keyboard. None of the letters are still on and have been taped on - mostly. Also the symbols are all in different places and one button isnt working to access the third symbol on the keys.) So today was my last class. It was really quite sad. The first teacher let us study and practice in a cafe. The second teacher brought some tamales, and I brought a lucuma. The tameles were olive and meaty stuff, and the other was with vanilla and raisins. No cheese and chile tamales here. I did get to have quinoa in my soup at lunch which made me very happy! "Graduation" is about to start, so I thought I would try to get in a note before the pomp and circumstance. I took a test yesterday, so I actually get a grade. I am not too worried, since no one in their right mind would actually give me credit, but they do give us free pisco sours and corn nuts. I have really enjoyed school. I recommend it to anyone who has even remotely thought about going back, but aren{t really serious (like me). The homework isn{t so rough, and the laughing ' which had us in tears today, is great. It turns out our not so appropriate inside joke caught on, and even our teacher had to leave the room from laughing. It brought the class to a stand still. Very funny! Well, I hear everyone milling about out there. Next time I post it will be from a new city! I love yo. tori

An early post

I hauled my computer back to school. Last night I got cut off. It seems there is a "lights out" policy on internet, too. The movie was great, so were the beer and popcorn - just what I needed. But I was up in the middle of the night worrying about what comes next. My plans are feeling a bit disjointed, something I should be working on instead of typing. Still no word from the farm I wanted to start at, so I will try my luck at the other and see if they will take me in sooner. I have never laughed so hard in class. Jason and I sit on one side of the table and are often paired for writingor questions. Because he is also a North American, we have a common basis for inside jokes, especially the plays on words. We got into it bad today, and twice neither of us could talk or breathe from laughing. I had a nice recovery when our teacher asked us what was so funny. Sadly, it wasn't appropriate, but we were feeling very sophomoric. In the middle of class, I received a note to come to the office after class. I was a bit nervous - did they accidentally keep some of my underwear from last night's laundry? Did my credit card get rejected for payment of classes? What did I do? It turned out they asked me to take a final exam, so I can receive credit for my schooling. If I can keep my certificate flat, maybe I'll frame it! Lunch was good, but I can't tell you how much carne de soja I have eaten this week. I think Freddie was really excited to prepare meat for me because the meals are very meat and potatoes. I did suggest how much I love quinoa, but we haven't had it yet. Instead, I get to pretend I am cutting the meat off the bone, too! In class we had a new fruit - apple custard. It is chirimoya in Spanish, and even better in my belly. I bought lúcuma for class tomorrow. I have had it in ice cream and juice, but not alone. We'll see! I stopped at a museum on my way to school - more religious art from the Cusco School. There were some very beautiful pieces, but it is so foreign to see how they dressed up Mary and some of the saints so lavishly. The birth of Jesus in a stable congers an image far from royal palace with servants and riches. Interesting! The artwork definitely is a testament to the teachers and people living here at the time. Some of the body forms are really well done. After I do some work on the computer, I am meeting my classmates for cheesecake at a french corner cafe that has been an institution for decades. On to the Centro Qosqo de Arte Nativo. There are supposed to be really nice dances on Thursday nights, so I thought I would check it out. I am finding I tire easily. It will be even more interesting to see what happens when I am on the farm and don't have people to speak English with in bewteen my Spanish. Until next time...tori

A day for all seasons...

I slept through my alarm for 30 seconds or so – both earplugs stayed in all night, so it was hard to hear. The other nights one has fallen out, which makes it easier to rise. I set it early, so I would have time to shower and bundle my clothes to take to school for laundry. The school advises not to ask host families for this, so for a mere S/2.5 per kilo, I drop the laundry off in the morning and pick it up at 6:30 pm. Never had someone to do my laundry for me! Oh wait – thanks, Mom and Dad! It is rainy and foggy and chilly. The gas heater in the classroom made us all up a bit ill. I can barely stay awake right now, except for my hungry belly. I will take a short nap after lunch. I really wish I had internet access, so I could post these last few days. Hopefully later!

