Hola:
Just after I posted yesterday, the rain came. Because it is still the ¨rainy season¨, the forecast for La Paz calls for rain everyday. Most days, there might be a little shower, but many days there is nothing and we have found after three trips here during the season that the rain really isn´t that bad and doesn´t interfere with plans. However, twice on this trip there have been absolute down-pours, once in Aucapata in the morning when the street turned to a river and yesterday afternoon when I was posting to the blog and Joy was out painting. There was some thunder and lightening, but it was the amount of water that impressed. The flow on the busy street in front of the internet place was getting so deep that I fully expected the cars to start floating by. Even the hail wasn´t too bad, but the wading back to the hostal on flooded sidewalks was uncomfortable. La Paz is built in a canyon and earlier this year a portion of the hillside collapsed during this kind of storm. When you watch big chunks of construction material rolling down the streets propelled by water flow and gravity, you can understand why.
I did manage to get back to the officina of IMIF for our wind-up meeting and after the staff took us out for dinner. It was a tearful fairwell with Lucy, Ernest, Amparo, Yumey, Ivonne and Danilo. They presented us with 2 beautiful silver gifts that you will see this summer in the gallery. They are wonderful people and you should drop in to say ¨hello¨if you are in La Paz or Aucapata.
Today was our chance to get rid of left-over Bolivianos and do some shopping. We walked over to Calle Sagarnaga, the home of the ¨Witches Market¨a must for tourists, to do some shopping. I won´t tell you what we bought, but I have no idea how Joy is going to get it all in her pack. She says that she is going to throw out all her clothes, and I think that that might be a start. My pack is filled with ëxperimental Quinua bars for Ivar Mendez to run tests on. I am not certain how I will explain them should I be asked. I have some in my carry-on as they are really good! Tomorrow we leave the hostal at 7:30am and hope that our tickets purchased a month ago at Huarez get us to Lima where we booked in at the Hostal Espana for a few days of R&R before heading home on Tuesday night late.
Jim
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Friday, March 30, 2012
La Paz
Now that we are safely down from our late night adventure in El Alto, we are in a different hostal than the usual Hotel Torino. The Torino is in an old building near the Plaza Murillo, where the Presidential and Legislature Palacios are located. This plaza is where all the political action takes place and ther are always some group protesting (this includes blasting caps). This week it is the doctors (this is true). This was also close to the good ice cream.
We are now in Sopacachi, an up-scale area just down the road from the Canadian Consulate. The IMIF has a planned schedule for us, but the first day is spent doing laundry and finding where things are. Tuesday was our first visit to CATI, a sort of drop-in place for children and families ät risk¨. Joy taught art for a few hours. That evening we had a wonderful visit with Javier Fernandez, a great Bolivian water-colourist and a thoroughly charming gentleman. Artists just love comparing notes and , fortunately, for those of us that don´t understand them in either language, there was wine and munchies. By the time we left Joy and Javier were planning a joint show and Joy was re-thinking dry brush technique (whatever that is). On Wednesday Joy went back to CATI for another class. Thursday we met with Mario Conde Cruz, another water colourist and a teacher at the Academia Nationale de Bellas Artes. We had Mario four years ago and Joy was asked to teach his water colour course that evening. She did and it was a resounding success. She gave each student a large sheet and asked them to fill it in one hour. This is one of her favorite exercises and really stretches students.
Today Joy took Ivonne (a dentist who works with the Foundation) and Lucy out to paint in the plaza, while Ernesto and I went shopping for shoes for Anahi of Aucapata. We also visited the Witches Market, a tourist must.
Jim
We are now in Sopacachi, an up-scale area just down the road from the Canadian Consulate. The IMIF has a planned schedule for us, but the first day is spent doing laundry and finding where things are. Tuesday was our first visit to CATI, a sort of drop-in place for children and families ät risk¨. Joy taught art for a few hours. That evening we had a wonderful visit with Javier Fernandez, a great Bolivian water-colourist and a thoroughly charming gentleman. Artists just love comparing notes and , fortunately, for those of us that don´t understand them in either language, there was wine and munchies. By the time we left Joy and Javier were planning a joint show and Joy was re-thinking dry brush technique (whatever that is). On Wednesday Joy went back to CATI for another class. Thursday we met with Mario Conde Cruz, another water colourist and a teacher at the Academia Nationale de Bellas Artes. We had Mario four years ago and Joy was asked to teach his water colour course that evening. She did and it was a resounding success. She gave each student a large sheet and asked them to fill it in one hour. This is one of her favorite exercises and really stretches students.
Today Joy took Ivonne (a dentist who works with the Foundation) and Lucy out to paint in the plaza, while Ernesto and I went shopping for shoes for Anahi of Aucapata. We also visited the Witches Market, a tourist must.
