The tradition continues.

The Guthrie tradition had to continue, there was absolutely no reason at all why we could not have an Easter egg hunt! It has been going on non-stop for years in our family and I can safely say that the tradition remains unbroken.






In the top photo the Easter guests are from the left - Clare, Jacinta, Marg, Marie, the Rabbit, Roxana, yours truly and Napa.
Jacinta and Marie are Irish Sisters with a French Order, Clare, Marg and Roxana are Josephite Sisters and Napa is a Tongan Columban priest. Roxana is a young Peruvian novice with the Josephites.

The guests could not believe their luck when they were led into the 'backyard', the search was frantic and luckily no foul play was reported to the referee although the field of action was limited.

The hunt is over, the guests relax and await the news from the kitchen.

The news from the kitchen is all good - marinated Argentinian steak, roast pork and crackling, potatoes in alfoil, asparagus wrapped with rosemary and proscuitto and finally tomato and onion pie for starters. This was followed by fruit salad and icecream cake - and the mandatory Easter eggs!

All of the above would not have occurred had not Marion rung El Chinito - the Chinaman - to order more gas. He arrived on his motor bike laden with both full and empty gas bottles moments after hanging up the phone, not bad service for 30 Soles - about $12 AUS.

The final highlight for our guests was the Google Earth search for their homes - all over the world! At times it almost proved to be a little emotional for some to see their home town, their own street and even their actual home.

At the end of the day, to say the least, the guests were sent home extremely satisfied with Easter 2008.

4.00 a.m. Easter Sunday morning.

We knew that we had to be at the chapel by 4.00 a.m., however, we were a little surprised to hear the bells ringing just after 3.00! It didn't seem to make much difference because there were still a few parties in progress as we walked down the road.

The fire was being organised beside the main road for all to see, though I have to admit that at that time of the morning even the bus traffic was minimal.


As we walked to the chapel we joined
up with the young dancers, their costumes are so colourful and you could tell that they are extremely proud to be wearing them, even at four in the morning!


The actual dancing is amazing, lots of swirling, swaying and high stepping - all in unison - as they moved around the Easter fire. It is a pity that the photo of the young men is not clearer as they have three bells attached to each leg and the effect is fantastic.

After the dancing we all processed with Fathers Horvito and Nappa and the Easter Candle into the Montenegro chapel.

Good Friday, Stations of the Cross In Montenegro.

While Raphael and his players prepare for their presentation Sister Miriam sets us off with the first two Stations outside the Montenegro chapel. In the beginning our numbers were decidedly light, however, we grew in numbers as we progressed.

The park in the background was to be the scene for the final stages of the re-enactment.


We began our walk with great enthusiasm, however, after a short time I realised that the leaders were not quite sure of the journey and it was almost like playing a game of 'Where's the next Station?' In fact in one of the following shots you will see a picture of a young man in a yellow shirt with number four on his a back, well he was the cause of a few wrong turns, and they said he was a local!

No fear, it all worked out and it was an amazing experience just to trail along and soak up the atmosphere, although I do think that it may have been all too much for two small local members of the community!
We really loved the motor taxi which doubled as a sound van, nothing like our Mildura version which Des sets up each year.








Various local families are offered the opportunity to set up stations along the way. They decorate their tables with holy pictures, flowers, candles and water. The water is most important because, as we moved off, liberal amounts were sprinkled on all and sundry. The families would also offer a small drink to all those who are on the walk. I would say that it would be an honour to be asked to set up one of the stations.

The crowd from all the chapels gather together after their walks.

Jesus is assisted by Simon to carry the cross. Simon's real name is Michael, he is a German boy working on a voluntary basis in the Montenegro area with the handicapped children.


Veronica offers care and attention as Jesus falls again.








Jesus' mother and disciples watch on from the foot of the small hill.

The final stages showing Jesus' crucifixion and death, also the women and other disciples all gathering around.

All throughout the final stages of this enactment this young man played an unbelievably haunting piece on his flute. It really helped to create the atmosphers.

The general crowd were surprisingly reverent and quiet, no yelling, screaming or even laughing. In fact Marion and I both wondered what sort of impact such graphic scenes have on the younger children.

Father Mick expresses his thanks to the players for their efforts and to the crowd for processing from their various chapels for the final stages of the Stations. The leading musician, Joao, is far left and Raphael, the director, is second from the left. Both are fantastic young men.

The calendar on the wall.

You may ask the signifcance of the calendar in the picture. It was produced by ANFASEP - Asociacion Nacional de Familiares de Secuesyrados, Detenidos y Desaparecidos del Peru. The loose translation of this being The National Association of Families affected by Kidnappings, Detentions and Disappearances in Peru!

