Do you have any idea how hard it is to get Carl, Mr Blond Hair, 

Blue Eyes  - black!!!!

Now I have always thought Carl could dance, but in this getup,

 "the boy got rhythm"!

This truly was fun, the entire school staff got involved.  From Carl the Director, teachers, secretaries, grounds men.  In fact,  the best  dancer of all was the gardner.  He could move every

bone in his body and do it to the beat of the music and still have a couple of beats left over. What a fun day it was!  I am already working on plans for next year.  I will confess that 3 of the new American teachers and myself improvised a little New York Rockette chorus line step in the middle of the slave dance.  Even though we never missed a beat. I  think it went over everyones head.  We just got blank stares, we though it was pretty funny though.  

Dumb Gingas!

Last Fri. before we left for Oruro to celebrate Carnival, Carl's school had it's own Carnival Celebration.  I was amazed at how talented his students were and how serious they take their cultural dances and traditions.   Some of the staff, (they included me) were invited to participate and do a traditional dance for the students and their parents. Now I am thinking Rio  type dances and costumes!  Ok, if I can just get a spot light rigged up, we are good to go!   I really should have gone with them to pick out the costumes!  They had selected a dance performed by the slaves, and you can only imagine what those costumes looked like.  Not one sequin or fringe anywhere.  Well it seems even Bolivia was involved in the slave trade.  They brought in black slaves to work in the tin mines.  The weather  was too cold for them, the mines were at 10,000 to 15,000 elevation, hard conditions and very cold.  It killed most of the slaves and the rest were sent to the lower elevation and warmer weather.  They did leave their mark on the country with their music and dance and one of the favorite traditional dances is for them.  This dance we attempted to perform and evidently we were a hit.  I think we were actually the comic relief for the afternoon.  After all the performances the entire school and parents moved from the gym out onto the beautiful grounds of the school for food booths and games.  Yes, of course the ever present water balloons or globos aqua were everywhere.   The last picture with the young man in the aqua and white outfit is one of the best dancers in Cochabamba.   He belongs to a dance fraternity and they dance and compete all year.  It is a very strenuous and athletic activity. Notice the large gold bells from his knees to his ankles.  You cannot imagine the sound of 50 to 100 dancers coming down the street, all in beat with each other and the 100 man band following them.  It is awesome!  He is really a great kid, father is a very successful business man here in town.  The kids have all been a real joy to be around, now that doesn't mean they don't like to have a good time, but they are super kids.

Just a side note.  The women here are so pretty.  Beautiful hair and skin.  Almost without fail they all have great legs.  There are very few overweight people here.  Even the Indian women at first look overweight, but it is the fact they wear many skirts or slips, much like the Apache Women in Ariz.  However their skirts are short, to the knee and no matter the age they have thin well muscled legs.  It must be the fact that everyone walks.  Saves gas and pollution, but best of all -  look at the legs.  Not a bad thing at all.

What can I say? The parade itself was absolutely amazing, fantastic, beautiful, wonderful, there are not enough adjectives. Just look at a few of our hundreds of pictures.

Oruro Part II

Our Penthouse Suite

As I said in Part I, Carnival is huge here. Hotel rooms in Oruro are sold out at least a year in advance. We were "lucky" enough to get a room in a person's house. We were told that if we paid more we could get the matrimonial suite. So we did.

It was up three long, winding flights of stairs. The top one is on one of the pics. The ceiling was partially gone, we could see stars, but when it rained, and it did, the water, miraciously did not come into the room - stairs, bathroom, everywhere else, but not into our bedroom - and we had a queen size bed and it was very comfortable.

The bathroom, and we had the only private bath in the house, had a toilet, no seat - they do not use them here - and a tub. Weird set up because there was no shower curtain at all, but also no faucet, only the shower head. So, Joeline filled the tub, you know she has to have her baths, by letting she shower water fill it.

Two Japanese guys shared the other room at the top of our stairs and they had to go down two flights of stairs to us the bathroom. Talk about weird, they were obviously Japanese - hard to hide that, but they spoke French at night?

