Since writing last I have been to a birthday party - Daniel´s - which took place in his parents home. His Mum provided a delicious meal for everyone and we were all seated in the recording studio upstairs with brilliant andean music playing on their fantastic sound set up. I really enjoyed it. Wilber was there and said the reason his Mum´s birthday party was cancelled was because she had been rushed to hospital with suspected appendicitis that day and that she was under observation with the possibility of being operated on.
On Tuesday 6th January Nohemy and I went to Ollantaytambo for the fiesta there. We were unable to get away as early as planned because of two workmen turning up unexpectedly to work on their extension. Also it poured with rain that morning so the food we had cooked to take with us as a picnic we ended up having for lunch, by which time the rain had abated somewhat and we set off around 1 pm.
The bus wound its way beneath high mountains and everywhere huge boulders could be seen that had fallen from above. Rocks and boulders are always falling onto the road or onto properties situated beneath the mountain, so I felt a bit easier when the road led away from the shadow of the mountain. Any such boulder landing on the bus would be catastrophic I reckon.
On arrival in Ollantaytambo we spent a while walking round market stalls and checking out things that were going on, and then walked down to the bullring where preparations were still being made for the show. We decided to get a good seat and wait, and ordered a litre of beer to share. By this time the rain had mostly gone off but it was windy and at times there was a little flurry of rain. Fortunately by the time the show began an hour and a half later things had brightened up a bit and the wind had died down. The bullring and surrounding area were packed with thousands of people, including lining the road above and on all the terraces high above.
The show included several different bulls and lots of matadors, including wannabee matadors - ie drunken men who jumped into the ring from the audience. One such guy refused to be ejected from the ring and kept standing in a provocative pose so that the bull charged towards him and he only just made it behind the wooden board in time. In order to get each bull out of the ring a guy dressed in rancho style lasso´d the bull. The best was when he mounted the bull and it was incredible how he managed to stay on with the bull jumping and rearing all over the place, with the matadors waving their cloaks at the same time so that the bull charged. What was great about this bullfighting show was that at no time were the bulls ever harmed. The show was more meant to entertain and give people a good laugh rather than anything serious. The bulls must have enjoyed it too as they were always reluctant to leave the ring. I took lots of photos which are already in my truprint album, reachable from the link which I will add again after this entry.
After the show had finished we had quite a job on getting through the crowds in order to make our way back to the Plaza de Armas, close to where the buses arrive. We had to hang onto our bags with both hands as thieves often abound in such crowded places. There was lots going on apart from the bull fights but we decided to head straight back while there was an abundance of transport, in case of difficulties getting back later on. Walking from the terminal once back in Urubamba we popped into La Chinita, which is now run as a chicha bar by Henry´s parents. We shared a couple of litres of Pilsen and chatted to Justina, Henry´s Mum, who reminded me that I was their madrina at the cement pouring ceremony on Sunday. We then had a Quara beer each, a beer made from barley and fruit which tastes more like wine and finally got home about 8 pm, so there was still time for our nightly game of monopoly.
On Thursday I was up at 5 and outside the Immigration Office in Cusco by twenty to eight and yet again it was a wasted journey. The lady said she had contacted Lima and was informed I could only get this done one or two days before I leave the country, so I will be there on 16th February at the same time to get it sorted out then - much preferable getting it sorted here rather than in Lima. The lady confirmed there is no problem extending my time here and that the dollar a day payable is more a kind of fine than an extension and can only be paid at the last minute.
On Friday I spent a few hours getting the latest photos uploaded to the truprint album - see the link I will post after this - and then managed to be on a bus on my way to Pisac by 11 am. I arrived at Pisac just after noon, checked out the internet cafe and cafe to see if Sarah was about but she wasn´t - then went around the market stalls looking for the CD I should have bought last week but the guy selling them wasn´t there. I saw Beltran, the guy who used to be a co owner of El Toldo restaurant and he suggested us having a beer once I had had my lunch and I said I would definitely come back and do that.
