Puerto Libre

Monday morning and Ruth my Spanish teacher has just left and Veronica has just arrived. Am off to my supermercado shortly. It's called Vivandas and I guess is Lima's Waitrose. So it's just like home really, except I have to speak in Spanish of course. But they need to learn to slow down for me. Really what do they teach these guys?

Yesterday had a quiet day and watched some footie. Plenty of UK football shown on tele here, live and repeats, and I have it free in my apartment, so don't have to go to the pub to watch it, not that I've watched much, just the occasional man u game. Shame about champions league, I'm sure you will all agree, but league is still on, thanks to two great performances from Spurs. Not that I've much time for their boss man Redknapp. Not a word was said about Ross County, but it got coverage here in Lima in the press.

Been to a great museum, Museo Nacional de Arqueologia, Antropologia y Historia del Perú. Will need to go back as we ran out of time there.

It's in a part of Lima called Pueblo Libre, so called because Simon Bolivar and Jose San Martin lived there. They lead the liberation struggle against the Spanish when they arrived here from Venezuela and Argentina.I believe San Martin went to live when he first came here and was followed by Bolivar. The house is in fact a part of the museum and I only got to spend 10 minutes there,which is why I want to go back.

San Martin and Simon Bolivar are regarded by Peruvians as their liberators from Spanish colonial rule,as do many Latin Americanos. Bolivia was named after Bolivar and Chavez gets his Bolivarian revolution,from Bolivar's ideas.

San Martin was first to declare independence from Spain but never actually faught the Spanish in battle. Bolivar did and defeated them twice. They didn't see eye to eye. Bolivar wanted a USA style republic incorporating much of South America. His ideas were too advanced for San Martin who left the country and went to live in France.

Parque de las Leyendas

We are organising an outing/expedition for the kids for this Saturday. We are taking about 40 street kids from Villa Maria to Parque de Las Leyendas for the day. So we will have a busy week preparing for it.

Flor reckons about 40 will want to go but we don't know for sure just yet how many will go. Neither do I know how many adults are coming along to help. So far only Flor,Pedro and myself. Lets hope more will come along to help out.

Watching out for 40 of these kids ain't gonna be a walk in the park, so to speak. Or maybe it will be a walk in the park. Lets hope they all get back to Villa Maria.

The park is a zoo exhibiting animals and birds native to Peru, with lots of stuff for the kids to do and learn about. More later with some photos of hippos and jaguars (hopefully with no kids in their gobs) and whatever else we can photo.

Evening view from my flat in Edinburgh

 

Evening view from my apartment in Lima

 

Scorchio

Its hot here, just waiting for my taxi to arrive. Guess the heat is better than volcanic ash though.

I've put couple of pics on here of Villa Maria where I go to work for about 3 hours Tuesday to Thursday. Not sure about tomnorrow. Flor wants me to go to another place where she works every Friday. It's further out of Lima than Villa Maria and if anything poorer. Also means a later finish. Will have to see how it goes today.

We are organising an outing for all the kids with the money that Marian and co gave me and a little from me. The kids from both centres are coming so I guess I should go meet the other lot tomorrow, just to get to know them.

More later. Hope you all enjoy the debate now over there in Escocia.

Villa Maria, just like Wester Hailes

 

Villa Maria del Triunfo

 

Football is everywhere

We have a wee park and playground at INABIF. Today we played football. Boys insisted I had to play. They choose teams just like we used to over in Cnoc Mhor all these few years ago. Worth a visit for those of you who never been. It was the scene of many great games. Epoch making I think you could fairly say.

Wilber won their version of stone, scissors, paper and I was his first selection. Silly boy believed me when I told him I was brilliant at footie.

Had to play the waiting game, as it's just a tad hot in these parts. Maybe 25 or 26 today. Anyway too damned hot for me to be running around. So had to play a Scholes type game, hanging about waiting for the ball to come my way, then incisive defence splitting passes. I think we lost.

My dinner is just about ready so better go and eat. Having lomo saltado, home cooked. Nice.

Coffee with Heidi

Sunday afternoon I spent with Heidi. Heidi was the first person I worked for in Cusco, when I used to go to La Policia de Familia. We chatted about old times in Cusco. Hard to believe I've been coming here so long. Maybe I should move permenantly. Mind you I suppose I will have to keep my promise to Gavin and work full time for a bit. Don't worry Gavin I'll be there.

Heidi is now a student here in Lima, doing an MBA. Hopes to work eventually for an NGO. She will be good at whatever she does. Very talented lady. Peru needs lots like her.