No, still no internet, but it is very rainy here, and I feel like burrowing in a big pile of blankets in a blanket fort, drinking hot cocoa, and watching movies. I tried to sleep, but was really quite in and out. I feel like I have serious work to do, figuring out the next few weeks. I haven’t heard from the eco-village in Argentina, so I may need to move ahead with the other farm and get there earlier. The other “situation” is that Sunday is the national census. They haven’t had one in some 15 years or so, my teacher says. There is an immobility law posted for nationals, until they have been interviewed. In the campos it will take at least a week, but there is a lot of work and millions of people will be casing the cities and jungles and pueblitos. It is clearly a big deal! It means transportation could be iffy, though my teacher said there is an emphasis to have open places of tourism, etc, since it is such a major part of the economy. Crazy!

So I went for hot chocolate and met Manuela. It was super tasty, and now I am trying to type quietly during a movie with my popcorn and beer. Adios...tori

Un amigo peruano

It feels like I am at the bottom of the ocean, and there is no sound, only vibrations and light. I have my earplugs in again. This makes three nights in a row, but when the music next door sounds like a festival in the house, I want to sleep! Today was a bit of a brain drain. Yesterday, too, I spent the whole day speaking and listening and studying Spanish. It can be a bit overwhelming on the brain. I didn’t have internet, so no reading or e-mailing in English. Phew! Well today was more of the same, though a very special afternoon break came my way just when I thought it wouldn’t. The sun was so bright this morning that I changed out of my boots and socks and took off my extra layers. I wore a short sleeve shirt, my skirt, and my chacos. I was excited! The way to school was warm and bright, but by mid-morning break, the clouds rolled in, and my world cooled off. Thank goodness for lots of hot tea! I stopped at the history museum in town – so small, but my favorite religious art in town! I don’t think I could have avoided it, but the rain came. It rained very lightly, but again, the chill in the air had me walking really fast for the house. I made it in time for lunch and some conversation with the Irish guys. They don’t speak any Spanish – or didn’t when the arrived. I have been interpreting for Gloria at all our meals. They’re quite nice, but I can tell that it is difficult for them – adjusting to the altitude and culture and food and language. I decided to try my computer here if it was going to rain, instead of carrying all the way to school. No luck – no signal! As I shut down the computer, the phone rang…for me. Mi novio! Erik and I talked and caught up. I got a bit sentimental and teary-eyed. I keep thinking about what I am doing here and why I had to go so far away. To be fair, I had planned all this very roughly last Spring before I met Erik. I wanted to follow my dream and my plans like the determined woman I am, despite having met this amazing guy that I want to be around. I think I needed to prove to me I could do this, as well as feel like I woke in the dream I had over a decade ago. So now I am far from my family and friends, and I miss you! I do appreciate hearing about what is happening in Denver. I can’t imagine the chaos of baseball fever in Denver. I am using it for my homework tomorrow – current events in our home countries. Anyway, my day also included a bit of “stranger danger” – not really dangerous, but I had e-mailed a Cusqenian (?) friend of a friend. Art had come to Peru in June and offered a couple contacts. Willaru is a shaman/teacher/guide. Art said he thought he was in his fifties, and this was all I had to go by as I waited in the plaza for him today. We had arranged a time and place to meet via e-mail. I arrived a few minutes late and he arrived even later. Of course I was wondering if I had missed him, if the description in Spanish I sent him was really correct, if I was in the right place, and so on. But he found me. We ended up going back to his house, something most people I’ve met here would advise me not to do, but I had faith that Art knew him well enough. We took a taxi out of the city and onto a rocky road. But the door he opened to his home revealed a warm spacious retreat from the city. It was beautiful. We talked about everything you can imagine – politics, history, philosophy, professions and pasts, travel, spirituality, and religion. As a shaman, he has much to teach, and I appreciated the privilege to listen. Even more incredible is that for nearly four hours we talked, almost entirely in Spanish. I don’t know if my teachers will count that as practice, but I will find out tomorrow. I felt a sense of wellness and peace and energy all night. I didn’t want it to end. His wife was really quite animated, too, and had a lot to say about life there and the conditions of the indigenous populations. Their children Rafael and Veronica said hello, but I think they had homework. It was great. Willaru hoped we could see each other again before I leave for Argentina, but I am not sure if it will work. When Erik comes, we will for sure get together again. A lovely evening of warmth and hospitality…and now I am cold again. I have to say I figured out a way to warm my feet. The water is kept hot in a thermos on the counter, so I fill my nalgene and stick it in the foot of my bed. It is very clever, I think. A modern-day hot water bottle. Speaking of, it is time to go fill it. Love and peace, tori

Huy, lunes!

