Finally an opportunity to write and let you know I got
here safely and to tell you all about the wonderful
festivities here in Puno. As many of you know my sole
reason for coming back to Peru so soon after last
summer's adventure was to participate with the group
Armonia de Vientos Huj Maya in the Fiesta de la Virgen
de Candelaria, which is one of Peru's biggest fiestas
which takes place in Puno in February of each year.
My journey began early on Saturday morning, first with
a flight to Amsterdam and thence onward to Lima.
Descending the plane in Amsterdam it was noticeably
colder than the weather I had left behind in England.
After a slight bit of confusion at Schipol airport I
found my way to the correct transition area to get to
E terminal and my departure lounge for the Lima
flight. For anyone going this route the transition
area is T5. On the plane I was sitting next to a
Peruvian lady who was going home to Lima for a couple
of months holiday and we spent most of the trip
chatting. At first I could barely understand her
because people from Lima speak really fast but after a
while I found I was managing better and in fact it was
good practice for my arrival here. As always KLM
looked after their passengers beautifully all the way
to Peru and the long haul flight wasn't too much of an
ordeal. When we landed on the Carribean island of
Bonaire we had an hour's stopover so I got off the
plane this time. I could hardly believe the heat there
which was around 87 degrees fahrenheit. Apart from
wandering around the airport there wasn't much to do
there until reboarding the plane later and then just
when we were looking forward to an imminent take off,
the pilot announced that we had a mechanical problem
and that we were awaiting a mechanic to come and fix
it. Not a very comforting thought, mechanical
problems, with another 4 hours flying time over the
sea to get to Lima I can assure you! Whilst still in
the airport I could feel the mosquitos biting and it
was worse on the plane those 2 hours we were waiting
on the tarmac, as the air conditioning doesn't
function so well when the plane is on the ground.
Finally we took off however and the last four hours of
the flight were uneventful. The last five minutes was
the most exciting part, coming down to land and seeing
all the lights below, and knowing I would be on
Peruvian soil any minute - words cannot express how
excited and happy I felt in those moments.
On the ground was the usual queues to get through
passport control and this time I was unlucky enough to
be stopped by customs and have my luggage thoroughly
searched, but it was all done nicely and finally I was
outside scanning the vast crowds for a sight of Elva.
Normally Erika meets me whenever I fly into Lima but
on this occasion I was unable to get in touch with her
due to her absence from Lima and because of this my
very dear friend Elva decided to travel all the way
from Ilo (18 hours by bus) to meet me from the plane
and see me on my way the following morning. I was
overwhelmed at her kindness in doing this and
incredibly incredibly grateful. She would not even let
me refund her bus ticket costs later which even
further overwhelmed me. I could not see her at first -
the airport is being renovated and there was a vast
crowd inside and another vast crowd outside. I decided
to stay inside to begin with and switched on my mobile
in case she would ring me - delighted to see that the
phone immediately picked up Tim Peru and would
therefore be usable in Peru. After 10 minutes with
taxi drivers insisting on taking me onward, I
explained to one of them that someone was meeting me
and he asked her name and went outside calling her and
sure enough there she was, along with her nephew, and
soon we were in his car and on our way to Elva's
sister house where we would be spending the night. It
was fantastic to see Elva again and we hugged each
other to death on first sight of each other as you can
imagine!!! Back at the house we had lots to talk about
and enjoyed some icy cold drinks because the weather
was really warm and balmy even at night (it was
getting on for 10 pm when we met up and around 25
degrees centigrade then).
Next morning we were all up early and had time for a
light breakfast before Elva and her sister and nephew
escorted me back to the airport for my onward flight
to Lima. We allowed 2 hours for check in etc but it
was alot quicker than that on a national flight - on
international flights it is so chaotic at Lima airport
that 3 hours is barely enough to get through all the
procedures through to boarding any plane leaving the
country. I managed to change up some money and said
goodbye to them and then went through to departures to
await my flight.
An hour later we were in the air and on our way -
first destination Cusco which took about an hour and
we were given breakfast so the time flew past. Not
long after leaving Lima we were flying over the Andes
and landing at Cusco was great, especially knowing I
will be landing there again to stay in about 10 days
time, maybe sooner. Soon we were taking off again and
arrived in Juliaca about an hour later. Coming in to
land here we were flying over the Altiplano which is
quite desolate and bleak and thence into Juliaca
airport which is quite small. Whilst awaiting my
luggage on the carousel I could see Javi outside
waiting and there was an andean band of 6 musicians
playing beautifully which I thought was a delightful
welcome to Juliaca and I was one of the first to buy
their CD. This band are called Inkamaru and although I
did not notice or know it then, one of those musicians
was a friend met in Cusco in 2001 whom I had lost
touch with since he left Cusco for his hometown of
Juliaca. Amazing that the only person I knew in
Juliaca was there at the airport when I arrived
although I only discovered this later.
