I'm not normally one of those people who gets really worked up over ruins or natural history museums. While I find them interesting and usually somewhat aesthetically pleasing, I have never really harbored a desire to be an archaeologist and spend my time "uncovering the mysteries of the past" or whatever. It's kind of like, I really like to understand a bit about the culture of the place I'm in, but when it comes to looking at site after site of ancient stones that we actually know very little about, I kind of get bored.
That said, I have to admit that not only Machu Picchu, but also the sites we visited along the way totally blew me away. It is SO beautiful there it is hard to even describe, and the photos I took don't even come close to doing it all justice. I think one of the reasons I really enjoyed Machu Picchu so much is that so much of it is still really intact, I mean like even in full working order, in the case of the water drainage systems. So it doesn't require quite such a flight of imagination to envision what life here was like, and, most importantly, the site itself is absolutely breathtaking. It makes a lot of sense that it was never found (and therefore never destroyed) by the Spanish simply because the location is so remote and so incredibly high- it sits atop a mountain peak, amid several other similar peaks, some of which are also built up and others of which are not. But who would of thought to attack there? Nonetheless, this gorgeous place was only used for about 100 years before it was abandoned, though to this day nobody is certain of why.
Anyway, even though really doing it right means getting up at 5am to catch the first hours of light, it was well worth the effort. After spending the better part of the morning on our little guided tour of the pueblo of Machu Picchu, I decided that I was feeling up for the hike up to Waynapicchu, a neighboring mountain that also has ruins at the top. The climb up Waynapicchu is grueling, but I was actually relishing the exercise, since I have basically become a human vegetable in the last year, lacking any kind of real cardio or legs workout. I was quite pleased at the fact that I was able to pass up most of the others on the trail too, and I made it to the top in about 35 minutes, though the average is an hour. I took my time once I got there, hot and sweaty, to relax, cool down, climb around, take pictures and eat my lunch of choclo (native, huge corn on the cob) and an apple, legs dangling off into nowhere at what feels like the top of the world. By the time I was ready to move on, I was feeling pretty good and energized again, so when I got to the crossroads that gave me the choice between going back to the entrance or descending to the bottom to see the Great Caves (also called the moon caves), I opted to press on and check out the caves. This, as it turns out, was perhaps a bit overambitious.
The trail was gorgeous: as it snakes down the mountain (through a combination of carved stone steps, normal dirt path and lashed-together wooden ladders, depending on the steepness), the air becomes less dry and the vegetation more tropical, with lush green vines, twisting trees and wild orchids of all kinds tangling into a thick forest on all sides of you. I continued on for around 40 minutes, down, down, down, and then came to the first bit of ruins, which was some kind of hallway that I couldn't really determine the purpose of. It was a little complicated getting down from that first part, but when I did I immediately spotted the brightly dressed woman who had sat across from me on the train the night before. She was perched on the ledge of the overlook, moving her hands in front of her and chanting some kind of hippie mantra, I don't know what. She ignored me and I looked behind her and saw another middle-aged woman, this one slightly less woo-woo seeming, sitting on a carved stone bench inside the mouth of the great cave, talking to her friend in Spanish and then contorting herself so she was sitting upside down now, her head hanging close to the ground and her legs perching atop the stone, attempting to balance like that. I did my best to pretend they weren't there and went on about my way, walking into the cave, which had been meticulously inlaid with stone walls and cupolas, where, if my guide is correct, is where the Inkas would have placed their precious ceremonial objects to be displayed while they used the space to perform rituals and religious ceremonies. There was also the "double carved" door jamb, which was only used for holy buildings. I ventured further back into the darker part of the cave, but even though there were obviously more structures built up back there, I didn't have a light and the damp darkness that pervaded it creeped me out so I left.
Climbing back out and back to the main site proved to be a lot more of a challenge than coming in had been. I noticed that when I stood still my legs started shaking, so I figured the only thing to do was to keep walking. I tried to take it steadily, not going as fast as I usually like to in order to pace myself, but after climbing steadily up for more than an hour, only to come to a place where I then had to descend and could clearly see that ahead of me I would have to RE-ascend that which I was about to "undo", I started to feel annoyed. The Inkas were some tough mothers, that's all I can say. About two hours after I had left the Cave of the Moon, I finally reached familiar ground again, where I had originally come in to climb to Waynapicchu.
By the time I stumbled out, I was hot and sweaty, my legs were shaking and sore, and I was ready to go back to town and take a shower.
