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Where In The World are Brian And Angela?!?
Peruvian Peace Corps Adventure
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Enough of the ¨Touristy Pics¨ Already!!! (this one´s for you, Dad)
Enough of the ¨Touristy¨ Pics Already!! (these videos are for you, Dad!)
<div style='clear: both;'></div> </div> <div class='post-footer'> <div class='post-footer-line post-footer-line-1'> <span class='post-author vcard'> Posted by <span class='fn' itemprop='author' itemscope='itemscope' itemtype='http://schema.org/Person'> <meta content='https://www.blogger.com/profile/04869232804536439365' itemprop='url'/> <a class='g-profile' href='https://www.blogger.com/profile/04869232804536439365' rel='author' title='author profile'> <span itemprop='name'>Angela and Brian</span> </a> </span> </span> <span class='post-timestamp'> at <meta content='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/12/enough-of-touristy-pics-already-these.html' itemprop='url'/> <a class='timestamp-link' href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/12/enough-of-touristy-pics-already-these.html' rel='bookmark' title='permanent link'><abbr class='published' itemprop='datePublished' title='2008-12-07T12:13:00-08:00'>12:13 PM</abbr></a> </span> <span class='post-comment-link'> <a class='comment-link' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/6279161873088436212/7317941781928433357' onclick=''> No comments: </a> </span> <span class='post-icons'> <span class='item-action'> <a href='https://www.blogger.com/email-post/6279161873088436212/7317941781928433357' title='Email Post'> <img alt='' class='icon-action' height='13' src='https://resources.blogblog.com/img/icon18_email.gif' width='18'/> </a> </span> <span class='item-control blog-admin pid-437507684'> <a href='https://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=6279161873088436212&postID=7317941781928433357&from=pencil' title='Edit Post'> <img alt='' class='icon-action' height='18' src='https://resources.blogblog.com/img/icon18_edit_allbkg.gif' width='18'/> </a> </span> </span> <div class='post-share-buttons goog-inline-block'> </div> </div> <div class='post-footer-line post-footer-line-2'> <span class='post-labels'> </span> </div> <div class='post-footer-line post-footer-line-3'> <span class='post-location'> </span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="date-outer"> <h2 class='date-header'><span>Sunday, November 30, 2008</span></h2> <div class="date-posts"> <div class='post-outer'> <div class='post hentry uncustomized-post-template' itemprop='blogPost' itemscope='itemscope' itemtype='http://schema.org/BlogPosting'> <meta content='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm6ab7DOW-RmfE6Pi7LBotsRtJYbw7JsSvSDbvCJF532ofwiozMa6k6cTroR4spY9KEUTxG06c2SuCp2qQGc7k5uyuSui-nk-u0PRfbp3dA_ThHTcJHtafl5P6QdT82aUBsDBqAZSMa84/s200/Iquitos+009.jpg' itemprop='image_url'/> <meta content='6279161873088436212' itemprop='blogId'/> <meta content='3599421021066787169' itemprop='postId'/> <a name='3599421021066787169'></a> <h3 class='post-title entry-title' itemprop='name'> <a href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/11/jungle-fervor.html'>Jungle Fervor</a> </h3> <div class='post-header'> <div class='post-header-line-1'></div> </div> <div class='post-body entry-content' id='post-body-3599421021066787169' itemprop='description articleBody'> In leiu of a texty entry, here's a foto journal of our trip to Pacaya-Samiria (largest reserve in the country, located in the Amazon jungle) and Iquitos (largest city in the world with no road going to it).<br />Need I say the trip kicked ASS?<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm6ab7DOW-RmfE6Pi7LBotsRtJYbw7JsSvSDbvCJF532ofwiozMa6k6cTroR4spY9KEUTxG06c2SuCp2qQGc7k5uyuSui-nk-u0PRfbp3dA_ThHTcJHtafl5P6QdT82aUBsDBqAZSMa84/s1600-h/Iquitos+009.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274576616550750562" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm6ab7DOW-RmfE6Pi7LBotsRtJYbw7JsSvSDbvCJF532ofwiozMa6k6cTroR4spY9KEUTxG06c2SuCp2qQGc7k5uyuSui-nk-u0PRfbp3dA_ThHTcJHtafl5P6QdT82aUBsDBqAZSMa84/s200/Iquitos+009.jpg" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" /></a> The boat leaving Yurimaguas, on our way to the nature reserve.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ0GAYam5taZfOOEHmnZsjHElKa7UWZrKfUkXA7ED770fPVRwdS-tbh1h6ir1JHTUv7CbF-eOxlrsPLJXiyeklp9_pxePNp4gwRdo7K940B0P_eGlDN5O2i53D9SYvpsgiCoz5gRZmpsc/s1600-h/Iquitos+010.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274576396021829314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ0GAYam5taZfOOEHmnZsjHElKa7UWZrKfUkXA7ED770fPVRwdS-tbh1h6ir1JHTUv7CbF-eOxlrsPLJXiyeklp9_pxePNp4gwRdo7K940B0P_eGlDN5O2i53D9SYvpsgiCoz5gRZmpsc/s200/Iquitos+010.jpg" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" /></a> Pretty cramped quaters on the boat - just like the busses. In fact, the river boats are the exact equivalent of the busses: cramped, stuffed, and filled with every immaginable thing possible.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpg_hU9G6Wg9yrb4asohzQRPQwr1bGhc197iVl68E4C6jZ4mszbUE_bvZLv_IXv1Zivmk4bMWx7PPeilL9x6PL8I4VoMUnTyvscvNW2ASeQqcWzWlQ0P0Ul7ahyphenhyphenIdKrfJ90Fzya9cw6Cs/s1600-h/Iquitos+014.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274576188774018210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpg_hU9G6Wg9yrb4asohzQRPQwr1bGhc197iVl68E4C6jZ4mszbUE_bvZLv_IXv1Zivmk4bMWx7PPeilL9x6PL8I4VoMUnTyvscvNW2ASeQqcWzWlQ0P0Ul7ahyphenhyphenIdKrfJ90Fzya9cw6Cs/s200/Iquitos+014.jpg" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" /></a> Jungle skies NEVER dissapoint!!!!<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSQVHHfdj-yknSEtlf7ZgbXcMIHbxO1oRV_sn6TEfmZkGTXDjN0w460Ckr_CxZYtoiMkkR3jlXtkJkQ6NkiMWe1pooBZIc0Dq-kdi4ADiScKCB9OImIopmg3ACi3edtFKxAtQn7_u-X5A/s1600-h/Iquitos+021.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274575897322592082" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSQVHHfdj-yknSEtlf7ZgbXcMIHbxO1oRV_sn6TEfmZkGTXDjN0w460Ckr_CxZYtoiMkkR3jlXtkJkQ6NkiMWe1pooBZIc0Dq-kdi4ADiScKCB9OImIopmg3ACi3edtFKxAtQn7_u-X5A/s200/Iquitos+021.jpg" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" /></a> Yup...you just chill...for hours and hours.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRm12dHSEdYe0ARhi7lGxKBbuTybmlahLo1MDQbfQaBYqit55dvXjl9OsHKQbQoOIppdO29g8l-eRm47pjtJxqZJvvkUYnIWYtT0_hgm7pezHyp3GXU-WZ4iLDRX9roSsR2E75F3qJfLo/s1600-h/Iquitos+029.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274575745355419154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRm12dHSEdYe0ARhi7lGxKBbuTybmlahLo1MDQbfQaBYqit55dvXjl9OsHKQbQoOIppdO29g8l-eRm47pjtJxqZJvvkUYnIWYtT0_hgm7pezHyp3GXU-WZ4iLDRX9roSsR2E75F3qJfLo/s200/Iquitos+029.jpg" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" /></a> <strong>Never</strong> dissapoint....<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWrijAZiLUQquScJ6u3JfgbvS93wnDy2bRTMlba_ey5IDtStgkDtyf5Pwj4j4noVEuXLJz9vm8CIuqBTJidon3bSwUkGqmli4AUxaPgFihybtZ-D4qeZwZWJhqfC_gOTKLRzECz5Q3C0Y/s1600-h/Iquitos+036.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274575538329255090" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWrijAZiLUQquScJ6u3JfgbvS93wnDy2bRTMlba_ey5IDtStgkDtyf5Pwj4j4noVEuXLJz9vm8CIuqBTJidon3bSwUkGqmli4AUxaPgFihybtZ-D4qeZwZWJhqfC_gOTKLRzECz5Q3C0Y/s200/Iquitos+036.jpg" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" /></a> Our canoes that went into the jungle reserve. Little dugouts that wobbled all over the place.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh74oJ-TEcCT0O23lqcfs7BrZLLM3O-BAqiJqATFyTBep6row5GEgSfr1YsemA7-57-k7o5VvEoZOdO1DpEf3j8ObORBHSUnh5dWq_lc0dNoVE8toZhbYzNBrztq41LgtwoZN77XffV1NI/s1600-h/Iquitos+042.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274575278887829810" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh74oJ-TEcCT0O23lqcfs7BrZLLM3O-BAqiJqATFyTBep6row5GEgSfr1YsemA7-57-k7o5VvEoZOdO1DpEf3j8ObORBHSUnh5dWq_lc0dNoVE8toZhbYzNBrztq41LgtwoZN77XffV1NI/s200/Iquitos+042.jpg" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" /></a> Impeccable!<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZE7QMJIRD103DS5UP8r9XRmOwRdAmq2WQWdkBjI-AevAMnXiYBZUFW3GvFYvnv19S1R_u7QKTCfv-ACYncB9JIOFHmZdKF4-Yn3VqH3k4pOzIyhphwAWLLVaRuRfj5pS8cv_llC77EMM/s1600-h/Iquitos+047.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274575094101805554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZE7QMJIRD103DS5UP8r9XRmOwRdAmq2WQWdkBjI-AevAMnXiYBZUFW3GvFYvnv19S1R_u7QKTCfv-ACYncB9JIOFHmZdKF4-Yn3VqH3k4pOzIyhphwAWLLVaRuRfj5pS8cv_llC77EMM/s200/Iquitos+047.jpg" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" /></a> See the three-toed sloth?<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_xYIrGSN4IC9SiLOHT9w5yI9lKBVK3M-T-FFEsP3-M39FFdW4pv2zOIsQjzegWqwAdYOznurR9B8U50vqOmhwjfYR7lE0Jhylz29utIpJMuLe-RD0Hz5zi-xqHVu8BGXYOl-7lwSBYsQ/s1600-h/Iquitos+048.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274574869087523682" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_xYIrGSN4IC9SiLOHT9w5yI9lKBVK3M-T-FFEsP3-M39FFdW4pv2zOIsQjzegWqwAdYOznurR9B8U50vqOmhwjfYR7lE0Jhylz29utIpJMuLe-RD0Hz5zi-xqHVu8BGXYOl-7lwSBYsQ/s200/Iquitos+048.jpg" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" /></a> Our first night. The forest is currently flooded (high water time), so some endangered river dolphins were playing right under the deck!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkDOd1n2dAlTVWy8xSDc-Bd0Ps9tjXLIufiyY_DV7LCE_dNZq-nX8fh4VC_wl3v6TiEOmKCYIIzeN9a8srl0EH20VKwkG6fPrv9wy-HywTs_ZYxwr5rpOUi-vTnYz_L2wLpqESEAIHTsg/s1600-h/Iquitos+062.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274574660896382738" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkDOd1n2dAlTVWy8xSDc-Bd0Ps9tjXLIufiyY_DV7LCE_dNZq-nX8fh4VC_wl3v6TiEOmKCYIIzeN9a8srl0EH20VKwkG6fPrv9wy-HywTs_ZYxwr5rpOUi-vTnYz_L2wLpqESEAIHTsg/s200/Iquitos+062.jpg" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUJc23g-_BrlKXg3xH_oTdwmGpub8Bfq4OHMUBEfMj81_pp82u5MmrFfNSi6_gZ3tFoWU-DVIBVjL-9OTdp09XbyceQWP9xSq2hxecnuthZJGGurcXE96RK6Vhq6TiMnLl74Ih-C1PQUI/s1600-h/Iquitos+067.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274574374976813602" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUJc23g-_BrlKXg3xH_oTdwmGpub8Bfq4OHMUBEfMj81_pp82u5MmrFfNSi6_gZ3tFoWU-DVIBVjL-9OTdp09XbyceQWP9xSq2hxecnuthZJGGurcXE96RK6Vhq6TiMnLl74Ih-C1PQUI/s200/Iquitos+067.jpg" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" /></a> Our second night. We took a nice dip in the river. It was <strong><em>HOT </em></strong>and humid, and the river so so cool and silky. No, our guides assured us there was no danger. The water was this wierd red color from all of the dissolved organic matter. Jungle tea as I like to say!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_hPNsc27dAnfEQpHFCuuwz8HNroASkrx5RB6yLgt5-DBLZuF_kO1FXoZuQMwq2UCSN1gSQumoA-NN4JxZvVgCeleRuWtHF9Uuo48-PYJWIkw95Jx1hmC4zJlB35xw1a4pu9ejYGtqOzM/s1600-h/Iquitos+076.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274574155003581426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_hPNsc27dAnfEQpHFCuuwz8HNroASkrx5RB6yLgt5-DBLZuF_kO1FXoZuQMwq2UCSN1gSQumoA-NN4JxZvVgCeleRuWtHF9Uuo48-PYJWIkw95Jx1hmC4zJlB35xw1a4pu9ejYGtqOzM/s200/Iquitos+076.jpg" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" /></a> Some worms our guides used to catch fish. We ate fresh fish from the river every day (just a little for me but it was delicious). They fried some of the worms for us. Crazy, but they tasted just like peanuts! And were really oily. It was like a burst of oil upon biting them, no crunch at all. But I didn't go back for seconds.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv3G5KepAA_ZU8B1It4i4tYb5Kr6jvjLI59XS4yIJKle6mc1U9bG1l6xWjl_1bjedylcaiq5YXJWImYo3IRWvorO3URRPgIB5xvMuqHmLMOLhWVyYTM5Grsn3glXGK2wz1G54XNLYIrVc/s1600-h/Iquitos+080.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274573979868806658" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv3G5KepAA_ZU8B1It4i4tYb5Kr6jvjLI59XS4yIJKle6mc1U9bG1l6xWjl_1bjedylcaiq5YXJWImYo3IRWvorO3URRPgIB5xvMuqHmLMOLhWVyYTM5Grsn3glXGK2wz1G54XNLYIrVc/s200/Iquitos+080.jpg" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" /></a> Going through the flooded forest.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7s9pwaYa9j4I5rTihFtRys58XH1MXKZdEpddM0paF9Iwk-7VqDJ9s8XI1R_YUf0ZXFa7GIhbeMxUjUSC0rse6BDVvs5fS7NTXwg56FrGBlkYVNIdRyT_opNX3mBB2oFd_Fb6f-NjJW-M/s1600-h/Iquitos+089.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274573780858569730" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7s9pwaYa9j4I5rTihFtRys58XH1MXKZdEpddM0paF9Iwk-7VqDJ9s8XI1R_YUf0ZXFa7GIhbeMxUjUSC0rse6BDVvs5fS7NTXwg56FrGBlkYVNIdRyT_opNX3mBB2oFd_Fb6f-NjJW-M/s200/Iquitos+089.jpg" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" /></a> Our guides cleaning some fish. See the pirana??<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwXU-iIfPFpSgvkgThzKhrqTaDV7blo_JPOQsSpGoM8t4wlW75MoawDO_uGpZTp6o9OWVWzJmCG_8ZGxoymOVR0-C0kxp7aLVqX4Cej7QpvSfA2iep6jm7by25ADQn5ixfUlCGQMQ2TVo/s1600-h/Iquitos+091.