Last night we went to the most fantastic fiesta in the nearby village of Yucay and it was an incredibly enjoyable evening. I went there with the Peruviandina brothers, Daniel and Rosalio and another lad called Raidan and when we got off the bus and crossed the road I could see I would really enjoy the afternoon and evening. An Andean band were playing on a stage under those Pisonay trees and there were stalls all round the park with things for sale, artesania etc, food stalls with all sorts of cooking going on in the open air, a beer tent and countless families enjoying themselves. We did a tour of the stalls and although I was tempted by all the artesania, I managed to limit myself to just buying a new purse. Then we tucked into lechon (roast pork) with fried potatoes and salad which was absolutely delicious.
Then we crossed the park towards the stage intending to head for the beer tent when an old guy was standing in front of me and asking me to dance. The song being played was very lively so I danced with him and this somehow endeared me to all the people around. The old guy was with his wife, his children and grandchildren, all sitting and cheering us on and when the song finally ended about 10 minutes later one of the ladies came across and offered me a cusquena beer. They were so welcoming and nice that we all ended up sitting together for the rest of the afternoon and evening, sharing beers and dancing the night away. It felt really good being so welcomed into this Andean family get-together, humble campesino folk but with such big hearts. The old couple especially were as entranced getting to know a foreigner as much as I was to be so welcome amongst them, and the whole evening was one I will never forget. They were all really caring too, looking after my things while I was dancing. The location was part of the magic as I love that little park with those Pisonany trees and the ruins of an ancient inca house nearby. When I eventually have some photos that can be uploaded, the ones taken last night will be among the first to appear!
Thankfully yesterday the warm weather returned. The few days before that the sun disappeared and it was cloudy and even raining off and on. It put a stop to those lovely relaxed afternoons outside. I went to Cusco twice mainly for something to do, because if one is stuck indoors due to inclement weather there isn´t much to do in Urubamba! I went once with Alfredo and treated him to a nice lunch in Plaza de Armas and afterwards we went to a huge market to look round where just about everything is available for sale at really competitive prices even for here. I just bought another towel and two double CDs there - I now have 5 new CDs in this year´s contribution to my collection. The second time I went with Nohemy in the afternoon after lunch at home and we just stayed about 3 hours in Cusco and then came back. I love the drive there by carro, through that beautiful Andean countryside which is undulating hills and mountains, dotted with farms and litle village and what makes it stand out so different from the scenery back home is the different trees that dot the landscape. Animals are still tended by old women and children, driving them before them on the land, fields are still ploughed the old fashioned way like I imagine things were 100 years ago in the UK.
I´ve cooked for Nohemy and Alfredo a few times. On one occasion recently I bought a huge trout in the market which weighed nearly 2 kilos and it was absolutely delicious. I love going round the market and it is especially interesting on Wednesdays and Fridays when it swells to about four times its normal size.
We didn´t end up going to Quillabamba after all. Because of the fiesta taking place on the 25th all the seats on the buses were sold out and what with the dangers there, the mosquitos, malaria, yellow fever and the like I decided not to go with them this time, at least not on this occasion - the fiesta was the main reason I wanted to go there. I believe they are headed back sometime next week as they will now stay on for the christening this weekend.
Well that is all for the moment. I am now off to listen to a couple of the musicians playing in one of the restaurants and then later on plan to cook dinner for us, probably a Malaysian spicy chicken soup which is a speciality of mine if I can find all the ingredients. Will write another blog entry after the baptism ceremony.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
A visit to Cusco
We are in Cusco today and unable to get back to Urubamba due to another countrywide transport strike. After breakfast we set out shopping as I had promised to cook my version of Peruvian Pork today (Adobo de Chancho to a Puno recipe). Nohemy said we would walk to the nearby market .... nearby!!! It was about three miles walk through a part of town no foreigner would ever venture. The sun was beating down and Nohemy was walking on one side of the road in the shade as she didn´t have her hat with her, and I was walking on the other side in full sunshine enjoying the warmth.
There were lots of people out walking, walking on the main road, Avenida de Cultura, because of the transport strike, and you can imagine how people stared at me being so far from the town centre. I felt a bit nervous at times, especially when noisy crowds were up ahead, but Nohemy assured me there was nothing to worry about. When we finally reached the market I enjoyed going round that, picking up a toothbrush and shampoo as all mine are over in Urubamba, plus spices etc, delicious yellow potatoes that I remember from a previous visit, juicy pears but no pork loins which is what we had come for. So a lengthy walk back to drop off what we had bought and then continue on to the nearby supermarket, in the opposite direction. When we got there it appeared to be closed but wasn´t - it just appeared that way because of a commotion going on across the road. Some poor unfortunate in a car had broken down and gangs of men were attacking any vehicle on the road with sticks and banging on the windows. Whoever was in that car must have been terrified.
We were allowed to get into the supermarket by a side door to do our shopping and managed to get the rest of the things we needed. Back home I got busy preparing everything and then cooking lunch whilst Nohemy made the rice. By the time it was ready we were starving and all dived in and fortunately they enjoyed it as much as I did. There was none left anyway and I had made loads!! They then went off for a siesta and I sat up on the rooftop patio in the sunshine for the next three hours, half dozing and half trying to read a book. Now that the sun has gone down we are here in the internet cafe and I will stay long enough to catch up on all replies.
I actually came into Cusco on my own yesterday, catching the bus as there were no carros when I got there. The bus wound its way through the Andean valley rather than over the bridge and direct to Cusco and for a while I thought I was on the wrong bus going in a completely opposite direction, but no, it was just a different route. It was just as beautiful and scenic a route, probably even more so, stopping at lots of villages on the way, until finally near Pisac we went over a different bridge and began the climb out of the valley. I thought it would be hours before we reached Cusco but not too long later recognised that we were passing Sacsaywaman, a favourite place of mine where the old inca fortress is situated, high above Cusco. I got a taxi to Avenida el Sol, a very long street where lots of the banks and casas de cambio are situated, tons of shops and the main post office where all mail is delivered (and people collect it). There I was able to get a few postcards into the mail, then cashed up some money, and headed up to Plaza des Armas and amazingly bumped into someone I knew there - Miguel, the old guy from Urubamba, who wanted to have lunch with me but I managed to put him off, telling him I had to meet someone soon. I said I would probably see him in the plaza at Urubamba sometime.
After a wander round for a while I went and had lunch after which it was time to go and meet Juan by the fountain in the centre of the plaza. It was fun to see him again, having only briefly spoken at the airport when I arrived. I suggested going for a beer and he led the way to a little bar about 10 minutes from the plaza and we had a nice chat and shared a couple of beers and I took a few photos of him to send to my friend Layla, who is still in contact with him since last year. After about an hour two other musicians joined us, Miguel who I remember from several visits and another guy who I recognised but didn´t actually get to know last year. I was really enjoying being with them and very reluctantly left as I had to meet Nohemy in the same place, by the plaza fountain at 3 pm. The plan was to go and buy a few things I needed for my little kitchen at the other house, mostly containers to keep spices and other food ingredients in, in order to keep them hygienic. In the shops she took me to I found everything that I wanted and later we looked in a big electrical shop as I want to buy a mini fridge as well, but these were more expensive than I had envisaged and this will have to wait a while. I saw some small stereo players quite reasonable and hope to get one of those too later on. My little kitchen is taking shape gradually. Nohemy has given me a two burner cooker on a little table (and a gas bottle which I replaced with a full one) and a cupboard to keep things in. Also a table and some chairs, some pans, cutlery, plates, glasses etc. Hopefully in a week or two I will be able to cook meals there and invite people over at lunchtimes.
