Lima general life update

Hello! So, I haven't written anything here in a while because life has fallen into a more or less normal pattern. I take the micro-bus to class 3 days a week, go to parties/bars/dance-clubs on the weekends (often), and hang around the house on the computer a bunch!
The top picture here is from a concert I played with: a friend from my own university, 2 French students we met here who are also studying at la Catolica, and a Peruvian drummer! It was at a Jazz bar (as you may have gathered) and there were a fair number of people there invited by the French folks. We played mostly songs written by the French pianist, a couple of mine, and a couple by the other person from my school.
The second picture is of part of the apartment complex right near my house. It's really big, like a whole city block, and comprised of maybe 20 apartment buildings of all shapes and sizes. In between are lots of trees and parks, and a couple primary schools for the nin~os- and NO roads. On the first floor around the base of each building are little shops and cafes. I really dig the place, but my family tells me the district government wants to tear it all down to build a shopping complex. When I first arrived every night at 8 oclock all the residents would hang out the windows of their apartments banging pots and pans in protest. I don't know where the negotiations are at right now- I'll find out!
I haven't taken my camera out and about much recently, but I'll start doin' it more often. I think I may even start putting some videos up on youtube...

Marcahuasi Si Mismo

This is Marcahuasi itself, a plateau where supposedly mysterious things happen in the fog. You can see theres that pit sorta thing where everybody camps- we didn't camp there as I told ya, and that was fine with us cause look how crowded! The last foto is the Giant Famous Head that was, they say, carved by an aspiring Martian sculptor. So that's about it for that little trip! I have some more pictures I'll show you when I get back, eh?

Marcahuasi Tres

These were taken during the climb to Marcahuasi. The last photo is of the pueblo where the buses had to stop and then ya hike the rest of the way. Originally we were going to go all the way up the first afternoon, but we got in late and it got dark and started raining so we stopped half-way or so. Had to construct the tent in the rain and we all got wet and cold and were decently miserable. But as you can see in the first photo, we woke up (not that we slept), got out of the tent, and were like 'Whoa!'

Heading '2' Marcahuasi

The first 3 pictures of of Huinco, a little village before the really serious mountain roads where 10 or so vendors like the red one set up to sell choclo con queso (corn with cheese- popular) and various coke and nestle products to tourists. I took the fourth picture during an unplanned stop- something was up with one of the buses but it got solved pretty fast.

The Magic Plateau Marcahuasi (1)

Firstly, thanks to youall who posted comments on the last entry, I like finding 'em! However, I'm going to ignore them right now in order to tell you about the little trip I just took into the mountains. It will be choc-full of mouth-watering vistas for all you greedy vicarious travelers. :-D

So this week was/is la Semana Santa, or Saint's week, which has something to do with Jesus and Catholicism, and results in a 4 day weekend for the students of Lima, Peru. There was a time when the idea was to use these extra days for worship and family, but newer generations have rejected the boring ways of their ancestors and taken to traveling instead. I had the VERY good luck to be invited with another student from I.U. and several people they live with on a trip to the mountain site Marcahuasi. I feel like I should avoid posting names or pictures of the people I went with 'till I get their permission, but here's the story briefly:

Our bus departed the downtown district of Lima at 6 am 'Peruvian time' (8 am) Thursday. It was a micro, the same sort that dominates the public transport scene, crammed with about 11 passengers and 3 employees and all our junk. On the way out we passed through some poorer neighborhoods, which photos are above. I can't really format pictures and text satisfactorily with this website, but I'll make another post with more pictures...

unos imagenes del barrio

Jesus Maria

For anyone interested (such as John!) I colored my neighborhood, Jesus Maria, black. I am just now recovering from a week of illness (swollen throat!), but today I'll go out and take some 'pics' of the 'hood'.