Tuesday means it´s the second day in Aguas Calientes

Hola! So it´s been two days of nothing but climbing stairs here! The stairmaster sales would not do well here. It´s been great though as I´m really learning how to breathe properly. Being at 11,000 feet will do that to you! I sit in an internet cafe in Aguas Calientas otherwise known as the town closest to Machu Picchu. First- Machu Picchu was yesterday. It truly is an amazing place. While we climbed and walked the Inca Trail in the morning with a guide, which led to the most widely photographed place (in the city of MP), the afternoon was where it really became a place of beauty. Walking at my own pace, looking for the photo opps that I didn´t get to take in the morning (as I was concentrating on breathing), I discovered a few different spots where you just sat and enjoyed the beauty of the place. I love the Andes! While I was resting in one spot, one of the llamas (who make MP home), just stopped and stared at me while I stared at him/her. Then I realized he was going to the bathroom! Of course I did get it on video and maybe will post. The interesting part of the place was really the historical aspect of the Inca´s and the surprise being, I enjoyed hearing about them and the history of Machu Picchu. Many, many photos taken and will post eventually either here or Facebook. Second- was Monday spent observing and more stair climbing of the Sacred Valley and the Pisac market. It was an amazing place as well with gorgeous views. I can see why this is one of the more popular (and touristy) places. Met some interesting people while here as well. Yesterday it was the producer of the Closing Bell show on CNBC and his wife and also a woman from Brazil who I sat next to on the train on the way to MP and then again at lunchtime.

I joke about the stairs, but there´s stairs everywhere! To go from one part of town here to another, you can walk quite a bit- down one street and up another or simply take about 45 stairs (steep ones though). Other places are very stairy as well (New word I just made up!)

Favorite moments so far (in the last few days)- the llama situation, sitting in a cafe having a cappucino while watching the locals and tourists go about their day, climbing that last set of stairs at MP to get to that special spot, playing peekaboo with a child here, wanting to take a picture but not wanting to miss the moment, and hearing and recognizing the song from the group Nazareth and the pan flute version of ¨Love Hurts¨ and seeing another guy on the train break into a smile as he recognizes it as well.

Most likely will post tomorrow, but definitely on Thursday as well as pics. Until then, Cheers! Mike

Thursday means the weekend starts!

Hola!  Well the Spanish is getting a little better.  I gave someone directions in the combination English/Spanish and French (that just pops in my head at the inopportune times) I have, but he didn't give me weird looks so I look at that as positive!  It's been a couple of down days and by down I mean depressing!  One- I'm leaving here in a couple days and beginning the "touristy" part of the vacation.  Not really a downer, but leaving here will be difficult.  The people I've met and the job we've done will remain with me.  The 2nd downer is the education we've learned in the last couple of days on the "Shining Path" and "MRTA" and their involvement in the history of Peru.  We saw a photograph and video exhibit in the National Museum here explaining what it was all about and then heard a talk of the history of Villa El Salvador which includes a good part involving the Shining Path.  Not good times for Peru.  Then as a 3rd downer, we saw the cemetery of Villa El Salvador today and it's nothing like a cemetery I've ever seen before.  (Pictures on my Facebook Page) On the positive side, we saw the Main Market today and wish I could have taken video of it, totally unreal! (Sister Jacci advised strongly against it for fear of theft). There were whole hanging chickens followed by sides of beef, some tripe and then the fish area.  Then moving right along there were men and women on sewing machines fixing peoples clothes on-the-spot!  A wild place.  My last day at Los Martincitos is tomorrow, but said goodbye to Sister Jacci today as she's leaving early tomorrow morning for a conference with the UN in Mexico City.  Going out to eat this evening- perhaps tonight's the night for cuy!  This is probably the last blog till I get to Cusco.  Until next time, Salud!

Los Martincitos can dance!

Hola!  It's Monday and time to post a video.  It's the Abuelos dancing for the Celebration of the Senior Citizen.  Enjoy.

The Weekend winding down...

Hola, Wifi is down in the house, so writing this from a very dark internet cafe! Its been a great few days. Friday was the winding down of Senior Citizen Week at Los Martincitos and almost back to normal. It started on Friday with me having to shave one of the abuelos! He was very trusting of me with a razor in my hand (a real old disposable Bic at that), and I did the best I could. Then it was the kitchen duty (cutting and peeling potatoes and onions) as well as dishes. A few hugs and kisses from the old folks really helped confirm why Im here. They are so happy here at the program and after seeing a few of their homes, they dont have a lot of happiness in their lives. And Im happy to be a part of it. Anyway, after the morning, it was an afternoon meeting and saying goodbye to a couple of the volunteers. Then it was´planning the night out! Barranco was the name of the place and after a couple drinking establishments, we even ended up at a disco. No idea how that happened! Weekends are for free time and travel, so a few of us went again on Saturday to Miraflores for a little shopping and other things. A few even tried parasailing (and succeeded). The best was a Peruvian Jazz club last night with a 20 piece band! Really good and had to get a CD of them, which was signed. Tomorrow its back to work, but instead of being at the center, we will help build a house for an abuelo (senior citizen) as her propane gas tank blew up her previous one. Once the internet is back up in the house, I will post more pics. Until next time... Cheers, Mike

Peru Pics

Guinea Pig Raising!

