On Saturday, I went with my host father to the country since the Spanish company that he works for is working towards improving the situation of the lives of the Peruvians who live in the country and they had a meeting.
The landscape is extremely interesting. Palm trees, cacti, fields of sugar cane, and other tropical vegetation all grow in the same place. We went up into the foothills of the mountains. The winding roads with many speed bumps to slow the traffic took carried us through water in places where water bubbles from the earth and is constantly wet, while one can see places nearby that water never reaches. On the roads sometimes vehicles would be passing one another making 3-4 vehicles side by side on a 2 lane highway!
When we arrived at the village that we were going to, I was surprised to learn that the villagers recieved electricity 6 months ago. The homes are made of dirt and dust is constantly blowing while handwashed "clean" clothes hang on fences near the homes and people of all ages and sizes carried loads of sugarcane on their backs.
Donkeys were tied to posts in the yards and goats, chickens, and turkeys were constantly on the road. Some children lifted a volleyball net so that we could drive under it...they were playing in the only safe place to play...the middle of hte bumpy dirt road, that they used their bicycles on.
We saw hillsides covered in stones that had heiroglyphs on them and also the canal with its falls that was built by Germany a few years ago. It was an enlightening excursion and I enjoyed the few minutes of quiet outside of this noisy city.
I enjoyed looking at the pictures. The terrain is has such varying vegetation. The scenarios of children playing, animals everywhere, and the carrying of food on the back or heads remind me of Uganda.
ReplyDeleteWhen do you start school? You are already getting a lesson just in your journeys through the city and the countryside. Our sponsored child from Brazil is ending her school year about now and beginning their vacation.
The skies looked rather gray and cloudy. Have you had much sunny weather and what does the temperatures range? In Nebraska they have experienced ice storms and are without electricity. They hope to get it back this week. Here in Kansas we are having foggy days and the mid 40's.
Keep up the posts. :-)
I will go to Lima on February 25 and start classes withing 2-4 days...I'm not sure of the exact date.
ReplyDeleteTemperatures are between 70 degrees (at night) and 85 degrees. It's gorgeous. Usually there is not much cloud cover, but even when cloudy it is quite warm.
Nice to hear from you.
Brianna: How do you like staying in Peru?
ReplyDeleteImelda: Are you homesick yet?