Last week I went to look for the Mayor of Calca 
and found someone substituting him while he's away. This man owns a piece of land along the main road of the Sacred Valley circuit, and he is interested in using it for the Andean Food Product project. (Side note: his brother teaches Economics at the University of Turin. Small World?). The same problem of Inca walls exists there, but I found out you can build simple construictions (made of wood and earth) close to the walls. Also, I'm assuming he'd want to run it as a buisiness and make a profit (we need to meet with him, his wife, Maria and Geoff to discuss). If it is run as a business there would be a few problems: 1) I am quite uninterested in managing a business, even if it might have a positive social impact; 2) We couldn't ask for funding to the FAO like I was planning, or an other international organization; 3) We would have to pay 22% taxes to the national government. We'll see where this goes...
and found someone substituting him while he's away. This man owns a piece of land along the main road of the Sacred Valley circuit, and he is interested in using it for the Andean Food Product project. (Side note: his brother teaches Economics at the University of Turin. Small World?). The same problem of Inca walls exists there, but I found out you can build simple construictions (made of wood and earth) close to the walls. Also, I'm assuming he'd want to run it as a buisiness and make a profit (we need to meet with him, his wife, Maria and Geoff to discuss). If it is run as a business there would be a few problems: 1) I am quite uninterested in managing a business, even if it might have a positive social impact; 2) We couldn't ask for funding to the FAO like I was planning, or an other international organization; 3) We would have to pay 22% taxes to the national government. We'll see where this goes...On Friday Simone and I went with Geoff and his friend John on a tour of the Sacred Valley by
car and it's the only reasonable way to tour. We saw Sachsaywaman Q'enqo and Pisac. The only problem with these Inca ruins is that no one knows what they were, they probably all served as defensive structures, sacred sites and residential areas--just like modern cities. Pisac is absolutely stunning, but what is more stunning is the view. Tell me if you've seen any place as beautiful as the Sacred Valley when it rains: it's poetry made tangible, with clouds rushing though creating an infinite variety of greys and greens, and lighting in the distance. It's not just aesthetical beauty, there is a magical athmosphere to it, which compensates for so many things. Part of my growing cynicism: when people asked me what I liked most about Nicaragua, without hesitating I answered: the people! To the same question about Peru, with the same certainty I answer: the mountains.
car and it's the only reasonable way to tour. We saw Sachsaywaman Q'enqo and Pisac. The only problem with these Inca ruins is that no one knows what they were, they probably all served as defensive structures, sacred sites and residential areas--just like modern cities. Pisac is absolutely stunning, but what is more stunning is the view. Tell me if you've seen any place as beautiful as the Sacred Valley when it rains: it's poetry made tangible, with clouds rushing though creating an infinite variety of greys and greens, and lighting in the distance. It's not just aesthetical beauty, there is a magical athmosphere to it, which compensates for so many things. Part of my growing cynicism: when people asked me what I liked most about Nicaragua, without hesitating I answered: the people! To the same question about Peru, with the same certainty I answer: the mountains. This weekend Maria, Geoff, his friend John, Simone and I went trekking: it was a trial run, and it was obvious. The fact I had such a hard time dealing with the organizational difficulties probably shows how much more of a gringa I am than I was in Nicaragua. Obviously, as during the 4 years which have passed since then I have developed my personality almost entirely in gringoland (even with limited exposure to the Italian disorganization). We were supposed to leave at 9am and left at 2.30pm: first we were late because this is Peru, and then the two
