The Southern Cross and Life in Peru

"When you see the Southern Cross for the first time. You understand now why you came this way."  So goes the lyric from the song of the same name by Crosby, Stills and Nash.*

The Souther Cross. It is displayed on a number of flags of nations

 of the Southern Hemisphere even a soccer club in Brasil. 

We only recently saw the Southern Cross for the first time in Lima. Some are disappointed when they see it. We were not. I thought about many peoples over the millennia who have looked into the sky and wondered about it as I. Of course I was not on a raft or a boat using it for navigation purposes. From one astronomy site the host paraphrased the German poet Rainer Maria Rilke this way: "If you are bored by the constellation Crux, you are not yet poet enough to call forth its riches." Astronomical alignments and stargazing were one of the preeminent pastimes of the Andeans and ancient peoples everywhere. Other than my friend Watson I know few who look into the night time sky with direction and purpose. Farmers in the mountains of Peru still gaze into the heavens to determine coming weather cycles for planting their crops.  They do so with an accuracy equal to or better than KSL's Weatherbank meteorologists. 

The Chakana as it is crafted by Peruvian artisans in silver and precious stones

Stargazing was important enough for God to take Moses to a high mountain and show him the handiwork of his creation, heavens without number or end... from Moses Chapter 1:

37 And the Lord God spake unto Moses, saying: The heavens, they are many, and they cannot be numbered unto man; but they are numbered unto me, for they are mine. 

38 And as one earth shall pass away, and the heavens thereof even so shall another come; and there is no end to my works, neither to my words.
 

39 For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.

The Crux, as it is generally called, was captured by the Inca as an important symbol in their religious life in the symbol known as the Chakana. At sunset the Chakana stone in  Machu Picchu casts a shadow completing the Crux or cross. This symbol represented to the Inca, the current world in which we live, the underworld, and the heavenly world where the gods dwell. The Chakana symbolizes, with its 12 sides among other things, the ethics of the Inca. They were: "I live, I work, I love," as well as "Don't lie, don't steal, and don't be lazy." They had in many respects an enviable world prior to the coming of the Europeans. 

The Chakana stone at Machu Picchu. When the shadow is correct at sunset the
cross is complete. 

The weather of Lima has been unusual and on the warm side this fall. Typically the city is enveloped in a foggy mist known as garua. This occurs during the six cooler months of any year. No rainfall occurs generally this time though we have experienced unusual rains and heavy on several occasions. We had contemplated getting into the mountains above Lima to do some stargazing. At last we were able to see the Crux here and on multiple nights. 

A view from our apartment  window

We don't know with a certainty why we came this way to Peru for these past 19 months. The experience has been a profound one.  We have learned a great deal about the early history of this incredible land. I have learned about life and love. We have gained a much deeper appreciation and respect for Peruvians. Yes, two attempts have been made, only recently, to snatch my IPhone, but even those episodes were carefully choreographed and almost executed with success. 

Our dear friend Sister Rosa. Her diligence for and joy of

working in the temple is an example for all of us. Her life

 is a very simple and humble one. She makes do with very

little but she is one of the richest people we know.

We have seen beautiful sites and shared them with family and friends. We have been touched and affected by the poverty and sacrifice of Peruvian members of the Church with whom we work daily. We know of folks who put health and security at risk to ride long distances on noisy and uncomfortable buses to come to the temple to work or to participate. In doing so they sometimes go without food, lunch, or supper for a day to be here. We see some of these folks in the worker's cafeteria enjoying their simple fare, a cup of water, maybe a piece of fruit, or a hard roll

Our friends the Cooks at Machu Picchu, February of 2011

With la familia Espinosa. They prepared a special feast for us. It probably 

broke their budget for groceries for a month. The pachamanca as it is
known included several varieties of meat, tamales, potatoes, beans,
humitas, and choclo or corn. 

Without any question the highlight of our experience here has been the friends we have made. We seem to have an affinity for taxi drivers, their families, in addition to our friends in the temple. It is with some hope that in 3 or 4 years when the next temple is opened in Trujillo Peru, health and other considerations allowing, we can return. 

