Rodney Dodig

2/21/09

Well, the journey into the next phase of my life has begun. I am now officially a retired man. No more getting up Monday to Thursday to go into the office at 1385 E. Main in Carbondale. Now the entire world is my office and I can get up when I feel like it. Well, that isn’t exactly true. Today is a perfect example. My flight to Miami left St. Louis at 0600 so I had to be up at 0100 to catch the Bart Shuttle. I ended up not going to bed and managed a cat nap on the way to the airport. He was late and so I ended up charging through the door to the airport at 0500. Too many people in line so I used electronic check in and updated to First Class for the first leg of my trip. My retirement funds aren’t going to last too long at that rate. LOL  So here I sit in Miami International with a 7 hour lay over. BORING!!!!! So I figure it’s a perfect time to get this journal started. My flight for Lima leaves at 4:15 PM and arrives at 10:15 PM. By the way, loving my new iPod Touch. Retirement present from SIH. Of course everyone sitting around me thinks I am nuts since I was bopping like a teenager to music they can’t hear.

For all my ex-coworkers who keep up on my website, I want you to know I miss you already. I hope all of you have the opportunity to follow your dreams, as I am, in your retirement.

Four hours later and I’m still bored. I’ve watched TV shows on HULU.com, had lunch, walked every where I could without having to go through security again, shopped (didn’t buy anything), played with my iPod, talked to total strangers and drank more coffee than I usually do. Still have 2 1/2 hours left and have run out of things to do without getting arrested. I hate these long lay overs and unfortunately the one I have coming back at the end of March is worse. I haven’t resorted to solitaire on the computer yet. A last resort for sure.

2/23/09

Finally in Lima and at the apartment. It was a long and boring trip to say the least. After the 7 1/2 hour lay over in Miami, we had another 1 1/2 hour delay after we boarded the plane due to late arrivals. We did not arrive in Lima till midnight and then because there were four other large planes which landed at the same time as us, it took over an hour to get through immigrations. So it was very late when I arrived at the apartment. Yesterday was Jet Lag day and I did not do much. I went to lunch with Steve and his brother Antonio, then to meet their Mother (a surprise) and give her a ride home from a retreat she had gone to. Naturally the bus she was on arrived earlier than the others and she took a cab home and we did not discover this until the last bus had come and gone. I guess the surprise was on us. LOL

Afterward Antonio took us to the Metro to shop for groceries. Loading the car, we came back to the apartment and stored them away and then went out to dinner. Naturally after this is was off to bed for me. Now after a good night’s sleep I am ready to go.

The apartment is beautiful and has a spectacular view of the ocean and surrounding areas. It is in an area of San Isidro called Magdalena and from the looks of it is definitely an upper mid class area. Lots of swimming pools in back yards. It looks to e a considerable walk to Miraflores from here. It is most certainly smaller than the previous apartments I have rented here but nicer in some ways. The living room is tastefully decorated and there is an open floor plan with the kitchen. The bedroom is a good size as is the bathroom. As you can see in the photos, the outer walls are almost all glass in both the Living Room and Bedroom. I haven’t had the chance to explore the neighborhood yet so I can’t talk much about how close all the necessities are. I am told they are all very convenient though. Most importantly, this apartment has air conditioning. Not that I have needed it yet. My landlady, Rosita, is a very nice lady and has been wonderful to deal with so far. There have been no problems at all and the apartment is exactly as advertised. I could not be happier.

The weather has been beautiful, mid eighties with a nice breeze all day with it cooling down at night. Still shorts and T-shirt temps though.I hear it snowed a little back home (me laughing in sympathy at this point) but did not last. That tells me I have escaped the cold. YEA!!!!!!!!!!

Well, I am off to explore and see the sights. I haven’t been to the pool or the gym in the building yet so I think that they are my next stop. Then out and about the area to check things out. Steve should be out of his English classes by then and back here to assist me. More later my friends.

2/26/09

Time for another entry I guess. Still have not accomplished a single thing. My friends here are fairly busy this week. Steve is in school (advanced English classes), Mauricio tells me he works from 7:30am till 10pm Monday – Friday and Jose is doing tours all week. Steve will be done with his classes on Friday so hopefully next week we will get the important stuff started.

I took the camera to the roof of the building and took some shots there. This is a very nice building and I imagine that to buy an apartment here would be very expensive. The pool is small but definitely a good place to cool off, there is an area to Bar-B-Que, a lounge area, plus a place for sunbathing. There is a beautiful little park about a block away. You always see people strolling or taking a jog there. Also they are repainting the building this week. They were doing that to the last apartment building that I rented in Barranco. Maybe they are trying to spruce up the city now that I am going to be here for awhile. I stated earlier we are on the 10th floor and thank god for elevators. Take a look at that stair case. Could you imagine hauling a bunch of suitcases or groceries up that climb. Oh to be 30 again!

I had my first “unique” experience of this trip yesterday. We took one of those small buses into the center of Lima to pick up a few things. The seats were so small and close together that they had to use the “jaws of life” to get me in and out of them. Now I definitely know what a sardine feels like. Especially after the bus started getting crowded. In addition they don’t really stop when they are picking you up sometimes. You have to be very careful and make sure you are hanging onto something when you are boarding at a run. It also makes exiting the bus an exciting adventure. Not much to say about what we did in Lima Central. What it did do for me is confirm my need to speak more Spanish than I do. Coming back we took cabs (thank god) and stopped at the Metro for some supplies. Also been to a movie and out to eat a couple of times. Nothing special but let me once again brag about the food here in Peru. Yummy!!!!!!!

I hit the gym for the first time today. The equipment is limited so I did a full body work out and will try to get that accomplished every other day. Time to hit the mean streets and see what’s what. Hopefully will have more interesting things to tell you in my next entry. Also, just to rub it in a little, here is a photo from my window of the sunset we had last night.

2/27/09

WOW, it’s the last day in February. I can’t believe it’s been a week since my retirement. First let me say “Happy Birthday” to my amiga Mary Voss. I hope you have a good one! I also want to wish my Sister Rita a belated Happy Birthday. Hers was 2/17, but all the preps for my last week and getting ready to be in Peru kind of made it slip my mind. Now to the Peru stuff.

