On the (Peruvian) road again

It is wonderful to be back out wandering the world! It has officially been one week since I saw my last group off at the airport and the urge to turn around the count my now non-existant ducklings has started to fade, I have no schedule, no obligations, no sickness to mother, no massive med-kit to carry around for that matter... ahhh, it's good to be free! That's not to say I don't miss Rustic a little. I met some great kids and my work in the Sacred Valley along with the people truly have changed, I should say, improved my already blessed life. Nevertheless, the open road retains it's siren song and I've got three months and so much to see!

Thus far, I've decompressed a little in Lima. I spent a night at a fellow guide's family's house, perusing their impressive library of books, CDs and DVDs and chatting over a glass or two of wine. It was so refreshing to be around people my age for a change! The following morning, another RP guide and I began a day of indulgence including TWO movies in the theatre and several 'special treats'. I also picked up a surprise birthday package from my incredibly thoughtful friend Stephanie - thank you again dear!!

Next up, a 17 hour bus ride to the charming city of Arequipa just in time for their anniversary celebrations. On the way I met Ian who was just beginning his first backpacking trip outside the states and we joined forces to find a place to stay and take in the festivities. We witnessed the longest parade either of us had ever seen! Already in full swing when we arrived at 1pm, the groups of dancers, marching bands, costumed characters, and floats from various countries stomped, twirled, waved and rolled by until well past 8pm! What a show! The next morning we met yet another RP staff and wandered the city. Arequipa, depite being Peru's second largest city, is relatively quiet and very clean. A grandiose main plaza, chock full of people, palm trees, a fountain, surrounded by colonial archways and flanked by an imposing cathedral and glistens gold at night is one of my favorite places to pass time so far!

We parted ways the next day and I joined a tour into the Colca Canyon. A heated debate still rages as to whether it is the world's deepest at 3501mts, but it is also famous for it's population of condors. Along the way, we passed several points where people had paused to stack rocks upon one another, sometimes thousands of stone towers decorated the roadside. I love seeing these cairns, evidence of careful humans wanting to leave a something behind in recognition of their momentary presence. What I hate, is seeing plastic bottles and other trash lying next to them as proof of careless humans and their unfortunately, less than momentary effect on the land.

Normally, I eschew tours with a preference to see places on my own time. In this case, I had been told that the tour was worth it, so I joined a herd. Besides being called the "latin lovers" by our guide and the obligatory stops at points at which ladies, dressed in "traditional costume", hawked kitch, it wasn't that bad and I did learn about the area that I would have otherwise just driven through. The second day, at the Cruz del Condor viewpoint, I sat on a cliff ledge for about an hour watching these majestic birds with wingspans up to 3mts, swoop and glide under, over and around me. My whole body seemed to be searching for the ability to sprout wings and leap off to join them!

Now back in Arequipa, I'm going to spend one more day here before I take an overnight bus back to Cusco. I've decided to go out of my way and return to the Sacred Valley early in order to attend a big pachamanca planned for the two villages that we worked in over the summer. It is the first step in developing a working relationship between the communities for the raising and marketing of their guinea pigs. I don't want to miss it!

Sparkling Socma

It's near 11pm and the kids are still playing on the field. Some of my students have retired to their tents after a long work day peeling bamboo, mixing and lifting mud to the roof and laying tiles. Nevertheless the football continues to bounce back and forth between goals with the aid of floodlights... floodlights? My boss and I stayed up well past 1am going through photos for the Rustic catalogue on his laptop... laptop? In Socma??

A transformation has occured in this tiny humble village. They have taken a giant step forward and with the financial and logistical partnership between Rustic Pathways and the Urubamba municipal government, there is now electricity in Socma! Once again, I feel so incredibly lucky to be a part of this historical and life-changing project, however small. My thanks and admiration go out to Alex, Max, Gabe, Juan and Jessemin who initiated, facilitated and made this all possible for these people, my Peruvian family.

This past weekend was one of much celebrating in the form of dancing, dining and drinking (who could ask for more? :). Not only was Saturday the 1st, the inauguration of the electricification, something almost 2 years in the making, but it coincided with Aug 2nd, the anniversary of Socma. Two straight days of festivities with entire neighboring villages coming to take part.

Friday was the first official day that light began streaming from the one bulb that had been installed in town. Late at night, while enjoying our candlelit dinner a beam burst through the window and despite knowing the power would be coming soon, we sat for a moment in confusion. Was it a truck coming up the way? Someone's flashlight? Nope, the municipality had indeed followed through and Socma was alight! Once the kids went to bed, I was invited out back to share a crate of beers that had been bought for the occasion. Now, I'm not allowed to drink at all while the kids are in my care for obvious reasons - obvious to most, but not to them. "Come on! Big occasion! Historical moment! Part of the family! Just a little (never!)". You simply cannot say no. It is a sticky cultural situation. It is very special for me to sit among the community heads, my co-guide Max, one of the DJs from Urubamba and discuss many poignent subjects while Socma's first light enveloped our little group and it took all my slyness to pour most of the bottles out behind me between conspicuous sips and saluds! I went to bed that night with, for the first time, a glow embracing my tent and wonder sparkling in my imagination as to what this development meant for my little Socma.

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I never did get a Birthday Adventure entry up. So much is happening down here, I can hardly keep up with it on the ground let alone in cyberspace. At the risk of losing much of the excitement and energy, the detail and pure love of that wonderful day, suffice it to say that it was one of the best birthdays that I have ever had in my life. Some of the kids that I am closest to got up early to decorate the room where we eat breakfast with streamers and balloons and even made special sweet tamales and punch for everyone! I found out later that they have to peel each individual kernel of corn by hand and grind it into flour - its takes forever! While we ate, more kids ran out and decorated my tent. That afternoon I was whisked into a field and given yarn braid extensions, only to don the entire costume that evening before dinner, much to their delight :). Music played and everyone danced. I was presented two handmade dolls, a pair of handknitted leg warmers two bracelets and flowers. Several ladies cooked a special dinner for me and the students... I was overwhelmed by it all! I literally danced until I could barely stand and fell asleep with harp and flute still ringing in my ears!