I was hoping she might have news of my wee pal Fernando from La Policia, but she didn't. Those of you who have been reading this blog for past few years might remember him. I will try to find him when I'm back in Cusco but don't hold out much hope.

He was in Lima for a while but didn't stay for long. Ran away to Cusco. He could be anywhere now.

Spanish lessons

Just finished my Spanish class. Ruth arrives every morning at 9 am to give me my daily lesson. She's just left and the cleaner has arrived. Life is hard in these parts.

My Spanish is coming on nicely but these pronouns are a menace. They crop up all over the place. Will have to do something about them. Maybe learn how to use them better would be a good idea.

Went to the theatre on Saturday night. First time I've been to see something I had not already seen in English. Followed most of it, more than I expected to. Its a great feeling to be able to communicate in Spanish. I hardly speak any English at all now. I think I'm forgetting how to. This blog might become a Spanish language blog someday soon.

I'm waiting for my taxi to arrive to take me to Villa Maria. It's about a 45 minute ride in the taxi. My old taximan Francisco isn't up to it anymore. He just likes to do a couple of wee jobs a day nowadays. He came to the airport to meet me though. Nice to see him there, makes it easier.

Anyway he got his pal Edgar to be my driver for a very reasonable price. I'm just waiting for him now. He speaks Spanish very fast. Muy rapido.

The kids at Villa Maria are great. They remembered me from last year which was good. Some of them from last year have disappeared, though it's possible they may be back. We never get same number of kids every day. I guess it depends what they are up to.

Will try to post more regularly from now on, but been very busy getting settled and getting things organised here.

Butterpuffs in Lima

It's impossible to find a packet of butterpuffs in Lima. Jock Wallace had a similar problem with oranges in Seville I'm told. However despite that handicap my diabetes is well under control. I've found a legal substitute and all is well. I can see why it could be necessary to build up a stockpile though for hard times. Amazing how things become clearer as life changes perceptions.

It's been a hot few days here and it's Easter weekend which the Peruvians take very seriously so not done much.

Am going out tonight with some friends and all is well. Gotta go now. More later.

A THANK YOU NOTE

Thank you to Marian, Ewen, Karen, Debbie, Caroline and Neville from my Spanish conversation group for your donation for the street kids in Lima.

It was most unexpected but most welcome. I'm sure the boys and girls will be very pleased as will Flor of course.

Will keep you posted on how the money is spent. Maybe try to give them a treat of some sort that they would not otherwise get.

Thanks again people, you are very kind.

PERU 2010

I go back to Peru on 30 March 2010, this time for 3 months. Thanks Gavin. I will be in Lima for a month and then Cusco for a month. Then who knows.

So look out for more posts on here soon.

Last Post this time round

Thats it for now. Gotta go pack my bags and head home.

Just been to a restaurant for lunch. The waiter stuck a Scottish flag on our table.

All very welcoming in these parts.

Will try to write some mnore about my trip when I get home.

Sorry about all the posts all at once, but should keep ypu going for a while. Been busy and not had much time to write.

This is the first time I've not had to buy more books since I started coming here. Im still reading Home.

Thats it.

Rosbert

INABIF poster

Villa Maria del Triunfo view from the market

They all live up on the hill. Lima is surrounded with these barriadas (favelas)

Bravehearts of Lima

My last day in Villa Maria del Triunfo I bought the kids some fruit, oranges and apples, and got a round of applause from 25 kids. They all arrive about 1 pm and have their lunch. Flor chose to let them know that I had made a small donation so that she could give them a wee party at Xmas. So I got another round of applause from them. They are such a great bunch of kids. They've only known me for a short space of time but they all seemed sad to see me go.

As I was leaving some of them came along to the taxi to wave goodbye. A few piled into the taxi and wanted to come to Scotland to see William Wallace. They think we fight the english still. Maybe we do. Everybody here has seen Braveheart and it seems to be the picture they have of us. That and the bagpipes and our faldas.

The kids all wanted me to come back next year, which I promised to do. Somehow they got it in their heads that I'm coming back in January. So I guess I will just have to keep my promise to them. How could I resist such an invitation folks?

I'm so glad to have met Flor and to have been able to spend time with her and the kids. It is a privelege to have worked with them. The experience has been unforgettable for me. Reading about these kinds of places is worthwhile to to be there and to see and feel it all is a whole different sensation altogether.

These children have such hard lives, as do their parents really, yet here they come every day all smiles and playfulness and so willing to learn. Then they have to go back up the hill to god knows what. They are an inspiration to me, and I really hope to spend more time with them.