Jim
Leftovers from the Land That Flat Forgot
Hola:
I love this title as it is one of my lasting memories of Aucapata, Cosnipata and Charaj. There is no flat only up or down. The scenery defies description but is always there despite the clouds which always work to change the scene. High clouds (4000 metres) hug the tops of the mountains, while the low ones ooze up from the valleys and over the sides of the hills to quickly blanket the villages in a cold fog. Then it disappears as quickly. Ivar Mendez told us that we would see an unbelievable country-side and he was completely correct.
The people of the three communities welcomed us and valued the lessons in creativity that Joy brought to their children. We loved all the children. They possess a long attention-span, uncluttered by the internet, computers, or TV. They create their own fun with what is available to them. For example one of the favourite games involves strapping empty plastic pop bottles to their feet and having another pull them down the grass slopes beside the plaza. Sort of like water skiing without water or a boat. A crash and laughter always result.
While a lot of time could be spent talking about the problems of nutrition, sanitation, access to services, etc, but there are also many positives. The pigs and horses roaming the streets negate any need for a power mower to cut the grass beside the plaza. The children walk for miles just to get to school and I can assure you that much of that is extremely steeply up-hill. A comparison with a similar sized group of N. American kids would be interesting, but would have to be done before the influence of computers and the internet.
Chaio
Jim
I love this title as it is one of my lasting memories of Aucapata, Cosnipata and Charaj. There is no flat only up or down. The scenery defies description but is always there despite the clouds which always work to change the scene. High clouds (4000 metres) hug the tops of the mountains, while the low ones ooze up from the valleys and over the sides of the hills to quickly blanket the villages in a cold fog. Then it disappears as quickly. Ivar Mendez told us that we would see an unbelievable country-side and he was completely correct.
The people of the three communities welcomed us and valued the lessons in creativity that Joy brought to their children. We loved all the children. They possess a long attention-span, uncluttered by the internet, computers, or TV. They create their own fun with what is available to them. For example one of the favourite games involves strapping empty plastic pop bottles to their feet and having another pull them down the grass slopes beside the plaza. Sort of like water skiing without water or a boat. A crash and laughter always result.
While a lot of time could be spent talking about the problems of nutrition, sanitation, access to services, etc, but there are also many positives. The pigs and horses roaming the streets negate any need for a power mower to cut the grass beside the plaza. The children walk for miles just to get to school and I can assure you that much of that is extremely steeply up-hill. A comparison with a similar sized group of N. American kids would be interesting, but would have to be done before the influence of computers and the internet.
Chaio
Jim
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Aucapata Week 3 (March 19 to March 25th)
Hi All:
To my surprise, when we got to the school in Aucapata, the Father´s Day celebrations were under way. Yes, this year I get 2 Father´s Days! The Bolivian one was very special as Fathers were invited to school and were entertained by dances and poetry performances. All the Fathers, including yours truly, were seated up front in the school yard. I was especially touched by little Anhi´s dance with 2 other little girls. She was so serious and dancing her heart out in her special gold dancing skirt................but, with the same broken sandals that she wears everyday. The Fathers were also part of the entertainment as reluctant volunteers first took part in an eating competition, then musical chairs and then potato peeling. I finally volunteered for the later and finished a dignified (and 10 fingered) last. Winners of the competitions got a big bottle of pop and were sprinkled with confetti. Joy did 2 classes on Monday and had the school principal and two teachers for the late afternoon class.
Tuesday we had an early thunderstorm, the first of our stay and the road in front of the house flowed like a river. But, as is usual here, the walk to Cosnipata was virtually rain-free. Dr. Amparo and the Director of the IMIF, Yumey, both arrived on the ¨Rojo¨bus at 5:30 and Yumey brought all sorts of goodies for the wrap up parties.
On Wednesday, our last official day at Aucapata school, Joy did a demonstration for the older kids while we set up the room that we had been using. By 12pm we had everything hung and the parents and teachers came to see what the kids had done and for cookies, Quinohua bars and yogurt. The school had a civic ceremony, at which, we were able to say a few words of thanks and present the students with some art supplies. Turn-out of parents was very good.
Thursday had us back in Charaj in a 4X4 driven by one of the miners. We had to leave at 6:30am and he drove a little fast for my liking. You must realize that on these roads, if you go off the one-lane road on the down-hill side, you can go a long way (at least 500metres) down before you stop! Our great plans of providing everyone with sandwiches still didn´t dissuade the women of Charaj from feeding us a hot meal, this time including Joy´s favourite................Guinea Pig! She loves those little faces with the teeth looking up from her plate! So if anyone back home wants to be a hit with Joy. Joy was still teaching when we heard the horn of Juan Carlos´bus up the hill. We had to pack and leave in a big hurry and sprint(??) up the hill. Fortunately Yumey was able to get in contact and Juan Carlos slowed down for us.
Friday was our last visit to Cosnipata.At least 4 parents stayed for the day, and we decorated the rooms with the kids art and then there were speaches and food. It was altogether a successful end to our time in Cosnipata and everyone appeared happy. Ernesto arrived with the truck that distributes breakfast food to 25 schools every month and a half. The rest of the day was spent making improvements to the house: ie a lock and window in the bathroom and replacing the refridgerator box in the kitchen with real working surfaces.
