Hello first day out from behind locked doors

Well I have left Villa Santa Martha this morning: I was up early to bath babies for final time and I have to say felt horribly sad cleaning bottoms and washing hair , they are all so cuddly now, I walk in at 6 ish and they come running up to me and jump on me, I will really miss them, and I have to admit I did shed a tear as the nursary nurse gave me a huge hug good bye. had breakfast and soon after pascual arrived to pick me up but I will ciome back to that later,

Last week in Santa martha a bit different as they are starting school on the 2nd March so getting ready for that. All kitted with new uniforms so had to fit 23 girls with skirts blouses shoes and socks. Lots of clearing out their drawers of toys and clothes and getting ready for the new term which goes on till July with a 2 week break and then on till December. From Monday they will get up at 5 o clock, so relieved I wont be doing that as its exaggerated really as they only start school at 8 am but have to clean the dormatory and shower do their hair, still seems early to me. They only have school till mid day and the education really is not very good, so life from monday will be very different:

Friday 27th happened to be a fiesta chau les vaccaciones. Couldnt have been a better birthday celebration if I had tried. A birthday to remember. up early as always 2 hours with babies, breakfast and then getting ready for the party: The whole place was decorated with balloons and loo paper as streamers, all the tables were put outside in the court yard real party feeling. various people said happy birthday but I didnt expect any big thing. I spent 3 hours in the kitchen peeling potatos for 150 and squeezing I dont know how many limes hundreds it felt like for at least an hour, very busy. Then papa Roberto and Tio Tom arrived, Tom was going to help with the cooking which is rare, he started giving orders and telling people to do  x y and z.

Eventually it kicked off with the girls and a few boys doing a dance followed by the theater group giving a little performance of several skits they had made up, shame one couldnt hear a word they said. Then they all sang happy birthday to me and thanked me for being there it was really a surprise as I didnt know that papa Roberto and Tom knew. Then Papa Roberto and Walter started to bq saussages, and hamburgers each child got a huge saussage in a piece of bread with a mayonnaise sauce, folloed by hamburger with salad and tomato in a bun, followed by rissotto and bqed chancho, they had killed two pigs the day before: i just couldnt keep up with the food there was so much. i had hamburger and had to give up although I tried the pork which was really tastey,great marinade. Started lunch at about 1.30ish and were still there at about 5 when papa Roberto said there was going to be a big surprise. He left for a bit and came back with a group of 11 french men who were going to play music so we then had trumpets sax, drums, clarinet accordion played. It was good fun they wanted the kids to dance but the tutors too shy to dance so I got lots of kids up and danced with them and got them to make a chain and dance around the musicians. It was really fun the kids loved it. Then we got ice cream and cake, and last of all when it was dark they presented me with a heart shaped cake for me with a candle shaped in a question mark and they all sand happy birthday again: never had 150 people to my birthday before a real day to remember:

Today Pascual picked me up and we went to his house via bus terminal where I bought my ticket for Sunday night to Arequippa. Its a 16 hour bus ride so decided to go overnight afterall as I dont want to arrive in A. late at night. Then dumped my stuff at their house and took off to La Punta to the boat club to meet up with a friend who had invited us to spend the day in his motor boat; There were 9 of us in all and spent a great day at sea near Lima. First went to an island where there was a beach but swam from the boat and had lunch of cerviche, delicious. Then went to an island that was covered in seals quite extraordinary, foul smell as we got close but seals all over the rocks, light not good so not many good pix.Then headed back to lima at about 8pm and to end the trip pascual who might have had a bit much vodka slipped while stepping off the launchonto the jetty and ended up in the harbour with his laptop. Not so funny really he hurt his leg but I think he his ok.

So I have had a really really great birthday as that was their birthday surprise for me Alison having told them it was my birthday.Travel starts tomorrow watch this space......

Comments

[maki]

what a great birthday you had...
Belated good wishes for your birthday and the coming year.

Lots of love ,
maki

[jess]

So glad that you had a lovely birthday. You deserved it after all your hard work for them.
Emailing you now
safe travelling, can't wait to hear more...
xx