Outside it was great to see Javi again and luckily
there was a colectivo waiting with space for 3 more
passengers leaving for Puno any minute. I did not want
to put my case on the roof so I paid an extra fare to
have it inside and soon we were on our way to Puno -
across the altiplano. I did not realise it then but
the altitude at Puno is much much higher than in Cusco
and it wasn't long after arriving in Puno that I was
suffering from altitude effects. Totally ignoring the
sound advice that one would rest for 2 hours to
accustomise oneself to the altitude, there was no way
I could stay indoors with so much going on! For a
start my dear friends Alfredo and Neomy were waiting
in the hotel reception for me - parents of Aquiles in
London - with whom I always stay in Cusco. They had
travelled all the way from Cusco especially to see me
dance in the parade, an 8 hour bus ride from Cusco. My
hotel was full (luckily Jose had had the foresight to
book the room for me well in advance) and they were
staying in a hotel near the central market, about 15
minutes walk away. Next minute Jose arrived with my
dance outfit and we went to my room to try it on as it
would need alteration if it did not fit me. When he
drew the items out of the bag I was stunned at the
beauty of my outfit which was made of a bright red
heavy tweedy linen with huge puff sleeves and
embroidery, and fitted jacket with brass buttons.
However to ensure it would fit they had made it far
too big! The jacket could have been taken in 4 inches
each side and even pulling the skirt up to my bust I
was still in danger of tripping over the hem. Around
my waist to secure it all in place was a heavily
embroidered belt about 3 inches wide but we decided
that a thicker one was in order to keep the skirt in
place, which we would buy in the market later. I also
had a hat with trailing ribbons in the colours of the
Huj Mayas and a white scarf around my neck with the
name Huj embroidered in red large letters on one side
and Maya on the other - and black sandals with sequins
on the front like all the andean women wear when
dressed in their national costumes. I was so thrilled
with it that I could not resist keeping it on - and
Alfredo and Neomy were really impressed with it too.
We then went into town and Jose stayed with us until
it was time for him to go off and play with other
musicians during the parade of the virgin. He said the
rest of the Huj Mayas were playing far away on the
other side of town and I said I would wait and see
them later. I had missed participating in the arena
that morning along with the whole band and they had
gone off to different parts of Puno to play. Alfredo,
Neomy and I found a good spot to watch the parade and
Javi left us at this point saying he would catch up
with us the following morning as he would be with me
all day and take photographs. He had to go back to
Juliaca for a second time to be with his girlfriend
that afternoon. We stayed about 4 hours watching and
enjoying the dancers and bands in their wonderful
costumes until it started to rain and I was quite
tired anyway so I suggested we would find a place to
eat dinner and have an early night. We found a nice
chicken restaurant - Peruvian chicken a la brasa is
popular all over Peru like MacDonalds is in England
and we were soon tucking in to a nice meal and then
Alfredo escorted me to my hotel before retracing his
steps to escort Neomy back to their hotel. We agreed
they would come to my hotel in the morning around 8
am, knowing that Jose would come by at 9.30 to collect
me, and thus we would have time for breakfast together
first.
I was quite glad to fall into bed once back in my room
as I had a pounding headache that no amount of tablets
could ease. Even my extra strength ibruprofen tablets
that I had brought in case of back ache did not touch
that pounding head - this is one of the affects of the
altitude along with the light headed dizziness. The
next morning I could understand why my head was aching
so much when I twisted the top off my foundation cream
and half of it flew into the air. Everything in tubes
was swollen to the point of bursting open, so
imagining a similar affect in my head, the aches were
no surprise!!!
The four of us had a good breakfast in a nearby hotel,
mine only offering rooms and no meals and were back in
time of Jose's arrival. Down in Plaza des Armas
Alfredo and Neomy decided to look for a good place to
sit and watch the parade before all the places filled
up, so we said our goodbyes until later and Javi,
Jose and I went to the market and bought the wider
belt plus I bought a little knitted lamb to hold in
one hand and a piece of material tied into a knot to
have in the other hand while I danced. We then took a
taxi to a spot on the edge of town where all the Huj
Mayas were congregating and there it was great to see
lots of familiar faces - including Milton, the guy
from Juliaca, who came straight over to ask if I
remembered him and it was great to see him again three
and a half years later. Angel was there, a musician
who I also befriended about the same time, plus the
guys who keep in regular touch by email - Alfredo,
Cesar and others and of course Juan. They were all
enjoying a few beers whilst they congregated and I had
some as well as the sun was beating down so strongly.