After this we went back to the house at Cusco and the plan was to stay overnight and get an early carro back to Urubamba this morning. Alas that was not to be due to this nationwide transport strike. Peru seems to be plagued by strikes of all kinds and it is a pity. I think it is only for one day though and all will be back to normal tomorrow. We are getting up early and leaving at 5 am to get a carro back to Urubamba. I never would have believed this but after yearning to be in Cusco all this time I actually feel more at home in Urubamba and I don´t know why!!! I am really looking forward to getting back there tomorrow. I am anxious to see Carlos and Lidia again who must wonder why I haven´t visited lately, especially as we are all travelling together this coming Friday.
On Sunday I went to the local church early in the morning. Nohemy went on ahead and I followed but couldn´t see her when I got there. I waited on a seat outside until the service began and then went in. After about 5 minutes I spotted Nohemy in the next lot of pews across the aisle but it was too difficult to move so I stayed where I was. The service was lovely and again, the priest spoke very clearly and it was quite easy to follow the service and even learn a bit more Spanish from it. Siglos y siglos for instance means forever and ever. The doors to the church were open wide and at times a dog or two ran down the aisle and were chased out by children. What was especially impressive was the huge congregation, hundreds of people attended, down to the very poorest campesinos.
Afterwards Nohemy and I went round the market and bought what we needed for lunch as she was going to teach me how to make a Peruvian chicken casserole. I am now going to give you the recipe so you can have a go - it may taste slightly different because the aji rojo and aji amarillo pastes are not available over there. (This is a paste made from red chillis and yellow chillis here, which are not as hot as the chillis we know at home).
Estofado de Pollo
Slice up 3 onions and add to a pan along with oil, a good tablespoon of garlic paste (or 2 or 3 cloves of garlic). Fry until softened, then add the portions of chicken. We used a whole chicken cut into about 16 pieces. Then add a teaspoon of whole peppercorns, a teaspoon of salt and half teaspoon of both tumeric and paprika, and a good pinch of cummin. Add one chicken stock cube and some cornflower/water mix to thicken and water to nearly cover the chicken and cover the pan and leave simmering for about half an hour. While this was going on the potatoes were cooking. They cook them first and then peel them here. These were added about 15 mins before the end of cooking time. Meanwhile Nohemy was making a fried rice and I helped her prepare the accompanying salad which was finely diced up lettuce, sliced red onions, peeled cucumber slices, juicy fat red oval tomatoes finely sliced and a good pinch of salt and squeezed fresh lime juice all over it. (The limons here are small and taste like a cross between lemons and limes so back home it would be wise to use half and half to achieve the same taste).
The past few days have been quite quiet really. Nohemy and Alfredo retire to bed quite early and therefore so do I, unless I am out with my musician friends, or round Carlos´s house. I feel thoroughly rested though after that long journey to get here and like this quieter pace of life after all those months of working hard and saving to get here. My next entry might not be for about a week as on Friday we set off for Quillabamba and I imagine there won´t be another internet opportunity until we get back.
There were lots of people out walking, walking on the main road, Avenida de Cultura, because of the transport strike, and you can imagine how people stared at me being so far from the town centre. I felt a bit nervous at times, especially when noisy crowds were up ahead, but Nohemy assured me there was nothing to worry about. When we finally reached the market I enjoyed going round that, picking up a toothbrush and shampoo as all mine are over in Urubamba, plus spices etc, delicious yellow potatoes that I remember from a previous visit, juicy pears but no pork loins which is what we had come for. So a lengthy walk back to drop off what we had bought and then continue on to the nearby supermarket, in the opposite direction. When we got there it appeared to be closed but wasn´t - it just appeared that way because of a commotion going on across the road. Some poor unfortunate in a car had broken down and gangs of men were attacking any vehicle on the road with sticks and banging on the windows. Whoever was in that car must have been terrified.
We were allowed to get into the supermarket by a side door to do our shopping and managed to get the rest of the things we needed. Back home I got busy preparing everything and then cooking lunch whilst Nohemy made the rice. By the time it was ready we were starving and all dived in and fortunately they enjoyed it as much as I did. There was none left anyway and I had made loads!! They then went off for a siesta and I sat up on the rooftop patio in the sunshine for the next three hours, half dozing and half trying to read a book. Now that the sun has gone down we are here in the internet cafe and I will stay long enough to catch up on all replies.
I actually came into Cusco on my own yesterday, catching the bus as there were no carros when I got there. The bus wound its way through the Andean valley rather than over the bridge and direct to Cusco and for a while I thought I was on the wrong bus going in a completely opposite direction, but no, it was just a different route. It was just as beautiful and scenic a route, probably even more so, stopping at lots of villages on the way, until finally near Pisac we went over a different bridge and began the climb out of the valley. I thought it would be hours before we reached Cusco but not too long later recognised that we were passing Sacsaywaman, a favourite place of mine where the old inca fortress is situated, high above Cusco. I got a taxi to Avenida el Sol, a very long street where lots of the banks and casas de cambio are situated, tons of shops and the main post office where all mail is delivered (and people collect it). There I was able to get a few postcards into the mail, then cashed up some money, and headed up to Plaza des Armas and amazingly bumped into someone I knew there - Miguel, the old guy from Urubamba, who wanted to have lunch with me but I managed to put him off, telling him I had to meet someone soon. I said I would probably see him in the plaza at Urubamba sometime.
After a wander round for a while I went and had lunch after which it was time to go and meet Juan by the fountain in the centre of the plaza. It was fun to see him again, having only briefly spoken at the airport when I arrived. I suggested going for a beer and he led the way to a little bar about 10 minutes from the plaza and we had a nice chat and shared a couple of beers and I took a few photos of him to send to my friend Layla, who is still in contact with him since last year. After about an hour two other musicians joined us, Miguel who I remember from several visits and another guy who I recognised but didn´t actually get to know last year. I was really enjoying being with them and very reluctantly left as I had to meet Nohemy in the same place, by the plaza fountain at 3 pm. The plan was to go and buy a few things I needed for my little kitchen at the other house, mostly containers to keep spices and other food ingredients in, in order to keep them hygienic. In the shops she took me to I found everything that I wanted and later we looked in a big electrical shop as I want to buy a mini fridge as well, but these were more expensive than I had envisaged and this will have to wait a while. I saw some small stereo players quite reasonable and hope to get one of those too later on. My little kitchen is taking shape gradually. Nohemy has given me a two burner cooker on a little table (and a gas bottle which I replaced with a full one) and a cupboard to keep things in. Also a table and some chairs, some pans, cutlery, plates, glasses etc. Hopefully in a week or two I will be able to cook meals there and invite people over at lunchtimes.