Today I got to go for a very long walk along the coast towards the South and Miraflores. After two hours I could still not even see the lighthouse on the coast. From there I know it’s another hour at least to the area I was trying to reach. So realizing that it was out of my reach, especially if I wanted to walk back, I returned to the apartment four hours later. The walk was beautiful although a thick fog was hugging the coastline. You could barely see down the cliffs to the beaches. I am amazed at the number of small parks they have here. Along the coast from here in Magdalena through San Isidro, Miraflores, Barranco to Chorrillos it is almost one big long park. Like I said, a beautiful walk. There are lots of high rise condos and apartments along the way, interspersed with some beautiful homes. Once again everyone I passed was very friendly with lots of”Holas” and “Buenos Dias” plus welcoming smiles. I managed to get a few photos in although the fog made it a bad day for picture taking. The pictures are of the outside of the apartment, another view from the apartment, the Parque Acosta and several things I thought were interesting along my walk this morning. Designs in the grass, a piece of graffiti, a cannon at a police station and some “old man” soccer which was about as exciting to watch for sport as a snail crawl. Still it was amusing to see these guys out there trying to play.

Yesterday we found the local Grocery Store, it was only five blocks away. I am grateful for that. They have the most excellent service. A young man with a cart is there at check out and he pushes your groceries home for you and even delivers them all the way into the apartment and places them on the counter for you. I was totally shocked at this service. Of course you have to live in a six block radius to receive it.

I have eaten out a few times now and want to comment on eating at the “local” eateries. I know they are local because I am the only Gringo in there and from the way people look at me you would think I was from Mars and most likely the first gringo they have seen. Nothing threatening, just that look which means “how did he find this place?” The first time I ordered a Taco. Well, it was certainly like no Taco I had ever eaten before. It was huge and more closely resembled a “Bigger than your head Burrito”. It was delicious though and the Picante Sauce they served with it was mighty spicy. I have since ordered other things from their menu and they are all excellent.

Not much else to tell. I am still browsing the adds for apartments. Considering whether I want a car here or not. Depending on the area you live in, the traffic is fairly reasonable and not quite so “crazy”. Next week will be the trip to the Consulate to apply for the Visa I need and the Immunization’s Office to get my “Yellow Fever” immunization so that I can travel to the jungle and Brazil. I’m also considering a weekend trip to Trujillo or Iquitos for a long weekend, just for something else to do.

3/2/2009

The saga continues. I should have known it would not be as easy as I thought it would be. Today we made the trip to the Immigration Office to start the process for my Rentista Visa. Of course the first few people we talked with had NO idea what that was and even went so far as to say there was no such thing. It was amusing listening to Steve argue with the Lawyer (the supposed visa expert). This person was going to help us through the process, HA! I laugh in your face. (I am saying this with a cheesy spanish accent) Finally we dumped this guy and just went to the help desk (what a novel idea). There amazingly they knew exactly what we were asking for. They were very helpful and explained the entire process. It really is very simple:

1. Write them a letter stating I am not involved in any criminal activities either in the US or Internationally.

2. Write a letter “requesting” the Rentista Visa.

3. Fill out a Form0040. (free)

4. Pay them $200 US

5. Pay the National Bank 58 Soles for a document giving me permission to sign contracts.

That’s it, there’s only one catch. (Naturally, isn’t there always). After I have the visa if I want to leave Peru I have to go to Immigration and request permission. Failure to do so will result in the invalidation of the Visa. I understand why they do this but with the Thailand trip coming up soon this will be a tad bit inconvenient. So now the plan is to wait till I return in May to start the application process which should take 30 days before approval. This also means I do not need to open a bank account here until then. That just leaves the apartment to deal with and that also is turning into a bigger deal than anticipated. The reason is mostly my fault since I have a list of conditions about the location. Mostly concerning easy walking distance to a whole list of things like the Super Market, Bank, Restaurants, Gym, etc, etc. I think I am driving Steve nuts with all my demands. BTW, for those who care here is a picture of Steve and I at a coffee shop after dealing with the immigration office. he and his family have been a big help here so far.

Well, this trip is starting to look more and more like it is just going to be a vacation. WooHoo!!!! Fun, Fun, Fun, Fun!!! I am all about vacations. I will still be scouring Lima for an apartment to rent on a long term basis but if it doesn’t happen then I will just get another Internet Special until I find what I am looking for. Time to start planning some excursions! Later mis amigos!

3/4/2009

Still having fun and now I am more in the vacation mode than the need to get things accomplished mode. Mostly doing the day to day things that make up daily life. But still managing to see new parts of Lima every day. There are some amazing sights here and also some areas where the poverty is just plain ole depressing. Some of it just breaks your heart, especially when you see the children. It is definitely a city of contrasts.

Yesterday Antonio (apparently my new chauffeur) drove us to Punta Hermosa to the beach. It was a great drive even though the day was cloudy. Of course today the Sun is out in all its glory now that I am stuck in the apartment for the day. The landlady asked me if it would be OK for her to send a photographer to do some photos of the views from the apartment, he came at 10 and has left. Now I am waiting for the maintenance man to come and repair one of the windows. He is supposed to show at 2pm. Of course no one in any latin country is ever on time. Anyway, back to the trip.

We drove south of Lima for approximately 45 minutes. Along the way we passed Pachacamac (the ruin site I visited in November). It is impressive even from the road. We took the Pan American highway south through several small towns before reaching Punta Hermosa. The town is a beautiful beach resort, typical of most, but with it’s own original flavor. Speaking of flavor, on arrival we stopped for lunch in a local restaurant that is famous for its cuisine (sorry I have forgotten the name already, when I see Steve again I will get it from him). I ordered Tamales Chicarron (pork) and they were amazing. Speaking of pigs, I definitely turned into one when I ordered a total of three and they were not small either. These most assuredly gave Joe’s aunt’s Tamales (from Mexico) a run for the money.