Leaving wasn't that easy either, since without a map, Machu Picchu is something of a maze, and more than once I found myself following labyrinthine pathways only to wind up at a dead end stone wall. But eventually I did make it out, only to discover that my tour company had only sent me with a one way ticket- I had no bus ticket back down. Annoyed (since I had actually already paid the exhorbitant $12 roundtrip fee with my tour), I eventually convinced the surly woman behind the counter to at least give me a student priced ticket, which she did, only to get me out of her hair I think. While waiting in line for the bus, I noticed a man who had just been delivered by stretcher to the front of the line. He was covered to his chest in an orange bodybag, but he was conscious. The woman beside me couldn't help but explain to me, in a loud New York accent, how they had been "stuck behind" him the whole time on the top of Waynapicchu, and how he had somehow managed to injure his leg and a rescue crew had to come and carry him all the way down on the stretcher, a feat I can hardly imagine as even being possible. By this time the man was being helped up and the bodybag was pulled back to let him out, and the leg that was revealed did indeed look pretty badly broken- it was all purple and swolled, from foot to about halfway up his lower leg. Poor guy. He looked dazed, and the woman beside me just continued to complain about how every time she had tried to get around the rescue party she still ended up behind them, which had clearly been a great nuisance to her. I just gave her a look of disbelief and commented how horrible it must have been for the guy and the rescuers, and she shut up shortly thereafter.
So yeah, it was a little rough, but it could've been a lot worse!
When I got back to town I went to the local "hot springs", which proved to be a lot less lovely than I had imagined, since really it was just several concrete pools full of dirty-looking water, but still , I think it was good for me. I tried to ignore the Pink Floyd and Bob Marley that was being cranked from the loudspeaker, and befriended a nice girl from Slovenia, a doctoral student who had just arrived from Bolivia that day and was exhausted. We hung out in the warm water until our skin was all pruny, and then went to eat and have a drink in town before we went our separate ways. For the first time in days, I slept like a baby, completely exhausted but warm and cozy in my hostel room.
I took the train and bus back to Cusco the following morning, and now, here I am, typing away at the ONLY wi-fi spot I could find in Cuzco, a super bougie restaurant/ cafe, hoping they don't say anything about the fact that all I've ordered in the past two hours is a tea. Tonight I will take a 5pm bus back to Lima (about 22 hours away), where I will spend my last few days before I head back to the US! The goal is to try to find gays. We shall see.
I hope this finds you all well and good. Other than having to pee right now, I myself am doing great, and can't wait to see you all again and eat delicious soy ice cream and vegan donuts! It's so hard to be vegan here! But I am staying stong- just a little cranky about it.
Big hugs to all! xoxo, me.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Uros Islands, Peru
April 18th, 2007 (more or less)...
Well, I finally left Bolivia. Sometime last week (time is all a blur now), I got on a bus in La Paz and crossed the border into Peru, where I decided to stop and stay in Puno, a small town on the shore of Lake Titikaka. The guidebook had described Puno as pretty, so I was unpleasantly surprised to discover that this was patently false. Like many other latin American towns, Puno is crowded & filthy, a messy jumble of half-completed buildings stacked on top of one another, all concrete and rebar sticking out unevenly like the half-eaten innards of some unfortunate savannah prey. The way to get from the bus station into town is by mototaxi, which is a fun experience in itself, since really what we're talking about here is a actually a dangerous combination of a motorcycle up front, with two wheels and a little covered carriage dubiously welded onto the back. It's fun.
Anyway, the first hostel I went to was the one I had found in the guidebook before my arrival. The entrance was shabby and barely visible, and once I had navigated the narrow concrete pathway up to the "entrance", I realized that it actually wasn't marked. So I hazarded a guess and walked into a small courtyard draped with drying laundry, only to startle a very old woman and her family, who were having lunch. Oops. After an awkward moment of trying to explain to her that I was looking for the hostel, a younger woman appeared in an adjacent doorwaya and showed me back the way I came, to a barely marked door with a bell so high she could barely reach it. We rang the bell a good three or four times, but nobody ever answered, so, shrugging our shoulders, I retreated back out into the chaotic streets and and headed for the only other place on my list, the Hotel Monterry, which was located smack dab in the center of the tourist strip. They gave me a room with a nice German girl who has been living here with a Quechua family as part of her religious studies thesis project.