On the bottom floor, 9 people shared one bedroom and one bath. No bed, just slept on the floor.

Let's see, one girl was from Holland, 2 Brits, rest from other parts of South America.

I sat up Saturday night and drank toasts of Sangani with the locals and learned quite a bit. The first being that Sangain is really bad - and strong.

Luckily Joeline fianlly got out of the tub and came down to save me from going to the local "disco" with them.

Oh, least Joeline let me forget, there was one hand towell - no bathtowels. Needless to say, Joeline did not come out of the tub wrapped in one hand towell.

There was a part Dalmation, part Great Dane dog on the roof, along with a chicken?

The whole chicken? Never mind, old joke.

Castles - remember the Honeymoon Suite in La Fiesta in Matazlan? Well, similar .

Oruro - PART I


Oruro, Boliva - Look it up. The largest Carnival in Bolivia, and that is saying something. Carnival is the biggest holiday in South America. Bigger than Christmas, Easter, Halloween, Thanksgiving, you name it.

Four and a half hour bus ride! Ok, let's stop here and talk about the bus ride there.
No bathroom.
After three hours the bus stops at over 14,000 feet. All the men get out and head for the nearest rocks. At least the more timid do. Most just step outside the bus and head for a tire.

For the women there is actually a bano. Joeline, who can wait for days,never got off the bus. So, it was up to me to check out the bano. I paid this little old lady 1 B (.15) and she gave me 5 individual sheets of TP - no more - and issued me in. IN is simply pulling open a door and stepping into this unbelievably horribly smelling "room". In the middle of it is a hole in the floor. No seat, no bench, no commode, no nothing. Our outhouses in Arkansas are like the 5 Star Hilton comparaed to this. Luckily I was only there for a look see as I had already visited a rock, so I quickly left.

When I got back to the bus they were serving us lunch. Our bus driver was walking up the isle with a bread bag in his hand. Each person reaches in an pulls out two slices of bread. Inside the two slices is a slice of cheese and a half slice of balogna (I guess that's what it was) - no mustard, mayo, lettuce, etc. I quickly scarfed mine down, it tasted great. We were on a dive trip about ten years ago, in the British Virgin Islands (Salt Island). At the mid-day break they served balogna sandwiches - tasted great then too.

Next came the drinks. A girl was pouring hot water into cups, the driver walked down the isle and handed out one of the two cups he carried to two people. Then he asked if they wanted tea or coffee. Next he produced a tea bag or an instant coffee pack out of his pocket for each. Then he walked back to the front of the bus and got two more cups. There were 40 people on the bus, so this took awhile. Joeline got frustrated and started running cups for everyone.

I got off the bus again and walked to where an old lady was selling - everything. I bought a coke, doled out about 15 B's to 15 different beggars and made it back to the bus.

Next stop, down the back side of the mountain to 12,158 feet to Oruro. Breathing will be much easier "down" there!!

Our trip started at 4AM, we arrived at the top of the mountain at daybreak, 7:30. Absolutely no heat of any kind on the bus and most of the windows did not close all the way. Joeline was wrapped up in her coat, my coat, the one change of clothes we each brought and was trying to get inside my t-shirt.

Did I mention that it was a lot of fun. Well, it was!

WOW!  What a weekend!   We went to Oruro, the city in Bolivia where Carnival first started to see true Carnival.   If you note the picture to the left it will give you a hint of how the weekend went.  Carl will be telling this story, just wanted to give you a teaser and make you wonder how we ended up in a tin mine under an old, old church.

OK, how many women does it take to set up an umbrella for the Cochabamba Women's Club Bake sale. Well, evidently at least two. That's right folks, get more than 2 women together and you have a bake sale, no matter what country you're in. Actually, they make a big difference for alot of charities here with the profits from all those yummy goodies they sell.