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274573573242083826" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwXU-iIfPFpSgvkgThzKhrqTaDV7blo_JPOQsSpGoM8t4wlW75MoawDO_uGpZTp6o9OWVWzJmCG_8ZGxoymOVR0-C0kxp7aLVqX4Cej7QpvSfA2iep6jm7by25ADQn5ixfUlCGQMQ2TVo/s200/Iquitos+091.jpg" style="WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" /></a> Out of the reserve and onto the larger river boat down the Amazon to Iquitos. This tiny canoe is loading up his stuff. The ride was 24 hours from the reserve to Iquitos. Nice, slow moving made for a very lazy vibe. <br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUkaZ9tvNjjcgVPNzp9yU09mWL4f6mavcrBsN67e2yy1OBkuGgZSBbLjL8aSR0LUepdE_XbmFAS8xVj-wZqdKitpEmBlHIRXJSsZCcVdgSFWtcklq_BsiVSMIqkpns56uImanUF44hAuc/s1600-h/Iquitos+094.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274573324801161522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUkaZ9tvNjjcgVPNzp9yU09mWL4f6mavcrBsN67e2yy1OBkuGgZSBbLjL8aSR0LUepdE_XbmFAS8xVj-wZqdKitpEmBlHIRXJSsZCcVdgSFWtcklq_BsiVSMIqkpns56uImanUF44hAuc/s200/Iquitos+094.jpg" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" /></a> One of the many river towns they stopped at to load/unload.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT0QnP_9XRUIENQBnZMmlpIqDjVUkWSUAz1chUdIKVKI1Z5h41M38RKLEiQpRSuOw1_s5BstLjVOzBICPx1hOBEeQWemk6XvdsrQewUPE7s8kWrebrkNWwRhF0Sk43gGzAdBXBrA-iMgs/s1600-h/Iquitos+097.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274573106373051826" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT0QnP_9XRUIENQBnZMmlpIqDjVUkWSUAz1chUdIKVKI1Z5h41M38RKLEiQpRSuOw1_s5BstLjVOzBICPx1hOBEeQWemk6XvdsrQewUPE7s8kWrebrkNWwRhF0Sk43gGzAdBXBrA-iMgs/s200/Iquitos+097.jpg" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" /></a> Gotta stay fresh!!!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1tgTkpClpluKGW2FnhMB5tCPFaDyCp_jIrgrYn8qzEvGqcRC_j0fDWZJHqXC0W77roc_C5NT_Mh1U_eqiT-Uyy2WM49sdmrz76xoDTlY2FJiREHGi_Dss4sGPtKlKknOzCvCG5UZDxvo/s1600-h/Iquitos+101.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274572816979565730" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1tgTkpClpluKGW2FnhMB5tCPFaDyCp_jIrgrYn8qzEvGqcRC_j0fDWZJHqXC0W77roc_C5NT_Mh1U_eqiT-Uyy2WM49sdmrz76xoDTlY2FJiREHGi_Dss4sGPtKlKknOzCvCG5UZDxvo/s200/Iquitos+101.jpg" style="WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" /></a> The front of our boat. Yes, there were about 50 cows. Poor things didn't have any food or water for over 40 hours. There were also hundreds of chickens in the back of the boat.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJuQOORNfYv-E7IA-4nyH5cbuez7mWQREaA_zm6YOZ_3nSI9d1eEA92uFVNnduTkWmUxMp8X9IKVhGzdMmwt9xkqZt_ek0thc85wxWDyQ9IgM-b8iERnaTMbxFalFIXzcHRQXodTh-OlY/s1600-h/Iquitos+105.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274572456294152946" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJuQOORNfYv-E7IA-4nyH5cbuez7mWQREaA_zm6YOZ_3nSI9d1eEA92uFVNnduTkWmUxMp8X9IKVhGzdMmwt9xkqZt_ek0thc85wxWDyQ9IgM-b8iERnaTMbxFalFIXzcHRQXodTh-OlY/s200/Iquitos+105.jpg" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" /></a> Spledourous. </div><div><br /> </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSkco42Rv3RS_mktg8U0GkmG8qZfCaw_Z2OgHbmDjmuAbrq3c96Lnq6YeBJcylv3a3shrS3xqme0zsi4PvzsqIAhNjOH_yW-8IMrAMClGYMP3xROvJVLoW-otZDQmp-Owcr9y3eDOG614/s1600-h/Iquitos+114.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274572209239484930" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSkco42Rv3RS_mktg8U0GkmG8qZfCaw_Z2OgHbmDjmuAbrq3c96Lnq6YeBJcylv3a3shrS3xqme0zsi4PvzsqIAhNjOH_yW-8IMrAMClGYMP3xROvJVLoW-otZDQmp-Owcr9y3eDOG614/s200/Iquitos+114.jpg" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" /></a> Is the beauty making you cry yet? If not, you have a very cold heart.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoR2s_6u0eX0qsYNtihi-h3Eh3KaVAd1uN0PLGef2aboeI3OjU3n8O9E0ezZXH53LargiaL7y8lXLLw-uYRIGeGYhgdanU4orLUPrv7UMoaBwVAGb1Y1Jx_NNvpyDcFL3newTh47eYrKg/s1600-h/Iquitos+116.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274571918968090418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoR2s_6u0eX0qsYNtihi-h3Eh3KaVAd1uN0PLGef2aboeI3OjU3n8O9E0ezZXH53LargiaL7y8lXLLw-uYRIGeGYhgdanU4orLUPrv7UMoaBwVAGb1Y1Jx_NNvpyDcFL3newTh47eYrKg/s200/Iquitos+116.jpg" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" /></a> Sob!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6_kpXAfcfM2y5K2Ubwuwo-QKA9sth1iOLq01CskJosrJIPrMFzW0XRrGaNu8wV1zegovFtRD0znLrKQMmW3lRtbLGkHVIRtRX_8RpQLXO6oTMRIIMBLS1BU6aWzz7OHjowr1-cXU_L9o/s1600-h/Iquitos+125.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274571683948885458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6_kpXAfcfM2y5K2Ubwuwo-QKA9sth1iOLq01CskJosrJIPrMFzW0XRrGaNu8wV1zegovFtRD0znLrKQMmW3lRtbLGkHVIRtRX_8RpQLXO6oTMRIIMBLS1BU6aWzz7OHjowr1-cXU_L9o/s200/Iquitos+125.jpg" style="WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" /></a> A shanty town on the banks of a tributary in Iquitos. The houses float and rise and fall with the river.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikpBkLzx526LUaNkZT1FyqHdPtGSqnEel76Rqs8a65x5jF0nDKw27n_bhuBpSTc7tch5_GHajpteFgMngX7YeEA3y_O9ugAE46VFuJOsMEYab-hh23ozdGQ5gofRpPao_YimE3Gp8CTps/s1600-h/Iquitos+129.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274571446106359570" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikpBkLzx526LUaNkZT1FyqHdPtGSqnEel76Rqs8a65x5jF0nDKw27n_bhuBpSTc7tch5_GHajpteFgMngX7YeEA3y_O9ugAE46VFuJOsMEYab-hh23ozdGQ5gofRpPao_YimE3Gp8CTps/s200/Iquitos+129.jpg" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" /></a> Yes, the latrine empties into the river.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfz8b42bWb1J4VSD2sROPocOHD0e7K544NgsonVyK9iCRNnYXwov40cujVLF2efZyLKXB0w9cEi48vLT3EVwc41ttqdeAKzcEKZYiWjYdmkFczZj9ySBtqqfa1A0oJaSV__m5l3iROvks/s1600-h/Iquitos+142.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274571267254961810" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfz8b42bWb1J4VSD2sROPocOHD0e7K544NgsonVyK9iCRNnYXwov40cujVLF2efZyLKXB0w9cEi48vLT3EVwc41ttqdeAKzcEKZYiWjYdmkFczZj9ySBtqqfa1A0oJaSV__m5l3iROvks/s200/Iquitos+142.jpg" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" /></a> Illegal turtle and non-illegal deer at the market. The market in Iquitos was the most interesting we've ever seen. There was everything, hallucinogens, exotic animal meat, hundreds of fruits...<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeW1SAGFSCpq1FFyIsd7vdl463U9teGchE3zRM91LvV47eFxp6Me7fdp2a6pxYSAsD-8nPbgG4bsCG7jCtSEVaua6bUyUmspaV6hwyNIWEjehwDXufWiEglVKh0JKRA-dr9pt0Nwzy8ic/s1600-h/Iquitos+148.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274571022396846178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeW1SAGFSCpq1FFyIsd7vdl463U9teGchE3zRM91LvV47eFxp6Me7fdp2a6pxYSAsD-8nPbgG4bsCG7jCtSEVaua6bUyUmspaV6hwyNIWEjehwDXufWiEglVKh0JKRA-dr9pt0Nwzy8ic/s200/Iquitos+148.jpg" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" /></a> On our way to a butterfly farm and animal rescue place in Iquitos.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5-lsuceHH4UVI1msNZsy9i3JdUftdIPb27Aryz7GiZoaCU659LojROv0IR-9j2BwzTKVlbBZS1BN_dSOwmQWCxz1ND5F53gJi_ZrfdWhGfq1gKuuDqxSEoQ7tYtGPb5HGMIHLGGVK0tY/s1600-h/Iquitos+178.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274570800629380882" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5-lsuceHH4UVI1msNZsy9i3JdUftdIPb27Aryz7GiZoaCU659LojROv0IR-9j2BwzTKVlbBZS1BN_dSOwmQWCxz1ND5F53gJi_ZrfdWhGfq1gKuuDqxSEoQ7tYtGPb5HGMIHLGGVK0tY/s200/Iquitos+178.jpg" style="WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" /></a> The monkey (rescued and tame) reported no lice. Yay!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div> <div style='clear: both;'></div> </div> <div class='post-footer'> <div class='post-footer-line post-footer-line-1'> <span class='post-author vcard'> Posted by <span class='fn' itemprop='author' itemscope='itemscope' itemtype='http://schema.org/Person'> <meta content='https://www.blogger.com/profile/04869232804536439365' itemprop='url'/> <a class='g-profile' href='https://www.blogger.com/profile/04869232804536439365' rel='author' title='author profile'> <span itemprop='name'>Angela and Brian</span> </a> </span> </span> <span class='post-timestamp'> at <meta content='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/11/jungle-fervor.html' itemprop='url'/> <a class='timestamp-link' href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/11/jungle-fervor.html' rel='bookmark' title='permanent link'><abbr class='published' itemprop='datePublished' title='2008-11-30T13:46:00-08:00'>1:46 PM</abbr></a> </span> <span class='post-comment-link'> <a class='comment-link' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/6279161873088436212/3599421021066787169' onclick=''> No comments: </a> </span> <span class='post-icons'> <span class='item-action'> <a href='https://www.blogger.com/email-post/6279161873088436212/3599421021066787169' title='Email Post'> <img alt='' class='icon-action' height='13' src='https://resources.blogblog.com/img/icon18_email.gif' width='18'/> </a> </span> <span class='item-control blog-admin pid-437507684'> <a href='https://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=6279161873088436212&postID=3599421021066787169&from=pencil' title='Edit Post'> <img alt='' class='icon-action' height='18' src='https://resources.blogblog.com/img/icon18_edit_allbkg.gif' width='18'/> </a> </span> </span> <div class='post-share-buttons goog-inline-block'> </div> </div> <div class='post-footer-line post-footer-line-2'> <span class='post-labels'> </span> </div> <div class='post-footer-line post-footer-line-3'> <span class='post-location'> </span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="date-outer"> <h2 class='date-header'><span>Wednesday, November 19, 2008</span></h2> <div class="date-posts"> <div class='post-outer'> <div class='post hentry uncustomized-post-template' itemprop='blogPost' itemscope='itemscope' itemtype='http://schema.org/BlogPosting'> <meta content='6279161873088436212' itemprop='blogId'/> <meta content='8231706132873532803' itemprop='postId'/> <a name='8231706132873532803'></a> <h3 class='post-title entry-title' itemprop='name'> <a href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/11/top-three-shenanigans.html'>Top Three Shenanigans</a> </h3> <div class='post-header'> <div class='post-header-line-1'></div> </div> <div class='post-body entry-content' id='post-body-8231706132873532803' itemprop='description articleBody'> Our Latest Top Three Things:<br /><br />1. 300-pound doctor insists on borrowing Brian´s cheap-ass bike without functioning front brakes. He continually accelerates going down a big hill, all attempts at stopping in vain. Crashes, and has to be taken to Piura (5 hours by truck) to get stiches. (Side note: he is one of our favourite people here. Smiled the whole way down to Piura because he got free time off of work.)<br /><br />2. One of the teachers asked us for final grades for our <em>very</em> informal non-consistent computer class with the elementary kids. So we made up a simple test. All of them failed. Hey - it´s not the teaching, they just don´t get much practice!! I swear!! So, we expressed our concerns to the teacher, not wanting any kids to get in trouble at home for flunking computers. We managed to change every kid´s grade to an A for good participation. How´s <em>that</em> for standardized assment, Colorado Department of Education!!!! In your <em>face</em>!