Peru

So...post hiking adventures!!! We spent a few days in Huaraz relaxing, enjoying the nearby thermal baths and our favourite cafe with great coffee and Apple Pie...and waiting for Jesus´ foot to recover...he could hardly walk!!!

Our next stop was Lima...we aren´t usually big fans of the big cities...but we stayed for a few days at the house of a friend Sylvia. For those of you who remember my adventures in Israel (many years ago!!!)...Sylvia is a Peruvian lady who I befriended working on the archaelogical excavation there. It was nice to catch up with her. Its funny the paths life takes sometimes...when we first met i obviously spoke no Spanish (she speaks English)...now i am married to a South American and speak Spanish!!!...which was a surprise for her!!! So..we had our own "personal tour" of Lima.

Plus..we also caught up with two couples who we met earlier in Cajamarca. They invited us to a place where they go Tango dancing every Sunday...so yes, add tango dancing to our list of credits!!!

From Lima we headed straight down the coast to Arequipa...a pretty, colonial style town in the South of Peru. It is affectionaltely called "La Ciudad Blanco..The White City"...as the buildings are all built from a white stone that comes from the area...they are really beautiful.The whole coast line of Peru...from Ecuador in the North to Chile in the South is amazing...it is just one long stretch of desert....actually...it is not the most attractive!!

Arriving in Arequipa was interesting...passing through lots of shanty-like towns basically in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by sand dunes!!!---then all of a sudden arriving in this lovely city...like an Oasis. A popular "touristy"thing to do from Arequipa is hiking in the Colca Canyo...considered to be equal to the Grand Canyon in splendour. But...enough of hiking for us...for now, anyway!!!

We just enjoyed the town centre...plus observed a demonstration by some of the Indigenous people from a nearby village, where some of their fellow villagers had been killed defending their land against petrolium exploitation. Just to add a bit of spice and adventure to our travels!!!

From Arequipa...it was across to Puno on the shores of the spectacular Lake Titicaca. This is one of the worlds highest navigable lakes (at 3820m)...and borders Peru and Bolivia. The Lake and its Islands are steeped in history and culture and tradition...and it is very sacred for the Peruvian and Bolivian indigenous people. There are several inhabited islands which you can visit...some from Peru and some from Bolivia. We did a really fantastic 2 day trip from Puno...full of colour and South American culture.

The first day we visited the "Floating Islands" of the Uros poeple...an Indigenous group whose native language is Amayra. There is about 40 of these small islands, which are made entirely from the Tortora reed which grows in abundance in the lake...hence they are called the "floating islands". The base of the island is made from the reed interwoven, on top of which they place piles of longer reeds, which are replaced as they decompose. The houses are also made from the reed...as are their boats, called "Tortoras". There is a basic primary school on some of the islands...the kids have to go by boat...but for any

further education, they have to go to live in
Puno. The islands are small...but full of colour..with the beautiful weavings and their colourful clothes!! The people of these islands exists on fishing and of course now, tourism...selling their colourful weavings and artisaneas to us tourists!!! But...it was fun and interesting to see how these people live. They even sung us some of their local songs...in return we had to sing songs from our countries!!

The next island was called "Amantani"...this was to be our home for the night. This was a larger island on which about 4000 people live in 10 communities. They live a fairly basic existence; in mud brick houses, with minimal electricity and eat mainly what they grow...corn, beans,potato etc.We were met at the port by members of our "families" for the night...2 people each went to stay at the houses of different families, where they looked after us for the night and prepared us typical dishes...YUM!!! (even better for me, as they are mainly vegetarian!!!).In the afternoon we all met for "locals vs tourists" sporting matches. The men played soccer...which was very competative....the men take their soccer seriously!! The women...we played volleyball...they thrashed us!!! It was funny to see the women dressed in their typical clothes playing volleyball!! We then walked to a temple at the highest point of the island (4100m) to watch a beautiful sunset, followed by dinner at our "home".

Then..the party!!! Our families dressed us in typical dress...Jesus, a poncho and a hand-knitted and decorated hat...me, a white blouse with hand embroidered decoration, a big orange skirt, a colourful sash wrapped around my waist and a black shawl elaborately hand stitched at both ends. Actually we looked like idiots...all with our jeans or pants under the skirts to keep warm, and hiking boots!!!...but we had fun. The party was in the local hall, where some of the musicians from the local community provided entertainment

(pretty badly out of tune..but oh well!!...they were really enjoying themselves most importantly)...and we all danced. All in all...a fun and funny experience.

