Touching the Old World in the Balkans
It was hard to bid farewell to Venice as it is such an amazing city. The water, the art, the culture of old and new. Plus, just by chance we happened to meet a couple we had shared time with in the Swiss Alps on our way to the Top of Europe. Saying good-bye is difficult so we stopped saying that and now just part with “cheers, see you at some future stop.” We wave and board the high speed ferry.
1. Across the Gulf of Venezia to the Adriatic.
The feelings of melancholy on leaving Venice do not last long. We have luxurious seating on the upper deck of our high-speed catamaran. We were no more than 25 minutes into our four-hour trip when we chanced to meet a young couple from Queens (New York). He, a deeply tanned, ebullient young man (perhaps Sean at a more mature age), who grew up in the Dominican Republic. She, from a small town just a few minutes from where our friends from Victoria are staying with their families near Labina in Istria.
They travel back to Croatia each year to spend time with her family and then return to the bustle of New York, where their lives are centred. We exchanged travel tips (places to go and things to see) and shared stories of our varied families, homes and views of the world. Ah, she also mentioned she is a skydiver, and they loved the pictures of our experience paragliding high over the Alps when in Interlaken visiting friends. It would be great to meet this young couple again.
Croatia appears in the north as we travel past Pula, near the southern tip of Istria and glide into Rabac harbour. The hillsides are covered with colourful homes and great bursts of flowering shrubs. The harbour below is filled with boats, and the sidewalks with people. We are greeted at the terminal by our friends Adriano, Rosana and their daughter Vanessa. They never expected we would one day meet them in the country where they grew up.
2: Meeting the Families of Friends from Victoria
Our trip to meet Adriano’s mom and dad (we met them ten years earlier when they visited Victoria – his dad and I are only four months apart in age) is very quick as Adriano is free to drive in his preferred style (fast and furious with traffic control signs acting only as a very loose guideline that can be observed or not as impulse might dictate.
After a short visit, we are off to meet Rosana’s parents, who are also just visiting from Victoria (also our neighbour’s Royal Oak)) who maintain a home where Rosana grew up (5 minutes from Adriano’s childhood home). Present is her grandfather, two uncles, an aunt and several other relatives and friends.
Her parents are leaving the next day (after six weeks) and heading back to Victoria. They kindly offered us the use of their home for a couple of days while we got oriented. They have been in the process of renovating over the past few years, and it is a lovely place in a farm setting alongside other relatives.
Even though we have a language barrier, we feel most welcome. To give you a sense of this small farm area (as compared to our homes in Alberta, these homes and large tracts of land have been in these families for 400 500 years or more – no one knows how far the families stretch back. It is clear that all things being equal, these homes will stay in the families for hundreds of years into the future as they pass from family to family, and even those that live in other countries maintain a share.
The homes themselves are built to last hundreds of years as the walls are nearly a foot thick, and the tile on each roof looks to last a hundred years after an installation and periodic repair. They also have smoke and curing rooms that are not used as much now but still serve the families well. There is also the “vina room”, where each family prepares ample quantities each year from grapes grown on their vineyards with meticulous care.
The wine flows freely, and the food is sumptuous. Lynn has even taken to having a glass of wine at the most unusual of times (did I catch her having a little vino at breakfast?). In the early afternoon of our second day, Adriano and Rosana leave to drive her parents back to Zagreb for their flight back to Canada. The parting is touching as tears are evident in the eyes of the whole family – they all maintain close family connections even though they spend most of their lives living thousands of miles apart.
Lynn and I will long treasure meeting with these families and count the visit to Istria as among the highlights of our travels over the past several months.
Three hundred and forty stair steps down from our residence to the central harbour, but it seems like 680 when climbing back up with a 5 kg backpack after a day of swimming, sunning and touring (and a few wine). Again we have wonderful hosts who greet us in the morning with hot water for our coffee and a jigger of snaps that we certainly cannot refuse.
Even Lynn, the trooper she is, accepts the offer.
We would like to speak to them in other than broken Croatian and sign language. For example, she took our laundry today and even ironed my “no need for iron” shirt even though she is housebound as she cannot negotiate the long flight of steps to the street to their home. As for Lynn and Harold, we continue to walk whenever possible, and yesterday came back from the old city of Labin along a five km trail that was rough but scenic as we descended about 1000 feet from the original Roman city to Rabac (Istria and the Dalmation Coast were for many centuries part of the Roman empire, and in the early 20th century part of Italy (until severed after WW2 when given to Yugoslavia).
