Jingle Bells and a Jangle Box in a Winter-wonderland!

Trujillo, Peru just entering summer and the Plaza de las Armas, is transformed into a winter wonderland, snowmen, polar-bears, Santa Claus, Disney oh and a holy family put in an appearance. Yes, folks, it's christmas in deepest darkest Peru (for deepest and a darkest read coastal and sunniest) sadly not a Paddingtopn Bear in sight .... I wonder if they know that Peru is famous for a bear?

It seemed like the whole of Trujillo turned out for the inauguration of the Festival of Lights, last Sunday, everybody was there, the great and the good, with the Archbishop of Trujillo, blessing the crib and (strangely) putting the (premature) baby Jesus in the Crib ...... and then, BLING and about 15 decorated Christmas trees were switched on, and the square look truly spectacular.

The trees are all artificial as there is a sensible environmental ban on using real trees and the sponsoring organisations had gone to town one re-envisioning the idea of a tree.

I was especially taken by a tree reflecting the "discovery" of some ancient documents found in the Huacha del la Luna (Temple of the Moon) just outside Trujillo (see earlier blog), it will be big news, once we got over the end of the world tomorrow, and that is that Bethlehem was not  the site of the stable and that in fact Mary and Joseph were astronauts! Yes, the stable was in fact in the "cradle" of a new moon and that the angels were in fact Peter and Wendy, and (this is the best bit) there were no donkeys or cattle looking on, but UNICORNS! 

 So in fact the whole Christmas story would appear to be a fairy-tale ..........  whoa!  Sadly there were no cosmic kings, I can only assume that the comets on which they were to arrive missed and  hey will not be back for another 5000 years! (This would be theologically correct as they apparently didn't come until after the actual birth!)   All I think rather confusing to young impressionable minds, but delightfully (if unwittingly) humanist! And all this in front of the Cathedral!

Anyways, I hope you enjoy the photo montage of the trees by day and by night.

My late lamented organ professor Gordon Phillips, used to spend Christmas day sitting at his harpsichord, drinking wine and smoking cigars whilst he played the entire 48 preludes and fugues by Bach as his annual festive celebration - I will not be smoking cigras or playing the "48" but as the caretaker of the conservatoire seems to be a fellow humanist, I can go and do some practice in peace and quiet.   I am astounded at how my playing is improving now that I am practicing again for some 12 hours a week, and playing and accompanying students every day, it is a real joy to be making so much music!

Foodwise here we are knee deep in "Panatone" this is the number one must have at Christmas, I have mine, a gift from a grateful student, but I have decided that my own Christmas meal is going to be bread rolls, cheese, cold meats, anchovies, salad and a bottle of red wine!  And I can't wait, the local supermarket has a wonderful " deli" and as I only eat Peruano food, some blue cheese and some smoked ham are going to be real luxuries.

I have offered to give some courses during the long summer holiday (3 months January - March) I will be teaching theoretical as well as practical subjects, but from a pragmatic and functional approach. 

There is an interesting story here ….. in my original plan for the courses I had suggested that it may be necessary for the students to pay towards the cost of materials (photocopies) and that the cost would be about five soles, meaning a maximum of five soles per student, this is £1.25 but that I would ask for the money as and when needed. So probably they would pay around 5 centavos (1.2p) per copy.

Now S.5 might not sound a lot, but when you are a student without work, in a poor country this is the price of a weeks subsidized travel on the bus to and from the conservatoire, I wanted the course to be 100% to the students.  But because of this rule I only had about 15 students registered and many students were avoiding me because it was to embarrassing for them to say that they couldn’t attend because they could not afford the monthly charge.  Now unbeknownst to me the administration department at the Conservatoire re-interpreted this possible maximum contribution of five soles into a rule that said a student must pay in advance S.5 for every course they wished to take and that the charge would be a monthly one AND that registration was not possible until the advance payment had been made.

When I found out, to put it mildly…………… I went ballistic!

I said that if they charged anything, I refused to teach and that all monies paid must be refunded. It is funny how collecting money is so simple but giving it back so hard!