I will post some photos now. And thanks Flor for showing me around your part of the world and for all the work you do there.

Manana me toca a mi

Cabaret was suberb. Brilliant singing, dancing and acting.

I first heard the expression me toca a mi used in La Policia de la Familia in Cusco. Fernando taught me. Those of you who have been paying attention will remember him. If not you can go back and read all about him now. One day I will go and find him and see how his life turned out.

He used it when we played games and it means my turn next or my go etc and is commonly used. Its the phrase used to translate "Tomorrow Belongs to Me" in Cabaret. It was powerful stuff. Gave me that feeling of dread and fear. I couldn't applaud thsat little number, but the crowd did. Hopefully for the right reasons.

The actress playing the Sally Bowles part was terrific. She's called Rossana Fernandez Maldonado. Her version of Cabaret matches Liza.

I see Edinburgh had its own fascists in town this week. Hope you all went along to give him a suitable welcome.

More later all being well.

Villa Maria del Triunfo

This is where I ended up working. Its another centre for street kids run by INABIF. They have an educational programme for them. I worked with Flor who runs the centre single handed. She is superb anbd has been great for me toi get to know. Yesterday we had twenty five kids in the place, aged from about 8 to 15. When I left she was all on her own with them. How she manages is a miracle. She needs help but the government has no money to pay for more help. They do their best.

Villa Maria del Triunfo is on the very outskirts of Lima, about thirty minutes from where I stay on the southside. Its what they call a barriados or asentamientos humanos or invasiones. Its what they call Favelas in Brazil. Slums built ilegally on the hillsides surrounding Lima, populated mostly by people from the countryside. Many who fled from Shining Path activities in fear of their lives, but most who came to flee poverty only to find worse. Lima is surrounded by these barriados. I will post some pictures tonorrow. But you can see photos on the web of similar stuff in brazil.

Yesterday Flor took me for a tour round the place. It was an experience that fairly got the old heart pumping away, but after a while I relaxed and all was well.

Flor talks to the street kids as we meet them and tells them about the centre and invites them along. Yesterday we spoke to two young boys selling flowers. I bought some off them. They have to do this to survive.

Its hard to describe the poverty and problems without going over the top, so I won't. Just leave it to your imagination. Its grim out here. In one of the these barriados there is a TB epidemic, the worst in the world I'm lead to believe. Treatment is hard because of drug and alcohol problems. They dont take their medicine because they prefer drugs or drink. Them the TB gets worse and needs more expensive drugs to treat it. And then the children and young people get it because it spreads so much.

Then there is the housing up in the hillside. No water or electricity and no roads. They use the little motos to get up there. You can see them shown as all romantic in various places on web or films. They are far from that.

The houses are not much more than cardboard. Two rooms and usually 3 or 4 children all in one room. You can imagine the problems that causes. Thirteen children are sexually abused every day. Don't ask where the figurw cane from but I did see it on a poster some place here.

But still these kids keep smiling, and Flor does her best. More tomorrow.

Caberet

Tonight I'm going to the theatre to see Caberet in Spanish. I've not spoken a word of English since I arrived back in Lima so writing this blog is a major achievement. My Spanish is much improved but still need people to speak a little slower.

But thats ok for most folk here.

Taxi drivers are very talkative for the most part. This week one of them decided to play me some bagpipe music which he just happened to have in his mp3 player. I don't know if he expected me to burst into song or not, but anyway I resisted that temptation. He then asked if it would be ok to go and pick up his wife along the way. So we did and she was very pleasant and gave me a chocolate. Saye he will visit me next year.

Last year, and stop me if I told you this one before, a taxi driver in Cusco was playing Buffalo Soldier while we drove along. This year we had a repeat performance. I don't know if he remembered me or not, probably not. But it was nice all the same. Another popular little number with cusco taximen is Emotional Rescue.

Last week I went for lunch to my lawyer friends Fernando's house as he was home from Cusco for a few days. Met his family and hopefully one day he will visit me in Edinburgh. Thanks Fernando. Hope you are still trying to read my blog.

Working in Lima

Its been a bit hectic here in Lima for past few weeks and now I'm about to leave so maybe I should update this little blog of mine. I'm just about to go out but have a few minutes while I await.

Life in Lima is very different to Cusco. To say the least its more adrenalin creative. Some places I go to the taximen say is too dangerous for them.

I've been working with INABIF which is a government department here in Peru. I would put a link on here but its all in Spanish. So now I'm a civil servant here in Peru too. Doubly blessed.

