So I was thinking "What am I going to do this pm? Will it be steaks, nice Italian, fancy French?" Not very long after I got a call from Tammy saying "I really-really need a kabob sandwich tonight." I told her "Sounds good lets do it". 20minutes later I was picked up by a very beautiful woman in a ridiculous old Jeep Land cruiser. There was a passenger that I did not expect on board....my squawking cute daughter saying " I heard you are taking me to Mencho's Sexy Hot Dogs (the best hot dog in town)". I said "(Sigh) anything for you princess." Maddy "Yaaay!!! But what about Thomas who is at home right now.?"
"We will t him something too."
So we show up at this hole-in-the-wall hot dag stand which is run by this old burned out hippy, his stoned children, and God knows who else with my daughter beaming. The place is full of college students but I cut to the frontof the line and say "Two to go my friend!!"
Burned out hippy "Oh Doctor, good to see you...and you my love what is it you want on your dog this evening?"
Maddy "Everything but the cabbage and hot stuff please."
Hippy turning around to turn up the stereo in a sudden movement shouting "Holy Fuck everybody! It's our song!!!" Obviously referring to Pink Floyd's Brick in the Wall. Spontaneously everybody in the joint breaks in to broken English singing "All een all choo just another beeck in the wall....Hey teeecher leeeve them keeds alone!!!" It was midnight choir if I ever heard on at 7:30pm.
From hear it was on to Mohamed for a couple kabobs ordered over the phone. I got in and I saw my good buddy Mohamed being hassled by a local woman saying "I swear to God I thought you were from Iraq."
Mohamed red in the face with his back to her facing the grill "No I tell you woman I am Iranian...Persian...a completely different race and people"
Then I surprise him with "Really Mohamed. I always thought you were Russian."
He turned to me surprised but quickly recovered and said "No that is my next wife!!" His wife standing right next to him rolled her eyes and said "Perhaps in your next stupid Muslim existence." We all laughed.
Then I wrapped it all up took it all home spread it across a heavy thick mid evil like wood table with a litre and a half of beer and had a great Friday night dinner talking my wife, son, and daughter over dinner.
I think I spent 8 dollars but the company from the beginning to the end was priceless!!! And people ask me why I live here.
God bless Cochabamba!! Bringing people and the community together.
FeO2
Three Religiions
Facing the wall
Friday, May 14,2010, Rusty's weekend rules of engagement.
For those of you going garage sale shopping this weekend there are several things one must keep in mind:
1) You must check the classifieds the night before. This is to plan out a route through town hitting all the garages systematical. This is done using those little red stick-pin flags and a wall map of your town or city in which you reside.
2) You must have an early start. I recommend leaving early from the house at 6:30 at the latest. This is the way the dieharders do it. Of course the dieharders have already been retired for like 20 years and practice every weekend.
3) Always take one or more adolescent/preadolescent on threat on loosing video game time at the house. This is so they learn to respect our proud heritage of free commerce no matter how humiliated they may be. The typical activity for your offspring to cower in embarrassment in the back seat. One might catch them laying down on the floor board behind the front seat.
4) Apparel. There is a uniform for every part of life whether it be work, casual, or what ever. Garage saleing is no exception. Back in my day as a youth was classic/vintage double knit was apropos but the times they are a changin'. If you appear in this get-up you might be deemed to as some kinda club rager. What the trendy hip garage salers are wearing now days would be sweat pants (cut offs), white sox with black penniloafers. You top is pretty much optional but anything with lyon or pickup trucks printed on the chest would be my suggestion. This outfit works for both male or female. What ever is your choice try to make it as sporty as possible. Remember you want to let people know that this is almost a sport.
5) Lingo. Every activity not only has an atire but also has a techy language. Here will give you a few phrases to build on. "I'll give you 2 bucks for everything I can stuff in this laundry basket.", "$10 for everything I can stuff into my trunk!","Oooo an MTV 'Rock the Vote 2000 t-shirt! I voted for that sumbitch only to have him sell out for the next 8 years to them tree huggin' hippy freaks. Commie!", "Cool...a Rubixcube sticker replacement set. Does this come with a users manual?", and " Yeah, ya really got to come down at least 5 dollars on this box of National Geographics. The binding is broken. They all just flip open automatically to the pages with the pictures of the breast feeding New Guinea woman."
What you have to watch out for are statements from the the garage sellers like "They just dont make them like that anymore", "Walmart ain't had that in stalk for goin' on 3 months now!" and "Thems classic Readers Digest it has the interview with the entire casting of Perfect Strangers!"
6) Look for ways of getting into the garage sellers living room and other parts of the house. This can be done by looking for doors carelessly left open and what not. If this oppertunity presents itself you pretend to non-chalauntly wander around. Using slight of hand start grabbing stuff out off gun racks, out of the living room (diplomas, off of gun racks and family portrates) or the bathroom (cool meds, the "We don't pee in your pool..." sign, etc ). Then through all all your new found booty into a box and take it too the seller outside and say with a stern look on your face "How much for this worthless box of junk?!" The haggle them for %50 of the price. This way you can get stuff that is "exclusive" while the other chumps are outside rifling through boxes of Tupperwear lids, Raffi cassettes, used automotive parts, greasy incomplete tool sets, and portraits painted on old farm tools. Idiots!!
7) And last but not least, always take big bills preferable $100 notes. Pretend you dont have change and make the seller go down to the local convienience store to buy a twinky to break your bill. This by-the-way is a good way to get into the house while he/she is gone. wink-wink
I hope some of this information enhances your weekend garage warioring.
- Hide quoted text -
"I hope some animal never bores a hole in my head and lays its eggs in my brain, because later you might think you're having a good idea but it's just eggs hatching." Jack Handey
"I can't listen to that much Wagner. I start getting the urge to conquer Poland." Woody Allen
Peace
FeO2
http://rustyscaptainsblog.blogspot.com/
1) You must check the classifieds the night before. This is to plan out a route through town hitting all the garages systematical. This is done using those little red stick-pin flags and a wall map of your town or city in which you reside.
2) You must have an early start. I recommend leaving early from the house at 6:30 at the latest. This is the way the dieharders do it. Of course the dieharders have already been retired for like 20 years and practice every weekend.
3) Always take one or more adolescent/preadolescent on threat on loosing video game time at the house. This is so they learn to respect our proud heritage of free commerce no matter how humiliated they may be. The typical activity for your offspring to cower in embarrassment in the back seat. One might catch them laying down on the floor board behind the front seat.
4) Apparel. There is a uniform for every part of life whether it be work, casual, or what ever. Garage saleing is no exception. Back in my day as a youth was classic/vintage double knit was apropos but the times they are a changin'. If you appear in this get-up you might be deemed to as some kinda club rager. What the trendy hip garage salers are wearing now days would be sweat pants (cut offs), white sox with black penniloafers. You top is pretty much optional but anything with lyon or pickup trucks printed on the chest would be my suggestion. This outfit works for both male or female. What ever is your choice try to make it as sporty as possible. Remember you want to let people know that this is almost a sport.