Having removed the financial obstacle I am astounded, blessed and honoured that some 70 students want to participate despite my poor Spanish and it being their holiday. The students seem to have really taken me to their hearts and encourage me and support me, and I encourage them to gently correct my Spanish, so that I can improve.  With so many students I will be working some 40 hours per week, additionally I start rehearsals for Pergolesi's opera "La Serva Padrona" which will be given in the first week of April AND I am invited to make my Peru debut as conductor with the Trujillo Symphony Orchestra around about the same time. 

I am hoping Santa (a cosmic one of course, with a sleigh pulled by a team of Gryphons) is I hope going to bring me a Multifunction Printer - this is an unplanned expense,  but a necessary one, as I need to produce a mountain of courseware for my students - and when I can afford it I plan to upgrade the printer to have a very neat continuous ink system so no expensive cartridge refilling! I was also hoping that in his sack Santa might just have a sponsor........  

(A big thanks to my current sponsors, your money has enabled/is enabling me to provide materials to a young group of instrumentalists keen to play baroque chamber music.) 

my favourite tree!

 Prof. Carlos has kindly given me my own "studio" and is moving a decent piano in and I hope to have the use of the (sadly neglected) 2 manual harpsichord that is currently sitting un-played in a cage on the theater stage. It was a gift from the Japanese government along with a Yamaha piano some 15 years ago and has never been played! But negotiations are protracted as the Harpsichord is the property of the Director of Culture and the Conservatoire is part of the Directorate of Education - apparently therefore, an administrative nightmare, involving letters, forms, negotiations and much frustration! But I so want to get back to playing the harpsichord after many, many years! Prof.Phillips laughing referred to the piano as a jangle box and said of the harpsichord that the sound  reminded him of "two skeletons making love on a tin roof!"

I feel as though I have lived here in Trujillo, for ages, the place suits me 100%, I have found a role I enjoy in a delightful city (well, the historical centre is delightful), my work is supported by the Conservatoire Director and other professors who have become good friends, the students are lovely and I am fortunate to have my good friend Nick, who keeps me sane and is central to my life outside of music and the conservatoire.

After all this work, I am planning a holiday in mid-April, when Nick and I will probably go to Ecuador. I have to leave Peru for 3 days in any case as my visa expires, but the chance to explore Andean Ecuador and hopefully travel up from Guayaquil to Quito will be a wonderful experience. But that is 4 months away....... and who knows where we will actually end up!  (as, Argentina seems to have crept into our ideas....)

Even after loosing weight I look fatter than Santa!

Carloz Perez - "Debut"

 This the last week of term, today (Friday) is the last day of term and of the academic year and I am conducting the juvenile orchestra as part of the closing ceremony and using the occasion to give one of my conducting students his “debut” .

Last night I participated in the student organised final concert and witnessed the best and the not so good within 10 minutes of each other.  The best - a performance of the Sonata Brilliante for Piano and Guitar by Diabelli ….. an obviously well-rehearsed, mature, sensible and intelligent performance, the not so good ….. well, the day before this concert, I was approached by a student and asked if I could play a piano accompaniment (something I am always happy to do) HOWEVER, the concert was the next day, the “soloist” only 80% accurate and obviously completely lacking any awareness of the fact that the piano is not a mere and necessary evil but a vital part of the performance as a duo. 

Having looked at the music I realised it would be impossible (for me) to give a public performance of the work at such short notice, I suggested that the soloist withdraw from the concert as the work would require a good deal of rehearsal.  At a few hours’ notice the soloist appealed to the Director to play and he reluctantly agreed, on the basis that it would be sight reading for him. The resulting performance was less than perfect. For me the sadness is that the “soloist” had no conception of what makes a good performance, playing the notes (more or less accurately) seemingly being sufficient ……… I hope I can change this! 

Melody Priscila Bacilio en el violoncello y acompañada al piano por el Prof. Michael Mott,

My own contribution, accompanying a wonderful young cellist, was also less than perfect and I gave myself 75/100, these old fingers are taking their time getting back into “full swing”, what I lack in technical ability I overcome through musicianship;  the cellist, Melody, got 95/100% her playing was passionate and secure. I can and will do better …… loving the challenge. 

Prematurely delivered baby ... must have been all that bumping around on a donkey!

