Sorry - no blog the week of May 20-27 . . . not much happening AND I've been recuperating from food poisoning which leaves me with no energy to spare.  Next week . . .

Hello, All --

We haven't been anywhere exciting or done anything unusual this week, so I thought I'd share something that is quite common here but will be very unusual to you.  (Be glad you don't have to experience it.)  I've mentioned La Cancha before.  It's sort of like a flea market in the U.S. except that it's HUGE - covers several acres - and it is permanent.  You can find almost anything in La Cancha if you are willing to wander up and down winding alleys and keep looking.  Some of the stalls/stores are under one big roof in the center of things, others are in alleys and streets that are pure mud when it rains, and some are along the main city streets that lead into and go through La Cancha.  In addition to all the aforementioned, there are vendors who set up shop on the street each day.  You'll see a little of each kind below.  Personally, I really dislike going down there but sometimes we have to because the prices are about half what you would pay in a normal (clean) store in the city center.  The two things I most dislike about La Cancha are the dirt (or mud, if it has rained) and the smell.  I can only handle about an hour there and then I have to head for home. However, the Latin missionaries here at the temple shop there all the time because of the lower prices and because they are not as spoiled as I am.  <smile>  Here you go . . .

First of all, as you get close to La Cancha (this is about a block outside), you start to see the street vendors along both sides of every street.  I guess they set up anew each day.  These ladies are selling fruits and vegetables.

The next two pictures are of fish vendors.

Don't ask me where the fish comes from

or how fresh it is.  I don't know and I doubt it is.

Another vegetable vendor.  I think the sacks of potatoes behind her are part of her booth as well as the cabbages and other green vegetables in front of her.

This lady is selling papayas.

This one is selling all kinds of potatoes (there are about 400 varieties in Bolivia.)

Notice her little child sound asleep on the cement (bottom right corner) with very little padding.

 Along the street that leads into La Cancha there are several stores that sell grain, noodles, and rice.

This one has ALL kinds of grains.  The problem is that there is nothing to keep dirt, insects,

people's hands (and/or the stray cat) out of the bags.  

For this reason I am not comfortable buying any of this stuff.

Here are a couple more pictures of the same kind of store.  These are permanent locations, by the way.

 

 Here's a lady selling bananas.  Can you see her hat on the other side of the pile?

She's in the street, just off the curb.  The people you can see in front of her are on the sidewalk.

Another vegetable seller with her wares on a piece of plastic in the street.
That is, the one in brown is on the street.  The other lady, with the white hat,
is on the sidewalk.

And here's what gives La Cancha it's inimitable smell - the open air meat markets! 

One of the VERY few that actually has a covered display case for at least part of the meat.

And this is how you buy a chicken in La Cancha.
There are several blocks lined with this vendors like this.
I have to hold my breath as we walk by.
Well actually, I try not to be anywhere near them but sometimes it is inescapable.
I admit I took most of the meat and chicken pictures from the bus.

Here's a more pleasant (and better-smelling) sight:  a lady selling vegetables with her baby in a sling on her back.  They carry the babies this way until they are about 2 years old.  It does keep them safe, but I wonder how badly the mothers' backs ache!

 

Now a total change of subject.  I recently received a copy of a mini-book entitled "The Birth of the Church in Southern Bolivia".  It is a fascinating 77 pages of journal entries from the first missionaries who taught the gospel to isolated natives in the southeastern corner of this country.  In the little village of Queriza, the missionaries and the villagers (almost none of whom were members at the time) built this beautiful chapel, which is still in use today.  This picture (from the book) was taken in 1968 - but the chapel looks just the same now.  It is the only Mormon chapel in South America that has a bell tower and a bell!  What a beautiful job they did and what a tribute to the faith and selflessness of both the missionaries and the village people (many of whom were baptized as soon as the church was completed.)

Okay, that's it for today.  Have a happy, healthy, safe week . . . y vayan con Dios!

Hello, All --

Not much news today, but here are some random pictures from our week . . . 

To start with, we had to go to the Aduana (the Bolivian Customs office) to try and retrieve 2 boxes of vitamins/supplements we had ordered from the U.S.  Each box weighed more than 5 pounds; therefore, we had to pay taxes and customs fees.  This was the only office (out of 3) that I dared take a picture of, because I didn't want the officials to see me doing it.  The full-time elders from the Cochabamba Mission Office went with us. They are registered to pick up parcels all the time.  We could not pick up ours without registering, and we couldn't register because we didn't have a receipt showing we pay rent and utilities here!  (Our rent is paid directly to the Missionary Department in Salt Lake City, and the utilities are included.)  So . . . the elders went with us (the second time) and helped us get the packages.  The boxes arrived in Bolivia on April 21; we finally got them on May 2nd.  ¡Asi es Bolivia!

We went to lunch with President and Sister Jensen at the Cine Center one day.

We saw this cute little boy and his sister.  Farron says that's an Iron Man costume, right?

Obviously the new Spiderman movie is playing at the Cine Center.

On the way home we passed this hotel,

called (appropriately) Hotel Azul (the Blue Hotel).

We pass it every week on our way home from church.

It fascinates me because it's SO BLUE.

Saturday night after we were finished at the temple,

we went to "Beef and Buns" with the Chalmers (on the left) and the Hursts (on the right).

Both couples are leaving for home this month.

This is what we saw as we got off the bus, coming home, and walked to the temple gate.
If you look closely, you can read the words on the sign.

We were waiting for the bus one day this week,

and noticed these poor jacaranda trees which have been trimmed to avoid the power lines.

They've been desecrated, actually.

Don't you feel sorry for them, chopped to pieces like that, and leaning to one side?

But the surprising thing to me, was the way the new growth is growing straight up 

from those horizontal branches.  Can you see what I mean?

I can't help but wonder if eventually the new growth will be so heavy

the whole tree will fall into the street.

That same day we went and got haircuts.

This flower was growing in a neglected planter in front of the shop.

I don't know what it is, but I think it's beautiful.

And right next door in front of the little pharmacy

was this gorgeous lily of some kind (at least I think that's what it is).

The flowers are so huge I was sure it was a fake,

but it's not!

Here's a closeup.

Isn't it gorgeous?

Lastly - and sadly - the Hursts left for home (Bonners Ferry, Idaho)

yesterday afternoon.  They have been a real blessing to all of us and we will MISS them!

(President and Sister Jensen on the right; the Hursts on the left.)

Okay, that's all for today.  Have a happy, healthy, safe week . . . y vayan con Dios!