Lima

Its been a hestic few days. Saturday night the boys and girls at Elim had a party for me. The girls danced and some of the boys played some Peruvian music for me. Very sad to leave but they all want me back next year. Junior walked me to my taxi and we had a final chat. He promises to work hard on his English classes and wants me to come back next year, in January!!! He actually asked if I could come for Xmas, which would be nice but probably not go down to well at back at the office.

Sunday was full of excitement. Heber insisted on coming with me to the airport, which was very welcome. He changed his day off so he could come. We phoned Jeremy from the airport so that they can meet up and sort out his schooling. Jeremy is pleased he is back in touch and will do all he can to help.

We had an exciting time at the airport as my flight was delayed due to a mechanical fault. Heber stayed with me until one pm. There wasn't any point in him staying any longer and in any case he had a date for a game of footie.

Now that he has his new phone he wants me to phone every day, which I do, now from Lima, just to make sure he is safely home from work, which is usually near midnight, though some times he makes it back for 11.20 or 11.30 pm. Lucky boy. Don't know who will phone him when I leave Peru. No-one I guess. I've been made to promise regular phone calls from Scotland to him.

The flight eventually left at 4 pm, five hours late. another few minutes and it would not have been able to take off at all, as there are no flights in or out of Cusco at night; its too dangerous with the mountains all around.

A big stupid American caused a disturbance by insisting that he could see a dent in the plane. What an idiot. Shouting at the girls on the desk and trying to tell the rest of us we were all going to die. The pilot told him it was just the way the sun was shining on the fuselage.

Woman beside me told me that the president and vice never flew together and that she and her husband always took separate flights so that the children would not be orphaned in the event of a disaster. Maybe they would be better off.

The flight went ahead and we arrived in Lima unscathed. I heard the yank apologise to the pilot on his was off the plane.

Am now nicely settled in my flat in Lima.

Falling Man

The main character in Falling Man is called Keith and it was written by a Don. Don DeLillo. Coincidence or what Keith?

I wonder if my wee brother has read The Secret Scripture yet? More on that later as its worth coming back to.

Must go its getting late. There´s a salsa class going on in Maximo just now. I almost feel fit enought to join in. But perhaps better not for now. Maybe later as all the massage girls tell me.

We have the monthly party at Maximo tonight, so have to go to that. Wonder if I should dress up. You just never know whats round the corner.

Roast Beef on a Saturday

I´m leaving Cusco tomorrow and I feel very sad. I´ve had no altitude problems this year and my pressure is spot on. I don´t understand how it can change from year to year. I thought because I was that bit older it would get harder for me, but quite the reverse. If I had know would have spent another few weeks here, but I guess there´s always next year; and also I´m looking forward to meeting the folk in Lima next week. And my luxury flat there!

Junior and his pal got back to Elim last night. He wrote a letter to Nilda asking if he could be allowed home on Saturday to play for me on my last day, and he would go back to La Comisaria after that. Bless the boy. Anyway as it turns out no need for him to go back and he´s promised best behaviour from now on.

I was there this morning and am about to go back at four for my last visit. I took along an Oasis and a Coldplay cd this am. Copies in the market are next to nowt here. Junior and Peter were practicing there Wonderwall, and Yellow and stuff. Apparently they need a capo to do justice to Wonderwall.

I´ve had a brilliant time with the boys in Elim. I will miss each and everyone of them. I´ve got to know them all so well. Everyone of them is a wee gem. I´m glad they have found Elim and are no longer living as street kids. When I hear their stories it amazes me that they have survived this far and are still so friendly and playful.

They have made me very happy for a few weeks and I would like to think that they feel the same about me.

And then there´s Man U playing Stoke!!! and Wigan beat Chelsea, whats to cry about. Happy days indeed.

Went back to my favourite restaurant today, Granja Heidi, nice roast beef.

Heber the rapper

Junior

Che Guevera

I was wearing my Che socks and this guy comes up to me in Maximo and says, looking at my socks, which I wear as a change from my red ones, "Are you a socialist then?".