<br /><br />3. When someone dies in town, it´s a big deal. They officially mourn as a community for 9 days. It just so happend that at the time when 4 other volunteers came to visit us for training, a dearly loved woman from our community died (Brian and I had never met her). Well, it felt wierd anyway, running around town in a pack of oblivious gringoes while people were mourning. Even worse when, riding in a truck brimming full with us Americans, we came speeding into town almost running over the burial procession as it was headed to the cemetary. ¡Que vergüenza! How embarrassing! For some reason, our driver (Peruvian) made the procession <em>back up</em> so we could pass by!!! AND HONKED! Ahhhhhhh!! Being in the cab, I just burried my head in my arms. In the back of the truck, the other gringoes couldn´t do much of anything, save dissapear. Brian took is hat off. Others just shrunk in embarrassment. We´re lucky they love us here! <div style='clear: both;'></div> </div> <div class='post-footer'> <div class='post-footer-line post-footer-line-1'> <span class='post-author vcard'> Posted by <span class='fn' itemprop='author' itemscope='itemscope' itemtype='http://schema.org/Person'> <meta content='https://www.blogger.com/profile/04869232804536439365' itemprop='url'/> <a class='g-profile' href='https://www.blogger.com/profile/04869232804536439365' rel='author' title='author profile'> <span itemprop='name'>Angela and Brian</span> </a> </span> </span> <span class='post-timestamp'> at <meta content='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/11/top-three-shenanigans.html' itemprop='url'/> <a class='timestamp-link' href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/11/top-three-shenanigans.html' rel='bookmark' title='permanent link'><abbr class='published' itemprop='datePublished' title='2008-11-19T12:49:00-08:00'>12:49 PM</abbr></a> </span> <span class='post-comment-link'> <a class='comment-link' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/6279161873088436212/8231706132873532803' onclick=''> No comments: </a> </span> <span class='post-icons'> <span class='item-action'> <a href='https://www.blogger.com/email-post/6279161873088436212/8231706132873532803' title='Email Post'> <img alt='' class='icon-action' height='13' src='https://resources.blogblog.com/img/icon18_email.gif' width='18'/> </a> </span> <span class='item-control blog-admin pid-437507684'> <a href='https://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=6279161873088436212&postID=8231706132873532803&from=pencil' title='Edit Post'> <img alt='' class='icon-action' height='18' src='https://resources.blogblog.com/img/icon18_edit_allbkg.gif' width='18'/> </a> </span> </span> <div class='post-share-buttons goog-inline-block'> </div> </div> <div class='post-footer-line post-footer-line-2'> <span class='post-labels'> </span> </div> <div class='post-footer-line post-footer-line-3'> <span class='post-location'> </span> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class='post-outer'> <div class='post hentry uncustomized-post-template' itemprop='blogPost' itemscope='itemscope' itemtype='http://schema.org/BlogPosting'> <meta content='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQKpOEDCgyZmYdLrU-6rCiEcdfnJtyIPl94AZGijDHUdKQytpwatoVvfx_7XbTH1b7Q2CQDPVVgjHxOG3xzCLClz9Kno9RrPevcA5H6lFzakpMOo5FH3cB8x-gXzNSeZqNsLzC_nL_6pU/s200/SicchezPampaI.E.Primaria+010.jpg' itemprop='image_url'/> <meta content='6279161873088436212' itemprop='blogId'/> <meta content='4808391755909346305' itemprop='postId'/> <a name='4808391755909346305'></a> <h3 class='post-title entry-title' itemprop='name'> <a href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/11/sowhat-are-you-doing.html'>So...what are YOU doing??</a> </h3> <div class='post-header'> <div class='post-header-line-1'></div> </div> <div class='post-body entry-content' id='post-body-4808391755909346305' itemprop='description articleBody'> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Well, it doesn´t take too long to get back into the swing of things after a vacation…naps after lunch, porch-sitting, long walks and bike rides, rice with potatoes and noodles soup, oh...and....work.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Some Peace Corps trainees came to our site as part of their training. I think they were a little overwhelmed. We´re pretty far out there and lack many travel-friendly facilities (such as mold and spider-free rooms). As heath trainees, Brian packed their three-day schedule with lots of hard labor (making a new garden at the kindergarten – DIG minions!! -, working in our garden at the health center, teaching basketball to some kids in another village, climbing up to the town´s water reservoir, giving classes at the health center and high school, etc.) They were a bit whipped. You all know, it takes a lot o juice to roll with the B-Man!! But it was nice to see some people we could relate to, Peace Corps volunteers aren´t anything if not interesting conversationalists.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The garden is all cleaned up from the plague infestation and we´re planting anew. It´s a long growing season here, which is kind of cool after being accustomed to the tight squeeze of a Colorado growing season. We have some nice alfalfa plants, but the bean seeds we planted rotted before they managed to sprout. Did I mention that the rains are approaching a bit early? We get some wetness most days of the week in the afternoon; which is actually a blessing because we don´t have to haul bucket after bucket from the faucet to water the plants. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Brian´s putting a grant proposal together for an improved cooking stove/family garden project (95% of families here cook over an open fire indoors, and have no access to fresh produce) to be carried out in our second year. ****I know, can you believe it?!?!?!?!? We´re approaching the year mark at site!!!!!! Dec. 4th!!**** An improved cooking stove is made of adobe with a metal top and a chimney so that it conserves heat, cooks faster, uses less firewood and sends the smoke out of the house. He´s doing a good job of making sure that the employees at the Health Center take initiative on most of the work. They want to start with building the stoves at the local schools, as the moms take turns cooking snacks for the kids and it´s a good way to initiate interest with a lot of people. Eventually, they´re going to focus the project on 30 families within the district with children under 3 years of age. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Well, the latest accomplishment from yours truly, Mrs. Trash? I managed to get another hole dug!! Wooohooo!!!! This one´s up in Sicchez Pampa, a village 1.5 hours walking distance away on top of a ridge. We built the ¨sanitary landfill¨ at the local school. The community did a clean-up campaign and we inagurated the first trash thrown into it. It was very sentimental for moment for all. I think the guys were loving the hole because they were nice and toasty drunk by the end of a 6-hr digging session (who can blame them, it´s not what you´d choose to do on a Saturday afternoon). I was just happy to see a dad yell at his kid for throwing a cookie wrapper on the ground while standing next to a nice, big, shiny new trash hole. </span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQKpOEDCgyZmYdLrU-6rCiEcdfnJtyIPl94AZGijDHUdKQytpwatoVvfx_7XbTH1b7Q2CQDPVVgjHxOG3xzCLClz9Kno9RrPevcA5H6lFzakpMOo5FH3cB8x-gXzNSeZqNsLzC_nL_6pU/s1600-h/SicchezPampaI.E.Primaria+010.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270472036489327586" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQKpOEDCgyZmYdLrU-6rCiEcdfnJtyIPl94AZGijDHUdKQytpwatoVvfx_7XbTH1b7Q2CQDPVVgjHxOG3xzCLClz9Kno9RrPevcA5H6lFzakpMOo5FH3cB8x-gXzNSeZqNsLzC_nL_6pU/s200/SicchezPampaI.E.Primaria+010.jpg" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" /></a> Young and old alike partake in the insanely fun task of digging a trash hole.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimbHim3CYHDxo81PAAb5gywrvOxrHgZT1nn7yHvkkVu1DdiscJHedaMmqHPy8LWxwsOYcruC2lKen4NZmrm_HmKdhVxseHH0uc68maGWy2Le2VZahv5u-roUsXh66t_xXLgPkUsM7YsMc/s1600-h/SicchezPampaI.E.Primaria+001.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270471732365256466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimbHim3CYHDxo81PAAb5gywrvOxrHgZT1nn7yHvkkVu1DdiscJHedaMmqHPy8LWxwsOYcruC2lKen4NZmrm_HmKdhVxseHH0uc68maGWy2Le2VZahv5u-roUsXh66t_xXLgPkUsM7YsMc/s200/SicchezPampaI.E.Primaria+001.jpg" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" /></a> There were more guys here at the beginning, the cañaso (sugar cane moonshine) picked them off one by one...<br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">In the other village of Las Vegas (1 hour bike ride down the road), 8 families managed to construct their very own landfills and clean up their property. YAY! The local principal there is a natural visionary and very active within his community. He´s my lifeline there because he always follows up on all our trash related activities. (I know, why would we ever need follow up? You´d think trash is a riveting enough topic to get people jumping out of their pants. Hugh. Go figure.) It´s funny though, and a classic example of the debilitating habit of praternalism so common here: Once people saw 8 families recieve a food basket for completing their landfills on time (we had a contest), the rest of the town – although informed along with all the others about the contest that is now OVER – decided they too want make a landfill in their homes. But only if they get a food basket for it. ¨Why would I dig a hole for nothing??,¨ said one community member. After all of the education about the environmental and helth aspects of proper trash disposal! Tisk! Now they all want me to give them food baskets for making a trash hole. This is exactly why as a teacher I never gave out prizes for good behavior! Damn, why did I forget about that!?!? Intrinsic motivation? Nawwwww..... However, the principal assures me that the next time I go there, each of the 30+ families will have a landfill at their home. Basket or no basket. I will simply tell them that they were all adequately informed of the contest, that it is now over, but that taking care of our health and that of our environment is something that we have to do continually. We´ll see how many happy faces I see on that day. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Here in my village, my counterpart and I decied to ramp up our plan. By the end of my second year, we will have municipal compost production, a municipal recycling program, and 80% of the 150 families separating their trash in their homes. My method of attack is house visits. Relentless house visits. Not just in my village, but in Sicchez Pampa and Las Vegas too. Face-to-face follow up and monitoring. What the hell else do I have to do? In my village, we made some flyers and I recruited the local teachers, police officer, and justice of the peace to go house-to-house with me. I refuse to do anything alone. I truly think the harder part will be getting the municipality to naturalize this project into an ongoing activity. My counterpart is my only connection to the municipality. As of now, I´m not getting the institutional support that will be needed to upkeep a system like this. They mayor is too concerned, albeit prudently, about the organic coffee and sugar exporting expoilts. The environmental regent, who should be the backbone of this project, only shows up in town to collect his paycheck. No exaggeration. So my counterpart and I have a lot of digging and prodding to do on the governmental level to find the support we need to gel the whole thing together. Incidentally, Peru just created a new Ministry of the Environment. Good? I don´t know, the country is notorious for it´s viscous and complex beaurocratic soup. But if what they say is true, the ministry will soon be assessing fines on municipalities who do not have a waste management plan. As you can guess, I now hope to scare my municipality into working with me more intimately.<br /></span> <div style='clear: both;'></div> </div> <div class='post-footer'> <div class='post-footer-line post-footer-line-1'> <span class='post-author vcard'> Posted by <span class='fn' itemprop='author' itemscope='itemscope' itemtype='http://schema.org/Person'> <meta content='https://www.blogger.com/profile/04869232804536439365' itemprop='url'/> <a class='g-profile' href='https://www.blogger.com/profile/04869232804536439365' rel='author' title='author profile'> <span itemprop='name'>Angela and Brian</span> </a> </span> </span> <span class='post-timestamp'> at <meta content='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/11/sowhat-are-you-doing.html' itemprop='url'/> <a class='timestamp-link' href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/11/sowhat-are-you-doing.html' rel='bookmark' title='permanent link'><abbr class='published' itemprop='datePublished' title='2008-11-19T12:40:00-08:00'>12:40 PM</abbr></a> </span> <span class='post-comment-link'> <a class='comment-link' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/6279161873088436212/4808391755909346305' onclick=''> No comments: </a> </span> <span class='post-icons'> <span class='item-action'> <a href='https://www.blogger.com/email-post/6279161873088436212/4808391755909346305' title='Email Post'> <img alt='' class='icon-action' height='13' src='https://resources.blogblog.com/img/icon18_email.gif' width='18'/> </a> </span> <span class='item-control blog-admin pid-437507684'> <a href='https://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=6279161873088436212&postID=4808391755909346305&from=pencil' title='Edit Post'> <img alt='' class='icon-action' height='18' src='https://resources.blogblog.com/img/icon18_edit_allbkg.gif' width='18'/> </a> </span> </span> <div class='post-share-buttons goog-inline-block'> </div> </div> <div class='post-footer-line post-footer-line-2'> <span class='post-labels'> </span> </div> <div class='post-footer-line post-footer-line-3'> <span class='post-location'> </span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="date-outer"> <h2 class='date-header'><span>Monday, November 3, 2008</span></h2> <div class="date-posts"> <div class='post-outer'> <div class='post hentry uncustomized-post-template' itemprop='blogPost' itemscope='itemscope' itemtype='http://schema.org/BlogPosting'> <meta content='6279161873088436212' itemprop='blogId'/> <meta content='4578439705361392938' itemprop='postId'/> <a name='4578439705361392938'></a> <h3 class='post-title entry-title' itemprop='name'> <a href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/11/magical-realism.html'>Magical Realism</a> </h3> <div class='post-header'> <div class='post-header-line-1'></div> </div> <div class='post-body entry-content' id='post-body-4578439705361392938' itemprop='description articleBody'> It´s not a new term, in fact, it´s an entire genre of writing. But by the words you can guess what it means. The ever so perceptive people who created this way of ¨putting things¨ could not have explained Latin America, and my experience in Peru, better. Things are normal...but not really. Just a bit off...but normal. Unexplainable. A bit odd, if you look close enough; if you have a poetic eye.