Huy, lunes! I was not ready to wake up because I stayed up late reading a blog of my friend Amy who is WWOOFing in Hawaii. I had a couple weeks to catch up on, and I got a late start. She is farming with Japanese women right now, and I found myself remembering my days on the farm in Japan. But I have been waiting all weekend for Monday! Not because I could foresee the Rockies sweeping the Diamondbacks (news I credit Betty for), but because I like school. Jason, Manuela, and I are joined by Karoline, a Swedish student. Magda and Nuri are our new teachers, and I like them both. Even more exciting is learning a new tense – el pasado. I came home talking for lunch talking about what we did, what I’ve done, what’s happened. It was exciting to practice this new tense. Poco loco, you think, but really it has opened up a whole new level of conversing. Coincidentally, Gloria is correcting me for even more. Manuela and I planned to meet after lunch in our respective homes – my first real play date in a long time! We wanted to hike somewhere, but by the time we met up and talked about it, we really only had at most two and a half hours of light left. So we hiked to el Cristo blanco. It was a pretty steep grade, though it didn’t take long. We found some paths to meander and vistas to capture in photos. I can’t imagine taking as many pictures as I have with a film camera! We wandered back down some llama paths (really probably people, too, but they were that kind of skinny dirt line through a hill of a lot more dirt) and found ourselves in a barrio pobre’s back yard. A young girl helped point the way to the trail that went between the houses, but with the materials for building that they slid down the hill (easier than carrying up), we were really scrambling not to ruin something. Manuela joked that we were being bad tourists. It seems a bit redundant, but anyways, we made it out. On little ledges a llama or alpaca would be resting. Children were sliding down a cement chute along the steep stairs on plastic bags – I think it is meant for water drainage primarily and playground second, but the laughter was music to my ears. Winding through the streets, we came to one of Manuela’s favorite cafes, so we stopped for refreshment – hierba luisa tea and mango pie for me – muy buena. This made a nice snack before going back to school for a brief presentation on Sacsayhuaman (Incan ruins meant to look like the head of a puma from an aerial shot, but pronounced similarly to “sexy woman”). Dinner and an early bed time were in order for me, though I would have gotten online if there was a signal. Not a bad Monday for being un poca cansada. Sweet dreams…victoria

El Valle Sagrado

FIELD TRIP!! I went to sleep with a party in my head - actually coming through the wall from the house next door. I dug out my earplugs and slept peacefully. I don't remember my dreams, but I do remember being startled by my alarm...twice. I got myself ready, ate, and headed off to meet the tour group. Along the way I was distracted by a grand procession of Jesus. It was only a picture, but it was on a huge platform that at least 16 men carried. There was incense and praying and music. The streets were crowded around it. I had time for a few pictures, but didn't want to miss the bus. The procession ultimately made its way closer to us, but only because nobody came for us. We consulted a tour company that found a van with three spots and an English speaking guide. We didn't leave for at least an hour after we expected. It was partially due to the streets being closed for the procession, but I felt like making a stink. I don't know enough Spanish, so I let Molly do it. Freddie thinks I should ask for my money back, but the tour, once it began, was really quite nice. Our first stop was to see llamas and alpacas, the dyeing and weaving process, and shop. I took too many pictures! I mean, you've seen one, you've seen them all. But that didn't stop me. The guide kept talking about the likeness to Bob Marley because of the dreadlocked hair. I thought it was a lot softer than my dreadlocks were. I snagged a clump of hair from the fence. I haven't managed to get nice thread from it yet. The next stop was the Pisac market - world famous. I enjoyed "window" shopping in the open air market, but was most impressed with the selection of grains and produce. It is so foreign to see everything laid on blankets on the ground being bartered and sold. The colors were vivacious, though! The whole place was alive! It made me think that once you see it over and over and over again, things start to look the same. The more I see, the less I need. Plus I am still grumpy that their lovely alpaca hair hats come in brown or orange, but not both! Lunch was at the Alhambra in Urubamba. The one in Granada is where royalty lived, but this restaurant is where royalty eat. It was a buffet with a barley/egg soup - muy rico, two bean salads and salad bar, taqueños (similar to a cheese taquito with a thin flour tortilla) with guacamole, thinly sliced fish with lime and onions (but not cebiche), a layered dish of potatoes and tuna and avocado, fried fish pieces, and purple corn pudding. There was other food I didn't eat, like the meat, so this was a real feast. I could have done with out the caballeros riding in circles in the grassy area behind our table, but the Peruvian musicians playing the instrumental bit from Titanic really iced the cake! Ollantaytambo provided exercise after our big meal. There are some great ruins to climb, but more importantly, it is at the end of the road at the base of lots of mountains. I was a bit in love. Over and over people talk about the Incan buildings as art and architecture. They didn't use cubic or rectangular bricks. They found the biggest heaviest slabs and slotted them perfectly together so that they would hold up in an earthquake. The interlacing of pieces and perfect matches of odd angles really is wuite amazing. And everything nestles together without any space between! Did I mention there were amazing mountains? Some with snow? Wow! I look forward to seeing it is two months to see what has changed. The Inca Trail begins there, so I will definitely be back. Chinchero was our last stop before home. We climbed out of the valley and even higher than Cuzco. The vistas are stunning! Breathtaking! The whole valley is "sacred" for many reasons, but certainly one is the farming. There are natural terraces caused from techtonic plate activity and leftover from the Incas. Corn and potatoes are the primary crops, and while they farmed over two thousand potatoes five hundred years ago, they only farm about 200 varieties. Not too shabby! The young Irishmen are not feeling well, so they came home from orientation and went to bed before I could say hola. I am not sure if they speak any Spanish yet, but they are here four weeks, so they'll be good to go in a few weeks. Freddie and I had ramen noodles for dinner. What a gracious guest I am, huh? It is the first bowl of ramen I have had in at least a year (I can't remember eating it in Japan). And on a glad note, I had the warmest shower yet. Temperature is inversely proportionate to the pressure or how high it is turned on. So while it felt great, it didn't quite shower me all over at the same time. Tomorrow school begins again! More to follow...love, tori

