Santa Catalina Convent

This dominican convent was created during the 16th century. It's the most important monument in Arequipa. I couldn't leave town without visiting it, so yesterday I did it.

and more...

And more happy faces...

More faces...

More wonderful faces...

Inca tradition - PACHAMAMA

Every year all peruvian indigeans make an offer to PACHAMAMA. Pachamama is the Inca Mother Earth. So, on august, they open a whole and put inside many things like sweets, food... They also sacrifice llamas and alpacas and put inside the whole their dead bodies, as a payment for using the Earth.
Other Inca tradition is that they never put hair in the garbage, they burn it. Otherwise someone could steal their ideas.

More wonderful kids...

Today we had almost 90 kids... here there are some of them during lunch time

Wonderful kids...

Friday night in Split (the bar, of course)

Yesterday night me, the other volunteers and the guys who went with me to the beach, went to Split, the croatian bar in Arequipa. It's a very successful bar and very popular among the arequipenian people. Of course all of them showed to Renato, the croatian owner, their croatian language knowledge :)
The bar most famous drink ( it's not in the menu and it's known only by the frequent customers) is the "Special"... a very special mix :)

Final week in Arequipa

Today I'm exhausted... we had 75 (!!!!) children and you can imagine how hard it was... unbelieveble! These last days have been really demanding. But the weekend has already arrived and then it will be my last week in the project. But I 'm already with "SAUDADES" of the children!
We have already started the procedures to build a new bathroom. Today the engineers were there studying how can they do it. They will build proper bathrooms (male and female) with water. The children will feel a real improvement!
It seems now that the insurance will not pay me the new airplane ticket back to Europe, so now the only hope I have is that Air Madrid will give me back the money. Yesterday I've already booked a new airplane ticket to Lisbon. I will arrive on 20th of february.
Yesterday I've already bought also the Inca Trail ticket, from Cuzco to Machu Pichu. I will trek during 2 days (15 and 16 january), arriving in Machu Pichu to see the sunrise over the lost city... it must be wonderful and unforgettable!

Crazy days and repulsive pictures

These days have been crazy... more and more children are coming to our classes. Today were 52, here you can see some of them. As now we are making "active holidays" the children from the other schools are coming also, even because we give them lunch and fruit for free.

As the amount of money we have already got is considerable, I've decided that the money will go to built a new, and proper bathroom. Look the actual bathroom:

And now look inside...

Sorry if these pictures are repulsive, but it's how these children live everyday. So I will try that they will have soon a respectable bathroom.

The best bar in all Arequipa!!

I found the best bar in all Arequipa! The bar's name is SPLIT

All around there are croatian symbols



Me with Renato Balic, the owner, with the croatian flag behind us and making the croatian sign with the fingers. I could never imagine that I would speak croatian in Arequipa. It was amazing!

Now some words...

As you can see in the pictures I spent a fantastic new year's eve in the beach. The group was very nice (my host family son, his girlfriend and his friends) and very funny. These peruvians drink like crazy... they just stopped drinking when they got the bus to come back to Arequipa. Everyone in the beach is always drinking beer... incredible. The mid-night was passed outside with thousands of people completely crazy.
The guys knew that I'm able to speak some languages so I teached them some 4 words in croatian... I cannot write here those 4 words, but they really loved it and they spent all weekend saying these words.
These days were perfect to rest from the project, but now I'm back and ready for my last days on the project. I will be here until the 12th of january.
I must thank you again for all your contributions, I'm really happy for the amount we have already reached! OBRIGADO

Some other pictures - Camaná

Me with the "El Cebillano" owner. "El Cebillano" is a famous restaurant in Arequipa and Camaná, and its specialty is "cebiche", the most traditional peruvian dish - noncooked fish in a lemon sauce

Some people in "El Cebillano" after the beach

Me with some friends in the house... don't get confused because of the Coca-cola bottle... that was just for the Pisco - peruvian white drink, very strong...
Although the sky was cloudy, the weather was very hot and the sand was burning

There were huge waves and the sea was pushing very much

Some new year's eve pictures - Camaná

Camaná is the best beach near Arequipa, 3 hours away by bus. The landscape is like the desert


Look the cold Pacific Ocean, but pacific is only the name

On 2001 there was an earthquake and then a huge tsunami that destroyed almost everything and killed many people

Me and the Pacific Ocean...
Me and Alejandro, the owner of the house where we stayed, before going out for new year's eve party