Fiestas Patrias 2013

Fiestas Patrias is the Peruvian Independence Day. It is a celebration much like 4^th of July in the US of A. This year’s celebration is much like last year – much visiting of relatives, drinking and exploding rockets. And yet, it is remarkably different.

To start with, the weather has been miserable here this winter – cold and misty, with not an hour of clear skies in the last month. Perhaps this has caused the second problem, which is an outbreak of the H1N1 flu virus in the Lima region. The health ministry has ordered cancellation of all parades, which last year were a big part of the celebration day.

The drinking circles have been driven indoors, so walking the streets does not require my artful dodging of this dreaded “cultural” institution. The Plaza is not crowded with residents and vendors, like last year. Still, the nightly concerts and noise-making will continue until Sunday. And the drunks will be supporting each other as they meander home down the streets in the morning.

In Lima, there have been huge protests and police violence. Police in Lima don’t mess around – they attend any protest with dogs, horses, riot police , machine guns and tanks. President Humala, like Obama, was once the darling of the voters, but has failed to live up to his promise and potential. The enormous economic gains (8% this year) have benefited only the very few , and the people are not happy that their interests have been largely ignored. Sound familiar ? The super-rich are doing better than ever, while the common man is left in poverty. Trickle Down is just as much a lie here as it is in the US.

Small Town Life

One of the greatest joys of my Peace Corps service has been the opportunity to live in a small town, especially this place called San Luis de Canete. I’ve lived in a lot of different circumstances and none have ever suited me, or satisfied me, quite like this one. I imagine that there are still some places in the US, but I’ve yet to live in one. A small town is a beautiful thing.

Greater metropolitan downtown San Luis is a compact village of about 6,000 people. All of the shops, restaurants and businesses are in the front of the owners’ homes. This means that a visit to the town hall or Plaza requires a 1 block walk. Getting fresh bread from the bakery is a block beyond and milk for my coffee and fresh vegetables for my noon salad are right across the street. A $1 haircut or a visit to the high school is a 4 block hike. And all along the walk, I’m greeted by smiles and nods and Buenos Dias from neighbors and friends. Children walk the streets alone and safe. Goods are transported in re-usable shopping bags.

The down-side of this arrangement is that the houses and shops are built right up against each other. The thin brick or adobe walls let noise flow freely, so I often suffer the fighting couple next door, the roosters that live 3 doors down, loud parties next door (that start at 10pm and end at 4am) and, of course, the ubiquitous exploding rockets that punctuate the night air. Outside, the street vendors, hawking fruit, bread, ceviche and boiled eggs, shout their wares, some with loud-speakers.

There are virtually no private cars and none are needed. If I have to move materials beyond the capacity of my back or bike, I can hail an ever-present moto-taxi. If I need to go to the larger metropolis of Canete for banking or mail, a small, packed van will take me there. A trip to Lima requires a 2 block walk to the Pan American Highway, where a small hand-wave will stop a speeding interstate bus in its tracks and allow me to board – a truly empowering feat.

Ironically, the closest living arrangement to this that I’ve experienced is at my sister’s apartment in Manhattan. But, sadly, the huge city comes with a sky-blocking crush of tall buildings, honking horns, crime and a lack of connection to the thousands of anonymous faces passing by. Not to mention a cost of living higher than the sky-scrapers themselves.

As I begin to contemplate the end of my time here, I realize more just how very happy I am, living where I live. Not just the physical and mental comfort and living a very simple life, but the joy of helping people on a daily basis and learning something every day.

As my service winds down, I’ve been spending more time consulting with the newer volunteers. After only 2 years, I’ve become the ranking authority on biodigesters, solar projects, improved cook stoves, bottle bulbs and playgrounds. My other effort is to codify this knowledge and make it available to future PCVs on the newly created website - http://peru.peacecorps.gov/ . Unfortunately, most of the content I’m contributing is in a “member’s only” section.

A complete "Turk seat" for pit latrine

My last remaining projects are the Cerro de Oro development, urban tree planting, eco-bano rehabs and latrine “Turk seats”. The PACO archeology team has been on site for 2 weeks now. They have excavated several residential structures, revealing beautiful plastered (and sometimes painted) walls, cooking areas, trash piles and interior walls and storage spaces. The most exciting news is that they have discovered what appears to be two burial sacks – intact MUMMIES !! So, far they have only excavated down to the head and shoulders, before taking a break for the holiday. A guard has been placed at the site and everything is shrouded in blue plastic, to protect the site. I have no idea how they can keep from excavating with this exciting find, but such is the archeological mind.

