Puma Marca - School Kitchen

The school at PumaMarca has its own kitchen staffed on a roster basis by mothers, and Daniela, who seems to be there every day. A meal is prepared each day for the children who receive it after they have washed their hands and applied the dispensed skin cream. As part of the total program the children also receive a bread roll, and a piece of fruit, all dispensed by volunteers.



(Left - the main cooking area with its stove and tubs for the food)

At times the food dispensed at the school may be the only food that the child has that day)







(Right - Daniel with one of the mothers. Most of them attend complete with child trussed to their backs)

(Right - Daniel, of the happy smiling countenance at work preparing some food)

More Building Progress

Now they ready to lay the floor boards. They use a tongue and grooved board. One of the difficulties in Peru is that in general timber is NOT dried before being supplied, so it is quite common for the timber to twist, warp or cup. Timber is normally sought that the timber yard has had in stock for some time, and thus had some chance of drying out.

(Left - some of the boards have been layed)

(Right - the boards are layed as close to the adjoining board as possible. Then a curved piece of steel with 2 pointed ends is hammered into the supporting transverse piece of wood.)

(Left - this piece of ateel us used as a brace against which wedges can be hammered to put pressuer on the latest floor board forcing it up against its neighbour)

(Right - foreman Jesus saws another plan to size)

(Left - the next plank is placed and the task continues)

Kindergarten Building Progress

I trust that you don't get bored with the continuing series on the construction of our new kindergarten, but from a technical point of view I find the trade detail very interesting in comparison with the way that we do it in Australia.

(Left - the end of the building. Plaster has been applied to the top part of the wall, and a cement render to the bottom for harder wear)


(Right - the side of the building showing the lower concrete level)

(Left - the building still needs a footpath alongside, so a workman digs a trench for the placement of the footpath)

(Right - inside the building is prepared for the floor boards. Transverse beams are layed and then earth packed into the spaces between to provide a level surface for the boards)

(Left - the earth prior to being packed down prior to laying of the floor boards)

(Right - the earth filled spaces between the support joists)




(Left - work safety is very low on the agenda here. Note the workman working with a pick and shovel has open sandals!!!)

Teaching English

One of my tasks is to help teach English. Over the week we take classes on all three mornings - classes 1 & 2 on Mondays, 3 & 4 on Fridays and grades 5 & 6 on Wednesdays. In general the lessons cover similar content - with simple changes from mainly colouring and selection for the lower grades to puzzles and pronunciation for the upper levels.

(Left - the grade 6 teacher Ophelia at her desk as Trevor prepares to start for the lesson)

For my first two months I had the advantage of working with Trevor and ex-school teacher and principal, who admitted that he had not taught for many years. However his basic training stood us in good stead, as we developed courses. I was mainly a "gopher" ready to assist where possible, and also correct the work of the children.

(Right - the children at their desks listen to the lesson)

(Left - Volunteer Trevor and Staffer Courtney explain a journey that Trevor recently made, with the aid of a map)

(Right - students puzzle over their "find a word" puzzles, which I prepared for them)

(Left - another student puzzles away)

Lake Titicaca - Island of Taquile

At the finish of our home stay our host family escorted us back don the hill to the boats, and bade us farewell.

(Left - we came down to our waiting craft)

Our stays had been varied depending on the family and home in which we stayed. They ranged from separate rooms in some places to sharing in others. Eating differed from with the family to separate. In addition some places had adequate electricity, whilst others had none. Again as it was summed up it was an "experience".



(Right - the host families escorted their charges back down to the boats)

(Left - we say farewell to our host families - they certainly did eveything to make our visit a memorable one)

(Right - leaving Amantani we make the one hour crossing to the island of Taquile - on the horizon)


(Left - we berthed at one of the two docks on the island. This side is much less steep than the other side, so the climb wasn't too bad)

(Right - the climb was still UP, but not as steep as Amantani)

(Left - most of the path is sealed, making it quite easy going. However, spare a thought for the little old lady at the rear of our group and her heavy load)

(Right - the paths lead up to the apparently single town on the island)


(Left - as seems traditional the town has a square)

(Right - apparently the city office building in the town square)

(Left - one of the buildings in the town square has been given over to the making and sale of local crafts - again the usual items. One floor advertised that you could see the local women at work - but we found only men knitting!!)

(Right - from the top of the craft building the local community spreads out in the terraced landscape)


(Left - again as seems common on these islands, most of the lanes are narrow and also quite steep, as they too hug the terrain)

(Right - at the top of the rise we can view over Lake Titicaca again)




(Left - then it is a steep climb down to the boats. This is the other side of the island. We avoided the steep climb by coming round the other side of the island)

(Right - our boat awaits for the return journey)

(Right - with the Peruvian flag fluttering we set off for the 4 hour journey back to Puno)

Andean Express - Puno to Cuzco

At the finish of our visit to Lake Titicaca we had decided that we would pamper ourselves and ride the Andean Express - supposedly one of the ten most attractive train trips in the world. As it was so special, the prices were made to match - US$190 per person - each way. In addition charges on board were in US$. The train runs several times a week between Cuzco and Puno and reservations are required.

(Left - we board our car, and are greeted by our car steward)

(Right - I am seated in my chair, with my own table. )

(Left - shades of the fabled Orient Express. No seats here, but chairs that one can move around, complete with indidual table and little table lamp)

(Right - the train also has a trailing observation car and lounge, complete with bar)

(Left - the fare includes a complimentary pisco sour served at 11am, plus lunch and afternoon tea served at 4pm. Our car steward collects the orders)

(Right - Peru's Challenge staffer Courtney enjoys the rear observation car)

(Left - the countryside crossed is quite desolate)

(Right - the entrance to the town of Juliaca, and industrialised city that manufactures almost anything possible. It is also a town devoid of tourists due to the high crime rate)

(Left - industry is anywhere in the town. Notice the road and trackside welding operation in the foreground)


(Right - there are no controlled level crossings - the moment the trin has passed, crossing starts again)

(Left - at Juliaca some train inspection is carriede out on the wheels!!!!???)


(Right - Julicaca also has a market, and what better place than to be beside the train tracks. Not onhly beside, but on, around, etc. The train passes inches from pedestrians and merket people)

(Left - the train has passed, so pedestrians are free to cross the tracks)


(Right - seconds after the train has passed the tracks have disappeared under a thriving mass of humanity)


(Left - a stall holder drags her tarpaulin across the tracks to display her wares)

(Right - some of the goods are displayed BETWEEN the train tracks)



(Left - displays BETWEEN the tracks)

(Right - the train passing is an inconvenience to the vendors and their customers)

(Left - the train tracks are a good place to prop the bicycles one has for sale!!)


(Right - leaving Juliaca and the industrialisation behind)


(Left - crossing the open plains again)


(Right - some llamas idlyn watch our passing)

(Left - the rear observation car is an idal place to pass the time and meet fellow travellers)

(Right - entertainment in the form of traditional dances and music is provided during the trip)



(Left - the observation car)

(Right - the train snakes its way across the plains)




(Left - we pass isolated communities)


(Right - washing in one community continues despite our passing)

(Left - meals are served with military precision on the train. The staff march out carrying a number of plates, pause at th relevant tables and desposit the plates. They are cleared with the same military exactness - and woe betide you if you haven't finished your plate in the prescribed time!!! )

(Right - the kitchen on board is small but adequate for the service)




(Left - our eastbound train pauses for a westbound train)

(Right - we pass between many mountain ranges - some with snow caps)

(Left - many herds of alpacas and llamas can be seen beside the tracks)



(Right - snow capped ranges)




(Left - the highest point of the crossing - at La Raya - the same place at which the bus stopped on the outward journey)

(Right - me beside the engine at the highest point - 4313 metres)

(Left - the hawkers are still there with their wares)




(Right - with the sun setting we follow the river back into Cuzco)

Lake Titicaca - Amantani Home Stay

From Uros it is almost another three hours cruising to reach the iland of Amantani.

This is quite a large island, and the main feature here is that the local people offer a home stay with a local family. As we discovered these home stays can have quite differing experiences. The general concensus was "interesting".


