Friday, 1 November 2013
Thursday, 31 October 2013
Auckland - Sydney
2 hour stopover, nearly home.
Just ordered a latte , coffee with milk,one of the things I have missed.
In Sydney on 1030 flight to Melbourne
Tuesday, 29 October 2013
Home of the Stray Cat
Santiago is the home of the stray dog, and Lima is the home of the stray cat. In the centre of Miraflores, there is a park (the John F Kennedy Park) filled with flower beds, shoe shiners, seats, trees etc.
I just googled the cats and courtesy of wiki travel, the following explanation is offered.
Parque John. F. Kennedy. The park is located in the heart of the Miraflores district. To it's northwest you will find the artisan markets and to it's southeast the "Calle de los pizzas". It is also bordered by various hostels, coffee shops, bars, restaurants, a Cathedral and more. It often hosts public exhibitions on the weekends ranging from artesan crafts to paintings and live performances. Perhaps one of the most curious features of the park is it's large population of cats. Legend holds that the cats were introduced to help fight off rats. Whether true or not everywhere you look in the park you will see them. The cats are well cared for by volunteers and are generally friendly. The volunteers provide food and medical care.
There were stray cats in the trees, garden beds, sleeping on the grass, or just walking around.
Last day in Peru
The course finished on Sunday and the results of the exam will not be known for a few weeks.
we all thought we had accommodation booked for the Sunday night only to discover this was not the case. The hotel where we stayed was full, so nobody was quite sure what was happening. Patricia my roommate from Argentina organised bunk rooms at the Club de Regatas Dormitory for 4 of us in 2 rooms (which ended up being gratis) not sure how but it worked out well. It was very basic, with a large communal kitchen and shared showers and toilets.
With my limited Spanish, I have still not worked out how to tell the male from female toilets. Each toilet has different words and no graphics. I suspect I got it wrong last night, the urinal being the primary give away. Nobody noticed so all OK.
The club had a big swimming event, and was supposedly full. The bunk rooms consisted of 2 double bunks in the room, boys in one and girls in the other. Probably about 50 rooms. The doors do not seal and the partitions do not quite reach the ceiling. In the morning the hallway, bathrooms etc were overtaken by 12 - 16 year old kids. Some poor Mums/Coaches were preparing massive amounts of breakfast sandwiches. Imagine the noise generated by over 100 swimming kids.
Peter from Denmark left at 6 am for his flight home, and John and Patricia organised a taxi at 7:30 am.
I booked accommodation in Miraflores on the Internet in the morning and they dropped me off at the hotel on the way to the Airport. I checked in at 8 and they gave me access to my room, which I was not expecting. That was great as I had not had a shower at the club.
I was now alone as all my new Spanish friends had left the country. I was amazed and very grateful how all the participants at the club went out of their way to ensure that Peter the Dane - who spoke excellent English but no Spanish and me the Australian with no other language were looked after. I really noticed it today, back in Lima, trying to communicate basic needs.
Miraflores is a safe place, and all the Peruvians I have met have been friendly and helpful. The older buildings have a very Spanish influence, with shuttered windows and balconies. There is strong Chinese and Indian influence, reflected in the shops.
I had lunch at a Chinese cafe/restaurant across the road from the hotel, and ordered the traditional and famous Peruvian dish Ceviche. It is raw fish marinated in lime and red Spanish Onion with a hint of chilli served on a bed of lettuce washed down with a Pisco Sour. This version had additional seafood, prawns and squid. Delicious.
Had a couple of shopping requests from Australia, so that filled in some time. Did the Traditional handcraft markets, and there was nothing that jumped out saying buy me.
It is very evidently a predominately Catholic country with things (not sure what you call them) all over the city.
The traffic lights show the seconds before the green turns red or the red turns green. Very helpful, but the traffic does not obey the lights so they are of little use.
Lord of Miracles
Every year, in October, hundreds of thousands of faithful from all races and economic backgrounds celebrate the Lord of Miracles in a religious procession through the streets of Lima. The boulevards are dressed in purple to celebrate on October 18, 19 and 28th the Lord of Miracles annual procession through the streets of Lima.