After this we went back to the house at Cusco and the plan was to stay overnight and get an early carro back to Urubamba this morning. Alas that was not to be due to this nationwide transport strike. Peru seems to be plagued by strikes of all kinds and it is a pity. I think it is only for one day though and all will be back to normal tomorrow. We are getting up early and leaving at 5 am to get a carro back to Urubamba. I never would have believed this but after yearning to be in Cusco all this time I actually feel more at home in Urubamba and I don´t know why!!! I am really looking forward to getting back there tomorrow. I am anxious to see Carlos and Lidia again who must wonder why I haven´t visited lately, especially as we are all travelling together this coming Friday.
On Sunday I went to the local church early in the morning. Nohemy went on ahead and I followed but couldn´t see her when I got there. I waited on a seat outside until the service began and then went in. After about 5 minutes I spotted Nohemy in the next lot of pews across the aisle but it was too difficult to move so I stayed where I was. The service was lovely and again, the priest spoke very clearly and it was quite easy to follow the service and even learn a bit more Spanish from it. Siglos y siglos for instance means forever and ever. The doors to the church were open wide and at times a dog or two ran down the aisle and were chased out by children. What was especially impressive was the huge congregation, hundreds of people attended, down to the very poorest campesinos.
Afterwards Nohemy and I went round the market and bought what we needed for lunch as she was going to teach me how to make a Peruvian chicken casserole. I am now going to give you the recipe so you can have a go - it may taste slightly different because the aji rojo and aji amarillo pastes are not available over there. (This is a paste made from red chillis and yellow chillis here, which are not as hot as the chillis we know at home).
Estofado de Pollo
Slice up 3 onions and add to a pan along with oil, a good tablespoon of garlic paste (or 2 or 3 cloves of garlic). Fry until softened, then add the portions of chicken. We used a whole chicken cut into about 16 pieces. Then add a teaspoon of whole peppercorns, a teaspoon of salt and half teaspoon of both tumeric and paprika, and a good pinch of cummin. Add one chicken stock cube and some cornflower/water mix to thicken and water to nearly cover the chicken and cover the pan and leave simmering for about half an hour. While this was going on the potatoes were cooking. They cook them first and then peel them here. These were added about 15 mins before the end of cooking time. Meanwhile Nohemy was making a fried rice and I helped her prepare the accompanying salad which was finely diced up lettuce, sliced red onions, peeled cucumber slices, juicy fat red oval tomatoes finely sliced and a good pinch of salt and squeezed fresh lime juice all over it. (The limons here are small and taste like a cross between lemons and limes so back home it would be wise to use half and half to achieve the same taste).
The past few days have been quite quiet really. Nohemy and Alfredo retire to bed quite early and therefore so do I, unless I am out with my musician friends, or round Carlos´s house. I feel thoroughly rested though after that long journey to get here and like this quieter pace of life after all those months of working hard and saving to get here. My next entry might not be for about a week as on Friday we set off for Quillabamba and I imagine there won´t be another internet opportunity until we get back.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Fiesta de la Virgen de Carmen at Pisac
The past few days since my visit to Cusco have been really enjoyable. Arriving back in Urubamba after that great day out in Cusco I went straight round to Carlos and Lidia´s house as Lidia´s parents had arrived from the rain forest at Quillabamba and were anxious to meet me, seeing as I am going to be godmother to their two little grand daughters on 1st August. Two other musicians called in as well and it was the most delightful evening, sharing several beers, and things got even better when the instruments came out and they played and sang for us. It seems pretty definite now that we are going to Quillabamba, me as well, as the parents want me to go with them all when they travel on the 24th, and stay a few days, and enjoy the big fiesta taking place there on the 25th. This will be a completely new experience for me, and although I am slightly nervous and worried about being bitten by mosquitos etc, it is too good an opportunity to miss. It costs a fortune to go on organised trips to such places and wouldn´t be half as much fun.
Since then I have met up with quite a few of the other musicians I befriended last year including Daniel and Rosalio, the Peruviandina brothers, who are also going to be at Quillabamba and have promised to take me to a very mystical place which is a 5 mile hike right into the rainforest and I just hope I can keep up with them. They have both promised to look after me as I wouldn´t recognise any of the dangers that exist there (such as snakes, poisonous frogs, other wild animals I am not sure of the meaning in English but some sound like bigger than average wild boar). Sounds scary doesn´t it! They have promised to organise some lovely things for me to enjoy with them and others in the coming months right here in Urubamba and other nearby villages in the Sacred valley including another hike this time up a mountain to another mystical place. I said I doubted I could manage the climb but they have promised lots of rest stops. They are also going to organise a cook-in evening with other musicians, where they actually cook the food in the earth, a mixture of things including rabbit and guinea pig, and that it will be a fun evening with lots of musicians playing and beers.
The highlight of the trip so far is the fantastic visit to Pisac on Thursday, yesterday, for La Fiesta de la Virgen de Carmen. I actually visited Pisac the evening before as well as some of the musicians were going there for the evening to meet up with other musicians and see the opening events of the fiesta and invited me to go with them. This was very enjoyable, seated in a bus winding through villages in the Sacred Valley which is so incredibly beautiful, very rural with lots of farming and cultivation, the river flowing through, the mountains, the Andean people with their animals, colourful flowers and cactus and other exotic plants everywhere.
It took 45 minutes to reach Pisac which is a very touristic village, more so than Urubamba and is full of artesania shops, ethnic looking cafes and bars and restaurants, narrow cobbled streets and the central Plaza de Armas is a vision to behold with its exotic tall trees in the centre, the cobbled road all round, it reminds me a bit of Montmartre in Paris. There were bands playing, fireworks going off, dancers throughout the square and I really enjoyed the ambience of wandering here and there with them. Later we ended up in a bar and shared a few beers and laughs and then had to run like hell to catch the last bus back to Urubamba and just about made it.
On the day of the fiesta itself we got up early and had breakfast and were on our way by just after 7.30 am, Nohemy, Alfredo and me. We caught the bus and arrived in good time and followed a whole parade of bands and dancers up through the town until we reached Plaza de Armas which was full of throngs of people, open air tables and chairs and cooking set up in front of all the shops around the square, a deep blue sky overhead and the sun beating down. We then followed the bands and dancers away from the Plaza until we reached a dear little church nestled beneath the surrounding mountains, where all the pews were set up outside and a stage had been put together in front of the church with the huge Virgen statues, profusions of flowers, giant candles, and continually arriving were more bands, all in traditional costumes and hats, and people arriving too, until quite an enormous crowd had gathered for the forthcoming mass.