5) Lingo. Every activity not only has an atire but also has a techy language. Here will give you a few phrases to build on. "I'll give you 2 bucks for everything I can stuff in this laundry basket.", "$10 for everything I can stuff into my trunk!","Oooo an MTV 'Rock the Vote 2000 t-shirt! I voted for that sumbitch only to have him sell out for the next 8 years to them tree huggin' hippy freaks. Commie!", "Cool...a Rubixcube sticker replacement set. Does this come with a users manual?", and " Yeah, ya really got to come down at least 5 dollars on this box of National Geographics. The binding is broken. They all just flip open automatically to the pages with the pictures of the breast feeding New Guinea woman."
What you have to watch out for are statements from the the garage sellers like "They just dont make them like that anymore", "Walmart ain't had that in stalk for goin' on 3 months now!" and "Thems classic Readers Digest it has the interview with the entire casting of Perfect Strangers!"
6) Look for ways of getting into the garage sellers living room and other parts of the house. This can be done by looking for doors carelessly left open and what not. If this oppertunity presents itself you pretend to non-chalauntly wander around. Using slight of hand start grabbing stuff out off gun racks, out of the living room (diplomas, off of gun racks and family portrates) or the bathroom (cool meds, the "We don't pee in your pool..." sign, etc ). Then through all all your new found booty into a box and take it too the seller outside and say with a stern look on your face "How much for this worthless box of junk?!" The haggle them for %50 of the price. This way you can get stuff that is "exclusive" while the other chumps are outside rifling through boxes of Tupperwear lids, Raffi cassettes, used automotive parts, greasy incomplete tool sets, and portraits painted on old farm tools. Idiots!!
7) And last but not least, always take big bills preferable $100 notes. Pretend you dont have change and make the seller go down to the local convienience store to buy a twinky to break your bill. This by-the-way is a good way to get into the house while he/she is gone. wink-wink
I hope some of this information enhances your weekend garage warioring.
- Hide quoted text -
"I hope some animal never bores a hole in my head and lays its eggs in my brain, because later you might think you're having a good idea but it's just eggs hatching." Jack Handey
"I can't listen to that much Wagner. I start getting the urge to conquer Poland." Woody Allen
Peace
FeO2
http://rustyscaptainsblog.blogspot.com/
Wed., Feb.3, 2010:Tree planting and Naughty Leftism up the Holler.
As of late i have been under pressure from friends as well as my wife to relate my latest experiences on the mountain just behind my home where I live. As I am feeling the pressure to perform this might be somewhat dry.
Anywho last Sunday in the early morning I was awakened by the community loudspeaker making an announcement. Tammy rolled over and nudged me saying "You better find out what that was all about." and then rolled over and went back to sleep. She was referring to the fact that we have had several conversations on how we need to get more involved in the local community water syndicate/cooperative. Unfortunately Tammy and I do not speak Quechua, which is the local language most spoken in our community as well as the language in which the the announcements are made in. I had to find some help. So I called up a good friend of mine who is one of the water syndicate directors for some assistance. Over the the crackling Bolivian telephone system I her Don Eusebio's sleepy voice say "'alo". I then presented my query and was responded "Oh no today there is no meeting. We are doing a tree planting day. So you are going to have to send somebody to represent the Firestone Family. If you want you should talk to Don Francisco and offer him some money and he can go for you." I got off the phone and sat there for a moment. Then I decided "Hey, my body seems to be working as of late! Why don't I go and do it myself?" And that is just what I did.
After my morning egg, toast, and tea, I donned my hiking boots (which I have trusted for almost 15 years now) a pair of cargo khakis, a hat and weather shell. Then I was out to the shed to grab a pick to be on my way.
When I arrived at the forestry station (which is also the irrigation control center where there are various reservoir tanks all nestled in a small forest of eucalyptus trees) about a quarter click above my house I was surprised to see not only was the community gathered but also a platoon of soldiers from one of the local units. Everybody was gathered around a woman with a clip board standing above what looked to be about 700 to a 1000 pine and eucalyptus saplings. Most of the locals were there with their own implements but the syndicate was also handing out new picks to the soldiers. The commander barked out orders causing the soldiers to march forward grab a pick and pack 15 sapling's into a large sack that each one had. There was also a separate line for us civilians. When I joined this line I was told that I as well had to choose 15 of my own saplings at the registration point. Upon hearing this I then informed the people around me that I had no idea that I would be hauling my own trees as this was my first experience with this particular project. The check-in woman said "You have time to go home and get something."
Slightly frustrated I began my trip home. I got down about 30 metres and turned the corner around the first reservoir tank and ran into Don Eusebio. In my surprise I said "I thought you would be sending somebody?"
He said with a smile "Oh no I am one of the directors. People will start saying things if I don't show up!"
"Well I am on my way down to get a bag as we have to carry 15 sapling a piece...oh and you will need a bag as well because you only are bringing a pick." I grunted,
Don Eusebio proclaimed "15 that is an outrage! Never mind the bag boy. Come with me."
Upon arrival back at the group meeting place Don Eusebio turned to me with a wink "I'll show you how we do this. Now always wait at the back of the line chatting with your neighbor friends until most of the trees are gone" This is what we did. We leaned on our picks chit-chatting while Don Eudebio introduced me to the neighbors. Then at what seemed to be a random point in time I was indicated to move forward following my guide. Don Eusebio smiling to the woman with the writing pad "We have no bags so we will just have to carry what we can in our hands. So that will probably be 5 or so a piece" That was when I got the bright idea of taking my shell off to use a sappling transportation tool. "Hey look what I'm doing Don Eusebio. Now we can carry a lot more than that. Man I am such an idiot that I did not think of this before! :-D" I was given a not so congratulatory look from my guide.
So we loaded up 20 trees and started up the hill as the others were doing the same. Then my guide turned to me and said "Here is what we'll do. Well will start planting here at the bottom and let the rest of those fools carry their trees all the way up there. Hee-hee!" Unfortunately the going was not all that easy as the particular location where we were was already over populated with trees and the only open areas were very rocky. This discovery made Don Eusebio change his plans. "It looks as if we will have to be going up higher then."
As he walked ahead of me carrying our picks and I the swaddled remaining 15 trees Don Eusebio would greet all the locals on their way down "Oh I see you have already completed you community task comrade. Good for you. We have only a few more trees to plant ourselves. We have just planted about 16 or so trees toward the bottom and decided because of the overpopulation down there it would only fair to Pachamama that we plant in the areas where there are less trees. Is that not right Rusty"
Rusty "Well, I...uuuh..you know..."