The tree planting is still waiting for the street paving to finish. Latrine seats and eco-bano rehabs are going slow but steady. I trained one of the Muni workers in how to do the work, to ensure continuation after I leave. Speaking of leaving, I’ve been given an official departure date of November 1^st.

“Public” Transportation in Peru

This bus fell 500 ft to the river bottom - 5 people survived

The PC-Peru security officer just sent a list of recent accidents that points out one of the differences between the transportation systems in Peru vs the US, to wit: 

June 19 – Junín – Turismo Central bus – rollover at 6 am – 44 deaths

June 24 – Puno – San Cristobal bus – crash with a car at 7 am – 2 deaths

June 25 – Arequipa – Empresa Julsa bus – rollover at 6 am – 20 injured

June 28 – Ancash – combi – rollover at 6 pm – 12 deaths

July 1 – Yauyos - Empresa Santa Rosa bus – rollover at 10 am – 22 deaths

July 10 – Huancavelica – Empresa Ticllas – rollover at 6 pm – 19 deaths

Because private cars are rare, and only owned by the very wealthy, the vast majority of Peruvians (and me), use public transportation. That means that when accidents do happen, they are usually catastrophic. In truth, none of the transport is truly “public” in the US sense. It is all private enterprise, with very little oversight.

Top of the line long-haul 1st Class bus - note front two turning wheels

At the top of the transport pyramid are the big Greyhound type buses, that run between provinces and even internationally. The basic bus that I use traveling to Lima has closely packed, slightly reclining seats, with no A/C or bathroom, but usually some loud action movies playing. These run on no fixed schedule, but on a frequency of between 10 minutes and 1 hour. On the upper end are the luxury liners, which feature seats that rival international airline 1^st Class – the seats make into beds, with privacy walls, personal video/music, headsets, clean bathrooms, and decent food & beverage service. Routes are point-to-point with no stops. These run on fixed schedule and ON TIME. You can even make a reservation on-line. Fares are reasonable – a 12 hour ride is about $35.

Typical local combi

Next are the “airport shuttle” size buses that run fixed routes, especially in Lima. These are usually just for routes under an hour or so. They stop FREQUENTLY, picking up and discharging passengers. A similar “combi” service is found in VW van size vehicles in rural areas. They will stop ANYWHERE someone wants on or off. Fares are cheap, usually in the 30-60 cent range. In our town, they are also used to transport small packages by the driver.

“Collectivos” are nicer mini-vans or cars that run between two fixed points. They are usually newer vehicles and well-maintained. They depart whenever they fill-up with passengers.

The inter-city combis offer more comfort and speed

The drivers are noted for their high-speed and skill. Collectivos are often found on the same routes as buses. They also carry all manner of freight, even live animals, from point to point.

Taxis cars and moto-taxis – sort of a rickshaw attached to a motorcycle frame – are the short haul horses of the fleet. Fares are ALL negotiated, as there are no meters in Peru. Attempts to install meters in Lima have always been met with violent protests. As a Gringo, I am often presented with a fare I know to be double or triple the actual fare. Drivers show absolutely no remorse when I negotiate a fare 1/3 of what they quote. The moto taxis will carry an extraordinary variety of freight, as well as passengers.

Moto-Taxis are often quite colorful and will carry ANYTHING

More informally, some private cars and motorcycles will often pick up passengers (and cargo), especially in rural areas. Peace Corps rules prohibit this form of travel.

Add to this a remarkable willingness to walk LONG distances, and you have a transportation network that is nearly the antithesis of the US model, based almost entirely on the private vehicle.

Recall

The Plaza was full of people waiting to vote

Most waited in town for the results - carnival atmosphere

My little town is buzzing with people. Street vendors are doing a brisk business. There are fireworks ( the just-go-boom kind) and huge crowds in the Plaza. Everyone has come in from the surrounding annexes to vote in a special recall election of the mayor and all regidores (town council), even my dear friend and community partner Angel. Turn-out is expected to be high, since voting is not just a right in Peru – it’s the law here. And most intend to hang out in town to await results.

The irony is that the current municipal government, after throwing the corrupt old gang out of office, has done more projects and good for this town than has been done in YEARS. But, under Peruvian law, a mere 6.5% of the voters can force a recall election. In San Luis, that took only 800 signatures – many of which were later found to be fraudulent. The old gang has been disrupting town meetings with ridiculous charges of corruption, since I got here. There have been posters and flyers all over town for the last couple of weeks. All alcohol sales are stopped, though I suspect some stocked up before-hand.