By the time night fell, I had learned that the vegetarian restaurant that the guide had lauded as having "amazing traditional Peruvian dishes with fake meat, fresh local veggies and quinoa" was no longer in existence, having been replaced by some run-of-the-mill, overpriced tourist meat restaurant. Instead I found the only other veggie restaurant in Puno, which was lacking in atmosphere and not that exciting but given the circumstances, was still much appreciated. I had also learned that Guang, the nice boy from New York that was my seat companion on the bus from La Paz, had been absolutely right when he told me that Puno was incredibly boring. It was. The German girl and I went out to the "rock pub" around the corner that evening, but after 2 cups of coca tea for me and a couple of coffee/ liquor concoctions for her, we were both over it and decided to go home and sleep.
The next day I was torn about what to do: just get out and head straight to Cuzco, or stay and try to see the mysterious "floating islands" on Lake Titikaka that are made from woven straw. When I learned that there was a group of islands only 30 minutes by boat from the town, and that I could go see them and still be back by early afternoon, I decided to go ahead and check it out, just because they sounded so intriguing.
I got a boat from the main dock, eschewing the myriad tour offerings since I had been warned that the tour companies give practically nothing to the actual indigenous communities they visit, and I didn't really want to give my money to someone so they could further exploit a group of people who have virtually nothing to begin with. Anyway. The Lake itself is gorgeous, a beautiful clear, cold blue with the snow-capped Andes Mountains surrounding on all sides. When we finally arrived at the first island, we were helped to "dock" by the local women who were waiting to help peg us into the soft, straw-covered surface of the island by a rope.
The islands really are incredible- apparently they were first built to avoid invading forces, be they Spanish or from other tribes, using the reeds that naturally grow very tall and very quickly all over the lake. The indigenous people use the reeds for everything- they are woven together beautifully to make boats, houses, and, of course, even the very islands themselves, which are about 3 feet thick in most places and need to be supplemented with fresh reeds every week or so. They are even edible, though I have to say, not that tasty. It's amazing! Obviously, I went nuts taking pictures so if you are curious or if I'm not explaining it all that well, just go look at the photos and you'll understand what I'm talking about.
Anyway, we spent several hours hopping around to the various islands, looking around, talking to the folks who live there, who mainly wanted to sell us souvenirs but were friendly nonetheless. One woman I spoke with showed me inside her house, which was tiny but cozy, made of wood, reeds, and little else. She proudly demonstrated the sole electric lightbulb that was strung from a cord and served as the house's only light source, and explained that after several islands had caught on fire as a result of spilled candles, ex-president Fujimori had donated solar panels so the islanders could have enough electricity to light their homes without the risk of burning to death, since the houses of dried reeds are basically a tinderbox waiting for a spark.
Eventually, it was time to leave, and I bid Ana goodbye with a small donation, and we all climbed back in the boat and headed back to solid ground.
Well, I finally left Bolivia. Sometime last week (time is all a blur now), I got on a bus in La Paz and crossed the border into Peru, where I decided to stop and stay in Puno, a small town on the shore of Lake Titikaka. The guidebook had described Puno as pretty, so I was unpleasantly surprised to discover that this was patently false. Like many other latin American towns, Puno is crowded & filthy, a messy jumble of half-completed buildings stacked on top of one another, all concrete and rebar sticking out unevenly like the half-eaten innards of some unfortunate savannah prey. The way to get from the bus station into town is by mototaxi, which is a fun experience in itself, since really what we're talking about here is a actually a dangerous combination of a motorcycle up front, with two wheels and a little covered carriage dubiously welded onto the back. It's fun.
Anyway, the first hostel I went to was the one I had found in the guidebook before my arrival. The entrance was shabby and barely visible, and once I had navigated the narrow concrete pathway up to the "entrance", I realized that it actually wasn't marked. So I hazarded a guess and walked into a small courtyard draped with drying laundry, only to startle a very old woman and her family, who were having lunch. Oops. After an awkward moment of trying to explain to her that I was looking for the hostel, a younger woman appeared in an adjacent doorwaya and showed me back the way I came, to a barely marked door with a bell so high she could barely reach it. We rang the bell a good three or four times, but nobody ever answered, so, shrugging our shoulders, I retreated back out into the chaotic streets and and headed for the only other place on my list, the Hotel Monterry, which was located smack dab in the center of the tourist strip. They gave me a room with a nice German girl who has been living here with a Quechua family as part of her religious studies thesis project.