My friend and my brother Cesar

Elder and Sister Ramos standing between President and Sister Lees. We

celebrated the Ramos 50th Wedding Anniversary and a few birthdays as 

well this past january. They soon leave for home in Arequipa completing 

their mission to the Lima Temple. Somos Arequipeños tambien. 

We miss everyone at home, kids, grandkids, family, and friends. Were it not for all of you, as I have suggested to RA on more than one occasion, I could spend the rest of my days in Peru.  Likely, it would be in Cusco, Trujillo, or Arequipa rather than Lima however. 

Thanks Kyle for introducing Peru into our family

A few tired touristas in Machu Picchu August 2011

Maybe one day we will understand why we came this way... *Thanks Em for the connection to the song by Crosby Stills and Nash.

Milestones, the Lima Peru Temple, and Joseph Smith

We mark the end and passing of 2011 in Lima Peru as temple missionaries.  We are more than a week now passed Christmas, the Summer Solstice in the Southern Hemisphere, and about to enter 2012. The year has gone by quickly as we count down the remaining months until we will leave the work each day, the good friends, this beautiful and incredible land, and return home to Utah. The hardest part for both of us is missing friends, family, and especially the grandkids.  Video chats via FaceTime and Skype bring them closer as compared to prior generations of missionaries using only a telephone or written letters. We are grateful for that.

Christmas 2011 at the Lima Temple

This morning we are off to visit our friend Cesar going to a special market area in old Lima known as La Parada. Cesar has taken us there before and we have found it fascinating. No watches, wallets or cameras in sight are recommended and we don't go there in the evening either. It is at the opposite end of the spectrum from upscale Jockey Plaza filled with its stores and glitz that make it indistinguishable from any other mall in America or Europe.  Our goal today is to find a number of fruits and vegetables that are grown in Peru and sold at this market, including a few different kinds of potatoes or papas that we have not enjoyed before. Also on the list are foods that originated in this hemisphere but have spread elsewhere throughout the world and remarkably did so Pre-Colombian or European.  That is to say, quite an astonishing number of Andean and South American food stuffs and other items traversed both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans prior to the arrival of Spanish, Portuguese conquerers, and English explorers. Multiple tests with gas chromatographic spectroscopic analysis done in European labs have found Peruvian coca or cocaine as well as new world tobacco in the tissues and bones of 3,000 year old Egyptian mummies. The list of goods and items both originating in Peru and arriving here from Asia is significant and merits a post for another day. We'll see how many items we can find in La Parada of things that traversed the ancient world prior to the coming of the Europeans.

This blog site has reached a milestone in recent days in closing out the year having passed more than 10,000 visits since it was launched some 14 months ago. The topics have been, for the most part, narrowly focused on our travels, our life in Peru, and of course the food we enjoy. All of this being outside of the experiences of working in the Lima Temple. Properly so, the things that transpire that RuthAnn and I have shared in that special place remain there and are not to be published here. They remain private to us and are special. They are hidden away in the places of the heart and our souls.

The most widely searched and visited post on the blog is about food. It is clearly the single most searched after topic of anything we have written about or experienced. It is about cebiche, that unique uncooked but processed with a marinade fish I have come to enjoy so very much. Cebiche is also on our weekend schedule to share with our friends the Ramos on Monday. They too are nearing a milestone in their two years as missionaries in the Lima Temple.  When the temple closes again for maintenance in February they will return to their home in Arequipa. We will miss these very good and wonderful friends.

Absent from this blog in 14 months has been any statement or expression on my part about my feelings and thoughts concerning faith and the religious experience that ultimately is the basis and reason we are here and not home enjoying our family and grandchildren among other pursuits. It is therefore appropriate and overdue that I should write several lines to close out this blog for 2011.  Joseph Smith, as much as any man in American history, has been investigated, written about, praised by those who admire him, and maligned by those who oppose him for what he did and has come to represent. I believe he deserves a few lines here based on my personal respect and admiration. No, he was not perfect.  In so many ways he has been found wanting in the court of critical opinion in political or social correctness. But he was perfect, and I am eternally appreciative for him, in his giving it his all -- all that he had and cherished, for his sacrifice to the cause of faith and laying the foundation of this great Latter Day Saint work. I make no apology for him, as he needs none, and I make no apology for my love and belief in him and all that he did and accomplished.  Few people I have associated with, on a non professional historian level at least, over the decades have read more or studied about our history in critical ways than I. Family traditions and stories have been handed down creating a personal link to him through a grandmother in Nauvoo. Some have left the Church over related issues such as ours and lesser matters. My personal court of opinion has weighed all of the information, good and ill. Everything that I have read from and about our history, both within and without, at year's end I raise my voice in respect, love, and 'Praise for the Man.'