"By the way this is Dr. Firestone. You know the guy who is the director of the projects that brings doctors from North America?'
The Comrade "Well, I ...uuuh...sure!"
At this point they both started speaking in Quechua and Don Eusebio started nodding profusely. He turned to me and said "The Comrade just told me that if we follow this trail about 30 meters and then take a sharp left directly up that hill over yonder there are a whole bunch of old holes from the last project where people planted trees and the trees dried up. We just find these holes and we will not have to dig hardly at all we just plug the trees in and cave the hole in. Hee-hee! "
So that is how we planted our last trees. On the way back down the hill Don Eusebio triumphantly announced to all the other beginner tree planters "If you go up that hill over there you will find a bunch of holes to plant in. That is what we did." He did this repeatedly all the way back to the forestry station. When we finally sat down to rest he said "I sent so many people up that hill they will all be bumping asses just trying to find holes. Hee-hee!" Interestingly enough Eusebio is not a man given to puns or irony.
It was then one of the other syndicate director friends of Don Eusebio came up with an old Seven-Up bottle full of thick purple liquid. I said "Oh that's the stuff you drink with bunuelos (a type Bolivian fry bread)". The director chuckled and spoke in Quechua "Blah-blah-blah api" Which later I found out he said "Heh-heh. The gringo thinks I am giving him api (a Bolivian warmed morning drink)." When I lifted the glass to my lips I found the error of my thinking. It was not api at all but in fact chicha (a corn brewed indigenous alcohol)! this is an ancient drink that has been drank by the local Native Americans since before the time of the ancient Incas. It is served into a gourd bowl usually and the recipient then as part of the toast is to swish it around enough till it splashes out on the ground as to offer the Pacha Mama (Mother Earth) the first drink so the trees will grow strong and healthy.
I said with slight surprise to my error "Whatever...pour me another."
FeO2
Anywho last Sunday in the early morning I was awakened by the community loudspeaker making an announcement. Tammy rolled over and nudged me saying "You better find out what that was all about." and then rolled over and went back to sleep. She was referring to the fact that we have had several conversations on how we need to get more involved in the local community water syndicate/cooperative. Unfortunately Tammy and I do not speak Quechua, which is the local language most spoken in our community as well as the language in which the the announcements are made in. I had to find some help. So I called up a good friend of mine who is one of the water syndicate directors for some assistance. Over the the crackling Bolivian telephone system I her Don Eusebio's sleepy voice say "'alo". I then presented my query and was responded "Oh no today there is no meeting. We are doing a tree planting day. So you are going to have to send somebody to represent the Firestone Family. If you want you should talk to Don Francisco and offer him some money and he can go for you." I got off the phone and sat there for a moment. Then I decided "Hey, my body seems to be working as of late! Why don't I go and do it myself?" And that is just what I did.
After my morning egg, toast, and tea, I donned my hiking boots (which I have trusted for almost 15 years now) a pair of cargo khakis, a hat and weather shell. Then I was out to the shed to grab a pick to be on my way.
When I arrived at the forestry station (which is also the irrigation control center where there are various reservoir tanks all nestled in a small forest of eucalyptus trees) about a quarter click above my house I was surprised to see not only was the community gathered but also a platoon of soldiers from one of the local units. Everybody was gathered around a woman with a clip board standing above what looked to be about 700 to a 1000 pine and eucalyptus saplings. Most of the locals were there with their own implements but the syndicate was also handing out new picks to the soldiers. The commander barked out orders causing the soldiers to march forward grab a pick and pack 15 sapling's into a large sack that each one had. There was also a separate line for us civilians. When I joined this line I was told that I as well had to choose 15 of my own saplings at the registration point. Upon hearing this I then informed the people around me that I had no idea that I would be hauling my own trees as this was my first experience with this particular project. The check-in woman said "You have time to go home and get something."
Slightly frustrated I began my trip home. I got down about 30 metres and turned the corner around the first reservoir tank and ran into Don Eusebio. In my surprise I said "I thought you would be sending somebody?"
He said with a smile "Oh no I am one of the directors. People will start saying things if I don't show up!"
"Well I am on my way down to get a bag as we have to carry 15 sapling a piece...oh and you will need a bag as well because you only are bringing a pick." I grunted,
Don Eusebio proclaimed "15 that is an outrage! Never mind the bag boy. Come with me."
Upon arrival back at the group meeting place Don Eusebio turned to me with a wink "I'll show you how we do this. Now always wait at the back of the line chatting with your neighbor friends until most of the trees are gone" This is what we did. We leaned on our picks chit-chatting while Don Eudebio introduced me to the neighbors. Then at what seemed to be a random point in time I was indicated to move forward following my guide. Don Eusebio smiling to the woman with the writing pad "We have no bags so we will just have to carry what we can in our hands. So that will probably be 5 or so a piece" That was when I got the bright idea of taking my shell off to use a sappling transportation tool. "Hey look what I'm doing Don Eusebio. Now we can carry a lot more than that. Man I am such an idiot that I did not think of this before! :-D" I was given a not so congratulatory look from my guide.
So we loaded up 20 trees and started up the hill as the others were doing the same. Then my guide turned to me and said "Here is what we'll do. Well will start planting here at the bottom and let the rest of those fools carry their trees all the way up there. Hee-hee!" Unfortunately the going was not all that easy as the particular location where we were was already over populated with trees and the only open areas were very rocky. This discovery made Don Eusebio change his plans. "It looks as if we will have to be going up higher then."
As he walked ahead of me carrying our picks and I the swaddled remaining 15 trees Don Eusebio would greet all the locals on their way down "Oh I see you have already completed you community task comrade. Good for you. We have only a few more trees to plant ourselves. We have just planted about 16 or so trees toward the bottom and decided because of the overpopulation down there it would only fair to Pachamama that we plant in the areas where there are less trees. Is that not right Rusty"
Rusty "Well, I...uuuh..you know..."
"By the way this is Dr. Firestone. You know the guy who is the director of the projects that brings doctors from North America?'
The Comrade "Well, I ...uuuh...sure!"
At this point they both started speaking in Quechua and Don Eusebio started nodding profusely. He turned to me and said "The Comrade just told me that if we follow this trail about 30 meters and then take a sharp left directly up that hill over yonder there are a whole bunch of old holes from the last project where people planted trees and the trees dried up. We just find these holes and we will not have to dig hardly at all we just plug the trees in and cave the hole in. Hee-hee! "
So that is how we planted our last trees. On the way back down the hill Don Eusebio triumphantly announced to all the other beginner tree planters "If you go up that hill over there you will find a bunch of holes to plant in. That is what we did." He did this repeatedly all the way back to the forestry station. When we finally sat down to rest he said "I sent so many people up that hill they will all be bumping asses just trying to find holes. Hee-hee!" Interestingly enough Eusebio is not a man given to puns or irony.