I then headed to Ulrikes and ordered the same delicious chicken on homemade tagliatelle that I had last week, a large Cusquena beer and followed this with her delicious home made apple strudel and icecream, and whilst waiting for the food to arrive chose two more books from the book case to exchange. All this took about an hour and I then went round the market again in another futile attempt to find that CD seller, then Beltran and I went into a cafe next door to where he works and had a Cusquena beer each which he wanted to pay for but I insisted we went halves. When I left he told me to visit him at the shop any time that I visited Pisac. I then got a bus back to Urubamba and got back about tea time.
On Saturday evening whilst playing monopoly Ruben, the hairdresser next door, arrived with the puppy he had promised Nohemy and Nohemy knowing how much I love animals said it is mine until I fly home and then it will be hers. She wants to be cuddled continuously and I mean continuously - even if I am right next to her she cries unless I pick her up. I solved the problem by popping her into a textile shoulder bag so she is next to me at all times. She is peering over the top of the bag as I write now and is happy to be enclosed and next to me. I let Nohemy choose the name as it is going to be her dog really and she chose Lassie. Its two and a half months old and almost pure white, very soft thick pelt, with a few pale brown markings - a Pekinese which is very popular here. As Nohemy has let me have her for the next 5 weeks I thought the least I could do is get the collar and lead and some puppy food. I kept Lassie and Poppikins apart in separate rooms until Lassie settled in which is just as well because when I did introduce them Poppikins went mental and straight into defence mode. I am hoping that with time and as they are both so young they will be friends and company for each other but until that looks likely I will keep them apart in case Poppikins injures her with her claws.
On Sunday I went to the cement pouring ceremony at Henry´s parents and the morning session of the cement pouring was almost finished by then and we were all served lunch. For a while Lassie had a little playmate as they have a Pekinese puppy too, but at this young age they just want to be cuddled and sleep. At 3 pm when the last of a cross was poured there was a little ceremony where bunches of flowers in the shape of a cross were tied to the iron anchors that soar into the air (these form the corners and centrepoints of any building, encased in concrete, to hold buildings together in the event of an earthquake). Then a bottle of champagne was tied with each bunch of flowers and as madrina I had to smash one bottle with a hammer, and another guy, the padrino, smashed the other.
Henry and his brothers were among the workforce and Carmen arrived just before the ceremony. Downstairs the tables had been lined up into two rows - all the hired workers on one table, including workers from the chacra, with family and friends on the other and Henry, Carmen, his Mum etc were bringing out the meals for everyone and his Dad was plonking large bottles of Cusquena beer in front of each person on every table. What impressed me was that Henry had remembered that I dont like beef and whereas everyone esle was given a T-bone steak he brought for me a plate of fried chicken. Everyone had a great time, with music playing on the dvd player, his Dad Seremino replenishing the beers continuously, and there was lots of dancing later on. I stayed until 10 pm when other family members were getting up to leave, and Carmen and one of the brother´s wives walked me home. During the evening Henry said I can go and visit the chacra anytime and spoke to his Mum and Dad and also one of the workers. I might go one day this week as it is the most beautiful place and will take Nohemy with me as I know she will be really impressed. I just hope I dont get lost finding my way in because it would be easy to end up on someone else´s chacra by mistake. Henry said that work permitting he would try and organise a family get together there before I fly home in February. They all think of me as part of their family now what with me being madrina at Henry´s wedding and now madrina of the house extension!
Today I cooked a delicious roast pork dinner English style complete with apple sauce and gravy (Colin sent me the latter which was very gratefully received). I intend to cook a different roast every week that I remain here as both Nohemy and Alfredo enjoyed it so much. Tomorrow some friends of Nohemy´s are coming to visit in the afternoon and we are all going out for a few beers, and weather permitting we may visit the chacra on Wednesday afternoon - I want to go on a really hot day so that Nohemy sees it all at its best. With a visit to Cusco plus another visit to Pisac this week looks pretty full already. I saw Ernesto, the old guy, yesterday who gave me Sarah´s email address again, and that is when I realised why she hadn´t replied or heard from me because he missed out two numbers in it - so hopefully I will see her when I visit Pisac again this week. I will write another entry next weekend.
