Huayán ("Why-On"), Huarmey ("Whar-May"), Áncash ("On-cosh")

Bienvenidos Al Distrito - Huayán

Another school development visit took us by car (It was supposed to be car but we ended up with a large van because the car was with another driver) four and a half hours north of Lima along the coast to Huarmey in the province of the same name. There we met the mayor of Huayán, a district of Huarmey and he took us four hours into the mountains. We left behind the rocks and dust and heat and found ourselves in a remote, green, Edenic mountain.

The people in the mountainous part of this province rely on subsistence agriculture: raising primarily wheat, barley, alfalfa, potatoes, and beans. A few apples and peaches are grown. The lower parts of the district are hot and they raise mangos, avocados, corn, and asparagus.

The road to Huayán was even more exciting than the road to Huacaybamba. After we had traversed it Mary commented, "Disneyland will never be the same again." The two main roads are often impassible for months at a time during the rainy season. At those times, the people are isolated and hence have to be self sufficient.  At times we had to share the road with a few cows and there was no way around them so they just ran in front of us for awhile.

When we were in the mayor's office in the town square a group of children were playing peek-a-boo through the window with us. (video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8L2Mrp4bKhg&feature=youtu.be)

We were the first white people to ever visit the village, so they were naturally curious. The mayor's wife told us that with our blue eyes it appears to the children that there are lights shining out of our eyes.

We spent the night in Huayán in the home of the mayor's aunt and uncle and felt very comfortable there. We enjoyed the patio area of the house where we stayed. Rob was especially impressed with the size of the geranium "bush." They even had a pantry (cage) full of cuy (guinea pig) stored away for some future meal.

The show (El Chapulín Colorado) was playing on the TV in the living room when we were there. It took Mary down a trip along memory lane since this is the only show she remembers from her two month visit to Bolivia 35 years ago.

The school visits were similar to some others we had done. One difference was that much of the classroom furniture was 25 years old, but in better condition than some of the newer furniture in other schools. We were impressed with how well they had cared for their things. Given the relative isolation it is part of their daily life to care well for things so they will last.

More photos from Huayán

Photos:

*Rob standing in the street in the village

*An oven in the school kitchen

*One of our new friends sitting in one of the well worn chairs at the school

*The kids having a water balloon fight in the street on a hot afternoon

*Must be The Garden of Eden. The photo doesn't do it justice. This was one of the most beautiful places we have ever seen.

*Rob eating the most delicious mangos he has ever eaten.  

*Boxes of fruit they gave to us. (On the ride to this area, Mary said that Disneyland will never be the same again. After receiving such delicious fruit here in Peru, Rob says that Safeway will never be the same again.)

*The Mayor of Huayán and his wife standing beside us.

*Birds along the beach on our way home.