I replied that I was and was he not and everybody else hereabouts. Knowing full well that this was not the case. He looked at me in a peculiar way and said that of course he wasn´t. I was about to ask if he was a fascist but decided against it? What a plonker as they say back home. He walked away so no discussion was possible.

The folk who come to Maximo are mostly middle class Peruvians, except the ones like Junior and Heber who get the chance to come here.

Political discussion centres round why Alan Gsrcia is no good and how he must go next year, when they have an election. There is not much by way of an alternative.

Heber and Cienciano

Heber came out with me today. He has arranged for his day off this week to be on Sunday so that he can come to the airport with me. Today he was working but his pal agreed to cover for him so that he could come to see me. I skipped my Spanish class so that I could spend the afternoon with him, which seemed like the least I could do in the circumstances.

We went to the market to buy a few things he needed. We bought a sim card for my old phone which I gave to him. Needless to say he was delighted, and it cost me less than $5.00. My UK phone works fine here with a local sim card so I had no need for my old peru phone. They call it re-cycling.

I took him to MacDonalds, at his request I hasten to add, as he had never been before. They have a prime site in the Plaza de Armas, as you would expect. He enjoyed the meal.

We had a nice long chat. My spanish is good enough now for us to talk about everything of importance to him, plus he helps me a lot more too. I took some nice photos of him in his new gear looking very cool and grown up.

We talked about his education and he has agreed to go back to school on Thursdays which is his day off. I´ve agreed to pay the first month and his matriculation fee and he will pat from his wages thereafter. He agreed that I could leave the money with Jeremy to pay the school. I´m really pleased he,s goingback to school and also that he will be back in touch with Jeremy and Elim.

But he was so tired. I felt so sorry for him and then I had to walk him back to his work at 6.30 pm. But he´s a fighter the boy and has indomitable spirit, like so many of the boys. He´s going to phone me on his new phone when he gets home from work at 11.30 pm. He´s 15!!! He will go home to a cold house, cold bedroom, no hot water and no mummy´s welcome. Great. I bought him pyjamas today as he complained about how cold he was at night. The temperature here drops a lot at night.

To cap it all Cienciano lost 3-0 in the Copa SudAmericana. They were playing some Argentinian team called San Lorenzo. Watched second half at Maximo, with a small crowd. Poor stuff. We will beat them here in Cusco, as they won´t like the altitude.

Spanish classes

I´ve had two Spanish teachers since I´ve been here. One called Dante and one called Julio Cesar. Which shows some one had a sense of humour or ambition. They are both fine teachers with very different styles.

Yesterday Dante was doing the old conditional with us. He asked us to say where we would like to visit. For no reason that I can remember I said Chile and that I wanted to visit Santiago Stadium.

The three people from USA had never heard of Allende or Pinochet and knew nothing about the coup etc, so they couldn´t very well argue when I told them it was CIA backed. Amazing really.

They thought I wanted to visit the stadium because the Chile team plays there. They knew nothing about the uses to which Pinochet and his chums put it. Neither did Dante. I told them about Victor Jara and his torture and death there.

Chile and Peru don´t often see eye to eye. Wars of years gone bye are unforgotten.

Back where we started from

Here we go again. Today I was back at La Policia de la Familia and sad to say it hasn´t changed much. Kids sitting around in one room with nothing to do but watch tele. I´m hoping I caught them on an a bad day and that things are better on other days. But it seems unlikely. There are fifteen children there just now.

I was there to visit Junior and his pal. They got into a spot of bother at Elim and have ended up here. I´m hoping they will both be back by Saturday.

I´m very disappointed really, especially for Junior as I had just taken him to Maximo Nivel on Tuesday to sign up for his English classes. I´ve done a lot of work with him on his English and he will do well if he attends his classes. He picks it up very quickly, a lot more quickly than my Spanish. A remarkably talented boy.

He was playing guitar for me the other day and seeing if I recognised the songs. He played some Coldplay which I failed to spot, and then played Oasis` Wonder Wall, which I did recognise. I guess its instantly spotable, so to speak. Shame the boys are Man City, but I´m sure they will be pleased to read this and see that they are making a difference here in Cusco.