Wow! What a week! Today has been a restful day for me. I was up rather early for having been up too late, but it was an exceptional morning. Tomas returned last night from his five day hike to Machu Picchu (a different route than Erik and I will take). He doesn’t speak much English, yet we had a very detailed description of his hike. Though German, he had the active hands of an Italian. The soles of his boots split. He was very cold, and one night it snowed. He didn’t sleep, but tried to keep moving. Locke said Tomas had gotten wet and couldn’t dry, but I missed that hand gesture. He wore everything he had in his sleeping bag in the tent and was still cold! Not encouraging words! It was also the last breakfast with Locke & Molly, as they moved out today. As soon as they settled into their new digs, we met up to take a taxi to El Molino, the famoso El Molino that Freddie has been talking up the last few days. Everything is cheap – muy barato! He kept telling us about the little DVD player you can buy for forty soles ($13) that will play all DVDs. (If you didn’t know, movies are heavily regulated, and most players have regional protection, so you cannot play a movie from Peru on a player in England. Movies are ultra cheap here, so it would do no good to buy them cheap and not be able to play them.) The three of us passed on the DVD player and the stalls and stalls of shoes, clothes, jackets, shoes, electronics, shoes, and jewelry. However, we were all taken by the racks of CDs. They are about $1.25 apiece, but are all copies. I guess there are no piracy laws down here. We haggled our prices down and walked away with about two dozen discs! I was thinking about Toddie P and how we’d never get him out of there. And much of the music reminded me of other people. I think I will go back with Erik in December and check out some more, but would you believe they have no Grateful Dead?!?!? The man asked me if they were a new band. A new band!?!? They had Milli Vanilli and New Kids on the Block, but no Garcia? Muy triste! I did see a Fray disc…how proud for Denver. There was more dancing and drumming in the plaza, so I took in what I could. I wrote in my journal – a few pages in English and a few pages in Spanish. Tomas passed by, so we talked and headed home for lunch. I crashed after lunch, but made it back out in the afternoon for some more music and writing. Gloria went out to see old friends from work, while Freddie kept a spot warm on the couch in front of the TV. I recognized Simpsons, My Best Friend’s Wedding, and some other programs. They get American channels, as well as a lot of channels of dumb stuff. Much of the programs are sexualized, and I wonder if Freddie is embarrassed to watch some of the programs with me sitting at the table working on the computer. I kept busy tonight working on my résumé, but there was no internet signal. It was just Freddie and I for dinner, and I was delighted to have a cheese tortilla (omelet) on some bread. He and I talked for an hour and a half. I asked lots of good questions, and I am happy to say I understood so much and could even contribute to the conversation. We talked about the culture of Peru that people spend money when they have it and ask mama for it when they don’t, no matter how old they are or mama is. People don’t generally travel or dream about going anywhere or doing anything big. There is always another fiesta or festividad. I am sure this is a gross generalization, but I can see what he is talking about. Freddie has lots of opinions, and I found out we share a few. He is a very worldy man, too, so the contrast of lifestyles here is very difficult for him. Well, tomorrow I will go to the Sacred Valley with Locke, Molly, and possibly some other students. I have to get up earlier than usual, so I better go to bed. Tomorrow morning two new students move in. They are from Ireland, and I am sure I will have more on them later. Saludes…tori

a good friday...