It was then one of the other syndicate director friends of Don Eusebio came up with an old Seven-Up bottle full of thick purple liquid. I said "Oh that's the stuff you drink with bunuelos (a type Bolivian fry bread)". The director chuckled and spoke in Quechua "Blah-blah-blah api" Which later I found out he said "Heh-heh. The gringo thinks I am giving him api (a Bolivian warmed morning drink)." When I lifted the glass to my lips I found the error of my thinking. It was not api at all but in fact chicha (a corn brewed indigenous alcohol)! this is an ancient drink that has been drank by the local Native Americans since before the time of the ancient Incas. It is served into a gourd bowl usually and the recipient then as part of the toast is to swish it around enough till it splashes out on the ground as to offer the Pacha Mama (Mother Earth) the first drink so the trees will grow strong and healthy.
I said with slight surprise to my error "Whatever...pour me another."
FeO2
Sunday, Jan. 24th 2010, Captains Blog: My slightly populated walden
So as the years turned into months, and the months turned into days, and the days turned into hours, and the hours turned into seconds, and finally time stood still to take a breath from its long unending march into infinity. It was there that it found and insignificant Rusty walking a small little country trail that lay below the ominous sight of a towering Titan god like mountain range called by humans "The Andes". The is same range that gave the little man (Rusty) the gift of seeing a pair of Ocelots (a small tawny endangered lynx like mountain cat) on a hike a different day.
This trip started out with a necessity which was that he had to go and pick up Thomas and Maddy from their friends house where they spent the night. Rusty left the house crossing the property climbing the steps to the guest house (which is en route off the property) to see the shiny eyed stare of Mr. Buns. This was an event as Tammy and Rusty had found that he was missing that same morning. The two mounted a search that turned out to be futile having learned that Mr. Bun's will show himself when he feels his hiatus is over. How can Mr. Buns be blamed? He is a Firestone after all. Rusty decided that he could not criticize his own.
After depositing Mr. Buns in his cage Rusty continued out the far gate through the bamboo garden off the property, following the water canal up to the swinging bridge to cross the river that was swollen by the previous nights rain. The evenings and rain which was part of the now seasonal summer rains had turned the trails into veins of overgrown green tentacles of life that reach out to you as you walk underneath the swaying eucalyptus trees. The time was cool as the clouds fought to keep out the sun but the sun was bound to win as it pushed rays in through unattended patches.
Upon my arrival at my friend’s house I was offered the gift of a celery stick and salad dressing to dip it in which I happily accepted.
Rusty told the children that today was a pedestrian day. Although not to happy they led the way back home. As they weaved through the country back on the same trail of which the little man had come they passed estate villas of the cities rich, the rich fields of flowers of the countries impoverished. They crossed the occasional river rock paved lane which transported the wealthy up and down from their weekend country homes to the city as well as some public transportation for those who were not so wealthy.
The little man to his amazement heard a sound break the silence of the wind and the trees. It was the sound of a lone voice accompanied by a charango (the Andean equivalent of a mandolin). He waited to see who it was. The little man, Rusty, soon was rewarded the sight of a crazy cross-eyed hippy walking down the lane singing and playing an Andean folk song and the top of his weed scorched lungs. Rusty had to admit he did sound pretty good but still had to control his mirth as it was too neighborly of a day to cause conflict. So the trio continued on their trek onward with the occasional complaint of Maddy who could not understand why were not taking some kind of vehicular transportation.
Later while Rusty sat on his hand made wood lawn chair resting from his hike staring at an eye-popping , hundred mile, clear view across the valley he saw Maddy come running up with Mr. Buns in her arms (the rabbit almost her size) saying "I solved the mystery of Mr. Buns escape!" In her hand was a piece of tile which she stated had fallen from the top of the adobe wall that surrounds the property. "This brick fell on Mr. Bun’s cage knocking it open and letting him out!" she smiled proudly. The little man said “Good job Sweety!". She beamed “Now I am putting him back into his house." She then carried the seeming gigantic guilty looking rabbit by the nape of his neck back to his cage.
Then time was rested and got up and started its endless walk once more. Seconds turned back into minutes, and minutes turned into hours, and hours into days, and days into months, and months finally into years. This same small insignificant little man will confess that these unaccounted for minutes in the quantum of a calm breathing eternity are minutes that he has stolen and he will always have as his own.
Have a great week!
FeO2
http://rustyscaptainsblog.blogspot.com/
This trip started out with a necessity which was that he had to go and pick up Thomas and Maddy from their friends house where they spent the night. Rusty left the house crossing the property climbing the steps to the guest house (which is en route off the property) to see the shiny eyed stare of Mr. Buns. This was an event as Tammy and Rusty had found that he was missing that same morning. The two mounted a search that turned out to be futile having learned that Mr. Bun's will show himself when he feels his hiatus is over. How can Mr. Buns be blamed? He is a Firestone after all. Rusty decided that he could not criticize his own.
After depositing Mr. Buns in his cage Rusty continued out the far gate through the bamboo garden off the property, following the water canal up to the swinging bridge to cross the river that was swollen by the previous nights rain. The evenings and rain which was part of the now seasonal summer rains had turned the trails into veins of overgrown green tentacles of life that reach out to you as you walk underneath the swaying eucalyptus trees. The time was cool as the clouds fought to keep out the sun but the sun was bound to win as it pushed rays in through unattended patches.
Upon my arrival at my friend’s house I was offered the gift of a celery stick and salad dressing to dip it in which I happily accepted.
Rusty told the children that today was a pedestrian day. Although not to happy they led the way back home. As they weaved through the country back on the same trail of which the little man had come they passed estate villas of the cities rich, the rich fields of flowers of the countries impoverished. They crossed the occasional river rock paved lane which transported the wealthy up and down from their weekend country homes to the city as well as some public transportation for those who were not so wealthy.
The little man to his amazement heard a sound break the silence of the wind and the trees. It was the sound of a lone voice accompanied by a charango (the Andean equivalent of a mandolin). He waited to see who it was. The little man, Rusty, soon was rewarded the sight of a crazy cross-eyed hippy walking down the lane singing and playing an Andean folk song and the top of his weed scorched lungs. Rusty had to admit he did sound pretty good but still had to control his mirth as it was too neighborly of a day to cause conflict. So the trio continued on their trek onward with the occasional complaint of Maddy who could not understand why were not taking some kind of vehicular transportation.
Later while Rusty sat on his hand made wood lawn chair resting from his hike staring at an eye-popping , hundred mile, clear view across the valley he saw Maddy come running up with Mr. Buns in her arms (the rabbit almost her size) saying "I solved the mystery of Mr. Buns escape!" In her hand was a piece of tile which she stated had fallen from the top of the adobe wall that surrounds the property. "This brick fell on Mr. Bun’s cage knocking it open and letting him out!" she smiled proudly. The little man said “Good job Sweety!". She beamed “Now I am putting him back into his house." She then carried the seeming gigantic guilty looking rabbit by the nape of his neck back to his cage.