Along the path from Labin, we met a family from the Netherlands who, as we have come to expect in these chance meetings, have common bonds. They lived in Victoria for one year while he was on a contract at the Graving Dock in Victoria overseeing the refitting of a Dutch Ship. As well, one of their married sons now lives and works in Victoria (his office right on the Inner Harbour), and his wife is from Victoria). They are doing a bike tour of Croatia (sounds like a lot of work on these hot afternoons).
Adriano and Rosana’s son (Michael) and two buddies (Kyle and Alex – both friends with Sean from soccer) arrived for a two-week stay. They will likely find Rabac to their liking as the beaches are swarming with young women from all over Europe, and the girls seem to outnumber the boys by 2-1. I don’t suppose it hinders their interest in that most of these beaches are topless (as they were, strangely enough, in Holland).
From the time we arrived, the language barrier has been more significant than we have experienced thus far. This may be because the area we visit attracts many folks from other parts of the Balkans and from more eastern European countries (we have met several from Poland). While those in the tourism industry speak English, there are many Canadians in the tourist mix – the eight of us from Victoria probably make up 80%+ of the Canadians.
In any event, we will continue to enjoy the sights (Lynn keeps jabbing me in the ribs on that count) and the sounds of a country filled with warm and welcoming people who are only now recovering from the recent challenges in the economy and the political unrest that has characterized the Balkans for so many years over the past half-century. That is partly why so many of their young people have chosen to look for greener (if not warmer) pastures abroad.
4 Cultural Differences
After a few days in Rabac we are struck by the fact that we’ve never seen a policeman and only heard one siren (that of an ambulance). If there are liquor laws, they are very lax (or perhaps unnecessary) as you can drink at leisure with your lunch on the beach or in the park, and all stores, including convenience stores, have an ample supply. Likewise, the “optional top” draws little attention on any beach.
In the evening, the 4-5 kilometers of waterfront walkways are filled with people, and there are several clubs for food, dancing and general entertainment. By midnight everything is still packed as these folks tend to eat their evening meal very late as many businesses close for the afternoon (1:00 – 5:00), and there are few people on the street.
In many respects, this city is much like any water-based tourist centre in BC or Alberta. We have yet to see a drunk or disturbance on the beach, sidewalks, or club. Everyone, young and old, behaves civilly and young and old alike mix freely at every location. We have been to Penticton and Alberta Beach during the peak summer holiday season and witnessed disorderly conduct and near-riot conditions. Countries that have grown with few laws regarding substance use (particularly alcohol) tend to have fewer problems.
Now all is not goodness and light as it seems “soccer hooliganism” is a way of life for some folks in more than one European country. At a game recently played in Zagreb, the stands were devoid of fans as the Croatian team squared off in a playdown match. As a penalty for recent fan behaviour by the Croatian supporters, FIFA would not allow any fans for the home matches. While spending several years with FIFA and CSA organizing and attending International games, Lynn and I have witnessed our fair share of soccer hooliganism even in our own country (e.g. Toronto in 2007 with riot, a bus destroyed and teargas to disperse the crown). It was strange to see a game (broadcast on TV) playing to empty stands in a large stadium.
5. My Soul Mate in Life
Lynn and I have not been home in Victoria for our past ten Anniversaries, so why would we expect Number Eleven (or 25 as is the case) be any different? Many of our absences have been while on holidays – 2008 Mom’s Birthday Party in Cold Lake, 2007 with friends in Montreal, 2006, heaven knows, but it was not in Victoria, 2005 Kamloops (Kari and Ed’s Wedding) and so on. Over the years, more often than not, it has been Cold Lake while visiting family. That is good as that is where we married 25 years ago on Mom and Dad’s farm in Cold Lake.
Living through 25 years does take a bit of work, but the exciting part was to have spent those 25 years with Lynn. She is my soul mate and my life companion during the ups and downs that life throws at you. Now we are hobo travelling buddies as we backpack around Europe and other parts of the world. We now get to share so many beautiful parts of the world. We can survive as we have done well so far. The dramatic change in lifestyle since Lynn retired from full-time work and me from organizing soccer games and events means we now pay our way but do not have the work involved with the other. In that case, we shall be able to tackle anything the next 25 can throw at us.