<br />Like people watering the sidewalk and dusting the plants. Or a bus driver yelling at you to hurry and get on, NOW, and starting to drive before your foot is on the step (you freaking out that you´ll miss the only bus for the day) so that he can roll 5 feet down the road and stop to eat for 20 minutes (GO! GO! GO!, <strong>vroom</strong>, <em>screech</em>, hisssssss.....) When asked when something is going to happen, a Peruian will always tell you <em>right now</em> (<em>ahorita</em>), or in English translation, anytime between 15 minutes and 15 hours. Peruvians live in the moment, know how to laugh, love to socialize, and are not in a hurry for anything. All this gives a somewhat unpredictable and flamboyant air to life here. Which, obviously, can cause extreme frustration for an North American who is trying to organize, plan, hold meetings, and do things now. No, I really mean <strong><em>now</em></strong>.<br />But then there´s the other side. Like how we are learning to calm down. How to truly be generous – with your time and your interest in others. How to not do something if we don´t want to.<br />So, all strengths have their weaknesses. If they tightened up a bit, they´d make a lot of progress and improvements in their lives. If we loosened up a bit, the whole process would be a lot more fun. And so, I invite all of you to come experience for yourself the very REAL magic that exists here.<br />(To my family: Our Cusco trip is a perfect example of Peruvian Magic Realism)<br /><br />Side note to Dad: Brian and I walked a total of 8 miles round-trip to watch the Broncos vs. Patriots game at a friend´s house with DishTV. If they only knew the sacrifices of their fans, maybe they would have made it worthwhile! Damn! <div style='clear: both;'></div> </div> <div class='post-footer'> <div class='post-footer-line post-footer-line-1'> <span class='post-author vcard'> Posted by <span class='fn' itemprop='author' itemscope='itemscope' itemtype='http://schema.org/Person'> <meta content='https://www.blogger.com/profile/04869232804536439365' itemprop='url'/> <a class='g-profile' href='https://www.blogger.com/profile/04869232804536439365' rel='author' title='author profile'> <span itemprop='name'>Angela and Brian</span> </a> </span> </span> <span class='post-timestamp'> at <meta content='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/11/magical-realism.html' itemprop='url'/> <a class='timestamp-link' href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/11/magical-realism.html' rel='bookmark' title='permanent link'><abbr class='published' itemprop='datePublished' title='2008-11-03T14:43:00-08:00'>2:43 PM</abbr></a> </span> <span class='post-comment-link'> <a class='comment-link' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/6279161873088436212/4578439705361392938' onclick=''> No comments: </a> </span> <span class='post-icons'> <span class='item-action'> <a href='https://www.blogger.com/email-post/6279161873088436212/4578439705361392938' title='Email Post'> <img alt='' class='icon-action' height='13' src='https://resources.blogblog.com/img/icon18_email.gif' width='18'/> </a> </span> <span class='item-control blog-admin pid-437507684'> <a href='https://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=6279161873088436212&postID=4578439705361392938&from=pencil' title='Edit Post'> <img alt='' class='icon-action' height='18' src='https://resources.blogblog.com/img/icon18_edit_allbkg.gif' width='18'/> </a> </span> </span> <div class='post-share-buttons goog-inline-block'> </div> </div> <div class='post-footer-line post-footer-line-2'> <span class='post-labels'> </span> </div> <div class='post-footer-line post-footer-line-3'> <span class='post-location'> </span> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class='post-outer'> <div class='post hentry uncustomized-post-template' itemprop='blogPost' itemscope='itemscope' itemtype='http://schema.org/BlogPosting'> <meta content='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6FPi1Ve-HMvryTSq7yIULDM-dBx7OWShDpVe0jVcyAxhSm2G6uzrkEsYBXt_nvNnIUlmQO-hhRj6EV50V8HEANz5OGyiUs0x5uO40do5Ut9TwI6SvkrvgBUiyGMvXxRERF-cil22LbVA/s200/Angela+101.jpg' itemprop='image_url'/> <meta content='6279161873088436212' itemprop='blogId'/> <meta content='4236363278341708946' itemprop='postId'/> <a name='4236363278341708946'></a> <h3 class='post-title entry-title' itemprop='name'> <a href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/11/family-vacation-part-2.html'>Family Vacation Part 2</a> </h3> <div class='post-header'> <div class='post-header-line-1'></div> </div> <div class='post-body entry-content' id='post-body-4236363278341708946' itemprop='description articleBody'> <em><strong>Part 2b: Sandoval Lake, Madre de Dios<br /></strong></em>A real journey through Peru is not complete without experiencing the insane amount of diversity that the counrty encompasses. It is the third most biologically diverse country in the world, and first in variety of birds, fish, butterflies, orchids, medicinal plants; and second in primates. For an area just three times the size of California, Peru supports 84 of the 107 life zones and 28 of the 32 climates. And I never really comprehended this magnificence until travelling to the jungle. I have seen the coast, the dry forests, the mountains, and the cloud forests, but this is only two-thirds of the story. It´s hard to believe that one can travel from a scorching dry desert, through humid cool forests, to alpine tundra and glaciers, and end up in the largest jungle in the world - all within less than 2 hours in an airplane.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6FPi1Ve-HMvryTSq7yIULDM-dBx7OWShDpVe0jVcyAxhSm2G6uzrkEsYBXt_nvNnIUlmQO-hhRj6EV50V8HEANz5OGyiUs0x5uO40do5Ut9TwI6SvkrvgBUiyGMvXxRERF-cil22LbVA/s1600-h/Angela+101.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264563546306081842" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6FPi1Ve-HMvryTSq7yIULDM-dBx7OWShDpVe0jVcyAxhSm2G6uzrkEsYBXt_nvNnIUlmQO-hhRj6EV50V8HEANz5OGyiUs0x5uO40do5Ut9TwI6SvkrvgBUiyGMvXxRERF-cil22LbVA/s200/Angela+101.jpg" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" /></a> Getting onto the canoe to go to our jungle lodge.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR_7GUNf3qA1AtTcOLlr_q_RDX_EE_1rDCQCOv6g-GUJCGnbLmImhZoo0LZl1Vo5kxyZyjsZ85F4wVKkZWzTWtq-tmejZNYM6nUzirvqfnrrT5xfsCYmDn5byOPKf_O-JEJ5jLpegNrNw/s1600-h/Angela+108.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264562954732364546" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR_7GUNf3qA1AtTcOLlr_q_RDX_EE_1rDCQCOv6g-GUJCGnbLmImhZoo0LZl1Vo5kxyZyjsZ85F4wVKkZWzTWtq-tmejZNYM6nUzirvqfnrrT5xfsCYmDn5byOPKf_O-JEJ5jLpegNrNw/s200/Angela+108.jpg" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" /></a> Coming into Sandoval Lake. It is technically an oxbow lake, for my geography inclined readers.</div><div> </div><div>For Joanie, the jungle was a welcome relief from the chilly climate of Cusco. For all of us, it was like being a kid again, seeing creatures and environments for the very first time. Kristyn´s uncanny organizing skills (we think her next career should be in a travel agency) landed us in a drift-wood constructed logde on an oxbow lake in a national reserve. We had to take a boat, walk 2 miles, and then canoe across a lake to arrive (cool, hugh?!) The conservation group that owns the logde helped the local farmers convert from making their living by exploiting and destroying the forest to eco-tourism. It is a non-profit, 60% of the proceeds going to local families and 40% going to conservation. The cool thing about the lake is that we were able to see aquatic as well as terrestial species, taking canoe rides and hiking through the forest. We saw river otters, caimans (South American crocs), macaws, tarantulas, leaf-cutter ants, sloths, turtles, tree frogs, monkeys, snakes, and incredible sunsets on the lake. </div><div> </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_vBI-ic_V1qUv0FXoR3vQAUgmQ4cKiyPno9VZEii-oQi5XQP9tGQpTzAg0tPm27uzxcJZN5CVcSMMfhBNjWPzh0xBaGBaj1Br9P5i2LRzntqDrk6TwQc1i3cot4P4hBJEzzNkxfLLfLQ/s1600-h/Angela+132.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264561678088664290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_vBI-ic_V1qUv0FXoR3vQAUgmQ4cKiyPno9VZEii-oQi5XQP9tGQpTzAg0tPm27uzxcJZN5CVcSMMfhBNjWPzh0xBaGBaj1Br9P5i2LRzntqDrk6TwQc1i3cot4P4hBJEzzNkxfLLfLQ/s200/Angela+132.jpg" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" /></a> Kristyn, I LOVE you!!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_y_yObeSpIIELLONKifiyms7z848tPioxNFSEutr9eZvxSV89gGqdySkfFl7UCxf70IPD7oZxcvDDlx7sEpxrx-O0nYAIGBVxSmdSydyRMXoJXiiaIy-2zPz9ypOC6CKxcRTJzVxxMD4/s1600-h/Angela+123.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264561086106054418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_y_yObeSpIIELLONKifiyms7z848tPioxNFSEutr9eZvxSV89gGqdySkfFl7UCxf70IPD7oZxcvDDlx7sEpxrx-O0nYAIGBVxSmdSydyRMXoJXiiaIy-2zPz9ypOC6CKxcRTJzVxxMD4/s200/Angela+123.jpg" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" /></a> An evening Pisco Sour with my pops ;)</div><div><br />Our guide was a very conscious and spiritually-minded woman, and helped us to appreciate the jungle through her eyes. What I liked about her most is that she wasn´t ashamed to share her strong energetic connection with the forest. So many Americans would be afraid of seeming ¨cheesy¨ or ¨granola¨ as we closed our eyes in the forest to listen and feel. But the purity of her appreciation wiped away these silly inhibitions and freed us to see things through her perspective. Maybe that´s why it was such a powerful experience for us. Either way, this will not be the last time!<br />Upon the somewhat sad retreat back to our homes, we stayed in Lima for two nights to slowly adjust back to civilization. It was really hard to leave my family again, especially knowing how truly blessed we are to have such a close and special relationship with each other. With a heavy heart, I made the trek back to Sicchez. But don´t worry mom, within a week things settled and went back to normal, as I´m sure is the same with you guys.<br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8rUy1jGlUmXqh8OkklYmTtYYcCT0oDmyMNYEjNEBbE-dO4zYpEe8yZ15JE7sokVkQnBuqTe8X3ofXSdJwrH7vjti5hEfT4rNpH0T9j5obWVyeIRlu-Vjz8nE8dkAy6WM8Lpd8pNXuPeY/s1600-h/Angela+144.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264560474107914130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8rUy1jGlUmXqh8OkklYmTtYYcCT0oDmyMNYEjNEBbE-dO4zYpEe8yZ15JE7sokVkQnBuqTe8X3ofXSdJwrH7vjti5hEfT4rNpH0T9j5obWVyeIRlu-Vjz8nE8dkAy6WM8Lpd8pNXuPeY/s200/Angela+144.jpg" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" /></a> Ahhhhhh...... Just immagine the feeling......<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJnVtltZaaxzXQY2fmoCPaVVSlJfKj56FYiKCrQV9QXW9QyaQXmj-pxk_ZQr1WAiu90o_1nuaSd0hY7sM-eIK6uib16tzJNE8z__fS8A5M47rgH3iYlGdCS0HCjbspDu9bim5T2sR7wb8/s1600-h/Angela+158.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264558610107998882" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJnVtltZaaxzXQY2fmoCPaVVSlJfKj56FYiKCrQV9QXW9QyaQXmj-pxk_ZQr1WAiu90o_1nuaSd0hY7sM-eIK6uib16tzJNE8z__fS8A5M47rgH3iYlGdCS0HCjbspDu9bim5T2sR7wb8/s200/Angela+158.jpg" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" /></a> Paying respects to the Goddess tree of the jungle.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx6ecMb_h8PtiOiVP8TlxlsgrfNVyzMbsvmiOTyl95muWNW43LAWho_X-UAXd_s9VfcErr2pNtIDHjmaa74qMzkM99TNkcgzIt5RacOfig5VTdKMGEMuw9OxF8UR7UR7k0Tv17T_PTDnA/s1600-h/Angela+013.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264558039811143458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx6ecMb_h8PtiOiVP8TlxlsgrfNVyzMbsvmiOTyl95muWNW43LAWho_X-UAXd_s9VfcErr2pNtIDHjmaa74qMzkM99TNkcgzIt5RacOfig5VTdKMGEMuw9OxF8UR7UR7k0Tv17T_PTDnA/s200/Angela+013.jpg" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" /></a> And CHEERS!!!