Prison Kids. Very remote village, a bit of fishing
Trip Start
Oct 27, 2006
1
6
11
Trip End
Nov 14, 2006
Ayacucho, Peru
Saturday, November 4, 2006
Hi guys. Everyday I think it canīt get better, but it does.
Yesterday, we went to the prison to take the children ón the outside. The kids stay with their mothersī till age 3 or 4 and then they go to relatives or an orphanage. Iīd never been inside of a prison so in itself, it was an experience. One set of doors open, the ones behind close. Prisoners in the courtyard were playing soccer and seemed for the most part to be like anyone in early 20īs. We picked up the kids from their mothers who are grateful we take the kids out with us every Friday. Many of the kids believe that the corridors in the prison are actually streets.
The fellow that latched on to me was an almost 4 year old named Renzo. When i saw him, he was expressionless, couldnīt get him to smile or talk or anything. Tho he did respond to tickles. There were 8 of us from CCS and our driver Alejandro and we took the kids to a carnival type thing. Well, they got into a trampoline enclosure with big balls inside and they went crazy. Renzo was laughing the entire rest of the trip as were the other 9 kids. Then we had lunch with them and took them back. This was the highlite of the trip up till then.
Went back to our group house and in the aftīnoon, Andrea and I went to a gym for a massage. Unfortunately, the masseuses werenīt in till 4 PM so we went to a cafe and had a beer to pass the hour. Then for 30 soles (about $7 US dollars, we each had a 30 minute massage, sauna and steam room. That night we all hung out on the roof of our house and had wine and beer. I brought the entire 2nd season of Kung Fu so those have been a hit with everyone too.
But today, Saturday, was something that no tour or tourist could experience. Kimi, Philip, Sara, Gillian,Hazel & I went on a trip with our driver Alejandro and he brought along his father. We were going on a llama trek hike but it was drizzly. CCS found a tiny Andes village of perhaps 100 people at 14,000 ft. in the Andes who have agreed to have their llamas aid in the hike. So yesterday, we bought gifts (bread, knit hats and such) to give to these remote, very very poor people.
On the way there, Alejandro stopped by the river that was filled with trout and I had brought along my fly rod. Well I had no luck, but across the river, the natives offered me to fish on their property...but I didnīt want to wade across. They fish with nets. Well after about 1 hr. we continued to the remote village. I have never experienced anything like this in my life. The van went on a path way up into the mountain and just kept going and going further in. No guard rails and scary. Goats, llamas, alpaca, bulls, sheep & dogs just roam. After about 1 hr. we came to the first village of thatched hutches and the tiniest of huts for entire families. A little boy of perhaps 8 and a girl of maybe 10 were the only ones we saw. Seems the adults had made the probably 4 hr. walk to the main road to sell some goods in Ayacucho as they do 3-4 times a month. Anyway, these kids were adorable and friendly and dirty. We gave them bread we had bought, and knit caps and left them with big smiles on their faces. Then we were off another 15 minutes further into nowhere and came upon a tiny village of perhaps 50 with small stone huts with thatched roofs. They couldnīt be friendlier. Came out behind a wall, came up to us and shook our hands. Couldnīt be more hospitable and then they lined up somehow on their own and we distributed the alpaca hats and bread we had bought the previous day. I took a bunch of pictures and to show them what they look like in a camera (which Iīm sure they never had seen) was mind blowing to them.
CCS just has an incredible program. No tourist or tour could ever know about or see the sights that they know of. I look forward to doing more with them. On the way back we found a natural hot spring and we all went in. And it was welcome in that it was cold at 14,000 feet altitude.
Well, just about dinner time then our group is going into town for drinks (Pizco sours) tonight. Great bunch of people.
Ben, perhaps sometime you and I will do one of these together. Hope you guys are doing great and tell me what youīve been up to. I love you and miss you very much guys. Canīt wait to see you. To everyone else I am copying this ījournalīto, hope you are enjoying it. Only picked a special select few to include.
Love, Papa