(Left - arrival at the port for Amantani)

(Right - the local hosts line up on one side, whilst the tourists await to find who they will be hosted by.)

(Left - after being allocated a host family you start the long walk up the hillside to your home for the night. We estimated the walk to be about 1.8kms, and on a constant slope of around 30 degrees UP. We had frequent pauses, and fortunately we all carried back packs which made it a BIT easier.)

(Right - one of the rest stops.)

(Left - ever onward AND upward we dragged ourselves)

(Right - in some parts there were nicely layed paths to walk along - it was still hard going up, but a bit easier)

(Left - the view from the front yard of my host family - it is a long way down!!)

(Right - my host house. Notice the building high up on the right of the picture!! Yes it is the toilet, construced over a large pit!! It quite freaked out the girls who were staying with me.)


(Left - the bedrooms that we used - upstairs. But we did have electric light in the room)

(Right - bedrooms were simply furnished, and other facilities provided - just in case!!!)

(Left - the bedroom was simply furnished, with three beds. There were adequate blankets but they weighed a "ton". The base was of wooden slats covered with a layer of bamboo. In the morning one of the wooden slats in my bed broke as I tried to quietly arise)

(Right - my host father was obviously a farmer, and there were several types of potatoes drying outside. I noticed that the mother came out to collect some for the meals)

(Left - Mother at the far end tends the cooking on an open fire, whilst daughter prepares some of the food for dinner)

(Right - the daughter prepares some vegetables)

(Left - daughter comes with three bowls of steaming potato soup for us. Dad stands on the left)

(Right - we were dressed in appropriate costumes, mostly made by the locals. These head coverings are amazingly effective.)


(Left - the sun sets over Lake Titicaca)


(Right - for the visitors, the locals put on a dance, and it is expected that all will join in the tradition and be dressed appropriately. For the girls this appears to be a vert involved process with layers and layers of clothing. Our host mother and daughter applied themselves. Not quite sure of the match of the traditional clothes with the slacks that Geena is wearing!!!)

(Left - the dressing continues. In the back corner Sho-Shallah has completed with the black shawl)

(Right - Geena is tied off in the front!!)




(Left - by contrast the male dressing is much simpler - stick your head in the hole in the middle of the poncho and place a hat on your head. This costume is very warm, as I discovered through energetic dancing)

(Right - the locals put on a dance when there are enough visitors, with almost nonstop dancing to the music provided by two bands - one at each end of the hall)

(Left - my host family!! My Madre kept asking me to dance, and it fairly wore me out. The dances were all energetic, and considering the altitude it was quite an effort. But no amount of pleading got me off - they were determined that I would enjoy myself - even if it killed me!!)

Lake Titicaca - Uros - The Floating Islands

First stop on our journey on Lake Titicaca is Uros, more commonly known as the floating islands.


(Left - we enter a channel through the totora cane, heading for the floating islands)

These islands are actually floating, constructed of a cane called totora, which grows in abundance in the area. The cane is harvested and then layed over the previous layer. Houses are made of the same cane, and as another layer is added to the top, the house is picked up and replaced over the new layer. The cane is tethered with cords to the base of the lake to prevent drifting. Over time the layers matt together and form a base, which is quite solid but does give a sinking sensation as one walks on it.

The people live their whole lives on these floating islands, quite separate from the mainland people.

Nowadays their main subsistence is the tourist industry, with boats coming each day. The boats are greeted by traditionally dressed people. The visitors are given tours of the islands, chances to dress traditionally, visits to the houses, and of course the chance to buy crafts. The tourist season last approximately six months, during the warmer months.


(Right - some villagers lined up waiting to greet our boat)

(Left - the traditional huts, constructed of the totora cane. These sit on a base, and the whole house can be easily picked up when it is time to lay a new foundation)

(Right - we come alongside and a traditionally dressed woman waits to greet us)

(Left - as well as being given talks on the structure of the islands we are given a demonstration of the traditional method of exchanging goods, by barter)

(Right - local handicrafts are also available to buy. Even the little girl is quite adept at selling)


(Left - tourists are able to dress in traditional costume. Here volunteers Donna, Garry and Jess try some on for size and comfort.)

(Right - some of the goods on display for purchase)


(Left - the islanders also construct their boats from the same cane used sa their island base)

(Right - the islanders line up to sing a farewell song, and thank us for visiting)



(Left - and so we say farewell to the floating islands of Uros)

Lake Titicaca - The Lake

At Puno, we are ready for our trip out on Lake Titicaca. The lake is also the boundary between Peru and Bolivia.
(Left - the stocks of supplies on display at the port shops)

We are picked up from our hotel and taken to the port. This is the jumping off point for trips to the Islands of Uros, Amantani and Taquile. The latter two islands are some 3 hours by boat.
First stop at the harbour is to the shops where we buy supplies for the night on the island of Amantani with a host family. The shops here carry the normal items that one takes - rice, sugar, tinned milk, fruit, vegetables, etc - all ready packed in 1kg bags. We each buy about Sol 20 (Aus $ 8) of items to take as a gift. There is no charge made by the host family, but we believed that the cost is included in our ticket somewhere.

(Right - bottles of water are also a last minute purchase as we are unsure of availability later in the day)

(Left - the myriad of cruise boats moored waiting for their passengers)

(Right - the harbour at Puno)

(Left - our captain takes up the wheel)

(Right - the cabin of our little craft)

(Left - we leave Puno behind)

(Right - Puno from the water)

(Left - the terraced mountain as we head across the lake)

Cuzco to Puno

One of the trips included in the 8 and 12 week volunteers is to Lake Titicaca, said to be the highest navigable lake in the world.

(Left - our First Class coach stops at the first scenic spot)

There are two ways of getting there - by bus or train. There are two bus services - one an express available night or day, which takes about 7 hours, and is very similar to our Australian interstate express coaches. The second bus service is a tourist bus, taking around 10 hours and with five sightseeing stops and commentary on the way. The Company name for this service is "First Class" which misleads many people. However, it is very similar to our long distance coaches with reclining seats and toilet equipped. (However, so of the local roads are pretty bad with pot holes, making a visit to the loo, quite an experience as you jolt along!!)

(Right - the first stop on the way - Andahuaylillas - the American Sistine Chapel. Inside this church is beautifully decorated, including gold leaf, said to be 24 carat. It was also built over the foundations of an earlier Inca place of worship - again an attempt by the Catholic Church to stamp out the local religion)

(Left - another view of the 3 crosses erected at Andahuaylillas)

The other means of travel is by the Andean Express run by Peru Rail, and said to be among the 10 most scenic train journeys in the world (this probabaly means that it is No 10!) To travel on this train is very expensive with a charge of around US$180 a single trip. Everything on the train is then charged in US$, and if you cannot pay in that currency you can convert to Peruvian Soles at an exchange rate of 3.3, compared to a normal rate of around 2.8!! So they make money, hand over fist!!

(Right - the bus continues overland through scenic country)

Most people making the trip travel to Puno by the First Class tourist bus and then return on the overnight service on the third night. Being quite aged, our group decided that we would go the full first class route we would stay over for an extra night and catch the Andean Express back. So this and the next few blog will cover that journey to Lake Titicaca and back.

(Left - more countryside on the journey)


(Right - Raqchi, Wiracocha's Palace)

The first stop is a visit to Andahuaylillas, to visit the beautifully decorated chapel. Then onto Raqchi (Wiracocha's Palace) to view the Inca ruins there. Just prior to lunch we stop at a (tourist site), where they have some recreations of early Inca buildings, and some llamas o0n display. They also have a selection of the usual tourist giftware.

(Left - the remaining wall at the Inca site - made from a combination of adobe and adobe mud brick)

(Being conscious of animals I had a look at the tethered llamas to find that they have rarely been allowed to run on normal ground as their toe nails were overgrown and curve. Shortly the animal will be crippled.) A stop is made for a buffet lunch (again a quandry as to what to select to avoid chances of salmonella), where we are also serenaded by a group of Peruvian folk singers - who just happened to have CDs of their music for sale!! Another stop is made at a small museum which has been established close to some Inca archealogical diggings - but no photographs are allowed to be taken.