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div> <div style='clear: both;'></div> </div> <div class='post-footer'> <div class='post-footer-line post-footer-line-1'> <span class='post-author vcard'> Posted by <span class='fn' itemprop='author' itemscope='itemscope' itemtype='http://schema.org/Person'> <meta content='https://www.blogger.com/profile/04869232804536439365' itemprop='url'/> <a class='g-profile' href='https://www.blogger.com/profile/04869232804536439365' rel='author' title='author profile'> <span itemprop='name'>Angela and Brian</span> </a> </span> </span> <span class='post-timestamp'> at <meta content='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/11/family-vacation-part-2.html' itemprop='url'/> <a class='timestamp-link' href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/11/family-vacation-part-2.html' rel='bookmark' title='permanent link'><abbr class='published' itemprop='datePublished' title='2008-11-03T14:11:00-08:00'>2:11 PM</abbr></a> </span> <span class='post-comment-link'> <a class='comment-link' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/6279161873088436212/4236363278341708946' onclick=''> 1 comment: </a> </span> <span class='post-icons'> <span class='item-action'> <a href='https://www.blogger.com/email-post/6279161873088436212/4236363278341708946' title='Email Post'> <img alt='' class='icon-action' height='13' src='https://resources.blogblog.com/img/icon18_email.gif' width='18'/> </a> </span> <span class='item-control blog-admin pid-437507684'> <a href='https://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=6279161873088436212&postID=4236363278341708946&from=pencil' title='Edit Post'> <img alt='' class='icon-action' height='18' src='https://resources.blogblog.com/img/icon18_edit_allbkg.gif' width='18'/> </a> </span> </span> <div class='post-share-buttons goog-inline-block'> </div> </div> <div class='post-footer-line post-footer-line-2'> <span class='post-labels'> </span> </div> <div class='post-footer-line post-footer-line-3'> <span class='post-location'> </span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="date-outer"> <h2 class='date-header'><span>Tuesday, October 14, 2008</span></h2> <div class="date-posts"> <div class='post-outer'> <div class='post hentry uncustomized-post-template' itemprop='blogPost' itemscope='itemscope' itemtype='http://schema.org/BlogPosting'> <meta content='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR5z0KBDKmenIkEUJo-wm43JQHfQnu_IWMQ-Cg3CMpeCG6WIuLF773PAU0UKAw0GZ_236uonE5KkfyPbRxNaKWKdRbtdvyse80jvGCz1X3EFKmf2e3_W9A259i6WPgNHwPpBzPd4L74bo/s200/A+004.jpg' itemprop='image_url'/> <meta content='6279161873088436212' itemprop='blogId'/> <meta content='8380594123683453575' itemprop='postId'/> <a name='8380594123683453575'></a> <h3 class='post-title entry-title' itemprop='name'> <a href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/10/myers-family-vacation-part-1.html'>Myers Family Vacation Part 1</a> </h3> <div class='post-header'> <div class='post-header-line-1'></div> </div> <div class='post-body entry-content' id='post-body-8380594123683453575' itemprop='description articleBody'> <em><strong>Part 1a: Sícchez</strong></em><br />So our family rocked Peru, from north to south, jungle to coast to sierra. We had an absolutely amazing time. Kudos to Kristyn for organizing such a great itenerary – it was perfectly paced. Kudos to Dad for making it all happen and making us laugh the whole time. Kudos to Mom for her iron will, good nature, willingness to patiently put up with anything, and always making things bright! I´m so proud to call all of you, mom, dad, and Kristyn, my family. The way in which you embraced the Peruvian experience shows what wonderful people you truly are!!<br />I was greeted at the airport with huge smiles and hugs – depsite the fact that my family hadn´t slept in over a day – and a bag of fresh homemade cookies that I proceded to finish off that same day. Thanks Aunt Joyce. Sorry Brian. We enjoyed the mellow city of Piura for a day and a half. My family saw the outdoor market (Dad liked the hanging meat section…you can only immagine the body parts, and my mom loved all the fresh fruit stands). I inducted them to the wonderful tastes of local fruit: chirimoya, pepino, granadia, etc. I think we felt a little like movie stars, because not so many tourists come up this way. Lots of looks. We even posed for a picture that some school girls wanted to take of us! They were so cute and just elated to be in a picture with some North Americans (I know, what´s so special about us?!?!) We ate some ice cream in the main plaza and also paid a visit to the post office lady. She was so excited to finally meet my mom, because she sees countless packages from her every month. She grabbed mom´s hand and said, ¨Oh how nice it is to see the woman who sends her daughter so many things!!¨ It was like they already knew each other, since I´m always telling her stories about my family. So that´s how my mom became friends with a Piuran postal worker!<br />The next day, off to Sicchez. At first, my family thought the bus ride was cool. You know, everything´s a novelty at first. Sitting next to farm animals, bumping along a dirt road in a crampy shitty seats, the same 6 cumbia songs blasting over and over. My family even made new friends sharing snacks with some little boys. Most of all, they loved the view: costal desert to montane forest in 8 hours.<br />Sicchez didn´t dissapoint. Our community welcomed my family with the spirited and unrelenting generosity and kindness that I have grown to love them for. By the end of 1.5 days, my family recieved homemade cane sugar-peanut candy from two different people, a bag of fresh harvested peanuts, four papayas, a brick of natural unrefined sugar made from the local cane, a party in their honor, an invitation to a trapiche (rustic bull-powered sugar mill), a tour of the local school and organic garden, a welcoming by the health center employees, and delicious local bean soup and fried bread from my family. Seeing Brian and my´s work, talking to people, and really getting to know our experience in Sicchez made all of us feel so much more complete. My family knows I´m in a great place and now can share in our experiences more fully than before.<br />Of course, our visit wasn´t complete without a party, lovingly dubbed by my father as ¨Six Isn´t Enough¨. Our loving friends prepared a vegetarian dish (especially for me) and we brought over six large beers to share. Well, of course, they weren´t going to let us be the only ones providing the beer, so the local doctor left and doubled the amount of beer we brought. Now the party was ON! Classic Peruvian style! Kristyn and Mom proved to have natural cumbia dancing capabilites, while my dad invented a new ¨chicken wing¨ style dance. Everyone loved the fact that my family danced, talked, and was really outgoing. Welp, dancing ´til 4am, and a 6am bus ride back down to Piura concluded the Sicchez leg of the trip.<br /><br /><em><strong>Part 1b: Lima</strong></em><br />A few days of luxury in Lima was highly called for, and even better because Brian came down with us to hang out for a few days before the Myers clan left for Cusco. Yes, Lima is an immense city (over 8 million people), and yes, it´s dirty. But it would be a shame for anyone to miss it. The center of Lima is awesome: cool architecture, a huge market, a beautiful plaza de armas, catacombs, Chinatown, a nice bohemian sector, and lots of nice people. Kirstyn won the presegious ¨tourist a la politica¨ award...she saw the Peruvian president Alan Garcia leave the palace while we were waiting for the change of the guard ceremony. Which, by the way, is an odd thing because the guards don´t actually change. (I think my mom was slightly scandalized by that). We also went to a ¨peña´, which is a dinner theater with traditional Peruvian dances. The dancers must have sensed our pseudo Peruvian-ness, because both Brian and I were pulled up on stage to dance. He did a nice wayno (traditional sierran dance) and I did some sexy Afro-Peruvian thing where some guy tried to light a cloth on fire that he pinned to my butt. This was avoided by swinging my hips every which way. Brian also brought a new meaning to an all-you-can-eat snack time buffet at our hotel. Let´s just say we took full advantage of the large array of food offerings! Holy shit...salad greens!!!!! We also had the opportunity to visit our old host family in Chosica (where we stayed during the first three months of training). This family is so inquisitive and so happy to meet new people.They were elated to meet my family and served us ¨the best chicken I´ve ever had¨ according to Joan. We had a jolly old time chatting and laughing. Eventually, the painful part of separating took place, pobrecito Brian back to Sícchez and the Myers family on to Cusco...<br /><br /><strong><em>Part 1c (2a?!?)</em></strong><br />Cusco pics:<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR5z0KBDKmenIkEUJo-wm43JQHfQnu_IWMQ-Cg3CMpeCG6WIuLF773PAU0UKAw0GZ_236uonE5KkfyPbRxNaKWKdRbtdvyse80jvGCz1X3EFKmf2e3_W9A259i6WPgNHwPpBzPd4L74bo/s1600-h/A+004.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257123865943511202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR5z0KBDKmenIkEUJo-wm43JQHfQnu_IWMQ-Cg3CMpeCG6WIuLF773PAU0UKAw0GZ_236uonE5KkfyPbRxNaKWKdRbtdvyse80jvGCz1X3EFKmf2e3_W9A259i6WPgNHwPpBzPd4L74bo/s200/A+004.jpg" style="CURSOR: hand" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSz-wkdjxojk3RxFV5PPh2Tq8qzKMOovkemF9LDdlQU5h-wRp04DVZiWJvs9EQxH4WxaacfGcq70ykLxmjLT0UooTZZcWhNlOBMOk63dxaYxlJtuJmZ0GJXv68KpdAKdlzESUKorfQzkQ/s1600-h/A+051.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257122892957998466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSz-wkdjxojk3RxFV5PPh2Tq8qzKMOovkemF9LDdlQU5h-wRp04DVZiWJvs9EQxH4WxaacfGcq70ykLxmjLT0UooTZZcWhNlOBMOk63dxaYxlJtuJmZ0GJXv68KpdAKdlzESUKorfQzkQ/s200/A+051.jpg" style="CURSOR: hand" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh27Cog5H71NblNsNVJktQjA55pv1PO3rLrZ3S96FQYm-izJfd_2caIsVqw8GotdcaKKsHHbdu9XIIbGwEYM5K2gdBO9K7ecyNTxQojfwcSo4rPDAfzVlX1EsfShL7W-obIWN5LupMGWpA/s1600-h/A+067.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257117394542913202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh27Cog5H71NblNsNVJktQjA55pv1PO3rLrZ3S96FQYm-izJfd_2caIsVqw8GotdcaKKsHHbdu9XIIbGwEYM5K2gdBO9K7ecyNTxQojfwcSo4rPDAfzVlX1EsfShL7W-obIWN5LupMGWpA/s200/A+067.jpg" style="CURSOR: hand" /></a><br />In honor of the Cusco leg, I will write a poem. Although this will necessarily leave out some details, it embraces the mood. Of course, Machu Picchu was breathtaking! </div><div><br /><span style="color:#009900;">Arrival...nobody at airport. Oh, who are you guys??? What? There´s a strike?? Extra night, run around, change flight, call jungle, ok. Ready. NO PROBLEM. All aboard to Aguas Caliente. You want to get off the train to hike? Sorry, your papers don´t mean anything...can´t help ya. Thank god for the other tour group, let´s sneak off the train, see you down there mom and dad!! Good hike, kicked some Euro ass, mom in the springs, muddy and cold – dad says they´re gold. Diarrehea begins mom´s next day – failed Machu Picchu attempt. The three people remaining...great tour...you´re still worried about getting back??....what do you mean you still don´t have our return train tickets?!?!....NO PROBLEM, I´ll get em for you says the guide. Cipro kickin in, Joanie makes it up, Dad takes a stumble off the trail, sisters go soakin. Guide finds us, asks for passprots, oh, and..uh.... $124 to buy your train tickets...well, you beter just go to the train station with me. Yeah..uh...the restaurant can lend some money, if you eat dinner there. Twist of fate, Kristyn finds dad- ran the money down. 2 hour wait, will we make it down, will we catch our plane to the jungle? NO PROBLEM says the guide, I´ll call the mafia here. Some negotiating, you gringoes better get out of sight, the mafia doesn´t like doing business with you around. Success!! We got the ticktes, we´ll make it to the jungle! Cheers to the guide, dinner at the mafia restaurant to repay the favor. On the train, arrival to Ollantambo. GO!! We´ve gotta make the plane! RUN to the taxi, HONK, GO, SPEED, race driver taxista, watch out for the blockade of rocks on the raod from the strike, SWIRVE, GO, HONK!!! More rocks!! GOOOOOO!!! Get the bags, what do you mean they´re not here?!? Oh, they´re over there. Where´s our money? The office is closed?? Just wait 5 minutes...money in hand, go to airport, damn, behind a parade, move it trombone! Go, detour, arrival, rest. On the plane to the jungle!<br /></span>Annnnnd....done!