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Published: January 11th 2008
View of the cathedral on the main square
This is taken from the balcony in my roomHola,
Doesn't that title remind you faithful readers of a previous blog entry?? Yes - lots of rain and I'm soaked through. I've never experienced rain like this anywhere except the Andes!!
Apologies for the volume of photos today. Some should have been published yesterday, but the storm put paid to that. Storm didn't come to much, just lots of heavy rain. Kinda disappointing as I was hoping for a beautiful Andes lightning show.
Was up early today and made breakfast in hotel. They seem to understand my Spanish re being vegetarian and I was given fried eggs, with a selection of warm breads. Freshly squeezed pineapple juice and topped of with Matte de Coca to ward off any altitude effects.
After breakfast I went for a wander. I went back towards the CCS house and stopped in at the Prison Market. Had forgotten it was probably too early for the majority of the stall holders as only a few were there. They have lots of different things now in comparison to when I was here last. The products (clothes, tapestries, pottery and jewellery) made here are mainly made locally. This tends to be the place where
I buy the majority of my gifts.
After that I headed up to the street where we lived. Vicki mentioned that she thought the CCS house had been painted, and it has indeed. It's now a fetching light green in comparison to the bright yellow we knew and loved. Wandered up to the internet cafe. No sign of the owner, his wife or their chica, just a young girl serving inside. Will try to get back and see if I can see them again. When we were at CCS house, there was a hen and her chicks that seemed to live just outside the internet cafe and wandered up and down the road at the peril of the moto taxis. No sign of them either!!
Wandered back down and stopped in at Misery Guts shop for a bottle of water. No change there either and the pillar is still sitting outside for no apparent reason. I will always be eternally grateful to him though for saving our skins the night we were followed home by the drunken, amorous (remember Terri whacking him with an empty plastic water bottle) Peruvian. The shop owner very kindly went and got the
San Cristobal
Again from my balcony. This is the highest point in the city. guards from the CCS house who chased him and made sure we got home ok. Was fun!!
After that I headed back to the hotel for a quick change for my afternoon plans.
I spent the afternoon with Gil, Chantal and the Sparrows. Gil and Chantal are just back frm Lima, where the news re Chantal's health was not as good as we were hoping for. She is a truly amazing lady though, still has so much energy and love for the kids and just doesn't stop!! The only big difference I notice is that she is now very thin.
The taxi ride to the Carmen Alto area of Ayacuch was interesting. I braved a moto taxi having completely forgotten how bad the roads are up there. I promise I will take sme pics and include them!! There were at least three times where I was sure we were going to tip over and a further twice when I thought I would need to get out and push!! I've since had a few lower back twinges which I'm certain are attributable to the lack of shock absorbers!! But hey - you can't come here and not have
Typical Street in Ayacucho
For those of you who haven't seen it before. At least it's dry in this one!! the moto taxi experience!! I have a couple of pretty incredible black and blues on my lower back. Only comparable to the bruises I got when learning to snowboard!!
Gil and Chantal asked if I could spend my afternoons working with the children with special needs. This was a little scary for me as I have no experience at all in this area, but please read on............!! I will now spend my afternoons from 2 - 6.30ish at Los Gorriones, which is what I was really hoping to do. This tourist lark isn't really for me!!
There are currently 25 children at Casa Hogar. 7 with special needs (physical and mental disabilities) 4 with learning difficulties and the remainder rescued from challenging family situations. There is also a fantastic team who support Gil and Chantal. I can't remember all the names right now, but hope to know them by the end of this week. Some are volunteers from France and also Germany, and some are local women employed by Los Gorriones.
I won't remember the names of all the children either, but please bear with me as the week goes on. I will give you a little
Gringo Plaza
Very little change girls, except that you weren't with me!! bit on all of them. I didn't take photos today, as I feel kind of awkward. I feel like the sparrows are so special that it would be unfair to take their photos and include them in the blog. I will take some though, once I've checked with Gil as he also understands that it's important that all our Scottish supporters see the children and also what life is like at Casa Hogar.
The child that I spent most time with today was Jakeline. Not sure if you remember, but she was the little one I sponsored when I got home. Jakeline was very small and undernourished for her age. She is now two and a half, but her build is closer to a child of less than a year. Jakeline can't see fully, only shadows. She has gorgeous thick black (typically Peruvian) hair and big dark eyes. When she smiles her face lights up and she touches my heart. Jakeline can't speak either, but you know when she is happy or upset. She loves to be stimulated and carried about. She very quickly checked out the countours of my face with her hands and loves to play the
The Artesan shops in Gringo Plaza
Again, very little change. Spotted some nice, bright (Orange of course) jumpers that might just make their way home with me!! game where you catch her hand and kiss it whilst making ridiculous noises. She also loves noisy toys, so anything that rattles or moves that she can grab. Her smile was just incredible - she also has the most perfect set of white teeth!! Jakeline can't walk or crawl either and tends to keep her legs totally straight. Like most of the other children she undergoes regular massage and physio to help her muscles. Although still very small for her age, she has put on some weight and now eats properly - all testament to the care provided by Gil, Chantal and their team.