For our Anniversary celebration, we will board a make-believe pirate ship and sail off to some Island in the Adriatic (Isle of Cres I think). If things hold true to form, we will no doubt make some new friends and will have new experiences we can share each other and with you. As we sail along, we have ample time to contemplate the many people who have helped us reach so many milestones in our lives.
I love you Lynn, it has been a wonderful 25 years.
6 On Places to Stay and People We Meet
We have become adept at finding economical and friendly places to stay, as you may have gathered from many of our earlier stories. B&Bs, hotels (Ibis, Mercury, etc. – usually located near bus/train stations for late-night arrivals), University hostels and, periodically, private homes of friends. Only once since we left Victoria some months ago have we booked in advance (San Malo) even though we were sometimes tired and perhaps a little testy from a long day of travel.
In Rabac, following our two-day stay with friends, we found a private home that rents rooms. It was owned by an elderly couple (I use the word endearingly as you might say I am an older man travelling with a younger woman) – don’t you think Lynn is looking lovely with her emerging dark tan?). (Harold has asked me to read and edit his notes but really ‘what can one say to that!!)
We have a room with a beautiful view of the Adriatic all at the cost of about $40 Canadian per night (consider that four and five star hotels start at $350 Canadian per night). The owners do not speak a word of English, but we have learned much about their family – they have two children and three grandchildren; one child is a Doctor in a small community in Istria, and the other an auto mechanic in Rijeka). She has three sisters and six brothers, and her husband has ten siblings. They have been married for 50 years. It would be so interesting to hear more about their lives.
The woman reminds us so much of our moms – welcoming, proud, nurturing – both she and her husband have taken to greeting us in the morning with an ounce and a half of schnapps, coffee and special dishes (flat pancakes of the Norwegian type, fried bread, meats and an assortment of other goodies (note: this is not a bed and breakfast). This is particularly noteworthy as this sweet lady is mostly housebound as she has injuries to both knees, her back is in a brace, and there are at least 50 steps down from their home to the nearest road. I pack the weekly garbage down to the road below as her husband is away somewhere and she is left to wash the sheets and clean the rooms. We shall miss this wonderful couple and will take away fond memories of our stay in their home.
7. Off top Slovania
Slovenia, immediately north of Croatia, takes us on a 2½ hour bus trip by several seaside communities and through the city of Rijeka (a main port at the north end of the Adriatic). The road winds high into the mountains on a coastal route reminiscent of British Columbia. Notably, there is only sparse settlement, and the mountainsides covered with heavy second-growth trees with a small smattering of conifers (I think I have the general name right).
This area once had many more conifers, but they may have been clear cut at one time (a la BC), and the growth we see now has returned as a deciduous second growth. Nevertheless, the coastline is picturesque and has numerous secluded swimming spots that appear to be well used by the locals and, perhaps, return tourists. Both the coastal highway and later the four lane divided freeway is pristine (clearly marked and with many viewpoints along the route). Everything looks brand new.
Slovania is a member of the EU and appears to be somewhat more commercially advanced. Both countries have a small populations, probably in the range of 2-3 million and, I suppose, well over three quarters live in the larger centres as in most countries. Slovenia is more influenced by the cultures to the north (Austria, Germany), whereas Croatia is more to the south (Mediterranean) as the architecture changes quickly between the two countries.
We visited the Postojnska Jama (Caves), apparently the largest in Europe, and were not disappointed. On a small train, we travelled several kilometres into the mountain and entered absolutely cavernous areas filled with stalactites and stalagmites. We proceeded for a further 1500 meters on foot, and at one point, the lights went out (briefly). It was pitch black with children screaming for their mothers, men and women crying, dogs howling, and cats screaming. CNN was probably reporting live …. thank heavens, this was not Transylvania, or we would have all been bled out ….ha, ha).
8. Well Uncle Buck, It’s Plains and Trains and Automobiles
To paraphrase my mother: well Uncle Buck, we have done castles and caves, churches … we now add a Collesium .. Roman that is. Pula wss under the direction of the Julius Claudius dynasty starting about 100 BCE; this is one of the six largest coliseums of ancient Rome. They did it all in this amphitheatre: theatre, gladiator fights, and fights between gladiators and animals (lions I suppose). Sitting in the stands, it is not hard to imagine being here 2000 years ago. The Roman influence throughout this entire region is extensive.