</div><div><br /><br /></div><div></div> <div style='clear: both;'></div> </div> <div class='post-footer'> <div class='post-footer-line post-footer-line-1'> <span class='post-author vcard'> Posted by <span class='fn' itemprop='author' itemscope='itemscope' itemtype='http://schema.org/Person'> <meta content='https://www.blogger.com/profile/04869232804536439365' itemprop='url'/> <a class='g-profile' href='https://www.blogger.com/profile/04869232804536439365' rel='author' title='author profile'> <span itemprop='name'>Angela and Brian</span> </a> </span> </span> <span class='post-timestamp'> at <meta content='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/10/myers-family-vacation-part-1.html' itemprop='url'/> <a class='timestamp-link' href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/10/myers-family-vacation-part-1.html' rel='bookmark' title='permanent link'><abbr class='published' itemprop='datePublished' title='2008-10-14T13:53:00-07:00'>1:53 PM</abbr></a> </span> <span class='post-comment-link'> <a class='comment-link' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/6279161873088436212/8380594123683453575' onclick=''> No comments: </a> </span> <span class='post-icons'> <span class='item-action'> <a href='https://www.blogger.com/email-post/6279161873088436212/8380594123683453575' title='Email Post'> <img alt='' class='icon-action' height='13' src='https://resources.blogblog.com/img/icon18_email.gif' width='18'/> </a> </span> <span class='item-control blog-admin pid-437507684'> <a href='https://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=6279161873088436212&postID=8380594123683453575&from=pencil' title='Edit Post'> <img alt='' class='icon-action' height='18' src='https://resources.blogblog.com/img/icon18_edit_allbkg.gif' width='18'/> </a> </span> </span> <div class='post-share-buttons goog-inline-block'> </div> </div> <div class='post-footer-line post-footer-line-2'> <span class='post-labels'> </span> </div> <div class='post-footer-line post-footer-line-3'> <span class='post-location'> </span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="date-outer"> <h2 class='date-header'><span>Friday, September 26, 2008</span></h2> <div class="date-posts"> <div class='post-outer'> <div class='post hentry uncustomized-post-template' itemprop='blogPost' itemscope='itemscope' itemtype='http://schema.org/BlogPosting'> <meta content='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5xC-OBPnyadEKYwvegtek0ouCrYDKVi133izLI9jqFXltctffsizBkdSO31NJnK8Na-GoAZkRHbS6uppO_S-kWiroe6QSIBQUVANQNO3ALcVolxeCLj7ngqDgGsGSDi8C4xmIQiggSA4/s200/BASURA+060.jpg' itemprop='image_url'/> <meta content='6279161873088436212' itemprop='blogId'/> <meta content='963454717878134956' itemprop='postId'/> <a name='963454717878134956'></a> <h3 class='post-title entry-title' itemprop='name'> <a href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/09/holes-and-cute-kids.html'>Holes and Cute Kids</a> </h3> <div class='post-header'> <div class='post-header-line-1'></div> </div> <div class='post-body entry-content' id='post-body-963454717878134956' itemprop='description articleBody'> Frist of all, Brian and I must say that we have the absolute best friends a person could ever ask for!! Thank you to all of you who keep us in your hearts and take such good care of us even if we´re so far away. Really, we´re almost spoiled rotten! And thank you Ash, Ann Marie, Frank, Missy, Krista, Doug, and Shauna for going out of your way, literally, to do what friends do best!!<br /><br />Well, the beans in our garden are flowering and we have some re-seeded alfalfa shoots coming up. We´re pretty happy because the nurse at the health center and a really cool dude who lives in Sícchez have kind of adopted the garden too, which is so much better than us being the only ones who care. They work in it without us even being there! YAY!! However, every garden is not without it´s plagues, and our beans have these powdery white circles on the leaves. Not being from this zone, I inquired numerous people about what the heck it is and how to fix it. So far, we have five possiblities: it´s a special dust that falls from the sky, it´s from the ¨freeze¨ (it never freezes here – ever!!), it´s ¨burnt¨ (hugh??), worm eggs, and mold. I think I´m going with the mold theory. As soon as the agricultural specialist comes to town, we´ll have a chat.<br />Brian´s almost ready to start giving workshops to the mommies in the garden. It´ll be about composting and preparing soil (mixing in natural fertilizer and planting legumes and nitrogen-fixing cover crops like alfalfa). They´ll each be expected to prepare a garden space at home. If said task is completed, they earn lettuce seeds. Each workshop attended will earn them more seeds, until the end when they will be ready to plant a full garden.<br /><br />¨Trashy¨ would be an adecuate description of me lately. My community partner and I finally got the municipality to install a sanitary landfill for the bio-contaminated waste at the health center (now we just have to get them to use it). I also installed a pilot landfill at the local school in one of the villages. The deputy govenor and I went house-to-house passing out instructions and encouraging the families to replicate the pilot landfill in their homes instead of throwing trash in the streams and/or burning it. We have a contest going there to encourage participation. I will now be headed there each month to check on progress and help the families manage their landfills correctly. We´re doing the same basic thing in two other villages, each one at a different stage in the process depending on the personality of the community.<br />In the urban center, my community partner and I are trying to form an ¨environmental promotion¨ committee who will help me educate the locals about using the trash cans, separating their waste streams, and keeping the streets clean. My work here is a lot harder because I can´t seem to get full support from the municipality, so I spin my wheels a lot waiting for follow-through. But I am proud of the few people here who have worked hard to help out their community.<br /><br />Welp, that´s about it. We´re basically lovin´ life a lot more these days because we´re able to ride our bikes, walk in normal shoes (not rubber boots), run, hike and just generally be outside. Someday soon I´m fixin´ to make my own yogurt (as soon as the cows at the local stable have their babies) and start sprouting...well, anything that´ll sprout. If anyone has any homemade yogurt or sprouts suggestions, pass them along! (Isn´t sprouting the perfect alternative when there are no veggies?!?!? WHY didn´t I think of that a year ago??)<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5xC-OBPnyadEKYwvegtek0ouCrYDKVi133izLI9jqFXltctffsizBkdSO31NJnK8Na-GoAZkRHbS6uppO_S-kWiroe6QSIBQUVANQNO3ALcVolxeCLj7ngqDgGsGSDi8C4xmIQiggSA4/s1600-h/BASURA+060.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250481229889575090" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5xC-OBPnyadEKYwvegtek0ouCrYDKVi133izLI9jqFXltctffsizBkdSO31NJnK8Na-GoAZkRHbS6uppO_S-kWiroe6QSIBQUVANQNO3ALcVolxeCLj7ngqDgGsGSDi8C4xmIQiggSA4/s200/BASURA+060.jpg" style="CURSOR: hand" /></a> Community members diggin´ their landfill behind the school. They´re basically 1mx1m holes in the ground that you fill with alternating layers of trash and dirt, top with more dirt and plant a tree on top of. Pretty simple, but NOT a simple habit to change!!<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizGE0dbDNsELd_uPOFHOu_DsKd9zqDyuf6fMY5jnrJ1dIqO28xvwxPGJVB75PQ3oUBRi48WN9yTpVBCGRBtOeE8oG_6SW6T2KlfbH2WA0n5DT3N9r09xm8k4PXfClfRcD1iMTHxL_LDPw/s1600-h/BASURA+063.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250480756288345634" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizGE0dbDNsELd_uPOFHOu_DsKd9zqDyuf6fMY5jnrJ1dIqO28xvwxPGJVB75PQ3oUBRi48WN9yTpVBCGRBtOeE8oG_6SW6T2KlfbH2WA0n5DT3N9r09xm8k4PXfClfRcD1iMTHxL_LDPw/s200/BASURA+063.jpg" style="CURSOR: hand" /></a> By two meters down, this poor smiling guy was throwing the dirt out of the hole <em>over</em> his head. My back hurt just looking at him.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguCTLl0Pk6IFnyRcSCdNMwyKZa6HjH9JPSdhw5DkRZzPhbRUug3z7W15vxSsxzKiu7c6dGV9Kj_Yi6lUbBmOXaE6oXygTN1Eq9hyphenhyphen66TDfCSxryuY4bFFwTtEueEzDJioJ7P1rPPhuePuw/s1600-h/Imagen+064.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250480141099750946" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguCTLl0Pk6IFnyRcSCdNMwyKZa6HjH9JPSdhw5DkRZzPhbRUug3z7W15vxSsxzKiu7c6dGV9Kj_Yi6lUbBmOXaE6oXygTN1Eq9hyphenhyphen66TDfCSxryuY4bFFwTtEueEzDJioJ7P1rPPhuePuw/s200/Imagen+064.jpg" style="CURSOR: hand" /></a> Here´s the landfill for biocontaminates at the Health Center. It´s lined with plastic and the biohazards are deposited in plastic bottles before being thrown in the hole.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzm4XqSK8JOPEeC8Pn4tIP_WiaIXURF4afz1AY3kX_4kmSL9I_oBwzkcLczOTSoAhZqbdtBsUsik7S44gdtoVdiMUs3WQHu9obydBpgW2q9o8voeq7Ew9uw2qi2cuVnmwH0avUcVHqcXw/s1600-h/Imagen+051.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250479616530315442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzm4XqSK8JOPEeC8Pn4tIP_WiaIXURF4afz1AY3kX_4kmSL9I_oBwzkcLczOTSoAhZqbdtBsUsik7S44gdtoVdiMUs3WQHu9obydBpgW2q9o8voeq7Ew9uw2qi2cuVnmwH0avUcVHqcXw/s200/Imagen+051.jpg" style="CURSOR: hand" /></a> I recently went to see the southernmost mangroves in South America (near Piura) as a Peace Corps training event. It´s a very small protected area outside the city of Vice.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2OHb2W3vbKJSiLqetx149fFHrjlMEuWIWaKMvOwD1T4qIbfnl7AUOpWPf7a0gNqBgxry8UnsoabTqcaP0pH6xkuEZthagbi5Hv4HRLQ54jijxFekqMoEJfkYmt3cSvsjj6OnEjK91E5M/s1600-h/Imagen+058.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250479184208810514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2OHb2W3vbKJSiLqetx149fFHrjlMEuWIWaKMvOwD1T4qIbfnl7AUOpWPf7a0gNqBgxry8UnsoabTqcaP0pH6xkuEZthagbi5Hv4HRLQ54jijxFekqMoEJfkYmt3cSvsjj6OnEjK91E5M/s200/Imagen+058.jpg" style="CURSOR: hand" /></a> More mangroves.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW5LCsmv6QOSxKUT14nTM0YtoTkP5OC-5g7bst2B0CFcOcdKEUDl4at7vSNX7cmyFRMJGd7BfzgxNqjgTaZ1UXIoi2CA38_bPXFhL7-x8F6l8bxDj1KSxmJ_I5DlZKNBIPSoCg0vX_bik/s1600-h/kids+006.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250478853012248434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW5LCsmv6QOSxKUT14nTM0YtoTkP5OC-5g7bst2B0CFcOcdKEUDl4at7vSNX7cmyFRMJGd7BfzgxNqjgTaZ1UXIoi2CA38_bPXFhL7-x8F6l8bxDj1KSxmJ_I5DlZKNBIPSoCg0vX_bik/s200/kids+006.jpg" style="CURSOR: hand" /></a> Do not let Brian´s smile fool you. He had to entertain these second graders for 30 full minutes while I taught computers to the first graders. He was ready to pop each one several times in the head by the time I took the foto. What a sport!!!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-AaqYQIc96JDocr4O3KxsCm8kD__3zy96QnihbMvBq0jv8D5baWhhes1QyZdWGjuG9Y4a9NkcK7a5nn30TkxdhDaV9c0hpiZlXh7eYMnq2EXw77VGQal5jpI7hiPZIHzn0StJ3Ra0wmg/s1600-h/kids+015.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250478451817208770" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-AaqYQIc96JDocr4O3KxsCm8kD__3zy96QnihbMvBq0jv8D5baWhhes1QyZdWGjuG9Y4a9NkcK7a5nn30TkxdhDaV9c0hpiZlXh7eYMnq2EXw77VGQal5jpI7hiPZIHzn0StJ3Ra0wmg/s200/kids+015.jpg" style="CURSOR: hand" /></a> Aren´t girls cute?!?!<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicey-zr3uAQ22S3VJgcCSGR56g600AbIhs6z_rrrhsp5Xn9-2MnBX6soKWGCdqS3eT78qDc1RYgJ_h8UMuyep9BUuD-wFlIpOHUTZOqw4wh970E3DgVhGfaRNQtUTt4BAP9avYhTCsSBA/s1600-h/Sicchez3.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250477904412110818" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicey-zr3uAQ22S3VJgcCSGR56g600AbIhs6z_rrrhsp5Xn9-2MnBX6soKWGCdqS3eT78qDc1RYgJ_h8UMuyep9BUuD-wFlIpOHUTZOqw4wh970E3DgVhGfaRNQtUTt4BAP9avYhTCsSBA/s200/Sicchez3.jpg" style="CURSOR: hand" /></a> Looking down on Sícchez from 4.000 feet up in Ayabaca.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwsQQsAWe21YHe2dibR6eLEMlZYcoOWdJJ31qjeOOO_VtlYUaS0XnrW5yN07X2N5ULcb2yw7GdiRn5TDIZNLPL6atXu6o4DBvb_sCf-Lm1FFe52EXBnZSPApzoKRilzYAgXP-9zhEylTA/s1600-h/Sicchez2.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250477437406494274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwsQQsAWe21YHe2dibR6eLEMlZYcoOWdJJ31qjeOOO_VtlYUaS0XnrW5yN07X2N5ULcb2yw7GdiRn5TDIZNLPL6atXu6o4DBvb_sCf-Lm1FFe52EXBnZSPApzoKRilzYAgXP-9zhEylTA/s200/Sicchez2.jpg" style="CURSOR: hand" /></a> Ahhhhhh....<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieul3PX7mjpQW7mE0SMRDrl9qRRYmQE0UMMWZq8zY3zsjEo_-7B0G1uyZ8NH9r4486lsqsWmloR0G4mO1MxPCSWxO0-pXaN9_qYyVf-sDAtO5e1gN4i_sRuJYfHrfwilosDNozzO5lXbg/s1600-h/sicchez1.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250476928167737458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieul3PX7mjpQW7mE0SMRDrl9qRRYmQE0UMMWZq8zY3zsjEo_-7B0G1uyZ8NH9r4486lsqsWmloR0G4mO1MxPCSWxO0-pXaN9_qYyVf-sDAtO5e1gN4i_sRuJYfHrfwilosDNozzO5lXbg/s200/sicchez1.jpg" style="CURSOR: hand" /></a><br /><br />Oh, and there´s been some demand for an uploaded video of our room, kitchen, and general life stuff. Soon to come....