The View from Here

This was a photo I took and "photoshopped" it into a
more artistic format. Hope you enjoy the view!

The view from here, as long as we are not in the clouds from the rain, is lovely and peaceful. Yesterday we saw a rare blue butterfly with wings of the most heavenly azure iridescent color. It flew within inches of me as I saw having a cup of tea and I realized how fortunate I am to be here now. Even with all the rain and the various "michus" (pests), I am becoming part of the picture, not just an observer.

The pueblo of Barichara sits high on a ridge of volcanic
strata. And much of the ground is this iron-filled clay
which makes a nice rammed earth home, but doesn't
come out once it stains the clothes.

On Wednesdays and Saturdays, while I am here, I am part of the local chorus preparing for the Christmas festivities. It is chance that is rare because non-natives are not usually included and I am getting a chance to learn music in Spanish! And to learn the local festival songs as well...

This "waya" or street to the finca was under-
mined by the ditch being dug which filled up
with water. Poor planning and bad results.

I love this village and the people I am meeting. My dream would be to have a place of my own to come back to, but for now I have to take care of personal business first. For those who have been following this blog, it is with sadness that I report that my traveling companion, Jey-hu, and I have parted ways. The details are a detraction from the beauty of this land, very like the corruption that lurks within the management of Barichara causing the streets to be impassable because of bad decisions and the weather.

So it is with someone who has chosen to be less than forthright, undermining a partnership, making it impossible to travel on the same road together.

All the rain has benefits when the sun shines; the sunflowers
bloom and bring wonderful seeds for man and beast to eat!

So, while the rains have been falling, they wash away roads and yet nurture the land. My life is similar - a road has been washed away in terms of having a planned route and there have been tears. But the sun is going to shine again and I do not regret this journey one bit.