I think it would be too hot to fight off the lions today as the temp in the stadium is about 38C. Considering these ruins have been here for over 2000 years, they remain fairly intact, and more is being restored all the time. Even the plastic chairs they excavated in 2008 (photo 4) are in remarkable shape. I guess the plastic was shielded from the effects of ultra violet rays by being covered in dirt!!!! Names still appear on some of the chairs (Julius, Claudius, Flavious, Cassia, Calpurnia, Aelia, etc.)
We have finished the “a’s” (art, artisans, airports, airplanes) and think we will now need to leave the “c” words alone as you can only do so many castles, caves, churches and colliseums. We will also ease up on the “b’s” (beaches, boats, buses). Ah, perhaps we need to move on …… ha, ha (methinks perhaps Harold has had a bit too much of the heat by this posting!!)
9 Domestic Bliss
We have recently been travelling in a part of the world where the marriage roles seem more traditional than Lynn, and I have practiced over the past 25 years. As we are embarking on our next 25 it makes sense (to me at least) to try becoming a bit more traditional in our roles by taking on new challenges.
As you may note in the attached pictures, I have become more immersed in work and the local culture rather than just tourist, tourist, tourist. I find relief by taking a bit of time to work with others. That helps me gets me closer to the “culture”. Lynn’s not all that impressed by the young woman I’m helping to tend the bar on the waterfront. Also, a couple of days a week crewing on a ship is just the thing to release those travel pressures that build up. I am also interested in indulging a bit more on my photo interests as the scenery here, as I have mentioned, is lovely. And finally, it is nice when I get home to do a little writing before dinner is served.
This is not entirely selfish as it will give Lynn time to pursue some of the more traditional marriage roles for which she lost touch due to her full time work at the Pension Corp. Now that she is retired, she can pursue these things without feeling so tired at the end of the day. We are also very much attuned to preserving the environment in every way possible (just as my mom did). Don’t you love this dedication to a cause?
Well, I am sad to say, Lynn has read this post on Facebook, looked at the pictures and, I don’t know why, does not share my enthusiasm for exploring new roles. As a matter of fact she became quite verbal in expressing her thoughts on this subject, and consequently, as you will note in the final photo, she has some ideas of her own. Oh well, as a good husband, I will take time to let her indulge her fantasies.
We have considered moving south but it appears that the travel ‘anomalies’ become increasingly more evident as we move south to Albania, Bosnia, etc. We have also found the language barrier to be more challenging since we entered the Balkans and aren’t certain if we are ‘sufficiently seasoned’ (or up to date in our charades) to tackle this.
We have decided to take the “Hobo Traveler” advice – if your travel plans are not working to your advantage, just rethink your plans. Well to this end, Lynn got on the web and promptly found Ryan Air seats to London, one way from Pula, for about $100 Can each (all included). I now firmly believe that Lynn will soon have the airlines paying us to travel with them.
We decided, instead, to spend more time with Aunt Jessie in Oxford. Lynn has also found a good rate on an early return flight to Canada which we are seriously considering. Our change in planning is partly aimed at taking advantage of an invitation to visit Australia (Lynn’s uncle) and New Zealand (friends we met along the way and Vicki’s family) in late September-early October.
This would also allow us to spend some time in Canada with family, travel back to Cold Lake for part of August in order to complete some work at that end, and home to Victoria for the month of September while Sean and Brendan are away in Toronto on business. We would be able to spend time with Jay and relax a bit at home.
While the plan is tentative at this point – we are beginning to turn our thoughts to home and are excited about seeing all of you, hearing how your summer has been and sharing some of our experiences/photos with you. With Lynn’s finesse in picking reasonable costs for our flights we should be in good shape whatever our direction we travel.
Bye, Bye Croatia, Hello Again London.
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Oak Bay Retirees 1994 – 2020
Hello Everyone,
The photos contained in this slide show were taken between 1994 and 2019. The inaugural meeting of the Oak Bay Municipality Retired Employees was held in 1994 at the Imperial Inn (now the Capital City Centre Hotel), at 1961 Douglas Street.
Ruth Milling, who retired as Payroll Clerk in 1991, was the primary organizer of this group and for 25 years was the person who scouted out locations, discussed menus, organized helpers, figured out door prizes and did all the things that make for successful get-togethers. For that, and so much more, all the Oak Bay Retirees owe her many thanks. She cared about us while we were employees, and she continues to care about us now.