(Right - beside the wall at Raqchi, the bases of these columns remain. They once supported a roof from the main structure on the right)

(Left - even in circular structures the Incas retained the exactness of the fitted stone blocks)

Then on to the last section of the highway, which our guide pointed out was not in such good condition as the previous section - he was right!!! Previously I think the road had pot holes, but this section appeared to be pot holes joined together by road!!! (Forget the on board toilet). Most of this road was toll way, but there appeared to be little traffic that actually used it. We were told that this is because most people don't have cars, and if they do they don't have to go anywhere. So most of the traffic we saw was buses or transports.

(Right - through one of the arches of the standing wall. Notice the fitted stone blocks at the base, facing the rougher adobe mud structure)

(Left - a llama at the tourist stop)





(Right - yours truly with a baby alpaca at the tourist stop)

(Left - we pass another village on the journey)

(Left and Right - the highest point on the road between Cuzco and Puno is Feliza Viaje, near La Raya, where the altitude is 4,335 metres above sea level. The bus stops here for photos, and the opportunity to buy some more souveniers!!)


(Right - the tourist sellers are in abundance again here at Feliz Viaje)

(Left - finally with a sinking sun and after some 10 hours of travel we sight Lake Titicaca and make the run down into the town of Puno.)

Home Visit - 2

Hello readers. Have you decided to help yet??


(Left - one of the beds occupied by the boys)

I am unashamedly showing these pictures in the hope that some of you may see thye way clear to help some of these local people. There isonly so much that they can do by themselves, and in general they are trying to make it - scratching some food from here, or undertaking some local craft to raise a few soles (local currency). The alternative is to go without -and that item missing is so often food!! Peru is not a welfare state, so there is no generous Centrelink to hand out money.

(Right - clothing is hung where a spot can be found - don't ask about washing facilities.There is no running water to the house. Water must be obtained from the communal tap in the main street.)

This home that I am showing this time is an adobe mud brick house built by the volunteers for three boys. Their father was an alcoholic and their mother was heading the same way. A little while back the mother was told that if she gave up the alcohol and helped Peru's Challenge volunteers would help build the family a house. But the family had to make all the bricks. The mother gave up alcohol and helped in the making of the bricks, along with the eldest boy, who is15 years of age.

(Left - this corner of the single room is used to store food - when they have it)

The house was completed, but the Mother moved out again. The eldest boy now looks after his younger siblings. These photos were taken in their house. Peru's Challenge have also arranged food parcels and are paying for a neighbour to cook regular meals for the boys.

The house is situated down a slope, about a 5 minute walk from the main road. The house has no electricity, no running water, no gas, no refrigeration, and no toilet facilities. (Imagine that in your house!!)


(Right - cooking is done outside on an open fire. How would you do with this sort of arrangement?)

(Left - an empty chicken coop stands beside the door)


(This is why I decided to become a sponsor - I think that I can do without some of the luxuries that we have in Australia, and perhaps help some one else enjoy some BASICS of life)

Home Visit - 1

Well, friends, I will be quite candid about these HomeVisits. I have been struck by the sheer poverty of some of these people,BUT despite their hardship they still manage to have a bright smile on their faces, they try to eke out some form of existence, will still welcome you, AND they are not lining up- for some handout!!!! Not that I think there are many!!!!!

(Left - we walk down the track to the HomeVisit house)

To go into these houses, where they have so little, and yet there does not appear to be any animosity, gives one a great feeling. I also know that I will go home to a good meal (despite having cooked it myself), and three a day, a warm bed and clothing, and also tomorrow I will probably spend more money on souveniers, than that family will spend on food in a week. It helps also on visit to have the little children rush up, clutch a hand or give me a hug with the words "Amigo, Miguel"(my name here).

(Right - social worker Eres knocks on the front door - well there really in't a front door, so we announce our arrival with a "Hola")

These are some of the reasons that I have offered to become a sponsor. Peru's Challenge is running a program to attract sponsors - someone who will provide funds to help a familysurvive, and also perhaps to help some child in that family break out of their born situation, and progress on to a better life.

(Right - we had come to check on the living conditions of the family. It was reported that they needed windows for upstairs. This is upstairs, and it is obvious that they don't need windows, as the upstairs has NO WALLS!!!)

So here are some pictures of another family and their situation.

(Left - Volunteer Garry walks along the upstairs passage way between the 2 rooms where the children sleep.)

(Right - the room upstairs has a desk for the children to use to do their homework. It also has a lovely view. However, notice that there is NO windowand the wall to the left is simply a hung sheet.)

(Left - this is where the front wall should be - but again it is a suspended sheet. Try keeping out much with that!! And at this timeof the year, the area is suffering heavy frosts on some mornings.)

(Right - access to the second floor is via a very ricketty ladder- try that up and down in the dark to visit the bathroom!!!)

(Left -upstairs the children share beds, and these are on the floor. Note the front wall of split bamboo, again not very good at keeping out the drafts)

(Right - downstairs another bed is also shared, but the adobe walls do provide a bit more protection from the elements.)

(Left - the main family room and kitchen. No cupboards, pantries, surplus food or fridges. These are most of the family possessions.)

(Left - here is the cooking facility for the house!!)


NOW WITH THESE PHOTOS, HOW DO YOU THINK THESE COMPARE WITH YOUR PLACE. FEEL THAT PERHAPS YOU COULD HELP SOME PERUVIAN FAMILY SURVIVE????

Farewell - May Volunteers

One of the hardest days at the school is the last day!!!! And all volunteers have to go through it.

(Left - the departing volunteers are seated on the front bench in front of all the students)

Over the time the volunteers have met and made friends with many of the children. Many of the children know your name and call as you walk around the playgrounds, or enter the classroom. In addition we have made some connections with some families through home visits, delivery of food packages or sponsorship.

But the day comes when the volunteers have to leave, and this can be a very emotional moment for the volunteers.

(Right - the children are lined up with their little bunches of flowers)

At the end of the work morning the volunteers leaving are assembled on a bench at the front. All the children are lined up in their classes facing them. The Principal makes a speech, and then some selected students sing songs or recite poems. All the children sing together, and then Jane (founder of Peru's Challenge present the service certificates to the volunteers individually)

(Left - the children check out their flowers!)
Then the children are invited to approach their special volunteer and present a small bunch of flowers that they have brought. These are always accompanied with a hug.

After that ALL the children in the school line up and file past and hug each of the volunteers. As you may imagine this takes sometime, and also results in a lot of emotion from the departing volunteers. So far I have seen one farewell but there will be another two before my farewell on July 23rd.

(Right - volunteer Gerard, more commonly known around the school as "wakey-wakey", receives a bunch and a hug from a young friend)

Anyway, enjoy these photos, and just think that YOU COULD ALSO BE PART OF THIS EXPERIENCE. See the Peru's Challenge website!!

(Left and Right - volunteers receive their flowers and hugs from the students)

(Left - Volunteers receive their flowers)

(Right - the Principal lines up the children for their individual presentations)

(Left - the volunteers sit, facing the stage, whilst the children stand behind)


(Right - some of the girls give a presentation)

(Left - the Principal accompanies someof the boys with a song)

(Right - Volunteer Gerard receives his certificate from founder Jane)



(Left - as a finale, ALL the children file past with hugs for each the volunteers - a few damp eyes here!)


(Right - the May volunteers - me in front, 2nd from right)

Building - More Progress

Here is some more progress on our new kindergarten building. We are stillhoping that it will be finished before I leave in late August.

(Left - Volunteers Claes and Gerard uses picks to "pick" out the pattern of the joints between the bricks)


After laying of the adobe mud bricks, and the plaster on the top part of the walls and ceiling and eaves, the lower part needs to be prepared for the application of the cement render. This cement is harder and more protective than the plaster upper levels.

