F. in trouble and I meet two Frenchmen

I had to take Fernando to a pharmacy earlier this week to get him some medicine for his fever. We were accompanied by Jenny, the policewoman in charge on the day. He's had his ups and downs this week. When he was very ill he was quiet but now that he is better he is back to his old self. He's been crying a lot this week, which is not really his style. He cries when I'm leaving and pleads with me to stay with his sad wee face, which of course he puts on specially for the occasion. But he breaks my heart some times. In the meantime he's broken a window and kicked a policewoman. Always in trouble that boy. I think he is reacting violently to all the rejection he has suffered all his short life. And he doesn't think before he lashes out. He has been punished in a truly Dickensian fashion for his misdemeanours.

There have been lots of children coming and going from La Policia this week. Today there were at least and its a small room they are locked up in. There were 5 boys who were 11 and 12 years old. All of them in tears. I don't know why they were there. I began to play with one of them, teaching English with flash cards which the brighter ones love. Pretty soon I was surrounded by six boys all wanting to participate. Fernando didn't mind either, which is always a blessing, as its hard to work with the others when he is at his most demanding. The boys were all taken away shortly afterwards, maybe home or the court. Will know tomorrow. Once they had left Fernando wanted to learn English. Usually when we play with the cards its only in Spanish and for counting but I guess because he heard the others he wanted not to miss out.

Yesterday I met the circus performer. He is a young French guy who learnt his circus skills in Paris. He lived for a year in Bruntsfield while he did a term or two of computer studies in Edinburgh. We went for lunch in a vegetarian restaurant which does lunches for 5 soles. 3 course less than a pound. Its madness the way I'm wasting my money eating out over here.

We sat at a table with one other customer, as place gets rather busy. The guy turns out also to come from Paris. Would you believe it me and two Frenchmen discussing what going to happen next in China. I've no idea how we got there but we did. A fine time and lunch was had by all. It turns out that this second Frenchman not only knew Edinburgh but also the Highlands and Islands. Well as far as Skye anyway, which no longer counts as an island of course.

Loic, the circus artiste has agreed to perform at Jesus mi Luz and at Yuri's project, and they have both agreed to have him. He's also offered to do some teaching of juggling for the kids on a regular basis. He juggles with fire and all that kind of stuff, though he wont be teaching the kids that kind of juggling.