The next morning after breaky...farewell to Amantani and off to Taquille...a really beautiful and interesting island where the people live steeped in their traditional manner and customs..which in themselves are very different and really interesting.They have their own mayor...elected by the men, and it is his job to see that the "rules" and traditions of the island are upheld. The rules: no lying, no stealing, no laziness!! No lazyness hey...they actually have no horses or cows or donkeys to do manual labour...it is all done by hand, and any carrying is done on their backs!!!

They actually receive no help from the Peruvian government, but they do have UNESCO recognition for their incredibly beautiful textiles and weavings. The women do the weaving...the men knit!!! Actually...the men start to learn to knit from bout 5 years old. They walk around the island in their distinct outfit...black pants, a white shirt (which they make themselves...Jesus actually bought one, almost off the mans back!!), a black vest and a colourful woven sash (made by the women) around their waist and an incredibly beautiful knitted hat, which they knit themselves. They also carry and equally colourful knitted "chuspa"...a small bag in which they carry coca leaves...this they chew on, and also it is a custom when they meet someone, they exchange coca leaves as a greeting gesture. So...they walk around knitting!!! The better the knitter, the finer and more intricate and tighter the textile. It is said when a man wants to marry, he takes his knitting to the prospective father-in-law..if it hold water without leaking, it is good quality, he is a good craftsman...and he is good to marry!!! If not...go away and try again in 6 months...and practice your knitting!!! He can try up to 3 times...if he doesnt succeed after this...he cant marry the daughter!!! These knitted hats that they wear are beautiful...and there is 3 different designs. They are all the same pointed pixie-like shape...but with different patterns. The children´s one is brown at the top half, a colourful design on the bottom part with a knitted fringe around the edge. Single men; the top is white and the bottom beautifully decorated in red and white with a pom pom at the point. They wear it folded over in the middle with the pom pom hanging to the back...but when they are looking for a wife, they wear it folded over with the pom pom to the side!! Married men; their hat is extremely colourful with intricate design all over. They are all like incredibly beautiful works of art. As for the women. They wear a big coloured skirt, a white blouse, a beautiful woven sash around their waist and a black shawl with big pom poms on the ends. If they are single, the pom poms are colourful, but when they marry, they are usually one colour. The women actually weave the sashes that their prospective husband will wear!!!
As for marriage...it is considered a life long committment. Divorce is not allowed, and if your partner dies, out of respect, you cannot marry again. The men and women, therfore, are allowed to live together for up to 3 years to see if the partner is "right". But the men can only live in this "trial situation" with up to 3 girls...if they dont marry one of these girls they are considered a playboy. So...watch out boys!!!! Also, the ceremony itself is different..it is not like our "happy occasion". The couple go to the civil office, then to the church...but they musn´t smile or look happy!!! They then spend the next week in the kneeling position all day, and sleep in a bed with the god-parents....great hey!!! Meanwhile---people party around them...only after this time can they live as a married couple. If they ever fight or have marital problems...they need to remember the hardship of this ceremony...and resolve the problem!!!

So...that´s Taquille...a beautiful Island with amazing views over the spectacular Lake Titicaca...and over to Bolivia in the distance. But...not before i bought one of the beautiful knitted hats...which is photograhed to the left with its "knitter"!!! And...that was Peru. It was back to Puno for the night...and then off to our next stop; Bolivia!!

I actually hate border crossings...the officials working there are always scary and like to hassle and feel "important". Plus...even though they are"neighbouring countries"...they can also be a bit discriminatory towards Jesus. We have even learnt to give our passports together so they can see we are married...and it makes a little bit of a difference. How ridiculous!!! Leaving Peru...the guy seemed friendly...until he sat down behind the desk!!! He then looked at Jesus and said"do you have the paper i am going to ask you for?"!!! Jesus assumed he was referring to his "Andean Immigration card" which they gave him leaving Ecuador. "No...your police record check" said the guy!!! Which...by the way...they do not need this to travel...you wouldn´t get a passport if you had any problems with the law!!! What´s more...we were leaving the country...not entering!!! "Impossible"said Jesus...with which the guy looked at me and said "Is this your wife"...then told me i would be travelling on my own!!! As I said "i am not going anywhere"...the guy stamped our passports and handed them to us. We just looked at him..."You can go""" he said. What an a...!!! Hassling just to feel important.

Ahhh...the travellers life!!! At least it makes it a bit more spicy...South American style!!
So...until next travel tale...i leave you with this photo of "real" spices Sth American style (just cos i liked it!!!)

Lots of love

Llamas Bailando xxoo