By the time night fell, I had learned that the vegetarian restaurant that the guide had lauded as having "amazing traditional Peruvian dishes with fake meat, fresh local veggies and quinoa" was no longer in existence, having been replaced by some run-of-the-mill, overpriced tourist meat restaurant. Instead I found the only other veggie restaurant in Puno, which was lacking in atmosphere and not that exciting but given the circumstances, was still much appreciated. I had also learned that Guang, the nice boy from New York that was my seat companion on the bus from La Paz, had been absolutely right when he told me that Puno was incredibly boring. It was. The German girl and I went out to the "rock pub" around the corner that evening, but after 2 cups of coca tea for me and a couple of coffee/ liquor concoctions for her, we were both over it and decided to go home and sleep.
The next day I was torn about what to do: just get out and head straight to Cuzco, or stay and try to see the mysterious "floating islands" on Lake Titikaka that are made from woven straw. When I learned that there was a group of islands only 30 minutes by boat from the town, and that I could go see them and still be back by early afternoon, I decided to go ahead and check it out, just because they sounded so intriguing.
I got a boat from the main dock, eschewing the myriad tour offerings since I had been warned that the tour companies give practically nothing to the actual indigenous communities they visit, and I didn't really want to give my money to someone so they could further exploit a group of people who have virtually nothing to begin with. Anyway. The Lake itself is gorgeous, a beautiful clear, cold blue with the snow-capped Andes Mountains surrounding on all sides. When we finally arrived at the first island, we were helped to "dock" by the local women who were waiting to help peg us into the soft, straw-covered surface of the island by a rope.
The islands really are incredible- apparently they were first built to avoid invading forces, be they Spanish or from other tribes, using the reeds that naturally grow very tall and very quickly all over the lake. The indigenous people use the reeds for everything- they are woven together beautifully to make boats, houses, and, of course, even the very islands themselves, which are about 3 feet thick in most places and need to be supplemented with fresh reeds every week or so. They are even edible, though I have to say, not that tasty. It's amazing! Obviously, I went nuts taking pictures so if you are curious or if I'm not explaining it all that well, just go look at the photos and you'll understand what I'm talking about.
Anyway, we spent several hours hopping around to the various islands, looking around, talking to the folks who live there, who mainly wanted to sell us souvenirs but were friendly nonetheless. One woman I spoke with showed me inside her house, which was tiny but cozy, made of wood, reeds, and little else. She proudly demonstrated the sole electric lightbulb that was strung from a cord and served as the house's only light source, and explained that after several islands had caught on fire as a result of spilled candles, ex-president Fujimori had donated solar panels so the islanders could have enough electricity to light their homes without the risk of burning to death, since the houses of dried reeds are basically a tinderbox waiting for a spark.
Eventually, it was time to leave, and I bid Ana goodbye with a small donation, and we all climbed back in the boat and headed back to solid ground.
Monday, April 14, 2008
A few more little things
First of all, Erica in San Francisco pointed this out on the listserv we're both on, and I just have to say that THIS is why I really, really love San Francisco. Never let it be said that embittered leftists don't have a sense of humor:
http://presidentialmemorial.org/
Okay and the other thing is that I put a bunch of pictures up on the internet (after a whole bunch of hemming and hawing cause I am not exactly "tech-savvy", to say the least). So I don't know if this link will work or not, but I think so, so give it a shot if you've got a few minutes to kill:
http://picasaweb.google.com/veganpike
And finally, last but not least, if you are a California voter, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE be sure to vote in the upcoming summer elections to say NO to the repeal of rent control. If this legislation gets overturned, me and basically everyone I know in SF will be homeless, and I am not even exagerrating at all. It really is just like that. My landlord has made it crystal clear that she wants to up the rent once I leave, since she won't let anyone else on my lease, as that would guarantee them the same rate I'm getting (which, at nearly $2,000 a month, isn't exactly a steal as it is).
Anyway, climbing down from the soapbox now, so yeah, that's all...
xoxo, Pike
http://presidentialmemorial.org/
Okay and the other thing is that I put a bunch of pictures up on the internet (after a whole bunch of hemming and hawing cause I am not exactly "tech-savvy", to say the least). So I don't know if this link will work or not, but I think so, so give it a shot if you've got a few minutes to kill:
http://picasaweb.google.com/veganpike
And finally, last but not least, if you are a California voter, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE be sure to vote in the upcoming summer elections to say NO to the repeal of rent control. If this legislation gets overturned, me and basically everyone I know in SF will be homeless, and I am not even exagerrating at all. It really is just like that. My landlord has made it crystal clear that she wants to up the rent once I leave, since she won't let anyone else on my lease, as that would guarantee them the same rate I'm getting (which, at nearly $2,000 a month, isn't exactly a steal as it is).