With love and affection too, for family and friends with whom we share these things -- We thank you for all that you mean to us, your support, and with anticipation look forward to renewing friendship and association once again.

And here's to you Brother Joseph: http://youtu.be/k5id63Twddk -- a link to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square performing their "Praise to the Man."

Cebiche de Pato and 52 Weeks in Peru.

This past week we noted the anniversary of our arrival to "Peru" at the MTC in Provo. Our grandson CP, three years old at the time, knew we were leaving home for our mission to Peru.  As we exited the freeway, his dad Kyle driving, he asked, "Are we in Peru yet?" Without a doubt the most difficult part of being a missionary this past year is missing our grandkids. They are growing, learning, and developing so quickly and we are so far away. The best I can do is order Thomas the Tank Engine components from Amazon and send them to Indiana or other things to Salt Lake and Centerville. We miss our friends in Utah, California, the NCAC of 2011, and our house of course, tucked away in the redwood forest.

CP and his grandparents at the Provo MTC, September 2010

When we can we like to visit a number of Peru's fascinating archaeological sites.
This photo is from the Cechin Bajo site near Casma on one of our trips where we
first experienced cebiche de pato with our friend C.

In honor of our one year anniversary we enjoyed several events. First of all, our friend C. came over last Monday and cooked us cebiche de pollo. He originally intended to prepare cebiche de pato, but C. was unsure about the age of any ducks in the market, therefore he substituted chicken. Pato is duck in Spanish. Unlike traditional cebiche with fish, the pato or pollo dishes are cooked thoroughly. The common denominator being the use of lemon in the marinade.

Preparing the red onions for the cebiche marinade

The washed papas ready for cooking. Once cooked some of the skin or eyes 

were removed. 

In addition to the pollo, he prepared yucca and a new variety of papa or potatoes that we had not tried before. It is similar to huayro papas, but a little different. They are sold in La Parada and we agreed we will go back there again with him to shop for several more varieties of potatoes.

Mixing the marinade in with the pollo. 

After several hours of preparation and cooking the plates are being loaded.

Cebiche de Pollo, papas, and yucca. It was very very good as C. is a great cook.

Next, we enjoyed a very surprising football game between the Utes and Cougars. Who would have thought the game would be so completely lopsided and dominated by Utah? It was in their house too.  A local BYU diehard even gave me six points on the game so we are planning an evening out at our favorite restaurant. We'll likely go to El Hornero as their steaks are very good. Somehow eating "dead meat" is appropriate to honor Coach Bronco and his team's failure to execute.

QB Jake Heaps coughing up one of numerous fumbles against Utah last week.

This weekend we are flying to Trujillo where the new Temple groundbreaking occurred last week. The Lima Temple is closed for the Women's Conference.  We would like to visit the construction site, learn if bicycles can be ridden in that part of Peru, and tour several archaeological sites close by.

Artist's drawing of the new Trujillo Temple. Likely, it will be 9700 square feet

with two endowment rooms making it a little larger the Lima Temple

The largest pre-Colombian city in the Americas is close to Trujillo. It is known as Chan Chan and was built by a pre-Inca people known as the Chimor. Estimates range upwards of 30,000 inhabitants. Marine motifs and engravings of reed boats suggest a seafaring ability.  The Chimor were the descendents of an earlier seafaring culture known as the Moche.  Somewhere among the time period of these two cultures the spread of the Peruvian sweet potato or camote to Polynesia occurred.

The Chimor prospered in their city of Chan Chan for nearly 600 years prior

to the arrival of conquering Incan arnies.

We will have photos and another post from our visit to Chan Chan, Trujillo, and several nearby sites.  We have recommendations for a couple restaurants in the area and the food, according to most travel guides and our Peruvian friends, is better than what we find in Lima, except for our friend C. and Brother and Sister Ramos. The weather is more agreeable too. Among Peruvians Trujillo is recognized as having a perpetual spring or 'primavera eterna' in Spanish.

