Yesterday a few of us went out to a village called Chinchero about 30mins in taxi away from Cuzo. We got out the taxi and we were literally the only tourists in this place. It was pretty funny coz we stuck out like a sore thumb - I felt like we had turned up to a party that we hadn´t been invited to. It was some religious fiesta and everyone was in really traditional dress and sat round having a few drinks and
there was music etc. We then went to find the ruins that this village is quite famous for but it was really expensive to get in and some French people walked past and told us it wasn´t worth paying that much money. We started walking away and suddenly some Peruvian woman came up to us and said that if we wanted to go to the ruins she would take us the back way. We asked if it was free and she replied yes but quickly followed with "well, you can give me a tip". She started taking us up these hills and my god the altitude was a killer. I definitely feel I can relate to asmathtics a lot more now. Anyway I was convinced we were probably being conned as we seemed to be walking to the middle of nowhere and she had asked us halfway to pay her. We did eventually get there and we ended up paying 6 soles each (about 1 pound 50) instead of 170 soles each! It was amazing inside as it was clearly where the festival began and everyone was again in traditional dress and dancing and bands playing. This combined with the mountain scenery was amazing. We were snapping away at every1 there and suddenyl realised we were being snapped as well, a group of kids even asked for a photo with us. Hahaha. We stayed there a few hours and then headed back in taxi again. Health and saftey is clearly not a big issue and we squeezed 4 in the back, this teamed with the way people drive here makes me have to grip the seat everytime I get in these taxis!
Well things at the orphanage are still going well but I continue to see problems with the way they run things there...or more...don´t run things! The boys are left to their own devices most of the day and I often catch them playing with matches, burning paper and even playing with knifes they have taken from the kitchen. If none of the volunteers are up in the morning to accompany the girls to school then they just go on there own. This involves two choices...1. Walking across a bridge which is having work done which means it is a high bridge with NO railings either side, so it´s prtty much a case of if you fall you will probably die or 2. they cross the really busy road. I mean some of the little ones are as young as 6 and they just run across the road all the time and judging by the fact that the drivers here are even worse than Spanish drivers it´s just really unsafe.
Tried Alpaca the other night and it was so tasty I had it again last night. Delicious. Fred wants us all to try Guinea Pig, another local dish...not so sure myself. Food is very cheap and most mornings we go to the local markets for breakfast which costs about 1pound for an egg sandiwch and a jug of juice. The juices are amazing here as well. Anyway better get going because I´m off to find the supermarket with Christine, the new American girl. She is absolutely hilarious. She studied Spanish as a minor for 3 years but doesn´t know a thing, she literally invents every word and the kids don´t have a clue what she is on about. She makes us all laugh so much. She will often say a whole line in English and then say one word in Spanish and wonder why Fred and her sister haven´t managed to understand. Daddy Yankee was on yesterday and she was like "oh I know this song...it´s from the Middle East."!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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