Patricia Walker
Treasurer (Retired)
Music Credit: ABBA, I Have a Dream, and, Joan Baez, Forever Young.
The photos in the album were in pretty good shape, however it’s nearly impossible to copy them without losing some quality. Because we tried to include every photo, some will not be as good as we might have wished. If anyone has an interest in getting more information on names, please send an email to Patricia or myself.
The blog site on which you are watching this slideshow includes a number of police stories from over the years. They are included in the index section on the left side.
Regards
Harold McNeill
Oak Bay Police (1964 – 1994)
Email: harold@mcneillifestories.com
Oak Bay Raeside Cartoons
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The Falkland Islands
For Lynn, Esther and Garth, this was not exactly Abby Road, but they tried. One thing for certain, the Falkland Islands are British to the core.
(Check out the Slideshow (2.41 minutes) in the footer)
Links to other Posts
A South American Adventure The introductory Post
Peru, A Different Perspective: Includes Slideshow
Peru and the Inca: Back to the Future Inca Agricultural Research
A Long Day, A Hard Life: Comparisons between Peru and Canada
This post developed from an earlier Facebook entry.
While in the Falklands I met a few people in the local Constabulary (The Royal Falklands Police) some of whom were retired police members from other Commonwealth countries (mainly Britain). A few traveled to the Falklands in order to take on a two-year assignment. While a few will likely return, others are there to stay. I was fascinated by the mix of old and new in the department HQ, as it was much like the department where I spent my thirty-year career.
Lynn encouraged me to consider applying as she stated she would be more than happy to move to the Falklands for a couple of years. Given the friendly people and a climate not all that different from our home here in Victoria, it seems certain we would love the place and its people. If I was a decade younger, and without as many irons in the fire as here in Victoria, it is something I would consider. Oh, and it felt good to be back in the harness. Of the many things I loved about being in the service, was walking the street in uniform and greeting people. Ah, perhaps in the next life the opportunity will arise.
What it means to be a Falklander
Even though the permanent resident population is small (3400) it operates as a Parliamentary Dependency under a Constitutional Monarchy. The people I spoke to (police, fire, ambulance) left me with the impression the Falklands War helped the Islanders to coalesce as a country with purpose. I was told that prior to the war, they pretty much existed without seeing themselves with a collective purpose and a vision for the future, other than being British.
One of the downsides in the aftermath of the war is the acrimony that continues with Argentina. The result, most trade, and essential needs are met by traveling to Chili, or Uruguay, their nearest friendly neighbors, and, if necessary, to Britain, which, for a return trip, is over well over half a world away (26,000 km).
With only one flight in (and out) each week, the country remains relatively isolated. Even though the permanent population is small, they have excellent public facilities, with schools, recreation, businesses, etc. being as good or, in many cases, better than you might find in many small towns in Canada. I suppose that’s why temporary workers coming to the country qualify for many perks (vehicle, housing assistance, etc.) as that helps to make their journey doubly worthwhile.
While specialized hospital care and advanced treatment facilities are limited, the government provides free transport and pays all the costs of those who must travel out of the country for treatment. We heard of one resident who has been confined to a hospital in England for over a year.
Tourism and Employment
With over 55,000 cruise tourists each year and a further 1,400 land-based travellers, the Islands are always in desperate need of full and part-time employees, across the spectrum, from labour to professional. If I was a young person (professional or otherwise) and wanted a change, I would certainly look at the Falklands as a place to do something very different, particularly if they wished to get away from the rat race of a big city.
The young man in this photo (our tour guide) came to the Falklands with his bride and they now have their first child (born on the Islands). They intend on returning to England in a couple of years, but I wonder if they will.
I think she is employed as a teacher and he as a tour guide during the season and in other jobs in the offseason. I sense they both love life on the Islands and may well decide to stay.
What caught Lynn and Esther’s attention was the number of craft shops. I rather expect the two of them, the crafters they are could make a reasonably good living by creating in the winter and selling to the tourists during the short tourist season.
Now, a bit more about the weather. First, we are told the wind never stops and, in addition, it is likely always a bit chilly. If you are a sun and sand lover, the Falklands is probably not a good choice. While, as mentioned, the range in weather is much like Victoria, in that part of the Atlantic (12oo kilometers from the Antarctic Peninsula), and a stone’s throw from the tip of South America, you are close to a stretch of water that goes down in the books as one of the most dangerous on the planet.
