I moved to my new apartment yesterday. Its in San Blas, the artists´quarter of Cusco, so I fit in rather nicely. Its quiet small but has everything I need; bathroom with shower, small kitchen, which will be mostly unused, and a balcony looking out on to the street, which has a Quecha name, "Atoqsak'uchi". Quiet exciting to think I'm sleeping where the Incas used to hang about.
I have started my Spanish class with Claudia. She is of the opinion that I have made progress since we last met. We start at 8 am for two hours. Its a nice easy walk for me down from San Blas then through Plaza de Armas and down Av el Sol to Maximo Nivel. Which is somewhat different from driving to that lovely car park in Wester Hailes. Its also all downhill so easy on my blood pressure. I'm still getting used to living 2 miles up in the sky, but I reckon my doctor's little pills have eased the process.
Today I went to La Policia de la Familia for the first time. Its changed quiet a lot since last year. A coat of paint and new bunk beds have improved the place considerably, as have the new windows. This is apparently down to them having a female police officer in charge, who has more time for the kids and is keen to help improve things. More in this another time.
Unfortunately I still haven't met Fernando. He is on the run again having escaped last week sometime. I'm told he sometimes makes his own way back to La Policia. So lets hope he shows up soon. I'm told he still remembers me. Which is nice.
I met with a quy called Yuri at La Policia today. (Lots of people here have Russian names, which I'm told is a throw back to when the communists were a force to be reckoned with in these parts). Anyway Yuri is a young Peruvian who runs his own small organisation supporting street kids. He has recently started working with Maximo Nivel at La Policia. He runs a restaurant which partly funds the centre he has set up for the children. I'm going to meet him tonigh at 8 pm at his restaurant along with Karen, another volunteer, who amazingly enough was born and brought up on the Faroe Islands. More on Yuri and his work later.
Sunday afternoon was unexceptional until about 3 pm. Miller and I were sitting on the balcony of a cafe overlooking Plaza de Armas, sipping our cappuchinos and watching the world go by. When who should I spot but young Robin crossing the square with his shoe shine gear under his arm. I shouted his name and he looked up , saw me and I just wished I had my video camera on. He gave a huge smile, turned to his pals, abandoned them and came thundering up the stairs, across the cafe and onto the balcony, where he threw himself all over me. To say he was pleased to see me is oa bit of an understatement. And of course I was very pleased to see him. I've arranged to meet him and his brother, Ebert at Maximo Nivel tomorrow afternoon.
Thats all for now folks.
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Great that you could see Robin! I imagined his big smile on his face when he saw you even I do not know his face! Hope your Spanish class is going well. By the way, it seems Yuri is a boy's name in different countries. My Canadian friend said that he first wondered if I was a big Russian guy when he saw my name tag on the door of my room until he actually saw me and found a tiny Japanese girl! It was when i lived in the university flat a couple of years ago.
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