Lidia from Hogar de Cristo introduced me to INABIF as there was not much for me to do in the Hogar as all the kids are at school until mid afternoon.

INABIF have a number of centres where they work with street kids. The first one I worked in was near the centre of Lima and in an area considered to be too dangerous for me to venture out of the centre. I spent my time teaching couple of boys English and playing games with them. But they often didn't turn up. I helped feed younger kids at lunch time, but decided to move on.

Gotta go now, being called away, more later.

John and I

Playing footie in Lima

I went to visit the boys in the orphanage on Saturday and ended up in goal yet again.

They were playing a game of footie and invited me to join them. So as not to embarrass them with my skills I decided to play in goal. I think I only let in six or seven, but to be honest stopped counting. The boys didn't seem to mind anyway. They are great bunch and very welcoming.

Playing footie in Lima with the Pacific roaring away in the background is what I call living. Unfortunately I forgot that the sun was also roaring away and I had not used any sunblock that morning, because usually I don't need it in Lima,so guess what? I got sunburnt! Nothing serious but a bit of a pain in the neck. Well more on my head to be honest.

No-one here abouts is bald, so my bald head is a source of interest to the boys, and it was one of them who pointed out to me the error of my ways. I had a cap in my bag so was able to protect myself from the worst of the high noon sun.

After the footie was over I sat down for a rest and found myself doing an impromptu English class and the ones who didn't do English were happy to do some drawing for me.

A very pleasant day was had byu all.

More soon. Need to go to bed, early start tomorrow, at least 9 am.

John Lennon

I was coming back to Miraflores the other day in a taxi when I saw this statue and thought to myself he looks kind of familiar. Turns out ot be John Lennon who apparently is very popular in these parts. They commemorate his death every year with a wee festival of some kind. Musical I guess.

It makes a nice change to recognise someone on a plinth in a foreign country. Its in a nice wee park by the Pacific, a very pleasant setting for a Beatle.

I couldn't stop to have a proper look but will go back to see it and take some photos for you all. Its about time Edinburgh had his statue some where, maybe in the parliament would be about right.

Hogar de Cristo - Ciudad de Dios

Lima is normally covered by a blanket of clouds and smog. A bit like Glasgow used to be, when I was a boy. For the first time since I've been coming here we've had clear blue skies and sunshine for the past few days. Marvellous. Pacific looks even better, though not quite as bonnie as Broad Bay. But then not a lot is. eh boys? Maybe that should be one word, Broadbay? Imagine not remembering that. One word looks more familiar now that I think about it.

I've started work here in Lima and its a whole lot different to Cusco. Hogar de Cristo, now also called Ciudad de Dios (City of God)is in the San Miguel district and about 20 minutes in a taxi from my flat in Miraflores. It used to be run by the RC church until a couple of years back when they withdrew the funding and kind of abandoned the place.

Since then the staff have taken on running the place, and worked without pay for some time after funds were stopped. In poor country like Peru that is some sacrifice and some love. An organistaion called Tarpuy Songo is helping run it and is in the process of becoming an NGO. I'm a volunteer with them and work for Lidia, who runs it. She is really helpful to me and has looked sfter things for me.

I'm not sure where the funds come from now but the government does give material support with potatoes and stuff but never enough and no financial support. Its amazing the place survives; only through the dedication of its workers. To say that its thought provoking is an understatement of some proportion, but thats the best I can come up with just now.

Its a big place and there are three different communities all in the one organisation. There's the orphanage for boys, a home for elderly who have no family, and a home for younger adults with mental health problems who have been abandoned by their families or have no family and who need full time care and support. They also had to take some people from a home in Ica which was destroyed in the earthquake a couple of years back.

Miguel and Lalo at play

Miguel my guitar hero of Elim

Heber at Cusco Airport in his best gear

Inca Wall in Cusco

The brothers Edgar and Efraim

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.

The Pacific and me

Highway 61 Revisited

Best cure for the blues is a few hours of Bob, and what better than this old favourite. How many times has this saved your sanity then?

Last day in Lima

It's now Wednesday and I fly back tomorrow. I will be very sad to leave here but I guess I must go back sometime, and before my money runs out.

I've had a great time here in Lima. I've stayed in two differnt flats which were both exceptional. And I managed to get a special price because the company mixed up my booking.

I've met lots of people here. My pal Ervin is a chef and comes round to cook for me sometimes. He makes excellent chicha morada.

I have to go now. I will put some more pics on of my time in Lima once I get home.

Chau from Peru.