Today marks a week of travel. I left early Saturday morning, and here it is early Saturday morning that I am posting! Today was the end of a great week of classes. I kind of wish I had homework for the weekend because it helps me to study. Because students come for varying lengths of time, each week begins with orientation and ends with "graduation", though not many showed up tonight for their certificate. Gratefully, Jason and Manuela continue on, so the three of us and one new student have classes together next week with Magda and Nuri (our profesoras). We will stay in the morning, too, which means I will still have afternoons to tool around. Locke and Molly check out tomorrow and into a convent/hostel. We will go to the Sacred Valley on Sunday, but then they leave early on Monday to hike the Inca Trail. I will feel a bit lost without them, but after tonight I feel more confident in going solo. Class was a riot, again. I must sound like a broken record, but really, my class couldn't be any more amusing. I realized this morning that one reason I really like Jakeline, our first teacher, is that she reminds me of Dr. G, a significant teacher in my life. I think it is mostly her hair style, but there is such an encouraging energy in the room with her, that I think it is more than just cabello. Carla came in after Jakeline and started laughing at us and giving us the cultural lesson. Again we learned many phrases, such as "mas claro no canta un gallo" (more clear a rooster wouldn't sing - literally). It means something is very well understood. I think maybe because when the light is brightest at midday, all is so clearly visible - and roosters cock-a-doodle-do in the early morning dimness...just my theory! So after school I came home for an exceptionally delicious lunch. I don't wake up from naps well, so I got online - when I should have been writing this. I tooled around until I received a phone call from Erik. It was such a treat to hear his voice on the other end of the line. I think there was a bit of confusion between him and Freddie when he called, but at least they figured it out. I could have talked much longer, but I wanted to (1) pay for a tour with Locke and Molly of the Sacred Valley. I will go again with Erik,but I thought it a fun way to see them before they leave for the trail. And (2) the "graduation" was at 6:30 pm. Locke was already there, but Molly stayed home in bed sick. There were free pisco sours and a Peruvian corn-nut, but the salsa dance lessons did not happen. I think people were supposed to sign up, and maybe there were not enough names. We talked for a long while on the terrace until it got too cold. Manuela and I headed to Jason's house for a pequena fiesta with mojitos. I enjoyed practicing Spanish with her, as well as talking about skiing with Brad and Heather from Calgary. I am a bit psyched to ski, though I have a long time to wait while the snow falls and Oren makes tracks. The fiesta went on for a while and eventually champagne was being passed around. Some of the students are quite young and like to party. I mostly feel like an old lady. I walked on to the bar KM 0 - kilometer zero. There was live music and popcorn, but I wasn't drinking. It was neat to meet other students who have class in the afternoon. They have all been around for a few weeks at least, so they are pretty chummy. Jonathan is 29, from San Francisco, learning Spanish and volunteering in an afterschool program, and in study mode after a vacation with his girlfriend in Central America. Jocelyn is from Worchester and likes music. Michelle is Korean-American and taking a break from NYU to learn Spanish and talk philosophy in other parts of the world - we had a great convesation about culture and America and what it can mean to be an American woman despite heritage. I really enjoyed talking with her. The scene got old, and I could feel it getting late, so we pressed on to Seites Angelitos for funk night. It was awesome. And for all the complaining that i do about the cold, I was down to a tank top! Crazy! I just love the funk and dancing. They closed with "Mustang Sally" and an invitation to come back next Friday. I just might! So I have been nervous about being out alone, partly because I need sleep and don't want to ditch out on hanging out with the family here. The other part is that if I don't know when and where to find friends, I fear I will end up in a dark alley in a tough situation. It was really quite well-lit and crowded. The drawback is the smoke, which makes me happy that Denver is smoke free. And while some may disagree with me, the smoke is much worse than we perceive. It was only really after leaving that I could smell iton myself that I realized how smoky it had been. The Nora girls will appreciate that I left my clothes in a pile in the outer room because they ar stinky. Even more reassuring is that I had no problem with the taxi home; can you imagine a taxi ride that costs only $1. You can't ride the bus in Denver for that much, unless you're disabled or much older than I! And so...my pumpkin has expired. I am going to be tired tomorrow. But I just couldn't go to bed without logging in. Buenos suenos! victoria