***Update/Flash:  While we were in Trujillo we received an email from Alice with the news that CP, our four year old grandson, had scored his first goal as a soccer player.  He has grown a lot in a year and has benefited from older brothers teaching him his sweet soccer skills. A parent of a player on the other team observed, "That little red headed boy is the best player on their team."  We will be on the sidelines for 5 year old soccer next season.

CP in the "zone" racing with the ball toward the goal.

Our Missionary Friends in Peru

We were very sad to learn that our friends the Brashers had to return home to Salt Lake City.  We had planned on calling them last week for an evening of pleasant conversation and the delivery of a pint of strawberry jam RA had made. They had been away traveling in Colombia doing what they do, helping missionaries. There was and is a significant need for the work they did and the good they accomplished. I am sure the mission presidents are feeling the loss of this great couple and servants of the Lord.

They have had the responsibility for the mental health and psychological wellbeing of maybe 2,000 missionaries in the Northwest South America Area. They traveled throughout Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia , Peru, and Venezuela. This has been a challenging and rewarding assignment for them. It was not an easy one as the language presented some challenges in traveling. Both of them have worked harder than anyone I know to stay in the missionfield battling ailments and health related issues. We admire them so much for their service and desire to fulfill their missions. They have been examples to us all for their faith, dedication, and endurance.

We miss them as our friends.  They wanted to meet our kids who were traveling to Peru early in August but they needed to be in Colombia.  We look forward to that evening of conversation and dinner when we return home.

Here's to you our friends and fellow missionaries! We miss you and our prayers remain with you.

With them at the Larco Museum here in Lima

The "Real' Peru and Extracto de Rana

Last Monday a friend invited us to his world where he works and operates two stores in a shopping district called 'Gamarra.' It is the largest textile market in Peru and I confess I have never seen anything like it anywhere.  It is a labyrinth of shops in one very large block with stores selling everything imaginable related to clothing and textiles. Previously I had bought a number casual shirts very inexpensively in Gamarra. He supplies textiles to shirt makers and has a huge inventory of fabric so he does not deal with the public directly. He works Saturdays in the Temple, some days as long as 14 hours keeping the Bautisterio running and functioning smoothly. He does this each week. 

It is relatively safe in Gamarra, but none of us Norte Americanos ever venture there in the afternoons and we are always are out of there early in the day.  Security police and cameras are everywhere, but you do observe some rules. We had a fine lunch at one of our friend's favorites and then he wanted to show us the 'real' Peru. We had no idea what he was talking about or where we were going. He assured us it was very close.

Monday mornings are not very crowded and it is a good time
and day to visit though some stores were not open. 

It is called La Parada and is contiguous to Gamarra. Our friend explained we would need to remove our watches and make certain our wallets were secure. We have since discovered it was not a good idea to take a camera there either, but I did.  He was continually looking behind and around us to observe if anyone was following us at anytime. That is one of the indicators that you are about to be mugged or robbed in Peru. As we entered, our friend turned his back pack around and wore it frontwards, a not uncommon practice. Street gangs and other criminals also make La Parada home. Stolen goods are fenced there including cell phones, we were told, that still have all the previous owners contacts and numbers.

One of many narrow aisles selling fruits and vegetables at
extremely low prices.

We have observed we live in a bubble here in our La Molina neighborhood next to the Temple. People are relatively prosperous and life by comparison to many other parts of Peru is easy. Among the nearly 30 million of Peru's population, government agencies suggest less than 40% of the population is in the 'poor' or 'very poor' category. Both the US State Department and the CIA put that number at 54%. Being poor can mean many things. In Peru it means basic inability to afford human needs such as clean water, sanitation, electricity, security, health care, education, adequate nutrition, clothing and shelter.  "Houses" made of sheets of woven together bamboo strips that neither keep the cold out or the heat in, surround far too many families along Peru's coastal areas.  They exist without windows and doors and roofs that will keep out the mist or very scare rainfall. More upscale structures have plastic sheeting over the roofs but they are not common. The several recent elected governments have tried to solve social problems with programs, but mostly we have been told, they are ineffective and have been largely aimed at gaining voter support with little long term impact in improving the status quo.

