Saturday and Sunday - On the way home

So, I just cant stop blogging - I think the ash cloud is all my fault because I was having such withdrawals from my blog that I think I must have blown a fuse!

We left Trancosa which had been lovely - we even got a couple of days of good weather although very windy - and headed for the airport without much hope of getting home.  However, we were checked in to London all the way home and thought, ´´yippee´´ until we arrived in Madrid and were greeted by a departure board just covered in ALL FLIGHTS CANCELLED.   Once again it was pissing with rain and freezing cold - shit, shit, shit.  Into a hotel and spent all day trying to get on to ferries, buses, hire cars, bicycles, anything.  Nada, nada, nada.    After a good dinner, however, a good nights sleep and sunshine in the morning, everything changed and we moved into the city centre next to The Opera and psyched up for a long stay.  

Arrived at 7.30a.m. Madrid to be told, ´that´s it, no further´- 1.30p.m. having lunch!

Plaza de Oriente - our evening drinks plaza

Day 1 - Monday  Shopping in the Gran Via for clean knickers and t-shirts on my own while Rob sunbathed on the little terrace of our room - wonderful.  Just strolling around the plazas and shops and popping into some of the lovely little churches and getting totally lost until 5.54 when my homing instinct took my straight to the cafe in the Plaza Oriente where Rob was waiting with a glass of chilled wine.   Off to dinner this evening to the Casa Lucio in the Latino quadro which was great - absolutely jammed packed with customers who keep coming in all evening up until about 11.30p.m.  `[What on earth do they do until that time?]

Day 2  - Tuesday   Went to Toledo today which is about 80 km from Madrid.  Took the Metro and train à los Madrelenos and then jumped on a tourist bus to do the tour of the City.  Quite amazing but so full of tourists that after a fairly perfunctory stroll around the town and a rather desultory lunch, we made our way back to the gorgeousness of Madrid.  A few drinks in the Plaza watching all the very smart Madrelinos going into the Opera and couldn´t even make it out to dinner cos we were so tired out.

High speed train to Toledo

View of Toledo from the top of the hill

The Alcazar - the hill top fort of yester-year

Day 3 - Wednesday  -  Still no word on our return even though Heathrow is now open.  I dont want to go home just yet as I havent finished exploring Madrid and can think of nothing nicer than another few days in this wonderful city.   Heard during breakfast that we cannot return until Monday - even for me, that is pushing it a bit so we have decided to spend one more day here and then take the train to Barcelona!  Great, another adventure.

Took off after breakfast to visit the Retiro Park where we went with Hannah on a visit to see her when she lived out here - Weather greatly improved since the last time and we were able to stroll through the park enjoying the early Spring weather and all the blossom.  On to the Botanical gardens where, similar, all the blossom was out and masses of tulips were in full bloom.  Stopped off for a wonderful lunch at a pavement restaurant close to the gardens and almost didn´t make it any further.

A rather belated picture of Salvador - so colourful

Trancoso, La Bahia, Brazil - please note the rather heavy skies and storming seas!

Lobster lunch by the pool in Trancoso - heaven [almost as good as yours, Peter, but not quite!]

-

Amazing beach which went on for about 4 miles [even better than yours, Peter!]

Plaza Mayor - Madrid on quite a chilly afternoon

Oh no!  not another Semana Santa edifice - cant get away from them although not a patch on the ones in Ayacucho

This one is for Milly and Karen and Alex just in case they take a look at the blog - Ayacucho cakes dont even come close to the cakes in Madrid.  This is just a very, very small selection of more cakes than you could ever imagine.

Tulips in the Botanical Gardens

Retiro Park, Madrid

Sorry, I forgot to turn this before uploading - one of the amazing trees in the Botanical

[This one is for Sebastian, Sally]

Lovely chrystal plant house in the Retiro

The Prado

Monday 12th April - onwards for next 5 days

Final destination today - Trancoso on the coast just north of Rio and Sao Paulo.  We left Salvador in the rain and arrived an hour or so later in glorious sunshine.  At last we thought, we have finally outrun the rain and clouds and have found a haven of sun, sea and sand.  How wrong can you get?  We had from lunchtime to around 8p.m. of this glorious illusion and then the rain started again and went on most of the night.  Today?  well, it cleared from time to time - enough for me to get a red face but I think that was probably because of the gale-force wind that is blowing along the beach!  Our hotel is, however, absolutely wonderful - just five lovely bungalows set in immaculate gardens full of palms and red and yellow hibiscus and a swimming pool that is straight out of a Conde Nast travel brochure.  So lovely to just sit around and relax without thinking about the next tour to go on or plane to catch.  I have even abandoned my inspirational book about trekking in the Andes which I have been reading all the time I've been in Peru for a dreadful Jilly Cooper novel, and it's great!  