Saterday the miners (¨mineros¨) had a big meeting so there were 4X4s all over town. Unfortunately we couldn´t get one to take breakfast food down to Rosario. Joy had some students in the early afternoon and then, with the house decorated with a Nova Scotia flag and balloons, we had the last formal function, an open house. The place was filled for 3 hours with kids and adults. Joys 15 paintings were hung on the wall along with the work of her evening classes. After, when we were relaxing two of the kids, Jose and his sister Anhellica, came to the door to let us know that someone was selling avocados. After a number of purchases, they stayed for a sandwich. In a very touching moment, Joy gave Anhellica one of Danica´s necklaces, at which point, Jose jumped up at mid-bite, and raced away. He came back with a hand-carved wooden sling-shot which he gave to Joy. It was obviously prized!
Sunday we left in a 4X4 thanks to Don Manuel for La Paz. As we left at 2pm, we got to see the marvelous high country between Aucapata and the shores of Lake Titicaca. Unfortunately there was a dispute about whether or not the driver would go down into La Paz or just drop us in El Alto. That started a drama which ended with him possibly running out of gas in El Alto at about 1am. El Alto is not aplace that you want to be at night, but we were rescued by cel phones and Paz the best driver in La Paz.
Jim
To my surprise, when we got to the school in Aucapata, the Father´s Day celebrations were under way. Yes, this year I get 2 Father´s Days! The Bolivian one was very special as Fathers were invited to school and were entertained by dances and poetry performances. All the Fathers, including yours truly, were seated up front in the school yard. I was especially touched by little Anhi´s dance with 2 other little girls. She was so serious and dancing her heart out in her special gold dancing skirt................but, with the same broken sandals that she wears everyday. The Fathers were also part of the entertainment as reluctant volunteers first took part in an eating competition, then musical chairs and then potato peeling. I finally volunteered for the later and finished a dignified (and 10 fingered) last. Winners of the competitions got a big bottle of pop and were sprinkled with confetti. Joy did 2 classes on Monday and had the school principal and two teachers for the late afternoon class.
Tuesday we had an early thunderstorm, the first of our stay and the road in front of the house flowed like a river. But, as is usual here, the walk to Cosnipata was virtually rain-free. Dr. Amparo and the Director of the IMIF, Yumey, both arrived on the ¨Rojo¨bus at 5:30 and Yumey brought all sorts of goodies for the wrap up parties.
On Wednesday, our last official day at Aucapata school, Joy did a demonstration for the older kids while we set up the room that we had been using. By 12pm we had everything hung and the parents and teachers came to see what the kids had done and for cookies, Quinohua bars and yogurt. The school had a civic ceremony, at which, we were able to say a few words of thanks and present the students with some art supplies. Turn-out of parents was very good.
Thursday had us back in Charaj in a 4X4 driven by one of the miners. We had to leave at 6:30am and he drove a little fast for my liking. You must realize that on these roads, if you go off the one-lane road on the down-hill side, you can go a long way (at least 500metres) down before you stop! Our great plans of providing everyone with sandwiches still didn´t dissuade the women of Charaj from feeding us a hot meal, this time including Joy´s favourite................Guinea Pig! She loves those little faces with the teeth looking up from her plate! So if anyone back home wants to be a hit with Joy. Joy was still teaching when we heard the horn of Juan Carlos´bus up the hill. We had to pack and leave in a big hurry and sprint(??) up the hill. Fortunately Yumey was able to get in contact and Juan Carlos slowed down for us.
Friday was our last visit to Cosnipata.At least 4 parents stayed for the day, and we decorated the rooms with the kids art and then there were speaches and food. It was altogether a successful end to our time in Cosnipata and everyone appeared happy. Ernesto arrived with the truck that distributes breakfast food to 25 schools every month and a half. The rest of the day was spent making improvements to the house: ie a lock and window in the bathroom and replacing the refridgerator box in the kitchen with real working surfaces.
Saterday the miners (¨mineros¨) had a big meeting so there were 4X4s all over town. Unfortunately we couldn´t get one to take breakfast food down to Rosario. Joy had some students in the early afternoon and then, with the house decorated with a Nova Scotia flag and balloons, we had the last formal function, an open house. The place was filled for 3 hours with kids and adults. Joys 15 paintings were hung on the wall along with the work of her evening classes. After, when we were relaxing two of the kids, Jose and his sister Anhellica, came to the door to let us know that someone was selling avocados. After a number of purchases, they stayed for a sandwich. In a very touching moment, Joy gave Anhellica one of Danica´s necklaces, at which point, Jose jumped up at mid-bite, and raced away. He came back with a hand-carved wooden sling-shot which he gave to Joy. It was obviously prized!