I am thrilled! I got my NIT number today. Now I can deduct taxes.
Or something like that.
Here's the deal. In Bolivia you pay 25% of your monthly salary to taxes. Then you pay other taxes at the end of the year.
However, once you get a NIT number you can deduct most of what you purchase from your taxes.
So, for seven months I have had to pay a full 25% tax on my salary - BAD YES - but not the worst part. They will not let you pay the 25% until you get your NIT. Then you have to pay the whole thing at once. So, I now have to pay 25% of seven months salary immediately.
Now you financial people are saying, Well he knew that, so surely he has been setting 25% aside each month.
How well do you know Joeline and I? In our entire 43 years together we have never saved a dime.
So why am I so happy to finally get my NIT? Because for the next year and a half I can at least deduct some expenses. Again, those of you who know us know that we have expenses.

I had a couple of unsettling days last week, which be grateful you  live in a country that you understand the language, and when you are in  a police station you feel safe.

The very nice looking, every inch a gentleman to the left is my facilitator, Evan.  His job is to make sure I get all the paperwork, blood test, finger prints and photos I need at all the agencies for my Bolivan visa, not the tourist visa that I have now.  This ladies and gentlemen is no easy task, even for a professional like Evan.  I on my own could never achieve it.  Seriously not in a thousand years.

This picture above was taken of Evan  in the Cohabamba Police department.  Most of the business is outside with you talking thru windows.  We were inside for quite awhile.  Still did not get done what we needed to.  This is even with a letter from the Police Dept. in San Angelo saying I was basically a good person and no threat.  Now I do have some very good friends on the San Angelo Police Dept. but seriously folks give me a visa!!!!!!

Now actually the Police Dept. was a piece of cake, even though we are not out of the woods yet. 

I think they found out who my brother is!!!!!  The really scary part was the day before with Interpol.  Yes folks, just like James Bond.  My Facilitator took me downtown, the old part of town, to the Interpol office.  That is where James Bond and I parted ways. It is dark and scary.  I wasn't sure where the mug shots stopped and the real people began.  Evan asked me to sit down and wait while he walked 3 ft. away to the officers office (a card table and a 1940 typewriter).  Evan talked and the officer looked at me, no expression and Evan talked some more and showed him my papers, he looked at me again, no expression, so  Evan talked some more.  I was getting a little concerned so as the officer glanced my way I demurely crossed my legs, made sure my blouse hung just a little lower  and gave him my best, sweetest Anna Nicole smile.  Now Evan really had to talk, I guess at a certain point in time and a certain age it just doesn't work any more.  I think I saw Evan pass him some money and I was immediately finger printed, sent for blood test and told I had to have even more photos.  Now that is sad when you have to buy your way into Bolivia.  I was sent upstairs, the steps looked like they were out of a lighthouse for a hobbit.  They were the smallest steps and the steepest curving stairs I have ever seen.  When I get to the top it is like a Glamor Shot Photo session.  Now this is nothing more than a mug shot, it is just for my Bolivian ID, but no, this girl spends 30 min. fixing my hair, adjusting the shawl I was wearing, adjusting my posture like I was a model.  Then she brings out a little digital camera and snap I have my ID picture.  Now after all of this fussing I still look like someone who had to buy their way into Bolivia!!!!!!

Now don't let the fact that I am starting with an alter throw you.  It was just so pretty and in such an unexpected place I had to share it with you first.   On Mon., Wed., and Fri. my great group of new friends  meet at either of two places, both of which are very close to the apt.  We then walk approx 6 blocks downhill, cross the Rio Rocha River and continue many, many blocks into Cochabamba to the Main Plaza.  There the traffic and people multiply many times over, and the streets get many times smaller.   By the main plaza is a smaller open market place than La Cancha (which is the largest in South America).  In the middle of this market place is this beautiful shrine above, full of fresh flowers and burning candles.  God is truly everywhere! 

We shop in the market place.  There are other much nicer or rather more to the US style of places to shop, but the prices are much better in the market.  It just depends on what you are looking for.  Below the ladies are buying chicken (poll0) for their dogs.  Again the dogs of Cochamba do very well.  See an older post, Dogs of Cochabamba.   There really are mall style shopping places (on smaller scale) and a beautiful CineCenter.  The CineCenter is nicer than any movie theatre I have ever been in anywhere in the states.  The seats are awesome.