Anyway, climbing down from the soapbox now, so yeah, that's all...
xoxo, Pike
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Esperanza de Libertad, continued.
I’m back! In La Paz, that is…
I had a fabulous time at Esperanza de Libertad, in spite of the incessant insect bites, tropical heat and humidity, and constant cleaning of animal poo off of everything in sight.
This past week we did all kinds of work: we planted yucca, harvested rice, cleared a bunch more grass and weeds with machetes (not easy, especially since the first day our machetes were really dull- it made a world of difference when we sharpened them!), and I found myself furiously chopping firewood in 90-degree sun on more than one occasion, since there is no gas or electricity there and we need the lenas to cook with. But most importantly, we got a new monkey!
The newest member of the Esperanza clan was named Negrita (little black one), but I renamed her Paula since I figured that two nearly identical spider monkeys named “black one” was a bit much (the other one’s name is El Preto, which is Portuguese for black). She was living in an open yard behind someone’s house, tied to a tree almost all of the time. She’s smaller than Preto and a lot more shy; in fact, she was completely terrified when we came to get her, shrieking and backing away like we were trying to kill her. But she has acclimated really well, and is already holding her own against Preto, who can be something of a playful bully, and we let her off the cord after only 2 days because it was obvious that she felt more comfortable.
On her second day there, we discovered a super disgusting, gnarly wound on her finger that has apparently been festering there for a long time, because the whole tip is basically rotted off and when we squeezed it and cut away the dead part, there were tons and tons of microscopic eggs inside- ewwww!!! I’m not generally a squeamish person, but this was almost too much for me. Between the pus, the blood, the dead skin, the open wound and then the eggs, I have to admit I was kind of freaking out. But we got all the nasty stuff out eventually, and disinfected it with some super heavy duty animal wound cleaner, so hopefully it will heal up okay now. I was concerned because she kept gnawing at it, but it did look a lot better the next day so fingers crossed. If not, it’s time for the old antibiotics.
Ixiamas, the small town nearest to Esperanza, also turned out to be a really sweet little place. Franci knows just about everyone and so hanging out with her meant I got a warm reception. We went out to the “disco” on Saturday night and had a lot of fun dancing to music I would never normally dance to, with tons and tons of sweet boys I would never normally dance with! They were all really curious about me, both because I’m a foreigner and because of my tattoos , so I got to meet about half the town’s eligible male population, who all turned out to be very sweet. One thing that is really great about Latino guys is that they know how to dance and they’re not afraid to move their hips, which in the US just doesn’t really happen! I’m so used to seeing all these really fun girls dancing for all they’re worth with their male dancing partners just looking awkward or not really doing much, that it is super refreshing to be surrounded by young boys who are clearly very much enjoying wiggling their hips and shoulders to the music and doing lots of fancy footsteps that I can’t possibly keep up with!
The next day was when we went to go pick up Paula and do our shopping for the week, and then it was back to the farm. Franci had to leave for La Paz to take care of some document-related something or other on Tuesday, so it was just me, Inez, baby Marcos and the animals for the next few days, but it was really nice and calm, too.
Anyway, I have tons of great pictures of the various plants and animals and people that make up Esperanza, so I will try to put them up on this Picassa thing. I put up a few others already but it’s a little confusing how I’m actually supposed to use it, so yeah, I don’t know if there’s a link or what but I’ll figure it out…
So now, after a grueling 26-hour bus ride that took all of yesterday and last night over bumpy, dirt roads, through small rivers and streams, and yes, even a stretch on the infamous “Death Road” of Coroico, I am back in La Paz, and trying to have a mellow day while still making good use of my time. I’m back at the apartment of my German boys, Tobias and Martine, and let me tell you that taking a hot shower today was like heaven on earth! In the jungle it was just the opposite- I looked forward to the cold water showers so much I wound up washing two or three times per day on really hot days, but here in La Paz it is totally freezing! I think I’ll only be here a couple of days, and then head to Cuzco via Lake Titicaca, since the clock is really ticking now on when I have to head back to the states. It’s hard to believe I’ve only got 3 weeks left! But I’m super excited about Mo’s baby, which is due on the 10th of May… I’m really hoping the little guy holds out until I get there on the 6th to be born, since I want to be there to help out with the birth. I keep having all these visions of a tiny pink bundle sleeping in my arms, and carrying him around in a sling and generally playing the role of aunty to a newborn- my maternal instincts have kicked in big time now that I’m closing in on 30! I’m seriously considering figuring out a way to be a foster parent when I get settled down a little more, but I’m not really sure that it’s possible right now, especially since I want to go to school. We’ll see.
