House-hunting

House-hunting is very interesting here. Firstly, there are no estate agents where you can go and look at photos of houses. Secondly, in many areas, everything is behind high walls so that you have no idea if there is a one-bedroom flat behind or, as I found in one case, three or four courtyards, over 20 rooms for tourists and three houses! Thirdly, some streets are inaccessible by road and/or up rather a lot of steps. Fourthly, there are a couple of newspapers that advertise houses and flats (one is a like a small version of Friday-Ads) but it hard to tell from the advertisement exactly what is being offered – there is often no price quoted and the size can be quite vague. As a result of all this we have looked at some highly unsuitable places! However, it’s fun looking round so we don’t mind too much!

It seems quite acceptable to wander round an area that you like and ask people you see if they know anywhere for rent. Sometimes there are notices in windows, normally handwritten, saying that rooms are available, and you can knock and look. Or, it seems to be OK to knock on doors of properties that look promising and ask if any of the property is available. So far, we have found quite a few places this way.

We have been looking mainly in the area below the 'Cristo Blanco' statue that overlooks the city:

Here is a selection of places that we’ve seen on our periodic house-hunting expeditions, plus a few pictures to give you a bigger picture of Cusco:

On one occasion, we saw a lady outside her house and asked if she knew of anywhere, and she said she had two small properties inside her courtyard that were rented out. They are currently occupied but we went to see the courtyard anyway. It was a beautiful place in a lovely location near town so we might go back and ask again sometime. Encouraged by this, we knocked on the door of the property next door. This also had various rooms and flats positioned around a courtyard, again mostly rented, and the lady said we could ask again in a few weeks.

I was about to knock on another door when two women came down the street saying that they had a house available. It turned out to be a bit small and would be rather cold as all the rooms had to be accessed individually from the courtyard or balcony. It had no outside space where boys could play either.

On another occasion I saw a notice saying that there was a room to rent in a house ‘arriba’. ‘Arriba’ means higher up and that can often mean in a location in a poor area accessed by hundreds of steps! I decided to have a look as even if it says there is only one room there can often be more space that might be available later. (Probably after the main tourist season is over in September there might be more available.) The house turned out to be up quite a lot of steps but there was road access from another direction, although you would have to cross the playground opposite. The property had an amazing view across the city and a good proportion of it was being renovated. It seemed that although only one room was available at that time, it would be worth re-visiting at a later date.

I found another property undergoing renovation in a slightly more convenient location. There seemed to be about three houses on the plot, one of which would be available in a couple of months. The lady said it would have 5 bedrooms but it was hard to see how! It is also due to have a ‘chiminea’ (fire place) though so again, it’s worth another look later! This one was shown to me by a friendly security guard who saw me wandering about and said he knew the owner.

A couple of properties advertised in the paper have been worth a look but both turned out to be huge. One needed complete renovation – windows, floors, rooves - everything except new walls! It was actually for sale and we’re not planning on trying to buy something here. It had three courtyards and could be a beautiful hotel if someone has plenty of money to invest! The other was newly built but was four storeys high and had fifteen bedrooms! It was not in the area we are hoping for and was out of our price-range.

Wandering round a slightly different area, a lady I met said that the house on the corner might have a flat for rent. I knocked but the landlady was out so the girl who answered suggested I call back in a few days. I did so, but she was out again! However, the man who opened the door let me have a look inside the courtyard this time. The property turned out to consist of various rooms and two flats surrounding the big courtyard. The second floor looks as though it has amazing views over the town. The guy I met runs bicycle tours and lives in part of the building. I eventually got hold of the landlady a few days later who said she might have something in December.

The two most recent places we have looked at were advertised as suitable for running as hostels. We thought they would be too big but in actual fact they were a very suitable size. The first one was not really in the area we want but it was interesting to find a something the right size which was not much too expensive. It was snapped up by someone else the day after we saw it so we didn't get time to seriously consider it. The second place again was not in the area we are wanting but we actually like the street very much, and given the location of Sammy's school next year it would be right on a good bus route! This place has been advertised for several weeks now. Noone is taking it because the price is extortionate! We will see if the landlord eventually comes down to a realistic price.

A street we like. So far we have not found any suitable properties for rent here.

Children's Birthday Parties

I wrote this in August, when Sammy was invited to about 8 birthday parties in 3 weeks! (We didn’t go to them all.) However, I didn’t take any photos. The photos that accompany the text were taken at the 6^th birthday party of Felipe, our language teacher’s son.