For me when it began it was one of the most magical Andean experiences I have ever known, the priests on the stage, shaking the incense about, the bands accompanying parts of the mass by either playing or singing. All the priests spoke cléarly so I was able to follow the service pretty well and enjoyed every moment of it. I felt really priviledged being the only foreigner amongst all those traditional quechua speaking andean people, being part of such a wonderful event. At the end they gave out momentos of the Virgen Carmen and everyone embraced each other and blessed each other. It really was fantastic. We then followed the crowd, lots of musicians and dancers through the narrow streets back to the plaza and had lunch at one of the outside tables, delicious bread crumb dipped fried river trout and accompaniments along with the chicha morada I love so much. We then found a good place to watch the parade, 24 sets of magnificent dancers going by, all in incredible costumes, sometimes dozens of dancers in each group going by, interspersed with bands and folkloric groups and people carrying the momentos to give out or smaller versions of the Virgen Carmen held in front of them. This ended with the two huge Virgen Carmen effigies being carried on the shoulders of dozens of men and a profusion of feathers and stuff like confetti blowing out over the people below. Later we went to a bar and shared a few Cusquena beers - my favourite beer - and then back to the Plaza again and found another good spot to watch the whole parade pass by again. My camera died on me after taking about 10 pix which was a disappointment however. We didn´t get back home to Urubamba until almost 10 pm and were all tired out but all agreed it had been a fantastic day.
Today I have been busy helping Nohemy and Alfredo decorate one of the rooms in another house they own before it is relet to a tenant. They have quite a few properties, with three tenants in the house we went to today. We donned old clothes and got busy painting but it was hard going because the paint has to be watered down here and I am sure they put too much water in because it dripped everywhere and I was so worried about paint drips on those lovely wooden floors that I spent more time on my knees clearing up paint splashes than actually painting the walls. We managed to get one coat on the walls and then went off to lunch and had another tour of the market as it was again market day in Urubamba today. Then back to the house to give the walls another coat and by the ´time we finished I was so tired I could barely walk back and when we got there we all sat out on the patio in the warm sunshine and shared a litre of coca cola and I know I nodded off for a bit, I don´t know about them. When I woke up I was wearing a sun hat to protect my head. They are such lovely caring people. Nohemy had cooked a delicious dinner as well which we enjoyed and then they accompanied me to the towns main ATM machine so I could make a withdrawal and check that getting money from the bank back home wouldn´t be a problem. Fortunately it was all straight forward and I soon held another 500 soles in my hand. Now here I am in the internet cafe across the road from the house and after here will probably have an early night because I am so tired despite the siesta in the sunshine today. I am looking forward to a nice relaxed day tomorrow and a delicious buffet lunch which some of their friends are treating the three of us too. There is sure to be andean live music playing so I am really looking forward to see if any of the musicians are ones that I know. Well that is it for now and I will write again in another 4 or 5 days.
Since then I have met up with quite a few of the other musicians I befriended last year including Daniel and Rosalio, the Peruviandina brothers, who are also going to be at Quillabamba and have promised to take me to a very mystical place which is a 5 mile hike right into the rainforest and I just hope I can keep up with them. They have both promised to look after me as I wouldn´t recognise any of the dangers that exist there (such as snakes, poisonous frogs, other wild animals I am not sure of the meaning in English but some sound like bigger than average wild boar). Sounds scary doesn´t it! They have promised to organise some lovely things for me to enjoy with them and others in the coming months right here in Urubamba and other nearby villages in the Sacred valley including another hike this time up a mountain to another mystical place. I said I doubted I could manage the climb but they have promised lots of rest stops. They are also going to organise a cook-in evening with other musicians, where they actually cook the food in the earth, a mixture of things including rabbit and guinea pig, and that it will be a fun evening with lots of musicians playing and beers.
The highlight of the trip so far is the fantastic visit to Pisac on Thursday, yesterday, for La Fiesta de la Virgen de Carmen. I actually visited Pisac the evening before as well as some of the musicians were going there for the evening to meet up with other musicians and see the opening events of the fiesta and invited me to go with them. This was very enjoyable, seated in a bus winding through villages in the Sacred Valley which is so incredibly beautiful, very rural with lots of farming and cultivation, the river flowing through, the mountains, the Andean people with their animals, colourful flowers and cactus and other exotic plants everywhere.
It took 45 minutes to reach Pisac which is a very touristic village, more so than Urubamba and is full of artesania shops, ethnic looking cafes and bars and restaurants, narrow cobbled streets and the central Plaza de Armas is a vision to behold with its exotic tall trees in the centre, the cobbled road all round, it reminds me a bit of Montmartre in Paris. There were bands playing, fireworks going off, dancers throughout the square and I really enjoyed the ambience of wandering here and there with them. Later we ended up in a bar and shared a few beers and laughs and then had to run like hell to catch the last bus back to Urubamba and just about made it.
On the day of the fiesta itself we got up early and had breakfast and were on our way by just after 7.30 am, Nohemy, Alfredo and me. We caught the bus and arrived in good time and followed a whole parade of bands and dancers up through the town until we reached Plaza de Armas which was full of throngs of people, open air tables and chairs and cooking set up in front of all the shops around the square, a deep blue sky overhead and the sun beating down. We then followed the bands and dancers away from the Plaza until we reached a dear little church nestled beneath the surrounding mountains, where all the pews were set up outside and a stage had been put together in front of the church with the huge Virgen statues, profusions of flowers, giant candles, and continually arriving were more bands, all in traditional costumes and hats, and people arriving too, until quite an enormous crowd had gathered for the forthcoming mass.
For me when it began it was one of the most magical Andean experiences I have ever known, the priests on the stage, shaking the incense about, the bands accompanying parts of the mass by either playing or singing. All the priests spoke cléarly so I was able to follow the service pretty well and enjoyed every moment of it. I felt really priviledged being the only foreigner amongst all those traditional quechua speaking andean people, being part of such a wonderful event. At the end they gave out momentos of the Virgen Carmen and everyone embraced each other and blessed each other. It really was fantastic. We then followed the crowd, lots of musicians and dancers through the narrow streets back to the plaza and had lunch at one of the outside tables, delicious bread crumb dipped fried river trout and accompaniments along with the chicha morada I love so much. We then found a good place to watch the parade, 24 sets of magnificent dancers going by, all in incredible costumes, sometimes dozens of dancers in each group going by, interspersed with bands and folkloric groups and people carrying the momentos to give out or smaller versions of the Virgen Carmen held in front of them. This ended with the two huge Virgen Carmen effigies being carried on the shoulders of dozens of men and a profusion of feathers and stuff like confetti blowing out over the people below. Later we went to a bar and shared a few Cusquena beers - my favourite beer - and then back to the Plaza again and found another good spot to watch the whole parade pass by again. My camera died on me after taking about 10 pix which was a disappointment however. We didn´t get back home to Urubamba until almost 10 pm and were all tired out but all agreed it had been a fantastic day.