The intent of this recall procedure, which started in 1994, was to “stop corruption”. The reality is that it has allowed a very small minority to disrupt local government function. Pretty much everything, including my projects with the Muni, have been put on hold for the last few weeks, as they deal with “re-election”. Just imagine what the Tea Party or other vocal minority would do with a recall law like this in the US – they could effectively paralyze any local government.

The crowd gets the word that the current administration has WON !!

The good news : The polls closed at 5pm and by 5:40, the votes had been counted twice and the results certified by a federal team from Lima. All existing Regidores and the mayor (aka The Good Guys) won by 86% to 14%. Can you spell  l a n d s l i d e  ?? This was actually a bigger margin than their original election, so clearly the people of this town appreciate all that these hard-working, caring people have done to make it a better place. They deserved every vote for all they've done for the people of this town. Voter turnout was just over 75% - maybe the US should take some notes here and make voting mandatory ? 

The Mayor and my community partner Angel lead the Victory Parade

The Victory parade marched up and down the (newly paved, thanks to them) streets of town. I was touched by the people flooding out of their houses and running out to hug the mayor and town council. More just-go-boom fireworks and music fill the air and cases of beer are flowing from the tiendas. While the recall process did cause a lot of worry and disruption ( not to mention expense), it did have a good result – the mayor and Regidores all got a HUGE shot in the arm from the outpouring of support and vote. While Peace Corps rules prohibited me from participating in Peru politics in any way, I was pulling for them all the way.

Ayacucho Pilgrimage

The main church on the Ayachucho Plaza - one of over 30 in the city

Ayacucho from the surrounding mountains

Ayacucho is the Wari homeland. This enlightened civilization “ruled” the southern half of Peru from 500 to 1100 AD. Their hallmarks were beautiful ceramics, textiles and most importantly – lots of trading and PEACE. I say “ruled” because, unlike most other societies, there was no central government. The Wari were organized into independent city/states, joined by religion, technology and trade. While I’m guessing there may have been some friction between them, it never seemed to develop into full-on war. This lack of defenses, trained soldiers and weapons made them easy game for the Inca thugs, who descended from Cusco and quickly conquered them. My recent journey to Ayacucho was a respectful pilgrimage, of sorts, to visit the high Andes and see where the Wari group who inhabited the nearby Cerro de Oro came from.

There are flights and luxury buses, but I chose the “scenic route”. This penchant for the road-less-traveled serves me well, keeping the tourists at bay and accessing the unique travel experience. From San Luis, I took the Soyuz (Russian for “union”) bus to San Clemente, where the road to Ayacucho begins its 6 hour, 15,000 ft climb into the high Andes. There, I found a mini-van “collective” and waited for it to fill with passengers and freight. This mode of transport offers many advantages – about 1/3 of the bus fare and 10% of air, a chance to chat with fellow passengers and the option to stop, when needed.

The Pisco River Valley

The trip began with the ritual passing of the plastic bags for car sickness disposal purposes. I’m not sure this sends a good message, but four passengers were quite grateful for them. I bought a supply of mandarins and pancita rolls, as an ice-breaker. The route begins in the Pisco River valley. Because the Pisco , unlike my dear Canete, only flows during the rainy season, the agriculture and greenery are markedly reduced, though still in evidence. We passed the Tambo Colorado ruins, which I’ll re-visit at leisure with a close friend in September. The ruins are large block (ram-earth) construction, similar to the Cerro de Oro.

Thatched roofs high in the Andes

From the Pisco Valley, the ascent scenery changes quickly from irrigated desert coast to foothills which enjoy rain in season and then to alpine forest. In just over an hour, we were at 8,000 ft and passed the precious little town of Huaytara, home to some exquisite pre-Inca stonework and dairies. We quickly rose to the high Andes , hitting the high peak at 14,000ft. Above the tree-line, there were herds of llamas, evidence of old mining operations and even some snow on the surrounding peaks. This looks like a lonely life, as houses are few and far between. Construction changes to stone walls and thatched or metal roofs. The llamas and alpacas all sport colorful yarn bows – an alternative to branding. All along the route, mining operations are evident, sucking the metal and mineral resources (gold, silver, copper, lead, sulpur, magnesium and cobalt) out of the mountains and leaving huge piles of slag and waste.

