The path that leads to Olmos

May 15

◦                Breakfast at 6:30 and bags next door by 7:30. We did it and left right at 8:00. Cumplidos! Betty Díaz and her little niece, Guisela, came in the pickup with us, so the seating arrangements were: Trevor (driver) and Sue in the front, Flor, Beverley and me with Guisela on my lap in the back of the cab and Pedro, Miriam and Betty in the back (bed) with the luggage. I think the three in the back had a windy, cold and extremely bumpy ride. They had tarps to use as a wind block, but still...  And Trevor is quite a driver! I don't know how he drove in Australia, but he's adapted quite well to the Peruvian style. Except I think on the bad roads, the Peruvians drive slower on the really bad roads. We bounced and jounced every which way inside the cab, and I can't imagine what it was like in the back. The scenery was absolutely beautiful, especially once we turned off the main road, but I hardly took a single picture. Halfway through our trip or so, my little friend, Guisela, got carsick. I had a bag as did several others, but none of us could get them out and opened before there was vomit all over Guisela and me with a little overflow on Beverley. I caught most of it in my hand but it quickly spilled over. Not exactly my specialty, but I didn't add to the mess at least! We never even slowed down. The poor dear was sick the rest of the way, but at least we were better prepared. I spent most of the ride not feeling all that great myself, especially when there was vomiting going on right under my nose. Anyway, we made it to Coyunde a little after 11:00.

Sopa verde for breakfast

I spent four nights in the home of Eleuterio and Petronila.

My travel buddy before things got pukey.

◦                Just a quick stop in Coyunde to leave a few things and pick up Verónica (Verónica Alvites is one of the native sisters on the staff.  Her parents are don Gilberto and Sra. Gregoria from Cajamarca.) (and use the restroom) before heading on to Olmos, or at least the bend in the road where you leave the road to walk the rest of the way. Sue, Beverley and Miriam stayed behind to go directly to Olmos, and Trevor, Pedro, Verónica, Flor and I got back in the truck to travel to Lajas. Trevor, Pedro and Verónica would travel on after lunch to continue on their route that will lead them to Cushig on Wednesday. Flor needed to go to Lajas for an errand, and I went along just to see a bit more of the country.

Some shots of the kitchen at Coyunde

Preps is still underway here.  The prep crew will come to Olmos tomorrow.

The stairs (hidden by the blue and white sheet) lead to the sisters' sleeping quarters.

Dishwashing station

That's a hot water heater on the wall, so they actually wash dishes in hot water here!

Dining

Here's the pack horse waiting for its load down below the Olmos grounds.

Unloading the truck

And loading the horse

◦                We met Laércio, Roger, Vitalina, Lilia L and Diana at the home of Sra. Consuelo, Lilia's sister, for lunch - cuy and sides.

Lilia Latorre's sister has a bakery, so Flor took me over for a quick tour after lunch.

The oven

◦                After lunch, Roger, Laércio, Diana, Flor and I piled into a hired station wagon to head back to Olmos. I sat halfway up on the seat the whole way since four people's hips wouldn't fit side by side. We took a different way back than the way we had gone, and it was much much smoother, so that helped. I still didn't get any pictures because I wasn't by a window and also it was quite foggy most of the way.

◦                We arrived to the home of Don Napo and left the luggage to be brought on horseback. Diana, Flor and I started the trek up to the ground ahead of the brothers, but they passed us with no problem. Diana had to stop every little bit and rest. This isn't a country for weaklings, and age isn't on anyone's side. It rained the whole way, so we were a tiny bit wet and muddy upon arrival, but we did arrive.

The "road" to Olmos:

There's the house!

Trash pit

Almost there!

           I'm in a room referred to as "The Sanctuary" with Diana, Rosa, Patti and Beverley, apparently newly redone, and I told Elvia it definitely rates five stars. 

My corner of The Sanctuary

◦                Supper was chicharrón, potatoes, salad and choclo with some kind of squashed tuber for dessert.

◦                I helped wash dishes and then wash dish towels after supper.

◦                Sounds like I'm supposed to share something on Wednesday after breakfast as well, and I'm on the work list as a third cook for Sunday supper and Monday breakfast, though on the visiting list, I'm scheduled to be elsewhere for breakfast on Monday, so we'll see what happens.

◦                We have all been offered individual potties to keep under our beds, so I wonder how many tinkles I'll hear in the night.  :-)