wari, qinua and random folly

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Hola grande mundo

Today emilie is feeling a bit woozy, so by solidarity this blog will be short so we can go back to resting on the roof with mate de coca before going to play with our niños.

We are getting in the ayacucho routine, (not boring whatsoever, no day ever resembles the next, exept for the cold showers) of working with the kids in the afternoon, exploring in the morning and preparing our travels, and going out on weekends and sometimes evening -when the kids have left some energie in our tired selves-

Last weekend we have visited ruins in the mountains at Wari, site of archeological remains of a grand civilization preceding the Incas. We ve listened to an uncomprehensible guide, ate some tuna fruit (yes tuna here is a fruit, that of the cactus, it s reeeallly good. we were told it s good for digestion, we just didnt know in what way...)

Then we went to the neighbouring village of Qinua for lunch, and, BY ACCIDENT, we ended up eating what we at first thought was a weird sort of local chicken...only to discover we were eating CUY! Yep, guinea pig. The leg hanging from the plate took away any doubt we still had that it was chicken... It s like a silky version of chicken, not so bad really. We also tried Chicharones, grilled salted pork, mmmmm. we were in the middle of a traditrional countryside market, away from ayacucho "modernity". People spoke in quechua, and bits of spanish to us. beautiful.

Marion went horse back riding with the group, discovering waterfalls and gorgeous views on the andes above the site of the last battle for independence of peru (1824 i think). We brought back lots of Eucalyptus leaves to make tea and sleep better. Emilie in the meantime, glad to escape horses and waterfalls, wondered around the country side. She happened to pass a local fiesta celebrating the anniversary of a church, to which she was invited. They made her eat two meals (see, in peru it s very impolte to refuse food, thus, you EAT no matter what) she listened to music, played with kids, although they were a bit scared of the white strange lookin gringa. we both loved it, although marion thought her horse ( baptised simone) gonna die and drop her down the steep mountain side, and emilie couldnt move for hours or approach her horse-smelling friends...

Since then, we ve been setting up juggling lessons and bolasses which we make on the roof after lunch with our funky french explorers. The kids learn so fast, it s really impressive.

People have been complaining that we look unnaturally good on pictures, so you will be happy to see how dumb we can appear at night with our hand-made head-light, trying to read a book sourrounded by 10 people sleeping...

take care gringos

E&M

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Photos

¿jean francois?
¡¡ jean francois !!

cuy!!!
see the guinea pig paw hanging out

cute abuela from the fiesta where they fed em so much
at the end she gave her a big big hug and spoke to her in quechua

preparing our juggling workshop
at first we made the balls with the kids, only to see them make them explode, try to kill each other with them, or put rice everywhere for us to clean later on... trying new approach

preparing our bollasse workshop
step one - actually learn how to do it yourself on the roof without throwoing the balls in the eyes, head or other sensitive area. no injury reported yet.

living with 18 people
sometimes it makes you go completely nuts. here demonstrated by lilou

laugh away
this is em and i at night, with our manual head lamp, looking as smart as ever.

Comments

[Gilou]

Eating, that shouldn't be a problem for Emilie, she loves that!!! ;-)

[Pop & Mom]

C'est la fete à qui aujourd'hui?
Eh bien, en France, c'est la Saint Jean-François Régis... Pour les ignorants, Régis est le nom de jeune fille (bien qu'elle ne le soit plus depuis quelque temps...) de Mamie Margot! Qu'on se le dise dans les chaumieres peruviennes! Mom la detracteuse de voitures a recupere la sienne bien reparee. Tout est à refaire, on lui fait confiance. Demain, re-votation à Crespieresses, pour toi Marion, elle fera comme d'hab... Quand se decidera-t-on a lui retirer le droit de vote? Gros bisoux Pop & Mom

[simon mccann]

oow again kool
kool as ever like the exploding balls and the head lamps did u get them from millets? how r my girls xxxxxxxx