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A bit chilly on the East Coast

It is Sunday morning and it´s a bit cold here in Edinburgh, I really notice the difference in temperature between the East and West coast. Seems since I have moved here I have become a bit obsessed by the weather. 

Yesterday I went for a look at the first Edinburgh Yarn Festival, must say that turned out to be an expensive disappointment 18GBP for a wee ball of wool, I was most surprised, needless to say I didn´t stay there long. 

It was chucking it down so I ended up in a shopping centre before I went to get my nice new bus pass so that I can move about Edinburgh freely, hope I can use it as much as I want? It really is a bit different to getting on a combi for 60 cents that´s for sure. 

So I am thinking I might make my way to the botanic gardens before going back to the gym. Unfortunately there will be no photos as I am waiting on my new camera and do not want to run about all day with the big camera, takes up a lot of room unfortunately.

Well before I head out I am going to do some emailing and play about with old photos. 

Edinburgh

Today didn´t feel quite as cold as it has been. I had a bit of a long lie, some coffee and left over chicken curry and went out to catch the bus. My grand plan was to visit one of the Sunday markets. I used the Lothian bus website and arrived at the bus stop with plently of time, but no bus. As I was just out for a wee adventure I decided to get on the 22 bus and have a wander around Princes street and the centre as it has been many years since I did that.

I went over to the Royal Mile side of Edinburgh and walked until I came to the museum of childhood, was really interesting and had some really weird looking dolls. I took a few photos.

You can see some of the photos here. 

From here I went to Princes Street and the National Gallery where I spent a lovely warm hour having a bit of a look about, some areas were not open so I have to go back. 

As I was getting rained off I decided to head back especially as I did not have a plstic bag for the camera. 

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Sunny Scotland

Yes I know it has been a while and this will probably be short but sweet but it is just to get me back into the swing of writing on a daily/weekly basis.

As many of you will know I recently returned to Scotland to live. I was fortunate that I could stay with my parents for a few months before I got a new job on the East cooast and I am now living in Edinburgh, Leith to be precise. Funny I have trekked all over the Andes and I dont think I was ever as cold as I have been in Edinburgh it really is something else.

I have been here now almost 3 weeks and feel I am settling in a bit more, went off to a Social Media Surgery yesterday which was great got to meet some people and find out about other things that are going on.

Well I said short and sweet as I have to get to the office, Be back very soon.

Quillabamba to Iquitos part 6

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I finally make it to Pucallpa jump off the boat and into a moto taxi to Yarina Cocha, its a fast drive thats for sure. The plan is to make it to San Francisco a Shipibo town and with luck there are 2 ladies from the town at the port.

They invite me to stay in their house which is a large room with 4 beds and a corrugated iron roof, and to the side a thatched hut as a kitchen.

First a visit to Uncle Leonardo a Ayahuasca master to make an appointment for the next night. A quiet night just chilling and a wee visit to give a young girl some eye drops.

I wake up the following morning and its hot so hot. I get up and have breakfast with Miriam and her family, always involves bananas, they do wonderful things with them. Juiced, boiled, fried, in soup and mashed.

I have a shower, this involved standing half naked with a few metal panels protecting me from the outside world and a small basin. Its so refreshing.

The heat is so suppressing, so its time to get into the warm lake and play ball with the local kids, bit scary really as I imagine there are anacondas and caiman in the water.

When I return to Miriam’s house there are many people about, brother and sisters all teachers. We make bracelets with seeds as they do a lot of that here. Actually when you walk about little kids come up and put bracelets on you and hold your hands, guess they don’t get a lot of milky white people here.

Oh its time to go, I am a little nervous and want to get started as soon as possible. 

Quillabamba to Iquitos Part 5

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Had one last nights sleep on the cow boat and it turns out we are only an hour away from Atalaya our destination to get the next boat. Be glad to get off this one thats for sure.
Upon arrival to Atalaya get a small hostal near the port and settle in here until the next boat to Pucallpa, see how long it takes.
It a quiet town and I am loving the food after the scary cow boat food, there is loads of chinese and juanes typical food from the jungle, what I am struggling with is the fact that the only coffee I can get is nescafe.
A lot of time in this village is spent watching movies in the funniest little private rooms where each TV is competing for the sound and a lot of time playing Nintendo for 2 soles per hour. Excellent vacations.
Also went to a place to swim in the river simple called el Pozo where I had the opportunity to see 5 different hummingbirds, a very pleasant little town for chilling out.
After a few days here its on to the next boat the Atlas II about the same size as the last one but not full of cows, only 6 to be exact.
The boat has people on hammocks all the way up the middle and the usual mix of pigs and chickens and this time the cargo is people , fish, bananas, pigs and chickens. It is quite amazing the fish is collected and wrapped in ice that they have in massive blocks in the jungle. They keep the ice wrapped in rice peel and this way it keeps for 20 days, impressive in 30 degree heat.
All the produce is pulled and heaved onto the boat by guys that are working to pay their passage. They bring on massive fish, full hands of bananas. Really is amazing.
I sleep well until about 4am when people start moving about and the cocks start crowing getting to the toilet is going to be a nightmare so I just hang in my hammock until 6. I spend the day watching the river, the towns the people. I see an enormous raft about the size of 2 football pitches being taken to port with wood extracted from the rain forest. There are 2 tents on top of the raft, must be spectacular to travel on.
People on the boat are restless as they want to get to Pucallpa.

The Wedding was a Christening in the Sacred Valley

After getting to the town of Huayllabamba Carmen and I took a combi out to the 5 star hotel where we asked about the wedding of Don Benito, we were quickly told to walk back to the town as that is where

the christening is, okay wasnt expecting a christening. 

The walk is easy enough its only about a mile along a dusty road with lots of molle trees and pumpkin  plants. Its also corn season so lots of that too. 

We get back to the town and have a look in the priests house and nobody home and take a walk around the back of the church see if there is anyone there. Th christening was meant to start 5 minutes ago. 

As we come back to the front they are there, just getting out of a car. Don Benito, Doña Melchora, Selestina, Ricardo and the child to be christened Irisita. She is all dressed in white, so different from her usual dress. 

Its also been a long time since I saw Selestina she is 15 now and speaks some Spanish. 

The priest arrives and they quickly sign some papers before heading into the church for the very short ceremony of baptism. 

Selestina

Here are photos of the ceremony. 

After that home to Cusco, a lovely Friday spent.