As large cruise ships cannot dock, passengers must travel to the Island by tender and while the weather was moderately good on our trip, our tender was still handily tossed about as evidenced by at least a couple of folks becoming rather seasick. In the footer, I have added a bit more information about the Falklands from my friend Wiki.
Following is a short slideshow of our ever so short visit.
Song: Welcome to my Little Corner of the World
by Connie Smith (a 1960 Country Hit)
A bit more background from Wiki:
The Falkland Islands (/ˈfɔːlklənd/; Spanish: Islas Malvinas, pronounced [ˈislas malˈβinas]) is an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean on the Patagonian Shelf. The principal islands are about 300 miles (483 kilometres) east of South America‘s southern Patagonian coast, and about 752 miles (1,210 kilometres) from the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, at a latitude of about 52°S.
The archipelago, with an area of 4,700 square miles (12,000 square kilometres), comprises East Falkland, West Falkland and 776 smaller islands. As a British overseas territory, the Falklands have internal self-governance, and the United Kingdom takes responsibility for their defence and foreign affairs. The Falkland Islands’ capital is Stanley on East Falkland.
Controversy exists over the Falklands’ discovery and subsequent colonization by Europeans. At various times, the islands have had French, British, Spanish, and Argentine settlements. Britain reasserted its rule in 1833, although Argentina maintains its claim to the islands.
In April 1982, Argentine forces temporarily occupied the islands. British administration was restored two months later at the end of the Falklands War. Most Falklanders favour the archipelago remaining a UK overseas territory, but its sovereignty status is part of an ongoing dispute between Argentina and the United Kingdom.
The population (3,398 inhabitants in 2016)[7] primarily consists of native-born Falkland Islanders, the majority of British descent. Other ethnicities include French, Gibraltarian and Scandinavian. Immigration from the United Kingdom, the South Atlantic island of Saint Helena, and Chile has reversed a population decline. The predominant (and official) language is English. Under the British Nationality (Falkland Islands) Act 1983, Falkland Islanders are British citizens.
The islands lie on the boundary of the subantarctic oceanic and tundra climate zones, and both major islands have mountain ranges reaching 2,300 feet (700 m). They are home to large bird populations, although many no longer breed on the main islands because of competition from introduced species. Major economic activities include fishing, tourism and sheep farming, with an emphasis on high-quality wool exports. Oil exploration, licensed by the Falkland Islands Government, remains controversial as a result of maritime disputes with Argentina.
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A South American Adventure
South America: From the Pampas of Argentina to the Peruvian Andes and
Machu Picchu: A tour of south central, South America
For a representative series of photos, Link Here)
(Note: The Falklands Islands is included on the tour, but was not included in the above map – reference the photo series for a second map)
Update: February 25, 2019. We are now back in Canada and the process of writing several short posts about our experience is underway. The post will not be written in chronological order. A list of links will be added here:
Peru, A Different Perspective: Includes 12-minute slideshow of photos taken through the windows of planes, trains, and automobiles.
Peru and the Inca: Back to the Future: Compares the science of the Inca to that taking place in the University of Victoria today.
South America: A Long Day, a Hard Life: Comparisons between South America and Canada
The Falkland Islands: Our Perceptions of the Islands.
Original
Looking for something exciting to kick off the New Year in 2019? Yes? Well, we invite you to join Garth and Esther Dunn, Lynn and Harold McNeill and a host of like-minded adventurers on a 3-4 week air, sea, coach, and rail tour of south-central South America and the Falklands. Highlight – Machu Picchu!
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South America: A Long Day, A Hard Life
A long day, a hard life.
A South American Adventure The introductory Post
Peru, A Different Perspective: Includes Slideshow
Peru and the Inca: Back to the Future Inca Agricultural Research
The Falkland Islands: Our Perceptions of the Islands.
This post seeks to compare everyday life in rural and small-town Peru to our lives in Canada. While I think people in Peru are generally happy with their lives (in terms of family, friends, and neighbours), life does look to be far more difficult than in Canada. It makes me wonder why, in Canada, we seem to complain about the least little thing when our standard of living and level of privilege appears to be considerably higher than in Peru.
1. To what extent does luck play a role in our lives?
A man about my age (late 70s), pushed what looked to be a backbreaking load along a street in Aguas Calientes (I), the last small town before Machu Picchu. He stopped and leaned over breathing hard. After resting a few moments, he straightened, stretched, and with gritty determination grabbed the handles of his wheelbarrow and continued.
