We come out of our cosy room at 6am. The sunrise is very pretty, no one is around. The air is crisp but so pure. We see Wilbur and says for us to go for a walk. The animals have been put out except for the pigs and the ewe and lamb. I have to be in the kitchen at 7.30 to help Stephanie make the bread for breakfast.
We go for a walk along the path between the houses. Everyone is beginning to go about their business.
I enter the kitchen to help with the bread. The dough is made but my job is to roll into balls then flatten it out ready for cooking. It’s a simple flat wheat bread that is cooked in oil. I am normally very comfortable in the kitchen but I just know that each of my bread disks gets reshaped before cooking. We make about 50 or so of these flat oblong disks.
Wilbur comes in and we eat breakfast of these breads, boiled egg and coffee together.
Once we have cleaned up the breakfast dishes we head outside and go with Stephanie to take the pigs up the hill. I get the job of dragging these stubborn animals to the field and Glenn and Stephanie peg them in place. That done we go back and get the ewe and her lamb. They have been in the warmth and protection of part of the brothers house.
The little lamb appears to have a disc-located shoulder but it still manages to follow mum to the field close to the house.
Wilbur comes and sets us to work removing the skin from the potatoes that have been laying out on the ground all night. Some of them are quite squishy and seem to us to be rotten but it’s not for us to judge. After a while if doing this he tips a big bag of partly dried potatoes on a big tarp and the idea here is we separate the dried skins from the little potatoes that are now like rocks.
This process continues many more times and it’s hard to know if what do is really a benefit but it keeps us busy and feels good.
These dried potatoes will keep for 5 years and can be used in soups in the future.
It’s lunch time and we have semolina and vegetable soup followed by blanched vegetables, potatoes and grilled cheese. There is a different potato they called an Orca which is like sweet potato. The cheese is made by Mamma Sophia. It’s like a feta, slightly salty but made with cows milk.
Glenn does the dishes and we go to pack and when we come out there are traditional clothes there for us to put on. We dress up and then walk down to meet the rest of the group. After photos we share a shot glass of wine with the mammas ( except our pregnant mamma) to thank them for their hospitality. The men are all working so only the women are there to say Adios.
This was such a positive experience and we all enjoyed it very much. Back on the boat and it’s back to Puno. A hot shower and change of clothes is much welcomed.
We have a farewell dinner tonight as our excellent tour leader Marcial leaves us to return to his home in Cusco for a few days.
Tomorrow we are back to Lima.