Andagua day 2

Andagua 2

The next day, Julisa’s 15 year old brother Salvador led me on the family mule on a 6 hour tour of the countryside south of town. The mule was in no way stubborn aside from pausing to chomp off a branch or 2 from the course shrubby plants here and there. He would walk along eating the tips sort of like someone eating spaghetti by nipping of the end in his mouth while holding the rest between his lips. One mouth full could satisfy him for 10 minutes sometimes. We took a side trip to a deep crater, “Crater del Volcan Canilla Mauras” through a breach on one side to look at the walled center, apparently a ceremonial place still being maintained by the people of the area. The short cut back to the road was too steep to stay in the mule so I walked down the 100 yards behind. The area around was dry desert with 8’ cactus here and there and scrubby compositeaes 3’ tall in low areas which may have heal more moisture. Extensive areas of volcanic rock and scoria gave a bleak and harsh feel until we came to the tiny town of Sopoto where Julisa’s grandfather lived. Irrigated terraces again filled the landscape but there was evidence of terraces with insufficient water for irrigation reverting to desert. The school sported a satellite dish and photovoltaic array for internet instruction. Salvador introduced me to his grandfather who at age 76 was bright eyed and quite interested in talking with his visitor from the US. He had been a bullfighter and although he could use both hands, his left arm was crippled from a mishap in the ring. I shared some mandarins bought before coming to Andagua and as Salvador had brought his grandfather some of the birthday cake, and that was shared in return. A portable radio crackled in the background and I noticed it had a wire antenna wrapped around it. Asking if I could experiment, I unwound the wire and attached it above bringing in a clear signal. This made the grandfather quite happy and we had more cake.
Before leaving grandfather posed on the mule for his grandson’s camera and I got a photo of them both. We headed down through the terraces and across more bleak rock strewn terrain to the base of a small 500’ volcano with steep sides and I cringed at the idea of climbing it after the previous day’s breathless walk up much gentler slopes but the coca tea must have had it’s effect as I made it up with only moderate struggle. The near perfect cone was crowned with a near perfect crater 100 yds. across and 200’ deep. A panoramic view of the valley of the volcanoes and the larger mountains around was the reward for the climb. I shared my bread and cheese as well as the rest of the avocado with Salvador and we made a game of getting back down the cone sliding on the scoria while avoiding the calf high cactus along the zigzag path back to the mule. On the way back I got to hold the reigns most of the way though the mule made most of the decisions as to the exact route.

I had moved my gear to Julisa’s Parent’s house for the last night. The spare room, was actually a storage room in one of the 3 adobe buildings that made up the family compound The small yard was shared with half a dozen chickens, a dozen sheep, a burro, mule, and horse shared the area enclosed, plus a sow and 2 piglets in a walled enclosure. Diner was prepared in a separate kitchen room over an open fire the smoke drifting out the front door. At seated level the smoke was fairly tolerable and I sat in the stream of air coming in the window. I imagine if the roof ad still been Thatch, more less of the smoke would have been trapped inside. There was rice, potatoes with a really tasty tomato etc. glaze, chicken and as a special treat a guinea pig. After dinner there was white whiskey for Julisa’s father and me. A little sweet and with I think a relative of absinthe for flavor. Probably 80% alcohol, we had only an ounce each but it definitely had a warming effect. Julisa took me to the main church, very plain on the outside (compared to the topiaries close by) but with several beautiful sculptures and an incredible rococo alter piece with smaller versions of Bernini’s (?) spiral columns, all gilt except for the carving of the head of god which bore a remarkable similarity to my own grey bearded face!