As we passed, our eyes met, he nodded and we smiled. While he was obviously weary, the smile and sparkling eyes suggested a happy man. As he continued along his uphill path, I continued down taking more photos of life in small-town Peru. A few minutes later, I met another man pushing a similar barrow full of goods (photo in the footer), and he too wore a happy smile accented with sparkling eyes. We also exchanged smiles and passing nods. It looked to be a tough life for the two men their later years.
Later that day, while passing through another small town, a group of townspeople (photo taken from our bus as we drove through) was cleaning (or rebuilding) a drainage ditch. We are told by our guide that everyone in small towns sprinkled across rural Peru, have a standing obligation to help build, then keep public works systems clean and functioning. It looked to be a tough way to spend the weekend, but there is also the aspect of a community working together to make life better for everyone.
This photo shows only one part of a large group of people spread over two or three blocks on the edge of their village. They were working to build or repair a drainage system, an essential part of these high mountain communities (we were outside Cuzco at about 12,500 feet at the time).
The photo below, along with a slideshow) provides a glimpse of a group of women, ancestors of the Inca, who, with the help of a National Geographic grant, started a weaving business a few years back. They now have a thriving operation that caters to an increasing number of tourists passing through their village of Chinchero, a community of about 20,000 Quechua (catch ur ah) speakers, located on a 12,500-foot plateau a few miles northeast of Cuzco.
While they work exceptionally hard (by our standards at least), their efforts provide only a modest living for their families. A full outline of their business venture is described in a National Geographic article of some years back. Such is the working life for many ordinary men and women in Peru and other South American countries.
These women may work several weeks creating one table cloth or a day creating three or four little belts that are sold for $2.00 each.. They may sell one or two belts per day and a table runner every week or so. It may be weeks before they sell one of their intricately woven table cloths. Every part of the weaving process uses natural products of Peru including the dyes which are handmade on site. (Chinchero Cultural Centre)
WEAVERS SLIDESHOW
Think about this. If we were dealt different cards in life, we could be any one of these men or women, and they could be us. Whether we carry a heavy load in the third world, or we lay back watching a big screen TV in Canada (a smartphone tucked by our side) a good part of the reason we are where we are, is based on the luck of our birth.
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Peru and the Inca: Back to the Future
Moray Archeological Site: These concentric rings, each raised by a height of four feet, reach a depth of 100 feet. The rings and partial rings create twenty-five distinct climatic conditions. This arrangement allowed the Inca, using scientific methods, to develop seed crops best suited to many different climatic conditions across the nation. (1)(2)
South America Post Links (these South America posts are not written in the order of travel)
A South American Adventure The introductory Post
Peru, A Different Perspective: Includes Slideshow
Peru and the Inca: Back to the Future Inca Agricultural Research
The Falkland Islands: Our Perceptions of the Islands.
Back to the Future: How the Inca Nation Lead the Way
There are many things to be learned by visiting civilizations past and it’s doubly so with the Inca Nation. Although we only had seven days in Peru, it did not take long to realize just how influential the Inca people were, both in history and in the Peru of today.
In history, the Inca left behind cultural, religious and scientific legacies that continue to astound scientists, historians, and visitors to this very day. In the present day, and since the near-destruction of the nation in the 16th Century, ancestors of the Inca continue to rebuild the historical sights, traditions and religious practices which served their ancestors so well. It is a history about which our world can learn much.
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Peru, A Different Perspective
(Click to open to full size)
(A 12-minute slideshow can be linked in the footer)
This photo, taken while en route to Cusco, along with several others in the slideshow linked below, was taken through the windows of buses, trains, and aircraft as we traveled around Peru. As you can see in the above photo, the rivers, roads, and towns very clearly come into view (click photo to open to full size)
Surprisingly, with a little touchup work to remove some of the reflections, the photos provide some insight into the travel challenges faced by Peruvians as they go about their daily lives.
South America Post Links
A South American Adventure Introductory Post
Peru and the Inca: Back to the Future Inca Agricultural Research
South America: A Long Day, a Hard Iife Comparisons to Canada
The Falkland Islands: Our Perceptions of the Islands.
Peru, a view through the glass of planes, trains, and buses.
