June Blog - Winter’s coming!

It was only a few weeks ago when we only had a sheet over us at night, & I was wearing a “house dress” or smock in the apartment cos it was too hot for anything else.  Then, within about 10 days, we had the quilt on & have since added a thin blanket.  On some nights I’ve been grateful we have an electric blanket to warm me as I sit & write my journal in bed.  We know Winter isn’t really here, but it won’t be long.

We wanted to show you a few photos of different parts of Lima.  The difference between the rich & poor is just as marked as it was in 1975.  We’re very grateful we live in La Molina, which is a nice neighbourhood, where we feel safe.  We’ve seen a lot of areas where we wouldn’t want to live.  We know that we are spoilt as senior missionaries and are grateful for it!  

The affluent have cars

They stay in the Marriott Hotel

They have lovely homes like our neighbours

The police keep the peace between them.

Mobile police

The poor will cycle or walk

They live in adobe huts

Many live in shanty towns

There are loads of florists around here where they assemble very elaborate  arrangements of all sizes.  We are still amazed to see them being transported on the back of a van, & wonder how they stay intact. 

Funeral flowers in transit

On a happier note we saw a car decked out ready for the happy couple to drive away from the Temple, having just been sealed for Time & Eternity.  We also saw 4 brides who were being sealed that day. 

Can you see the three brides?

This is the middle one

Last week there was a National simulation of an earthquake & tsunami response, where we all had to evacuate the Area Office.  All other public areas, shops etc had to do the same, & nationwide there was a 60% participation.  On Friday there was a tremor, a slight one, then a big one following a noise, a bit like an explosion.  I was sitting eating breakfast, & actually saw the windows bulging of the apartment opposite - scarey!  Apparently there was an earthquake in Callao, near where the airport is in Lima, 5 on the Richter scale.

Sister Cardon, the wife of the CCM President, is a keen horsewoman, and in April we went with them to watch some horse trials.  The participants all wore lovely custumes, the ladies with full skirts, which looked great draped over the horses.  The horse-rider did a variety of dances with their partner who was on foot, we especially liked the marinera which is a very traditional dance here.  We enjoyed what was a very different activity for us. 

Dancers await the start

Beautiful flowing gowns

Most dancers were bare-footed

Resting in the shade

At the end of April there was a Workers Day, when the majority of workers had the day off.  We aren’t employed, but still had the day off!  We went to La Punta where a narrow strip of land, near the airport, sticks out into the Pacific Ocean.  We looked round a Fort and Museum there  & saw a Pirate who was very entertaining.  It was good to be close to the sea and see the waves crashing on the rocks, the birds diving for fish, and a great view of Lima.

Entrance to the Fort

Four ice cream sellers seeking customers

I hope those rifles are not loaded

Captain Pirate and his missionaries

Cannons pointing out to the Pacific Ocean

11th May was Mothers Day here, & in the US.  Our Ward (local church unit)organised a meal in a Chinese Restaurant, where we had all the upper floor.  40 booked to come, but in the end, there were over 60 of us there enjoying the food.  It included a Karioke evening, which all the Peruvians enjoyed.  Of course we couldn’t join in as we didn’t know the words or music.  We chose a song from an English CD, but it turned out that we only knew the chorus, I don’t remember feeling so embarrassed!

That's MY version of the tune

Our predecessors advised us to go to a Restaurant where they watched dancing while they ate.  So I arranged for Graciela to take 14 of us to La Dama Juana Restaurant in Barranco.  The buffet was good.  It helped that we got there just before a large crowd arrived!  The dancing was very lively and from different parts of Peru.  We were grateful not to be the people dragged up from the audience to dance! 

Traditional Peruvian Dancing

Very energetic

Our last little activity on “P Day” was to go to La Mesa de Piedra in Cieneguilla.  We left the dull, cloudy skies of La Molina behind and went on 2 buses for nearly an hour, to be rewarded with blue skies & sun, which was lovely.  The name translates to table of rock, & that’s what the tables were made of.

We all ate off stone tables

  The area around the restaurant was like an oasis of flowers, man-made streams and a river amid a very dry dusty town.  My food - Pachamanga -was cooked under ground. It consisted of several sorts of meat, potatoes, a banana, sweet potato & some herbs.  It was good to try a typical dish, but I enjoyed it more when I took half of it home & made gravy to moisten it. 

Apart from the restaurant there was horseriding, childrens play/activity area, and dancing while we were eating.  It was a lovely way to relax for a little while, and in the sun too! 

Lovely setting for a restaurant

Three baking ovens

Dancing for the diners

We are getting very excited to have our eldest son, Simon come to Lima on 22nd June.   He will spend 6 days with us, & 6 days with a group of Chiropractors doing voluntary work.  Unlike Matthew’s visit last year, which was at short notice, we’ve known about this since last year, so have been busy planning what to do with him, and what to have him take home for us.  We’ll tell you all about it in our next Blog.