April 25th to 27 th

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I spent the weekend at El Establo. Friday morning, we went into Huryo to the Pre Schools. We were there to play with the little ones. The one I went to was a one room dark space with some school supplies, but no instruction, only play. The afternoon was spent gathering new blisters on my hands from dekerneling the dried corn for the chickens. After cob 15, I finally figured out I should be wearing gloves and then all went well. Saturday dawned with rain, rain all night and rain all day. It was a perfect day for reading and sleeping and then reading again, with a few card games thrown in for spice. We were a girls weekend with just 4 volunteers left, Niels had gone to Cusco and we had lost everyone else to going on with their journeys. Sunday was a day of intense clear skies and heat. I could no longer stay still so I got jobs from Americo. I moved a huge wood pile and ferried a pile of rocks up to the pool with the wheel barrow. It is amazing how good it feels to just use your body. Of course, I was always thinking about each step and adjusting the load on my body with Bagua in mind. I did break mid way through the day and walked to town with the others. Sunday is market day and we wanted lunch and sights and sounds. We arrived to a special meal being cooked outside, maybe for fund raising, it was hard to understand. I got a plate of velvet soft marinated pork cooked in large pans over a fire laid on the road outside the market. It was served with huge potatoes that you dipped in the juices of the meat and a side of mint / coriander chutney that was spicy and glorious. We then went into the market for fresh made mixed juice. There are dogs, children, old ladies in short skirts that are flared out wide by the lace petticoats underneath. There was an old man walking with the limp bodies of guinea pigs in his hands,offering them for sale. Sacks of potatoes sit beside tables of plucked chickens. Everything is noise, smell, confusion and wonder. I love the market. We walked back home, but almost at the start of our journey a local in a truck stopped and offered us a ride. We hopped on the back and were driven to the head of our trail, at least a half of our journey saved. It speaks volumes of the differences here. I did not hesitate to jump on the back of a truck with 2 other men I didn't know, and know that everything is fine. People are just nice. No worries.

Good Night and Sweet Dreams.

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