The holiday has religious significance. During the procession an image of Christ, as painted in a famous mural, is carried down the streets of Lima. The mural was painted by a black slave in the 17th century and is the image of Christ on the cross with the Holy Spirit and God the Father above and Mary Magdelene at the feet of Christ. In the 18th century, Lima suffered a massive earthquake and nearly the entire city of Lima was destroyed. The only thing left standing for miles was the wall on which the mural had been painted. It was a declared a miracle.
I came across a mini parade from the looks it was a school group.
Sunday, 27 October 2013
Doo Australia
Peru has a clothing label call Doo Australia, one t-shirt had a design of a kangaroo in the desert amongst Mexican looking Cactus?????
What would happen if it rained in Lima?
The streets in Lima are kerbed and guttered, but there are NO drains. Houses have driveways that slope down to the house with no drains.
No need to worry it does not rain in Lima.
Many of houses do not have roofs - I have heard 2 reasons, it does not rain therefore no need for a roof, perhaps the real reason is that until you put a roof on your house it is not completed and therefore is not taxed.
Exam tomorrow
There are 13 attendees at the Race Officer's seminar representing
Australia
Denmark
Peru
Ecuador
Columbia
Cuba
Argentina
Puerto Rico
Instructors
Brazil
New Zealand
There is a vast difference in knowledge and experience. As per every Race Management seminar I have attended we are losing time against the agenda. This is not a bad thing, but I believe at this level that there is not enough time dedicated to allow participants to ask scenario type questions, hypotheticals, and not enough time is spent on cases.
We have the exam tomorrow, which is in 3 parts. Being the only native mono lingual English speaking participant, I have a time penalty of 10 mins. (They tried to sell this has being a benefit to the non native English speaking participants but I am the disadvantaged minority here amongst the Spanish speaking). Just joking.
Being in Lima has been a tremendous experience I would recommend to any aspiring race officer, get out of your club, get out of your state and just do anything, anywhere.
Lunch today - potato with cheese sauce decorated with an olive, egg and lettuce leaf.
Saturday, 26 October 2013
Sun up?? -
The sun never shines in Lima. There is always cloud cover and grey skies.
Streetscape around the hotel, this is the wealthy area of Lima - Miraflores.
The Hotel
Is it sign -all or sig-nal?
SIGNAL
English speaking sat Sig- Nal, the Spanish speaking say Sign-all.
Few more odd ones, but must report my Spanish increased by 100 percent today, up to 6 words!
A minor inconvenience when I asked the waiter at lunch for directions to the toilet and he nodded and then shook his head and then shrugged his shoulders. Had to ask a Peruvian for the Spanish word for toilet, this could not be handled via the Mr Squiggle method of communication.
Bano pronounced Banyue, great problem solved but then had to go back to the Peruvian and ask which was the female, no pictures just words!!!
I left my camera charger at the Sheraton, a $35 taxi fare away. So at lunchtime had the locals research and direct where I could buy a replacement. We did not finish NAUTICA school until 6 30 pm, and once got minibus back to the hotel it was well past sunset. Shops are open until 9 pm. So took Peter the Danish professor and young Spanish speaking Columbian Nicholas out on an adventure. Nicholas was the star, it would have taken me half an hour to explain a Nikon Camera USB charger. We are now in the Peruvian equivalent to the Good Guys. Nicholas takes charge, pushes to the front, quick spanish conversation, and correct cable identified.
Docket prepared, 15 Soles (5 AUD), then asked for my name, was expecting the next Good Guys question - what is your postcode, alas did not happen. Docket printed.
Walk docket to security pay counter, pay money, get new docket, and queue at goods pickup counter, send tall young Nicholas in to handle, he pushes to front of queue, picks up cable, handed another docket to hand to man on door and we finally free to leave the store with $5 cable in hand.
Friday, 25 October 2013
Buenos Dias
First bird tweeting and I am awake.
No sightings of any Indian Minors!