Side Street in Villa El Salvador

The main area for Los Martinitos

The view of the Pacific Ocean from Lovers Park

Lovers Park in Miraflores section of Lima, Peru

Thursday is home visit day

Hola!  It's Thursday and that means it's home visit days.  We went to a woman home today (Zoila) who lives in Villa El Salvador and raises guinea pigs (the local delicacy). She's quite proud of them and was more than willing to share her story on raising them.  The living conditions where she is a pieced together half sheet metal/half random pieces of wood shack in the extreme poverty area of Villa.  When she shows up at Los Martincitos (where we're based), she's really happy, with a hug and kiss ready to give you and an unforgettable smile.  So to see where she really comes from is eye-opening. Yesterday was spent at Los Martincitos, mainly helping out with the "Celebration of the Senior Citizen".  They had speakers come in as well as a traditional dancer and we all had mucho fun!  We also learned how to not spill the soup while serving it to the people there or most of us did anyway.  We even had time last night to go out for a little while in a section of Lima called Miraflores.  I'll post pictures later, but it's off to Spanish class!  Until next time...Cheers, Mike

If it's Tuesday, it must be Villa El Salvador!

Hey it's already Tuesday!  We've been in and around Lima now for a couple days, yesterday at Chosica (CHO-Seeka) for a picnic and fun and games with the folks from Villa El Salvador and today we visited a few homes of some elderly who were not able to go to the picnic.  We were accompanied by Sister Jacquie (from the center in Villa) who knew all the ladies.  It was some extreme poverty stricken areas!   Tomorrow is a "normal" day and just spending it at the center. Really enjoying it so far. The home base is cool and my other housemates are all good. We even went to a mall today, but just to exchange some money.  Pics are an area in Villa El Salvador, some typical housing and then Sister Jacquie and a lady (Concepcion) from an in-house visit.  Until next time, Cheers!  Mike

Hola!

Made it to Lima in one piece. Customs was a little out of control, but the 3oo people in front of me moved pretty quickly and was fortunately able to get in the country. Enjoying it so far very much. Both the staff and other volunteers are great. A wide variety in the volunteers too- many are just finishing school, just graduated or are in the process. So definitely a younger crowd. The strange part for me is the varying lengths of stay everyone has. Me, being the "2 weeker" is one of the smallest periods of time. Others are for 4 weeks, 6 weeks and even 3 months. So it hasn't been stated by my fellow volunteers yet, but as a taxi driver asked me- Am I the Dad? It's been really good though. The homebase is pretty neat and my roomate is cool. Wandering the streets of Miraflores was pretty cool as well. A chance to see the Pacific Ocean today has made it worthwhile. A "Pisco Sour" in the "Punta Sal" restaurant helped too! Nothing to fancy in our eating so far, but seeing a menu item (at the Punta Sal) called "The Sigh of a Lima Woman", I had to order. (It was from the dessert menu and figured I couldn't go wrong) Turns out it was sweet custard with a marshmellow creme toppping, really good! Almost time for dinner. Until next time... Cheers, Mike

Leaving tomorrow...

I'm officially all packed and ready to go. Tomorrow's the travel day- leave the house at 10am (or so) and get into Lima- at the Jorge Chavez Intl Airport at 10:50 pm. It is better than an overnight flight anyways. Then it's on to Surco, a residential neighborhood in Lima where we'll be staying in the Cross Cultural Solutions Home-Base. I found out recently that I'll be "participating in and developing recreational and other activities for local senior citizens". Should be interesting! My Spanish is non-existent, except what I remember from Sesame Street and from watching Telemundo and Univision. I'm sure I'll make do. Until the next time... Cheers, Mike

Mike in Peru - 6 days and counting...

Wow, me writing a blog! It should hopefully be interesting and a chance to say on a regular (or semi-regular) basis of what's actually happening on my "Volunteer Vacation" this year. In 2009, my choice is Lima, Peru and a chance to see what Cross-Cultural Solutions is all about. From what I hear and read about CCS, they really know what they're doing in regards to organizing these types of expeditions. Lima was a choice of mine for a couple reasons. 1) It's on my list (just in my head, not an actual written list) of places to go to. 2) In recent volunteer vacations I've gone on, I find the total immersion into the local culture is what I really find enjoyable and scary-good at the same time. I've said to someone that the goal is not to be the ugly American, to pay attention to what's happening around me and above all, throw caution to the wind and dive in! CCS thrives on just that- immersing you in the local culture and then participating in it as well. and 3) A chance to see Machu Picchu! So these next few days, it's pack and then re-pack and then re-pack again most likely.... and hopefully a couple of updates. Cheers, Mike