Then we were on the move, the band playing as we went
along and this was my only opportunity to learn and
practise my dance steps. Soon we were in the market
place where it was really crowded with bands etc
awaiting their turn to join the parade. We were number
25 out of 69 and finally we took our places around
12.30 ready to go. Words cannot describe how I felt
from beginning to end that day, extreme nervousness at
taking part in the parade, anxiety as to whether I
would have the stamina to complete it, knowing that
the parade would wind through the whole town, the
streets heavily lined with people all the way. In the
market place the atmosphere was electric, complete
chaos. As well as me in my lovely red costume some
other foreign people were also taking part - a
Californian girl from Bolivia who was dressed in the
men's costume and would plan panpipe and drums along
with them - plus two girls from Japan and USA dressed
in the white dresses worn on Taquile island. My place
was right at the front behind a troop of girls aged 6
to 8 in lovely embroidered costumes and head-dresses,
then the two girls in white with yet more child
dancers, then about 40 women dancers and then the Huj
Mayas who numbered over 150 musicians. Finally the
moment arrived and we were off. Javi was right in
front of me the whole time taking pictures and was
enlisted to carry one of the huge Huj Maya banners at
times as well, him at the front and the other banner
holders weaving in and out amongst all us dancers. The
parade moved slowly, so slowly at times that it was
quite hard to dance the steps but I managed okay and
it was amazing the reception us foreign dancers got
from the crowds who cheered and shouted bravo and
through the ensuing five hours of that parade parents
brought babies for us to hold while their pictures
were taken, and children, men and women alike wanted
their picture taken with either me, or the other two
from USA and Japan, and all throughout the day people
came forward and offered beer or soft drinks to
sustain us. After a while under that hot Puneno sun I
began to tire but whenever my steps slowed the crowd
cried Baila baila (which means dance dance) and the
more energetically I danced the more I was cheered and
I was interviewed by two Peruvian television channels
and a Puneno radio station as well. It was the most
fantastic and incredible experience to be part of that
wonderful fiesta and well worth travelling so far to
be a part of it. The last hour was the worst as I was
so tired I ached in every bone of my body and
summoning the energy to keep dancing took all the
willpower I possessed to keep going until the end -
five hours later!!!! We were then all in a crowd
enjoying beers and I knew the drinking would go on
until the early hours and I had been so looking
forward to that part of the day as well and chatting
to various friends among the Huj Mayas but I was
simply too tired. Half an hour later I said my
goodbyes and Javi, Alfredo and I were in a taxi back
to the centre of town. Although early we were all
dying to get to bed and sleep - even Javi - but we
were hungry as well so decided to change and then meet
up again for a meal before saying goodnight. We opted
for another chicken meal in the restaurant opposite
their hotel so they wouldn't have far to walk
afterwards and then Javi accompanied me back to my
hotel in a taxi before going home himself, agreeing to
come back for me in the morning, as both of us would
accompany Neomy and Alfredo to the bus station for
their bus home to Cusco.
I literally fell into bed around 8 pm looking forward
to a good night's sleep, but unfortunately was only
able to sleep until 4 am - still being on European
time - so was up sorting out my suitcase soon after 4,
packing most into my case with just the necessities
for a couple of days in my flightbag, then a long hot
shower around 5.30 and quietly reading a book until
they arrived at 8 am. Javi was late meeting us, having
overslept as we discovered when we phoned and he
agreed to go straight to the bus station and meet us
there. As it happened there wasn't any reason to rush
because their bus left almost 2 hours later and we
stayed with them until they could board it, with me to
let them know when I will arrive in Cusco.