A herd of llamas (or alpacas - hard to tell the difference)

Snow on the Andes peaks at 15,000 ft.

After hours of twisting and turning, with a few stops to allow the car-sick passengers to wash-up while the driver delivered small freight, we (thankfully) arrived above the Ayacucho valley to overlook a vast, sprawling city. I was most struck by the remote location of this huge city. Access from any direction is difficult, even with an well-constructed and maintained highway. I can only imagine the effort and hardship required to travel by foot, even with some pack-animal assistance.

Pedestrian walkway and arch

From the big entrance gas stations, which also serve as freight and passenger terminals, a moto-taxi whisked me to the central Plaza, where I found a delightful and spotless hotel, with hot water, cable TV and internet for about US$20 a night. The Condeduque is on a pedestrian promenade that runs to the Plaza, lined with all manner of restaurants and shops. I had my second go at cuy (guinea pig), which was tasty, but lots of work picking meat off the bones.

One of the original Spanish haciendas

A general strike in support of rolling back the 10% rise in university fees recently imposed by the city, thwarted my travel plan, but allowed a walking tour of the cities churches, museums and haciendas. I found an anticucho (roasted cow heart) restaurant and was rewarded with some of the best I’ve had in Peru. The Spanish colonial influence is quite evident, with large balconies, columns and arches – not to mention over 30 ornate churches. Once again, I pondered the fact that, aside from local building materials and food, virtually everything in the city came up that long, arduous highway. It rained hard in the night, leaving the streets and air fresh and clean.

My fellow combi riders in traditional colorful, multi-layered garb

Next day, I visited the extensive Wari ruins and museum, about 45 minutes outside of Ayacucho, near the lovely alpine village of Quinoa (just like the grain). Again, I passed on the over-priced tourist packages in favor of local transportation. Freight on-board included live chicks, and a large metal door. Most passengers were women, attired in the traditional Andean garb of brightly colored and extensively layered clothes, topped by a fedora hat. The route passed the giant Christ statue (1/2 size of Rio), out the valley floor and up into the surrounding mountains.

Inside the Wari museum

A Wari skull - either they practiced head-shaping or they were aliens.

The ceremonial circle (or game pit)

Excavation of one of the many "churches" on site

The “Wari City” covers about 6 sq. miles and is in the process of being excavated by archeologists and protected by the Ministry of Culture. The museum is not much larger than the one we are building in San Luis, but has a nicely displayed collection of artifacts and information. The staff is not well-trained and unable to answer most questions. I hope we can do better. The self-guided tour of the ruins is nicely marked and maintained. At 10am on a Friday, I was the ONLY visitor – stark contrast to the 2,500 tourists that flock to the Machu Pichu ruins every day.

The site is largely a ceremonial facility, where the Wari from all over southern Peru would gather to celebrate religion and culture. Again, I marvel that pilgrims could and would make the trip into and through the mountains – true dedication. The construction is very unlike the adobe found on the coast. The area is littered with flat stones, which were expertly stacked in an inter-locking fashion, to make absolutely straight and thick walls, often over 50 ft high. Mixed with the stacked rock are large cut stone blocks, more similar to those of the Inca in Cusco. Also notable are the cut rock aqueduct and “plumbing” pieces, which distributed water around the site. The only stone art I saw was a large fountain head. There is not a lot of ornamentation or “art” at the site, though I’m sure any ancient visitor would have been wowed by the immensity of the walls, walkways and intricate “churches”. Most outstanding and well preserved was a “D” shaped ring inside a stadium, which I was told may have been used for ceremonial meetings, with ample “thrones” for the chiefs or for some kind of game – take your pick. What are said to be “churches” or worship areas were excavated well below ground and featured the same mix of stacked stone masonry and large cut sandstone rock. Since the Wari left no written records, a LOT of the structural uses are unknown and left to the imagination.

I traveled further up the mountain to the delightful alpine village of Quinoa, where I dined on some excellent trout and perused the market stalls and artisan shops, sampling some good yogurt and cheese in the process. One of the unique features of every house in the area is an iconic representation of a cathedral at the top center of the roof-line. Some are carved of wood and others are ceramic. And everywhere, the traditional brightly colored dress of Andes women catches the eye.

The return to the coast was about an hour shorter, in large part due to a more skillful driver, who avoided quick, sharp turns, resulting in fewer car-sickness stops. Gravity also helped.

Superb stacked rock construction - walls are 6-8 feet thick

Lovely Plaza in the alpine village of Quinoa - note the icon on top of the roof