Week 13 ~ "I must be willing to give up what I am to become what I will be" Albert Einstein

We spent the day at the Larco Museum.  It was a marvelous display of the many different cultures that are part of Peruvian history through the ages.  It is supposedly one of the largest displays of antique pottery in the world and covers a time period of 2000 BC to 1500 AD.  It contains an amazing array of jewelry and accounting and numbering strings called “quipus.” The Inca could actually read these knotted strings like a book.  We were just so impressed and awed by the knowledge of these incredible cultures.  

Really, honestly, most of our weeks (about 80%) are spent doing the same thing over and over, get up, shower, read scriptures, have breakfast, couple prayer, walk the daily walk of “death” to the office.  If we want to get there the 5 minute route, which has been every time we have gone to the office, we walk along a narrow street which is probably the only street in all of Peru that doesn’t have a speed bump.  The traffic goes from a two lane to a four lane right in front of our apartment.  They hurry to try to get ahead of each other and then fly through this little opening where we walk at about 50 mph (no kidding).  There is construction on one side where we walk where they have tried to make a walking path with ……….. construction tape.  I kid you not.  It makes us feel perfectly safe and protected …. NOT! Then we get to another place where we have to wait for the traffic to pass and then make a mad dash to get around some bushes right next to the road.  We literally have to walk or run into the road to get past that point.  From there it is a short relaxed walk the rest of the way to the promised land.  Kind of like life.   But that is what we have to do if we want to make the quick five minute walk.  The other way takes about 15 minutes through quiet streets and a park, nice but not nearly an adrenaline rush.  

Our weeks keep us busy and our weekends make us look like we are really having fun, fun, fun …. Which we are!  We have also had some very tender experiences with the members and with non-members who we associate with on a daily basis. 

Like last week when we went to the Larco Museum in downtown Lima.  It takes quite awhile to get there… so we learned.  We decided to take a bus as far as Jocky Plaza, a popular and upscale shopping mall.  We thought we would be closer to downtown and that our fare would be half as much for a taxi from there.  The bus fare was 1 sole each (about 60 cents). We got off the bus and hailed a taxi and were told it would be about 20 soles.  Diane was not happy.  I really didn’t know how much it was supposed to cost.  Finally a lady came up to us and asked if we needed help, in English.  We told her our situation then she said, that’s a good price.  The taxi driver who wanted to take us drove up and said he would not cheat us and he really wanted to take us and that 20 soles was more than fair.  We got into the cab and he took us downtown.  We were pretty shocked to realize how far it was.  It was a lesson to us and especially a wonderful experience to speak to this good man who was driving and wanted us to know he was an honest man.  He really went out of his way and helped us understand better the taxi system and the distances and fares between different locations.

            During our ride, I began to talk with him about our mission and the Church, living prophets, and the Book of Mormon.  He had heard some about the Church and had friends who belonged.  He and his wife had just had a little baby girl several months before.  We talked about the eternal nature of the family.  He was very interested and touched.  It was a time I could have kicked myself for not having a pass-along card with me.  We exchanged information though.  He told me without any prompting that he would go to our Church the next day.  He lives a few blocks away from a chapel.  I had heard that promise before so I told him, “I know you are an honest man because you went out of your way to prove that to us today.  So when I ask you something and you say you will do it, I know you will keep your promise.  Will you go to the LDS Church tomorrow and will you seek the missionaries out and invite them to your home?”   He said “yes, I will do it.” I will follow up and see.  

WEEK 12 ~ Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there

                                                           Train Trip to Huancayo

We caught the train to Huancayo Friday morning. The taxi picked us up at 5:30 and the train pulled out of the staion at 7:00. We were expected to arrive in Huancayo at 7:00 in the evening, a 12 hour train ride over the Andes Mountains BUT we didn’t get in until 10:30 at night. They served the passengers breakfast and lunch but no dinner. We ate all our snacks and played cards, the same game over and over.

The train ride was just great . . . for the first 10 hours. We went through 68 tunnels and numerous bridges, climbing in elevation to 15,680 feet! The views were pretty spectacular as we traveled through the canyons and over the mountains. The local villages and pueblos along the way only have the train come through once a month during the summer months so the people and children would wave to us from their doorways and windows. I can’t imagine living so close to the tracks!!  When we got to the top elevation, I would get woosy dizzy just standing up to take a picture out the window. Whew, breath deep. Unfortunately, it was too dark to see the little towns on the other side of the mountains which are part of the Huancayo mission. We’ll see them on our way home. We are taking the bus back to Lima tomorrow morning which is supposed to only take eight hours.

When we arrived at 10:30pm, there was still cultural dancers to greet us. In Mexico there would be a Mariachi band, in Italy some violinists, but here our greeting was a dance group symbolic of the African slaves who worked in the mines. Strange at such a late hour.

We stayed at a great resort in Huancayo located up on the hillside overlooking the city. We had a room like a little cottage chalet that was just delightful. The morning was glorious with blue skies and cool fresh air and pine trees. It was picturesque like being in the Austrian Alps, a huge difference out of Lima!

After a wonderful breakfast overlooking the valley, we went back into the city and checked into the Turismo Hotel. We spent the rest of the afternoon sightseeing, first to the silversmith and to the weaver’s shop. The owner shared with us the Quechua code of honor. Can you find the three ideals they live by? I bought a woven wall hanging that shows life in the Peruvian mountains to bring home.

My favorite part was to see the little Peruvian Quechua women in their native dress, multiple colorful skirts (polleras) of hand-woven wool cloth called bayeta, colorful shawl to carry their load or to carry children called k'eperina, a bowler hat, stockings and always long traditional braids. In the pictures below, notice how all the women have these long braids. Can you find the cow walking right across the street in town? How many dogs to you see with the woman waiting to cross the street? What do you think they carry in their back shawl? In the mountains, we didn't see any trucks, just bikes with these carts attached to carry large loads. In the field, do you see the women digging up papas (potatoes)?

Our last stop was to the gourd shop where we watched the old art of carving them. They showed us how they shaded and colored the designs with a burn stick. The harder they blew, the darker the colors. 

The other technique was to rub animal fat all over the carved design and then add a black paste that was made with grass reeds. After rubbing it on very well, wipe it off and the designs are highlighted. Fascinating! Can you tell which technique was used in the pictures?

Our tour guide took us to the Parque de la Identidad (Identity Park) made almost entirely with rock giving recognition to the great people of Huancayo. Actually, our gourd artist, Eulogio Medina who we had visited earlier in the day, was also honored at the park for his contribution in preserving the tradition of decorating gourds. His monument is the large gourd in the middle of a pond with a plaque to his name. It is a very beautiful park with walkways, fountains, bridges and gardens. In the bridge picture, you can see the stone castle in the back built for children to climb and explore. Visitors could also walk up and across the entrance gate looking over the entire park. It was wonderful with lots of water, music, flowers, children and benches for just sitting, reading, pondering or for the sweethearts who visit often. Ironic that such a beautiful park was surrounded on four sides by a dirt road full of potholes and no parking. Sad.

It was a wonderful trip. We love sharing with you the wonderful sites and experiences of Peru.