Oh yes …… Maestro Alvarez, Conductor of Trujillo Symphony Orchestra, has invited me to have Christmas Eve dinner with him and his family. This is the big Christmas celebration …. I am invited for 11pm …. This explains why there are so few people around on Christmas day!

Finally, an unwittingly placed name on a green "Santa" has led to a strange" looky-likey" link in my head .....

and

FELIZ NAVIDAD

Frustration, Exasperation, Contentment and Opportunity .........

The LCM in 1960 - I was here 1974-78 as Student, and as Junior Professor 1978-81

If you manage to read to the end there is a real treat for you! ....................

If you are not part of the solution you must be part of the problem!
 

Gordon Phillips

John Vallier

Dr. W S lloyd Webber

I suppose it started in India, a realisation that Music was actually flowing in my blood and that after more years than I care to recount, the full-time teaching of music is actually one of the most satisfying things I am doing. Though I occasionally feel I am trying to be a walking "Groves Dictionary of Music" - I am astonished at just how much of my excellent education at the hands of my professors at the London College of Music has come flooding back!   Thank you  Dr WS lloyd-Webber, Dr Pasfield, Paul Sturman, the amazing, angry and arrogant Gordon Phillips, the piano genius John Vallier, John Chapman, Peter Turton and so may others outwith the LCM especially Vernon "Todd" Handley conductor and exponent of British Music and the wise Sir Charles Groves.
 

I wish I had all this knowledge to hand .........

 Here in Trujillo, at the "Carlos Valderamma" Public Conservatoire of Music every day is a joy, of course that joy is tinged with frustration (just a lot!) , the illogicality of the syllabus means that integration of subjects is nigh on impossible and the syllabus leaves little or no room for reflection or revision - woe betide a student who does not understand this weeks subject because next week the subject will change.  Many students in the fourth year fail to understand concepts because a subject back in year one or two was not understood!  

El Conservatorio Coro.

And because the Conservatoire is linked to a university, students are subject to a whole clutch of subjects in their first two years which have no bearing on music or subjects with little or no practical value assume great importance.  The syllabus simply does not enable students to think and develop as "musicians" .........

However, thanks to the kind suggestion of the Director,Carlos Paredes Abad I am to have virtual free reign and will be teaching a range of subjects during the long vacation in a manner that (to me) is designed to get the students thinking like musicians, and to inquire "what did the composer actually mean or want when he/she wrote this?"   To me, this question is the reason for musical performance, trying to recreate the intention with historical and stylistic accuracy.
 
It is going to be a blast!  Learning from the inside out, practically and pragmatically, I hope I release some real motivation/curiosity/potential in the students and am hoping to discover a lot for myself too!

Anyways that all kicks off at the year end and continues to next March!   Currently I am acting as accompanist to a bunch of students doing their end of year recitals, it is so good to be playing and practicing again ( and I need to do a lot of practice) in the pipeline is some serious playing with 3 other professors at the conservatoire. Piano duets, cello and piano and a piano trio.    Maybe even a concert or two!  Phewy!

Here is a video of Prof. Francis in concert with Prof. Carlos  -  the playing of Prof. Francis is inspirational, having had a brief rehearsal with him this week I am dedicated to more practice as it is going to be a joy accompanying him!

Carlos Valderrama

By the way "Carlos Valeramma" (1887-1950) after whom the conservatoire is named was a famous musician, composer and pianist, born in Trujillo,and  linked to musical nationalism and impressionism.

His vocation had always been for music, however due to the advice of his parents he chose to major in Electrical Engineering, developing his studies at the School of Electronics, Cornell University, New York where he finally found his calling and he studied music, becoming a great pianist and composer. He returned to Lima in 1918 where he gave a series of recitals, performed at Carnegie Hall and even made recordings in Thomas Edison Phonograph Co. Since 1927 began touring various cities of Peru and America, performing his own works . Most of which are based on folkloric tunes rhythms and ideas.  on, directing and presenting many choral and symphonic works based on folk rhythms. Here a work of his performed by the Childrens choir of the Conservatoire ......

I have promised myself time to learn some Peruvian music, there is/was a great tradition of Waltzes (Vals) here similar to that of the Tango in Argentina.