Getting back in the car we headed down to the beach area. Despite the cloudiness there were a lot of people enjoying the beach and swimming in the water. Families with kids, surfers, teenagers by the pack and of course all the vendors and hawkers. Despite this the town was practically deserted. Once you got away from the beach front areas there was not a soul to be seen and the streets were deserted.

We walked along the beach front area looking at houses and admiring the coast line. There were beach areas and places where the waves just crashed onto the rocks. Naturally I was going wild with the camera. There were interesting homes right on the water front with these roofs that appeared to be made from moss, some random work by a sidewalk artist and beautiful views of some of the islands off the coast. There were lots of apartments and condos for rent, you could tell that the summer season was coming to a close and people were vacating the town. It reminded me of a lot of beachfront resort places I have been too. Some even in the US.

You could rent a surfboard and get lessons for a very reasonable price. The water looked too cold for me, it is the Pacific after all, plus my knees are well past their surfing days I think. You could also rent one of the TakTaks to take you for a tour of the town. Considering how small the town was (easily walkable) I think it would just be for thrill of riding in one. Of course there were plenty of little shops, stores and sidewalk restaurant/bars for people to spend their money in. Afterward it was back to Lima just in time to hit the evening traffic. Always just like a carnival ride, so very exciting with great adrenaline rushes.

That’s it for this entry. Who knows what’s next, I am winging it after all. You can do that in retirement. LOL  Later All!

3/7/2009

Time for another update I suppose. I was reflecting on my new life today as I was laying in the sun by the pool. It has been really beautiful here in Lima the last few days. The Sun out every day with ideal temperatures in the low to mid eighties. The humidity has been low also. Anyway, I think that retirement is finally settling into my brain. Now I have another set of worries and obligations. First I have to make sure I don’t get carried away spending money. Now I feel like I should have plenty in reserve. I find myself being more careful about spending in the stores, looking for sales instead of just grabbing the pretty baubles off the shelf as they catch my eye. Second, trying to keep myself active is always on my mind. I do not want to slip into the couch potato routine. I think I need to get more involved in the photography and spend a specific amount of time everyday writing. Just to get into a routine to help me keep my edge. Third, I am amazed at how relaxed I am. As I have shed the worries about the projects I had at work and how they are doing without me, I find myself a lot calmer and definitely sleeping better at night.

I haven’t done much the since the last entry. I am still looking for that perfect apartment. I would still prefer that it be in Barranco but am keeping an open mind about it. I really need to find something, even if it is temporary, for May and June. I should have known this would be the hard part. I always seemed to have an easy time finding apartments/homes to rent in Southern Illinois through the years. I guess having my own house has made me lose my edge. LOL

I have been into Central Lima looking for stuff. Ended up buying 10 dvds (movies), some just released in theaters for only 3 soles apiece. That’s approximately 94 cents per movie, quite a deal and “Yes” they are of good quality. Taking the taxi there you always pass this wall of mosaics. There is a mosaic created by each province here in Peru. They were created for the visit of one of the Popes. Sorry I do not remember which. They are beautiful pieces of work although they are a little grimy from the pollution caused by the traffic. Traffic is always an adventure also if you are going anywhere at certain times of the day. I am amazed at the skill of the drivers. That is all I can call it since I am shocked that I have yet to see a single accident or fender bender. They have no sense of lanes here or right of ways. I have been in a cab that crossed three lanes of oncoming traffic to make a left turn. Of course there were a lot of horns going off.

I have also finalized plans to go to Arequipa next week. I am leaving on Wednesday and will return on Monday. I hope to get a ton of good photos and maybe some material for an article. I hear that the city is beautiful and clean with no pollution. We will see. In addition it had a beautiful historical district with lots of old colonial buildings. So starts my plan to visit more areas in Peru.

Well, time to fix a little dinner. I hope all of you are having a great weekend. Tomorrow I am going for a long walk to try to capture some other areas of San Isidro on film.

3/17/2009

Arequipa, Chivay and Colca

We boarded the plane for Arequipa Wednesday (3/11) afternoon at 15:30 for the flight. One hour and five minutes later we landed just as the sun was getting ready to set over the mountains.  The flight was uneventful and very smooth. As we approached Arequipa there were views out the planes windows of the Volcano Misti peeking above the clouds and yes it is active, one of the three major volcanoes surrounding the city. I believe we were told by one of the guides later that there are a total of 27 in the area. After getting my one piece of luggage, we caught a cab to the hotel.  We dropped Antonio off at his Uncles before proceeding on to Casa Andina. The hotel is nice and clean but the rooms are a bit small for my tastes. There is Internet but it is so slow that I am unable to do any work on the web site. I can barely access and read my E-mails. So it is Sunday morning and I am sitting in the lobby writing this in word to cut and paste into the site later.

After chucking my bags in the room we waited for Antonio to show up so we could tour some of the old part of the city before hitting the sack. The hotel is just six blocks from the “Plaza de Armas” or Central Square of the historical center of the city. It is beautiful with the architecture and streets remaining from the times when the city was first built. By this time it was 8 PM and the streets were lit up and the throngs of tourists were everywhere. The Central Plaza was beautiful at night. The main Cathedral, Santo Domingo was lit up and colored lights played on the water in the fountain at the center of it all. We walked around the square and decided to have a little dinner. I wasn’t that hungry so a fruit salad that came with yogurt and some kind of seed to sprinkle on top was my fare. Leaving the restaurant we noted that all the stores were closing so we all headed back to catch some sleep.

The next morning we were all up early as I wanted to get a lot of photos using the morning light. We wandered through the streets at random with me going wild with the camera. This area of the city is quite beautiful and touring the streets before the crowds of people started showing up was well worth the early morning hour. The old part of the city reminded me a lot of Seville in Spain. The narrow cobbled streets with homes hugging the street and no sidewalk to speak of, flowers on pots and all the buildings white washed or made of “sillar”. Sillar is a volcanic in nature, much like lava only white with an assortment of colored stones mixed in. I got pictures of the church and park of “San Francisco” and lots of pictures of the main Cathedral, Santo Domingo. Oh, in case you didn’t know, if a church has one tower it is dedicated to a male Saint and two towers means a female Saint.  Naturally after an hour or so, the hawkers were out selling all the things you see sold anywhere in Peru. Coming into the main square via the arches of the Cathedral reminded me a lot of Rome, lots of marble columns and arches with intricate carvings.