I really am coming to the end of my blog now - there is not much of interest to write about a beach and the sea - and I will miss writing it enormously.  I do hope that whoever has been kind enough to read it from time to time has got some enjoyment out of it - even if it is only to view some of the amazing pictures of Peru and beyond.  Thankyou all so much for your time and comments - you have made all the hours spent uploading photographs worthwhile.  

So long, hasta luego, adios.

Vikki xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

8th to 11th April - - Pousada Rio Mutam in the Pantanal and Salvador

Arrived at the Pousada in the Pantanal at 10.p.m . after a horrendous 51/2 hour journey from Cuiaba airport along a road of which 90km was a simple, dirt track.  Very bumpy and full of potholes and the closer we got to our destination, in the wetlands of Central Brazil, the wetter and more flooded the roads. We thought we had escaped the water but it was not to be........... At last, our oasis [or whatever is the opposite to oasis for our destination was a dry haven in the middle of a vast area of water] which, on first impression looked like Butlins in the Pantanal.  Up at sparrow fart before it becomes too hot,  to take our first trip by motor boat into the waterways which were wonderful - miles and miles of flooded plains caused by low lying land and heavy rains combined with water coming from the highlands.   To give you an idea of the scale of this area, the Pantanal - all of which becomes flooded in the rainy season - is as large as France.

View from our boat along one of the waterways - not a river but flooded land which, when the water recedes in the dry season will revert to dry, arid, open plains

 Seeing as this was 7.15a.m., I think I look quite happy and enjoying the morning tranquility

 Jolly little chappy - a caiman, one of hundreds who live in the shallow water close to the Lodge.  Unlike Crocodiles, they dont eat humans thankfully.

Oh, and this is Nina, the Lodge's tame Taipir who you could pat and stroke  -weird

In the afternoon, after a lovely lunch with our guide and a kip in my hammock, we presented ourselves to our Pantonaros [specially adapted horses to the watery wastes of the Pantonal - they dont ever wear shoes because they rust and then they get hoof rot]  and off we set for our 3 hour,  very watery hack.  All quite extraordinary especially when the horses dipped their heads into the 3ft deep water to eat water lillies rather than just stop to munch grass.  Highlight of the day - I SAW A JAGUAR!!!!!!!!   Only fleetingly but nevertheless, I saw him running across our   track about 30 mtrs ahead.  [Verified by the guide who also saw him!]   A very rare occurrence as they are very shy animals and our guide sees one only about once a year at most.   It was Rob's first time ever on a horse and in view of the extraordinary terrain, did remarkably well!

Second morning in the Pantanal and we arose at 4.45a.m. so that we could go into the water by  canoe [steered and propelled by our trusty guide Juan Luis - inevitably becoming known as John Lewis - ]   to watch the sun rise and catch the early birds which were amazing.  All sorts of birds waking up and getting their breakfasts.  It was truly an experience of a lifetime - so quiet and serene and, dare I say it, almost spiritual.

 Sunrise at 5.30 a.m. over the Pantanal

Through the trees on the way back home from seeing the sunset

The Bird of Brazil

The Lodge horses grazing in the garden outside our bungalows - maybe I should try this with the Llamas at home

Capabare - a water pig - one of several who live [wild] around the shallows of the Lodge

Another boat trip in the morning followed by a rather long and boring drive along yet another dusty, dirt track in the afternoon but this drive was redeemed by seeing a Hyacinth McCaw parrot - only found in the Pantanal - living up in a tree in someone's farm with his mum and dad.  Unfortunately, the latter were out getting food for junior so we didn't get to see them.  However, one was enough to log into my ''best seen'' list of birds.

  Rob and I in the water on our wonderful Pananeiros

Mmmm - there's something about the lonely, silent type ....

My lovely horse whose name I cannot only not remember, but if I did, I wouldn't be able to spell it.

  

Farewell to the Pantanal - 'John Lewis'and Anna, guides.

