Alpaca Sweaters and Aji de Gallina

---

Jeff worked most of the day today preparing for two lectures he’ll be giving on Thursday and Friday morning.

Alberto, Elizabeth and I went to a remate (sale) of alpaca goods. They had spectacular sweaters, blankets, scarves, pashminas, coats, gloves and hats. The baby alpaca material feels just like cashmere. I would list prices, but I bought some of you gifts so …. let’s just say that a sweater I’d expect to spend about $200 on at Macy’s ran $30 or less.

For lunch we had Aji de Gallina, a traditional Peruvian meal of hen with roasted pepper (yellow pepper, but not bell). We all liked it, but Jeff loved it and I’m sure I’ll be duplicating it when we get home if I can find a source for the peppers.

Alberto and Elizabeth have household help (wish I could get this kind of help at home!) who comes in each morning, straightens up after breakfast, cooks lunch and does light housework and cleaning. Velma is a spectacular cook! Unemployment in Peru is so bad - rumored to be at about 60% - that even with her coming in 6 days a week for 3 or so hours each day she is only paid s/250 - 300 per MONTH ($100). (I’ve learned that the appropriate way to write 20 soles is s/20, so from now on s/ means soles the way that $ means dollars.)

Of the employed residents of Peru about 25% of them make less than $120 per month. That is $4 per day. Of the unemployed many of them live on $1 per day - though it might be more accurate to say that many of them barely survive! There are always people performing on the streets, kids selling candy and begging, etc. here. It is really heartbreaking to see how many parents are forced to put their kids on the street to earn money. We’ve learned that many of the parents that do this also take all the money the kids earn and that they don’t get enough to eat. It is acceptable to give food (even leftovers) to the children - if you did that at home in Atlanta, the beggars would complain.

Jeff was describing a woman today and described her as viaja (old). Turns out that is a big NO NO. Despite the fact that every US student who took Spanish was taught that word for old, it should only be applied to objects. Applying it to a person is like calling someone old, worn out and useless.

---

Photos

1
Check out the weird looking pine tree. All these pics were taken from the roof of Elizabeth and Albert's house.

2
The view of the houses across the street.

3
The spiral stair to the roof (located in the middle of the house.)

5
The kids and Jeff read a story.

8
The inner courtyard

Comments

[Nana]

The tree you thought looked weird is the traditional Hawaiian Christmas tree called a Norfolk Island Pine and you see them growing everywhere over there. It's really sad about the poverty there. It would break my heart. Makes you appreciate what you have doesn't it?

[abby]

viaja
Too bad we don't know the difference between people and things in the good old USA! It is much more crowded than I thought it would be, but looks really nice and well kept.