Another child I'll tell you about today is Eberson. Eberson is blind but very smart. Not sure of his age - possibly 3 yrs old? Will check and let you know. Eberson can't walk either and is in the process of being potty trained. When I first met him he was on the potty waving a pair of pink (not his) trainers in the air. He does incredible imitations of cars and aeroplanes, and is independent enough to feed himself.
Ruth Karina is also there. The beautiful child adopted by Gil and Chantal. She
CCS House
Has indeed been painted - was yellow when we were all there. Now a very pale shade of green, but very nice!! has grown so much since the last time that I saw her, and obviously loves Gil and Chantal very much. When I arrived she was sitting on Chantal's knee. Ruth Karina can't do anything for herself and requires 24 x 7 care. Gil gets up during the night to turn her in bed. When she smiles though or laughs, it is just incredible!!
Today was the first time I got to see how Los Gorriones works, last time was just a visit. There is an amazing team there who truly love the children. The atmosphere is exactly the opposite of the indifference I experienced at the Girls Orphanage where I worked last time. The special needs children need lots of stimulation and the certainly get that, together with lots of love. Some of the children respond even to just being touched or held, and there is lots of that.
Anyway, I will stop there and save more news of the Sparrows for later in the week. Mum - the money that you gave me for my trip? Well, I passed it on to Gil. I think he plans to buy food with it as the kids got toys
Our internet cafe
Still the same. No sign of the owner, his wife or their chica though. Not using the cafe this trip as I've got free access at the hotel. Was good to reminisce though!! No sign of the chickens either!! at Christmas time. Gil will e-mail to thank you.
I was invited to eat with the staff and enjoyed a fab dinner of quinoa con leche y sucre (quinoa cooked with milk and sugar). It was lovely. I definitely have lots to learn, and the staff were very patient with me today. I'm basically just doing whatever they want me to. I just feel so privileged to be involved with the Sparrows for even a short time - thank you so much Gil and Chantal!!
I left Casa Hogar and headed for a taxi and met a nice Peruvian family who were also headed back into the City. We shared the cab and I got to practice my Spanish again. I'm getting there, but find that I'm so desperate to find the right word that I get my tenses and verb conjugations completely wrong!!!! Aaaagh!! I will get there - someday!!
When I left it was pouring with rain!! I had arrived in bright sunshine, with sunspecs and no waterproof - in my room of course!! I also had on my trendy all terrain sandles!! Gil very kindly loaned me a jacket (thanks Gil - will return
Vicki - this one is just for you
MG's Shop - still exactly the same too!! Bought a bottle of water for old times sake. He's still as grumpy as ever!! it tomorrow!!) and I braved the rain.
I'm sure the CCS girls will remember the time we got caught in the downpour and how wet we were when we got home. Well, it was another night like that!! No one available to take a photo, so hope the description is enough to make you laugh!!
In Ayacucho, there is little or no drainage. As a result, muddy torrents run down the street. In order to get home you have to tackle the muddy torrents and also the moto taxis who have never heard of 'give way'. Basically you just have to go for it!! Upshot is that I arrived back at the oh so posh plaza with frizzy hair which looked like rats tails, Gil's waterproof, and all weather combat trousers (never believe what they tell you in Black's the outdoor shop) soaked up to the thighs. My trendy all terrain sandals were sodden, squishy and squeaky and I left a wet trail all the way through the hotel!! Top that with a posh business conference dispersing in the foyer at exactly the same time as my arrival and you pretty much get the picture!!
Anyway -
Fireworks!!
This is the street we walked up and down every day. The shops here make fireworks. Again no change!! that's all for now folks. Will brave the smelly market tomorrow for some bargains and gifts and Vicki, will get you that photo of the pastry shop. Looking forward to being back at Casa Hogar tomorrow afternoon. It really was the highlight of my day.
Adios
Lesley
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Vicki Gilbert
non-member comment
Wot no plaque!
Thank you for sending the photos. Wonderful views from your room - you lucky thing. Thanks also for the update from Los Gorriones - such special people, all of them. Only disappointment is that MG's plinth has no plaque dedicated to my posing ;-) Keep up the good work. Vicki