In the square we were approached by a man selling tours. Steve bartered with him and got what I considered a great price. For 30 Soles each we got a tour of the city which included an Alpaca Factory, here we were able to mingle with some Vicuñas, Alpacas and Llamas. We also learned how they differentiated the wools, cleaned and processed it, dyed and finally got to watch a couple of Peruvian ladies hand weaving some of the cloth. We also saw the hand tools, minerals and plants the dyes are made from, samples of the colored thread, and other devices used in the ancient times to make the yarn to be woven.  There was also a museum here showing all the mechanical devices used in dealing with the wools where things are made in a factory setting. We stopped at several churches and parks of which each had their own tale to tell. Naturally they were all beautiful and the parks a perfect spot to stop for a short rest in the mid day heat. I personally was wishing I could have all the gold making up the various niches in the churches. As with most Latin countries I have visited you can’t throw a stone without hitting a church. Then we were taken out of the city to a viewing/photo op point of the Minor Colca Canyon and the three major Volcanoes (Misti, Pichu Pichu and Chachani). The views were very majestic and the terraced farm fields were a photographers dream. We were given a drink of the local papaya juice which is considerably different than the papaya we are used to. It almost tastes like a mix of papaya, pineapple and mango. It was very sweet and delicious. We were also taken to a tower on a large hill outside of the city for views of the surrounding country side. Besides climbing the stairs on the hill side to get to the tower, the tower was five stories high to boot. I am proud to say that my knees held up quite well and I got more great shots. There was a huge statue of Jesus in the center of the tower. It was quite inspiring even to me. Before the ascent, we indulged in some Helado which was being hand made on the spot. It was very tasty and probably contained coca so I couldn’t feel my knees anyway. It was well worth the price as the tour took over 5 hours. At the end of the tour, the driver took us to a restaurant called “El Montonero” which he had recommended for the Ricotto Relleno. My sister Rita had E-mailed me telling me to try this dish while I was in Arequipa since they are famous for it. It is a slightly Picante Chile Pepper stuffed with meat (carne), rice (arroz), shrimp, potatoes (pappas), cheese (queso) and raisins. The restaurant was very nice and reasonably priced. We dined out doors on the patio where we were entertained by local musicians in costume. This was not a restaurant on the tourist maps as I was the only Gringo there. Yes, the dish was delicious. Afterward, with what was left of the day, Steve and Antonio went to look over some properties of the family, I went for awhile (but was quickly bored) and so returned to the hotel for a nap before going out to dinner.

The weather here has been wonderful. It is cool in the morning, heating up to almost hot in the afternoon and then cooling down to “I need a blanket at night”. As those who know me well would tell you, this is my ideal weather.

After the tour, we talked with the manager of the tour company the guide worked for and finagled another good deal. For 85 Soles we got transportation to Chivay (over 4 hours), a hot spring there, dinner at a Peña, Hotel for the night, breakfast, a trip to Colca Canyon with stops in a couple of small towns along the way, and a stop to take pictures of the famous Peruvian Condor. Remember you get about 3.25 Soles per dollar. I thought it was a great deal so we made the arrangements to start the next day. Pick up was at 0800.

The tour bus was right on time and we boarded for the trip into the mountains to Chivay and Colca Canyon. As the drive began our guide Victor highly encouraged everyone to drink coca tea, eat chocolate or suck on the coca candy to help avoid altitude sickness as we traveled over the mountain. Now I am not prone to altitude sickness but I will use any excuse to eat chocolate so when we made the first stop at the edge of town at a little tienda for supplies you know what I got. I do have to mention that the trip did affect a few people on the bus despite their efforts; there were 18 of us on the tour and three were affected by the altitude. You could see it happening as we got to the high pass. They all looked a little pale and were sleeping a lot, plus they all skipped the afternoon/evening festivities in Chivay. Victor turned out to be an excellent guide with lectures in both Spanish and English. The trip up and over the mountain range was filled with spectacular views and marvelous landscapes. We made a few stops for photos along the way. One stop as we passed through the National Reserve for the Vicuña where we were able to take pictures of some large herds. There were also stops for pictures of Alpaca and llamas along the way. We stopped for Coca Tea at a restaurant/tienda about half way up. It was also the last chance to use the baño before arriving in Chivay. The landscape next to this stop was just plain errie. Next stop was the highest point we would drive over before descending to the Colca Valley. At this stop you were surrounded by the peaks of the Andes and the entire range of volcanoes. Peruvians and tourists alike had built the small piles of stones as an offering of sorts to the ancient Gods of the mountains. The landscape here was very surreal because of this. Naturally there was an assortment of Peruvian ladies selling their hand crafted wares here. The air was very thin here and as always I had trouble catching my breath after any type of exertion. From here it was a straight shot to the town of Chivay.

Once we arrived in town it was a quick stop at a restaurant for lunch (buffet style) and there was quite a selection of Peruvian foods. Once again I had the Ricotto Relleno and I found it even more delicious than the one I had in Arequipa. From here they started dropping us off at our individual hotels. Now comes the interesting and scary part of the trip. As we were passing through town I noticed a plume of very dark smoke coming from a couple of blocks away. The kind of smoke and smell you associate with burning tires. As we passed a cross street you could see hundreds if not thousands of people gathered to watch whatever was burning. From the looks of the homes in the area (all were covered with grass roofs), I thought to myself it would not take much for a major portion of the town to burn to the ground. It also surprised me to see all the people standing around and not trying to put the fire out. A couple of blocks later we found out why. Stopping at the first hotel a woman came out and talked to the driver about what was happening. Steve translated for me. “There were three people (two men and a woman, the woman was the reported ring leader) caught in a truck trying to leave town with some animals that were stolen. The town’s people had caught them. They had pulled the three from the truck, removed the stolen animals, set the truck on fire, tied the men up and buried them in the ground up to their necks. Apparently the town’s people then took turns kicking and beating the men’s heads. They had dowsed the woman with gasoline and were getting ready to set her on fire when the police finally showed up and stropped it. Steve told me that this was the method of justice for thieves in the provinces, especially where there is no police force. Even in Lima this type of vigilante justice can occur in the poorer neighborhoods where there is not a strong police presence. The moral of this story, “DO NOT steal in Peru.”  I wish I had been able to get off the tour bus and get some pictures of this but alas it was forbidden. I am sure I could have a cover picture for some magazine with shots of this. I think that probably sounded a little cold but opportunities are opportunities. As we circled through town dropping off people at their hotels the group of onlookers just seemed to keep growing till in the end it seemed that the entire town’s population was there.