Today I have been busy helping Nohemy and Alfredo decorate one of the rooms in another house they own before it is relet to a tenant. They have quite a few properties, with three tenants in the house we went to today. We donned old clothes and got busy painting but it was hard going because the paint has to be watered down here and I am sure they put too much water in because it dripped everywhere and I was so worried about paint drips on those lovely wooden floors that I spent more time on my knees clearing up paint splashes than actually painting the walls. We managed to get one coat on the walls and then went off to lunch and had another tour of the market as it was again market day in Urubamba today. Then back to the house to give the walls another coat and by the ´time we finished I was so tired I could barely walk back and when we got there we all sat out on the patio in the warm sunshine and shared a litre of coca cola and I know I nodded off for a bit, I don´t know about them. When I woke up I was wearing a sun hat to protect my head. They are such lovely caring people. Nohemy had cooked a delicious dinner as well which we enjoyed and then they accompanied me to the towns main ATM machine so I could make a withdrawal and check that getting money from the bank back home wouldn´t be a problem. Fortunately it was all straight forward and I soon held another 500 soles in my hand. Now here I am in the internet cafe across the road from the house and after here will probably have an early night because I am so tired despite the siesta in the sunshine today. I am looking forward to a nice relaxed day tomorrow and a delicious buffet lunch which some of their friends are treating the three of us too. There is sure to be andean live music playing so I am really looking forward to see if any of the musicians are ones that I know. Well that is it for now and I will write again in another 4 or 5 days.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Settling in at Urubamba and a Day out in Cusco
I am writing again on Tueday, nearly a week after my arrival and I must say, I am really loving being here, staying with Alfredo and Nohemy who are really kind, and Urubamba is such a delightful place, down in a valley surrounded by mountains some of which are snow capped and the weather here is warm and sunny all the year round. The rainy season won´t start until November and I imagine by then I will have a real sun tan to be proud of!
Carlos, Lidia and the children are only a 3 minute walk away and I am dividing my time between being with them and being with Nohemy and Alfredo. Yesterday for instance was really leisurely. For breakfast we had fried plantains with the delicious wheat bread rolls typical from here and they were still warm from the oven of the nearby bakery. This with the fantastic ground coffee from Quillabamba which I adore and still have a supply of it back home I brought so much of it back last year. Then a large glass of lucuma flavoured yoghurt drink - this because I am too afraid to drink the milk which is sold direct from the cow - you go and buy it and they are still milking the cow and then give you the milk. It is rich and creamy because the cows are really fat here, but isn´t pasteurised and I am too afraid of contracting Krones disease to risk drinking it, even though the Peruvians do boil it first.
After breakfast I went round with Nohemy as she wanted to check on some of her other properties and one of them is a delightful little house which is divided up for several tenants, all around a central courtyard with stairs going up and a verandah all the way round on the first floor. On the ground floor is a room which isn´t used by the tenants and I have decided to rent this from Nohemy so that I can entertain some of my friends there which isnt something I can do in their own abode. It is only big enough for a cooker, a table to prepare food on and another small table and chairs set which they are going to lend me along with pots and pans, plates and cutlery. It is only 10 quid a month. I will probably use it a couple of times a week and cook a meal in the daytime and then we can eat on the patio outside in the sunshine and the musicians can play for us, or Pedro can bring along his portable speaker and we can attach it to my iPod. This is my plan anyway so that I can repay some of the hospitality as I have already eaten twice in Carlos and Lidia´s house and it would be fun to invite Nohemy and Alfredo over for a meal as well, in their own property for an al fresco meal. They are dying for me to cook something English.
After lunch yesterday which was a delicious chopped chicken breast in a slightly spiced sauce over spaghetti, I walked down to Plaza de Armas which is the centre of town and has tall palm trees and other beautiful trees and shrubs and profusions of flowers with seating areas for people to relax and meet up. I took my book with me but didn´t get beyond the first page. First a young girl with her baby struck up conversation and I was enjoying that and then along came Miguel, an elderly gentleman I got to know last year and he was so delighted to see me again that he sat down and chatted for about an hour. All of this sitting in warm sunshine was really pleasant.
Later I decided to walk to the restaurant where Carlos plays to hear a bit of live music and got really lost on the way. I ended up walking three times as far and met up with another young girl befriended last year - Jessica - and had a chat with her. Gradually getting to know people is really fun. After listening to Carlos for a couple of hours we went back to his house as Lidia´s Mum had arrived from Quillabamba and was dying to meet the foreign lady who is going to be godmother to the two children. Before that, when I tried to pay for the drinks I had consumed in the restaurant the owner wouldn´t hear of it and said today was free for me. I thought this very kind and indicates that he doesn´t mind me going there regularly and just having a drink or two rather than eat the buffet.
Back at the house I enjoyed another meal with them followed by coca tea, and watched a film which although English was dubbed in Spanish so a bit hard to follow in places. Then at 7 pm I went back to the house for a very early night as we were all getting up at 4 am today to get an early carro to Cusco which is where we are now.
We arrived into Cusco about 6 am after just an hour and a quarter as the roads were empty at that time of day - went straight to the house in Cusco and I spent an hour sorting out my two suitcases, filling one with things to bring to Urubamba and leaving the other one to collect sometime later. Then after breakfast and a hot shower we set off into town. The hot shower there was because having got up at 3.30 intending to have a shower before going to Cusco, it was only to find there was no water. I had forgotten that water is only available at certain times and at night there is none at all.
Our main reason for coming to Cusco was for me to open a bank account but what a time wasting exercise that proved to be. We went to Interbank first but they said that opening an account was impossible with only one photographic document, that two were required. My passport on its own wasn´t good enough and they couldnt understand why we didnt have identity cards in the UK. Next we went to Banco de credito and tried there but were told the only way to overcome having only one document with photo was to go to the immigration office and get some kind of document from them. A long walk later we did this and took all the necessary back to the bank and it still wasnt good enough for them. So Alfredo opened a separate account in his own name and then gave me the card so that I could draw money out. I then paid in a good part of the money I had brought with me so that it is in a safe place and I can just draw on it as I need it. There is an ATM in Urubamba of this bank which is useful.
Being with Nohemy and Alfredo is such fun, for instance in one of the taxis we took this morning - they said not to pay more than two and a half soles for the journey and we got in a small one, were just putting on our seatbelts and the driver pulling away when he said three and a half soles. Next minute we found ourselves getting out and I was in such hysterics of laughter and so were they and we fell about laughing. The next taxi that came along was a big comfortable one and only cost two and a half!
I treated them to a nice lunch after all the trekking about trying to get an account in my own name. We enjoyed delicious Adobo de Chancho, a spicy pork dish which is cooked in the local chicha brew. Also today I changed the simm card in my phone which only cost 15 soles, 3 quid, and put 30 soles of credit on it which was doubled to 60 so I should be okay for a while. I have to use the free 30 in 10 days but the 30 paid for will last until October if I want it to. The phone company is called Moviestar and is Spanish.
We are back at the house in Cusco now and will head back to the bus station in about an hour or so. It has to be bus as there is no room in a carro for a large suitacase, plus we all bought things in Cusco in the market today. I bought my first CD which sounded great when I got them to play a couple of tracks for me. At 4 soles, 80p it was a bargain and others are to be had for as little as 50p.
Tomorrow is one of the market days in Urubamba so we will probably go round that. I will probably buy the necessary in order to cook dinner for them tomorrow as I stocked up on most of my spices here in Cusco today. On Thursday there is a big fiesta all day in the open air at Pisac which are going to as well so the next few days look really fun.