I am so settled into life here in Trujillo, and despite having little or no time to study my Spanish in order to really improve and regain the standard I had achieved back in Antigua, BUT somehow I am teaching In Spanish and surviving without recourse to English!
 
AND
 
I have started to be stricter with myself and now have Monday and Friday evenings "off" as well as Saturday afternoon and most of Sunday (except for a couple of hours when I go to the conservatoire for that much needed practice).  Money is tight, but I am surviving on around £70 per week with 50% probably going on printing/photocopying charges for music. 

Monks, like policemen, are just getting younger!

Puruvian Nun

Radiating love!

There is simply no getting away from the Catholicity of Latin America, here are pics from a recent "Relgious Fair" where you could join various religious societies or even sign up to be a monk (or nun) ..... been there, done that, got the tee-shirt (or should that be hair-shirt), but not the video, however the scars have now healed!
 










 I am encouraged by my friend Nick Omar T G (despite the name he is Peruano)to visit the local places of interest, and we also indulge our joint love of food at the weekends visiting the various and numerous restaurants here, thanks to the richly varied "comida del Peru" and after a busy week a large and satisfying steak, chips and salad and bottle of red wine goes down very well! And at £8 per head is even better!
 

The White Mountains

Last Sunday we visited the ruins of the "Huacas del Sol y de la Luna -Temples to the Sun and Moon" from the pre-Inca Moche civilisation which flourished in this part of Northern Peru from 100-800 CE  (note the politically correct CE not AD!)  Actually Huacas was the capital of the Moche civilisation. As you can see from the pictures, despite being only 5 kms from Trujillo we are definitely in the desert at an altitude a dizzying 60 metres. A big change from the 1530m  in Antigua!
 
I quote " Because irrigation was the source of wealth and foundation of the empire,[in the desert water is power] the Moche culture emphasized the importance of circulation and flow. Expanding upon this, the Moche focused on the passage of fluids in their artwork, particularly life fluids through vulnerable human orifices. There are countless images of defeated warriors losing life fluids through their nose, or helpless victims getting their eyes torn out by birds or captors. Images of captive sex-slaves with gaping orifices and leaking fluids portray extreme exposure, humiliation, and a loss of power.
 

The coloration of Moche pottery is often simple, with yellowish cream and rich red used almost exclusively on elite pieces, with white and black used in only a few pieces. Their adobe buildings have been mostly destroyed by looters and natural forces over the last 1300 years, but the huacas that remain show that the coloring of their murals was very vibrant." 

The pottery is simply stunning, especially the portrayal of faces and features on pots ..... so lifelike an dhard to imagine it being nearly 2000 years old.
 
The archeology museum in Lima is famous for it gallery of Moche "erotic art" - I visited in the company of a group of lecturers after a Eurochambres conference, it is very difficult to view erotic artifacts with people you hardly know, we were left sharing knowing winks and slightly embarrassed expressions!
 

 Can you believe this pottery is so old ...... teh features are just amazing!

However, last Sunday Nick and I were part of a tour of only 4 being guided round ( I would have preferred a Spanish idiom tour but that meant a long wait and being in a group of 25!) our guide was OK, but his English was limited and I lost count of how many times he told us that the people were hunters and fishmen and that there were 20,000 of them living here in Huachas!
 
But the temple to the moon was incredible, actually it was 6 temples as every 100 years the temple was filled in and a new one built over and around the old one, the murals were amazingly well preserved, but the temples were looted buy the Spanish because "they had to pay huge amounts of debts to ENGLAND and needed the gold, which the English probably MELTED down to make forks!"  The guide seemed to enjoy that bit!
 
It is thought that  a super El Niño, that resulted in 30 years of intense rain and flooding followed by 30 years of drought, disrupted the Moche way of life and shattered their faith in their religion, which had promised stable weather through sacrifices and this led to the abandonment of the site and  a move up the coast to Chan Chan.




If you have time an amazing programme about the Moche made by the BBC can be seen here (it is 50 minutes)    THE LOST CIVILISATION OF PERU


 

Intrepid explorer 1.  Nick

Intrepid Explorer 2.  The Knowmad himself.