The point about this is that Keiran played lots of Oasis for me way back ten or twelve years ago. I rememeber well taking him to lots of Craigroyston concerts where he played these same songs. I couldn´t help but think back to those days and the many similarities between them, both so talented. Let´s hope not all is wasted. Still time for both to shine.

I´m rambling here, some one just came to chat and Keith also spoke on MSN. Have a great weekend in Pentwater K and regards to all up in the North Country.

The boys were both very apologetic today and very worried that they won´t get back to Elim. Will keep you posted on developments. Fingers crossed please that all ends well.

While I was there I went out to buy them some food, fruit and bread. The shopkeeper still remembers me, and was very pleased to see me. He didn´t expect to see me back. Nice.

I left Junior with some English home work to do. Should keep him busy for a couple of hours. He´s also promised to write me a letter in Spanish.

Gilead

Thanks Gayle, you were spot on with this one. I' glad I kept it for Peru. I'm not surprised it took her so long to write, amazing piece of work. Such imagination, and knows more about Calvinism than your Dad, I reckon, though maybe not as much as your grandad.

What a great old man. And no pressure on his son to conform, well maybe just a little. Unlike things in Lewis. I think your grandad would have liked him. I will have to read it again. I wasn't too sure I understood the old man's trip to Kansas.

Her similes are beyond compare. "It was the kind of light that rests on your shoulders the way a cat lies on your lap. So familiar". And many more just as good.

I've given it to a girl I know here who I think will appreciate it lots. Funnily enough I was given another copy as a birhday present back in Edinburgh, so have that at home to read again. But its such a good book I felt it was only right to pass it on, and also makes my suitcase that bit lighter.

Have you read Netherland? It makes cricket sound like a great game, which it probably is. well worth a read. And he gives Roth a mention in an interview at the end of the book. So he has to be good guy, though your Dad won't agree. More later, must go and eat.

Maize work

Junior is in the background working on a zampona he's making.

Jose Luis & Lalo

LaLo, my Quechua pal

A Scotsman and a Welshman

Who needs your foreign imports when you have Fletcher and Giggs in your team. Though a couple of minutes extra does no harm with Owen there to finish things off. Mind you the Welshman on the other side did no bad, showed the expensive imports how to go about it, with a little help from Ferdinand. Still a well deserved result you will all agree no doubt.

It was on here at 8 am and I lay in bed watching it. I went to have a shower and Owen scored. Unbloodybelievable. But very welcome none the less. God bless you Fergie. The other Scotsman of course. Who's next for sorting I wonder?

El concierto

The Elim concert took place on Friday and we all went along, including all the kids and workers.

The girls performed a few dances, which were very well done. Brad you should be here to coach them! You would have loved it, though maybe not the lack of competition.

The boys have a wee band and they played a few numbers for us, starting off with guess what? If you can't just think S & G, who stole it. I wonder if they give back any of their huge earnings to the people here from whom it came? The Elim boys played four numbers and were magnificent. The crowd called out for more - mostly their pals but what the hell. I had a wee tear in my eye to be quite honest. I have known some of these boys for a long time and know where they have had to come from. Their achievement is magnificent. I have a video for those of you who like that kind of thing.

Junior played the zampona throughout, there should be a wee thingee above the "n" for those of you that way inclined.. Thats an andean pan flute or pipes. As far as I am lead to understand its a traditional instrument from these parts. Junior makes his own, though I don't think it was his own he as playing on Friday.

There was a grown ups band on after the boys and Junior and Kevin got to play with them. I spoke to Junior after the concert to tell him how well he had played, to which he replied estaba para ti donald, it was for you. Nice.

Heber

I´ve finally caught up with Heber, and I´m so pleased to have done so. We spent most of Thusday together. He came in to meet me at Maximo Nivel at lunch time. I spoke to my Spanish teacher and he agreed to allow Heber to come to my class for the first hour, and I skipped the second hour. I don´t know what the rest of my class thought about it but they didn´t seem to mind and they got some practice listening to Heber answer some teacher´s quesions.