 RA did buy a 1/4 kilo or dried oregano, about two quarts worth.
That is a lot of spice. It was the smallest quantity they would sell.

Bees were working and building their hive in one of the stalls. We were
given samples  of the honey comb and bee pollen. I did read that pollen
contains a a number of kinds of bacteria and mold so we later disposed
of the the bottle we purchased. 

There is a great disparity and gulf between the 'have's and 'have nots.' The 'have nots' are pushing hard for social and political change with the federal elections coming this June 5th. The poor have been poor and remain to the present, though the last few democratically elected presidents take credit for reducing the numbers of those below the poverty level.

Bags of coca leaves for sale.  It is used in making a tea
and was recommended to us when we visited Cusco and
Machu Picchu.

We were hoping to travel over the election weekend but with the potential for civil unrest or upset we will stay home.  The Temple will be closed a half day on Saturday the 4th for the election on June 5th. It is mandatory that all adults vote in every election lest they pay a fine.  In order to accommodate the travel required to return home it was decided to close the Temple early. We were also told by friends to store extra groceries because of the possibility for strikes, unrest, and road blockages.

Aluminum cookware is also to be found in La Parada

Our travels have been limited in Peru thus far, but the contrast between where we live and what we have seen outside of these wealthier areas of Lima is troubling. Near our apartment is a very nice version of a Target type grocery, appliance, electronics, and clothing store called Tottus, a far different shopping experience than we found in La Parada or Gamarra.

An open top bag of bee pollen being reclaimed by a few bees.

The elections next month will be important for the present and future of Peru. The huge support for the leading and left wing vote getter in the primary elections from the poorer areas of this country should send a powerful message to those in power. Ignore the poor and very poor and solutions may not always be as peaceful as the electoral process of the ballot box. No one wants to see the chaos, unrest, terror and murders Peru suffered for decades at the hands of the Sendero Luminoso or 'Shining Path' as they were called. 

We intended to purchase some citrus in La Parada. We love
the mandarin oranges and tangerines in Peru. They too were
about one third of our neighborhood grocery store.

We appreciate our friend for having confidence in us and showing us a part of Lima we had never seen. Likely, we will not return to La Parada. It was fascinating place and we are glad we ventured to the 'real' Peru. In many ways it reminded us of the bazaars we had visited in Istanbul Turkiye many years ago. 

Live frogs and toads are kept in several booths we passed.
The purpose is to consume these in a 'health' drink called
extracto de rana.

The Osterizer is going and mixing up the extract of frog. To it are added
additional items such as maca powder, honey and malt. It is said to have
near magical restorative and health benefits. Several You Tube videos
and some research suggests the frog or toad is not cooked but it is
skinned, gutted and then tossed into the blender. 

Main Street in La Parada. The red onions on the right are
for sale for 1 Sole or about 37 cents per kilogram. That
is about 16 cents per pound.

Our friends Lucho, Negra, and our Democratic Pigeons

On our walks to various places including the Temple we have been making a few friends. Early in the mornings the local pigeons will see us coming from a block away and fly from their roof top perch and land at our feet. If we do not bring enough crackers for them they will walk behind us for a ways begging for more.  The first counselor and his wife, our neighbors upstairs, also walk the same route. He is a Republican and one of his goals has been to "kick" one of our friendly pigeons. We are trying to train them to buzz the president and leave something fresh on his suit jacket. We'll let you know if we succeed. We have warned him they are Obama pigeons and he should be more respectful.

We only see our pigeons early in the mornings, though sometimes on
our afternoon shift one of them will still be in the neighborhood.

Also on our walks to the one of several shopping plazas, Golds Gym, and the barbershop we pass a neighborhood 'watch-ee-man'. That is the term the Peruvians use for their ever present local security guards. We have become friends with him along with his dog Negra. Often Negra would be sleeping in her house until we became friends a few weeks ago. Now at the sound of our voices she will come running.  She knows we have treats for her. These include burgers from Peru's finest, a place called Bembo's. Lucho, the security man, carries no weapons, no Mace, no radio, not even a whistle like the guy in front of our apartment. He looks after a preschool on his street. Maybe the kids like Negra too. The guy in front of our apartment, at least has an official looking vest and uniform along with his whistle. Just about every neighborhood in La Molina has a 'watch-ee-man.' They are common throughout Lima in the middle and upper scale neighborhoods. We pay a monthly fee to the security company for our around the clock 24/7 security of 70 soles or about $27.00 per month. All of the other tenants and owners on our street pay similar fees.