I should have mentioned that human sacrifice played a big part in the religious practices of the Moche, as they tried to appease their Gods whilst living in this harsh desert region of Peru.
 

EEK!

I also learned that the hairless dog I had assumed was Chinese was actually Peruvian and dates back to the Moche people, still doesn't make it an attractive animal! You wouldn't want to stroke it!
 
All this wandering in the desert left us with a real hunger for food and beer, which was satisfied in a Cevicheria next door to a bus terminal on the outskirts of Trujiilo, very unattractive to look at, but the place was run by a woman who was cook, maitre de and general dogsbody. She literally ran from table to table and despite some of her clientele loudly commenting on the slowness of the service when the food arrived ,Chicarrones  (deep fried battered fish and seafood) and Ceviche mixto mmmmmmm. It was worth the wait!   (and, yes, so cheap!)   About £3 per head including beers!

My blog would not be complete without a food pic!  Chicarrones ........

Two more videos on the Moche

 

First of many appearances as accompanist to the (future) stars!

All in all,  very happy, contented, often very tired, but feel I am making  a real contribution to the life of the conservatoire (AND developing a very satisfactory life outside teh conservatoire as well!).......  summed up by this wonderful posting on my facebook page from the Director of the Conservatoire  prof.Carlos Paredes Abad  "Estamos muy contentos de que hayas llegado al Conservatorio Michael, a darnos tan desinteresadamente todas tus enseñanzas que estoy seguro Profesores y Alumnos sabrán aprovechar al máximo."
 

Stats:     Last month this blog received nearly 800 page views, and total page views is now over 4000!  Thanks, it is very encouraging that so many find this blog of interest.














AND THE TREAT   simply wonderful!     enjoy!  MARVILLOSO!
Bach Cantata 147   in a new and lovely rendition  (clever stuff!)

 Happy days!    See you in two weeks or thereabouts!

Trujillo life .......... so contented!

 Hmmmmm ..... a couple of words have mysteriously turned into links to adverts .......  advertising by stealth courtesy of "blogger" ......  I have put no links into this blog other than to a "you tube"-video......

And a big thank you..... monthly readership is up to around 750 page views!  





One of the suburbs of Trujillo has as it's theme philosophy with street names and a central park devoted to the great philosopher's from Greece, Rome,France, Germany and Spain.

As I start start week three living in Trujillo (and week five in Peru), I feel so much a part of this lovely city, the historic centre has colonial gems tucked away behind doors and portico's that are truly amazing.  The main square is picture book perfect and self-consciously so, but that is it, all the surrounding streets are full of the bustle of daily life. I still find it odd that in the centre their are no buses, few cars but thousands and thousands of taxis! Every taxi seems to beep it horn as it passes anybody who might, however vaguely, want a ride - there is a stalwart group of citizens here try to pressurize the municipality into passing a by-law prohibiting the use of horns within the historic centre ~ I so hope that they succeed, the horns are a sonic "blot on the landscape".

Things are progressing well at the conservatoire my timetable seems to grow weekly and as each day passes new opportunities and requests come along. I have several 14 hour days and return home around 9:30pm absolutely dog-tired, by so happy, I feel useful and motivated in a way I have not felt for years! Sadly (je,je) after such a long day I have to stop off at a roadside "comedore" for a sustaining snack, and people joke with me now at the conservatoire about my nocturnal eating habits and my passion for Peruvian cuisine.

Opera Competition
This last two weeks have seen an international opera singers competition hit town, I went to the knockout rounds, the semifinal and lasy night attended the winners gala concert. The competition attracted some 44 contestants fdrom all over Latin America, Trinidad and Tobago, Nigeria (!) and the Ukraine!

I picked the eventual runner-up (in pink dress above) early on in the competition, so am pleased I can still spot a good singer, and, in my opinion on the strength of last nights performance, she should have been the outright winner, with a performance of the Doll Song" from Offenbach's Tales of Hoffman that was amusing, stylish and sung with immense style and precision ........     so congratulations to the rising opera star Natalia Dopwell of Trinidad and Tobago, by comparison the winner Andrea Aquilar of Chile, was good, but for me lacked that extra sparkle.