As we flew to Cusco, the religious centre of the Inka (original spelling) culture and the gateway to Machu Picchu, breaks in the clouds presented our first opportunity to view Peru from a 32,000-foot perspective. The enhanced introductory photos that serve as the lead in this slideshow, reveal the rugged terrain where people most certainly live and work at the top of the world. That world ranges from sea level to 16,700 feet. Eight of the ten highest mines in the world are located in Peru, with the town of La Rinconada, 30,000 residents, sitting at the 16,700-foot level, the highest town in the world.
The majority of staple crops in Peru are cultivated from 1,000 meters (3200 feet) to 3,900 meters (almost 13,000 feet) with several hundred varieties of potatoes being developed and are shipped around the world. Quinoa, another staple of Peru, is grown from about 2,300 metres (7500 feet) to 3,900 metres (13,000 feet).
Maize, another principle crop, is commonly grown to the 3,500 meters (11,500 feet) in favourable conditions. It was the ingenuity of the ancestors of the Peruvian people (the Inca’s and others) in developing crop strains that grew well under adverse conditions, that allowed them to feed the people with less than 2% of land in the country suitable for agricultural use.
“The highest altitude in the Andes at which people have resided permanently is 17,100 feet (shepherds in southern Peru) and, as temporary workers, 18,500 to 19,000 feet (Carrasco Mine, in the Atacama Desert, Chile).” (The Mountain People).
In several of the lead photos, you can discern the switchback network leading from one community to the next and when traveling by bus, we seldom covered more than a few kilometers with entering a network of switchbacks. In one photo, I happened to capture an open pit mine and in another a dust cloud that appears to be from another mine.
Later, when travelling by bus, a perplexing question arose – why were so many towns completely devoid of people. I’m not just talking about only a few people on the streets, often there was not a single a sole to be seen. Perhaps everyone left for work before we arrived (late morning) and never came home until late in the afternoon (after we left)?
“The daily life of the residents of Peru’s cities varies with social class. Relatively few of the poorer residents have good jobs within the formal Peruvian economy; often they must work two or three jobs, and they have less leisure time than other Peruvians. Such people make up the majority of the population in squatter settlements that surround the major urban areas.” (Daily Life and Social Customs)
On landing in Cusco, we had our first taste of life at 11,500 feet, and after walking a short distance from the aircraft to the departure lounge, we begin to feel the effects. It would be good to have the next two days to acclimatize.
Video: A View Through The Glass
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An African Adventure
An African Adventure/G Tours
NOTE: Six albums of the tour photos of this adventure is now posted
on the McNeill Life Stories FB Page. One is yet to be posted. A full post story will be added to this blog in January 2018.
Link Here to Photo Albums from Cape Town to Kruger, Karongwe
and Victoria Falls. One album yet to be posted.
Link: An African Adventure
Victoria, B.C.
One afternoon in late June, my cell phone rang.
“Hello.”
“Hi, Harold, Garth here.” (Nonchalantly): “Hey buddy, you interested in an African adventure?”
(…thinking…sure Garth, what’s the catch? I thought we were all going Russia, right? St. Petersburg, remember?)
Garth (excited): “Guess what? I just won an all-expense paid trip for two compliments of the BC Lottery Corporation.”
(…Wow…are you asking me if I want to go with you? Awesome, but what about Esther and Lynn? Don’t you think they might be a little upset? No kidding, you won again, you lucky bugger.)
Garth just wins these sorts of things. Not that long ago we were at a Rotary fundraiser in Sidney when Garth won an all-expense paid trip for two to Ireland. Am I surprised? Not one bit. Jealous? Perhaps a little, but hey, it’s inspiring, and it keeps these old bones moving.
Besides, Lynn and I were also winners that night in Sidney, as just when they were drawing Garth’s ticket for the Ireland trip, I received a cell call from the Victoria Humane Society telling me Lynn and I were approved to take that little Shih Tzu puppy we had our hearts set on. It was Garth who tipped us off about that puppy.
He interrupted my thoughts: “Think you and Lynn can join us?”
(…awe, not just me then… silly question. After so many shared adventures and so much fun traveling with the two of you, we couldn’t let you head out to deep dark Africa without us. Remember we did the Middle East in the middle of a war. So here we go again as this is obviously a Dunn Deal.
Harold: “For sure Garth, let’s look at the numbers. Have you told Esther?”
Garth: “Not yet.“
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