Waiting in Cochabamba

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So we arrived in Cochabamba (Cbba) on Wednesday afternoon. Again we are staying with Ramon´s family so his cousin met us at the airport and took us back to her Aunt´s house where we are staying. Since I had been to Cbba before it was pretty easy for Steven and I to find our way around and walk the city. So that´s what we did. After a nap, later in the evening Aunt Olivia took us on a drive around Cbba to orient us and then we had dinner at Dumbo (named after the Disney elephant) and chatted. Of course there are no copyright laws here, at least none that are heeded so many places are named after American cartoon characters, strange but true. There is Dumbo and a Bar named after Moe from the Simpsons, I´ve also seen something named after Peter Pan, or at least using his image. With nothing to do in Cbba but wait until Ramon arrives we walked the city again on Thursday, toured the artisan market, ate lunch, then camped at a cafe for a coffee, drinks, some reading and writing in journals. During the day we visited the market to look up a friend of Kevin´s and mine from the last time we were in Cbba (Sept-Oct 2003). She was still working the same fruit stand and it took her by complete surprise to see me, but was excited. We chatted for a few minutes and made plans for me to visit Friday morning, she was going to bring her daughter Carla (our "god-daughter" more or less) to see me. What else... Ramon´s cousins, Andrea and Ximena, took us to dinner on Thursday and we got to know each other. Friday morning (today) I got up, headed to the market and visited with Raquel (mother) and her daughter Carla who is now 3 years old and quite a little chatter box, she talked my ear off for about 40 minutes. Too cute. It was nice to see them again, since when we left them last they gave us an address to correspond but never actually received anything we sent. So now that I know a few people with actual homes in Cbba I am hoping we can maintain in contact through mail using their address but we´ll have to wait and see. Also we were supposed to pick Ramon up at the airport today but his flight was delayed and he missed his connection from Lima to Cbba. So looks like we´re here for a couple more days. We are itching to get into the field and begin working it is what we came down here for anyway. We are hoping to head out on Sunday, I´m keeping my fingers crossed.

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Comments

[Sharon Oxford]

Love your news
Leslie, this is great. I have learned so much from you and your travels. Keep it up, love, Sharon Oxford

[danny]

?
Sounds so interesting and fun... why don't you add some pictures?