Off we went to the market and bought him some jeans, trainers and other bits and pieces. I had brought him a couple of t shirts from Edinburgh; the one for hogmanay and the official festival one from this year. I tookj him for a much needed haircut and he was looking very handsome after it all. And very happy.

He´s fifteen now and quite grown up. It´s hard to believe I´ve knowm him for four years. Still a boy though and needing cared for. He´s started work last week in a polleria, which is a restaurant selling chicken stuff. Roast fried etc. He works in the kitchen doing various things. Preparing potatoes, chickens and doing dishes etc.

All for the princely some of 300 soles a month, which comes to about $20 a week and less pounds of course. His jeans, trainers, boxers and socks cost about 150 soles, and not designer stuff, which gives an idea of the worth of his wages. He works 6 days a week and 12 hours a day. Criminal really, but par for the course here. I can´t see him lasting for long as he´s way too young and immature to cope with that routine. I can hardly cope with a 3 day week in Edinburgh, and I feel so sad for him.

But having said that he´s happy and I´m glad he´s no longer a street kid, and so is he. I think he´s had lots of stays in La Policia over the years and is making a huge effort not to end up back there. His brother Robin, is a different story and I can´t really say on here what he gets up, because its not fair on him, and I still hope he will change.

I went to meet Heber at his work and sat at a table with him as we made our arrangemnts for meeting up. We spent about ten minutes chatting. He had told his boss that I was his padrino which is a common thing here, though not so common to have one from Scotland. The kids actually ask you to be their padrino and he had asked me years ago. I think the origins are religious but of course that is not his motive.

I felt so sad for him when he was telling me about his job and he looked so tired that I felt like going to speak to his boss, who was sitting at a table along a bit, all fat and comfortable, but didn´t of course as it would have done him no good whatsoever and their view is that there are plenty more from where he came. Sad but true.

He is living in his dad´s house. He works away a lot as a long or medium distance driver. There are some aunts in the house too. It´s a bit ramshakle and he´s in the same room I saw him in last year. He wants more postcards from Scotland. I must rememeber to send some more often. His mother has left Cusco and is living with her new man some four hours away, which is too far for him to go very often, but he has been once at least. I don´t think he is too fond of new man. His wee brother or half brother is away too so he misses him lots. I think the old granny is out of the pucture, he doesn´t see much of her at all. So mostly left to his own devices, but could be lots worse. He has a home and is sensible enough to work and earn a living. His first wage is going towards a new tele!!!

We will meet again next Thursday nad he wants me to call to see him at work tomorrow, which I shall endeavour to do before I go to Elim. And he wants to come and see me off at the airport. If he gets time off his work, which I doubt.

Junior

It´s been a busy week here in Cusco and not had any time to write my blog. This is Saturday night and instead of going to see the movie in Maximo Nivel I´m in the computer room working away.

All the kids are really friendly, but there are so many of them its hard to get to know them all. The girls all come home from school round about lunch time and I get a kiss from them all (well maybe not all but most). One wee girl came up to me and gave me a flower. Such a cute wee thing with a big huge happy smile. It´s seems incredible to me that these kids could be abandoned like this, but then again i think of all the kids in Edinburgh and maybe its not so incredible after all. Plain sheer bloody poverty is what it finally comes down to.

But the kids are happy in Elim and loved and cared for every day. No thanks to all these banks and other scumbags. I see they´re trying to ruin us all again with their bonuses. How long will we tolerate this crap? Are we all mad? And of course its felt worse in poorer countries, and I think Peru is the second poorest in South America, or if not so near as makes no difference.

This thing has a spell check but it doesn´t seem to work for me right now. I used to be good at spelling too; old Fury would never have tolerated a spell check. Would he now boys? Please excuse any errors; they are the machines fault.

Have been working with Lalo on his Spanish alphabet. I couldn´t understand why he was so far behind until I discovered that he is a Quechua boy and couldn´t speak a word of Spanish when he arrived at Elim last year. So he is doing quite well after all. He loves to skip and is very good at it. I have him on video skipping for me along with Jose Luis.