El beso de la mujer arana.

Those of you who speak Spanish, and there are a few, will know thats the Spanish for Kiss of the Spider Woman. I saw the movie and read the book years ago. Both memorable.

We went to see a theatre production in Spanish, here in Lima. Because I knew the book and film it was not dificult for me to understand. I probably followed 80% of it. A brilliant production. The theatre is a bit like the Traverse, except better. We were very near the front. Third row in fact.

Both actors turned in fine performances, and the guy who played Molina, the William Hurt character, was exceptional. Better than Hurt I thought.

Another memorable night in Lima.

Must go now, meeting someone shortly. The Peruvians are always late, but I mustn't follow their example.

Mamma Mia

This posting is specially for you Chris. Hope you are still reading my blog. Not many entries recently as I've not had much chance to and don't have daily access to internet as I have in Cusco.

I went to see Mamma Mia in Lima last week end and enjoyed every minute of it. The Limenos know all the songs. We had a great night.

So you will be glad to hear Chris that you won't have to accompany me to see it in Edinburgh. No Tarantinoesque blood and gore, of course.

For a nights entertainment its definitely worth it. Great music and some laughs.

The last day

Wednesday was my last day at Elim. I was very sad to be leaving there, but the boys made it a memorable day for me. One of those special days that come along every now and then.

The prevous day Heber had been showing me his newly discovered musical abilities, which then lead to a few boys joining in in an impromtu session. How do you spell such a big word? I've seen lots of music sessions in my days, some of you may even have been with me, but none could touch this one. I managed to video it and brought along a DVD copy the next day. It lasts about an hour, and they were thrilled with it.

I was so pleased to see Heber being allowed to develop his talents. I never knew he had such musical gifts and I'm sure he didn't either. So all thanks to Elim for that, and especially Hilario who teaches them all to play.

And so to my last day. The boys must have realised I was impressed with their musical talents, so they decided to put on a special wee concert for me. Only this time Hilario was with them to keep things together. They were all dressed up in their traditional costumes.

Heber started it all off by making a wee speech to thank me for being with them. I had to fight back the tears, I can tell you. Then they played for about 20 minutes and two of the boys sang a couple of songs. I will never forget them. Its on video for those of you who want to see it. They are very talented boys.

Heber finished it off by presenting me with a model ship in a bottle which he had built for me. The boys build these to raise funds for the orphanage. I've told him it will have pride of place on my new fireplace. He's made me promise to send him a photo once I get home.

Heber will start at MN in January all being well. He's looking forward to that. I hope he keeps to his promise and stays at Elim. He needs a teacher meantime and I've given Jeremy a couple of suggestions, as to who might help.

So that was my last day with the boys at Elim. I've probably forgotten lots of things I meant to say. I've promised to come back. Lets hope I'm up to it.

Dany moves on

Dany came to meet me on Sunday. He's agreed to move into Elim and he will come with me on Wednesday which will also be my last day there as I'm leaving Cusco on Thursday. Its all too much for my lungs up here in the sky. My doctor has suggested I give myself a break down at sea level, and who am I to argue.

I had a good time with Dany on Sunday. He met me at MN and he was able to use the internet to download some fotos I had of him and his pal Antony. All the kids here, or lots of them that I know use a site called Hi5, which is a Facebook type thingee.

He was able to meet my new pal Kathy, who is a nice young Canadian lady of my acquaintance. Thanks Kathy, and of course you are a young thing. Kathy took us to an ice cream shop. Which he loved.

Him and I then went to the market where I treated him to some clothes and shoes. We met my pal Miller and had some chicken, at a place near the stadium. After which I got him back to his night shelter. I really hope he settles in at Elim. With any luck Kathy might visit him.

Avenida Liverdad

Elim orphanage is at the top of this street. Its a bit like Milking Hill used to be in my young days, for those of you who remember it, which won't be many. Taxis do take me up, otherwise I doubt if my lungs would cope with the stress.

My Flock

Heber & Edison

Heber the Musician & Scotsman

National Strike Day

Tuesday was a national strike day against the president Alan Garcia, who is not too popular in these parts. There were lots of demonstrations and a rally in the Plaza de Armas.

A whole wall was covered with these posters in English, as well as lots of cartoons. Maybe Garcia doesn't speak Spanish. The language is a bit rich, but there were worse, which I won't show on here.

National Strike

Heber and Robin

I've stopped working in La Policia as there are now so many volunteers working there from another organisation they really don't need me too. I'm now working a few hours a day at Elim.

