Like this:

Well, our second attempt at collecting Urubamba´s trash was finally met with success.  Although the truck was a bit late again arriving on location in the Plaza de Armas, we finally boarded the vessel around 3:15am after napping for a bit on some park benches.  JG and I sat up front, marking up our route maps as we made the stops through town.  The first half (in the dark) was spent collecting piles and piles of mixed garbage along the streets of Urubamba´s markets.  Sadly, I´d estimate that at least 75 or 80% of this ¨trash¨ was recyclable or compostable.  Lots of food waste, cans, paper-products, etc.  The ride only further proved the need for a better (or at least A) system of trash separation and recycling.

After a couple hours, we landed in the Urubamba dumping area, basically a massive heap of trash planted on the side of a mountain not far from town.  This was a sad sight if I´ve ever seen one.  An environmental and public health disaster.  Because the area lacks any sort of retaining fence, the trash is free to blow all down the mountain and the dogs, pigs, and other assorted creatures are welcome to come peruse the assorted treasures and diseases lurking here.  Sweeping my head from side to side in the pitch black with my headlamp on was a bit creepy with the many, many eyes staring back at me.  Surely these dogs venture back down into town after getting their fill, only to spread whatever nastiness they´ve acquired to the other animals and human inhabitants.  This place really just points out the severe limitation of resources Urubamba suffers from.  In my opinion, fencing this area would be a top priority due to the very visible health concerns.  I will certainly be pushing for this over the coming weeks.

After returning to the Plaza after the first dump run, we ended up waiting there in the truck for an hour while the street cleaning team (lots of people with barrels and brooms sweeping the streets all through the night) finished up their jobs and dumped the collected garbage into the truck.  I was actually able to catch a few Zzz´s in the truck at this time.  I´m sure one day I will look back on that situation and realize just how absurd it was that I was napping in a dump truck in the pitch black at 5 in the morning in Urubamba´s Plaza de Armas.  But that´s for later reflection.

Around 6 or so, we started on phase II which was the trash collection for much of the town´s residents.  As we began the route, Nicolo (the driver) switched on some speakers on the outside of the truck and we were soon riding through town with Peruvian music cranking for all to hear.  The music basically acts as a warning system for the residents so that they can gather their trash and get it outside before we arrive.  Watching the sleepy inhabitants of Urubamba racing out to dump their trash was quite a site.  Some people looked as if they had been waiting out on their stoops all night for us to come while others were literally sprinting out their doors with two barrels in hand, pajamas on, and hair sticking out in every direction (clearly, this would be my method of choice).  Of everything this morning, however, I think my favorite part was when some of the people would happen to look up into the cab and notice the two of us (an American and an Englishman) riding along in the dump truck.  Two white guys acting as their ¨bin men¨ (a term that my English counterparts use that I find hilarious) was clearly not something they were expecting to see.  Since in these parts having light skin basically qualifies you as being filthy rich, the idea of us collecting their trash was a bit of an oxymoron.

So after getting quite the thorough tour of the streets of Urubamba, we finally wrapped up our work a bit after 9am.  I arrived back at the house to find Conny and the volunteers eating breakfast.  Pretty funny.  After grabbing some food myself, I did a few things, caught a half hour nap, and was off to teach 4 classes in the afternoon.  After classes, I cooked my (now much sought after) chicken/avocado/homemade salsa tacos with Mexican Woody´s handmade flour tortillas, and was fast to bed.

Friday morning came quickly and we were off to hike the very scenic route between Chinchero and Urquillos.  This was a pretty leisurely hike that offered us some really great views as we descended back into the Sacred Valley.  Since it began up at a pretty heavy elevation, I was able to pick lots of wild mint that grows up there which I´ve found makes incredible tea.  One thing that I find really amazing about this area in general is just the capacity of the land to grow so many different types of food.  Peppers, avocados, potatoes, garlic, tomatoes, corn, quinoa, bananas, mangoes, apples, you name it.  Going to the produce market here in town has quickly become one of my favorite activities as you can get loads of the freshest produce in the world for practically nothing.  I´m maintaining probably the healthiest diet of my life without even trying.  Finding unhealthy foods is actually almost a little challenging.

Aside from the above, I´ve done a lot of work over the past few days in preparing my lesson plans for school, as well as some other work for my environmental projects.  All in all, things are going very well for me here in small town, South America.  The season is turning quickly to winter which means chilly nights.  It really seems as if this change solely took place in the span of 24 hours.  There was one day that was unusually cold and cloudy here and since then there´s been a noticeable difference in the climate, both day and night.  But it´s still incredibly beautiful here and very comfortable weather for me.

FYI – New pictures are up at the ends of albums ¨Volunteer Work – Nexos Voluntarios¨ and ¨Trekking the Andes.¨ http://picasaweb.google.com/scottwood83

I hope everyone is well.  A Happy Birthday goes out to my beautiful niece, Emily, and a Happy Mothers Day to all you Moms out there.  Keep in touch.

Scott

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