Angela's Andean Adventures.
Claire and Aquiles Visit 13-19 December 2001.
The past week spent with Claire and Aquiles was great fun. They arrived
on Thursday evening and stayed until Wednesday morning when they were moving
on to Birmingham and then Liverpool, then northwards towards Chester where
Claire's parents live. They went to Cheltenham on Friday and although the
plan was for them to get back in time to come out with Colin and me to a
country pub in the evening, I had a phone call around the time Colin was
arriving to say they were still on the train which had been delayed. So
Colin and I went out without them and when we got back they still weren't at
the house but arrived about ten minutes later. We then ended up drinking
wine and listening to music until 3 o clock in the morning - although
Aquiles prefers the latest chart music to Andean, he was really impressed
with some of the new stuff in my collection (which I've just updated and it
now stands at 918 albums of Andean music) and he actually enjoyed listening
to Andean music for a change.
Next day we were all up early and I drove us to Newport in Wales. I really
enjoyed the whole day there. I love that little town which is probably about
the same size or a bit smaller than Bath with lovely shops, friendly people
etc and less than 50 miles from Bath. We arrived at 11 am and I dropped them
and their equipment off in the centre and then went to find a car park where
I could park all day without a time limit. After that my first priority was
a trip to the bank to change 850 francs back into English money so that I
had some money to spend and when I got to the bank another Andean band were
playing outside. So I quickly bought their latest CD as I adore the other
Alaya CD that I have and said I would come back and listen later.
The next three hours I spent browsing around the shops as there were several
particular ones that I wanted to visit and in one of them I bought a
fantastic Indian style purple crushed velvet tunic top which I shall wear on
Christmas day. It probably was at least three hours later before I got back
to listen to Alaya and having noticed that one of my favourite songs "Pascua
Linda" was on the latest CD, I asked one of them between songs if they would
play it for me and the short guy said yes he would. At that moment I noticed
his leather instrument case had "Rumillajta" on it and I told him I was in
La Paz and met up with Adrian and Jorge of Rumillajta and he said he would
like to talk more and would take a break in a few minutes.
So I waited and listened to a couple more songs including Pascua Linda and
then he came over to chat and I was delighted to realise he is the ex member
of Rumillajta - Miguel Angel Puna - who is a very close friend of Jacco so I
told him about Jacco's visit to the UK in August and how we might have
popped across to Paris to see him had he been at home. At that time Miguel
was touring in the South of France. He lives partly in France and partly in
Wales. He was delighted when I was able to give him news of Jacco and asked
for his address so I gave him both his postal address and his latest email
address and he is going to keep in touch with me as well mainly to let me
know if certain Andean bands in France come over to England - eg Awatinas. I
would give anything to see them live and he thinks they might pay a visit to
England next year. I hope he keeps his promise and lets me know as given
enough notice to arrange it I would definitely go and see their concert
wherever that may be. He also mentioned a festival of music in Cardiff in
August that Alaya will be performing at in 2002. Maybe Awatinas as well.
That certainly sounds like a festival not to be missed.
I told him about my trip to La Paz and Adrian's visit here to Bristol so we
were chatting for at least 20 minutes. He seems a really nice guy, in fact
all three of those Rumillajta members that I've met are really nice and if
they are a good example, along with Jacco, of what Bolivian people are like
it is no wonder I love that place so much!
I finally ended up listening to Claire and Aquiles for their last half hour
session as it was almost getting dark and in the process we met a lovely
Peruvian woman from Cusco who has lived in Wales for 30 years. She lives in
Caldicot which is near the bridge between England and Wales and she was so
enchanted with the music of Claire and Aquiles, plus the fact of meeting
someone from Cusco (and they knew each other's families as well) that she
told them they would be welcome to stay in her house in Caldicot any time
and could even come for Christmas if they wished! Aquiles was equally
thrilled to talk to someone from Cusco and she extended the invitation to me
as well, even though I was obviously not a member of the band. We told her
we were going to a Spanish circle event that evening in Bath and she was
immediately interested, so I promised to send details of the people who
organise the Spanish circle events. Even though Caldicot is probably 30 or
more miles from Bath, she was definitely interested in attending some of
those events and meeting other Spanish and Latin American people.
After that it was a mad rush to get back to the car with the equipment as
Aquiles wanted to stop first at Bristol to get a Thai take-away meal from
our favourite take-away place there. Luckily I managed to find my way out of
Newport in the dark without getting lost and we reached the shop about 40
minutes later after a very fast drive down the motorway, only to find when
we got there that it wasn't open yet!! We found another nearby and had
something and then had to rush home as Colin was coming for us at 7.30. We
arrived home at 7.20 with just 10 minutes to get ready so it was a bit of a
rush.