Heber is still at Elim but Robin has run away yet again. Hopefully he will come back. I worry about him as he seems to have fallen in with a bad crowd. He needs lots of support but often rejects it. His story is not a happy one but its not for here.

Heber seems to have settled dowm reasonably well here but I think his brother's disappearances are bad for him, as it's destabilising. He only gets to school one day a week which is not going to allow him to catch up on all his lost education. Jeremy, who helps his mother Nilda run the orphanage says that Heber has good command of Spanish, better than Robin who uses lots of slang.

Heber tells me he wants to be a tourist guide, a dream for lots of kids here, so I've offered to pay for English lessons for him at Maximo Nivel, starting in January. Nilda has agreed to this as long as he settles down here and does not run away. Maximo have also agreed and will look at giving him a bursary if he does well in the first six months, by attending regularly and passing his tests etc. He will go for an hour every day and will have use of all their facilities. I will introduce him to some of the staff as he may need a little support from time to time.

I hope he can take up this chance. It gives him an incentive to settle down here over the next few months and do well.

Jose

What with one thing and another I've not had much time to add to my blog recently. I've bought myself a few llamas and been busy with them. I go to the llama fanks for the dipping etc. Keeps me out of trouble.

Jose phoned me at Maximo Nivel last week, having just returned to Cusco from his job in a gold mine. I met Jose at La Policia last year when he was 15. There's a photo of him there in my blog from last year. He looks a lot older now.

He came to see me at MN and I've taken him out for lunch a couple of times. Like many of the kids I've met here his life is hard, and maybe harder than most.
He has spent all this year working in a gold mine, which is two days travel from Cusco. It involves a bus journey, them 12 hours on the river in an open boat,like a motorised canoe, then another journey by bus and then walking the last bit. The mine is somewhere in the jungle between Peru and Brazil.

He goes with his father and older brother. They work all day and only get paid for the gold they manage to find, which often is none at all. They share a hut with another 8 or 9 men. They have no toilet facilities but just go into the jungle. They have to wash in the river as there are no washing facilities. He says it is ok as the water is always warm if not hot.

Needless to say he does not like it there. He says its very dangerous because of the wild animals all around and even worse the angry men with guns. He saw one of the bosses being shot dead because of an argument over being paid. He reckons a lot of the men have guns. I didn't like to ask if his father does too.

He came back to Cusco on his own and left his father and brother working in the mine. He had not found any gold for weeks so had no money to bring home. He says he's come back to help his mother look after his two younger brothers, his parents are separated. He lives with his mother and two brothers in a house on the outskirts of Cusco with no electricity or hot water.

He says he will have to go back to work in the mine in January if nothing else turns up. This seems unlikely. We talk about what he can do, but as he has no qualifications, and poor education his options are limited. Education costs money and time and so do qualifications. He's such a happy kid, I wish you could see his smile when I say lets go for lunch.

It makes the credit crunch, Bush and Brown and all the rest seem like an irrevelence. Until of course I read that gold is now where the rich bastards put their ill gotten gains to keep them safe, and its all too relevant of course. Boys like Jose make them rich, and give their wives their gold to wear. And when they visit Cusco as rich tourists they despise him and his pals.

I will see him again before I leave here and buy him some shoes. Wish I could do more. I could teach him the Internationale I suppose, you never know where it might lead.

The spelling checker doesn't work on these pcs, so any mistakes are entirely intentional.

Shopkeeper

The first day I went along to La Policia I called into the wee greengrocers across the road from it, to buy some fruit and bread for the kids.

The couple who run the shop recognised me from last year and were awfully pleased to see me again. It's nice to feel so welcome in a place. I bet I don't get any welcome back from the shopkeepers of Morningside, even though they,ve taken enough of my dough over the past 30 odd years.

Coca Cafe with Claudia

I moved to my new hotel this morning and am very pleased with it. Nice big double room with shower etc and staff are suberb. The receptionist is called Sandra and looks after me a treat. Am looking forward to my stay here over the next week. Sorry to leave my apartment but will be back there next Saturday. His father came to help me move this morning. He has one of the apartments in the house and seems like a decent cove. He gave me a lift in his car. His driving leaves a lot to be desired.

I was out with Claudia on Thursday night. We had dinner in Granja Heidi, a rather nice wee restaurant in San Blas. I like Claudia a lot and we chatted for over 3 hours. Its nice to chat in two languages, though her English is far superior to my Spanish.