OK, back to my adventure. We were dropped at our hotel and the minute they opened the room to my hotel door I knew I was in trouble. The room was so small I could barely turn around, the bathroom was so small I couldn’t sit in it, and the beds; well ask Kelly about me and the day beds in Florida when we went down for a golfing trip with Robert. The tour guide was extremely accommodating and immediately got us other accommodations in another hotel. Here we had small “casitas” which were huge compared to any hotel room and with a VERY large bathroom. We now had 45 minutes to drop off our bags, freshen up and be picked up for the trip to the hot springs outside of town. There was also a small bull fighting ring just across the street and I was able to take a quick walk and get some photos of both the inside and out. From the looks of it, it appeared that it had been awhile since an actual bullfight had occurred there.

True to their word, 45 minutes later we hear the bus honking and we get on board for the trip to the hot springs. Now Antonio had brought a couple of pair of swimming trunks to Arequipa with him so he and Steve were able to take full advantage of the springs. Although in the end Antonio didn’t like the feel of things and opted out. I took this opportunity to walk outside the springs and get some more photographs. A river ran through the area and it was surrounded by tall cliffs on all sides. There was a swinging bridge that crossed the river to an area with some minor Inca ruins. A herder was grazing his sheep in the area as I strolled through it. Coming back to the hot springs pool area, I sat with Antonio and showed him the pics I had taken while Steve “frolicked” in the pool. Soon enough it was time to return to the hotels and get ready for our outing to la peña. In case you do not know, a “pena is a restaurant that also has entertainment with music and dancers. On exit from the bus the guide told us we had one hour (7 PM) and they would be back for us. I used this opportunity for a quick nap as it had already been a long day.

At seven on the button we hear the bus honking for us. Jumping on board we take off to pick up the rest of the group. It seems that we are always the last ones dropped off and the first ones picked up. We are driven to the outskirts of town to a restaurant which at first glance I would probably have avoided. If I had it would have been a mistake on my part. The meal (I had Pollo la Choctado – no not chocolate), was every bit as good as any dish I have had in expensive places. There was a band playing music, both a selection of local and popular songs, and dancers in costume who gave us a selection of dances native to the area. They even pulled audience members onto the dance floor to participate and NO I was not one of them. Thank the mountain Gods, I guess the little pile of stones I built in the pass worked for something. LOL

Back to the hotel again with the message that naturally we will be the first ones picked up and they have arranged a wakeup call for 0500 and continental breakfast will be at 0530. We will be picked up at 0600. So we have to pack and be ready for the morning as we will not return to the hotels. Talk about your world wind tour, no rest for the wicked as they say. It is a little unfortunate as I did not get a chance to take as many photos in Chivay as I would have liked.

Sure enough, 0500 there is a knock on the door for our wake up call. Not that I needed it since I was using the alarm on my cell phone. Also I should mention that the beds in this hotel were like sleeping on stone. I never in my life would have thought you could make a mattress that hard. There was definitely no falling onto the bed unless you wanted to break something. We boarded again and headed off to get the others. Finally we got to see the few who were having a problem with the altitude again. They seemed to have recovered and were ready for the day’s adventures.

At this point I have to comment on the roads that we have taken and will take further into this trip. Most of the trip to Chivay the road was paved but we drove over a large stretch of road that was nothing but one big pot hole. I have to compliment our driver on his skills at navigating these roads, especially where we were on narrow one and a half lanes where the side of the road dropped off a sheer cliff. Guard rails were a rare thing on this road and one slip would have sent us plunging over the side with I am sure “No Survivors”.

Anyway back to the tour, we took off on the road back up the mountain to the rim of Colca Canyon. It is reportedly the deepest canyon in the world. For reference, the Grand Canyon is the third deepest. The scenery on the way up was beyond description.  There is the majesty of man made things like the Incan ruins, the archaeological sites in Egypt,  Rome and others but nature has a way of out doing all those things. From the terraced land of the Inca to the beauty of the rock cut deep by the power of the Colca River, it was hard to pick a specific scene to point the camera at. I have taken over a thousand photos on the tour. Be prepared to be bored if you ask for a show. Our first stop on the trip up was in a small town called Yanque. No it’s not pronounced the way you would think. We stopped in the main square for more photo opportunities of the old church, the Plaza and the Volcanoes in the background. Then back on the bus for another stretch of the trip. The town of Maca was our next stop, another church, another Plaza and the usual assortment of people selling their wares. There were a few unusual photo opportunities here. Steve and Antonio had their picture taken with an Eagle on their head. I got some shots of the local animals and some wall paintings. Rather primitive in their form but still nice. Speaking of Maca, it is also a plant grown here in Peru that offers quite the list of beneficial attributes. I invite you to look it up on the Internet. Then it was up the canyon with stops along the way at marvelous spots with terrific views of the canyon and river below.  The final spot on the trip up was the viewing point for the amazing Peruvian Condor with a wing span of up to 3 meters. We were privileged to get photos of several of these magnificent birds. There were also the large assortment of ladies selling Peruvian crafts here also. The little finger puppets of the Condor seemed to be very popular with the tourists. After spending an hour and one half at this site, we started the long ride back into Chivay for our lunch before heading back to Arequipa. We saw several more Condors in flight on the way down and stopped so people could try to get shots of the birds. Finally back in Chivay for lunch, it was at another restaurant this time but once again it was a buffet. Here also there was a very large selection of Peruvian dishes to select from and I definitely made an effort to try as many as possible. My favorite was pieces of banana dipped in a batter and deep fried. I wonder why I am not losing any weight. LOL