(Right - Volunteer Gerard weilds a mean pick on the brick work)

(Left - the wall after the joints between the bricks have been pciked out)

(Left - yours truly working on the bricks - on my knees again)

(Right - after the area between the bricks ahs been picked out, the next step is to hammer in a pattern of nails. These must be applied in a set pattern - about a hand's span apart and in line vertically - you can just see the nails - the adobe is quite hard except on the edges where it can crumble)

(Left - the nails are used to string wire in a diagonal pattern left and right across the nails. This wire and the nails form a framework on which the cement render is applied)

(Right - the pattern of nails on the wall)

Lantern Procession - Puma Marca

Another evening, we were suddenly confronted by children preparing for a torch light procession down the main street of Puma Marca. There was to be a procession to mark the celebration of the kindergarten.
(Left - one of the children complete with torch)

The kids were prepared with lanterns on poles, and assembled outside the front. One of the volunteer teachers was asked to lead the procession - but no one told her where she was due to walk and lead the children.


(Right - another ready marcher)

Fortunately Puma Marca has only one street and so it it very hard to get lost.


(Left - ready to march)

(Right - outside the torches are lit - generally flames)



(Left - the outer door of the school as the children assemble in the dark)

(Right - the marchers assemble)

(Left - Assembly point)

(Right - Not sure where we are going, but we will get there)




(Left - even the local dogs join in)

(Right - along the main street, more marchers join the procession, complete with lanterns manufactered in all shapes and sizes from a variety of materials - including plastic soft drink bottles!)

(Left - disaster as one of the torches bursts into flames, consuming the paper lantern)

High Jump

One of my tasks early in the peace was to construct a high jump stand. The kids didn't have one, and they needed to practice for the local sports carnival. Not only practice, but actually learn how to jump in competition. The standard jump is the scissors, which I last did at school many, many years ago!!

(Left - the initial styles were a bit lacking and it was a good job we had some mats)

So the great minds went to work. The first designs were over engineered for what materials were available, and also the tools tobuild it - we have access to a 6 1/4 inch power saw and a battery drill!!

(Right - the object is to get over the bar!)

Through various alterations and amendments we finished one - made from wood, nails, and electrical conduit for the cross bar. Anyway, despite it's lackings it did the job and the kids were happy. Here are some photos from the first trial.

(Left - "I'll try, but if it is too high......")

(Right - ".......I might need a bit of help!!"


(Left - My run up style is right on.)

(Right - the Principal gave a demonstration)

(Left - perhaps we need a bit more instruction)

Building - Progress

Each day we see an advance in the progress on the building. To me the interest is also in the local trade work, and the differences between Australia and Peru.

(Left - the whole building plasterd on the sides, down as far as a couple of feet above the ground. Over this area, which suffers more from traffic, they willapply a concrete render)

Their way is probably the same way that we did it years ago. But also bear in mind that it probabaly keeps a lot of people employed, due to the high labor input.

(Right - for plastering at the end of the building the workers have constructed a ramp for access. Note that there are no gurad rails, etc, or adequate support under the timber ramps!!)

At this stage we are finishing off the plastering. With the adobe bricks it is necessary to create a surface suitable for the plaster to adhere to.Gaps had to be covered with bamboo strips.But theend result is nice and smooth, and generally achieved by eyesight. Plaster all comes loose and mixed with water on site.

(Left - walk carefully down the ramp, and don't touch the side rails!! The workers generally wear open sandals)

(Right - safety first?? Second?? Third??)

(Left - applying the plaster. Note that for formwork to shape the eaves they have applied bent pieces of steel to hold the form work in place - simple and effective)

(Right - the plaster tub on the scaffold)




(Left - the lower form work in place, held with the bent piece of steel)

Potato Bake at the School

One day at the school when we arrived, there was a buzz of activity. None of the children were in class, but all rushing round, with great activity on the area that was the vegetable patch. There was somefectival on - seem to be a lot in Peru, and the kids were preparing for a potato bake.

(Left - whilst some build, others gather the firewood)

The ground is mainly adobe mud, and as well as being good for making mud bricks, it appears to have quite good fire properties too.

The kids used clods of earth, of all sizes to contruct dome shaped ovenson the ground. These were allself supporting. Whilst some constructed (and argued over the design and stability), others rushed around collecting firewood. A lot of this was eucalyptus, and some was still quite green.

(Right - the girls built their own cookers)

(Left - the boys worked together)

Once constructed the fuel was fed into the furnace and the fires started. It was interesting to see kids of this age working quiet sensibly with matches.

Once the fire was started, theykept up the fuel until it was very hot. Then allowed to die down a bit. Kids were bringing potatos (did you know there are over 3000 varieties of potatos?) and other goodies for roasting. These were fed into the coals and then the kids broke down the furnaces over the potatos, etc.

(Right - the furnaces were all self supporting)

After allowing time for cooking, the contents were retrieved and a great school day was had by all.

(Left - the girls starting to dig a small pit around which to build their cooker - watched over by Volunteer Trevor)

(Right - the fire is going)

(Left - now we just wait for the heat)



(Right - Volunteer Trevor tries to help)

Corpus Christi

Corpus Christi is celebrated in a very big way in Peru.

Firstly it is a public holiday, but as we noted as we went into town not every shop or business closes! I would guess that for too many they cannot afford to lose the potential income on that day.

(Left - the crowds around the cathedral awaiting the procession of the saints)

Cuzco is said to have about 15 patron saints - perhaps the large number is "insurance". On this particular day the crowds gather and effigys of the 15 saints are carried through the streets intothe cathedral. Here they are displayed for a week, before being carried again through the streets back to their storage places for thenext year.

(Right - the procession of the saints)

The effigies themselves are huge, and are carried on a wooden framework, which in turn is carried by around 30 men. There are also replacement carriers standing by to take over, and it would appear that the overall weight is very heavy.

We were very lucky on that day, as when we arrived in town, we also were looking for a place to have lunch. We found a Chinese restaurant, which had a balcony overlooking the main square, so had a wonderful view of the festivities below.

(Left - the saint effigies are surrounded by banners, drums and followers)


(Right - the traditional Peruvian white "top: hat still appears in various places - see the lady in the centre of the picture.)


(Left - banners and walkers)

(Right - traditional costumes are often worn by the walkers)

(Left - and of course the girls also appear in their costumes)

(Right - colourful banners accompany the marchers)

(Left - More saints. Also note the young man in the foreground.He is standing on a large table.It seems that these tables are carried for the purpose of supporting the effigies at times.When not being used for support, the tableis carried high, and young men hop up and try to ride the wobbling table)


(Right - banners again)

(Left - local costumes are prolific)

(Right - another saint)



(Left - this saint appears similar to other impressions of John the Baptist, with his wild clothes)

(Right - another of the effigies is caried in. Obviously a saint of Spanish influence)

Puma Marca Procession

The Peruvian people seem to love festivals and parades. I have heard some where that they have a large number of public holidays and festivals.

And it also seems that if there isn't one around at the time then you make one!

(Left - Andrea and the children line up for the parade)

At school one day, the kindergarten children were hard at work preparing banners, etc. Volunteer Andrea was asked if she would lead the procession planned for later that day. The problem was thatshedidn't know where to lead it to!! However that isnot a problem in Puma Marca, as there is only a single main street!

(Right - Andrea with a rattle heads off)

So with the children in tow, and a drum banging the little procession wound its way through PumaMarca, with more children joining on as it went.

(Left - with little children, sometimes organisation is a bit of a problem!)

(Right - the little group reforms)

(Right - with banners held high, we march on)

(Left - another reorganisation)

English Lessons

English is taught on each of the three mornings that we at the school.

On Monday it is classes 1 & 2, on Wednesdays it is classes 3 & 4, and on Friday it is classes 5 & 6.

(Left - Volunteer Trevor selects students to come to the front, and pick tags from a batch depending on the relevant colour)

In general we teach the same thing to all classes, but with slight variations depending on the levels. The higher classes will have more writing, and the lower classes generally more of actions, and pictures of things.

On this particular day the subject was colours.


(Right - three girls with the colours name plates)

(Left - now it is the boy's turn - a bit similar to Australia, in that it is best NOT to match the boys WITH the girls!!)

(Right - the selected boys do their stuff)

School Building - Progress

Our new kindergarten school building progresses each day, and here are some more photos.

(Left - the front wall. The plaster is being applied to the eaves. As noted on the earlier blog, all plaster is mixed on the spot and applied wet. This means that there is quite a residue of plaster, which will need to be cleaned later.)

It is not just the progress on the building, but also the way in which the local tradesmen do their jobs.