Then time was rested and got up and started its endless walk once more. Seconds turned back into minutes, and minutes turned into hours, and hours into days, and days into months, and months finally into years. This same small insignificant little man will confess that these unaccounted for minutes in the quantum of a calm breathing eternity are minutes that he has stolen and he will always have as his own.
Have a great week!
FeO2
http://rustyscaptainsblog.blogspot.com/
Sat., December 12, 2009, Captains Blog: Drugs
Several weeks ago I was headed to the “Chapare” (the tropical region of Cochabamba) with some friends of mine who were visiting from the US. The Chapare is a local touristic tropical town where many like to go down to get out of the altitude to see the tropical fauna, fish and relax. The Chapare also has yet another fame (or shall I call it an infamy) and that is that it is a non-traditional growing zone for coca. Coca is the plant from which cocaine is made from. Now to be fair the Bolivian natives have been chewing the coca leaf for like a Brazilian years! (Joke) Seriously though it was a pre-Columbian product which was shipped around the Incan empire and was (still is) consumed on a daily basis. For those of you who are not familiar with coca the simple chewing of the leaf give you no more of an effect than drinking coffee in the am. It takes something to the tune of several bales of coca to make a couple of grams of cocaine. Now I say that the Chapare is a non-traditional growing zone is because the traditional zone here in Bolivia has always been in a place called “Los Yungas” which is the tropical zone of La Paz. The Chapare became a growing zone sometime in the early to mid 1970’s if I am not mistaken. As the matter of fact for you movie buffs if you saw the movie Scare Face there is a scene where a guy gets pushed out of a helicopter over and into a jungle. The subtitles say “Cochabamba, Bolivia” which is actually the Chapare region.
Anyway back to my story. As we were headed down to Villa Tunari, the main population center of the Chapare, saw something rather interesting. I saw a little old woman drying coca leaves on the side of the road. The reason this was interesting is that 3-5 years ago this was unheard of. I do not go to the Chapare that often. As the matter of fact the last time I was down there before my visit with my friends was about 5 years ago and at that time the coca harvest was strictly controlled. So the cultivation of coca was almost all but prohibited in this region. You can understand my surprise to see the blatant cultivation of coca on the side of the road whereas before this was done way deep in the jungle far from the prying eyes of the Narco Police.
Why this is happening is that we have had a president who sympathizes with the coca growers of Bolivia. As the matter of fact he used to be a coca grower himself. He just finished his first term and was just re-elected this last Sunday for a term of office which is for the next 5 years.
I was just talking to a friend of mine who just got back from Argentina yesterday. While he was there he said that the local Narcs caught a barge headed for the open seas that contained 5 metric tons of cocaine in in the River Plate. This is the estuary that divides Northern Argentina from Southern Uruguay. It is pretty obvious from where this came from. Since Mr. Evo Morales has kicked out the American DEA from Bolivia I was told that most of their operations would be concentrated in the countries around Bolivia to catch it coming out. But as I see it this is like the little Dutch boy trying to stop a leak in a dike while the storm is raging. As a result there has been a huge economy boom in Bolivia. It is no wonder why Mr. Morales had a landslide victory.
Once again to be fair the drug trade is not new to power building as a mechanism. The US economy would collapse completely if it were not for the drug trade. I am told that the largest cash crop in the US is Marijuana. Then there all those “party drugs” that both Americans and Europeans can’t seem to live without.
If you go back in history you will see that the largest (official) Empire the planet has ever known was fueled for a large part by a drug trade. When people think of opium most will think of a Chinese drug. But it is not very popularly known that most of the opium consumed in the 18th and 19th centuries in China was cultivated and refined in India. It was the British companies and merchants who then shipped it into China. China came to a point that its officials said opium was degenerate and made the importation illegal. British reaction to this was to reject this ordinance. They then started sailing frigates up and down the Yellow River blasting every port town in site. These activities became known as the First and Second Opium Wars. It kind of brings our beloved American Revolution into context. How much money was the British Empire really profiting off of 13 small colonies? There was some money coming out of agricultural trade but did it justify the costs of the military presence that the British had there or even all the local conflicts with the other local colonial powers? I mean they could not even make any money off of tea there! So when the thirteen colonies rebelled it seems it was just a matter of pride for the British to keep their holdings in North America. I am willing to bet that at this time the income from the Far East mammothed what was coming out of North America. The king I believe it was George at the time must have said “It is just not worth fighting over, is it? We’ve got something much nicer in the orient. Let them go….perhaps we’ll try back again in 1812.” Ah but what a glorious revolution it was for us Americans!
After looking at historical and modern economies I am finding it difficult to see how it is correct for both North American and European powers to put pressure on the supply end of the market of a small impoverished country like Bolivia when they are doing very little to curb their own appetites. I only see hypocrisy in the way that these major powers after profiting so much themselves off of the drug trade when they put pressure on one of the poorest countries on the southern hemisphere. If the US were to put as much money as they have out into the “Drug War” into neighborhood rehabilitation centers and centers for children at risk I don’t think that the drug trade in the US or anywhere else would look like it does now. But then again this is not profitable is it? Where there is a supply there is a demand. Also please don’t get me wrong. I have high respect for those out on the street putting their lives at risk in Law enforcement. The decisions need to be made from the top. We as citizens need to support those who are willing to look out for the public of their countries. We may say we do not sin as we are not direct consumers so we do not commit the sin of commission but many times we do not support those who are willing to do things directly in our community and this is a sin of omission. The community around us is all we have and we need to find ways of protecting and making it better. It is our responsibility. We cannot go on putting the blame on impoverished countries half a world away. The problem is on your doorstep.
Peace be with you.
FeO2
Anyway back to my story. As we were headed down to Villa Tunari, the main population center of the Chapare, saw something rather interesting. I saw a little old woman drying coca leaves on the side of the road. The reason this was interesting is that 3-5 years ago this was unheard of. I do not go to the Chapare that often. As the matter of fact the last time I was down there before my visit with my friends was about 5 years ago and at that time the coca harvest was strictly controlled. So the cultivation of coca was almost all but prohibited in this region. You can understand my surprise to see the blatant cultivation of coca on the side of the road whereas before this was done way deep in the jungle far from the prying eyes of the Narco Police.
Why this is happening is that we have had a president who sympathizes with the coca growers of Bolivia. As the matter of fact he used to be a coca grower himself. He just finished his first term and was just re-elected this last Sunday for a term of office which is for the next 5 years.