After lunch we all boarded the bus again for the long drive back. We hadn’t made it a third of the way up the mountain leaving the valley when the snow/sleet/hail started. Once again I have to give props to the driver. He handled it with no problem but it was still a little scary what with NO guard rails and a narrow road with oncoming traffic. Then to top that off a heavy fog set in with extremely limited visibility. We actually topped the mountain range and were on our way down the other side before we left that mess. We arrived in Arequipa just fine at our hotel and immediately proceeded to our rooms for a rest. Afterwards it was out for a quick dinner and then to bed for me and a good sleep. Steve decided he needed to dance it up some and went to the disco while Antonio decided to get some rest also. The trip to Arequipa, Chivay and the Colca Canyon was most assuredly worth it. Anyone coming to Peru to visit should make this one of their trips. It was truly an amazing experience.

Well we made it back to Lima with no problems. We spent the last day just wandering about, sitting in the Plaza de Armas and feeding the pigeons and just relaxing. The flight back was uneventful but we didn’t get back to the apartment until almost midnight. Today I got some good news though. I am 99% sure that I have an apartment now and it is in Barranco. It is a three bedroom, two bath in a quite neighborhood just a little further south than I have been staying. It is very close to the border with Chorrillos. Still everything I need is close at hand. The apartment is actually bigger than my house and the rent is $500 with everything included. I will probably stay in this apartment for the rest of this year. Later mi Amigos y Familia, have a great St. Patricks Day!

03/20/2009

Hi all! I guess it’s time for another entry before everyone starts to worry about me. I am so glad I have such great friends and a wonderful family. There’s not much to tell since getting back from Arequipa. It has been a pretty boring week. The most exciting thing I have done is try to get photos of the Buzzards that keep circling outside the building and the parasailors along the coast. The Buzzards look amazingly like the Condors only they are about 1/4 the size.  A few trips to the grocery store (Vivanda is the name), cleaning up the apartment, laying by the pool and exercising about sum up my activities since getting back. I guess this is part of settling into retirement.

Steve has been busy at his Mom’s for the week, leaving me to fend for myself all week. She is leaving for the states on Monday to visit his Sister in Philadelphia and will be gone at least 3 months. He did come by yesterday to take me to lunch at an Arequipan Restaurant here in Lima (actually Lince) for a sample of what that cuisine tastes like here. The restaurant (whose name I can’t remember) was very nice and very crowded, always a very good sign. The great thing about having friends in Peru is getting to go to places like this that I am sure no other tourist will ever find. I had “Seco con Frijoles” and the “Ricotto Relleno”, both of which were delicious and just as good if not better than what I had in Arequipa.

Today I went for a walk along the Malecon to see if I could get some nice shots since it is a sunny day. Unfortunately they have torn up the entire walkway along the coast as far as I could see to rebuild it. So I wandered through the local neighborhoods there looking at all the nice houses. Oh to be really rich! Got some pictures of a guy working on a tower. Definitely a job I wouldn’t want. Also a picture of them adding to the beaches here in Lima. Originally the beaches werevery small and rocky. There’s also a pic of thePacific and and interesting tree with these beautiful flowers on it. I am going to have to ask what the name of the tree is. It sure is beautiful.

My landlady, Rosita, called this morning. She is going to bring over some Humittas and Chicha Monday afternoon as a little gift. I can tell she really like me and wants to stay on good terms. I have written a small entry for her website and given her a few photos I had taken of the apartment and views. She is very grateful.

Also here are a couple of pictures of the apartment in Barranco that I will be renting. They do not do it justice. I was rushing when I took them after the contract signing and the house keeper was trying to explain everything to me. All in Spanish of course, which means I only got about 10% of what she was saying. She was a sweet lady though and I think I will be hiring her to clean once a week in my place. She will charge $10.00 US per week for sweeping, mopping, cleaning the bathrooms and dusting. Maybe she will do more but that’s really all the help I need for now.

By the way, the pictures at the bottom will keep moving down. Every time I try to move them so that they do not, it messes up the format of the whole article. Also, eat your hearts out, here is another beautiful sunset from the apartment window. I miss you all, hope you had a good week and will have a great weekend. I plan on going to the Cricket Championships this weekend. Hoping for some great photos and a good time.

03/23/2009

Happy Monday everyone. I hope you had as good a weekend as I did. Saturday besides the usual boring, “I have to do this to live”, stuff; I went for another exploratory walk in a different quadrant of the Magdalena area. This really is a nice neighborhood and you can tell from the homes that people here have money. I am seeing mostly Peruvians though so it is not an enclave of rich expatriates. There are cultural centers, mansions, high end upper middle class homes, private clubs and beautiful parks all over the place. As usual my walk took me towards the ocean and I spent some of the time just siting on the edge of the cliff looking at the beautiful pacific. The traffic in this are thins out considerably on the weekends. It is a refreshing break from all the noise and especially the “honking”. Peruvians love their car horns and use any excuse to use them. Sometimes I think they honk just to hear the sound of their horn. Some honking rules:

1. They honk if you cut them off.

2. They honk if you don’t cut them off.

3. Taxis honk at everybody.

4. They honk when approaching intersections.

5. They honk when passing you.

6. They honk if they think you are going to cross the street.

7. They honk at women on the sidewalk.

8.  Actually the list is endless so you get the idea.

Another thing I have learned about driving in Lima. It is apparently OK to turn right or left no matter what lane you are in. Of course doing so means you will get honked at. LOL

Sunday morning after breakfast I contacted Julian Walter (the Captain of the Lima Cricket Team) who agreed to meet me before their match started to tell me a little bit about Cricket in Peru, the Club and what I should watch for as the matches progressed. I showed up at the Club House at the appointed time and sat with Julian for 30 minutes of so while he went answered all my questions. The most important thing I learned is that the Lima Cricket and Football Club is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. I find that amazing, that and the fact that Cricket has been played in Peru for that long.