When Bembos was closed one morning, too early, we stopped by
this local family operation and had the cook make a couple deluxe
burgers for our friends. She was pleased to have her picture taken.

RA has cooked some soup bones we bought from the local Tottus store for Negra as an alternative to the double burgers and chicken sandwiches we have given her in the past. We try to walk a few miles almost daily and choose a route that will take us by Lucho and Negra every several days. Tomorrow it is time once again to visit them as we likely will walk to Jockey Plaza and back and that is about six miles.  Negra has to be restrained or she would follow us home. Of course if she is wolfing down a double burger with the works she lets us walk away.

Lucho and Negra "on duty"

Lucho has become quite emotional on our last several visits. I suppose he thinks it odd that a couple of Americanos would care about him or his dog. He has had tears in his eyes as we have brought him treats.  He told us he "thanks God that we would care about him and his dog." We will find other ways to help him as we get to know him better. These security men make very little money so I know he does not have much. It is common for apartment owners to give a little something to their local 'watch-ee-man' but Lucho and his dog are more than a half mile away from us. We give our local guys treats from the local coffee shop, muffins, and chicha which they appreciate.

Negra did not want to hold still as those deluxe burgers
were in the bag and she knew it. 

We use our limited language skills to talk to Lucho and also Spanish commands for Negra. We will learn more about them as we become better friends. There are a lot of very poor areas on the outskirts of Lima and he likely must travel some distance to get to his neighborhood where he looks after things. There are many things we like about life here in Lima Peru. Making friends with Lucho and his dog Negra has been one of them.

She loves a little attention

Road Trip to Chimbote Peru

We took a two day road trip along the coast north of Lima. Our destination is somewhat well known among missionaries I know, at least those who have served in this backwater and marine fishery center known as Chimbote. There is a very distinct odor of sardines being processed here though we stayed in the newer southern part of the city with a lessened aroma in the air. 

The PanAmerican Highway stretching north from Lima

We traveled the Pan American Highway some 260 miles from Lima to our destination at the Buenos Aires Stake Center in southern Chimbote. The PanAmerican Highway, though impressive in scope of more than 29,000 miles from Prudhoe Bay Alaska to the tip of South America leaves much to be desired. The pavement is far from smooth or maybe the Nissan SUV we were riding in just really had terrible suspension. Portions of the highway are dangerous due to the narc and coca culture in the jungles of Peru, Ecuador, and Columbia. In Peru the road is dangerous for a number of other reasons. More than a few drivers turn off their lights at night to save their headlamps and it was reported to us that trucks or busses, which do breakdown with regularity along with cars, are left where they died, no attempt being made to remove them to the roadside. The highway is also shared with the ubiquitous moto taxis that thrive in the smaller cities along the way and in the poorer areas of Lima. More than a few slower moving trucks had tree branches fastened to the backs of them. We were told this was to prevent the bandits from jumping on board the trucks and removing the cargo as the trucks slowed, and they were very slow, going up the hills along the highway. The tree branches possess very long and numerous thorns sufficiently able to discourage highway robberies.

Thorn branches tied to a flatbed to discourage highway thefts.

Leaving Lima we looked for the signs leading us to Ancon on the PanAmerican Highway. Ancon was once an upper scale beach retreat and resort area near Lima. No longer is it a mecca for the wealthy and mobile as they seem to have abandoned it for the playas or beaches south of the city. Ancon occupies it own place in history as it was the original and oldest source of Pima cotton in the western hemisphere. Who can say whether Egyptian cotton predated the “Pima” cotton of Peru? The name Pima is not Peruvian but comes from an effort in honoring the Pima Indians of Arizona who worked with the USDA in growing cotton there. Cotton fabrics and balls have been found in the Ancon region as early as 4,000 BC. Some accounts place cotton farming as early as 6,000 BC. So fine is this Ancon/Pima cotton it was woven with silk throughout history. I would like to find an XXL Pima/Ancon cotton shirt here in Lima before we leave.