She took me to the Coca Cafe where we had mate de coca as it should be made. It tasted very sweet to me. The owner, Cristo or Christo, came over to chat and explained that all was well with my mate as it was made with all natural ingredients. He only uses unrefined cane sugar and he brought some over for me to try. Will go back there, even if it is at the top of a hill in San Blas.

Claudia and I are meeting up again next Thursday. I am so pleased to have got to know her over past couple of years, she is a very special person. I will ask her if I can put her photo on my blog.

Dancing in the Road

I was walking home late last night, at about 10.30, when I heard some music nearby. I followed the sound and there's this big group of kids dancing away to the music provided by two of their mates on drums and something like a tin whistle.

Looked like they were doing a Strip the Willow or some such. I stopped to watch for a while before heading off home via my local police guard.

I suppose its their version of "dansa cean a' rathaid" . Hope my spelling is there or thereabouts. Its hard to get three languages right all the time.

Diane

I was walking along the road to my apartment and saw this woman walking towards me carrying a huge piece of chocolate cake on a plate. As we passed she stopped to explain that the lovely lady who runs the cafe had made this cake and she was just taking it back to her hotel to consume in piece. We got to chatting and ended up going for dinner the next night in Trotamundos cafe.

We spent a pleasant evening chatting away. She's travelled most of her life and spent 20 years working as a mountain guide in the Himalayas. She now owns a house in Romania, though she is from USA. Has no plans to go back there, except to visit her aging mother. She plans to go back to Romania to work with some women there. Aparently older women in those parts get a shit deal all round.

We got to talking politics as one does but when she claimed not to know anything about USA involvement in South America I decided not to pursue the subject. I don't think my views would have gone down too well and best not to spoil things over a few CIA criminal activities.

We decided to meet again on Saturday morning as she was taking me to a market where a Peruvian woman makes special fruit juices to order. She checks your pulse and then decides whats best for you. Sounded like a great way to spend a Saturday morning.

Unfortunately I was too ill to leave my bed that morning so never made it. Fortunately I bumped into Diane later in the week and she was fine about it. I will call her at her hotel next week.

Cristina Inn

My apartment is a short walk from Plaza de Armas and just along from the police station. There are usually two cops hanging about with their AK47s or whatever. I don't know if I feel safer or less safe with them there. They all seem so young to be hanging about with their guns slung over their shoulders. I walk quickly by and try not to look, it feels more sinister at night somehow.

I really like my apartment, especially as its so close to everything I need and only a 20 minute walk to MN every morning for my Spanish class,where Mabel is usually waiting for me, or sometimes me for her. The walk is just whatthe doctor ordered for my BPand fortunately downhill all the way.

I've added a link to the site for the guy who owns the apartments.Its in an old colonial house which has belonged to his family since they arrived in Cusco in 17... and buil the place. They also own an hotel in Ave el Sol.

I'm paying $200 per week which seems like a good deal. The cheeky bugger agreed $200 and then when I went alongto the hotel to pay him,in cash,as requested,he tried to up it to $250. I resisted his advances,which was a bit easier as he had just told me that his father or his uncle or some one I'm sure never to see, had let the flat out for next week but had forgotten to mark it up.

So the end result is that he has offered me a week in their hotel at no extra cost, breakfast etc included. I would prefer not to have to move, but he's agreed to help me move on Saturady morning and then moveme back on the following Saturday. Do you reckon I should make him pay for the taxi?

And the hotel is called Cristina Inn or Hostal Cristina,which I rather like.

Altitude Problems

Cusco is about 2 miles or more up in the sky somewhere and it's not doing my pressure any good. I can't believe that I was able to do the Inca Trail just a few years ago. It would be out of the question today I'm afraid. So that's what ageing does for you, as well as a few other minor problems, which I needn't go into here.

On top of coping with the altitude I've developed a chest infection, so had to go see the medico yesterday having spent the weekend or most of it laid up in my apartment. He's changed my BP pills and given me stuff for my infection, and today I'm lots better. BP is back to normal, which is a relief as I was worried I might have to leave Cusco. I have been lucky to find a good doctor, Dr Paul, who seems to know his stuff. Have to go back to see him Thursday just for a check up.

Which is why I've not been able to post anything on my blog for past few days. I won't be going to La Policia this week, or maybe a couple hours on Friday. My Spanish classes will be back on tomorrow though.

Thankfully I have a really nice flat so being confined to barracks over the weekend was not such a drag, and I was able to watch the Man U game from my bed at 7 am,live on Fox sports, which was not too bad. They show lots of European footie on lots of channels. My apartment is on the first floor and RHS of the photo I posted.