These were the final two matches of the 20/20 tournament as it had been going on for three weekends. There were four teams in the competition (Kite Flyers, Eidegenossen, Lima Cricket and Chak De) and they played each other an equal number of times over the course of the tournament. The winner of the tournament was determined by the most wins and in case of a tie then it went to most “runs” scored. Apparently there is a set of complicated rules on the part of the latter which were too lengthy for Julian to go over with me in the short time we had. These teams also participate in International competition and have matches set in a competition in Brasil in April. I was told that Peru is ranked 75th in the world, not sure what that means though.

After talking with Julian I settled in to watch the matches and get some photos. I was shooting in “sports” mode and took over 450 photos while I was there. In todays matche, the kite Flyers were playing Eidegenossen in the first match and Lima Cricket was playing Chak De in the second. I have to admit I was fascinated with the game. It was a little like watching a baseball game, soccer, rugby and dodge ball all at once. Like all sports it had its boring moments and its exciting moments. I am glad I went onto the Internet and read up on the rules and how scoring works before going to the matches. Cricket is played on an Eliptical Field with what is called a boundary. The batter can hit the ball in any direction he wants (no foul balls for you baseball fans). Some ways that runs are scored are: 1. I ball hit on the fly over the boundary scores 6 runs. 2. A ball hit on the ground over the bounday scores 4 runs. 3. Other wise the batters, there are two, try to score runs by running between the two “wickets” after a ball is hit. They do not have to run.

Batters are called out if: 1. The ball is caught on the fly.   2. The batters wicket is broken on a pitch by the bowler.   3. The wicket is broken by any player using the ball when a batter is running from one wicket to another before he touches his bat to the crease.  Are you confused yet?  LOL

In all of this only the Catcher is allowed to wear a glove (and he wears two) and the ball is very hard. The Bowlers (Pitchers), really put their whole body into the throw. They use a running start and he is allowed to bounce the ball off the ground before it reaches the hitter. It wasn’t unusual to see a fielder throw himself into a slide to prevent a ball fom rolling across the boundary, then scramble up to throw the ball into the catcher to prevent runs from being scored. It is definitely a much more physical game than Baseball.

The Kite Flyers and Chak De won their matches but I have no idea at this point how the tournamnt turned out. They did not announce the standings at the end and Julian was in no mood to talk since his team lost. Sounds like some other sporting fans I know.

One more thing, this was a 20/20 competition. True Cricket matches are called Test Cricket and a game can last up to five days. In a 20/20 match, each team plays one inning which consists of 20 overs. I am still not clear on what an “over” is, the only thing I can tell you is that the pitcher switches ends when it happens. I had a great time at the matches. The guys on the teams were nice and helpful. The people who were watching were very friendly. There was even a couple (Stephen and Jean) from England there who were in Lima for their son’s (Chris) wedding. He played for the Lima Cricket Team. It was a beautiful day to be outdoors and enjoying this type of activity. The Club House was beautiful and they served a nice lunch and there was a full bar. No, I did not partake. All in all I would assuredly do this again.

I hope you all had a great weekend too!

03/26/2009

It’s getting close to the day when I will return to the US to get ready for the Thailand/Cambodia trip. I haven’t done much this week, mostly I kept up with E-mails and wrote and article on attending the Cricket match that I hope to get published along with some of the photos. The rest of the time has been spent doing the routine daily things that would bore me to death if I weren’t in a country where I don’t speak the language that well.

I have decided to go to Trujillo this weekend for one last trip before returning home. The archaeological site of Chan Chan is there and I hear it is definitely worth a visit. Also, the beaches are reportedly beautiful and I hope to spend a few hours there. Of course the lap top and cameras are going with me so if there is an Internet connection there all of you will get daily updates. I am leaving Friday at 3pm and returning Monday at 5pm. Just in time to pack and return home.

I know it’s a short entry but wanted to let all of you know I’m OK. More after I am in Trujillo.

03/28/2009

Well everyone we made it to Trujillo just fine. We found a hotel using one of the cab drivers at the airport. It’s called the Hotel Roke’s Plaza and it is a very nice place. The only problem is that it’s in the middle of nowhere. It’s a significant cab ride to anywhere. Fortunately the cab rides are cheap. After settling into our room we decided to take a ride to the Central Plaza, “Plaza de Armas”. Did you know that was the name of all the Central Plazas? This one was beautiful. Unfortunately the fountain in the center is under repair. From what I can see of it, it is truly a magnificent piece of sculpture. There are many churches and beautiful old colonial buildings surrounding it. The entire historical area is nicely preserved. It was a bit crowded as it was Friday night after all. Today we are planning on visiting Chan Chan and the Palace of Tshudi, Temples of the Sun and Moon, a Ceramic Factory, a Museum and finally Huanchaco. Off to breakfast first and then to meet the Tour Guide.Later Everyone!

03/30/2009

Trujillo Tour

The tour started out with a cab ride back to the Plaza de Armas to the Tour Company’s office. They were running late at pick ups, gee what a surprise, and when we called we volunteered to meet them at the office to speed things up. Apparently the Hotel we are in is not well known in all of Trujillo. Oh, a nice little coincidence, the area of Trujillo we are staying is called San Isidro also. Arriving at their office, a short time later we were packed into the “combi” (a kind of minivan) and off we went. The name of our Tour Guide on this one was Victor also. All tours were conducted in Spanish with the exception of the second stop (the Huaca de Luna) where one of the guides spoke English so they took several of us from different tour groups and he gave us an explanation of the site in English. Anyway, we took off and traveled across the city and out of town to our first stop, a Ceramics Factory.

I use the term Ceramic’s Factory very loosely. It was actually a guy’s house with a workshop attached. It was a nice place and if I thought our Hotel was in the middle of nowhere, this place truly was. We entered his workshop and he started explaining his techniques to us and doing some demonstrations also. He showed us how to play the various pipes and flutes that he made and then as with all tour stops I have ever been on there was the usual shopping opportunity. Obviously I didn’t understand most of it and had to have Steve explain a lot of what was said during the lecture. What I like most about the stop were the decorations he had on his house and workshop. It was a very nice place and he had done a lot of nice art work on the place. There were representation from several cultures like the Moche and Chimu on all his walls. From here it was off to Huaca de Luna and Huaca de Sol.