Well I think that is all for now and I have to head back to the house anyway in case they are ready to leave. I havent actually been to any of the touristic areas of Cusco yet but will probably do so next week. It is so easy to get here by carro that I can easily come on my own. Will write more either at the weekend or early next week.
Carlos, Lidia and the children are only a 3 minute walk away and I am dividing my time between being with them and being with Nohemy and Alfredo. Yesterday for instance was really leisurely. For breakfast we had fried plantains with the delicious wheat bread rolls typical from here and they were still warm from the oven of the nearby bakery. This with the fantastic ground coffee from Quillabamba which I adore and still have a supply of it back home I brought so much of it back last year. Then a large glass of lucuma flavoured yoghurt drink - this because I am too afraid to drink the milk which is sold direct from the cow - you go and buy it and they are still milking the cow and then give you the milk. It is rich and creamy because the cows are really fat here, but isn´t pasteurised and I am too afraid of contracting Krones disease to risk drinking it, even though the Peruvians do boil it first.
After breakfast I went round with Nohemy as she wanted to check on some of her other properties and one of them is a delightful little house which is divided up for several tenants, all around a central courtyard with stairs going up and a verandah all the way round on the first floor. On the ground floor is a room which isn´t used by the tenants and I have decided to rent this from Nohemy so that I can entertain some of my friends there which isnt something I can do in their own abode. It is only big enough for a cooker, a table to prepare food on and another small table and chairs set which they are going to lend me along with pots and pans, plates and cutlery. It is only 10 quid a month. I will probably use it a couple of times a week and cook a meal in the daytime and then we can eat on the patio outside in the sunshine and the musicians can play for us, or Pedro can bring along his portable speaker and we can attach it to my iPod. This is my plan anyway so that I can repay some of the hospitality as I have already eaten twice in Carlos and Lidia´s house and it would be fun to invite Nohemy and Alfredo over for a meal as well, in their own property for an al fresco meal. They are dying for me to cook something English.
After lunch yesterday which was a delicious chopped chicken breast in a slightly spiced sauce over spaghetti, I walked down to Plaza de Armas which is the centre of town and has tall palm trees and other beautiful trees and shrubs and profusions of flowers with seating areas for people to relax and meet up. I took my book with me but didn´t get beyond the first page. First a young girl with her baby struck up conversation and I was enjoying that and then along came Miguel, an elderly gentleman I got to know last year and he was so delighted to see me again that he sat down and chatted for about an hour. All of this sitting in warm sunshine was really pleasant.
Later I decided to walk to the restaurant where Carlos plays to hear a bit of live music and got really lost on the way. I ended up walking three times as far and met up with another young girl befriended last year - Jessica - and had a chat with her. Gradually getting to know people is really fun. After listening to Carlos for a couple of hours we went back to his house as Lidia´s Mum had arrived from Quillabamba and was dying to meet the foreign lady who is going to be godmother to the two children. Before that, when I tried to pay for the drinks I had consumed in the restaurant the owner wouldn´t hear of it and said today was free for me. I thought this very kind and indicates that he doesn´t mind me going there regularly and just having a drink or two rather than eat the buffet.
Back at the house I enjoyed another meal with them followed by coca tea, and watched a film which although English was dubbed in Spanish so a bit hard to follow in places. Then at 7 pm I went back to the house for a very early night as we were all getting up at 4 am today to get an early carro to Cusco which is where we are now.
We arrived into Cusco about 6 am after just an hour and a quarter as the roads were empty at that time of day - went straight to the house in Cusco and I spent an hour sorting out my two suitcases, filling one with things to bring to Urubamba and leaving the other one to collect sometime later. Then after breakfast and a hot shower we set off into town. The hot shower there was because having got up at 3.30 intending to have a shower before going to Cusco, it was only to find there was no water. I had forgotten that water is only available at certain times and at night there is none at all.
Our main reason for coming to Cusco was for me to open a bank account but what a time wasting exercise that proved to be. We went to Interbank first but they said that opening an account was impossible with only one photographic document, that two were required. My passport on its own wasn´t good enough and they couldnt understand why we didnt have identity cards in the UK. Next we went to Banco de credito and tried there but were told the only way to overcome having only one document with photo was to go to the immigration office and get some kind of document from them. A long walk later we did this and took all the necessary back to the bank and it still wasnt good enough for them. So Alfredo opened a separate account in his own name and then gave me the card so that I could draw money out. I then paid in a good part of the money I had brought with me so that it is in a safe place and I can just draw on it as I need it. There is an ATM in Urubamba of this bank which is useful.
Being with Nohemy and Alfredo is such fun, for instance in one of the taxis we took this morning - they said not to pay more than two and a half soles for the journey and we got in a small one, were just putting on our seatbelts and the driver pulling away when he said three and a half soles. Next minute we found ourselves getting out and I was in such hysterics of laughter and so were they and we fell about laughing. The next taxi that came along was a big comfortable one and only cost two and a half!
I treated them to a nice lunch after all the trekking about trying to get an account in my own name. We enjoyed delicious Adobo de Chancho, a spicy pork dish which is cooked in the local chicha brew. Also today I changed the simm card in my phone which only cost 15 soles, 3 quid, and put 30 soles of credit on it which was doubled to 60 so I should be okay for a while. I have to use the free 30 in 10 days but the 30 paid for will last until October if I want it to. The phone company is called Moviestar and is Spanish.
We are back at the house in Cusco now and will head back to the bus station in about an hour or so. It has to be bus as there is no room in a carro for a large suitacase, plus we all bought things in Cusco in the market today. I bought my first CD which sounded great when I got them to play a couple of tracks for me. At 4 soles, 80p it was a bargain and others are to be had for as little as 50p.
Tomorrow is one of the market days in Urubamba so we will probably go round that. I will probably buy the necessary in order to cook dinner for them tomorrow as I stocked up on most of my spices here in Cusco today. On Thursday there is a big fiesta all day in the open air at Pisac which are going to as well so the next few days look really fun.
Well I think that is all for now and I have to head back to the house anyway in case they are ready to leave. I havent actually been to any of the touristic areas of Cusco yet but will probably do so next week. It is so easy to get here by carro that I can easily come on my own. Will write more either at the weekend or early next week.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Safe Arrival in Peru
After an arduous two day journey I finally reached my destination yesterday and still find it hard to believe that I am actually here. Left home around midnight on Wednesday, got to the airport 2 am but couldnt check in until 4.30 which was when I hit the first snag of the journey. My luggage was way over the limit and one of the cases was four kilos over the maximum weight limit for any one item, and I had to go over to a scale and keep taking things out of the case until it was below the 32 kg limit. This was quite a pile of stuff so I ended up putting on another four skirts one on top of the other, on top of the three I was already wearing, plus a further three tops, and just left a pile of toiletries on the floor. Next shock was to find that despite this I was 13 kilos over the weight limit and that I could take this but it would be expensive, and how expensive really was a shock. Because two flights were involved it meant paying double and at 20 quid a kilo cost me 259 quid in excess baggage fees. First flight left at 6.30, arriving Madrid a couple of hours later - then a three hour wait for my flight to Lima. By this time I was really hanging having had no sleep the night before so it was a relief to settle into my aisle seat knowing I could finally nod off.
