La Virgen de Urkupina

Last sunday, after watching Arsenal beat Newcastle, I headed off to Quillacollo for day one of the three day festival of the Virgin of Urkupina. It´s Cochabamba´s equivalent of the Notting Hill Carnival and it is a spectacle of colour, costumes, dancing and ceremony. There were thousands of people, if not quite the hundreds of thousands that the locals were telling me come from all over the world. Police crowd control was interesting, basically they take no prisoners, and I had one or two lucky escapes. The secret is not to argue, they have battons and they look like they want to use them.

As it gets dark, large amounts of beer and chicha (the local brew) are consumed and the atmosphere allegedly degenerates and it becomes like closing time in provincial towns like Swindon. Bolivians, when they get the chance, drink to an excess that I think some Brits would be proud of. I promised my boss I would not stay to witness this, though I was tempted.

The festival culminates with a mini pilgrimage on tuesday, when literally thousands head off from about midnight until 5am to a hill next to Quillacollo to pay homage to the Virgin. I was seriously tempted, especially as two friends were going, but as many of you may be aware, I am not an early riser. Next up on the festival calendar is Cochabamba Day in mid-September.

Dieter and Claudia´s wedding

Less than two weeks in Bolivia and what better way to learn the customs and meet people than attend a Bolivian wedding.

I am extremely grateful to Dieter for inviting me - he had only met me once the week before and our connection is extremely tenuous: he is a friend of a work colleague of my Italian friend Andrea. Dieter is half Belgium, half Bolivian so I had plenty of opportunities to mix up my Spanish, English and French with the guests.

Nor did they do things by half, the wedding took place in the grounds of a 5-star hotel in the countryside. I had to buy shirt, tie, trousers and shoes to look the part as I had not packed appropriately.

It was not in reality a traditional Bolivian wedding as it was a civil ceremony accompanied by what can only be described as an obra de teatro (theatre). Dieter`s wife is an actress and this was reflected in the ceremony, with depictions of their family life and games. The good quality red wine also aided my recovery! Girls very pretty too...

Second week perdito

I lost most of the second week to stomach problems, which was really frustrating. Luckily there are two doctors in Oliver´s family which is always helpful (though I did not require the services of the neurologist).

This means that I am really only getting down to work this week. I have seen a number of projects and attended a meeting of a milk co-operative in Punata. I am not sure who was more fascinated by whom. I did not say anything!

I am very impressed with the biogas technology that Tecnologias en Desarrollo has been pioneering in Bolivia. The project focuses on installing biogenerators and toilets/showers in rural and urban fringe communities. The biogenerators provide biogas for cooking, heating and light, and just as importantly get rid of problem of animal and human waste as the gas, if you were not aware, is generated from these products. Other benefits apart from gas, include the production of a high quality biofertiliser as a by-product of the biodigestive process that can be used on crops and importantly women and children do not have to search for wood to burn for cooking or spend the little money they have on alternative energy. Also burning wood in enclosed spaces causes lots of respiratory problems.



Interestingly, Oliver always seeks out the women if he wants to get anything done. The male attitude is very laid back and they are somewhat reluctant to commit themselves to anything - even if it is for their benefit. It seems that if we can get the wife/mother on board, things will happen. Just like England really.

My week is split between the office (3 days) and countryside (2 days). Officially I am an engineer. The concept of fundraising is not quite as well established here and it is probably better that I do not tell everyone I am here to find money.

The charity´s website should also be available in English and French very soon!

Touch down

I arrived in Santa Cruz just over two weeks ago and got to Cochambamba via a 10 hour bus ride through the notorious - well, according to the US Government at least - Chapare coca growing region on a tuesday night. My arrival was slightly complicated as there was a public transport strike and the workers had blocked the main roads with their colectivos and micros so we could not get to the main bus terminal and were dropped off on a side street in a quiet residencial district.

Well, it would have been quiet if it were not for about 10 coach loads of confused travellers. As a Bolivia veteran (!) I remained calm, found a phone to get hold of Oliver, the director of the charity, and helped a group of distraught non-Spanish speakers.

My first week was not surprisingly spent mainly with my boss and mentor Oliver, his family (his mother has adopted me) and colleague Pedro (that´s Oliver and Pedro in the photo).

So far only other people I know are as a result of the tenuous contact through an Italian friend (thanks Andrea!).

I have a two bedroom flat for 60 pounds a month, a balcony from where you can see Christ (it´s Cochabamba´s clame to fame, he is bigger than the one in Rio) and in walking distance of the footie stadium, obviously the major selling point from my point of view. Guests most welcome!

Also, if this is winter, I am not sure how I will cope with summer. According to the newspaper, the temperature fluctuates between out 25-30 degrees but it feels much hotter to me when I am out working in the countryside. At night goes down to about 5 degrees, almost a relief. Still I could be in La Paz, it really is winter there, so I promise I am not complaining.