Advertisement
Horse
Before we took off galloping.. Hola guapitos.
Today was absolutely one of the coolest days of my life thus far. I mean, really cool.
So the other volunteers and I rented a pick-up truck and drove about an hour out of this incredibly loud and busy city. I can´t express how nice it was to be out in the countryside....mountains all around (high peaks with snow!)...burrows, sheep, pigs...streams, trees...it was grand. Really grand. Anyways, we rented horses for three hours and headed off into the mountains; riding through little pueblo villages along the way. Have I mentioned people´s reactions to ¨gringos¨ here? Oh my gosh, EVERYONE is so shocked. They all stop and stare...although they are generally really polite. (This was not the case in Lima-EVERY SINGLE man stopped and stared and made comments etc). Umm, what was I talking about? Oh, so horseback riding. Fantastic. We went way up into the mountains, and then got off to let the horses rest and eat and hike up steeper cliffs on foot. It really was a grand time...except I was getting a bit winded with the altiude. Anyways, right, so...then we got back down and headed off to a nearby town and had lunch
Incan ruins
Took a hike up to nearly 12,000 ft. Incan ruins and great views galore. next to this mountain stream; fluffy chickens pecking about everywhere. It was dreamy. Plus, I was starving and we were served Goliath-sized portions of fresh trout, potatoes, rice, salad, maize and Coca-Cola.
I can´t believe this place. Really really can´t believe it. I know I wrote about it a bit in my last entry...but the poverty. My god. These people have absolutely nothing. If I could, I would want nothing more but to stay and work with these kids para siempre. But then again, Huancayo is so busy and dirty and loud. And how I´d miss my family...(and my fellow owls and everyone else). The traffic here!! Oh my, you would not believe it. There´s no road rules; just cars weaving about...honking. You´ve really got to watch yourself. Oh, and the dogs! Like rats except more endearing. They are absolutely everywhere. (And no mom, I don´t pet them). They roam the streets in packs and luckily are absolutely oblivious to humans. I see a huge one every once in awhile, and so I pick a rock up off the dirt street just in case and they run off pretty quick. Oh but besides the cars, there are sheep and
Caballo
Letting the horses rest. oxes and cows being herded down the streets. Little tiny lambs being herderd by little tiny boys. Ahh, the constant honking...
My apartment has roof access which is really terrific. A gaping view of the Andes on all sides and the shacks of the city. Occasionally there´s a little orange kitty that saunters up but appears to be deathly afraid of anything that moves. Umm...what else? There´s a creepy little jaguar pelt hanging up there...lots of random things that really remind me that I am most certainly not in Iowa. Oh, and the homeless people! I´ve never seen such a sad sight. Iowa City´s countless homeless men wandering about seemed dreary enough...but here....my god. They are literaly in rags. Rags. Their feet are jet black from the dirt...they´re skin and hair are covered in dirt and dust and countless other things. I absolutely cannot fathom living like that. Much more of a hell than life.
Ok...well. I´ll write more about my adorable little orphans and street children later. I wish you could see them all. Covered in muck and happy as ever. So.....so sad. My god...how I am going to come back to running water and comfy beds?
Trucha
I had to take a picture of my fantastic little trout meal... Mom and dad- you absolutely have to come. I´ll try to call tomorrow, yeah? You will love it. Cuzco...I´ve heard WONDERFUL things. (MUCH much cleaner and safer). I´ll pick you up in Lima and make it incredibly easy. Plus, my spanish has really improved. You must come. July 20th or so?
Luz y amor para Uds...or is it por? That is one thing I´ll never be able to get.
Goodnight. Miss you mom, dad and Brookes. (Oh, and I bought you something today Brookie!) Love you very very much for always.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.088s; Tpl: 0.011s; cc: 5; qc: 44; dbt: 0.0488s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
Dwight Schroot
non-member comment
Hi my name is Dwight Schroot. I was curious if you had encoutered any bear fighting? Your entry is amazing Paigey and in case you hadn't figured it out this is your BIG sister Brooke. By big.. I mean older. Anyways! These entries are fascinating. I am so proud of you, I can't believe how independent you are. Well I can but it still amazes me even though you have always been this way. You didn't need to get me anything you little stinker. Well I hope all is well, I miss you much. Do I really need to say it? Be safe...