Felipe's party was held in his aunty's garden.

How long does a birthday party for a 4 year old last?

The answer is, often 4-5 hours! Yesterday, Sammy and I went to the party of his friend, Victor (or, with Sammy’s fairly good Spanish pronounciation ‘big-dog’!). We have been to a couple of parties before but normally we leave before the end. This time we decided we’d stay.

The party was due to start at 4pm, but we’ve learned that it’s best to arrive at least an hour late because most other people arrive 1-2 hours late. The latest arrival yesterday was 7pm, I think. It was held at Victor’s home, about 20-30 minutes walk from here. Sometimes people hire an area in one of the restaurants as there are several round here that have small ball pools, slides and things to climb on. Not quite what you see in the UK, but more than I expected to see here.

There were about 30 children present, plus the same number of adults. Some were from Sammy and Victor’s class, but others we didn’t know. Some children came with their mums or dads, others with the family ‘empleada’ (housekeeper who sometimes also helps with the children) or nanny (mostly girls in their late teens/early twenties).

Fortunately Victor’s family have a large living-dining room but it was still a squash. It is a typical room in terms of how the better-off Peruvians here decorate. The floor was tiled (no rug or carpet), there were various religious pictures/paintings on the wall in elaborate gold or wooden frames, the light fittings were mini chandeliers, there was a glass case containing lots of glasses and various trinkets, and a vase of paper flowers in the corner. Sofas and chairs were pushed back against the wall for all the adults to sit down.

The first hour we were there not a whole lot happened. There was music for the kids to dance to and crisps, biscuits and jellies handed round.

Traditional food at a birthday party - crisps,popcorn, jellies, coca cola. Children don't sit down to eat at a set time - the food is just handed round throughout the party.

At 6pm the clown arrived. Most parents hire a clown to amuse the children at parties.

Felipe, Sammy and the clown.

He dressed up some of the kids as clowns and then got all the kids dancing to compete for prizes. Unfortunately Sammy is scared of clowns! This makes parties a bit difficult! However, he seems to be gradually overcoming his fear and joined in with the dancing having stuck to my side for the first half an hour! There then followed magic tricks, which Sammy, and all the children loved. Some involved rather too much fire for a lounge I thought! The kids’ favourite tricks seemed to be the one involving a live white dove – poor thing!

After this came the cake ‘ceremony’. Little Victor, immaculately dressed in a black suit, shirt, tie and the shiniest black shoes I’ve ever seen, stood on a chair behind the huge cake, with his mum, dad and sister. (Birthday cakes here are normally huge, professionally-made and beautifully decorated with coloured icing.) We sang Happy Birthday in English first, quite slowly, and then the Spanish version a lot faster (this seems to be the way it’s always done). Victor was then supposed to put his face in the cake and take a bite (adults usually get their faces pushed in) but he didn’t want to so he just stuck his finger in and licked it! (Sammy then thought he might do the same but fortunately the cake was taken off to be cut before he got the chance to try!)

Felipe was brave enough to take a bite of the cake.

Next came the puppet show. The clown had brought a portable puppet theatre which just about fitted in the corner of the lounge. It was not quite what I was expecting. In the upper part of the theatre appeared various animals and odd-looking monsters, one of whom knocked another’s head off. There was also a bottom section with separate curtains where we had two puppet ‘discos’ with flashing lights and loud music. One involved a dancing man (a puppet on strings) and the other involved a skeleton (again on strings), smoke, a tomb and a luminous skull and rather scary music. This seemed to frighten some of the children! Sammy wondered where the ‘proper’ puppets were! He still seemed to enjoy most of it though, minus the dancing skeleton.

After this it was time for the ‘pinata’, an essential part of every kids party here. For some reason at boy’s parties it always seems to be decorated with ‘Power Rangers’. The invitations, cake and party boxes for the kids to take home are normally ‘Power Rangers’ ones too. I think perhaps there’s not much choice here in the shops! (We’re going to a little girl’s party on Sunday and I think, judging by the invitation, everything will be ‘Winnie the Pooh’.) The ‘pinata’ involves the girls and boys getting into separate lines and taking it in turns to hit the ‘pinata’ with a big stick. When it breaks, there is a massive bundle as all the children grab the sweets and little presents that have fallen out. It’s quite rough!

The 'pinata' at Felipe's party.

After this the children ate birthday cake and the adults were given sausage and chips. It is normal here for the adults to be given hot food at the end of the party and once eaten, this seems to be the signal that it’s time to leave.