Anyway, I will keep ya’ll posted from here on out, and try to get those pix up asap. I hope you are all doing great, and if you want more info about Esperanza, please check out their website at www.esperanzadelibertad.org. They can really use any help you can give and are in the process of trying to figure out how to become more self-supporting. We’re thinking maybe cacao trees, to produce organic cocoa to be sold overseas… I have to do some research, but it seems viable. In the meantime, help ‘em out if you can! The animals will thank you!
xoxo, Pike
p.s. Okay, I have no idea if this will work, but try clicking here to see some pix:
http://picasaweb.google.com/veganpike/EsperanzaDeLibertad
I had a fabulous time at Esperanza de Libertad, in spite of the incessant insect bites, tropical heat and humidity, and constant cleaning of animal poo off of everything in sight.
This past week we did all kinds of work: we planted yucca, harvested rice, cleared a bunch more grass and weeds with machetes (not easy, especially since the first day our machetes were really dull- it made a world of difference when we sharpened them!), and I found myself furiously chopping firewood in 90-degree sun on more than one occasion, since there is no gas or electricity there and we need the lenas to cook with. But most importantly, we got a new monkey!
The newest member of the Esperanza clan was named Negrita (little black one), but I renamed her Paula since I figured that two nearly identical spider monkeys named “black one” was a bit much (the other one’s name is El Preto, which is Portuguese for black). She was living in an open yard behind someone’s house, tied to a tree almost all of the time. She’s smaller than Preto and a lot more shy; in fact, she was completely terrified when we came to get her, shrieking and backing away like we were trying to kill her. But she has acclimated really well, and is already holding her own against Preto, who can be something of a playful bully, and we let her off the cord after only 2 days because it was obvious that she felt more comfortable.
On her second day there, we discovered a super disgusting, gnarly wound on her finger that has apparently been festering there for a long time, because the whole tip is basically rotted off and when we squeezed it and cut away the dead part, there were tons and tons of microscopic eggs inside- ewwww!!! I’m not generally a squeamish person, but this was almost too much for me. Between the pus, the blood, the dead skin, the open wound and then the eggs, I have to admit I was kind of freaking out. But we got all the nasty stuff out eventually, and disinfected it with some super heavy duty animal wound cleaner, so hopefully it will heal up okay now. I was concerned because she kept gnawing at it, but it did look a lot better the next day so fingers crossed. If not, it’s time for the old antibiotics.
Ixiamas, the small town nearest to Esperanza, also turned out to be a really sweet little place. Franci knows just about everyone and so hanging out with her meant I got a warm reception. We went out to the “disco” on Saturday night and had a lot of fun dancing to music I would never normally dance to, with tons and tons of sweet boys I would never normally dance with! They were all really curious about me, both because I’m a foreigner and because of my tattoos , so I got to meet about half the town’s eligible male population, who all turned out to be very sweet. One thing that is really great about Latino guys is that they know how to dance and they’re not afraid to move their hips, which in the US just doesn’t really happen! I’m so used to seeing all these really fun girls dancing for all they’re worth with their male dancing partners just looking awkward or not really doing much, that it is super refreshing to be surrounded by young boys who are clearly very much enjoying wiggling their hips and shoulders to the music and doing lots of fancy footsteps that I can’t possibly keep up with!
The next day was when we went to go pick up Paula and do our shopping for the week, and then it was back to the farm. Franci had to leave for La Paz to take care of some document-related something or other on Tuesday, so it was just me, Inez, baby Marcos and the animals for the next few days, but it was really nice and calm, too.
