Summertime and the weather is sticky!

 Pics from Ecuador.........

Iguanas Park ( seminary park)  is famous for its hundreds of Iguanas up to 5 feet in length

It is advisable NOT to stand or sit under a tree here .......splatt!

The summer school holidays last from Christmas to the end of February and it is a veritable feast of “summer courses” at every educational institution in Peru!  Children go too learn to play an instrument (though what can be achieved in 8 weeks? Twinkle twinkle little star - at best!), do drama, art, English, or take refresher courses to boost the teaching (or often lack of it) in the state schools.

You Tube video of the Iguanas ............  pity the guys didn't learn how to say the name of  the place!
The first 3 minutes gives you an idea ......

Metropolitan Cathedral  - Very Gothic inside!

At the conservatoire some 800 children are enrolled and it is mayhem … fortunately I don’t get involved,  I am continuing lessons with a group of 12 students and that is sufficient.  

As mentioned earlier Nick and I left for Ecuador and had a wonderfully relaxing time in Guayaquil (1.5 days) and Puerto Lopez (3.5 days) and we had 2 days travelling to and fro in the luxury bus.

The immigration official  “Señor Officious Jobsworth”  at the Peru border coming back declined to give me a visa for 183 days as apparently I am fulfilling no good purpose in Peru and need to consider my options!  He gave me 90 days and made it clear that if I didn’t like it he could always refuse me re-entry to Peru entirely!

Fortunately, I am currently in the process of agreeing a contract with the “El Cultural American School” in Trujillo as Head of Music from March 3.  The American School is new, it opens its doors in March and is an expensive, private school, offering the International Baccalaureate teaching and examination system. It starts with around 300 pupils from ages 6 – 13 and my role will be to lead the Music department. I will also be expected to develop extracurricular musical activities.

One of the locals!

All teaching with the exception of Mathematics, Spanish, Peruvian History and RE is in English and all students, by the age of 18 are expected to be “fluent” in Spanish, English and French!

Colonial splendour in Las Penas, now a RICH artists and arty community!

I am very taken by the integrated form of learning which is integrated, project and enquiry based.  The principal is a remarkable Brit, Michael Exley, who has been here in Peru on and off since the 70’s and has a reputation for developing international schools and universities!  He is great fun and I am sure will be great to work with/for.

Happily, the school will be arranging my residential/work visa and the 90 day deadline is to be used as a means of hurrying up the local visa officials here in Peru.  Michael also understands that I have other commitments with the Conservatoire and the Symphony orchestra and is happy to accommodate these in my contractual hours etc.

Task one is to design a music syllabus for the whole school, so I have my work cut out!

The UK Connection- aplaque on what was Sir Frederick Ashton's house! (now a boutique hotel)

The holiday was a much needed break from Trujillo. Guayquil was hot and very sticky (humid), it sits of the bank of a large river and for us, the Malecon provided a wonderful walking route from the city to the lighthouse at the top of some 424 steps in Santa Ana.  This part of the city also has the best preserved colonial houses in Guayaquil, in what is an artist and arty community, including  Sir Frederick Ashton, of the UK Royal Ballet, who was born in Guayaquil  and maintained a house there for his entire life.

Santa Anna lighthouse

A very poor favela on the next hill!  Chalk and cheese!

Local bus for Puerto Lopez in "Xipixapa"

But for us, we were looking forward to what promised to be a quiet few days in the small fishing town of Puerto Lopez. We had booked into the best small hotel in the place and it did not disappoint, it was an oasis of calm and tranquility on the beach, and thanks to it’s owners being a rather “alternative” Swiss and Italian couple in the late 50’s, the place ran like clockwork and had excellent Italian food on offer!  And all for $60 per day!  (See video picture gallery at end of blog!)

The crowded beach!

Ouch.......

Daily fish market - this is a working fishing village!

We took one day-trip to the Isla de Plata  the Silver Island, which used to glow silvery white at night thanks to huge mountains of “guano” [birdsh*t] covering the rocks in olden days.  Today the island is known as the  “poor man’s Galapagos”   as it boasts many of the birds only otherwise found 600 miles out to sea on the famous island group.

So after a speedy one hour journey in a powerful launch we arrived and the island did not disappoint for beauty, and for “blue footed boobies.”  The island is maintained as a strict reserve and there was no litter, no buildings (except for one educational centre)and nobody lived on the island.  The birds were absolutely unafraid of us humans, all happily clicking away on cameras.  We saw turtles and Nick had the opportunity to snorkel- although the sea was a bit cold and there were few fish to be seen in the area set aside for this activity.

Other than the trip it was days of eating, cocktails, walking the deserted beach, sleeping and playing board games ( of which the hotel  had over 300!)  And it was just what we both needed, especially Nick who now has new responsibilities at work and seems to be working 12 hour days minimum.

Currently I am preparing for the new role at the American School, and also thinking about my series of five concerts with the Symphony orchestra.  Trying to locate and source different and exciting repertoire for my first concert of 2014 on March 7.

More pics......

About to attempt my daily channel swim!!!! jejeje!

The best bit!

Dominoes and a cool beer.....mmmmmmmm

Finally........ found this video (picture gallery) on YOU TUBE  about the hotel ........
it wasn't quite as "far-out" as the music might suggest! But certainly a place to relax. The five huge dogs.....  were also full of a very quiet KARMA  never barked once and just plodded about the place,