Hello, All --

Another short post today.  I took hardly any pictures in March, which gives you an idea of how much the same all the days were.  It's been a pleasant month but nothing out of the ordinary has happened.  However, here are a few snapshots . . .

These first two are not actually March pictures; they were taken at the end of January right before Lynn and Diana Crayk went home.  This is an Italian restaurant called La Cantonata (and they actually play opera music sometimes - very nice.)  We are going there for dinner tonight, which made me remember I had never shown you these pictures.  Lonely Planet says this restaurant is one of the best in Cochabamba and I believe that's true.  What they don't warn you of is the size of the servings.  Holy Cow!  Farron and I could both have shared an entree and been perfectly happy.  Tonight we'll know better and either share or order smaller.

This sweet couple were married for eternity last Saturday, March 29th.

They are from La Paz (8 hours away by bus).  The cholita is the bride's mother.

I have learned that if the cholita-skirt is long, it's from La Paz.

If it's shorter (just below the knee), the cholita is from Potosi or Oruro.

The next two pictures are something we see any time we don't share a taxi to church with the Delgados but instead take the trufi.   The trufi route goes right by this intersection on a street called 6 de agosto and the donkeys are always here.  I could never figure out why, because it was obvious the owners weren't giving "donkey rides" or anything like that.  The donkeys are very scruffy-looking and there are always a couple of baby donkeys too.

Well, one time our taxi home from church actually took this route (much longer, but maybe it's the only way he knew to get from there to here.)  Anyway, it gave me a chance to ask the Delgados if they knew why the donkeys were here.  Sure enough, they did.  A female donkey (or burro) is called a burra and they give milk, of course, when they have babies.  The cholitas bring them here every Sunday and people pay to have them milk the donkeys and sell them a glass of donkey-milk.  It is supposed to cure everything and anything! I would rather stay sick than drink it - and I'll bet the milk is full of bacteria because of the dirty donkeys, dirty hands, and probably dirty glasses - but none of that is a problem for the native people.  Interesting.

Lastly, we took the Elder and Sister Gironda to lunch this week since they have completed their one-year mission at the temple and are leaving for home today.  Their home is in Tarifa, about 12 hours away by bus.  They are a wonderful, dedicated couple and we will miss them!

Okay, that's all for today - slim pickins', as I warned you.  Have a safe, healthy, happy week . . . y vayan con Dios!