Two different worlds
Independencia
Last weekend we ventured out to a shantytown on the outskirts of Lima to visit my nanny. It took us over an hour by bus to get there and then we had to take a second bus and then climb 262 stairs. She lives in Independencia she lives high up on a hill where there aren't any streets or running water but the views were incredible. Her brother and her son, Duval, who is 7, live together in a one-room house. The floors are dirt and there isn't a bathroom (not even a hole in the back) but they have family that live only a few houses away and so they use their "bathroom." She cooked us a delicious meal, arroz con pollo nortena, northern-style chicken and rice. Theo had fun with all the kids in the neighborhood who came to see the gringo (American). There were lots of women in traditional Andean dress (women with hats, long shirts and skirts) and they carry their kids in wraps on their back.
Country Club El Bosque
On Sunday, we went with Romina's family to the Country Club El Bosque in Chosica, a city in the mountains about one hour from Lima, where the upper class go to escape the city. The air is clean, the sun is always shining, and there is green grass to run around year round. They had a huge play area for kids (playground, sandboxes, trampoline, blow up slides, etc), three swimming pools, a small lake with ducks and paddle boats, waterfalls you can walk under, hiking trails, horses, picnic areas, three restaurants, cottages and more. It was glorious! Entrance was only $10 for the day per person but her family had to pay over $5,000 to join the club and then pay an annual fee (and this is a lot of money for most Peruvians). Therefore, I didn't look so foreign and people didn't really pay much attention to me (except for when I would climb out of the kiddie pool and try to jump in the big pool all by myself - but then Mommy would jump in the water to catch me, of course). It was awesome!
Independencia
Country Club El Bosque
18 months development
I said my first two-word phrase today, "My ball." I have been waking up at 6am (when the sun rises) and I grab my hat and shoes and head for the door. Mommy makes me put on clothes and then takes another half hour to leave but we go get fresh baked bread and mini-bananas and go to the park. I love to climb and I have excellent balance. I am learning how to jump off of things and practice whenever I can jumping off curbs or the end of slides. I've mastered almost all of the playgrounds in the neighborhood and now prefer to try more challenging things like climb up the slides rather than just go down. We go home and the nanny comes around 9 and we go outside again to another park. By 11 I'm beat and it's time for a siesta (nap). Mommy comes home around 5 and we often go to the park again! This is the best life!
I have been drinking of out a cup with a straw and only one have tipped it over. I like to use a big fork (none of this baby fork business) but often my hands work just as well. I like to watch Mommy cook and I want to help but she won't let me. She says, "No, no, no" and I shake my finger, "no, no, no" while nodding since I understand.
Last weekend we ventured out to a shantytown on the outskirts of Lima to visit my nanny. It took us over an hour by bus to get there and then we had to take a second bus and then climb 262 stairs. She lives in Independencia she lives high up on a hill where there aren't any streets or running water but the views were incredible. Her brother and her son, Duval, who is 7, live together in a one-room house. The floors are dirt and there isn't a bathroom (not even a hole in the back) but they have family that live only a few houses away and so they use their "bathroom." She cooked us a delicious meal, arroz con pollo nortena, northern-style chicken and rice. Theo had fun with all the kids in the neighborhood who came to see the gringo (American). There were lots of women in traditional Andean dress (women with hats, long shirts and skirts) and they carry their kids in wraps on their back.
Country Club El Bosque
On Sunday, we went with Romina's family to the Country Club El Bosque in Chosica, a city in the mountains about one hour from Lima, where the upper class go to escape the city. The air is clean, the sun is always shining, and there is green grass to run around year round. They had a huge play area for kids (playground, sandboxes, trampoline, blow up slides, etc), three swimming pools, a small lake with ducks and paddle boats, waterfalls you can walk under, hiking trails, horses, picnic areas, three restaurants, cottages and more. It was glorious! Entrance was only $10 for the day per person but her family had to pay over $5,000 to join the club and then pay an annual fee (and this is a lot of money for most Peruvians). Therefore, I didn't look so foreign and people didn't really pay much attention to me (except for when I would climb out of the kiddie pool and try to jump in the big pool all by myself - but then Mommy would jump in the water to catch me, of course). It was awesome!
Independencia
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| In a combi (mini-bus) going from the main bus stop up to Nora's neighborhood. |
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| Fruit stand in the market and a mototaxi buzzing by. |
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| Avocado stand |
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| Watermelon's anyone? |
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| Walking through the market |
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| Fish stand |
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| How many different potatoes can there be? |
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| Fruit stands |
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| Baked eggs for sale |
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| Corn for the traditional drink, chicha morrada. |
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| Walking through the market. |
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| Our lunch getting prepared - heart and liver and all! |
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| Walking up the hill to Nora's house |
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| What a view!! |
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| Nora's kitchen (the ground is made of dirt, the fridge is broken, and there isn't a table. She does have a wash machine (under the purple towel) and a large bucket of fresh water (to the right). Theo's in the back playing with the puppy. |
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| Their one-room house - two beds, a TV, two armoires, two desks, four walls and a roof. That's all you really need. |
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| Looking at the incredible view from Nora's house. |
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| The neighbor girls and their new puppy (5 days) playing outside Nora and Duval's house |
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| Nora's son, Duval (7 years) and their puppy (4 months). |
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| Dilver (2 years old) and Nora and I playing with toys. |
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| Playing in Dilver's "bath tub" after eating oranges. |
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| Waiting for the bus with Nora to go back to Miraflores. Nora lives near the top of the hill in the background. |
Country Club El Bosque
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| Walking under the waterfall. |
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| View of the club from the top of the waterfalls |
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| Feeding the ducks |
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| I got to go for a ride in a paddle boat and feed the ducks and fish, or "gold-gold's" as I have affectionately called them from eating lots of goldfish snacks. |
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| Checking out the ducks from the boat |
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| Feeding the giant fish |
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| Running after pigeons |
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| Walking in the kiddie pool |
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| Watching the ladies make delicious picarones (donut ring with honey) |
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| Saying bye-bye to the kiddie pool |
18 months development
I said my first two-word phrase today, "My ball." I have been waking up at 6am (when the sun rises) and I grab my hat and shoes and head for the door. Mommy makes me put on clothes and then takes another half hour to leave but we go get fresh baked bread and mini-bananas and go to the park. I love to climb and I have excellent balance. I am learning how to jump off of things and practice whenever I can jumping off curbs or the end of slides. I've mastered almost all of the playgrounds in the neighborhood and now prefer to try more challenging things like climb up the slides rather than just go down. We go home and the nanny comes around 9 and we go outside again to another park. By 11 I'm beat and it's time for a siesta (nap). Mommy comes home around 5 and we often go to the park again! This is the best life!
I have been drinking of out a cup with a straw and only one have tipped it over. I like to use a big fork (none of this baby fork business) but often my hands work just as well. I like to watch Mommy cook and I want to help but she won't let me. She says, "No, no, no" and I shake my finger, "no, no, no" while nodding since I understand.
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| WHOA!!! Look at the lion! |
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| Watch out Theo! You might get kicked. |
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| At the awesome Kilimanjaro Restaurant with all the animals |
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| Mommy's co-workers |
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| Mommy in her office at CRONICAS |
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| Mommy and Romina in front of the National Institute of Health in Peru |
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| Our doorman helping Nora and I down the lift in front of our apartment. |
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| Parque del amor at sunset (we walk by here almost every night) |
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| Traffic jam on the playground |
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