Sunday we left in a 4X4 thanks to Don Manuel for La Paz. As we left at 2pm, we got to see the marvelous high country between Aucapata and the shores of Lake Titicaca. Unfortunately there was a dispute about whether or not the driver would go down into La Paz or just drop us in El Alto. That started a drama which ended with him possibly running out of gas in El Alto at about 1am. El Alto is not aplace that you want to be at night, but we were rescued by cel phones and Paz the best driver in La Paz.
Jim
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Aucapata (week 2)
We are slowly starting to settle into a pattern of life here. The power came on late on Monday, but no school as the teachers were not back from La Paz yet. Joy has art classes for everyone in the house when there is a chance. The teahers arrived back by bus on Tuesday and we got back into our schedule by going to Cosnipata on Wednesday. This time we took our dentist, Amparo, with us and combined dental health and art. Every child gets a basket with a towel and toothbrush of their own and we managed to hang these on a decorated ¨dental wall¨in each school. The teaher was issued toothpaste and encouraged to have the children brush as a group each day, usually after the breakfast that the IMIF provides. In some of the remote villages like Cosnipata and Charaj there is a language problem as well. Many of the children and parents do not speak Spanish, but only Quechua, an indigineous language. In Cosnipata this is complicated as both the teachers speak Aymara (another indigeous language) and Spanish. Imagine having to know three languages!
On Thursday we finally got to Charaj and what a spot it is. Don Manuel drove us there and the plan was to catch the bus (Juan Carlos´blue bus) back to Aucapata. Oh yes, before we left, we discovered that the water was off to the whole village. Charaj school is perched on the hillside looking over most of the houses that make up Charaj. It is a very unique place with the clouds coming up from the river far below and rain falling from blue skies and a rainbow over the top of the mountain above and all at the same time. Women communicate by talking in a normal voice from house to house when the winds are just right. The lone teaher who lives at the school blows a wistle over the valley to call the children to school. And what a kind, gentle man he is almost acting as a surrogate Father to the little ones in his care. There was a parents meeting when we arrived so school was late. Amparo got the honour of raising the flag during the singing of the national anthem. Some of the parents stayed and enjoyed the art classes and Joy loved having the women in traditional clothing in her class. Before we left, women brought us a hot meal of rice, egg, potato and salsa. They had to bring it from houses far away and we were all touched by their generosity. We hiked up to the road to wait for the bus and when it hadn´t arrived by 4pm, we decided to set off walking to make sure that we were home before dark. Nice walk as this road is mostly flat to downhill. We arrive about an hour before the bus.
By Friday we had water and power again and spent the day at the Aucapata school. Joy was quite surprised by a pig in the schoolyard, but I had been here long enough to not want to bother with the picture. Afterall, Joy´s first class at the house had as many pigs as kids in attendance.
On Saturday there was a big meeting of the Aucapata district and there were losts of folk in all sorts of outfits in Aucapata for the event. At the end of the meeting, the delegates were greeted by Joy and her class who were painting in the plaza.
On Sunday, our power line was fixed by the owner of the house and this fix seemed to have worked. Joy and I hiked up the hill behind Aucapata toward the cross on the top. The afternoon was spent with Joy painting and me watching the bus activity in the plaza. Bus arrivals and departures are announced by a loud blowing of the bus´horn and these old buses are loud! Unfortunately, even departures at 2am (quite usual) are announced the same way!
Jim
On Thursday we finally got to Charaj and what a spot it is. Don Manuel drove us there and the plan was to catch the bus (Juan Carlos´blue bus) back to Aucapata. Oh yes, before we left, we discovered that the water was off to the whole village. Charaj school is perched on the hillside looking over most of the houses that make up Charaj. It is a very unique place with the clouds coming up from the river far below and rain falling from blue skies and a rainbow over the top of the mountain above and all at the same time. Women communicate by talking in a normal voice from house to house when the winds are just right. The lone teaher who lives at the school blows a wistle over the valley to call the children to school. And what a kind, gentle man he is almost acting as a surrogate Father to the little ones in his care. There was a parents meeting when we arrived so school was late. Amparo got the honour of raising the flag during the singing of the national anthem. Some of the parents stayed and enjoyed the art classes and Joy loved having the women in traditional clothing in her class. Before we left, women brought us a hot meal of rice, egg, potato and salsa. They had to bring it from houses far away and we were all touched by their generosity. We hiked up to the road to wait for the bus and when it hadn´t arrived by 4pm, we decided to set off walking to make sure that we were home before dark. Nice walk as this road is mostly flat to downhill. We arrive about an hour before the bus.
By Friday we had water and power again and spent the day at the Aucapata school. Joy was quite surprised by a pig in the schoolyard, but I had been here long enough to not want to bother with the picture. Afterall, Joy´s first class at the house had as many pigs as kids in attendance.
On Saturday there was a big meeting of the Aucapata district and there were losts of folk in all sorts of outfits in Aucapata for the event. At the end of the meeting, the delegates were greeted by Joy and her class who were painting in the plaza.