Back in town we went straight to my hotel to collect
my main case and in the same taxi went on to Javi's
home as his mum was expecting us that morning. Whilst
watching the parade that first day I bumped into
javi's nephew Franco and his Mum who asked when I
would be coming to visit and we agreed on tuesday. At
the house it was lovely to see them all again and they
were all thrilled with the gifts I had brought from
England, mostly London related items, and we shared
fruit juices and Javi handed me some CDs he had got
for me plus acouple of dvds and he was thrilled with
the ones I had brought for him. The music was playing
and we were all feeling really happy. Then Javi's Mum
went to market to get the things to cook lunch and I
decided to take that moment to visit the nearby
internet cafe to start my first email, only to get
there and have just enough time to read my messages
and was just in the first 10 minutes of writing to you
all when the power went and although it came back on
again moments later the internet connection had been
lost. So I went back to Javi's and we spent the next
couple of hours listening to music until another
internet friend of his from Arequipa arrived, another
collector of andean music like us, so the three of us
had loads to talk about and when he opened his case
and showed a CD carrier with about 40 CDs in it we
were both going through it, getting really excited to
find some real gems. Javi and his freind each borrowed
about 18 CDs each to listen to and copy and return
later and his friend agreed to do some exchanging with
me as well. Whilst there I wrote down and will keep
safely a list of about 14 CDs that I want from those
he had carried with him - much of it by bands from
Arequipa where he lives, and definitely unobtainable
from as far away as Europe. Then we all sat down to a
wonderful lunch - one of those excellent Peruvian
soups I so adore followed by Aji de pollo, a delicious
slightly spicy shredded chicken dish eaten with rice,
potato and decorated with black olives and hard boiled
egg slices, all washed down with a home prepared spicy
fruit drink. It was lovely to see Javi's Mum, brother,
sister and nephew again, and when we left later we
agreed I would revisit on Thursday (as the plans then
were for me to accompany Juan to Amantani island, 7
hours boat ride out in Lake Titicaca). After saying
goodbye to his friend, Javi phoned one of the Huj Maya
mobile numbers to find out where they were and we were
soon in a taxi on our way to where they were playing.
When we arrived I was amazed to recognise the outside
as being Rita and Agustin's house - lovely people who
made me so welcome in 2003, with whom it is difficult
to keep in touch as neither have email addresses,
although in those 2 years I did write a couple of
times and send copies of photos taken in that visit.
When Agustin came to the door to let us in he was
thrilled to see us and ushered us inside and I could
hardly recognise his home inside which has been vastly
extended, and also in those 2 years Rita has given
birth to a little girl who is just over 12 months old
now. He ushered us through the house to a large patio
at the back where about a dozen Huj Mayas were playing
music and sharing some booze, and almost before my
feet hit the patio I was drawn up to dance. The same
guy plus a couple of others whisked me up to dance
several times until I was exhausted all over again and
had to beg for space to breathe and one of them
brought chairs for Javi and I to sit down. We had
fresh mango juice and a little later with Juan I went
to a nearby shop and bought some booze as my
contribution. I am always so overwhelmed at the
wonderful welcome the Huj Mayas give me, and that
afternoon was no exception. Agustin insisted that I
leave the hotel and come to their home and stay for
the remainder of my visit, imploring me to stay as
long as I could in Puno, that ever since 2003 they had
been looking forward to my return. Later in the
afternoon he got up and made a speech, thanking me for
coming from so far away to be with them, and after
that they insisted that I make a speech, something I
am always too shy to do at home, but it came naturally
there amongst those lovely people, to find the words
to express what an honour it had been to participate
with them and to see them again after so long and the
fantastic welcome they had all given me.
Seated once more, the Californian lady arrived, the
one who played bombo and panpipes in the parade, and
we were soon deep in conversation, delighted to meet
someone who feels about andean music and culture in
the same way. Lynette is actually living in Bolivia
and has done for the 3 years and we had so much to
talk about and have exchanged email addresses in order
to keep in touch.
About 8 pm the party was breaking up and we said our
goodbyes and Juan escorted me back to my hotel but on
the way we stopped at a little cafe and had a bowl of
soup each. After some discussion we decided not to
visit Amantani island after all due to the heavy rains
which makes travelling on the lake yet more dangerous,
an aspect I had not even considered hitherto! We
agreed he would come by for me around 8.30. In some
ways even though disappointed at not seeing Amantani
after all, it was probably just as well, with time
running out here as both today and tomorrow would have
been taken up due to the long boat ride each way.
Although the weather has been fine and warm in the
days here it always rains at night, sometimes all
night long and by rain I mean rain, it literally
hammers down so that roads are awash within moments so
one can imagine the affect it has on the lake, higher
water levels etc.
Last night was the best night's sleep since I got here
and this morning Alfredo called by to say goodbye as
he was travelling back to Cusco, and we agreed to meet
there next week when I get there too.