I was just talking to a friend of mine who just got back from Argentina yesterday. While he was there he said that the local Narcs caught a barge headed for the open seas that contained 5 metric tons of cocaine in in the River Plate. This is the estuary that divides Northern Argentina from Southern Uruguay. It is pretty obvious from where this came from. Since Mr. Evo Morales has kicked out the American DEA from Bolivia I was told that most of their operations would be concentrated in the countries around Bolivia to catch it coming out. But as I see it this is like the little Dutch boy trying to stop a leak in a dike while the storm is raging. As a result there has been a huge economy boom in Bolivia. It is no wonder why Mr. Morales had a landslide victory.
Once again to be fair the drug trade is not new to power building as a mechanism. The US economy would collapse completely if it were not for the drug trade. I am told that the largest cash crop in the US is Marijuana. Then there all those “party drugs” that both Americans and Europeans can’t seem to live without.
If you go back in history you will see that the largest (official) Empire the planet has ever known was fueled for a large part by a drug trade. When people think of opium most will think of a Chinese drug. But it is not very popularly known that most of the opium consumed in the 18th and 19th centuries in China was cultivated and refined in India. It was the British companies and merchants who then shipped it into China. China came to a point that its officials said opium was degenerate and made the importation illegal. British reaction to this was to reject this ordinance. They then started sailing frigates up and down the Yellow River blasting every port town in site. These activities became known as the First and Second Opium Wars. It kind of brings our beloved American Revolution into context. How much money was the British Empire really profiting off of 13 small colonies? There was some money coming out of agricultural trade but did it justify the costs of the military presence that the British had there or even all the local conflicts with the other local colonial powers? I mean they could not even make any money off of tea there! So when the thirteen colonies rebelled it seems it was just a matter of pride for the British to keep their holdings in North America. I am willing to bet that at this time the income from the Far East mammothed what was coming out of North America. The king I believe it was George at the time must have said “It is just not worth fighting over, is it? We’ve got something much nicer in the orient. Let them go….perhaps we’ll try back again in 1812.” Ah but what a glorious revolution it was for us Americans!
After looking at historical and modern economies I am finding it difficult to see how it is correct for both North American and European powers to put pressure on the supply end of the market of a small impoverished country like Bolivia when they are doing very little to curb their own appetites. I only see hypocrisy in the way that these major powers after profiting so much themselves off of the drug trade when they put pressure on one of the poorest countries on the southern hemisphere. If the US were to put as much money as they have out into the “Drug War” into neighborhood rehabilitation centers and centers for children at risk I don’t think that the drug trade in the US or anywhere else would look like it does now. But then again this is not profitable is it? Where there is a supply there is a demand. Also please don’t get me wrong. I have high respect for those out on the street putting their lives at risk in Law enforcement. The decisions need to be made from the top. We as citizens need to support those who are willing to look out for the public of their countries. We may say we do not sin as we are not direct consumers so we do not commit the sin of commission but many times we do not support those who are willing to do things directly in our community and this is a sin of omission. The community around us is all we have and we need to find ways of protecting and making it better. It is our responsibility. We cannot go on putting the blame on impoverished countries half a world away. The problem is on your doorstep.
Peace be with you.
FeO2
Dec. 4th 2009, Captains Blog: The bi-monthly randomocity
Last night we started to get in the spirit of Christmas amid the summer evening storms which have been assailing our small City of Cochabamba. The tree was put up and the usual sibling fussiness was dealt with. Then the kids were finally put off to bed. We decided to have a night cap as we listened to some music in order to calm our nerves. I would like to say that we had a nice time as we sipped on our glasses but in reality we devoured the bottle, but still a nice time. Then Tammy mentioned something that was interesting. “You know a friend said to me that Cochabamba is much like the mythical fortress of Camelot. In Camelot it would rain all night and be sunshiny during the day” Which is true because as of late it has been hot and sunny during the day and rainy at night. Later that evening I sat out on the bedroom balcony with only a comforter wrapped around my body watching an electrical storm roll in while listening to the rain fall. Occasionally I would turn to look at my wife’s slender figure shrouded buy a white blanket appear and disappear while she slumbered. It truly is a magnificent place this Cochabamba.
To speak more on Bolivia we have our national president and parliament elections this Sunday. I am afraid that the outcome is already known quite well but right now but it is my opinion that the race is to determine how parliament will be divided up. The opposition is trying desperately to gain a foothold here in order to balance power. It will be interesting to see how right fits against left. There has been much mudslinging. Just the other day I saw home video footage on the news of a crew of workers loading up suspicious looking voter boxes into the back of a pickup truck that had no tags but had political party banners all over it. I’m thinking “Could somebody be careful enough to take off the license plates and then leave political banners all over the vehicle while performing such a nefarious activity? Or is it some kind of a set up. But then again I have been wrong before when I have thought ‘Nobody can be that stupid!’” I don’t know.
Also an interesting note about the incumbents (president and vice-president) is that they are both post middle-aged bachelors. For this they have been accused of being homosexuals and many times being direct partners. Then to combat these rumors the spokes people for the president state “This man cannot be a homosexual! Just look at the amount of illegitimate children he has had.” Also in one of the current presidents life movies(as there have been several) it depicts him as a partying bachelor which in several scenes show him whoring in a whore house in the Chapare region with the local cholitas (indigenous women). I guess that is all the proof we should need that the man is straight Not really that I care about the amount of Levitical laws the man violates in his bedroom. Still a far cry from US politics….or is it?
Either way there are real issues that are in the balance. To name a few are as follows. How will Bolivia define its relationship with the US, Chavez, and Cuba? Is Bolivia a pluri-nationalistic nation or not, or what does that even mean? What is to be done with the exploration and exploitation of Bolivia’s natural resources (which there are many gigantic reserves of all sorts almost untouched)? What about national health care? (Sound familiar?) What of Bolivia’s ever deteriorating infrastructure? Etc.
Keep Bolivia in your hearts and thoughts on Sunday.
Coming clean straight from Camelot
FeO2
To speak more on Bolivia we have our national president and parliament elections this Sunday. I am afraid that the outcome is already known quite well but right now but it is my opinion that the race is to determine how parliament will be divided up. The opposition is trying desperately to gain a foothold here in order to balance power. It will be interesting to see how right fits against left. There has been much mudslinging. Just the other day I saw home video footage on the news of a crew of workers loading up suspicious looking voter boxes into the back of a pickup truck that had no tags but had political party banners all over it. I’m thinking “Could somebody be careful enough to take off the license plates and then leave political banners all over the vehicle while performing such a nefarious activity? Or is it some kind of a set up. But then again I have been wrong before when I have thought ‘Nobody can be that stupid!’” I don’t know.
Also an interesting note about the incumbents (president and vice-president) is that they are both post middle-aged bachelors. For this they have been accused of being homosexuals and many times being direct partners. Then to combat these rumors the spokes people for the president state “This man cannot be a homosexual! Just look at the amount of illegitimate children he has had.” Also in one of the current presidents life movies(as there have been several) it depicts him as a partying bachelor which in several scenes show him whoring in a whore house in the Chapare region with the local cholitas (indigenous women). I guess that is all the proof we should need that the man is straight Not really that I care about the amount of Levitical laws the man violates in his bedroom. Still a far cry from US politics….or is it?