(Right - the tradesmen on their scaffolding applying the plaster to the eaves.)

(Left - the tradesmen use pieces of wood or metal to form the edge of the eaves, and it is all sighted by eye)

(Right - close up of the edge forming)

(Left - a long straight piece of metal formsthe edge)

(Right - the big barrel in the front holds the water for the plaster mixing)

Sruggling

Aquas Caliente is a tourist town (see earlier blog), and is jammed into a hill side along the river. Being on a hillside creates its own problems - like getting merchandise up and down the slopes.

(Left - the gas bottle carrier rests. Most of the wheelbarrows have the tray removed to better carry odd shaped loads)

This series of pictures was taken in a short uphill stretch of road, and underlines the difficulties, and also the strength of the workers, whose job it is to haul these loads into place.

(Right - another wheeler rests - not sure just what is in the boxes, but they must be heavy on an uphill gradient)

This may be a bit logical, but it would seem that there would be an advantage in several of the stores combining to buy some motorised form of haiulage!!

(Left - volunteer Stewart took pity on this young boy pulling all the soft drinks up the hill aided only by his little sister pushing at the back)

(Right - sometimes it helps if you have company - you all feel exhausted together)

(Left - bottles are wheeled up)

(Right - remember the effort next time you need your luggage moved)

(Left - they do have trash cans here for depositing of rubbish - perhaps they need some larger sizes)

The Meat Market

Another blog gave some description about the wood market, and an earlier one gave some details about the vegetable market, but the photos were a bit dark, so here is another view. As well as furniture and vegetables you can also buy meat,chicken and fish.

So here are some views to show you what you are missing, when you shop at your local Coles or Woolworths.

(Left - the meat is all layed out for easy inspection. Did you ask about the flies??)

(Right - looks like a nice leg here!! Just pick up and take away. Do the workers have clean gloves to handle the meat?)

(Left - wide aisles, and white cloths on the counter tops)

(Right - "Pollos" is the Spanish word for chicken, and this area has it all - down to the feet, legs, necks, giblets, etc. Did you mention refrigeration???)

MacchuPichu

It seems that MachuPicchu is know all round the world, and the photographs of theclose fitting Inca stones are featured in many places. When I first came here, I imagined that there would be a few such walls. But this is not the case - there are lots of surviving buildings and structures with the close fitting stones. And considering that the Inca history is measured in a few hundred years, you can appreciate just how industrious their people were.

(Left - the tourist buses run from Aquas Caliente on a regular basis, and apart from the overland trek, this is the only way to reach the village)

(Right - view through the bus front window as the bus winds its way up to MachuPicchu - in places it is quite narrow and buses crawl past with inches to spare)

MachuPicchu survived the Spanish invasion which was supported by the Roman Catholic Church, and efforts to drive out the local religions and replace it with Christianity. As the Spanish arrived, the Incas retreated tomore inaccessible areas.

(Left - the rough terrain in which MachuPicchu was constructed. The road winds around the mountains)

(Right - whilst the bus track winds its way around one mountain, the view across the valley is quite daunting)

Such was MachuPicchu - a last and hidden stand against the invading Spanish. And it remained undiscovered, until around 1912, when an American archealogist, Hiram Bingham began searching for the "Lost City" of the Inca. He searched the area, and then asked a local boy, who told him that he could lead him to the city. So MachuPicchu was uncovered for the first timein some 400 years.

(Left - the entrance to MachuPicchu)

The buildings were covered in undergrowth and over a period it was uncovered, and turned into a tourist destination. There are strict regulations covering the site, but even today the serious conservationists contend that the number of visitors a day greatly exceed the capabilities of the site if it is to be remain a viable and future site. Naturally there is such an industry sorrounding the place that the warnings are largely ignored. So I appreciated seeing it whilst I could.

(Right - the steps up to the entrance. Tickets are needed and a count is kept on all entrants. The number still exceeds the number advised by Japanese ecologists)

The best way to see the site is with a guide, who can give you all the facts and details. It still involves quite a deal of walking and climbing - the Incas must have been very fit people!!!

There are so many books written about the site, that I couldn't cover all on this blog. So I will just include some photographs for you to enjoy, and let you Google if you want more detail.

(Left - the first sight after you enter the place is awe inspiring)

(Right - the site hugs the mountain side, with terracing enabling settlement)

(Left - the multitude of buildings is staggering)

(Right - our group poses in front of the site)

(Left - some of the buildings in the ruins)

(Right - the site is constructed on the hillside and terraced, so there are always views overlooking lower levels)

(Left - a reconstructed house being assembled on the site overlooking the site)



(Right - an Inca wall. The protruding parts are steps to enable access to the higher level)

(Left - a view overlooking some of the terraced living areas)





(Left - walls are always symetrical with blocks placed carefully)

(Right - a view through a door way to the mountain overlooking the site. A track enables one to climb this mountain, but the number of climbers per day islimited to just 400)





(Right - this street has a number of buildings, all constructed in stone. And all the walls and rooves are perfectly symetrical)

(Left - I squeeze into one of the windows over looking the valley)

(Left and Right - not all buildings and structures were straight - this circular building may have been used for religious purposes)

(Right - some of the terracing, used probably for agriculture)

(Left - terracing, but with reconstructed buildings in place)





(Left - one of the close fitting stones - note that they areNOT all square, but are fitted in odd shapes)

(Right - a view through the shrubs across the site to the opposite mountain range)

Left - alpacas grazing on the grounds)

(Right - our guide explains some of the history in an Inca room)

(Left - the Incas carved everything from stone, and all their work was accurate. This is thought to be a stone altar. Note the flatness of the top, and also the protrusion at the front right of the carving)

(Right - me with a background of the site)







(Right - our guide explains some carvings in the Inca room.)

(Left - the objects, carved in stone and set into the floor are believed to have been for astronomical observations - as at certain places the sun reflects perfectly in the water contained in.)

Aquas Caliente

Aquas Caliente is really a tourist town. It sits beside the river in the valley, and is the base for almost all tourist activities related to MachuPicchu.

(Left - the up river view from our hotel)

There are hotels, restaurants, and shops all jammed into the small flat area beside the river. And also I musn't forget the hot springs - this is where the town's name comes from.

The railroad runs right through the middle of town - literally!!! Shops line the rairoad track. The tourist train runs up to a special platform, but other trains run on a spur lineon through town. At this stage I am not sure just where they go to further on, but I did see several trains come into town from the other direction and they had plenty of passengers that alighted..

(Right - the down river view from our hotel)

The ruins of the Inca site of MachuPicchu are reached from here, by a shuttle bus service that starts at 5.30am (in case you want to see the sun rise over MacchuPicchu - I found the beds nice and comfy and a whole lot warmer, so stayed there until a more reasonable hour - I claim age priveledge!!), and runs until closing time. Buses run when full or every 20mins.


(Left - the river runs through town, and continues through the narrow valley)

Many people walk what is called the Inka Trail, and that takes 4 days, ending up at Aquas Caliente - probably for rest and recuperation. On these treks you are able to hire porters to carry your extra goods, like hair dryers, spare clothes etc. We saw someof the porters, and they really earn their money. I think all of the tourists should carry their own gear, but that would deny some Pervian lad earning some money. This walk is so popular, that to walk this trail it is necessary to book 12 months in advance. And there are capacity limits on the trail, which is already probably past the sustainable ecological limit now.

(Right - our hotel nestled beside the river - the orange building)

To cater for walkers, they have opened another trail, called Laris, on which you can hire mules to carry your extras. Generally the guiding group who lead the treks provide all the necessary tents, and lilos, and do the cooking. Some of our group walked this newer trail, and used the mules. The guides really look after their charges - one of our party had a birthday on the trek, and the cook made a cake out of pancakes, which was really appreciated!!!.

The various stalls sell the usual tourist stuff available almost all over Peru - once again bargaining is the way, although I find it hard to bargain on items that sell for Aus 0.40c - they need the money more than I do!!

(Left - a train at the station in the centre of town)

Food at the restaurants in town is rather limited, and generally is pizzas. We did find a exceptions, but not a lot. They also seem to have lots of happy hours, when drinks go for 3 for 1, or some similar.