Hueves de Cuzco

It hardly seems I have been here less than a week. I will admit last night that my belly started to rumble a little, but I am feeling better today. I drank lots of te de una de gato. I am still having trouble with the accent marks - there should be an accent on the e of tea and the n of una. Literraly the tea is called "the fingernail of the cat", but it is a plant in the jungle that looks like a cat's claw. It is good for the stomach, so I have drinking a lot of it. It is very different here because you cannot flush paper. It goes in a waste basket next to the toilet, and I have a great fear of forgetting. Last night I dreamt about having to clean a toilet out with a pair of forks. Gross! School was marvelous...again. I really love learning in class and wish I could afford to take classes all day long, but then I wouldn't be with my friends. I love sitting between Locke and Jason. We're always having fun and making jokes. Today Carla taught us many slang phrases, which we tried to correlate in English. Most did not, though a couple phrases are similar. Por ejemplo, "tener patas de gallo" es misma "have crows' feet" (wrinkles by the eyes). Also, our phrase "costs an arm and a leg is similar to "costar un ojo de la cara" (costs an eye). I mis-interpreted the phrase "tener a una persona entre ceja y ceja" for "have someone by the balls", but it really means to hate someone (have a person inbetween the eyes, as in a gun sight). My mistake began a joke about how it doesn't translate for women because we cannot or do not need to be controlled. Then we discussed how "problem" is masculine and "solution" is feminine. The joking was a lot of fun! Jason and I had a great conversation about environment and conservation between teachers. It's great to be able to have these type of conversations (in English of course) because my Spanish is often not so deep. Tomorrow is our last class this week, but hopefully Manuela and Jason will be in my class next week. We talk about work and home life a lot in class, so I am often talking about Metro CareRing as if I still work there. It is so interesting how even this far away, a person's identity is tied to their work. This afternoon I went to Saint Dominic's, which is built on the Incan temple of the sun - Q'oricancha. It was interesting to see, though I was disappointed I couldn't take pictures in the church of these beautiful paintings of "archangels", young Peruvian boys as angels. There were also angels of virtue that were young girls. The pictures were so sweet. I did take some pictures of the stone work that is still around, probably seven hundred years old. The craftsmanship is amazing! No mortar or lime between the stones, and they fit perfectly. I also checked out the Cathedral, where in fact you can see a huge picture of the Last Supper with Jesus serving cuy (guinea pig). The statues were really quite grotesque, actually. I enjoyed the churches in Italy and the few in Spain we visited. But these statues were pretty gaudy, and some looked like mannequins from a store with hideous wigs. In some of the side chapels, I saw some interesting things - a saint that looked like a long haired Indiana Jones, a nicely decorated space with cleaning supplies under the altar, another nicely decorated chapel with a telephone on the altar (not a cell phone). Unfortunately I can only share these images in words, but it was really quite amusing. On my way home, I saw that the Convento la Merced was open. It is only open in the evenings during services. Mass had just started, so I sat and tried to follow along. There were no prayer books, so I did my best. It was nice to go to mass, though there were tourists filing in and around during mass. As I exited, I ran into a parade of children with paper lanterns lit by candles. Some were dressed in a traditional costume and "dancing." I think what I saw the other day was practice for the parade. Gloria said it is an anniversary of the school. It was so sweet, though too dark for my pictures to come out well. From there I ran into Locke and Molly, but they stopped at a cafe, and I kept on home. In Plaza de San Francisco, I saw a group of men preparing for a music show. This I did capture in photos and videos. I will see if I can upload it to youtube.com or something to share the music. There are events at the municipal theatre, and this group began playing outside to draw people in. It was quite neat. Tonight we had hot chocolate with dinner, and I got a couple of the clues on Wheel of Fortune again! Whoopee! We wondered where they may have found their contestants if they couldn't figure out the clues before a non-speaker did. Quite proud of myself...huh? I am quite tired and starting to get chilled. It was such a nice afternoon; to be outside kept me warmer a lot later than usual. Thanks for the notes and e-mails. I only wish all of you could be with me, like in that cell phone commercial. Thanks for being my network! love, victoria ps - the spellcheck doesn't work here because everything is in Spanish. Please pardon my errors.