Either way there are real issues that are in the balance. To name a few are as follows. How will Bolivia define its relationship with the US, Chavez, and Cuba? Is Bolivia a pluri-nationalistic nation or not, or what does that even mean? What is to be done with the exploration and exploitation of Bolivia’s natural resources (which there are many gigantic reserves of all sorts almost untouched)? What about national health care? (Sound familiar?) What of Bolivia’s ever deteriorating infrastructure? Etc.
Keep Bolivia in your hearts and thoughts on Sunday.
Coming clean straight from Camelot
FeO2
Wed. 30, Sept. 2009, Captains Blog: Huayna Potosi 6,000 meters/ 19,999.999999999 feet above sea level.
Thursday, September 24th of this wretched year of our Lord 2009, Base Camp ¨Delta¨ 11,000 feet above sea level. Today is the first day of our trip up Mount Huayna Potosi (why-na, po-to-see) 6,095 meters/19,996 feet meters above sea level.
1:30 pm
For the first leg of the trip we were delayed about one hour in Jorge Wilsterman Airport in Cochabamba as modern air travel commonly dictates. But we finally left and arrived in La Paz the capital of Bolivia where the climbing company picked us up to drive us to the shop to be fitted for gear. Then it was back on to the transport and out of town to the base camp where we were to spend the night and acclimatize.
On the way up we went through several valleys. One of the most notable things that was pointed out was the place where the Chacaltaya Glacier used to be. This was a 3,000 year old glacier that has melted away in the last 5 or so years. It was the highest ski range in the world while it existed. Now there is nothing but a bunch of broken rocks where it used to sit. I shake my head when I think that I actually know people who do believe that global warming does not even exist.
Upon arrival at the base camp we were briefed by Sabino (our mountain guide) on what the weekend schedule would be. He then served us lunch which turned out to be better than what I thought it would be. Before the weekend I plan to make an outrageous and ridiculous demand of him. I just don’t know what that will be yet. I will have to rely on my wit and creativity.
7:40 pm
Tammy and I took a nap shortly after lunch. Surprisingly we slept for 2 hours. After waking up we went on a walk around the base camp. We discovered a lake that was damned which generates the electricity for the City of La Paz. The weather was interesting as it would go from being cold from cloud cover to really hot when the clouds would roll away. The whole walk was this way in that the weather was in a constant flux of change much like the altitude headaches that would drift in and out of my head. I thank God for the coca I was constantly chewing as it helped stave off the altitude sickness.
After our walk when we got back to the cabin we met Dave the Swiss guy. But from now on we shall refer to him as Dave ¨the out house Bogarter¨.
Friday, 25th of September, 2009, acclamation camp ¨Charlie¨, 17,000 feet above sea level.
5:00 pm
Yesterday I was talking to Sabino about climbing conditions. I happened to state in a rather detached way ¨One must respect the mountain¨ to which he nodded. I then for some reason went on to state with out thinking much ¨One must respect the Pachamama¨ Then he gave me a very grave look and said ¨Yes that is the most important part of our activity.¨ The pachamama is a part of the ancient Incan religious system. Many high planes indigenous people still believe that Pachamama (mother earth) controls all that is good above ground. She controls the weather, the crops and all nature. Interestingly enough the act of mining is considered to be an act of rape against Pachamama. When a miner is under ground he is at the mercy of ¨El Tio¨ or the Devil. Pachamama has no domain of anything that happens under the earth. All of the mountain guides have really strong views on the Pachamama cult.
Tammy and I just climbed from Base Camp ¨Delta¨ to acclamation camp ¨Charlie¨. On the way up we met several other climbers coming down. They reported favorable conditions. Even so many of them were not able to summit the peak.
I feel the altitude here much more. Tammy and I took about 2 hours to do some gear orientation with Sabino. We suited and geared up and ice trekked up to camp ¨Bravo¨. The view was great. We looked down on the ¨Altiplano¨ the high planes and also ¨El Glaciar Viejo¨ The Old Glacier¨.
I also had my first hand at ice climbing. It is a very exhausting activity. Even more so at these altitudes. It is food, coca leaves and coca tea that are keeping me from being on my hands and knees wretching. Tonight we are all to be in bed at 7 in order to get up at 12:30 am to begin our final ascent up to the 20,000 foot summit.
Saturday, 26th of September, 2009, La Paz, 8,500 feet above sea level.
11:00 pm
I just had one of the longest days of my life!! I got up this morning to suit and gear up at 1:00am. 13 people were divided up into 5 groups for the climb. We set out at 2 am. We then walked for 4 hours over snow and ice for what seemed to be straight up. Our group Sabino, Tammy and I were all tethered together by a rope and personal harnesses. As the minutes turned into hours of tramping the air grew thinner and thinner. After about 3 hours Tammy turned to me with a tear streaked face and said ¨I am really not liking you right now¨. She was referring to the fact that this was all my idea.
The sun finally came up. It was one of the most magnificent sun rises I have ever seen. Of course it was accentuated by one of the darkest nights I have experienced. So it could be a biased statement. Also the light revealed the depth of the crevasses that we had been jumping across all night. Many were hundreds of feet deep.
We summated around 8:00 am. The final hurdle to reach the peak was a 10 to 15 foot ice wall climb. This is very difficult at 20,000 feet but once at the top the view was spectacular. It was like standing on the top of the world. To one side I could see Lake Titicaca the highest navigable lake in the world which also meant I was also looking across the boarder into Peru. On the other side I could see La Paz, Mount Illimani, and the ocean of clouds over the tropical zone of the La Paz department known as ¨Los Yungas¨.
I suppose that when you look at the numbers of this climb it does not seem that impressive. But when you are in a place where every 5 steps completely leaves you out of breath, you have to concentrate on not vomiting, and your head feels like it is about to explode things come into perspective.
Sunday, 27th of September 2009, El Alto International Airport, La Paz 10,000 feet above sea level.
10:00 am
As I sit here at a table I stare at a full view of Huana Potosi the mountain I now have a very intimate relationship with. There is somehow a holy presence to this mountain. There are many faiths that have deep respect for mountains. Christianity is one such faith. Moses was given the 10 commandments on the mountain. Christ’s most famous sermon was given on a mountain. But one of my favorites for the use of this blog is that fatherly love was taught through the story of Isaac and Jacob on a mountain. Many might say ¨No that is a horrible story to talk about fatherly love! ¨ I disagree. I think it is a great story to talk about the love a father has for his son. It is the basis for the Christian faith as a matter of fact. God tested Jacobs love and found it to be strong by using a very difficult test. Many times a mountain will not be easy on you, It will test you very nerve. But with time a sense of satisfaction will lead to respect and an intimate relationship that feels very much like the love that a father and a son will share….if that makes any sense to you my reader.