Anyway, I have tons of great pictures of the various plants and animals and people that make up Esperanza, so I will try to put them up on this Picassa thing. I put up a few others already but it’s a little confusing how I’m actually supposed to use it, so yeah, I don’t know if there’s a link or what but I’ll figure it out…
So now, after a grueling 26-hour bus ride that took all of yesterday and last night over bumpy, dirt roads, through small rivers and streams, and yes, even a stretch on the infamous “Death Road” of Coroico, I am back in La Paz, and trying to have a mellow day while still making good use of my time. I’m back at the apartment of my German boys, Tobias and Martine, and let me tell you that taking a hot shower today was like heaven on earth! In the jungle it was just the opposite- I looked forward to the cold water showers so much I wound up washing two or three times per day on really hot days, but here in La Paz it is totally freezing! I think I’ll only be here a couple of days, and then head to Cuzco via Lake Titicaca, since the clock is really ticking now on when I have to head back to the states. It’s hard to believe I’ve only got 3 weeks left! But I’m super excited about Mo’s baby, which is due on the 10th of May… I’m really hoping the little guy holds out until I get there on the 6th to be born, since I want to be there to help out with the birth. I keep having all these visions of a tiny pink bundle sleeping in my arms, and carrying him around in a sling and generally playing the role of aunty to a newborn- my maternal instincts have kicked in big time now that I’m closing in on 30! I’m seriously considering figuring out a way to be a foster parent when I get settled down a little more, but I’m not really sure that it’s possible right now, especially since I want to go to school. We’ll see.
Anyway, I will keep ya’ll posted from here on out, and try to get those pix up asap. I hope you are all doing great, and if you want more info about Esperanza, please check out their website at www.esperanzadelibertad.org. They can really use any help you can give and are in the process of trying to figure out how to become more self-supporting. We’re thinking maybe cacao trees, to produce organic cocoa to be sold overseas… I have to do some research, but it seems viable. In the meantime, help ‘em out if you can! The animals will thank you!
xoxo, Pike
p.s. Okay, I have no idea if this will work, but try clicking here to see some pix:
http://picasaweb.google.com/veganpike/EsperanzaDeLibertad
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Esperanza de Libertad: the first week!
Hi ya´ll! Well, I know I haven´t been here for a week quite yet, but I just really quickly wanted to write a teensy update on what I´ve been doing so far.
When I first arrived last Thursday, it was incredibly hot here, so I spent the first few days trying to adapt to the heat. The bus ride from Rurre to Ixiamas took about 5hours, and I was melting in my seat the whole time. When I finally arrived, I managed to locate the hotel where Stella´s friend Franci had said to meet her (she rents a room there for when she is not on the land), and I waited about an hour until she appeared. Franci is really, really amazing! She is totally badass and is also one of the nicest, most unpretentious people I have ever met!!!
Anyway, we had to spend the first night here in town because her car was leaking oil like crazy and we couldn´t fix it in the dark, so my first glimpse of Esperanza was the next day, Friday, late in the morning. There is a family (Franci´s nephew, his wife and their adorable little boy Marcos) who lives there, so Inez (the wife) was there with little Marcos to take care of the animals while Franci was gone. Inez is also extremely cool, a super tough lady who is also a really good mom. It is hard to believe she is only 22!!!
Anyway, the animals living there right now are a fun bunch: there´s the extremely mischievious spider monkey, Preto; a tejon (kind of like a raccoon but different- you can google it) named Luchita who has an injured leg; a little turkey hen; two lodos (a kind of parrot), & two dogs. Preto and Luchita love to climb all over everything and everyone, and find it especially amusing to try to run into the kitchen/ my bedroom at every small opportunity! They also both love to be cuddled, especially the tejon, which is really fun cause her fur is soft and she is super small (she´s still a baby), and she makes these really cute chirping noises when you pet her.
My first few days there, the only long pants I had were my jeans, and it was way too hot for that, so I ended up wearing a skirt and flip flops but boy, did I pay the price in mosquito bites! Both of my ankles were so bitten up that they were completely swollen, and it is only now that they are back to normal size, though the hideous bright red spots are gonna be there for awhile, not to mention the itching. But it´s been really fun, too. The work on the farm is not easy but it´s really amazing what they´ve accomplished so far: when they started there was only grass, but now they have corn, bananas, peanuts, peppers, papayas, mango trees (babies, still not producing) and lots more being planted. Yesterday we planted 52 baby banana trees which should start producing fruit in about 8 months or so, according to the old guy down the road who sold them to us. Everyone is so sweet here- it was raining when we went to get the plants, and we hadn´t yet dug the holes yet, so in a split second he announced that he and his two sons would be coming with us to help us get the bananas planted faster. We were all completely covered in mud and it was really hard work for the next couple of hours, but it was really fun, too! Preto kept trying to destroy the new trees, which actually isn´t that hard since they are so tiny still, but we managed to salvage them alright and I think it will all turn out okay in the next few months. After the rain let up I went with the girls and Marcos (age 2 1/2) to go hunting for wild limes and chirimoya, which is maybe the same thing as a custard apple? Not sure. But it´s really, really good, enough to get both Franci and Inez way up in a tree trying to knock down the riper ones with sticks. A little scary, but fun, too!