(Right - the railroad track runs right through the middle of town)

The hot springs are reached by the path leading through town, and cost Sol 10 (Au$4) for entry. If you forgot your togs, then they can be hired!!! Not sure of the cleaning process following the last wearer!!!???

(Left - the main central plaza)


(Right - the city plaza is lined with pizza bars, and not one is Pizza Hut!!)

(Left - all towns and cities have some sort of statue or monument, and it is not surprising to find one of an Inca)

(Right - the local church is also on the city square,and this photo shows how the buildings are jammed in, with thehigh rise mountains behind.)



(Left - the main street runs from the square up to the hot springs. As with many Peruvian streets they appear to have a central water drain down theie middle - quite a trap for unwary walkers)

(Right - the river runs right through the middle of town)

(Left - the train comes into town, with lights and horns to signal the approach. Local residents and dogs are well aware of the procedure when it comes)

(Right - part of the market area, where you can support the Pervian economy quite cheaply)




(Left - the workers earn their money, in Peru, and you don't want to have a weak back! The other thing I noticed was that on most wheel barrows, the tray has been removed, possibly so that you can carry more awkward loads)

Train to Aquas Caliente

Aquas Caliente is the town and the jumping off point for visits to Macchu Pichu. The site isclosed each day, and checked closely for people who are tempted at trying to camp overnight. Regular shuttle buses run from Aquas Caliente through out the day up to theMacchu Pichu ruins.

(Left - our train to Aquas Caliente.)
But to visit the Inca ruins, you must first get to Aquas Caliente. Many of the visitors stay here overnight, but it is possible to make a day trip from Cuzco to theMacchu Pichu ruins and back to Cuzco in the same day - but it IS a LONG day.

(Right - the view out of the window as the train climbs)

Our trip was for an overnight stay at Aquas Caliente (which means "hot water" in Spanish), which has a lot of hot springs, and people come for the thermal baths available. The train trip each way between Cuzco andAquas Caliente is about 4 hours. And the guided tour of Macchu Pichu is also about 3-4 hours.

Another interesting part of the train trip comes about as Cuzco is in a valley surrounded by mountains off to the north,and the rail line cannot get over the mountains unless you have a rack and pinion system or a cable car.

(Left - the train climbs higher - note the steep drop beside the railway line)

They have solved this problem by a number of switchbacks, similar to the zig-zag railway in the Blue Mountains. Initially the train climbs the first gradient, then stops and goes into reverse to climb the second gradient. Then back to forward again for the next section, and then back to reverse and finally forward again to complete the climb. For security and as most of the train lines run through populated areas and there are no fences besie the railway line, the guard hangs out of the opendoor at the rear with a light or signal. He is also in communication with the engine driver by radio.

(Right - the train and the road follow the same valley, along the river's edge all the way to Aquas Caliente)

(Left - the river meanders along gravel beds alongside villages)

(Right - the front of our train and the many curves along the track)

(Left - at one station the local women offer their goods,which are generally much the same throughout Peru - the Peruvian hat and shawls and ponchos and colorful wrist and head bands.)

(Right - snow capped mountains appear halway through the journey)

(Left - the snowcaps in the distance)

(Right - the interior of the train)

(Left - the valley intoAquas Caliente)


(Right - the track is single, and there are a couple of stops to allow trains to pass in the opposite direction.)

(Left - the closer to theendof the journey you get, the narrower the valley seems to get, with towering mountains on either side. There is almost noview available, except straight up.)

(Right - at one of the passing loops a flower seller peddles her wares)



(Left - our train arrives at Aquas Caliente)

Wood & Furniture Markets

Another blog covers the food markets, which I cover in another blog.

(Left - the street furniture market)

In this one I shall cover the adjacent furniture market,where you can readily buy cheap furniture. We priced stools at Sol 12 (Aus $5) and chairs at Sol 20 (Aus $8). Tables were around Aus $16, and beds without the mattress about Aus $25.

The market is set up in a steet behind the vegie market. The street is not really closed off as from time to cars come along and toot their horns to clear another car, or the odd careless pedestrian.

(Right - the bedding section of the market)

The main interest we found was in the displaying of the goods and the various means of transporting the goods to the road where they are displayed. This is behind the food and vegie market, and is on every Sunday. Some of you know that I once had a child's play furniture stand at craft markets, but I had a car and trailer to transport my goods. Those items are rare here, as my photos show. Still they manage to get their goods here. I am not sure just how the customers take the goods away.


(Left and right- the beds are brought here in pieces and assmbled for display on site. Here the vendor places the slats for the bed base. You can buy a mattress at a stand opposite)

(Left - tables and chairs, and covered lounges are all available)

(Right - another lounge set arrives for the market!!)

(Right - the part of the furniture that is visible looks to be well finished. However, look at the parts that cannot be seen, and you see very rough work)


(Left - in case you are hungry there are various venders on site to tempt you - here a fairy floss/cotton candy seller displays his wares. He takes from the stock at the bottom, but we didn't see what happens later as his lower stock is depleted.)

(Right - the ice cream vender is generally a small child, with an esky. We didn't try these!!)

Talleries

Talleries was introduced a fwe years ago with the aid of Peru's Challenge and the local Social Worker. The word "Talleries" translates to "Mother's Craft Group".

(Left - volunteer Garry helps lay out the pulceras (scarves) with someof the mothers. Notice that some of the mothers have babies in the shawls on their backs).

Normally the wife, as well as all the family, work on the family plot of vegetables, fruits or flowers for consumption or sale. The idea of Talleries was to get the wives away from the farm work for some time each week, and also to tap the talents that they all have of the local knitted crafts, like scarves, wrist bands, hats, etc. The mother's are supplied with the wool and the needles, and the finished objects are returned to the school for display in the exhibition room to the visiting tourists who buy some items. The proceeds are split between the mother's and the Talleries group. This latter may be to finance more supplies or to take the mother's on an annual outing, away from Puma Marca and their farm.

(Right - some interesting talent turned up including painting, and also some stone work of plates and alpacas carbved fromlocal stone)

To assist in the relief of the mothers the volunteers also provide sports and English lessons for the children who come with their mothers. Normally the meetings are from 4-6pm in the afternoons. Some mother's walk up to an hour to come to the meetings. Imagine the walk home atnight, after 6pm, when it is quite dark, and there are no made roads or street lighting.

(Left - the display room with the hats and wrist bands on show)

Another of the aims is to help the mothers become more independant, and provide more money for the family.


(Right - the wrist bands on display on a pole.These sell for Sol 4 (Aus $1.40). The Talleries have just received an order for 200 of these for a craft store in southern NSW, through a previous volunteer.

(Left -these lovely tapetries sell for Sol 200 (Aus $80) and are made by a young lad of 15 years. His father is a drunkard, and to support his siblings this young boy makes these tapestries. He makes the designs up from memory, and doesn't use patterns. Severalof the volunteers have given him pictures of tapestries they want made up.

(Right -some more of the tapestries)


(Left - the colourfull designs of the wrist bands. It is interesting to see some of the children at the school actually weaving these as they walk along, or around the play ground)

Another Home Visit

While we are on Home Visits, here is another one for you to think about and compare with conditions back home.




(Left and Right - these photos are taken inside the room used as a kitchen by the family. The family lives in another mudbrick building behind the kitchen. Peru's Challenge is looking to see what can be done to supply a flue for the cooking for this family) .

The actual support is going to a little girl, but as she is part of a larger family, support needs to go to the family. In some cases it is necessary for several people to combine support for the family.


(Right - this is the actual kitchen, and the doorway leading into the smoke filled kitchen.)

(Left - the family lives in a small room behind the kitchen)

(Right - the small communal family building)

(Left - inside the small building the room has been divided into 2 segments, basically to separate the sleeping and eating areas. This shot is taken from the sleeping area looking over the dividing wall into the eating area)

(Right - the dividing wall and the two beds - for sleeping six people)

(Left - the wall in the neating area,and a bench and table, containingmost of their food and possessions. Of course there is no fridge, and so food must be of a storable nature - eg tinned, or UHT milk, fresh fruit, flour, rice, etc )

(Right - the table in the eating area. This is where the children will do their home work.But they have no chairs to sit on, and generally only a single electric light bulb in the middle of the room - no reading lamps!)