malnourished mules and their very drunk owner could not carry all our stuff (tents to sleep and 2 tents to cook, sleeping bags, mats, tables, chairs, pots, pans, enough food to feed an army for a year, stove, portable shower, tablecloth, cups, glass glasses, saucers, coffee maker and many other things you wouldn't guess you'd need on a 2-night trekking). Eventually Onorio came back with 3 mules and it took a woman (his wife Julia) to loads them and set off. We hiked half an hour to their house, and stopped for lunch. Then we set off to the lake Black Lake without waiting for Onorio, so we got lost, lost time waiting for him, and rushed up as it was getting dark when we realised there is more than one path to the lake. It's amazing that people live in isolated houses all over the mountains, and they walk up and down every day with their animals or to go to the villages. We eventually caught up with Onorio and the mules but didn't make it to the lake before dark so we ended up setting up camp in the dark and on a slope, sliding to the bottom of the tent all night long. I must admit the pasta with "pesto" (which was actually a spinach sauce) we had for dinner was delicious, and still I wouldn't bring it camping. Same for the pancakes we had for breakfast, bus as they say "when in Rome...". Yesterday morning we hiked up about 15 minutes and arrived to a beautiful "valley" at 3600 mts with a lake in the middle and a waterfall falling into it. Stunning. We set up camp, Simone and John couldn't resist the calling of the lake and dove in, only to rush out after 2
seconds. Then we hiked up to the Yellow Lake, behind the waterfall at 4200 mts. Unbelieveable: you could see all the valley, the mountains, and the valley behind them. We were so lucky to have the only 2 days without rain in the last couple weeks: we could see the rain on the other side of the Valley, but it didn't reach us. Last night we slept by the lake (turns out the glacier where we were supposed to sleep the second night was 5 mountains and a few days of hike away), and this morning we came down. The place was gorgeous and I wouldn't even be irritated about the complete disorganizationa and lack pf practicality (which I pointed out, since this is supposed to be a trial for tourist groups), if I hadn't been paying for the trip. [My pictures coming soon...]
malnourished mules and their very drunk owner could not carry all our stuff (tents to sleep and 2 tents to cook, sleeping bags, mats, tables, chairs, pots, pans, enough food to feed an army for a year, stove, portable shower, tablecloth, cups, glass glasses, saucers, coffee maker and many other things you wouldn't guess you'd need on a 2-night trekking). Eventually Onorio came back with 3 mules and it took a woman (his wife Julia) to loads them and set off. We hiked half an hour to their house, and stopped for lunch. Then we set off to the lake Black Lake without waiting for Onorio, so we got lost, lost time waiting for him, and rushed up as it was getting dark when we realised there is more than one path to the lake. It's amazing that people live in isolated houses all over the mountains, and they walk up and down every day with their animals or to go to the villages. We eventually caught up with Onorio and the mules but didn't make it to the lake before dark so we ended up setting up camp in the dark and on a slope, sliding to the bottom of the tent all night long. I must admit the pasta with "pesto" (which was actually a spinach sauce) we had for dinner was delicious, and still I wouldn't bring it camping. Same for the pancakes we had for breakfast, bus as they say "when in Rome...". Yesterday morning we hiked up about 15 minutes and arrived to a beautiful "valley" at 3600 mts with a lake in the middle and a waterfall falling into it. Stunning. We set up camp, Simone and John couldn't resist the calling of the lake and dove in, only to rush out after 2
seconds. Then we hiked up to the Yellow Lake, behind the waterfall at 4200 mts. Unbelieveable: you could see all the valley, the mountains, and the valley behind them. We were so lucky to have the only 2 days without rain in the last couple weeks: we could see the rain on the other side of the Valley, but it didn't reach us. Last night we slept by the lake (turns out the glacier where we were supposed to sleep the second night was 5 mountains and a few days of hike away), and this morning we came down. The place was gorgeous and I wouldn't even be irritated about the complete disorganizationa and lack pf practicality (which I pointed out, since this is supposed to be a trial for tourist groups), if I hadn't been paying for the trip. [My pictures coming soon...]Today in Cusco there were huge processions for the Lord of the Earthquakes. It was so crowded I could see in the distance a crucifix being taken around the city and a band palying, but I couldn't make my way through the crown to see it properly.
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How can we defend developing countries from their fellow countrymen who take advantage exploiting poverty under the mantle of philanthropy?
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