I´ve been doing a bit of English with a boy called Junior whom I first met in La Policia a couple years ago and then again in Elim last year. He´s a bright inteligent boy, who has had a difficult life here, like all these street kids. He´s a brilliant musician and plays lots of instruments. He´s also a suberb footballer who has the good sense to support Manchester Utd. Though I suspect this is down to our boy Ronaldo. He tells me he wants to be a professional footballe. I think he has more chance to make it as a pro musician. In the UK he would get so much support he would make it.

We were having a chat a few days ago and he was asking me about Heber and if he was still going to English classes. To cut a long story short I spoke to Jeremy and agreed to pay for his English classes at Maximo Nivel starting in October. When we told him he was speachless, and came over to me to give me a big cuddle. I had to fight back the tears to be honest.

He came to speak to me later and told me that at the concert on Friday " es para ti estoy tocando el viernes" which means, essentially, it´s for you that I will be playing on Friday. And that´s enough thanks for me.

I will put a photo on the blog some time soon.

A thank you

Today I handed over a donation of $400 to Elim. This was money raised by my colleagues and friends at the Jobcentreplus office in Wester Hailes, Edinburgh.

It came as a very welcome surprise to me when I was told that they were holding a fund raiser.

I want to say thanks to Liz and Karen for organising it all, and to all my colleagues in the Jobcentre who helped and contributed. I can assure you that the money is badly needed and hugely welcomed. It will be put to good use here. A new home is currently being built for the boys with funds from some foundation in the USA, but there is not enough to finish it off, so all help is welcome.

Jeremy has sent an email to Liz and Karen, in his best English, to thank them, so I hope they got that. And don´t worry Karen an official receipt will be with you if and when I get back.

Thanks again folks, and nor forgetting to thank my pals in The Pension Service for their contributions.

Going to the jungle

Yesterday I was being told by eleven year old Anderson about the advantages of sleeping in the cemetery. Apparently the worst thing is that the grass is all wet when you wake up, which seems like a small sacrifice considering. He takes it all in his stride. He´s a lovely wee boy who just loves to chat.

He´s well cared for now here in Elim and seems very happy. Today he read the story of Moses for me in Spanish, just to give him some reading practice. Moses ended up in a basket but was rescued fortunately, and the rescuers seem quite nice and gave his mum a job I think, looking after the baby.

His pal is called Lalo, though I keep saying Lola; you and your song Mr Davies. Lalo´s reading is not quite so good, in fact its appallingly poor, but we try to practice. He loves memory games and always seems to win at matching pairs. I know what you´re thinking, but it sure beats telling old folk how little is left in the kitty for them.

Anderson was telling me about how him and Lalo ran away to find work in the gold mines in the jungle,so that they would become rich. This is a long way away, the plane takes three hours and then some more trekking after that. But they made it a few kilometres out of Cusco. They eventually got tired and hungry and decided to turn back. Not quite sure how the story ends but they were rescued and brought back. I don´t think they have any further plans for similar trips.

I go to Elim every morning for about three or four hours until I have to leave for my Spanish class. I was helping the boys sift some maize the other day. I´m not sure I knew exactly what was what to be honest. Maybe it had something to do with the wheat and the chaff thingee. Maize is a very common plant in these parts and has been in use since well before the Spaniards came and took it back to Europe.

All the boys have their own responsibilities. Today Junior was doing the washing for all the boys, which was loads. He has a machine but prefers to do the rinsing by hand. He told me this was better but his reasoning was beyond me. Maybe it saves power or something.

We are all looking forward to a concert on Friday night in which all the kids are taking part. I will go back to Elim after my Spanish class so that we can all go together.

I don´t understand why but my blood pressure is doing great this year and I´m having no problems with the altitude. Amazing. What about Adebayor? Silly bugger.

Monday morning in Cusco

I´m in Maximo Nivel just waiting for Jeremy to pick me up at 11 am to take me to Elim for the first time since I arrived. Had a slight hiccup last week because of a bowel infection, as advised by Dr Grover. He gave me some pills and told me it would be best not to start at Elim until Monday. So here I am.

I`m looling forward to meeting all the boys at Elim. Don´t know how many are still there since last year.