Houses along the way fashioned from woven bamboo panels, sides and top.

Chimbote was our destination as our neighbors and friends upstairs, (first counselor in the temple presidency,) were invited to speak in the Buenos Aires Stake of Chimbote. Forty some years ago the first branch was organized. Claim is made by Elder Gregory Larson of Centerville and his companion for this honor. To date there are now three stakes and fifteen wards there. The growth of the church follows that of the region. It has been very robust. Earthquakes, floods, and declining anchovy, sardine, and mackerel populations have caused economic challenges and turmoil through the last decades from the highs of the 1970's. Catholic diocese in the US raised significant sums of money for out of work fisherman and factory workers in Chimbote during the lowest of those cycles. In other regions Peru continues to export its natural resources and is rich in mineral deposits being bought up by the Chinese. The balance of trade is presently very good and survives in spite of the mismanagement of and the credit the national government takes. In addition to a number of other firsts for Peru it is the world's leading supplier of organic coffee ahead of both Jamaica and Hawaii. The arid and desolate coastline and lower elevations we traveled through are broken up with very rich and productive agricultural regions where we saw trees heavily laden with mangoes awaiting harvest. These orchards and fields rely on irrigation water carried from the few rivers that make their way from the snow of the Andes to the Pacific. The height of summer here is in fact the rainy season so farmers are blessed with adequate water thus far.

Rich and fertile areas get the water from irrigation channels
from the few rivers that traverse the area on their way to the ocean.

Traveling up the coast it is a mystery to me is why there is such desolation here. I am used to the California coastline with its lush vegetation and redwood forests, a stark contrast to that here. Lima is a desert and except for El Niño, when weather patterns change, it never rains enough to wet the concrete. The driest desert in all of the world is the Atacama of Chile on the leeward side of the Andes. The ancient lines in the sand at Nazca have survived a millennia because the region is so arid. The answer to the amount of desert along the Pacific side of South America is to be found in the ocean current known as the Humboldt Current. It is one of the major upwelling marine currents in all of the world and also explains the very rich marine environment for fishing off the Peruvian Coast. Nearly 20% of the world's supply of fish comes from this upwelling of the Humboldt marine environment. Chimbote is Peru's capitol for the fishing industry. Overfishing has compromised the region's productivity and steps have been taken by both the governments of Chile and Peru to limit the fishing and allow it to rebuild itself naturally.

We love the mangoes here and the trees were loaded with them 

The ocean waters being as cold as they are cool the air above which blows on shore cooling the landmass and keeping most us here somewhat content without AC in the summer. This cooled air from the Humboldt Current is not able to pick up sufficient water vapor to be deposited as rain on the parched coastline. That is my layman's explanation and understanding for the arid coastline. The most we get is a fog and a mist through the winter months here and very seldom a light rain.

One of three stake centers in Chimbote. Note the bars on the 2nd story windows

We enjoyed our trip and seeing more of Peru and meeting more of the people here. We spoke with the stake president following the meeting and he reminded me we had met earlier in the temple and remembered that I had told him I enjoyed and appreciated cebiche, written about previously. The Saints in Chimbote are excited a temple is coming closer to them up the PanAmerican Highway in Trujillo. A bus ride to the temple in Lima is a good 10 hours and a ride to Trujillo will only be a couple hours. We continue to be impressed with and the beauty of this land in which we live. A sad note though – on our way home as we neared the urban area of Lima it was evident a pedestrian had been killed in the opposite lane of the PanAmerican Highway. The body was covered with pieces of cardboard from shredded boxes, the police having no blankets or a body bag. From the small arm protruding from under the pile of cardboard it was likely a female or a younger male. Life is not always easy on the PanAmerican Highway or here in Peru in spite of the current economic climate. There is no way to offer condolences or express support to the family who lost someone yesterday. We are reminded life can be a slender thread in Lima Peru or Centerville Utah. We are grateful for all that we and ours are blessed with while we are here serving en el Templo de Lima.

