Road Scholar Group Working in Cochabamba, 2011

 

We made our  sixth trip to Cochabamba, but it was short. We left on October 4 and returned October 28. Below are some of the people, places and things we met, saw and did.

 

We spent the few days we had before the Road Scholar group arrived visiting our compadres, the Craberras, and re-acquainting ourselves with Cochabamba. I will say that is like coming home rather than visiting.  Here are a few pictures in Felix and Isabel's home.

 

Felix & family CompadresWe got to meet Eric Felix for the first time as he was born after we left in 2009. He is being held by Felix.  The older son is Rodrigo with our godson Milton next to his mother Isabel.  The four compadres are in the picture on the right.

 

 

The Motley Crew + Raul and Felix

 

Here is the motley crew: Kneeling: Sherma, Raul, Felix, Connie, Judy; Second row: Cresencio, Joy, Jean; Third row: Martie, Shirley, Julia, Elva, Don; Back row: Marvin, Tom; Nancy was absent. Remember, a left click on any thumbnail picture will bring up the full size picture.

 

This next group of pictures are Roadies doing various tasks, anything from chipping holes in columns to improve stucco adhesion, to stuccoing, to spackling, to painting, to tiling and, the new addition to these trips, teaching English. The head mason is Felix with his brother, Cresencio, and Raul as helpers.  As the last two pictures show, gringo watching was a popular pastime with the kids.

 

 

Nancy, Judy & Judy painting    Marvin & Felix tile    Marvin & Felix tile    Marvin Stuccoing    Connie & Judy stucco Tom teaching    Jean teaching    Sherma & Judy stucco    Judy & Sherma watch Raul skree    Cresencio shows Connie & Martie stucco Judy & Don defy gravity      Judy tiles     Nancy & Don on break    Judy stuccos     Connie stuccos    Nancy spackles Jean spackles    Martie paints    Sherma paints    Judy skrees stucco    Judy & Felix stucco    Connie rolls wall Nancy & Don Spackling    Don Spackles    Nancy & Don try stucco    Don stuccos a pillar    Martie wears concrete    Connie paints Kids hangin' out    Kids from neighborhood    Raul, a mason

 

When we arrived and again as we departed, the school had an assembly where speeches were given telling everyone how appreciative the community was of our efforts on their behalf. We were adorned in flowers and after watching the students perform local tribal dances, we were encouraged to join in as well.  Some pretty fancy hoofing for the geezers. Well, of course I did not mean YOU!

 

Front of Viloma School Group with flowers Students assembled Dance costume, front Dance costume, back Old folks "Bull" dancer She does poetry as well as dances Jean, 93, cuts a rug Another type of costume Humor: boy with baby trys to convince girl who rejects him Judy hoofs in style Martie is stylin' Elementry kids watch            

 

We visited the Tin Baron Patiño's two homes.  He lived in the country estate, but his health failed before he could use his Cochabamba "palace".  The large view is a 4 panel panorama and the door close-up is a 3 panel vertical shot.

 

Judy & Martie at Patino's gate back facade, close-up Vinto home, back facade Inner courtyard fountain Interior chandlier Side yard lake & gazebo         Patino's front panorama     Group approaches Patino's house     Town home, front     Patino's palace door

 

We visited Warmi, a neighborhood soap factory and day care center.  And we visited CEOLI, a school for handicapped individuals ages 2 through 18.  Apparently I took no pictures of CEOLI, but there are plenty in the preceding years.

Elena Jemanez tells about Warmi    Touring Warmi soap factory    Soap factory equipment    Stack of Warmi soap bars

 

We had a lecture on The Day of the Dead with dancing and native language prayers.  We visited the bread basket of the Incas where 2400 grain silos were used to store maize according to our lecturer, David.  We then visited the church in Quillaquolla where the revered statue of the Virgin de Orkupina resides.  The sign on the wall was very entertaining as well. (Turn off your cell. God won't call you. You are in his house.) And when we visited the main plaza on the day before the judicial elections, we were able to snap photos of Bolivian President Evo Morales on a meet and greet pass.

 

dead feast    prayer for the dead    Dancing at the dead feast    David lectures at silo site    Inca silo   

 

Silo storage area  Silo replica panorama 

 

Virgin de Orkupena phone off    Evo Morales    Evo Moreles

 

Our big excursion was to Incajacta where the second largest building in the Incan empire is located. The building was 90 meters by 27 meters (290' by 88') and was covered with a roof. The weather was the best I remember with a huge blue sky and a few clouds just to break up the monotony.  I have taken many panoramas of the valley over the years that can be compared with this year's image. Some of you may find it interesting to see the changes over time.  I found several new vantage points from which to take panoramas.  This year the waterfall was in half shade, half bright sun, an impossible number of f-stops to photograph. I have included two multiframe vertical images of the falls taken in 2009.  The group at the base is the semester abroad group from that year.  I do not remember being told that the red color (last picture, first row below) is the original 600 year old stucco. Will ours be around in 2525?

 

David lectures at first ruin    arriving at big room         David tells about the big room    Valley farm    Original red stucco still adhers Connie & Judy descend descending from the "observitory"    Looking back from "observitory"    Falls looking back    cactus in nitch, 2011   

 

Panoramas:

Incajacta looking west Looking west across "parade ground"

Officer's area Officer's area

Incajacta Valley 2011      Incajacta Valley 2011

 

Incajacta Falls    Incajacta Falls, 2009 service-learning group   Incajacta Falls (2009 photos)