Huaca de Luna and Sol are ceremonial centers for the ancient Moche Culture. They predated the Inca by several hundreds of years. Their cities, ceremonial centers and temples were made of mud brick and in my eyes were most impressive. We actually toured Huaca de Luna only. The Huaca de Sol has not been excavated by archaeologists yet. It was the largest of all the buildings on the site but the Spanish actually diverted a river and destroyed 2/3rds of the Temple looking for gold. The archaeologists believe that this building was used maily for administrative purposes and the burial of the rulers. Huaca de Luna fared a little better though. I imagine that it was because it was built up the side of a mountain and thus not so easily ravaged. This Temple housed the religious elite and their burials. The Moche like the Maya did not tear down their temples as they did new construction. They simply built over the old one making it larger but leaving the exterior of the old one intact and therefore preserving a lot of the art work and colors that covered them. I can’t imagine how awe inspiring these buildings must have been at the height of this culture. They practiced human sacrifice and it was performed around a formation of stone that was sacred to the Moche. The Temple was actually built around this stone. When the area was excavated there were hundreds of decapitated skeletons found here. The translation into English of their primary god (Ayapec) means “The Decapitator”. The art on the walls of the temple reminded me of Egypt in a way. The temples were covered in painting depicting their gods and the things that were important to them. There were also scenes of soldiers and their captives that looked almost identical to the paintings on the tombs of some of the Pharos of Egypt. The Moche thrived here but were eventually conquered by the Inca. From here it was back into Trujillo and to a restaurant called “The Sombrero” for lunch.

The Sombrero was another “Pena” and of course this meant entertainment during the course of our meals. Lunch was on our own here so to speak and unlike Chivay it was not a buffet. The menu was extensive and it was a very nice restaurant. I had some Tamals for an appetizer and the Pollo Saltado for my main course. It was all very delicious and once again too much for me to eat. During the meal the dancers were announced and performed for us. We got to see three different traditional Peruvian dances. Two were folk dances from either the highlands or seaside and one was African in origin. The costumes were beautiful, the music superb and the dancers very talented. Of course during every dance there was the obligatory audience participation. In this time they would pull a male and female from the audience and try to teach tem the basics of the dance in a few minutes. Then they would let them loose on the stage to perform for a couple of minutes. It was all very entertaining. We paid our checks and it was off to the next site, “Arco Iris” or the “Rainbow”.

Huaca de Arco Iris (Rainbow) is a small site with one large walled temple like structure. This site was totally restored to what the archaeologists think it looked like originally. Here the guide only spoke in Spanish and I never did get what this site was used for from him. A quick internet search told me that it was also probably used as a center for rites dealing with rain and fertility. It was built by the Chimu Culture and one of the legends has it that it was also the home of the bearded man who arrived by raft and built the city of Chan Chan.  It was actually inside the city of Trujillo. It was interesting to see the building in this state but it was a quick stop on the way to Chan Chan.

We stopped for a tour of the Chan Chan museum before proceeding onto the actual site. There were a lot of dioramas in the museum depicting life in Chan Chan and the progression of the various cultures of Peru. It was hot there so I did a quick walking tour and met up with the group in the much cooler courtyard at the end. Chan Chan itself is a wonder to behold. The site is huge but due to its construction from mud brick; earthquakes, rain, flooding and looters have taken their toll on the place. They are doing the best they can to preserve the site now but it is a monumental undertaking. Our destination inside this big city was the Tschudi Complex or “The Palace”. It is estimated that over 50,000 people lived in this city at the height of the Chimu Civilization. Once inside the complex we were taken through a maze of corridors that opened onto huge plazas (audiencias), storage rooms and residential areas for the Noble Family who occupied this compound. There are intricate carvings on the walls and a small lake (well) inside the complex that is fed by the water table. This small lake reminded me of the one in the Temple at Luxor in Egypt. It was there for religious and purification purposes and sacrifices (not the human kind) were tossed into the lake also. Some of the carvings on the walls represent “La Nina” and “El Nino”, the two major forces of the Pacific that affect the weather here. Other carvings represent fertility and some of the god figures.  At the center of the compound was the burial site of the Head of this Noble family. It is thought the he served as King before his death and afterwards another King was appointed. He was buried much as the Egyptians were, with all the goods thought necessary in the afterlife. There are eleven of these compounds inside the city’s walls. The city covers an area of 7.7 square miles and the walls surrounding it were 26 feet high. Once again these are sites not to be missed if you come to Peru. There is a lot to see in this country. From here we headed to Huancho Beach to finish out the tour.

Huanacho Beach is a small town and beach area to the North of Trujillo. It is a beautiful and quaint little town. If you decide to travel to this area I highly recommend getting a hotel here and taking a cab (15 Soles) into Trujillo for seeing that city. The beach here is beautiful and the sunsets are spectacular. It’s like a mini tropical paradise and for those of you who like Cozumel; this is the place to come in Peru. There is a pier at the center of town where you can buy some fishing line with hooks and bait and do a little bottom fishing if you choose. There are lots of people surfing here and small family groups just enjoying the beach and water. We hung out here while people took photos, bought souvenirs, fished (I kid you not), and walked the beach enjoying the perfect evening. There were street performers and music with a lot of restaurants lining the street with food and prices to suit any taste and budget. After about and hour we all packed ourselves back into the van and headed back to the Central Plaza in Trujillo. It was a long day but well worth the effort. After going out for dinner, I ended up back at the Hotel for a good night’s sleep and Steve hit the Disco scene for some dancing and more fun. Oh, to be 30 again.

Sunday was a very laid back day. I spent time at the pool, had lunch there also, worked on the photos to put on the website with this and then in the evening we took a cab back to Huanacho Beach and ate at a restaurant there. We ran into some people from the tour the day before and sat around talking with them till about midnight. Then back to the hotel, sleep, up now finishing this up and getting it on the web page. This will be my final entry. Tomorrow it’s back to the states and getting ready for Thailand. I hope it gave all of you the travel bug and a desire to visit this wonderful country.