There is also a little stream near the house, so the first day I was here we went to the stream and did laundry and generally cooled down, which was fabulous. The next day we cleared grass, which sounds like no big deal but let me tell you, it is NOT easy when you are using really basic tools and it is about 100 degrees outside!
Anyway, I need to go cause this internet is really slow and really expensive, but I will write more soon. I can´t believe that in one month from today I will be at my parents house in Utah! I can´t wait but I also don´t want to leave!
big hugs to all, pike
When I first arrived last Thursday, it was incredibly hot here, so I spent the first few days trying to adapt to the heat. The bus ride from Rurre to Ixiamas took about 5hours, and I was melting in my seat the whole time. When I finally arrived, I managed to locate the hotel where Stella´s friend Franci had said to meet her (she rents a room there for when she is not on the land), and I waited about an hour until she appeared. Franci is really, really amazing! She is totally badass and is also one of the nicest, most unpretentious people I have ever met!!!
Anyway, we had to spend the first night here in town because her car was leaking oil like crazy and we couldn´t fix it in the dark, so my first glimpse of Esperanza was the next day, Friday, late in the morning. There is a family (Franci´s nephew, his wife and their adorable little boy Marcos) who lives there, so Inez (the wife) was there with little Marcos to take care of the animals while Franci was gone. Inez is also extremely cool, a super tough lady who is also a really good mom. It is hard to believe she is only 22!!!
Anyway, the animals living there right now are a fun bunch: there´s the extremely mischievious spider monkey, Preto; a tejon (kind of like a raccoon but different- you can google it) named Luchita who has an injured leg; a little turkey hen; two lodos (a kind of parrot), & two dogs. Preto and Luchita love to climb all over everything and everyone, and find it especially amusing to try to run into the kitchen/ my bedroom at every small opportunity! They also both love to be cuddled, especially the tejon, which is really fun cause her fur is soft and she is super small (she´s still a baby), and she makes these really cute chirping noises when you pet her.
My first few days there, the only long pants I had were my jeans, and it was way too hot for that, so I ended up wearing a skirt and flip flops but boy, did I pay the price in mosquito bites! Both of my ankles were so bitten up that they were completely swollen, and it is only now that they are back to normal size, though the hideous bright red spots are gonna be there for awhile, not to mention the itching. But it´s been really fun, too. The work on the farm is not easy but it´s really amazing what they´ve accomplished so far: when they started there was only grass, but now they have corn, bananas, peanuts, peppers, papayas, mango trees (babies, still not producing) and lots more being planted. Yesterday we planted 52 baby banana trees which should start producing fruit in about 8 months or so, according to the old guy down the road who sold them to us. Everyone is so sweet here- it was raining when we went to get the plants, and we hadn´t yet dug the holes yet, so in a split second he announced that he and his two sons would be coming with us to help us get the bananas planted faster. We were all completely covered in mud and it was really hard work for the next couple of hours, but it was really fun, too! Preto kept trying to destroy the new trees, which actually isn´t that hard since they are so tiny still, but we managed to salvage them alright and I think it will all turn out okay in the next few months. After the rain let up I went with the girls and Marcos (age 2 1/2) to go hunting for wild limes and chirimoya, which is maybe the same thing as a custard apple? Not sure. But it´s really, really good, enough to get both Franci and Inez way up in a tree trying to knock down the riper ones with sticks. A little scary, but fun, too!
There is also a little stream near the house, so the first day I was here we went to the stream and did laundry and generally cooled down, which was fabulous. The next day we cleared grass, which sounds like no big deal but let me tell you, it is NOT easy when you are using really basic tools and it is about 100 degrees outside!
Anyway, I need to go cause this internet is really slow and really expensive, but I will write more soon. I can´t believe that in one month from today I will be at my parents house in Utah! I can´t wait but I also don´t want to leave!
big hugs to all, pike
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