Below is also my new Avon Lady, or something like that.  They do have name brand cosmetics in very nice stores, but then again anything imported especially name brand is very expensive.

Also selections are extremely limited.  

The ladies I walk with, are all English speaking and have really taken me under their wing.  They have shown me where to shop, and tried to teach me some basic Spanish.  They all belong to the Cochamba  Women's Club, some are part of the book club, and a couple are my new art students.  They are from all over the world - Hawaii, Canada, Okla., Tex, Az., London, it is great fun listening to the stories that brought then to Bolivia in the different accents.  You know me, I always end up sounding like whomever I am around.  I will come home sounding like a Brit, with a Texas all ya'll in there somewhere mixed in with Desi Arnaz.

After our 1 hour to 1 1/2 hour walk/shopping we always end at Cafe Espresso.  Very European just off the main plaza.  It is usually crowded, almost exclusively by men.  Now when 8 American speaking women walk into this pretty much all male coffee Cafe it is needless to say,

" upsetting the apple cart".  I was pretty much oblivious, (my normal state) to how much attention we were getting until I was taking the picture of our little group.  I looked around and noticed the men studying our group and discussing, I think "why weren't we home where we belonged".  Well, I had so caught them so in the act, I turned my camera on them catching them.  I asked them to give ma a big "Hi Ya'LL for the camera and they were immediately our new friends.  Before we left it was kisses on the cheeks and Choe Choe.  I am sure as we left they were all thanking God they had married nice Bolivian women and "no gringas"!!!!!!

My Avon Lady

Buying dog food.

If you have to ask, DON'T

My coffee Ladies!

My new coffee buddies!!!

Have you ever watched the clouds slowly creep down a mountain side? They cover gulleys, trees, houses, anything in their way. Then, hours later, they slowly retreat back the way they came.
I'm watching this outside our living room window because the movie we're watching is boring. The Andes are much more interesting.

Joeline's Spanish is coming along much better than mine, but on one occasion recently she really had it wrong.
She had to go to a doctor to get a physical for the insurance down here.
The doctor asked her age and she thought he asked for her birthdate.
She starts to tell him her birthdate, (you do that down here with day of month first, then month, then year) so she says Viente Uno (21) and before she can say the month - he looks a little confused -then he quickly says No, No and asks for her age again.

Again she says Viente uno, and again he stops her, with No No

She didn't get it and starts again, but a little more hesitantly, viente Uno. This time He Laughs - and at the same time she catches what's going on.

Now she is not confused, but she is one red hot, red-head going balistic. Poor doctor, it's a good thing he didn't understand English at that point.

"Course I'm not trying to pass as twenty one", she tells me later, "but how dare he, I could be 21, couldn't I? He didn't have to laugh?"

Well, I slept in the 2nd. bedroom that night because I laughed my head off.

I must have overlooked something, but once again I see no comments posted.   What is wrong with you people, this is not a one way conversation.  We want to here from you too!  Send us some comments or we will stop posting to the blog.  Oh Wait, maybe that is what you are hoping for?!*?

Just a quick note about the Dogs of Cochamba.  When we first came down here I was warned by Carl to be careful.  There are stay dogs everywhere and he ordered me "not to pet them".  I have a habit of petting every dog I see, never been bit, I just like dogs and they like me.  I was a little worried,  afraid I would be dragging every skinny, hungry stay home with me, and you can only hide so many dogs in an apt.   Well, let me tell you about the Dogs of Cochamba, they are the healthiest, smartest dogs I have ever seen.  Completely independent, have their own little world they live in and folks it is not a bad world.  Now the traffic down here is unbelievable and pedestrians have no right of way, none, nada, you will get hit.  Needless to say the dogs are even lower on that pecking lever.   Never have I seen a road kill dog, none.  I started watching them, they look both ways before crossing the road, read the traffic and cross safely.  Now when I want to cross the street, I find a stray and follow him thru the traffic!  I have never felt safer crossing the street.