I quote from the calendar, "The department of Ayacucho is one of the regions that was most affected by the internal armed conflict between the guerrilla organisation Shining Path and the Peruvian Armed Forces. During the two decades of the conflict, 1980 - 2000, about 70,000 people were killed and many thousands disappeared or were displaced." Remember, those figures are only for one region!

In 2005 ANFASEP created the "Museum of Memory" which presents the history of the internal armed conflict in Ayacucho and the cases of the disappeared relatives of ANFASEP relatives. The calendar is one way of offering financial support for the organisation.

This calendar tells of the stories of the women who suffered during these terrible times - not so long ago. Each month is frightening in the actual detail. The lady on the left in the picture for the month of March is Leonilda Ore de Lopez, 67, and she says, "We found my son on the roadside. They had cut his throat and thrown his head somewhere else. I recognised him by his clothes and I said to him: 'My son, what happened to you? I want to die at your side too'. Having said that I wanted to jump into an abyss in order to die together with my son."

The month of October - Teodora Pariona Ventura, 80, says, "Where haven't I gone to? In search of my two sons I went to the Prosecutor's Office, to the military barracks, to the police station. Almost everyone asked me: 'Are you looking for your terrorist sons?' And they started shooting in the air. I returned to my home crying. My sons remain disappeared."

The stories are all about the women - the men were the ones who were murdered or just disappeared.

Palm Sunday.

Palm Sunday at the chapel of Senora del la Paz, Motupe. Everyone began to gather at about 6.30 pm, you purchased elaborate and intricate palms to carry and wave during Mass. The palms cost one sol. They say that if you hang them in your house for the year you are protected from earthquakes, I immediately thought of outlaying more than one sol! One of our daughters, who shall remain nameless, thought that solid foundations and good building practices might be a better way to go! Nevertheless, ours is hanging in the house.

The Palm Sunday crowd was huge, in fact the word is that the people really identify with all the Holy Week celebrations. We processed into the church, waved he palms vigoursly during all the hymns and even yelled all the crowd responses such as "crucify him" as they read the Passion. Full on people participation.

It is moments such as these when "The Life of Brian" flood back into my memory, I really do have a warped sense of humour!

The choir was alive and consisted of all young people accompanied by guitar and drums, most impressive.

After Mass it was all outside for the sprinkling of water, in fact they settle for nothing less than a good hosing down. The water has to not only hit the palms but also splash on the individual foreheads. Great fun for all, much calling out to Mick to aim the water their way and then equally loud yells as the water actually hits the mark.

I tried to capture the above scenes for all to see, however, I am having difficulties with the camera's flash mechanism. They all came out fuzzy, very disappointing.

Mick has warned us that if we thought that was impressive wait until Good Friday, apparently all the various chapels process to the green area next to the gravel soccer pitch for the final stages of Christ's Passion. Mick has a sneaking fear the this year Mel Gibson's work may influence what we will witness! Best have the camera in good working order for Friday afternoon!

Sunday afternoon in the neighbourhood.

Just when we thought that a siesta would be a fine idea for Sunday afternoon the local Israelitas group decide to set up an outside concert. These people are the ones that dress up as though they have just walked out of a Christmas crib scene - heaps of coloured veils and capes and the men with long beards and ponytails.

The only problem with their music is that they set their volume on the absolute maximum and when you live in the house in the background behind the only two green trees you may as well forget the siesta and go for a walk. A really long one because you still hear them ten blocks away!
The show looks as though it is going on for awhile, thank heavens we have been invited to a BBQ - miles away!

It is well worth noting in the top picture the type of scaffold used for pouring a concrete second floor or roof for the ground floor - all wood!
Marion and I have no idea how Ophelia manages to put up with the noise all day long.

The main game was on for young and old, a very serious match between two local teams. Why do they use the gravel pitch instead of the nice grass one in the background? The answer is purely economic - thirty soles for an hour - about $12.00 AUS - to hire the area. They would struggle to get that money together. Dust or no dust their skills are still amazing.

As is the distant music of the Israelitas band and choir!




The less professional settle for a game of football on a small area with fewer members in each team - the game is played with just as much enthusiasm as the main game.

Finally, I have just realised that if you click on any of the photos in the blog they will automatically enlarge to full size. Much better for viewing.

A visit to the doctor and then an X Ray.