My Wednesday...

What a day! I had a difficult time getting up, which really is no surprise. My alarm clock has a setting for snoozing, but it only lasts cinco minutos. We’ve been running late in the morning, so I tried to get up and eating earlier. Pilar comes to the house in the morning and fixes breakfast and cleans. She helps with lunch and other household chores, too. It is peculiar to be in such a poor place and have hired help. Pilar is quite sweet and makes the delicious juices and smoothies for breakfast and lunch. One glass is never enough, though that is all I get. Gloria knows I love fruta, so we have been having more and more. Me gusta! Today I was not late for school. I was the first one in the classroom, so I went for some tea. Aprendo los verbos irregular y otras cosas. I really enjoy my classes. I am learning more and more, and I have an easier time talking with Gloria and Freddie at mealtimes. Mollie, Locke, and I stopped at the museum of contemporary art on the way home for lunch. I found it interesting, though there was varying quality of work. I wandered through Plaza de San Francisco and watched the niños marching/dancing in place outside the school. One class had a flute for music; the other had a couple drums…very entertaining and adorable. Gloria and Freddie’s son Ethan was here for lunch. The conversation was not as animated as the discussion of foreign politics of lunches earlier, but I understood more. The rain came hard as we ate, so I decided to stay in for the afternoon. It means I have been bundled up and wearing my hat and jacket all day. I tried to use the internet from the house, but kept getting kicked off. So I did lots of reading! I read up on Puno, Arequipa, Colca Canyon, Lake Titicaca, and my options for my week of travel before I leave for Argentina. The options are so numerous, and I don’t make decisions easily. If you have any thoughts, please post them. The Amazon / rain forest is not so far either. I could really spread myself thin! I only have seven days / six nights, so I really shouldn’t try to do it all. A tribute to Angela Paviglianiti, I purchased El Principito de Antoine de Saint – Exupery yesterday. I began reading it last night, though I didn’t get very far. I don’t know tenses of verbs, so I got stuck on a word right off the bat. I am doing better – I’ve read the prologue and a page and a half. I especially loved the bit about the frightening sombrero. Books here are ultra-cheap because they are all copies. They have no copyright information or anything – someone translated and mass-produced them. It was only tres soles, which is about one dollar. I also played some Spanish Wheel of Fortune. The tele seems to be on a lot. I actually did pretty well and got a number of words and phrases. Molly is such a good Spanish speaker, but she and Locke came later to dinner, so the conversation was a little slower and more basic. I enjoy practicing what I do know. Tomorrow is another day of class. Maybe I will try to go to the Cathedral tomorrow. I have an hour after classes before lunch. I’ll have to wait to see what I can see! I think of home and everyone often…wondering what you are doing or being reminded of you by the people and places around me. If anyone knows how the marathoners did last weekend, post a note. I hope Jenny and Nikki are both recovered and enjoying their glory! Tonight would have been family dinner in Castle Rock. Was there another celebration of Oren’s birthday? With his parents over maybe? It seems unbelievable that it is the first one I have missed, for I feel like I have been so far away for so long. I hope Gabe hasn’t killed my plants. “/ Maybe Grandma is out line dancing post-back surgery if she isn’t also watching Wheel of Fortune. And does Maddie know her teddy bear’s name is Spanish for “pancake”? Well, enough rambling on, and I will say good night (even though I know I can’t post this till Thursday). Loveyoumeanit…victoria

Segundo Dia

I got homework today! But that didn't stop Locke, Molly, and I from wandering around after school today. Class is a lot of fun. I sit between Jason and Locke, and we seem to be laughing a lot. Jason has traveled a lot in Mexico, and the vocabulary is not the same. Our teacher Carla is always having a laughing fit about the palabras antiguas Jason uses. School is at least a fifteen minute walk (uphill at the end), and we have not been leaving early enough. Tomorrow we will have to eat desayuno mas tempranillo, so we will not be late again. The first 1:45 hours is with Jakeline, then we have a half hour break. Next we meet with Carla. Jason is 32, a photographer from Vancouver BC, but he will move to Toronto when he returns. Manuela is a medical assistant from Switzerland and is traveling to Chile next. Claire is from England, and she has been traveling for six months already (southeast Asia mostly) and hopes to travel to Bolivia next and not return home for at least another four months. Locke is from Sonoma County. He is a doctor and took a few weeks off to study Spanish for a week, hike the Inca trail, and travel around Peru with his daughter Molly. Here the three of us are wandering around today:

The altitude is not a problem for me, but the cold is! It is cold a lot - the buildings are thick earthen or cement walls that keep things cool. I often am wearing my jacket inside. The sun does come out and feel good, but the cold seeps back into my bones! Being so close to the equator, the sun rises and sets pretty consistently, and by 6:30 pm it is dark! Being in a mountain valley also contributes to this, as my friends in Denver know well. I haven't figured out how to get a hot shower, though Locke and Molly say es posible.

...had dinner and did my homework, plus a little review at the beginning of the book, and Molly worked on her apllication for a sustainable farming program in CA, so I've been off since I last wrote. Locke had the nerve to tell me his shower was so hot he couldn't stand under the water. Talk about gloating! I managed to keep warm by drinking lots of hot water, just like my grandpa used to drink. It is late...again. I must go to sleep and then post more manana. (I cannot figure out how to put the accent in my Spanish typing. Disculpeme! If you know how, please post a comment with instructions.) G'night...victoria

Estoy muy cansada...

I really wanted to try writing this en espanol, pero mi espanol es asi asi, y mi cabeza es cansada. Hopefully tomorrow I will have more time to post, so I can fill in some more details, but I made it to Cuzco yesterday. I landed at 6:40 am (EST) after 21 hours of travel. The school had a taxi for me, and he dropped me off at my host family's casa. I slept for six hours and missed meeting the others staying here. Molly y Locke son de California. Locke es el padre de Molly. Estan muy lindas. My host family is Gloria y Freddie. Freddie is a retired chef, so I have eaten well. Today was my first class. We took an exam in the morning to place us. Locke and I are in the same class. Nuestras profesoras son Jakeline y Carla. There are four other students in our class. Class finishes at 12:30 pm, so we met Molly and walked home for lunch - pescado, yucca, ensalata, choclo (maiz), y durazno. Siempre mate de coca tambien. After lunch we went to our rooms for a nap, but I couldn't sleep. I read about Cuzco and listened to Storyhill. Erik knew I would need music and snuck some in my bag before I left. Locke and I wandered around the city, climbing at least another couple hundred feet. Cuzco is about 11,500 feet, but I haven't had any altitude sickness. ---wow, I'm having deja vu--- Anyway, back to my day, Locke and I enjoyed wandering and ran into some burros. I will have to post pictures tomorrow, as I need to be asleep now We met the rest of the school for dinner at Kusi Kuy, part of the package. I was nervous the would serve kuy, but we were lucky to have pisco sours, salad, pudding, and for us vegetarians fettucini with pesto. The pesto was the brightest green I have ever seen. Jason, a classmate, said I should have taken a picture, but it seemed rude. Last night I went to sleep by 9 pm. Tonigt it is almost 11 pm! Buenas noches! Buenos suenos! victoria

Butterflies...

Those butterflies were swirling around my belly this morning. I couldn't even sleep in! Last night was "wing-chic" night - loosely translates to a sleepover at Nikki's house. We talked about skiing, boys, and our upcoming travels before crashing. The best part of sleepovers at Nikki's is when she starts babbling in her sleep! I love how it makes no sense at all.

I am mostly packed. I have a couple things to snag at the store, some notes to write, just getting a couple more things in order before I leave. Seventy-two days! This trip suddenly feels too long, though I know once I jump in to it, the time will fly. Jitters!!! Hopefully I can be all set and ready by the early afternoon, so I can just relax and enjoy. If time allows, I will back fill my blog with the stories and pictures of this last week. Packing out of my room and packing for this trip were my first priorities, so I let my blog slide. Lo siento!

Here are some pictures from Erik's nephew's birthday dinner at Red Robin last night. Codi really turns six in a couple weeks, but I wanted to get in on the action. His sister Landi turned eight in August, and we went to the IMAX to celebrate.

The birthday boy with his balloons.

Landi is always all smiles.

Well, here I am signing off...maybe I'll be back on today, or maybe I will be south of the equator next time. adios muchachos...tori