On Sunday, our power line was fixed by the owner of the house and this fix seemed to have worked. Joy and I hiked up the hill behind Aucapata toward the cross on the top. The afternoon was spent with Joy painting and me watching the bus activity in the plaza. Bus arrivals and departures are announced by a loud blowing of the bus´horn and these old buses are loud! Unfortunately, even departures at 2am (quite usual) are announced the same way!
Jim
Aucapata (the weekend)
Joy had classes at the house today (Saturday) for much of the day. Power went off today, but line doesn´t seem broken. Seems like it is off for the entire village.
On Sunday we all loaded into Don Manuel´s truck for the trip to the ruins of Iskanwaya. This is described as the heart of Mollo culture although Don Manuel prefers to call it Iskanwayan culture. We left the truck for the last 300 metres (down) to the site which is the ruins of settlement about the same size as Macchu Picchu. The site is spectacular as it is towards the bottom of the valley but still hundreds of metres above the river in which the gold miners work. It has a commanding view of the approaches up the valley. Unfortunately, other than a metal fence, around which people walk, there has not been much done to try to stabilize or promote the site. During the 3 weeks we were in Aucapata there were 6 tourists; 3 Austrians, 2 Czechs, and 1 Argentinian, and not all had been to Iskanwaya. Used candle-lite in the house.
Jim
On Sunday we all loaded into Don Manuel´s truck for the trip to the ruins of Iskanwaya. This is described as the heart of Mollo culture although Don Manuel prefers to call it Iskanwayan culture. We left the truck for the last 300 metres (down) to the site which is the ruins of settlement about the same size as Macchu Picchu. The site is spectacular as it is towards the bottom of the valley but still hundreds of metres above the river in which the gold miners work. It has a commanding view of the approaches up the valley. Unfortunately, other than a metal fence, around which people walk, there has not been much done to try to stabilize or promote the site. During the 3 weeks we were in Aucapata there were 6 tourists; 3 Austrians, 2 Czechs, and 1 Argentinian, and not all had been to Iskanwaya. Used candle-lite in the house.
Jim
Aucapata
Hi Again:
Plans changed again. Originally, we were to walk to Charaj on Wednesday of the first week, but Joy decided, wisely, that she would not go that first week until Thursday and even then, maybe the rest of us would pre-position supplies there and she would go the following week. This was agreed to, and then we discussed possible transport options: donkey, horse, Don Manuel (our next door neighbour), bus back, etc. Turned out that that was cancelled as there was no school in Charaj. This was our first clue that something big was afoot.
Anyway we had three hours of school in Aucapata, and Joy was getting used to what was working with the kids and what was not. She also started a 2 hour after school class at the casa, aimed at reaching some of the older kids. I have started the habit of carrying a shiny new (?) set of Canadian coins with me, although Joy doesn´t see the purpose. Last trip I gave a set to the woman who guided us through the mint at Potosi. As the 5 Boliviana coin is now minted in Canada (bi-metalic like the toonie), it seemed appropriate. I showed this year´s set to the principal at Aucapata and he was so interested that he started to trace them. So I saved him the trouble and gave them to him after spending quite a while convincing him that he could keep them.
Next day, as school was cancelled at Charaj, we went back to Cosnipata. We had found out that all the teachers in the area were headed to La Paz for meetings and a protest on Friday, so there would be no school anywhere on Friday and probably Monday. We are getting used to the hike and with the scenery, it is becoming quite enjoyable. Joy did 3 hours in the class. I am not bored at all as there is plenty of ässisting¨to do.
We met the bus at 4:30pm as it carried our dentist, Amparo. Given that the house now has 5 person, Joy decided to invite Juan Carlos, the bus driver, and his family (wife and 2 kids) to dinner. Although I never did get the bus schedule down, the arrival at 4 - 6pm seemed usual, with a departure for La Paz at 2am the following morning. Anyway we had 9 for dinner that evening and chairs for 4.
Day 6 started with hot water changing to cold (very cold) as the power line fractured again! Today was a day for Joy to paint and relax so she organized a class at the house for all-comers, which was well-attended. We took advantage of the day by seeing the museum in town. We found some sources of clay near Aucapata and Ernesto and Lucy brought some in shortly after. Ernesto got the wires patched and power on, although it is obvious that the wire needs to be replaced.
One of the issues that we are having trouble with is the North American habit of eating at 12, noon, and at 5-6pm. Her they eat at about 2pm and 8pm. Given our age, Joy and I are in bed reading by 9pm, especially with all the fresh air, altitude and exercise.
Jim
Plans changed again. Originally, we were to walk to Charaj on Wednesday of the first week, but Joy decided, wisely, that she would not go that first week until Thursday and even then, maybe the rest of us would pre-position supplies there and she would go the following week. This was agreed to, and then we discussed possible transport options: donkey, horse, Don Manuel (our next door neighbour), bus back, etc. Turned out that that was cancelled as there was no school in Charaj. This was our first clue that something big was afoot.