I´ve met Heber and took him for lunch last Friday. He´s well but more about that another time.

I´m in my new flat now and its suberb. All mod cons and very comfortable. New bathroom since last year and lots of upgrading and decorating. The owners plan to turn it into a boutique hotel, whatever that may be.

Must dash. More soonish.

Scorchio

Scorchio en Cusco hoy!

I met a couple of South African women last night who reckon I look a lot like Michael Caine, would you believe. Well yes I would of course. They wanted my advice on best places to go in Cusco and what they should see and do in Peru. Nobody ever asks me for tourist advice in Edinburgh.

I was told this morning over breakfast by an Aussie woman that I spoke like Michael Parkinson, which I found a bit odd. I don't think so dear.

I've moved out of my apartment as I discovered it had no hot water. Am back staying in Hotel Christina for five nights until Saturday. The owner has given me a special price of $25.00 and I will move into my new apartment on Saturday. Same one as I had last year.

I start my Spanish classes at 2 pm today and will start at Elim tomorrow morning. I need a couple of days to adjust to the altitude. So far no problems, but have been taking it nice and slow.

I have met two of the boys I worked with at La Policia de la Familia in the street. They both recognised me and called me from across the street. It's kind of strange hearing your name being called in the middle of Plaza de Armas in Cusco, but its a nice feeling when these boys remember. A teacher once told me I should not use that word, but what the hell this is 2009 after all and things have to move on. Fernando (not the fernando), is in a place called Qosqo Maki, which looks after older boys and helps them with a bit of education, accommodation and finding work. Maximo Nivel send volunterrs there too. He seems happy and cared for. I've still not seen Heber or Robin, but its early days.

BACK IN CUSCO

It´s Sunday in Cusco and very hot. My apartment is near the centre but up a hill, which is less than Churchill in Morningside but here feels like Ben Nevis for me. It´s easy coming down but will need taxis home at night. I like the apartment.It´s in a very safe area, and has a nice court yard where I can sit. There are other apartments round the courtyard, though I´ve not met anyone yet; only the owner who lives in the building too with his family.

The flight from Amsterdam was long and tiring as usual. I had two Russians beside me who spoke good English and were on their way back to work as oilmen in Peru. Could have been offshore but didn´t like to ask in view of all the trouble hereabouts with oil explorations in the Amazon. They were nice guys who drank loads of wine and slept when they were not drinking or eating.

Got speaking to a guy from Cork who was on his way to a wedding in Cusco with his father. Apparently his brother got married in Lima last year and at the wedding his cousin got off with the brides maid and now they are getting married here in Cusco. I think the guy is hoping his luck will be in this time round. We had a chat about Roy K. who is also a Corkman for those of you not up in these things, and agreed that things can´t get much worse, so we wished him good luck as we flew over the Atlantic.

Lima is as polluted as ever, if not more so, but its nice and warm. The sun came out yesterday and you could see clear blue sky for a while. The Limenos were running around shouting to each other to look up, "mira el cielo azul amigos"!!! What with that and going to see State of Play ( called "Los Secretos del Poder" in Peru) it was quite an exciting day all round.

My taxi driver from the airport was telling me that the mafiosa are taking over eveywhere in Lima and corruption all around us. He drives a battered old taxi. He,s been my taxi man a few times now and I keep hoping he will have bought a new taxi each time but no he seems to like the one he has too much. His grandfather was Italian and so he speaks good Italian. I asked if his grandfather was mafia too, and he didn´t seem to mind too much, but he pointed out that he came from Sardinia where there is no mafia allowed.

On the flight from Lima to Cusco this morning I met a Dutchman who is working for a dredging company in Calloa which is the port in Lima. I reckon he will have a lifetime,s work dredging the Pacific. He likes life in Lima and his company provide a flat in what seems like a gated community from how he described it. It a pity to cut oneself off from the locals like that. His loss I guess, though I reckon he must be well rewarded for his troubles. And so it goes on. If anyone wants to know more about what goes on I can only recommend you to read "Open Veins of Latin America" by Eduardo Galeano. Well worth the effort. All about how we pillaged and plundered the place and continue to do today.