Sorry no photos concerning this little episode, especially the X Ray clinic! We decided, rather it was decided for me - think what you like - that I required a visit to the doctor in order to get another opinion regarding my right shoulder. In case you are wondering it is still very sore and sometimes affects my right hand. However, have no fear it is not life threatening! The Chilean doctor attached to the Parish Center on the southern edge of Mick's area was extremely nice and spoke good English. After much questioning however it was decided that humidity is not helping my cause, my weight could be less and that there was no place for alcohol in my diet thus I left rather down downcast in spirit. It was also decided that an X Ray may help, I thought X Rays were for bone problems and that an ultrasound may prove more beneficial. Mind your own business Luke.
We then took ourselves off to the X Ray clinic and were immediately told that it could be a half hour wait - in Lima we have learnt to be very wary of phrases such as that. With that in mind Marion and I thought that early next morning would be preferable.
Back there this morning right on time, we were the only people in the waiting area surrounded by numerous images of the development of babies in their mothers' wombs as well as various takes of the human brain - all these visuals made me whisper a prayer of thanks that I was only here for a shoulder shot! Sorry there were others in the room, two radiographers watching the early morning soapies. When it was time for me to enter the actaul X Ray room I thought it best to leave my watch behind. I could cope with possibly getting green hair, howere, losing a good watch to rampant X Rays proved too much to think about. The table I lay on was firm at the best, the decor sparse and the actual machine had definitely seen better days. The fellow taking the shots was not built for speed so after a reasonable period of time he had managed three takes of the offending limb - we were then told to come back later this afternoon to collect the results. All for forty soles, about $18AUS. And at this stage still no sign of green hair, will keep you informed!

Another unbelievable chapel up the valley.

Every Sunday when we travel with Mick to another small chapel - capilla - up in the valley our eyes are opened even further. These children were sitting around at 7.00 in the morning! It really makes you ponder hard when you think of everything that we have back home! There is every chance that as these children grow they will see very little apart from their immediate surrounds.



Jeny and Joao, two of our English students, supplied the music this Sunday, Joao is very talented with both guitar and voice.

This is simply to prove that I did go to Mass!

Find us with Google Earth.

This is the main road which goes right up the valley of Canto Grande.

The parish church of Montenegro is the brick building on the right of lower the picture.

Two weeks ago the median strip was dirt - after two days and nights thousands of grass sods were placed courtesy of the local council. It has made a huge difference, however, when I turned one hundred and eighty degrees and faced south it is still dirt as shown in the top picture.

Now, if you have Google Earth you will be able to pin point where we live, the wonders of modern science!

Enter 'Canto Grande Lima' on the Google Earth search page and see the area for yourself. Follow the main two lane road up the valley past a big school with a pool on your left, and keep coming till you reach a park on the right hand side of the main road. There is a grass soccer pitch next to the road, a gravel pitch in the middle of the park and a playground with an oval concrete path at the top of the park. We live twenty meters from the bottom right hand corner of the park, next to where Ophelia sets up her fruit stall - the actual 'Google Pointer' should read - 11 degrees 56' 13.52" South, 76 degrees 58' 08.06" West. The Montenegro parish church and our class room are at the top left hand corner of the park.

Now scroll further up the valley to get an indication of the area which is rapidly developing.

We have our garden!

A reminder of how it all began, rocks and bare dirt, not even soil.
After three trips to the Acoh plant and flower market everything began to fall into place.






At last the grass and plants are all in place, all we need now is growth. Our herb pots seem to be suffering attacks from some very small moth or butterfly, they love the basil. The trouble is so do Marion and I!

Don't you love the touch with the deck chair, hat and sun glasses.

We have three different crocus plants in the back right hand corner and they add special colour. They also love being hand wiped every day, it is the only way to keep the dust from choking them to death.

I have no idea what we will do when the grass grows to a height that will need trimming, maybe down on the hands and knees and out with the scissors.

Finally, it would be remiss of me not to mention the fact that if I ever wrote a book about our time in Lima one chapter would have to relate how we managed to get eight meters of lawn -that is thirty two slabs of grass - eight bags of soil, a few extra pots and plants and Marion and I into a taxi! Well the sign on the front window said it was a taxi. He put the back seat down and that is where I sat with the grass, soil and plants. Marion had the luxury of the front seat. He tied his front door shut with a piece of string! I am certain he had no clutch judging by the noise each gear change made. At one speed hump he managed to get the front wheels over, however, no such luck with the back ones, he simply rolled back down the road and had another try! We violently over heated half way home so he just added more water. I had a bet with Marion that we would not make it home, I still do not know how she won the bet. The final touch was that I could watch the road through a hole in the floor! I am certain that there is no such thing as a road worthy test in Lima!

After helping us unpack we gave him a tip, a drink of cold lemonade and even filled his water bottle for him and he happily headed off back down the highway. They are truly amazing and wonderful people to be with.