Hotel has serve yourself coffee so all good
Pisco Sour
Not that different from a non sweet margarita - crisp with the lime balancing the sugar, based on a grape ferment. Must be good they have a national holiday to celebrate the drink - bit like having a public holiday for a horse race.
Mr Squiggle
Found a bottle of rosa vino in a little shop on the top shelf. Buying was the easy part, back at the hotel getting the tool to open was the hard part, but this worked!
The first dent would be the worst
Even the police cars are scratched where inevitable contact is made in the traffic.
I was reading a Spanish magazine at lunch. The ads are the easiest to understand. This one stood out, why would you want to upgrade your number plate to the new black and white design??? Or is it the other way round, maybe the new ones are the yellow ones????
Traffic Anarchy
I survived the taxi ride from the airport. The 4 lane highway was often 6/7 cars across. Indicators are optional probably because changing lanes often involves one step to the right and two steps to the left, four to the right. Side Mirrors are used to get past another car and then a quick flick to the side to gain the advantage over the other car by blocking his forward movement with the mirror. The game is to keep getting in front of another vehicle otherwise you may not make any forward progress. Can't describe the strategy for intersections as I had my eyes closed whilst holding my breath.
Horns are mandatory, not sure if they make any difference as everyone else is also using their horn.
Traffic-police stand in round special built structure, blowing whistles and wildly moving arms around. Not sure they have any impact as seems they are ignored along with red and green lights. Suppose it gives them a jobs and that helps the economy.
I was awake at 3 am probably still on Melb time and opened the double glazed balcony. Traffic was not as chaotic but this is the city that does not sleep. People walking, sirens, horns, jackhammers, music.
The air was moist with a fine dew. They say it hardly rains in Lima. Yesterday on the ride from the airport I saw a truck pumping water onto the green grass in the dividing strip in the middle of the highway. I have not noticed much other vegetation, but only been in the downtown area.
The downtown area is monochrome, the majority of the buildings seem to compliment the browny haze, and dull sky and at night the lighting has an orange brown glow. Took me a moment but at night it was still monochrome, where are the neon signs that normally give the night city colour?
I fell asleep and did not wake until midday very unlike me. Missed my free breakfast.
Spanish - GRACIAS still my best word, ordered a coffee from an English speaking waitress and she understood my milk request, when it came I think I was asked if I wanted milk, my response failed and the milk was taken away. I understand a little more than I can convey and can pick up the occasional written word.
The Spanish pronounce the double "L" as a cross between a "Y" and a "J". Getting used to answering to my new name Señorita YJooyd.
In the hotel room, my power adapter worked, but in the lobby the powerpoints are different. I was saved by another hotel guest (a Lima local) who had an adapter from the lobby PowerPoint to my adapter, so piggybacked with 3 adapters charging my ipad. The people I have encountered so far are very friendly and eager to help.
The hotel has a shuttle bus that will take me to Miraflores where the seminar paid hotel is located.
Missing everyone. I am getting emails at my hotmail account so any news from home welcomed.
Thursday, 24 October 2013
Lima Peru - Destination Achieved - Tick
I feel like a character from a Lewis Carroll novel. Would it be Jabberwocky or Alice or perhaps Snark. Or maybe the second female Dr Who Time travelling in the Tardis.
I got to Santiago before I left Sydney - my Ipad thinks it is tomorrow. I am tired but not sure why. Flew the great circle.
So only one solution - heading downstairs at the Lima Sheraton to claim my free Pisco Sour - the traditional Peruvian Cocktail.
Santiago - Random observations
Stray dogs everywhere. Alex assured me they belong to the community and are feed.
Domestic cats free roaming in city street.
Chilean flags flying from buildings, cars, flagpoles, outnumber the US of A.
Graffiti is rife and the tagging looks the same - no Spanish required
Beautiful examples of rich architecture not maintained.
Western franchises in shopping strips and arcades.
Street music fantastic - I am the proud owner of the latest CD release of the Amanecer Grupo.
Innovation - this is for David Mr Music - the Andean traditional panflute is now made from plastic tubing. I am sure PC has loads in his factory - it could take off in Melbourne.
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