(Left - the dividing wall from the eating side - notice the large pile of potatos in the corner - did you know that there are over 3000 varieties of potatos!! And many of them are used in Peru.)

Home Visit - Food Parcel

As part of the support to families in the area, we deliver food parcels from time to time. These food parcels are normally provided by funds from supporters.

(Left - Claes opens up the parcels of food)

This is one of the recent initiatives from Peru's Challenge. Some of the departing volunteers become so attached to some of the children with whom they work that after returning home they decide to provide some sort of continuing financial support to the family. Other people feel that they would like to provide support to a needy family in the area. Peru's Challenge is always looking for additonal sponsors whowillhelp.The sponsors receive regular updates and photos, some of which I am helping to supply.

Support can be like providing a food parcel (costs about US$30 a month), or even going further like providing money for clothes, or education for a child, so that perhaps they may be able to realise their dreams.

(Right - Our contact social worker, Eres, with the food parcel)

An added bonus is that with Peru's Challenge there is no administration costs, as they are already working in this area. So ALL money contributed goes to the relevant child or family.

In addition, regular checks are carried out to ensure that the food is being properly used, andnot wasted and is adequate.

(Left - Claes and Eres with the food parcel on the table. Food taken has to be carefully selected as the families have no refrigeration facilities. The parcel will include rice, sugar, tinned foods, eggs, long life milk, bananas,oranges or mandarins and other packets of food.)

New Kindergarten Building - Plastering

Plaster is used for interior and exterior walls here. And all the plaster is mixed and applied on site. Plaster4 sheet is not used. However the finish achived by these (what we consider rough and ready) means is still very good. For the school buildings the walls are plastered on the inside from floor to ceiling,but on the outside the walls are cement rendered from the ground to about three feet up,and then plastered to the roof line. Plaster is formed around the eaves to complete the wall coverings. These pictures show some of the steps.

(Upper Left - the labourer carries the bagged plaster from the truck to the particular place required. Note the protective bag over his head to "minimise" powder in the hair!!??)

(Left - the loose plaster is piled ready for mixing)

(Right - bags are folded after use - the hat on the head reduces the plaster getting into the hair!!!!)

(Left - Volunteer Garry applies strips of shattered bamboo to the supports of the rafters.This will form a frameworkon which to affix the plaster)

(Right - the shattered bamboo needs to be attached in as many places as possible. So between the rafters it is necessary to hang further pieces of bamboo. These are supported by wire, and normally, after placement are trimmed to the correct length with a saw)

(Left - a piece of wire supports one of the pieces of shattered bamboo to the upper piece)

(Right - the wire coil in place waiting to be wound around a piece of bamboo)

(Right - Garry loops the wire around the bamboo)

Kindie

I have been showing the progress on the new kindergarten building, so thought I should also cover the current kindergarten. Our school at PumaMarca has all grades from Kindergarten to Grade 6. For a while some classes were combined but as space and availability of teachers increased classes were able to be divided. Last week, classes 5 and 6 were divided. Class 6 took over an old storeroom, but the big help will be completion of the new kindergarten block - hopefully at the end of June.

(Left - some of the kindie kids lined up outside the current kindie building - all our buildings are painted in these blue colours)

(Right - the kids are outside and action games are being played)

(Left - Volunteer Renae leads the children in an action song)

(Right - Volunteer Liz - with white plastic gloves from her hygiene duties demonstrates the appropriate actions)

(Left - With the kids in a circle, Volunteers Andrea, Liz and Renae join the kids)

(Right - some of th kids join in the actions)

(Left - a couple of the students - notice the strawberry name tag on the boy on the left - so we could identify them)




(Left - the children are really delightful, and enjoy their kindergarten classes)

(Right - the children are very happy to have photos taken - as long as you show them the results)





(Left - three little students pose for the camera)

(Right - a delightful little student follows the actions)

New Kindergarten - Progress

Day by day the new kindergarten building is progressing. It had been hoped to have it completed by the end of May, but as usual in Peru, time is NOT of the essence. The current target is June!

(Left - the front side of the building. The windows have been put into place, and the eaves lined with split bamboo. These are necessary for the plaster to be applied to. They do not use plaster board, but a frame work of bamboo which is readily available)
.
However, each time we go to the school, more has been done. The volunteers now only do the simple manual tasks, like carrying, fetching, lifting etc. The local method of construction is so different to ours we are more of a hindrance in any other part of the construction.

(Right - the inside of a room, to which plaster has been applied along all walls. Notice also the plaster on the ceilings,andthe exposed rafters. The flatness of ther surface is achieved with use of a flat scrap piece of wood, and eye sight)

(Left - inside the room looking out the window)

(Right - the plasterer at work - seems a mess now, but wait until the end result)

(Left - one of the doorways showing the rough finish of the plaster on the walls. These will be trimmed and smoothed in due course)

(Right - the floor boards awaiting in the room. These are tongue and grooved as in Australia. The problem here is that timber is NOT necessarily seasoned before delivery to the stockist, so it is not uncommon to find warped or cupped pieces.)




(Left - an outside view, clearly showing the bamboo in place on any area not covered with adobe brick or that has no material onto which the plaster can be affixed)

(Right - another outside view showing the equipment that we work with. Notice the ladder is made from pieces of wood simply nailed onto supports. No cross supports. In addition most of the workers wear open sandals, whilst I have my steel capped workboots)

Retaining Walls of Pisac

The last feature of our tour to the Sacred Valley was a visit to the retaining walls of Pisac. Again the structures are built high up on the hillsides,and constructed of close fitting blocks.

(Left - our first sighting of some of the Inca buildings high on the hillside)

(Right - we start the walk up to the entrance of the walls)

(Left - from part way upthe climb, this is the view down into the Sacred Valley)

(Right -the walking track winds around the hillside,and you frequently pass through gate structures, which could be closed in the event of attack. )



(Left - our intrepid reporter smiles for the camera - still trying to regain his breath after the climb)

(Right - from this vantage point one is able to look down on the Sacred Valley and the town of Pisac)


(Left - the retaining walls.The walls were constructed for a number of purposes - agriculture, soil preservation, and also for military protection)

(Right - another view of the retaining walls, showing clearly the flatness of the land achieved in the terracing)


(Left - the narrow walking track winds through another gate which can be closed in the event of attack)

(Right - a view back to where we had walked from)

(Left - walking along part of the trail. Note the close fitting stone walls to the right, and also the lack of a safety rail on the valley side)




(Right - we make oneof the many climbs of stairs that appear right throughout the site. Again notice that there is NO hand rail on the drop side. Fortunately the steep stair climbs were interspersed with relatively flat areas, so one could recover their breath! )

(Left - here the walking trail gets a bit narrow, and there is NO guard rail, so it is "walk carefully and close")




(Right - Claes and Selvey pause on oneof the narrow parts of the trail)

(Left - the trail not only has door structures that can be closed in the event of attack, but also the tunnel passes through narrow tunnels. Here is oneof them)





(Right - from the vantage point we again look down on the town of Pisac, and also more of the terraces)


(Left - our group pauses beside yet another structure of the Inca close fitting stones.Notice the great variety in the shapes of the stones used in the building! But they still all fit precisely.)

(Right - more terraced steps on the mountain side)

(Left - negotiating another of the steep and rough steps)



(Right - there aremany vantage points which could be used by the Inca lookouts)

(Left - where ever one looks there are Inca ruins - the problembeing that they are generally much higher or lower than you, requiring some form of a climb or descent. The problem with that follows the old principle of "what goes up must come down")





(Right - the view up the valley)

(Left - our adventurer with a view across the valley)







(Right - self and volunteer Liz perched on oneof the many sets of steps - this time coming down!!)




(Right - our last lookout, from this vantage point we can look out across the valley and down intoPisac.)

Hacienda at Pisac - Sacred Valley

Our trip to the Sacred Valley, took 2 days requiring an overnight stop. We were accomodated at a lovely hotel, which was originally a Hacienda. This has been converted and added to for the purposes of the hotel. There are still some elements of the old building though.

(Left - through the front gate, the main part of the original Hacienda, greets the new arrival.