Trujillo Symphony Orchestra

However it was an excellent evening, although I felt the orchestra could have done with a great deal more precision as winds and brass seemed incapable of playing exactly on the beat, and wind solo's were wayward, despite the best efforts of the conductor.  I was also shocked to see a member of the UPAO Univerity Choir taking pictures whilst actually singing! However, on the plus side, there was beautiful cello solo in the accompaniment to Puccini's Vissi D'Arte.

My other gripe was with the lack of respect payed by the audience, who seemed to think talking on phones and not controlling young 3 years old's was perfectly acceptable behaviour! ..........  But, again I say an excellent evening rounded off with a trip to a Parrillada with my friend Nick for a large steak and chips washed down with a couple of Pisco  Sours! I was pleased that Nick enjoyed the concert as opera was anew experience for him.

On the subject of Opera, plans are now well underway for La Serva Padrona next April, I have a good authentic score, have my soloists and as this is a chamber opera we are going to work together to produce a witty Spanish translation of the libretto and it is hoped to give 4 performances in the courtyards of some of the lovely old colonial houses of Trujillo.

The original entrance gate to the old(er) walled city of Trujillo

This last week also saw the launch of another new venture by me, a junior (12 - 16 year old's) chamber  orchestra that is going to specialise in baroque music. The enthusiasm of these youngsters is so vibrant and they are keen, especially as I have promised a concert for them at Easter.  They will be a maximum of 12 players and we are exploring the differences between playing sitting down and standing up!

Spot the ballet-master.

Earthquake practice

Waiting for the all clear!

Thursday saw the centre of Trujillo engaged in "Earthquake" practice, which was a rather half-hearted affair as we all, (on the signal of the cathedral bells being run) ambled down to the main square, stood around waited for another clang from the bells and ambled back. As several of the female professors said to me in reality we would all be running home like crazy to make sure or families were OK, not standing admiring the view in the main square!  

Football Latin American Style

Last Saturday night (10th), my mate Nick took me to a football match, it is nearly the end of the season and we were to see the local team Universidad Cesar Vallejo play Alianza, Lima. Nick had suggested that I leave my camera and valuable items at home, actually as it turned out we were sitting in a very safe part of the stadium and I so wished I had my camera.

The game was a bit dull, as the teams had nothing to gain in terms of their league positions by over exerting themselves, but we were treated to a good display of dramatic rolling on the ground and holding of legs and the calling of medics, despite players only being tapped on the shoulder!  Bags full of scraps of paper were distributed before the match so that when the teams entered there was a kind of ticker-tape  cloud accompanied by toilet rolls being thrown and the lighting of flares.   Slightly worrying that the flares were held by random members of the crowd!   The referees were treated to the full range of abuse about their parentage and objects were thrown at them, and all this before the kick off!

Fortunately we were sitting in an area of the stadium that was more family friendly and well behaved (having paid S.20  (£5)) whereas the rowdier elements ere in the S.5 area. The supports of Alianze, Lima are famous for their "antics" including chanting, gesticulating and taunting the large presence of riot police into some confrontations all accompanied by the biggest drum I have ever seen.  The banging of this drum went on for teh entore 90 minutes, I was a curious how it got into the ground as we were all "frisked" on entry, but then if the security guards could "miss" flares then an 8 foot wide bass drum would be so hard to spot! Especially stuffed inside the jacket of a supporter!!!!

The flares in the crowds were slightly unnerving!   Health and Safety?  Never heard of it!

Alianza fans like Millwall supporters are famous for causing trouble!

Anyways, it was a fun evening and only my second football game ever, the last being 42 years ago when I went to Wembley to see an under 21's international.  Nick suggested we beat a hasty retreat after the match, as Alianza fans were known to give rival supporters a "friendly" thump on the head if they felt like it! So we hot-footed it to a local restaurant for "Chifa" - Peruvian Chinese food  - not a Chinese chef in sight but lovely food!

Trujillo is famous for its ornate windows .....