This is my precious Lexi.  What a fun, happy dog she is.  We wanted to bring her to Cochabamba with us and were proceeding with the plans, shots, health cert. an international micro chip, etc.  Every question caused us to have more reservations about the whole process, when a dear friend lost her little Maltese, her constant companion of 15 years.  Well as Jody said, "it was a God thing" and we both agreed that Susie need Lexi and we were just to uncomfortable with the process of bringing her to Bolivia.

Well since traveling down here, I think it would have been fine, but we are still happy Lexi is living the really good life Susie is providing her and glad she is there for Susie.  However, I still have been going thru withdrawal for a Maltese.  Have looked everywhere and asked everywhere and could not find one Maltese or even anyone who knew of any.  They just told us they are not in Bolivia.  Had truly given up hope.  There are lots of other breeds, a friend down here just bought a beautiful Eng. Bulldog.  People really love their dogs here. WELL,  tonight we were just walking around going in and out of shops and in a jewelry store sitting right in the middle of the counter "just as Cessie and Lexi used to do at my store"  was a beautiful Maltese.  Beautiful white hair to the ground, top knot all tied up in a bow.  I really thought I was hallucinating!!!  Carl was just standing there laugting.  Well this precious little Matlesse's owner could not speak English and of course again I speak nada Spanish, but you get two women  Matlese owners together and no language is needed.  She is going to make some calls for me tomorrow and we are on a quest to find her little Meho a girlfriend and me a new companion.  We want little nietos and nietas together.  It was just so great to see a Maltese, they certainly stay true to their breed wherever they are.  As I went to give this lady a hug and kiss goodbye, because  now we are not only best friends but related, her little precious growled at me for touching his mamma!  You just have to love them!

Ok, Ok, Ok, I guess I didn't give ya'll enough of the rest of the story.  So here is the whole truth and nothing but the truth.  After enough "Viva Oruro" followed by a very deadly drink called the "Shufly" Carl started enjoying the Oruro dances a little more.  By 4 in the morning he was enjoying everything a lot, especially himself.  You know how drunks think they are the funniest people on earth, well Carl thought he invented funny.  Got him in the taxi, and home, had to sit him on the curb while I paid the taxi.  The doorman was really helpful and thought Carl was truly the funniest gringo he had ever seen. Glad they were both enjoying themselves so much! Got him on the elevator, passed our floor several times, as he thought he was in Vegas playing Kino with all the numbers in the elevator.  Was very careful with him in the apt., we are on the 9th floor and have several open balconies.  He immediately wanted to share the evenings experience with his best amigo in the states, he gets on the computer and is typing away.  Here is a sample of the text, "weeee had thee  mmush  fnnnnn        2niteeeeeeeeee "  ,etc at which point he fell out of the chair.  Now I have been around with Carl a lot, and have never seen him wasted, seriously and not that this is something to be truly proud of, but the man can drink with anyone and never have it affect him, that night or the next morning.  Well the cow has come home folks, I put him to bed and finished his e-mail to his friend, about 30 min. in all and he laid in bed and continued to laugh at himself the whole time.  I have never seen a drunk enjoy his own company as much as he did.  The next day we had a wonderful BBQ to go to, and needless to say our host was very preplexed to find something Carl wanted to drink.  Finally a simple Coca Cola con limon was the ticket.  We had a lot of "splain'n to do Lucy".  They all thought his Shufly story was wonderful, but could not believe he had  more than 2.  Something about it being a Bolivian law that you can't drink more that 2 Shuflies!!!

This actually has nothing to do with anything I posted today, but I love the picture.  It is at Corpus Christi, Tx. when Carl was home for Christmas.  Just a fun picture!  Anyway what I want to say is that I like Carl have trouble thinking ahead when publishing post, so please go down to Carl's post and work your way back to the top and my messages will be in order.  Or not, that will be just like talking to me in person as I am A.D.D. and jump around a lot never finishing a sentence or thought!  Example picture at left!