(Right - a patio has been added for a bar and dining room)



(Left - the central area around which the residential accommodation has been constructed.)

(Right - tradtional plates have been set into the walls to indicate rooms and facilities)

(Left - apparently all haciendas included a chapel for the devout. The original chapel still stands and is visited regularly by the faithful)

(Right - inside the bar is amapof the journey that we made that weekend - Cuzco is at the bottom right - we travelled on the road to theleft to Ollantaytambo, at the top left, then straight across to the right by the green, and then down on the road to the right back to Cuzco)



(Left - another view of the Chapel)

(Right - a view down onto the hotel buildings - it seems to me that all buildings here are constructed on a non-pre-planned basis, and jammed in wherever possible. I also noted here that someof the traditional pottery tiles on the rooves had been replaced by plastic ones. However based on what I saw here,I gained the impression that they really don't know how to fit them!!)

(Left - for the health conscious the hotel provides a solarium, and also beside it a heated swimming pool)

(Right - the swimming pool was not open whilst we were there,but the warning sign was interesting)

(Left - your intrepid reporter meets a local in the bar)


(Right - hanging in the bar is this photograph of MachuPicchu, in quite a normal format)


(Left - however, rotate the photograph 45 degrees to the left, change the angle slightly, and an interesting image appears)

(Right - outside the rear of the hotel I was interested to see the hotelgas supply, supplied by (appropriately named) Llamagas!!)

ChiCha - The Peruvian Corn Drink

Most countries have their national drink - in some cases it might be unofficial -and generally it has some alcoholic base. Peru is no exception!!

(Left - two glasses of chicha - one pink and the other yellow)

Their local drink is called ChiCha, and is made from corn or maize. This is fairly logical as one of the staple crops in Peru is corn. But compared with us, they have many different types of corn - fromthe yellow/creamy colour that we have, they have lots of different colours ranging all the way to black. The different colours have different cooking potentials. I have not seen any corn on the cob here!! (Haven't seen any KFC either!!!)

One of the features on our Sacred Valley was a call in to see the ChiCha beingmade and even to taste the end product. We weer told that it isalcoholic, but it appears that it is a lot milder than our alcohol, and therefore you need larger quantities. Also the glasses are larger and generally it is served in a large jug.The Chicha is normally quite frothy on top.

(Right - the various types and colours of the corn used in the manufacture of chicha. )

(Left - some of the chicha and the sprouted corn used in the fermentation of the chicha)

The corn is boiled over a fire, and stirred vigourosly. It is finally strained off and served in the large jugs.

(Right - the manufacturing lady shows some of the new chicha)

(Left - the apparatus for the making of chicha. We were intrigued with the collection of scotch bottles along the top shelf)

(Right - some of our group try the chicha samples. I found that they tasted more like flavoured milk, although both had some element of spritzig - a little bite on the tongue)

(Right - Selvey, our guide and Jane's partner in setting up Peru's Challenge explains to us the local game of "frog". This is normally played whilst the participants drink their chicha.

(Left - the "frog" board. It is divided into 9 squares, eaxh of which has a hole in it. The centre most square has a metal frog mounted on it. The frog has a slit where themouth is. The player has 10 VERY heavy coins, which are thrown toward the board. Below each hole and the frog's mouth are scores. After tgrowing allten coinsthe drawer underneath is opened to see the thrower's score. Getting the coin into the frog's mouth is VERY difficucult, and none of us managed it. I would think that you would need lots of jugs of chicha for this game!!)

Fortress of Ollantaytambo

Another of the features on our Sacred Valley tour was a visit to the Fortress of Ollantaytambo. Again this wall is constructed with theclose fitting stones, and rises steeply against the valley, linking both sides of the moutains.

(The town square at the bottom of the fortress)

At the bottom is a market square normally used for hawker's stalls. These stock the normal goods of ponchos, peruvian hats, shawls and other knitted woollen goods.

At first sight the climb is daunting - I am convinced that the Incas were superfit people!!

(Right - first site of the fortress wall - we had to walk, or climb all the way to the top!!)

(Left - part way up the climb - you can gain an idea of the size by the people on the far side of the terrace)

(Right - again the structure is made from the Inca close fitting stones, too close to be able to insert a piece of paper.)

(Left - another view of the terraces - we have stillnot quite reached thetop)




(Right - from the uppermost terrace this is the view)

(Left - the view down the terraces and across to the adjoining mountain - also terraced to some degree)


(Right - some ofour members examine the enclosures in the wall. They are all perfectly angled and constructed - and all exactly the same shape and sizes. They were normally used to house mummies of important people.)

(Left - Renae leads our party along one of the narrow tracks around the hillside. In this case there is a small kerb - for safety -but in many cases there was just a steep drop to the valley below.)

(Right - the terraced hillside - the fortress that we had just climbed is on the right)

(Left - across the valley from our walk were clearly visible other Inca constructions, carved into the living rock. See just left of centre)





(Right - more of the Inca walls)

(Left - to prove that I WAS there!!!)






(Right - stone work is not confined to just the close fitting blocks.There were also carving direct into stone work, for such as religious purposes. This is a sample of carving for a water shower used for purification purposes. The carvings featured many little channels, and also visible are some carvings directly below the water spout.)


(Left - as we emerged back to the tourist square, these four children burst into a traditional song.The funny part was that as they ended, they all bowed and similtaneously wipped off their caps and offered them to us to be filled with money)

Children's Procession

Coming into the town Ollantaytambo, we came across a procession. These are quite common throughout Peru, and seem to be held for a variety of reasons. They generally consist of children all dressed up in local costumes accompanied by simple bands mainly of drums and trumpets. (On one occasion I even saw a Sousaphone being carried along)

These photos wre taken from the bus as our progress was blocked by the parade, and we had to follow along until we reached a fork in the road and they went one way and we went the other.

(Right - the common form of transport in the area - these are the taxicabs, with a motorcycle and a cabin at the rear to accomodate passengers)

Chinchero

One of our first trips was toward the town of Pisac and what is known as the Sacred Valley. The tour is a triangular one, and takes two whole days, staying at a nice hotel (Actually a converted Haciendah) at Pisac for a night.

(Left - our group arrives in the pouring rain, complete with wet weather gear)

The tour is quite varied, so I shall break it up into segments.

(Right - the main street leading up to the Church - note the drainage channel down the middle of the street, and the cobbled stone pavement)

We started from Cusco in our own bus, for the 30km run to Chinchero taking a couple of hours. Unfortunately the rain started just as we arrived, and we were forced to don wet weather gear. This also dampened the efforts of the local hawkers, who had to cover their wares.

(Left - The Church at Chinchero. This church was built on the foundations of an Inca place of worship)

This area was occupied by the early Incas, and they had a significant place of worship here. They also terraced a lot of the area, some of the terracing for cultivation, some terracing for land preservation.

(Right - the main part of the Church - note the foundations around the base, the remains of the Inca buildings)

When the Spaniards arrived, they tried to force the Inca people away from their native religions, and to adopt Roman Catholicism. To this end they forbade the old forms of worship, tore down local idols, etc and even constructed their Catholic Churches on top of Inca fortifications. Such is this particular place of Chinchero.

(Left - the entrance to the Church, which contains some beautiful old woodwork, paintings and murals. Many of the pictures feature local artists, some of whom are unknown. Photographs are banned inside)

(Right - our group passes around the side of the Church - here you can clearly see the Inca stonework base on which the Church has been constructed)

(Left - the terracing along the side of the valley. Again the stones are the close fitting ones seen in brochures. Some terracing was for crops, others for preservation against erosion.

(Right - the combination of Inca terrace ruins and the encroaching grass lands)

( Left - Even today it is possible to pick up shards of Inca pottery amongst the grassy slopes)

(Right - our group walks back along the terraced slopes)

(Left - the Incas used not only the well known rock walls, but also use available rocks. At times the well cut walls run up to and butt onto large rocks, both of which have been shaped to a meticilious joint. Thrones were carved from available rocky outcrops. At left is a stone with multiple thrones carved into it - one being for the Inca King, and other thrones for wives.)

(Right - detail of the thrones carved into the living rock)