<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div> <div style='clear: both;'></div> </div> <div class='post-footer'> <div class='post-footer-line post-footer-line-1'> <span class='post-author vcard'> Posted by <span class='fn' itemprop='author' itemscope='itemscope' itemtype='http://schema.org/Person'> <meta content='https://www.blogger.com/profile/04869232804536439365' itemprop='url'/> <a class='g-profile' href='https://www.blogger.com/profile/04869232804536439365' rel='author' title='author profile'> <span itemprop='name'>Angela and Brian</span> </a> </span> </span> <span class='post-timestamp'> at <meta content='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/09/holes-and-cute-kids.html' itemprop='url'/> <a class='timestamp-link' href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/09/holes-and-cute-kids.html' rel='bookmark' title='permanent link'><abbr class='published' itemprop='datePublished' title='2008-09-26T16:29:00-07:00'>4:29 PM</abbr></a> </span> <span class='post-comment-link'> <a class='comment-link' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/6279161873088436212/963454717878134956' onclick=''> No comments: </a> </span> <span class='post-icons'> <span class='item-action'> <a href='https://www.blogger.com/email-post/6279161873088436212/963454717878134956' title='Email Post'> <img alt='' class='icon-action' height='13' src='https://resources.blogblog.com/img/icon18_email.gif' width='18'/> </a> </span> <span class='item-control blog-admin pid-437507684'> <a href='https://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=6279161873088436212&postID=963454717878134956&from=pencil' title='Edit Post'> <img alt='' class='icon-action' height='18' src='https://resources.blogblog.com/img/icon18_edit_allbkg.gif' width='18'/> </a> </span> </span> <div class='post-share-buttons goog-inline-block'> </div> </div> <div class='post-footer-line post-footer-line-2'> <span class='post-labels'> </span> </div> <div class='post-footer-line post-footer-line-3'> <span class='post-location'> </span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="date-outer"> <h2 class='date-header'><span>Tuesday, September 2, 2008</span></h2> <div class="date-posts"> <div class='post-outer'> <div class='post hentry uncustomized-post-template' itemprop='blogPost' itemscope='itemscope' itemtype='http://schema.org/BlogPosting'> <meta content='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8HlLCcJzGDXm7__i2IgrcsXFsOcI3H3il4GhP4BdERv1h4TOYG-WVTQ42_-2qGJUhWAd0V6lk3Pf4dxzP-jD2JPLenyBCg8JK4BZE1dlrG_pKqmh0f_jIgyIdZco57b9GeH5k0T8J51s/s200/Angela+007.jpg' itemprop='image_url'/> <meta content='6279161873088436212' itemprop='blogId'/> <meta content='7149710733721866642' itemprop='postId'/> <a name='7149710733721866642'></a> <h3 class='post-title entry-title' itemprop='name'> <a href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/09/what-way-does-your-sink-water-swirl.html'>What Way Does Your Sink Water Swirl??</a> </h3> <div class='post-header'> <div class='post-header-line-1'></div> </div> <div class='post-body entry-content' id='post-body-7149710733721866642' itemprop='description articleBody'> You know that whole northern/southern hemisphere drainage thing? The one that says water always drains clockwise/counterclockwise depending on which hemisphere you´re in? Who wants to be a science geek with me!?! At our house, there are two concrete sinks next to each other where we wash clothes in plastic tubs. One sink is for washing and the other for rinsing. Well, the water doesn’t always drain in the same direction in the sinks. If I try to dump water from the tubs at the top of the drain, giving no initial force in either direction, they drain clockwise. But, if I dump the water in from the side, giving a directional force, they drain in that direction. In other words, I can make them drain in either direction if I try. What I want to confirm is that clockwise is the ¨natural¨ direction of drainage in the southern hemisphere. In what direction does the water drain from your tubs/sinks up north? We don’t have a tub, so I can’t let water passively drain. There’s also the possibility that the drainage thing is not true. Has Myth Busters done an episode on this??<br /><br />So, most importantly Brian´s cousin Patti and her friend Nina came to visit us all the way up in Sícchez. Not only that, but it was my birthday and the town´s anniversary on the same day (I knew it was my destiny to come here when I found out that I share a birthday with Sícchez and my mom shares a birthday with the town obstetrician!!). Patti and Nina: thank you from the bottom of our hearts for coming!! I can´t tell you all how nice it was to see family in the flesh and gab, gab, gab, gab, gab (even Brian gabbed!). And these two beautiful women deserve major props for enduring the anniverary celebration and epic hike up to Ayabaca (4,000 ft. elevation gain). They ate my family´s food (pig soup with hair still on the skin), dealt with a large number of perpetually drunk people, listened to muisc loud enough to bust ear drums until the wee hours of the morning, waited until 12am for the dance show to start as the town waited for the sound system to show up (side note: there already were speakers – very loud speakers – but apparently not enough...we had to wait until more speakers showed up so that they could hear our party in Ecuador), and managed to get sick and still hiked the next day with minimal food and no energy. Not quite a luxury vacation. Somehow I think Cuzco went better. But the whole time they were in good spirits and gave us lots of love and even some goodies from the States, which was much appreciated. Don’t worry mom, dad, and Kristyn, there´s no major party when you guys will be here. Nice and boring...just the way we want it!!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8HlLCcJzGDXm7__i2IgrcsXFsOcI3H3il4GhP4BdERv1h4TOYG-WVTQ42_-2qGJUhWAd0V6lk3Pf4dxzP-jD2JPLenyBCg8JK4BZE1dlrG_pKqmh0f_jIgyIdZco57b9GeH5k0T8J51s/s1600-h/Angela+007.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241514355303106546" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8HlLCcJzGDXm7__i2IgrcsXFsOcI3H3il4GhP4BdERv1h4TOYG-WVTQ42_-2qGJUhWAd0V6lk3Pf4dxzP-jD2JPLenyBCg8JK4BZE1dlrG_pKqmh0f_jIgyIdZco57b9GeH5k0T8J51s/s200/Angela+007.jpg" style="CURSOR: hand" /></a> The Fireworks Monster behind the crowd at the anniversary celebration in the Main Plaza.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTgd2OyS0-hMAd6wqodIAtVwAJv_LVRy4VUubA2EzIQwrequinHZx5XWYR21YrO7HsLcPbuMFnhmJiDvQ2Ze48-L7beCFKv1vQh6WFcRMjY8Ga3ow6eAghslMl0pmR30sv9qJefwEnzBQ/s1600-h/Angela+010.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241514192842127362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTgd2OyS0-hMAd6wqodIAtVwAJv_LVRy4VUubA2EzIQwrequinHZx5XWYR21YrO7HsLcPbuMFnhmJiDvQ2Ze48-L7beCFKv1vQh6WFcRMjY8Ga3ow6eAghslMl0pmR30sv9qJefwEnzBQ/s200/Angela+010.jpg" style="CURSOR: hand" /></a> The Fireworks Monster up close! Lots of cracking and spraying of sparks when lit...a doozy of a time!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGGlRWHO__wPbtz4jhqamms_BqhE5iRBpVKwcmZrXUlptEP3iqGKGavN4fOwjRFToooNs1qVnH4z_jCrsmwNHLbtmbUha0bKgZfcOT5hqqupfhL-ivMpnVNdQ_jGcOsVpv0AYd_QJo-zU/s1600-h/Angela+018.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241513970370355746" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGGlRWHO__wPbtz4jhqamms_BqhE5iRBpVKwcmZrXUlptEP3iqGKGavN4fOwjRFToooNs1qVnH4z_jCrsmwNHLbtmbUha0bKgZfcOT5hqqupfhL-ivMpnVNdQ_jGcOsVpv0AYd_QJo-zU/s200/Angela+018.jpg" style="CURSOR: hand" /></a> Brian tried to call OSHA, but no one answered. This set-up is for the speakers, for an area the size of a SMALL basketball court. Ear plugs are obviously of no consequence here. We could feel the vibration in our bones.</div><div> </div><div> </div><div>We’re nearing the end of the coffee harvest. Almost every house, rural or nearer to the town center, can be seen with coffee berries drying out in the sun. It gives off a very faint rotting smell, but in a weird way it smells good…probably just because I’m a coffee addict. Also on the agricultural front, our family’s cows just gave birth so we’ve also been drinking a ton of fresh (boiled) milk. It’s very thick and flavourful, almost like cream. Alas, the feast or famine phenomenon again: chocolate milk, milk/flour desserts, warm milk with sugar, cheese, cold milk, etc… several times a day. I like it but admittedly in small amounts, it’s kind of a lot to take for a soymilk drinker. However, I have been mixing the milk with coffee and cocoa powder – Kristyn, it makes me think of you – it’s friggin’ delicious! From here on out, the harvests are scarcer until December. I think the only thing that comes into season are the avocadoes (November), but people don’t have very many avocado trees and they keep telling us that they don’t produce like they used to (sob!!). Papaya will also come into season around October.<br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI_KqsQeK8WsDvUexlrPhqa3JwBA253SUys1anI0wY4GhvLctP5dEGo0muwS-HimZU4yFMlxVr6ZRxulJYk_eKu_tEwbR2faVj5vr5g_tRh5rwKu0cvTI4UyND_sLvGiDuqgS1CUusNxA/s1600-h/Angela+022.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241513784119438674" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI_KqsQeK8WsDvUexlrPhqa3JwBA253SUys1anI0wY4GhvLctP5dEGo0muwS-HimZU4yFMlxVr6ZRxulJYk_eKu_tEwbR2faVj5vr5g_tRh5rwKu0cvTI4UyND_sLvGiDuqgS1CUusNxA/s200/Angela+022.jpg" style="CURSOR: hand" /></a> Fresh-picked coffee beans in a <em>bolsico, </em>a two-sidded bag they sling over their shoulders to carry home stuff from the fields.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBhlSk9Eprsp0iFDb1vRHf05I8K8Q8FyIdGP3G-k5SWaOtZlTKRaRQXwYEW5DUF45IEMWnVZx8y6Ao95-SnANtyHUVTspA3zLUv4-UDKlildiN7qoL9IqKF57UENQARAI2x8HmcR6wuFk/s1600-h/Angela+023.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241513603371027010" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBhlSk9Eprsp0iFDb1vRHf05I8K8Q8FyIdGP3G-k5SWaOtZlTKRaRQXwYEW5DUF45IEMWnVZx8y6Ao95-SnANtyHUVTspA3zLUv4-UDKlildiN7qoL9IqKF57UENQARAI2x8HmcR6wuFk/s200/Angela+023.jpg" style="CURSOR: hand" /></a> Coffee berries drying outside. A common view here.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO4tdMH3pzmVid8I7VVhbSyYVNfG0LR5SUz_gUezC3EQUrpZsyPbzafbb4vGeF6jQP7svYNAN80dNMbljrGJoaLbWSzB-LEflZ1pSZew4oACMc9hW0o_vb6wySoknso-dDtQlq5pfCs0M/s1600-h/Angela+025.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241513372308204370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO4tdMH3pzmVid8I7VVhbSyYVNfG0LR5SUz_gUezC3EQUrpZsyPbzafbb4vGeF6jQP7svYNAN80dNMbljrGJoaLbWSzB-LEflZ1pSZew4oACMc9hW0o_vb6wySoknso-dDtQlq5pfCs0M/s200/Angela+025.jpg" style="CURSOR: hand" /></a> Half-dried coffee berries.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKbyM6UkZ3P11IwvfBsjn6dEuOcgqPXr95q8sMv3dvy6Kbp1qQRFSdacy25KZPy1FUza3qT0RQIvYsOzhL42dBTX1lpc7F6puXhYRBTkI5ONv_SzhzyG9NYS_FcPGxlYjY9GaDTl-cCsE/s1600-h/Angela+037.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241513068032877906" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKbyM6UkZ3P11IwvfBsjn6dEuOcgqPXr95q8sMv3dvy6Kbp1qQRFSdacy25KZPy1FUza3qT0RQIvYsOzhL42dBTX1lpc7F6puXhYRBTkI5ONv_SzhzyG9NYS_FcPGxlYjY9GaDTl-cCsE/s200/Angela+037.jpg" style="CURSOR: hand" /></a> Gueiby sifting away the shells of corn kernels before grinding them and making tamales. (I know, random picture)<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgouNJFhwWWYPh3x70DQDx75hTBNAPBcsN3mwfu3da68FqkLsusWaFG1BGXX229-xLknYcoxSdeg7Tm-kSnDCAbrMKAVnQTVvtNof6sC8TWEgf5-kInR5301uUa08gErRJvbalgG9VbmoE/s1600-h/Angela+040.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241512703010577394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgouNJFhwWWYPh3x70DQDx75hTBNAPBcsN3mwfu3da68FqkLsusWaFG1BGXX229-xLknYcoxSdeg7Tm-kSnDCAbrMKAVnQTVvtNof6sC8TWEgf5-kInR5301uUa08gErRJvbalgG9VbmoE/s200/Angela+040.jpg" style="CURSOR: hand" /></a> A random mango tree. Pretty, isn´t it?<br /><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo0BX0B1csAKvdXUNl8HFGm93rQXDdZZSQaGJgdIKVyH7CLquFTwDqxjffEisxQUuZAyfDesfkrqOONcFSeOTsuKrdF0gMmeQZVU_si0KIy0_I51oe9n-N5AT-y3JAmKiXHfxJIisp7mY/s1600-h/Angela+005.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241511870509819314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo0BX0B1csAKvdXUNl8HFGm93rQXDdZZSQaGJgdIKVyH7CLquFTwDqxjffEisxQUuZAyfDesfkrqOONcFSeOTsuKrdF0gMmeQZVU_si0KIy0_I51oe9n-N5AT-y3JAmKiXHfxJIisp7mY/s200/Angela+005.jpg" style="CURSOR: hand" /></a> Some little buggers. I just love ´em!!</div></div><div> </div><div> </div><div><div>Well, we´ve got some pretty good looking beans popping out of our garden. The alfalfa didn´t take, so we have to find something else for a winter cover crop. For now we´re going to plant more beans. It´s nice to grow things.<br />I finally got the municipality to start using a sanitary landfill instead of throwing the trash behind a tree and burning it when the pile gets too big. I consider this a major success. A sanitary landfill is basically a large hole, lined with compacted mud that is used to throw trash in. Every 30 cm the trash is covered with a compacted layer of mud until it is filled. Then you top it and plant a tree. Used correctly, they effectively prevent leakage and contamination. Now the challenge is to make sure they maintain the landfill correctly and put one in at the health center and primary school. The kids and I also made anti-trash-throwing signs to post around town for the anniversary, but they somehow all dissapeared. Instead, the town was covered with trash the day after the festivities ended. But, at least they have a safe place to throw it now!