Honouring the flag .... "the great and the good" of Trujillo

Nationalism

EVERY SUNDAY - various organizations are invited to parade around the central square and take part in a ceremony to honor the Peruvian  flag and constitution, sing the national anthem and  generally be terribly patriotic. This weekly ceremony is overseen by the Mayor and other worthies.  I was amused to see tat along with various military, police and other services the local diabetic society marching and also teh female secretaries of the municipality all in matching black suits with handbags slung at the same angle over their shoulders!  I was more frightened of the secretaries than the police!

The fire service were parading their clapped out second hand USA fire trucks, all minus many of the necessary equipment needed to fight fires effectively, but special applause goes to the guy matching in an environmental hazard suit!

Apparently it is the turn of the conservatoire in April around the anniversary of it's inception ...... can't wait!

Loving the attention!

Young Marinera dancers

Master Trujillo!

Military Police to keep us under control!

No idea .... but the groom looks non too happy!

Axes at the ready! By the left, quick chop!

Phewy,  it's hot in here!

Sports day ..... procession!

Miss Trujillo Sports (4 years) and her entourage!

Processions seem to be a national sport in Latin America - at least here in Trujillo ( as opposed to La Anttigua, Guatemala) they are devoted to things other than taking Jesus and Mary for a walk!

Friday it was devoted to sports for the under 11's .......

No procession is complete without Disney!

Don't tell the IOC they are using the logo!

Anthropomorphism
Warning ..... friends of Johnny Morris and "Tales of the Riverbank" , Hammy the Hamster, Roderick the Rat and GP the Guinea Pig  ........... (of course you will need to be over 50 to remember this series) .............   here is an episode .......

ahhhhh, how sweet and anthropomorphic, but I digress, Guinea Pigs are not pets in Peru but are farmed in the same way as rabbits and chickens are farmed, they are a native species an dwell suited to the climate especially in the mountainous regions of Peru. To quote an official guide .........

"Cuy", alternately called Cobayo or conejillo de indias is a guinea pig or cavy. The taste is compared to rabbit, thought delicious, and though difficult to accept for people in other countries who regard guinea pigs as pets, the cuy is a staple of Andean cuisine. They are called "cuy" for the sound they make cuy, cuy.
 

It's the head, that makes it so difficult to eat

Spatch-cooked they look more appetising

The cuy has a place in pre-Colombian Inca tradition. Consumed only by the nobility or used as a sacrifice and a means of foretelling the future via the entrails.
 
Cuys are today raised commercially and form a nutritious part of the Andean diet. An important part of the Novoandina cuisine, cuys are prepared in various ways according to region, but in Peru, they are usually served with potatoes or rice and a savory, spicy sauce. In the Huancayo region, the cuy is preferred fried with a sauce of pepper and achiote. In Arequipa, it is prepared baked as cuy chaktado and in Cuzco, it is baked whole, as a small suckiling pig, with a hot pepper in its mouth. In Huanuco, Tacna and Cajamarca, the preference is also for fried Cuy.
 
Cuys are available in the markets, already skinned and cleaned, but many recipes begin with instructions to skin the cuy in hot water, then remove the internal organs and cleanse well in salted water. Following this, hang the cuy to drain and dry. Since cuys are small, recipes call for one per person, unless the meat is cut into smaller portions. Most often, the cuy is split apart and cooked whole, with the head still attached".
 
and ......... I am about to take an hours journey out of Trujillo into the Sierra region in order to have a Sunday lunch of Cuy.

Mr. Cool in anxious anticipation .....

One of four dining halls

Well Nick took me to this restaurant complex about in the countryside like a mini-theme park, huge restaurant seating about 1000 people in four areas, swimming pools, an aviary, horses, and activities for children. Not what I was expecting but it was fine, although we both agreed that better Cuy could be had elsewhere, anyways I had Cuy.   Just like chicken/rabbit though fattier, nothing too exciting, which i why i want to try it again maybe prepared differently and I think I could eat a whole Cuy next time.  The half seemed a bit meager to me.

Don Isaac's .....

Yes it's a Guinea Pig (on the plate, that is!) mercifully almost headless!

Behold ..... the Cuy  (well half a Cuy actually)

the obligatory "dotto" train

Nick

Sugar Cane growing in the area which is the start of the Sierra

Completely bare hills/mountains

Well I hope you enjoyed most of this weeks blog .................