Also as I sit here and look and Huayna Potosi I see that it is now covered from top to bottom with fresh blanket of snow. It started to snow yesterday as we were descending. It seems that we got in the last good couple of days of the season.
I am now looking forward to Mount Illimani for next season. That one stands at 6438 meters/21,122 feet above sea level. It took out an Easter Airlines jet back in the early 80´s. He is one bad dude. We will see you there.
FeO2
1:30 pm
For the first leg of the trip we were delayed about one hour in Jorge Wilsterman Airport in Cochabamba as modern air travel commonly dictates. But we finally left and arrived in La Paz the capital of Bolivia where the climbing company picked us up to drive us to the shop to be fitted for gear. Then it was back on to the transport and out of town to the base camp where we were to spend the night and acclimatize.
On the way up we went through several valleys. One of the most notable things that was pointed out was the place where the Chacaltaya Glacier used to be. This was a 3,000 year old glacier that has melted away in the last 5 or so years. It was the highest ski range in the world while it existed. Now there is nothing but a bunch of broken rocks where it used to sit. I shake my head when I think that I actually know people who do believe that global warming does not even exist.
Upon arrival at the base camp we were briefed by Sabino (our mountain guide) on what the weekend schedule would be. He then served us lunch which turned out to be better than what I thought it would be. Before the weekend I plan to make an outrageous and ridiculous demand of him. I just don’t know what that will be yet. I will have to rely on my wit and creativity.
7:40 pm
Tammy and I took a nap shortly after lunch. Surprisingly we slept for 2 hours. After waking up we went on a walk around the base camp. We discovered a lake that was damned which generates the electricity for the City of La Paz. The weather was interesting as it would go from being cold from cloud cover to really hot when the clouds would roll away. The whole walk was this way in that the weather was in a constant flux of change much like the altitude headaches that would drift in and out of my head. I thank God for the coca I was constantly chewing as it helped stave off the altitude sickness.
After our walk when we got back to the cabin we met Dave the Swiss guy. But from now on we shall refer to him as Dave ¨the out house Bogarter¨.
Friday, 25th of September, 2009, acclamation camp ¨Charlie¨, 17,000 feet above sea level.
5:00 pm
Yesterday I was talking to Sabino about climbing conditions. I happened to state in a rather detached way ¨One must respect the mountain¨ to which he nodded. I then for some reason went on to state with out thinking much ¨One must respect the Pachamama¨ Then he gave me a very grave look and said ¨Yes that is the most important part of our activity.¨ The pachamama is a part of the ancient Incan religious system. Many high planes indigenous people still believe that Pachamama (mother earth) controls all that is good above ground. She controls the weather, the crops and all nature. Interestingly enough the act of mining is considered to be an act of rape against Pachamama. When a miner is under ground he is at the mercy of ¨El Tio¨ or the Devil. Pachamama has no domain of anything that happens under the earth. All of the mountain guides have really strong views on the Pachamama cult.
Tammy and I just climbed from Base Camp ¨Delta¨ to acclamation camp ¨Charlie¨. On the way up we met several other climbers coming down. They reported favorable conditions. Even so many of them were not able to summit the peak.
I feel the altitude here much more. Tammy and I took about 2 hours to do some gear orientation with Sabino. We suited and geared up and ice trekked up to camp ¨Bravo¨. The view was great. We looked down on the ¨Altiplano¨ the high planes and also ¨El Glaciar Viejo¨ The Old Glacier¨.
I also had my first hand at ice climbing. It is a very exhausting activity. Even more so at these altitudes. It is food, coca leaves and coca tea that are keeping me from being on my hands and knees wretching. Tonight we are all to be in bed at 7 in order to get up at 12:30 am to begin our final ascent up to the 20,000 foot summit.
Saturday, 26th of September, 2009, La Paz, 8,500 feet above sea level.
11:00 pm
I just had one of the longest days of my life!! I got up this morning to suit and gear up at 1:00am. 13 people were divided up into 5 groups for the climb. We set out at 2 am. We then walked for 4 hours over snow and ice for what seemed to be straight up. Our group Sabino, Tammy and I were all tethered together by a rope and personal harnesses. As the minutes turned into hours of tramping the air grew thinner and thinner. After about 3 hours Tammy turned to me with a tear streaked face and said ¨I am really not liking you right now¨. She was referring to the fact that this was all my idea.
The sun finally came up. It was one of the most magnificent sun rises I have ever seen. Of course it was accentuated by one of the darkest nights I have experienced. So it could be a biased statement. Also the light revealed the depth of the crevasses that we had been jumping across all night. Many were hundreds of feet deep.
We summated around 8:00 am. The final hurdle to reach the peak was a 10 to 15 foot ice wall climb. This is very difficult at 20,000 feet but once at the top the view was spectacular. It was like standing on the top of the world. To one side I could see Lake Titicaca the highest navigable lake in the world which also meant I was also looking across the boarder into Peru. On the other side I could see La Paz, Mount Illimani, and the ocean of clouds over the tropical zone of the La Paz department known as ¨Los Yungas¨.
I suppose that when you look at the numbers of this climb it does not seem that impressive. But when you are in a place where every 5 steps completely leaves you out of breath, you have to concentrate on not vomiting, and your head feels like it is about to explode things come into perspective.
Sunday, 27th of September 2009, El Alto International Airport, La Paz 10,000 feet above sea level.
10:00 am
As I sit here at a table I stare at a full view of Huana Potosi the mountain I now have a very intimate relationship with. There is somehow a holy presence to this mountain. There are many faiths that have deep respect for mountains. Christianity is one such faith. Moses was given the 10 commandments on the mountain. Christ’s most famous sermon was given on a mountain. But one of my favorites for the use of this blog is that fatherly love was taught through the story of Isaac and Jacob on a mountain. Many might say ¨No that is a horrible story to talk about fatherly love! ¨ I disagree. I think it is a great story to talk about the love a father has for his son. It is the basis for the Christian faith as a matter of fact. God tested Jacobs love and found it to be strong by using a very difficult test. Many times a mountain will not be easy on you, It will test you very nerve. But with time a sense of satisfaction will lead to respect and an intimate relationship that feels very much like the love that a father and a son will share….if that makes any sense to you my reader.
Also as I sit here and look and Huayna Potosi I see that it is now covered from top to bottom with fresh blanket of snow. It started to snow yesterday as we were descending. It seems that we got in the last good couple of days of the season.
I am now looking forward to Mount Illimani for next season. That one stands at 6438 meters/21,122 feet above sea level. It took out an Easter Airlines jet back in the early 80´s. He is one bad dude. We will see you there.
FeO2
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