<br />I also conducted a class/meeting in one of the rural villages – 205 people, 61 families total – to help them with waste management issues (littering and improper waste disposal are common problems in many parts of Peru). The govener, principal, and community members were very excited and I will be going back there soon to help them construct a model landfill. From there, each family is responsible for building and maintaing one in their home. I will be conducting monthly visits to verify correct usage. They will also be responsible for monthly clean-up campaigns with the kids. Brian keeps reminding me to be cautiously optimistic, for we have yet to experience much follow-through or consistency with responsiblities here. But we figue perfection is overrated. I can only give what they are ready to recive, and my service is not defined by my needs, but by theirs. Go Sícchez!!<br />Brain says to email him for details of his whereabouts. There are occasional Brian sightings here, but not all can be verified. He´s doing a good job working with the pregnant women and mommies on nutrition-hygine-family planning themes. He´s at the Health Center a lot supporting their initiatives and programs.<br /><br />So that´s August in short. We can barely wait to see the Ash and Co. gang out here in September!! More friends!!! And I´m now allowing myself to count down the days to my family´s arrival to Peru. Oh how depressing November will be after all of these lovely visits! You all need to keep on coming! We have our eye on Huascarán sometime in June 2009 (hint, hint climbing friends). A volunteer lives at the base camp and can help with logistics. I know, how´d he get so damn lucky?!?!<br /><br />As always and every day, we´re thinking of you all and send our best energy to each and every one of you!!!<br /><br /><br /></div><div><br /> </div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div></div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><p></p><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><p></p><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div> <div style='clear: both;'></div> </div> <div class='post-footer'> <div class='post-footer-line post-footer-line-1'> <span class='post-author vcard'> Posted by <span class='fn' itemprop='author' itemscope='itemscope' itemtype='http://schema.org/Person'> <meta content='https://www.blogger.com/profile/04869232804536439365' itemprop='url'/> <a class='g-profile' href='https://www.blogger.com/profile/04869232804536439365' rel='author' title='author profile'> <span itemprop='name'>Angela and Brian</span> </a> </span> </span> <span class='post-timestamp'> at <meta content='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/09/what-way-does-your-sink-water-swirl.html' itemprop='url'/> <a class='timestamp-link' href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/09/what-way-does-your-sink-water-swirl.html' rel='bookmark' title='permanent link'><abbr class='published' itemprop='datePublished' title='2008-09-02T12:39:00-07:00'>12:39 PM</abbr></a> </span> <span class='post-comment-link'> <a class='comment-link' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/6279161873088436212/7149710733721866642' 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data-version='1' id='BlogArchive1'> <h2>Blog Archive</h2> <div class='widget-content'> <div id='ArchiveList'> <div id='BlogArchive1_ArchiveList'> <ul class='hierarchy'> <li class='archivedate collapsed'> <a class='toggle' href='javascript:void(0)'> <span class='zippy'> ►  </span> </a> <a class='post-count-link' href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2010/'> 2010 </a> <span class='post-count' dir='ltr'>(1)</span> <ul class='hierarchy'> <li class='archivedate collapsed'> <a class='toggle' href='javascript:void(0)'> <span class='zippy'> ►  </span> </a> <a class='post-count-link' href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2010/01/'> January </a> <span class='post-count' dir='ltr'>(1)</span> </li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class='hierarchy'> <li class='archivedate collapsed'> <a class='toggle' href='javascript:void(0)'> <span class='zippy'> ►  </span> </a> <a class='post-count-link' href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2009/'> 2009 </a> <span class='post-count' 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dir='ltr'>(3)</span> </li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class='hierarchy'> <li class='archivedate expanded'> <a class='toggle' href='javascript:void(0)'> <span class='zippy toggle-open'> ▼  </span> </a> <a class='post-count-link' href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/'> 2008 </a> <span class='post-count' dir='ltr'>(27)</span> <ul class='hierarchy'> <li class='archivedate expanded'> <a class='toggle' href='javascript:void(0)'> <span class='zippy toggle-open'> ▼  </span> </a> <a class='post-count-link' href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/12/'> December </a> <span class='post-count' dir='ltr'>(2)</span> <ul class='posts'> <li><a href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/12/enough-of-touristy-pics-already-this.html'>Enough of the ¨Touristy Pics¨ Already!!! (this one...</a></li> <li><a href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/12/enough-of-touristy-pics-already-these.html'>Enough of the ¨Touristy¨ Pics Already!! (these vid...</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class='hierarchy'> <li class='archivedate collapsed'> <a class='toggle' href='javascript:void(0)'> <span class='zippy'> ►  </span> </a> <a class='post-count-link' href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/11/'> November </a> <span class='post-count' dir='ltr'>(5)</span> <ul class='posts'> <li><a href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/11/jungle-fervor.html'>Jungle Fervor</a></li> <li><a href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/11/top-three-shenanigans.html'>Top Three Shenanigans</a></li> <li><a href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/11/sowhat-are-you-doing.html'>So...what are YOU doing??</a></li> <li><a href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/11/magical-realism.html'>Magical Realism</a></li> <li><a href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/11/family-vacation-part-2.html'>Family Vacation Part 2</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class='hierarchy'> <li class='archivedate collapsed'> <a class='toggle' href='javascript:void(0)'> <span class='zippy'> ►  </span> </a> <a class='post-count-link' href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/10/'> October </a> <span class='post-count' dir='ltr'>(1)</span> <ul class='posts'> <li><a href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/10/myers-family-vacation-part-1.html'>Myers Family Vacation Part 1</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class='hierarchy'> <li class='archivedate collapsed'> <a class='toggle' href='javascript:void(0)'> <span class='zippy'> ►  </span> </a> <a class='post-count-link' href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/09/'> September </a> <span class='post-count' dir='ltr'>(2)</span> <ul class='posts'> <li><a href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/09/holes-and-cute-kids.html'>Holes and Cute Kids</a></li> <li><a href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/09/what-way-does-your-sink-water-swirl.html'>What Way Does Your Sink Water Swirl??</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class='hierarchy'> <li class='archivedate collapsed'> <a class='toggle' href='javascript:void(0)'> <span class='zippy'> ►  </span> </a> <a class='post-count-link' href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/08/'> August </a> <span class='post-count' dir='ltr'>(2)</span> </li> </ul> <ul class='hierarchy'> <li class='archivedate collapsed'> <a class='toggle' href='javascript:void(0)'> <span class='zippy'> ►  </span> </a> <a class='post-count-link' href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/07/'> July </a> <span class='post-count' dir='ltr'>(4)</span> </li> </ul> <ul class='hierarchy'> <li class='archivedate collapsed'> <a class='toggle' href='javascript:void(0)'> <span class='zippy'> ►  </span> </a> <a class='post-count-link' href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/06/'> June </a> <span class='post-count' dir='ltr'>(1)</span> </li> </ul> <ul class='hierarchy'> <li class='archivedate collapsed'> <a class='toggle' href='javascript:void(0)'> <span class='zippy'> ►  </span> </a> <a class='post-count-link' href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/05/'> May </a> <span class='post-count' dir='ltr'>(2)</span> </li> </ul> <ul class='hierarchy'> <li class='archivedate collapsed'> <a class='toggle' href='javascript:void(0)'> <span class='zippy'> ►  </span> </a> <a class='post-count-link' href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/04/'> April </a> <span class='post-count' dir='ltr'>(1)</span> </li> </ul> <ul class='hierarchy'> <li class='archivedate collapsed'> <a class='toggle' href='javascript:void(0)'> <span class='zippy'> ►  </span> </a> <a class='post-count-link' href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/03/'> March </a> <span class='post-count' dir='ltr'>(1)</span> </li> </ul> <ul class='hierarchy'> <li class='archivedate collapsed'> <a class='toggle' href='javascript:void(0)'> <span class='zippy'> ►  </span> </a> <a class='post-count-link' href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/02/'> February </a> <span class='post-count' dir='ltr'>(4)</span> </li> </ul> <ul class='hierarchy'> <li class='archivedate collapsed'> <a class='toggle' href='javascript:void(0)'> <span class='zippy'> ►  </span> </a> <a class='post-count-link' href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2008/01/'> January </a> <span class='post-count' dir='ltr'>(2)</span> </li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class='hierarchy'> <li class='archivedate collapsed'> <a class='toggle' href='javascript:void(0)'> <span class='zippy'> ►  </span> </a> <a class='post-count-link' href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2007/'> 2007 </a> <span class='post-count' dir='ltr'>(12)</span> <ul class='hierarchy'> <li class='archivedate collapsed'> <a class='toggle' href='javascript:void(0)'> <span class='zippy'> ►  </span> </a> <a class='post-count-link' href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2007/12/'> December </a> <span class='post-count' dir='ltr'>(2)</span> </li> </ul> <ul class='hierarchy'> <li class='archivedate collapsed'> <a class='toggle' href='javascript:void(0)'> <span class='zippy'> ►  </span> </a> <a class='post-count-link' href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2007/11/'> November </a> <span class='post-count' dir='ltr'>(3)</span> </li> </ul> <ul class='hierarchy'> <li class='archivedate collapsed'> <a class='toggle' href='javascript:void(0)'> <span class='zippy'> ►  </span> </a> <a class='post-count-link' href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2007/10/'> October </a> <span class='post-count' dir='ltr'>(3)</span> </li> </ul> <ul class='hierarchy'> <li class='archivedate collapsed'> <a class='toggle' href='javascript:void(0)'> <span class='zippy'> ►  </span> </a> <a class='post-count-link' href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2007/09/'> September </a> <span class='post-count' dir='ltr'>(3)</span> </li> </ul> <ul class='hierarchy'> <li class='archivedate collapsed'> <a class='toggle' href='javascript:void(0)'> <span class='zippy'> ►  </span> </a> <a class='post-count-link' href='http://wherearebrianandangela.blogspot.com/2007/08/'> August </a> <span class='post-count' dir='ltr'>(1)</span> </li> </ul> </li> </ul> </div> </div> <div class='clear'></div> </div> </div><div class='widget Profile' data-version='1' id='Profile1'> <h2>About Me</h2> <div class='widget-content'> <dl class='profile-datablock'> <dt class='profile-data'> <a class='profile-name-link g-profile' href='https://www.blogger.com/profile/04869232804536439365' rel='author' style='background-image: url(//www.blogger.com/img/logo-16.png);'> Angela and Brian </a> </dt> <dd class='profile-textblock'>The contents of this site are ours and only ours, and do not reflect any position of the US government or the Peace Corps.</dd> </dl> <a class='profile-link' href='https://www.blogger.com/profile/04869232804536439365' rel='author'>View my complete profile</a> <div class='clear'></div> </div> 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