After they had served a meal and drinks I got the iPod out, and fell asleep for a couple of hours to some great music. The flight was an uneventful one, quite boring in places because of it being so long, but fortunately no problems, not even a breath of turbulence. Everytime I walked down the aisle in the plane I must have looked like a ship in full sail with all those skirts which looked like a crinoline where there were so many of them!!! When we finally came to land at Lima, coasting down through a blanket of fog it was great to arrive safely on the ground, 5.40 pm their time, 12.40 am Friday ours.
There in Lima airport they are taking swine flu seriously as every single person working there was wearing a mask, and people were handing out leaflets and all arrivals had to fill out a questionnaire on their health in addition to the usual disembarkation cards. Exiting you press a button and if the red light comes on you get searched by customs, if green you walk straight out and I was glad that it was green in my case. Then a taxi to Ernesto´s father´s house in Miraflores which took about an hour to get there. It was fun to meet Ernesto at last after 9 years of correspondence and after enjoying some cold drinks and a good long chat he showed me to my room with adjoining bathroom, knowing I had to get a tiny bit of sleep before the airport taxi came back to take me back to the airport once more.
I was up at 1 am, and Ernesto was having a nap downstairs in the lounge in order to be there for me and help me with my cases. He was disappointed that my visit was so short and I felt guilty about that too but I promised to come back later on for another visit and stay a bit longer. Then back at the airport before 3 am, only to meet the third disappointment, that the three flights leaving for Cusco between 5 and 5.30 were all full. So another long wait and of course having to pay another lot of excess baggage but fortunately not nearly as expensive in Peru as it is in London. It cost me 71 dollars for that plus a couple of hundred for the flight leaving at 7.15. Whilst waiting in the departure lounge I struck up a conversation with a nice lady going to Puerto Maldonado which is a beautiful place in Manu national park in the rainforest and we are going to keep in touch and later on I might even go and pay a visit there because it is only a 40 minute flight from Cusco and it certainly helps to know someone when going somewhere new.
Arriving at Cusco airport was fantastic - even the journey flying over the Andes mountains, with clear blue skies and perfect weather so you could see everything below. Coming in to land at Cusco was especially nostalgic, remembering my utter anguish flying out of there 10 months ago. Then in arrivals the usual andean band playing and Juan a member of the band and he came over and gave me a hug and told me lots of others were waiting outside for me, including Alfredo, Aquiles dad with whom I am staying.
After hugs all round we all piled into a people carrier taxi and drove to Alfredo´s house in Cusco where he showed me into a lovely room he had prepared for me. Because I was anxious to press on to Urubamba, I just opened my cases and took out what I needed for a few days and left the rest behind to sort out a few days later. Then another taxi to get a ´carro´ which is a people carrier shared taxi and incredibly cheap at only 5 soles per person for a one and half hour journey, as well as being more comfortable than going by bus. By the time we arrived in Urubamba it was time for the musicians to go to the restaurant where they work but I said I would be back with Nohemy and Alfredo to have lunch there that very lunchtime and thanked them all profusely for coming to the airport to welcome me.
Arriving at the house in Urubamba it was great to meet Nohemy again and they showed me into the lovely room they had prepared for me, in a new building since I was last there, a huge two storey extension. In Peru, especially in country places, all houses are constructed around an indoor patio and courtyard which is open to the skies, with a verandah running around on the upper level. The new building had replaced a smaller one which used to exist there. My room is huge and has its own loo and wash basin, to save me having to go down the outer flight of stairs to get to the bathroom on the ground level where the shower and bath is. They gave me keys so that I could come and go and as you can imagine I felt immediately at home with these lovely people.
Within the hour we were piling into motos (a bit like rickshaws but with a guy riding a moped pulling us along). Two hefty people like Nohemy and me getting in, was quite funny as one felt that unless you climbed in or got out at the same time the whole thing would tip up!!! At the restaurant a guy dressed as an Inca welcomed all newcomers and soon we were installed at a table right in front of where the band plays. I treated Nohemy and Alfredo to an excellent buffet lunch which they really enjoyed but couldn´t eat a thing myself, feeling a bit delicate and shaken up after such a long journey. I was happy to just sip a couple of coca teas to help me with acclimitisation to the altitude followed by a few coca colas - which always tastes better here because it comes in glass bottles.
A few hours later Nohemy and Alfredo decided to go back and I said I would join them early in the evening as I wanted to listen to more of the music as well as have a chat with my friends afterwards. When they´d finished we piled into a couple of motos and went to Carlos and Lidia´s house and that was lovely as the first thing they did was put on some great andean music and we all sat around chatting and listening to the music until about 8 pm when I was struggling to keep my eyes open a moment longer and said I had to go but that I would come back to the restaurant and watch them play next day. Back at the house I stayed up chatting with Nohemy for an hour, Alfredo having gone back to Cusco as he had an early morning hospital check up the next day.
I slept like a log that night and it was only the next morning that I finally realised that yes, I was actually here in Peru and not just dreaming. All day since arriving I kept pinching myself to make sure it wasnt a dream and that I would wake up any minute. But this morning I woke at 5 am to the sound of cocks crowing all over the neighbourhood and you cannot get anything more Peruvian than that. You cannot imagine how thrilled I am to be here once again, knowing that this time it is for a longer than usual stay. The weather is absolutely glorious, blue skies and warm sunshine, although it does get pretty cool at night and is probably cooler still in Cusco. I have decided for the moment to stay in Urubamba because that is where Nohemy and Alfredo mainly live and it is so nice to be with them once again.
Today was spent pretty quietly - in the morning I went for a walk with Nohemy as I wanted to get shampoo etc that I had forgotten to bring from Cusco and we walked through the Plaza de Armas which is a great place to relax in the sunshine as it is full of tall palm trees and other colourful trees and masses of flowers everywhere. We also walked through part of the market but this mainly takes place on Wednesday and Fridays so I will see it more thoroughly during the coming week. Then back for some breakfast, including that fantastic ground coffee that comes from Quillabamba in the rain forest. I went to the restaurant for a while but didn´t stay long as it was busy and I was worried in case they needed the table I was sitting at. I said I would come back and see them again in a day or two. We had an excellent lunch today, a fantastic mildly spiced shrimp soup called Chupe de Camarones followed by Aji de Gallina which is hen breast in strips coated in a lightly spiced creamy cheesy ground peanut sauce, accompanied by lashings of chicha morada which is a delicious refreshing drink made from purple maize. Whilst eating the phone rang and it was Aquiles and we all had a chat with him and he was pleased to know I had arrived safely and was enjoying myself. It is because of him that I came to Peru the first time, 8 years ago. After lunch I sat in the inner courtyard with Noheny and Alfredo for nearly the whole afternoon, chatting and enjoying the warm sunshine, until it finally went beyond the rooftops. I then headed out and came here to this internet cafe to write my first blog entry so that friends and family back home know I arrived okay and am safe and well. I will probably write more in about a week when I have something to write about. Until then, if any of you feel like dropping me a line please do as it is always great to hear from people when away from home.