Chimu or Moche ruins along the highway.  Their construction was adobe.
This site is not uncommon along the coast highway

Preparing for Cusco

We have just a couple days here and then the Lima Temple closes for semi annual maintenance. We have two weeks of vacation in February and two more in August. We were told if there was a baby blessing, a wedding, or something of significance we could also apply for permission to return to Utah during those two weeks. That is a very tempting thought of seeing family and grandkids again. Since our mission area is all of Peru we are able to travel to Cusco and Machu Picchu. We will be posting photos and reports following our trip there when we return as our laptops are not going with us. We will have our IPhone so we can keep in touch via e-mail. We will be enjoying this trip with friends coming from Utah to spend a week with us here.

Machu Picchu the iconic remnant of the Incan world

Going to this very high altitude, cultural, and historical area of Peru requires some amount of preparedness. Probably the single most important consideration is finding a reputable and reasonable travel agency. Lamanita Travel was recommended to us by others here in Peru. We checked prices and services and found them to be competitive and in one case about half what a local agency in Lima wanted for the same service.

Secondly, the high altitude presents problems for any tourist coming to Cusco. The symptoms of high altitude sickness include about everything that can go wrong and ruin a trip, including but not limited to, nausea, diarhea, vomiting, headaches, insomnia, malaise, and fatigue. The prevention of these symptoms begins two days before your arrival. The most recommended medicine for prevention is Acetazolamida 250 mg twice a day. It is sulfa based so if you have allergies do something else. Our local missionary doctor recommends the coca tea and they used it successfully on their last visit. We bought our supply, the Acetazolamide, not the coca, over the counter from the local farmacia. Almost everything is available except narcotics without a prescription here in Peru.

Sacsayhuaman Complex near Cusco

The third consideration when going to Cusco and in visiting any area of Peru is safety. This is ameliorated considerably by relying on a competent guide service and taking a few extra personal precautions. The US State Department has a number of advisories published for travelers in Peru and elsewhere. The main crime against tourists are those associated with theft. Leaving a backpack or day pack unattended is a guarantee for a loss. A simple tip would be when putting your bag down on the floor to take a photo or enjoy lunch, remember to put your foot through the strap. It won't be stolen or forgotten. Money belts and the means to carry important documents under your clothing are recommended. We have talked with all of the expats here and the recurring problem is with pickpockets, though cross country busses have been hijacked and the occupants robbed. This made the news here recently. A common ploy for pickpockets is to squirt you with a liquid and then a "volunteer" will quickly want to help you get cleaned up. In the process your pockets are emptied. Public transportation in the cities on tight and cramped busses is another easy way for crime to occur given how many are hanging on to the handrails and the bumping and the jostling that occurs. In visiting high crime areas of downtown Lima I kept my wallet in my front pocket and my hand on it. I am wondering if the Utah Legislature can pass a law that would allow Utahans to carry Browning 1911 ACP 45's whenever they travel even abroad here in Peru.

Downtown Cusco

Night time gives thieves and more serious criminals opportunities for violent crimes including assaults, kidnappings, rape, and armed robbery. In Peru US and foreign travelers have been kidnapped, beaten and their accounts emptied through the convenient ATM's that are everywhere. Travelers are warned when visiting the Sacshnuayman ruins outside Cusco and should do so only in large groups and never at night, dawn, or dusk due to roving gangs known to frequent the area. They are a remnant of an ancient gang called the "Gadiantones." We are also advised to avoid money changers in the street who sometimes work with pickpockets in identifying potential targets. These street changers are also, apparently, a source for introduction of counterfeit currency into the economy. Peru is currently the number one printer of counterfeit US twenties and hundreds in the world.

Returning to Machu Picchu, recent archaeological research by a National Geographic scholar in a forthcoming book contains sufficient evidence to suggest it was built for religious purposes. This discounts the theories it was an emperor's summer estate or a maximum security prison, among others. Unfortunately, this book I have ordered from Amazon won't arrive in time for the trip. The scholar, Johan Reinhard, is also the discover of Peru's Ice Maiden, found frozen high in the Andes Mountains dating to the Incan period. 

Intihuatana Stone and Altar

We want to enjoy our visit and with adequate preparation including a little background reading and research it will be safe and enjoyable. My friends at the temple tell me the cuy is to be savored and enjoyed along with llama or alpaca in Cusco. Peru like other countries has a varied cuisine influenced by climate and availability of local produce and ingredients. We hope to see more of this beautiful country during the rest of our stay here.