My Women

My Woman
Originally uploaded by walterrobb.

These are my two favorite women here in Peru. Giovanna is checking when the baby will be due, she is an accomplished obstretician. Vivianna, 38 , Giovanna.s sister-in-law living with us here in Callao, is our cook, a working fool and dedicated to fatening me up. She has good success as you can see.

The Peruvian life for an expatriot is more than good - I have never eaten so many beans, rice, chicken and drank so much purple corn bevereages. Food, always fresh and plentiful. You can see that I am feeling no pain or stress, however taking care of two women, as I am the only man here, can be quite a chore, especially when they both get on my ass for the dog-shit and piss left behind by my new dog Nick. I think I will survive and this tour of duty and it comes highly recommended.

On the other hand, there is a feeling of bondage here, the average Peruvian,s limitations, due to their fixed traditions and their inability to travel out of their country, not for all but for most, is quite apparent. They do not have the freedoms we have, many don.t care then many also can only dream of what you and I take for granted daily.

The diverse variations of culture, the rough and rugged landscape, the God Given abundance, the wretched poor and arrogant well-to-do, all serve to give one pause and many reflections. Peru would be a great place to start one,s adventure into and through South America, our neighbors in the Americas. It is a blessing to have had the opportunity to be here and to contemplate ones position within our global community .

USA Stainless Hot Dog Portable Restaurant

USA Stainless Hot Dog Portable Restaurant, originally uploaded by walterjii.

I just had to share this with you. On the way out of a Lima Market I ran on to the All American Hotdog Cart. What a beautiful piece of stainless steel craftsmanship, totally self contained on three big casters and next to it was a MacDonald.s icecreame stand which served choclate fudge covered icecreame cones. America at its best. I will call the manufacturer of the Hot Dog Cart to insure they know their equipment is profoundly representing the good old USA here in South America !!!

Fresh Juice Vendor

Fresh Juice Vendor, originally uploaded by walterjii.

This beautiful Peruvian Lady served us fresh blended fruit juice in front of her store where we could sit outside and rest after being in one of the major downtown grocery stores. There are many of these little shops here next to small restaurants and grocery stores. Also, many of the Juice shops specialize in medicinal concockins out of their native herbs, spices and fruit. You can not be on the streets long here without noticing the extreme economic freedom these people have. Surely here, if you don,t work or hustle, you will not eat, no free rides on the backs of taxpayers.

011 Back Yard, Cold Shower

011 Back Yard, Cold Shower, originally uploaded by walterjii.

This is a picture of our back yard in Los Lomas just south a few miles from the Ecquadorian border on the Pan American Highway. Giovanna is cleaning up our jury-rigged shower system, black plastic curtain- makes us feel right at home. You will find more pictures in our library at www.flickr.com/photos/walterjii - It was here that I developed a serious case of the creeping crud, a fungus common to athleets and those living in high heat and humidity conditions.

Living in Los Lomas was wounderful, very hot, but cool in the evening, a small village deep in a valley surrounded by major hills or small mountains. The town was established back in the 1930.s and is a major rice producer for the Peruvian ecomony.

Here cattle, dogs, goats, pigs, you name it roam free, no fences to speak of, yet return home for feed at a predictable time. Great to get up in the morning at the beck and call or a bunch of roosters harmonizing at 5:00 AM
and then to go outside to see a sow and a litter of small pigs on their way to the local garbage dump or nieghbors back door.

Most of these houses have tin roofs, very noisy late at night as the cats hunt on the roofs for eguaneas, rats and brown bats. We were here two months beginning in early January and were able to put in a workable outside shower, toilet and outside cooking range out of adoby and reclaimed brick. Just before leaving in late February, the misquitoes became abundant and it was quite hard on Giovanna, being a city girl and not used to blotches and itching as is common with such critters, not to mention the big pinching beetles with huge horns and wing spans of up to six inches visiting your abode at most unexpected moments. You sometimes had electric and then maybe you didn.t, just the same as the water, yet everybody took that in their stride as just part of life up there. Happy people, you did not see hungry children, farming community with considerable abundance and everybody worked doing something, no welfare, just living as it should be.

Prior to leaving, the local Doctor, across the street in the Health Clinic gave us one of his pippies, a german shephard-terrier cross who we put in a box for the long bus ride to Lima, 14 hours South. If you would like to stop the word and get off for awhile, then Las Lomas is the place for you !!!

Dad Robb - Lima Mall

Dad Robb - Lima Mall, originally uploaded by walterjii.

Finally was able to purchase a small digital camera from Radio Shack for about $22.00. It is not much larger than a book of matches, holds 20 pictures and this is one of my first test shots. Great little camera, complete with software and carrying case. Not good for distance shots.