After they had served a meal and drinks I got the iPod out, and fell asleep for a couple of hours to some great music. The flight was an uneventful one, quite boring in places because of it being so long, but fortunately no problems, not even a breath of turbulence. Everytime I walked down the aisle in the plane I must have looked like a ship in full sail with all those skirts which looked like a crinoline where there were so many of them!!! When we finally came to land at Lima, coasting down through a blanket of fog it was great to arrive safely on the ground, 5.40 pm their time, 12.40 am Friday ours.
There in Lima airport they are taking swine flu seriously as every single person working there was wearing a mask, and people were handing out leaflets and all arrivals had to fill out a questionnaire on their health in addition to the usual disembarkation cards. Exiting you press a button and if the red light comes on you get searched by customs, if green you walk straight out and I was glad that it was green in my case. Then a taxi to Ernesto´s father´s house in Miraflores which took about an hour to get there. It was fun to meet Ernesto at last after 9 years of correspondence and after enjoying some cold drinks and a good long chat he showed me to my room with adjoining bathroom, knowing I had to get a tiny bit of sleep before the airport taxi came back to take me back to the airport once more.
I was up at 1 am, and Ernesto was having a nap downstairs in the lounge in order to be there for me and help me with my cases. He was disappointed that my visit was so short and I felt guilty about that too but I promised to come back later on for another visit and stay a bit longer. Then back at the airport before 3 am, only to meet the third disappointment, that the three flights leaving for Cusco between 5 and 5.30 were all full. So another long wait and of course having to pay another lot of excess baggage but fortunately not nearly as expensive in Peru as it is in London. It cost me 71 dollars for that plus a couple of hundred for the flight leaving at 7.15. Whilst waiting in the departure lounge I struck up a conversation with a nice lady going to Puerto Maldonado which is a beautiful place in Manu national park in the rainforest and we are going to keep in touch and later on I might even go and pay a visit there because it is only a 40 minute flight from Cusco and it certainly helps to know someone when going somewhere new.
Arriving at Cusco airport was fantastic - even the journey flying over the Andes mountains, with clear blue skies and perfect weather so you could see everything below. Coming in to land at Cusco was especially nostalgic, remembering my utter anguish flying out of there 10 months ago. Then in arrivals the usual andean band playing and Juan a member of the band and he came over and gave me a hug and told me lots of others were waiting outside for me, including Alfredo, Aquiles dad with whom I am staying.
After hugs all round we all piled into a people carrier taxi and drove to Alfredo´s house in Cusco where he showed me into a lovely room he had prepared for me. Because I was anxious to press on to Urubamba, I just opened my cases and took out what I needed for a few days and left the rest behind to sort out a few days later. Then another taxi to get a ´carro´ which is a people carrier shared taxi and incredibly cheap at only 5 soles per person for a one and half hour journey, as well as being more comfortable than going by bus. By the time we arrived in Urubamba it was time for the musicians to go to the restaurant where they work but I said I would be back with Nohemy and Alfredo to have lunch there that very lunchtime and thanked them all profusely for coming to the airport to welcome me.
Arriving at the house in Urubamba it was great to meet Nohemy again and they showed me into the lovely room they had prepared for me, in a new building since I was last there, a huge two storey extension. In Peru, especially in country places, all houses are constructed around an indoor patio and courtyard which is open to the skies, with a verandah running around on the upper level. The new building had replaced a smaller one which used to exist there. My room is huge and has its own loo and wash basin, to save me having to go down the outer flight of stairs to get to the bathroom on the ground level where the shower and bath is. They gave me keys so that I could come and go and as you can imagine I felt immediately at home with these lovely people.
Within the hour we were piling into motos (a bit like rickshaws but with a guy riding a moped pulling us along). Two hefty people like Nohemy and me getting in, was quite funny as one felt that unless you climbed in or got out at the same time the whole thing would tip up!!! At the restaurant a guy dressed as an Inca welcomed all newcomers and soon we were installed at a table right in front of where the band plays. I treated Nohemy and Alfredo to an excellent buffet lunch which they really enjoyed but couldn´t eat a thing myself, feeling a bit delicate and shaken up after such a long journey. I was happy to just sip a couple of coca teas to help me with acclimitisation to the altitude followed by a few coca colas - which always tastes better here because it comes in glass bottles.
A few hours later Nohemy and Alfredo decided to go back and I said I would join them early in the evening as I wanted to listen to more of the music as well as have a chat with my friends afterwards. When they´d finished we piled into a couple of motos and went to Carlos and Lidia´s house and that was lovely as the first thing they did was put on some great andean music and we all sat around chatting and listening to the music until about 8 pm when I was struggling to keep my eyes open a moment longer and said I had to go but that I would come back to the restaurant and watch them play next day. Back at the house I stayed up chatting with Nohemy for an hour, Alfredo having gone back to Cusco as he had an early morning hospital check up the next day.
I slept like a log that night and it was only the next morning that I finally realised that yes, I was actually here in Peru and not just dreaming. All day since arriving I kept pinching myself to make sure it wasnt a dream and that I would wake up any minute. But this morning I woke at 5 am to the sound of cocks crowing all over the neighbourhood and you cannot get anything more Peruvian than that. You cannot imagine how thrilled I am to be here once again, knowing that this time it is for a longer than usual stay. The weather is absolutely glorious, blue skies and warm sunshine, although it does get pretty cool at night and is probably cooler still in Cusco. I have decided for the moment to stay in Urubamba because that is where Nohemy and Alfredo mainly live and it is so nice to be with them once again.
Today was spent pretty quietly - in the morning I went for a walk with Nohemy as I wanted to get shampoo etc that I had forgotten to bring from Cusco and we walked through the Plaza de Armas which is a great place to relax in the sunshine as it is full of tall palm trees and other colourful trees and masses of flowers everywhere. We also walked through part of the market but this mainly takes place on Wednesday and Fridays so I will see it more thoroughly during the coming week. Then back for some breakfast, including that fantastic ground coffee that comes from Quillabamba in the rain forest. I went to the restaurant for a while but didn´t stay long as it was busy and I was worried in case they needed the table I was sitting at. I said I would come back and see them again in a day or two. We had an excellent lunch today, a fantastic mildly spiced shrimp soup called Chupe de Camarones followed by Aji de Gallina which is hen breast in strips coated in a lightly spiced creamy cheesy ground peanut sauce, accompanied by lashings of chicha morada which is a delicious refreshing drink made from purple maize. Whilst eating the phone rang and it was Aquiles and we all had a chat with him and he was pleased to know I had arrived safely and was enjoying myself. It is because of him that I came to Peru the first time, 8 years ago. After lunch I sat in the inner courtyard with Noheny and Alfredo for nearly the whole afternoon, chatting and enjoying the warm sunshine, until it finally went beyond the rooftops. I then headed out and came here to this internet cafe to write my first blog entry so that friends and family back home know I arrived okay and am safe and well. I will probably write more in about a week when I have something to write about. Until then, if any of you feel like dropping me a line please do as it is always great to hear from people when away from home.
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