Anyway we had three hours of school in Aucapata, and Joy was getting used to what was working with the kids and what was not. She also started a 2 hour after school class at the casa, aimed at reaching some of the older kids. I have started the habit of carrying a shiny new (?) set of Canadian coins with me, although Joy doesn´t see the purpose. Last trip I gave a set to the woman who guided us through the mint at Potosi. As the 5 Boliviana coin is now minted in Canada (bi-metalic like the toonie), it seemed appropriate. I showed this year´s set to the principal at Aucapata and he was so interested that he started to trace them. So I saved him the trouble and gave them to him after spending quite a while convincing him that he could keep them.
Next day, as school was cancelled at Charaj, we went back to Cosnipata. We had found out that all the teachers in the area were headed to La Paz for meetings and a protest on Friday, so there would be no school anywhere on Friday and probably Monday. We are getting used to the hike and with the scenery, it is becoming quite enjoyable. Joy did 3 hours in the class. I am not bored at all as there is plenty of ässisting¨to do.
We met the bus at 4:30pm as it carried our dentist, Amparo. Given that the house now has 5 person, Joy decided to invite Juan Carlos, the bus driver, and his family (wife and 2 kids) to dinner. Although I never did get the bus schedule down, the arrival at 4 - 6pm seemed usual, with a departure for La Paz at 2am the following morning. Anyway we had 9 for dinner that evening and chairs for 4.
Day 6 started with hot water changing to cold (very cold) as the power line fractured again! Today was a day for Joy to paint and relax so she organized a class at the house for all-comers, which was well-attended. We took advantage of the day by seeing the museum in town. We found some sources of clay near Aucapata and Ernesto and Lucy brought some in shortly after. Ernesto got the wires patched and power on, although it is obvious that the wire needs to be replaced.
One of the issues that we are having trouble with is the North American habit of eating at 12, noon, and at 5-6pm. Her they eat at about 2pm and 8pm. Given our age, Joy and I are in bed reading by 9pm, especially with all the fresh air, altitude and exercise.
Jim
Aucapata
Hi Again:
Trying to catch up on the past three weeks in Aucapata is proving to be a difficult chore. The first day of actual inter-action with the niños started with a very cold shower. It also started with a change of plans, a phenomenon to which we became used. The time for Joy´s first class was now 11 -2pm. We arrived at school at 10am to discover that there were opening ceremonies in our honour, which were very elaborate and welcoming. While the children sand the Bolivian national anthem with great gusto, Joy raised the flag with military precision (although she did need some hints from the sidelines). We (Joy, Lucy, and me) had seats of honour at the front while numerous adults spoke and selected students made what I would call dramatic readings (poetry). After we went from class to class saying hola and giving out Canada and Nova Scotia pins.
We found out that Joy had about 24 of the youngest students, but Joy showed great flexibility and we all had three hours of great fun and made a great mess. Paper mache is not too neat with kids this age! Ernesto stayed with us and was a great help with the clean-up. By the way, he also managed to get hot water for the shower at the house that the IMIF has just obtained in Aucapata.
The next day was our first trip to Cosnipata, a nearby (1 hour walk) village. When we awoke there was no electricty (the wire to the next house upon which we relied for our connection had broken) and pouring rain. But this is Aucapata and you can rely on the weather changing minute by minute. By the time Joy and I hit the trail, with my big pack filled with supplies, the sun was coming out. We left earlier than Ernesto and Lucy, but they knew the short-cut and met us within a few minutes, with a nice man who wante my pack to carry. Of course, I declined, but after Ernesto insisted I gave it up (I can hear you laughing Fred!). He was much smaller than me, but had no trouble at all with the pack. When you see the loads that these people carry and the hills that they climb, you would understand. The trip was mostly down-hill except for the last 1/4 which is steeply up-hill. Cosnipata is a small school with 2 teachers and about 17 kids. Joy did three hours with them and we left supplies there to make the loads lighter on future trips. The hike back was the reverse and we were pretty tired by the time we got back. I would be terribly remiss if I didn´t rave about the scenery on the walk. Like all of the roads here, the road to Cosnipata hugs the side of the mountain hundreds and hundreds of metres (think yards for those stuck in the öld¨system) above the river and the ruins of Iskanwaya. You don´t go off the road if you are driving here, because the next stop is............... way down!
Jim
Trying to catch up on the past three weeks in Aucapata is proving to be a difficult chore. The first day of actual inter-action with the niños started with a very cold shower. It also started with a change of plans, a phenomenon to which we became used. The time for Joy´s first class was now 11 -2pm. We arrived at school at 10am to discover that there were opening ceremonies in our honour, which were very elaborate and welcoming. While the children sand the Bolivian national anthem with great gusto, Joy raised the flag with military precision (although she did need some hints from the sidelines). We (Joy, Lucy, and me) had seats of honour at the front while numerous adults spoke and selected students made what I would call dramatic readings (poetry). After we went from class to class saying hola and giving out Canada and Nova Scotia pins.