Another early start to continue our journey to Salvador in La Bahia.  We arrived at around 6p.m. after two flights and a drive to ........more rain!!  However, the hotel is fab - up in the old town and wonderfully historic.  The hotel is all distressed wash stands and cupboards and beautifully dressed Afro ladies in enormous dresses in the plaza outside.  Altogether, the most fab town I've visited outside Ayacucho - totally decadant, sleazy, dangerous, derelict but utterly captivating, colourful and vibrant.  We watched a performance of Capoeira in the market - a sort of karate cum acrobatic cum gymnastic performance involving several men, women and children who take turns to ''dance ''' with each other accompanied by a weird single string instrument which they pluck with a stone and drums.  

 Our hotel on the left with the umbrellas with the church in the front

   Inside the Iglesia do Sao Francisco - all silver and quite stunning

Finally, back to the hotel - a haven of peace and a nice cup of tea on a comfy sofa - to write my blog which I have sorely missed.  God knows why anyone should want to read about my holiday but if I dont do my blog I get withdrawals so basically, I do it for me! 

                

When he was young it was two naked ladies covered in shaving foam on his arms now things have changed somewhat!!   Hey ho ...

Saturday 3rd April - ADVENTURE PART 2 - Peru to Brazil and beyond

Just a brief up-date to let you know that the adventure did not stop in Ayacucho but continued into Brazil. I arrived about midnight after flying all day from Peru to find Rob fast asleep in our lovely hotel! Great welcome!  However, as he had also been flying for the past 10 hours from the UK, all was forgiven.

Rob and I - Day 1 on Ipanema Beach [Just before the rain started]

Sorry about the blue - got my camera settings a bit wrong!

Ipanema - clouds gathering but it all looked so promising for a while

 We have just endured three days of torrential rain and storms - the worst for 40 years.  We have had no electricity, water, mobile phone connection, public transport or any open shops or restaurants.  We were virtually marooned in our hotel as there was absolutely no point in venturing outside.  No Corcovado, no Sugar Loaf mountain, nada.  The resulting devastation has left the city in a state of emergency with up to 104 people dead through mud slides and flash floods. [since writing this, the number had increased to over 200] .  Rob and I visited the Botanical gardens on the second day wrapped up in our pak-a-macs and with umbrellas and enjoyed a lovely couple of hours wandering around the beautiful gardens in the rain but, if we had stayed another couple of hours, we would have been rescued by boat!  Yesterday was very depressing just sitting in the hotel watching the rain - there was an ''almost-curfew'' all over town preventing people from leaving their houses and only a few hundred yards from our hotel, an enormous tree had fallen across the road completely blocking any traffic.  Today, Wednesday,  is much better although more rain is expected but I am typing from a computer in the HSBC lounge [nice cup of coffee, comfortable chairs and dry!] in Rio airport so we are out of here in an hour or so.  Shame we never got to see Sugar Loaf or the Corcovado or the sun. 

The Orchid House - Botanical Gardens, Rio de Janeiro

Botanical Gardens, Rio - The rain begins

Amazing Palms in long avenues in the Botanical gardens

Keep smiling in the face of adversity

Oops - one of the effects of the storms

Mud slide in St Teresa district where we were staying in Rio

 

Mud slides through the 'favellas'- the slums of Rio up in the hills where thousands of the poor live

Wednesday and Thursday, 31st March - 1st April - Semana Santa

Wednesday was my last proper day working as a volunteer in Ayacucho.  Although I am looking forward so much to moving on to Brazil and meeting up with Rob, I was surprised by the strength of my emotion at leaving the ancianas.  I told them that this would be my last day and gave the two Jefe's a little gift each - a pack of felt tips and a jigsaw - they were both quite overcome and their eyes filled with tears and they hugged and kissed me and little Tomasa's face crumpled up even more than it is already.  I told them that I would be back on Friday with some photographs that I have had printed of them and that cheered them up a lot but it just means that I will have to say goodbye again.

The three ladies above right are, from left, Victoria, Bonafacia and Maria and me helping Tomasa with her colouring in

