cusco

sorry i havent been able to write. the caps on this computer are very difficult so im doing all lower case. well we have zero internet at our house but 5minutes away there is an internet spot where it is 1.15soles for 1hr -- about 30 cents. they have a fast connection and skype though no camera that I can see. so this is promising at least for the next 3weeks while here.

so friday we traveled to cusco, no problem, and this place feels like another country -- no, another century -- with poor natives carrying tomatos in their skirts and trying to sell their chamomile flowers for tea while carrying a colorful papoose with an infant on their backs. we drove through narrow cobbelstoned streets past fruits youve never seen before and hanging pig carcases and roosters and stray dogs to stop at a random door leading into our apartment.

were staying in our own apartment which is actually a little scarier than a home stay as we had in lima. the door has an old iron bolt lock but the wood is so light and old that even i could kick it in without any effort. Every noise sounds like its in the house, the walls are so thin, and its very very dark at night. but lony and i had our mace by the bedside and slept pretty well anyway. the place itself is like in the old city, up an alley, through a doorway into a courtyard which is gated and walled by thin tiny apartments though which you can hear every cough and bark. then through our flmsy door into a gorgeous white-washed and wood two-story adobe lit throughout by huge composite windows and skylights. there are plenty of blankets which is necessary because there is no heat and it is in the 30s and 40s at night. but it has real life hot water, even in the sinks so we´re thrilled. its very clean and so far were the only inhabitants though they expect others from our language-learning program to join.

last night we went to chabad and it was wild. 200 Israelis, the place was packed, and we met the usual post-army traveling southamerica crowd. we also met a girl, jenny, who knew nothing at all about judaism but was jewish herself and came to explore. she asked when we commented on how the little three year old looked like his father the rabbi: rabbis are allowed to be married and have kids? were meeting up with her tonight to hang out more.

The altitude is brutal though. The second we got off the plane we had headaches, nausea, and felt overall sick and dehydrated. Coca tea and diamox helped Lony but as it turned out, I was getting sick anyway and slept most of today with a fever. Nothing else though so it seems like its only a virus and will pass. not too bad. after the things weve eaten and drank, Im lucky this is all i have. lots of electrolyte replacements and bottled water. and after motrin I finally stopped shivering.

now im much better and were out in the beautiful main square (10500ft elev) planning our restful activities for tomorrow while we continue to acclimate.