We found out that Joy had about 24 of the youngest students, but Joy showed great flexibility and we all had three hours of great fun and made a great mess. Paper mache is not too neat with kids this age! Ernesto stayed with us and was a great help with the clean-up. By the way, he also managed to get hot water for the shower at the house that the IMIF has just obtained in Aucapata.
The next day was our first trip to Cosnipata, a nearby (1 hour walk) village. When we awoke there was no electricty (the wire to the next house upon which we relied for our connection had broken) and pouring rain. But this is Aucapata and you can rely on the weather changing minute by minute. By the time Joy and I hit the trail, with my big pack filled with supplies, the sun was coming out. We left earlier than Ernesto and Lucy, but they knew the short-cut and met us within a few minutes, with a nice man who wante my pack to carry. Of course, I declined, but after Ernesto insisted I gave it up (I can hear you laughing Fred!). He was much smaller than me, but had no trouble at all with the pack. When you see the loads that these people carry and the hills that they climb, you would understand. The trip was mostly down-hill except for the last 1/4 which is steeply up-hill. Cosnipata is a small school with 2 teachers and about 17 kids. Joy did three hours with them and we left supplies there to make the loads lighter on future trips. The hike back was the reverse and we were pretty tired by the time we got back. I would be terribly remiss if I didn´t rave about the scenery on the walk. Like all of the roads here, the road to Cosnipata hugs the side of the mountain hundreds and hundreds of metres (think yards for those stuck in the öld¨system) above the river and the ruins of Iskanwaya. You don´t go off the road if you are driving here, because the next stop is............... way down!
Jim
Monday, March 26, 2012
Aucapata, March 3rd and 4th
Hi Folks:
After 3 weeks (22 days actually) without internet, it is time to catch up. After the week in La Paz, buying art supplies, groceries and meeting the people at the Ivar Mendez International Foundation, we met the bus at the office to load beds, refridgerator, stove, groceries, et al. We had spent the morning lazing around the Plaza Murillo and watching the people feed the hundreds of pidgeons that hang out there.
The bus was the usual Mercedes Benz of unknown vintage driven by Juan Carlos accompanied by his wife and son and daughter. I figured that from what I knew of the road to Aucapata, it was good to have a driver who took along his family. Should make him pretty prudent and in Juan Carlos´case it seems true. We were off at about 4pm and after a bit of confusion finding the old route up to El Alto, we arrived at the top. For those who don´t know, La Paz is built in a deep canyon along a river, and El Alto is a city that has built up on the high prairie. It was created by folks resettling from the country, and now is larger than La Paz itself. The airport is in El Alto. The main road through El Alto is under-going some major re-construction and so it was another hour before we cleared that city. By the time we passed Lake Titicaca it was getting dark and we climbed in the dark. The bus was drafty and very cold so that Joy and I had on every stich of clothes that we had. I even had on my Balaklava and gloves. Sleeping was fitfull and I awoke on a number of occasions to see a rock wall filling the windsheild before a sudden turn left or right.
At about 2:30am we arrived at a village square, whereupon Ernesto Landivar, our only accompanying person from IMIF, took off from the bus. As we were to take about 15 - 16 hours to reach Aucapata, we weren´t certain what was going on as Juan Carlos navigated the bus through a narrow space between a dumptruck and a wall. I finally dawned on me that this was Aucapata and Juan Carlos had managed to get us there in about 10 hours. We found the house and Ernesto had obtained the key. We spent the next 2 hours or so unloading the bus and finding mattresses to sleep on. The next morning (Sunday, March 4th) while Joy managed to get some sleep, Ernesto and I carried and put together beds and set up the appliances, and put away food.
When I awoke at 7am, I had my first introduction to the beauty that is the Aucapata area. I watched the clouds rise from the valley many hundreds of metres below. Although the sky was clear, by 8am the entire village was covered in cloud as thick as any Nova Scotia fog. Joy immediately had me cutting up chicken wire into squares for the first art class the next day. Ernesto took me on a tour of the village while Joy was sleeping which included going to the ¨Mirador¨where I had a view of the valley which would be so much a part of our life over the next 3 weeks. One of the main events in Aucapata is the arrival of one of the scheduled buses, but this Sunday the bus broke down about 2 hours and 500 metres in altitude away, so Lucy, another co-worker had to hike to Aucapata in the cold. Even though it is the equivalent of late summer, early Fall, at these heights it can get quite cold, particularly at night. By the time we got to sleep at 9pm we were beat.
After 3 weeks (22 days actually) without internet, it is time to catch up. After the week in La Paz, buying art supplies, groceries and meeting the people at the Ivar Mendez International Foundation, we met the bus at the office to load beds, refridgerator, stove, groceries, et al. We had spent the morning lazing around the Plaza Murillo and watching the people feed the hundreds of pidgeons that hang out there.