I was in Chinatown in Lima and saw these flagstones. So my bros were here before me.

I was out with Claudia on Friday night, which was first time I've seen her since I got here. She's great company and helps me with my Spanish. MN asked her at the last minute if she could teach me this year, but she was already booked up. Will be seeing her again on Thursday when she's taking me to a coca cafe. And on Saturday she's taking me to see Elena, who was one ofthe first people I got to know here in Cusco.

Must go now. More on Heber and Robin in my next posting.

Chinatown, Lima

My Apartment

Elim Cusco

I've added a link to the site for Heber's orphanage. It gives a good idea of the area where it's located and the work they do. There's so many kids needing help sometimes the task seems hopeless, but they do lots of good work here and have plans for more in the future.

When I was there on Saturday it was a young ex street kid who was looking after them. He'd been living there for a number of years and they kept him on in some capacity and have given him training and of course he understands what the boys lives are like and can empathise with them.Its his story thats told in the web site.

Eliza has arranged for us to go to see the woman in charge on Wednesday afternoon.

As you can see they are always short of funds and need all the help they can get. There's a bit on the site about sponsoring one of the kids and if anyone is interested that would be great. Let me know if you want more info.

Cusco

Cusco is still much the same, but more expensive than of yore. The flight into Cusco must be one of the most difficult in the world for pilots and exhilarating for the rest of us. You can almost reach out and touch the mountains as you fly down into the valley. I reckon a flight over the Andes and into Cusco is a must do experience. Having done it a few times I feel like an old hand at it.

I need a few days to get used to the altitude,so have been taking it easy over the weekend. I went to meet Heber yesterday. He,s now living in an orphanage called Elim, but he,s allowed to visit his dad's house which is just down the road, and which is where he was when I met him yesterday. He was having lunch on his own in his room. He,s an incredibly happy boy, despite it all. He had all the cards and xmas cards I ever sent him stuck on the wall above his bed. It never ceases to amaze how much something so insignificant to me means so much to him and them.

We then walked up to his orphanange, through some of the poorest bits of Cusco. I met some of the other boys and Heber showed me around. They are planning a trip to Macchu Picchu some day soon and he wants me to go with them. Will have to check this out with the staff. I will go back next week to see him and Eliza has promised to come with me.

I took a taxi into town and was strolling round the Plaza de Armas when who should I bunp into but his brother Robin. He'd been staying in Elim but ran away and is now staying with his mother and helping her out with her stall. I can see why Elim would be a bit boring for Robin, he´s more adventurous shall we say. I´ve arranged to see him at Maximo this week but I´ve forgotten which day. I´m sure he'll find me though.

Met a few of the other boys too. Dany and Anthony are in an orphanage outside of Cusco. They came in to see me today. They wanted to go to a fairground, so we had some juice in Maximo and I took them along. Fortunately they did not mind that I had no desire to stay. I paid for a few rides and left them to it. They know their way around, having been street kids. Dany wants me to meet his girlfriend and his granny, not sure which is most important to him. He wants me to go and see some horses he rode when he was a wee boy, but its at some distance from Cusco, in the countryside somewhere, I think near his gran. My Spanish began to fail me at this point, so will need to see if its raised again.

I'm away to eat now. Tengo hambre. Chau.

Hotel Bolivar, Lima

Hemingway stayed here as did Orson Welles and John Wayne, who it seems married a Peruvian high society woman. I probably slept in Hemingway,s bed, which was nice, as he himself would have said, I,m sure.

The hotel was splendid, full of character, a little run-down and in need of a lick of paint, but very comfortable, and the staff were very friendly too. So I decided to stay a bit longer than planned. All the web sites I checked said how dangerous Lima central is, but I felt quite safe and had no bother at all.

The place is full of history of course. I had a guide for my first morning and she took me to see the Congress building, which is their parliament. She introduced me to a congressman and a congresswoman, who shooks hands with me, and yes I did use my right arm. I didn,t think a left hand shake would go down too well and after all I was representing my country. Anyway no harm done, they shook gently. They welcomed me to their country and invited me to join the government, but I had to decline as I was going to be busy for a few days.

I spent a morning getting a free personal tour of the Museum of the Inquistion. Free because they do hourly English tours and no-one else showed up. The girl refused to accept a tip as it would cost her her job. It was a gruesome trip.

My main memory of Lima is the polution, which fair takes your breath away, literally. Despite this I managed to get my head sun-burnt, at least my bald bits. Its ok now, only lasted one day.

Lewis on a bench in Holyrood

 

Lewis in the Park July 2007