Another of my good chums

Saying Goodbye

Wednesday evening we went off to Via Via for dinner and a glass of wine as it was the evening of a big procession and also the biggest evening for the 'flower carpets'.  All around the Plaza, various groups such as schools, colleges, the banks, the telephone company etc. draw on the road huge depictions of various scenes of Ayacucho.  Some of the drawings are religious, some are of the mountain villages, some the produce of the region and some just fun.   Once they are drawn in chalk, they then fill them in with multi-coloured flower petals, leaves and very fine pieces of what looks like different coloured sponge.  The end result is that they look like huge flower carpets - most of them are around 30ft x 20ft.  - and they are absolutely incredible.  Amazing works of art that, in this instance, only remained visible for around a couple of hours before the most violent storm erupted and the rain simple fell out of the sky in a sheet and washed them all away.  It was simply tragic.  All the work that had been put into them, plus the flowers, gone down the drain.  Fortunately, I got to the Plaza while it was still fine and managed to take loads of photos so thankfully I have a pretty good record of them all.  During the storm, Karen and I took refuge in what is known as the 'Gringo Plaza' which is a covered area of safe restaurants and bars where the Gringos go and while the rain poured down we passed the time with a couple of Pisco Sours.   The procession was due to take place at 8p.m. but unfortunately, the rain didn't let up and the event was postponed until 5a.m. Thursday morning.  No taxis, no tuk-tuks so we had to run all the way back to our house in the rain through 12"-deep rivers of water pouring down the streets.  Milie lost a flip-flop to the torrent and it was last seen floating off down a side street with Millie in hot pursuit! 

 Drawing out the outline of the design and beginning the fill-in

A Peruvian woman - part of a carpet

People wandering around viewing all the 'carpets'

Avocados - a produce of Peru

A Peruvian man's head

THURSDAY  1st  APRIL

Another long, Semana Santa day ahead, so Karen and I left the house at 6.30a.m. to see if we could catch the procession that should have taken place last night and if not, then we would back-track to the church from where the procession came and would eventually return to, in order to see the 'casas' [the religious houses carrying Jesus and Mary] in situ.  However, we arrived in plenty time which was great and followed both houses around the Plaza in opposite directions until they met in the middle.  It was extremely moving as the procession, led by two priests and many acolytes, depicted Jesus carrying his cross into Jerusalem on the night before his crucifixion and meeting Mary for his final farewell.  The bands reflected the mood of the occasion and  many people were dressed in black.  The atmosphere, whilst visually spectacular,  was emotionally very sombre and funereal.  There was  an almost overwhelming smell of incense which added to the religious tone of the morning. We were invited by the owner of a local restaurant to join him and his friends on one of the balconies overlooking the Plaza and had an amazing view of the procession.

Jesus with the cross

Mary approaching Jesus from the opposite side of the Plaza

The 'Casa'

The final meeting of the Mother and Son

Monks beating the funeral drum

Ladies of Ayacucho carrying candles around the Plaza while following the procession

Hail Mary and farewell

In the name of the Father, The Son and the Holy Spirit - Vive

Good Friday evening was the last procession of Semana Santa that I was able to watch - Jesus being carried to his sepluchre in a coffin.  The whole Plaza was lit only by candles as this solemn procession took over an hour to go around the Plaza to the Cathedral.

After the morning procession and then lunch on the Thursday, we all jumped into taxis and went across town to what would probably be a country fair in the UK.   There were stands selling the usual Peruvian bags, chompas [jumpers!] and local clart as well as amazing food stands selling everything from avocados and potatoes to guinnea pigs and whole sheep [dead!].   All the Peruvian animals were there including Llamas, Alpacas and Vicunia but the highlight of the fair was to watch the Caballos de Paso Peruvian.  These are like our trotting horses except they are unique to Peru and are genetically predisposed to perform in this way.  [Both off-side legs go forward at the same time and then both near-side legs go forward together]  The riders always wear white with large, wide-brimmed white straw hats.    They are beautiful to watch and their performance with a spanish dancing partner was better than any human dance routine I've ever seen before.

Alpacas - so much sweeter than Llamas - at the country fair

Well ......it is a country fair, after all

Wonderful oranges which they squeeze for you on the spot

Sweet corn seller

Black sweet corn - it looks like one of Rob's bar-b-q's when drink has been taken! [Sorry ...]

Some of the biggest avocados I've ever seen

Before ........

and after ...........

Return home hot and tired and am now catching time while the others are out on the town raving it up at the local club.  I guess this might well be my final blog as tomorrow is the last day of my Peruvian Adventure and I doubt I will get the opportunity of any more time on the computer.  [Next adventure - I must bring my own laptop].  Thank you all for reading it and, hopefully, sharing the fun that I have had out here.  It has been the most amazing experience and I have enjoyed every [well nearly every!] minute of it.  I will miss Ayacucho and the lovely Peruvian people and who knows, maybe one day I might come back.

Caballo de Paso

Finale

Goodbye everyone - maybe more from Brazil.