The bus was the usual Mercedes Benz of unknown vintage driven by Juan Carlos accompanied by his wife and son and daughter. I figured that from what I knew of the road to Aucapata, it was good to have a driver who took along his family. Should make him pretty prudent and in Juan Carlos´case it seems true. We were off at about 4pm and after a bit of confusion finding the old route up to El Alto, we arrived at the top. For those who don´t know, La Paz is built in a deep canyon along a river, and El Alto is a city that has built up on the high prairie. It was created by folks resettling from the country, and now is larger than La Paz itself. The airport is in El Alto. The main road through El Alto is under-going some major re-construction and so it was another hour before we cleared that city. By the time we passed Lake Titicaca it was getting dark and we climbed in the dark. The bus was drafty and very cold so that Joy and I had on every stich of clothes that we had. I even had on my Balaklava and gloves. Sleeping was fitfull and I awoke on a number of occasions to see a rock wall filling the windsheild before a sudden turn left or right.
At about 2:30am we arrived at a village square, whereupon Ernesto Landivar, our only accompanying person from IMIF, took off from the bus. As we were to take about 15 - 16 hours to reach Aucapata, we weren´t certain what was going on as Juan Carlos navigated the bus through a narrow space between a dumptruck and a wall. I finally dawned on me that this was Aucapata and Juan Carlos had managed to get us there in about 10 hours. We found the house and Ernesto had obtained the key. We spent the next 2 hours or so unloading the bus and finding mattresses to sleep on. The next morning (Sunday, March 4th) while Joy managed to get some sleep, Ernesto and I carried and put together beds and set up the appliances, and put away food.
When I awoke at 7am, I had my first introduction to the beauty that is the Aucapata area. I watched the clouds rise from the valley many hundreds of metres below. Although the sky was clear, by 8am the entire village was covered in cloud as thick as any Nova Scotia fog. Joy immediately had me cutting up chicken wire into squares for the first art class the next day. Ernesto took me on a tour of the village while Joy was sleeping which included going to the ¨Mirador¨where I had a view of the valley which would be so much a part of our life over the next 3 weeks. One of the main events in Aucapata is the arrival of one of the scheduled buses, but this Sunday the bus broke down about 2 hours and 500 metres in altitude away, so Lucy, another co-worker had to hike to Aucapata in the cold. Even though it is the equivalent of late summer, early Fall, at these heights it can get quite cold, particularly at night. By the time we got to sleep at 9pm we were beat.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
On Our Way
We have spent the past week shopping for art supplies, and groceries for 3 weeks in Aucapata. For those who may not be aware, Joy and I are heading to a remote (15 - 16 hours depending on the roads) Andean village called Aucapata. The best way to get an idea of the landscape is to check the ¨Google Maps¨satellite shot. While we will have a cel phone and there is service and there is a health centre with a nurse, and the Ivar Mendez International Foundation has a house there, there will be no internet access, soI will not be able to up-date this blog until we return.
Joy will be teaching art with a dental slant, in three schools in 3 villages within walking distance. The walks may be slow because of the altitude, but I think that we are becoming aclimatized to the 3800 metres here in La Paz. Joy is very excited and has developed a fun program and will be ably assisted by Lucy, an art student who ran a program in Aucapata last year. The IMIF has a dental health program in the same area and we will have a dentist joining us on Tuesday. She speaks some English, but Lucy does not nor does Ernesto who will also be sharing the bus ride. Language will be an issue, but this week Joy had an opportunity to work her magic with a group of children at an institution here in La Paz and language was no issue.
My job is to provide the muscle, a little Spanish, and a complete HD video record of the event. I may also be required to talk a little about Canada and Nova Scotia, if a teacher wants such an event. I have NS and Canada pins, as well as a NS flag and a complete set of Canadian coins to illustrate a talk. I recommend anyone travelling to go and see their local MP and MLA for a supply of these. They come in handy. I forget where it was, but we were sitting next to a birthday party for a young girl. She became upset over something and started crying, so as we left I presented her with a NS pin and the crying quickly stopped. It is amazing the power of those little pins!
Well we are off!
Joy will be teaching art with a dental slant, in three schools in 3 villages within walking distance. The walks may be slow because of the altitude, but I think that we are becoming aclimatized to the 3800 metres here in La Paz. Joy is very excited and has developed a fun program and will be ably assisted by Lucy, an art student who ran a program in Aucapata last year. The IMIF has a dental health program in the same area and we will have a dentist joining us on Tuesday. She speaks some English, but Lucy does not nor does Ernesto who will also be sharing the bus ride. Language will be an issue, but this week Joy had an opportunity to work her magic with a group of children at an institution here in La Paz and language was no issue.
My job is to provide the muscle, a little Spanish, and a complete HD video record of the event. I may also be required to talk a little about Canada and Nova Scotia, if a teacher wants such an event. I have NS and Canada pins, as well as a NS flag and a complete set of Canadian coins to illustrate a talk. I recommend anyone travelling to go and see their local MP and MLA for a supply of these. They come in handy. I forget where it was, but we were sitting next to a birthday party for a young girl. She became upset over something and started crying, so as we left I presented her with a NS pin and the crying quickly stopped. It is amazing the power of those little pins!
Well we are off!
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