When we arrived at the Hope and Anchor, another lovely countryside pub and
restaurant just outside Bath, we were fortunately in time to grab a table
next to our most favourite people in the Spanish circle and thereafter
enjoyed the most pleasant evening with them. Claire and Aquiles enjoyed
meeting them too and the three ladies to whom I gave a CD copy of "Milagros
de Navidad" along with their Christmas card were delighted. One friend
Jaunita invited us to a party at her house on New Year's Eve, although
unfortunately I had to decline as I will be in London, and another married
couple are going to join us for a meal at a nice country restaurant we
recommended shortly after Christmas. They are a delightful couple - she is
actually half Asian and one of the organisers of the Spanish Circle and her
husband is English and absolutely worships the ground she walks on - I love
to see a man so devoted to his wife like that. Colin got on really well with
him as they have both spent time in Trinidad, so an evening in their company
would be really enjoyable. Alison speaks eight languages which I find
incredible - I find that I get my French and Spanish mixed up when trying to
speak both so to find someone switching with ease among so many languages I
find absolutely amazing.
On Sunday we decided to go to Bristol. The shops don't open there until 11
am on Sundays so we had time for a nice breakfast first and I did an
enormous traditional English breakfast for us before setting out complete
with lots of Peruvian organic filtered coffee. They finally set up their
equipment in the centre of town around midday and I went off to park the car
and then did a tour of the shops. I spent about 3 hours in one covered
shopping area on three floors and didn't need to go to any of the shops
outside. I was dressed up in so many clothes because of the cold weather
that it was quite uncomfortable in that warm place, but essential for when I
got outside again later. We've been in the grip of an extremely cold spell
for about three weeks now, the car screens frozen solid every morning and
the central heating on pretty well 24 hours a day to keep warm enough. I
wore different Peruvian hats both days, gloves, scarf, fur boots, poncho
etc. I decided to buy some trousers as all mine are a bit tight on the
waistband. I've put a bit of weight back on since returning from Peru which
means I will be back on a diet after Christmas to lose it again. I may
rejoin Slimming World for a couple of months around mid January. I also
bought a beautiful skirt which will be perfect for any classy event that
might come up. The style is classic in burgundy satin with a full circular
skirt which really flows, ankle length, and with its own matching evening
bag in the same material. It's really stunning so I shall look forward to an
opportunity to wear it. The weekend was the first shopping I had done for
clothes since I was in Peru. I never look at clothes shops normally, only
when I have several hours to kill when with my Andean musician friends.
After they finished playing on Sunday, we had to rush home as Aquiles was
cooking the meal that evening. He had marinated everything overnight, and
made the sauce for the starter the night before. Colin joined us at 8 pm and
we had Papa a La Huancaina first, followed by Adobo de Chancho (both
Peruvian dishes) and they were really delicious. Aquiles is a really good
cook and Colin really enjoyed the food as well.
I left them sleeping Monday morning as they were going to play in Bath,
getting a bus around 9.30 (I leave the house at 7 am which is much too early
for them!). However, they didn't feel like getting up and catching the 9.26
bus when the time came and decided to get the 11.10 bus instead which they
missed with 2 hours until the next one, so they ended up having a quiet day
at home instead! That night we went to the cinema to see Spy Game which
Claire and Aquiles wanted to see. Aquiles had also suggested "Lord of the
Rings" which appealed to me more than Spy Game but didn't appeal to Colin.
So I lost 3-1 and we decided to see Spy Game - an action movie, which I
actually enjoyed more than I thought I would - the soundtrack of music was
especially good. Over Christmas there are two other films I want to see -
The 51st State and Amelie, a French film, but I don't know when we are going
to fit them in as most of my Christmas holiday from work seems taken up
already!
On Sunday 23rd I'm off to London, leaving Sunday morning. I stopped at
Bristol train station on Sunday on our way in to buy advance tickets and it
is a good thing I didn't leave it any later as pretty well all the trains
are full. I could only travel on the 9.15 morning train and there were only
two trains left for my return on Christmas Eve. I will be staying with
Johnny's family and the whole family are going to Tito's, a Peruvian
restaurant near London Bridge. Kausary are playing there so it promises to
be an excellent evening. I like Johnny's Mum Flor and his wife Sandra a lot
so will enjoy being there with them. I get back Christmas Eve and then Colin
and I meet up with loads of our mutual friends at a pub in the next village
to Timsbury, as we do every year, and that should be fun as well. The next
day, Christmas Day, Colin, Adam and I are going down to Weymouth for the day
to his daughter Elizabeth. That will be fantastic as I love being with them.
Her husband is the Vicar there and they have four children, the eldest
eight, all of whom are delightful, especially the third one, Alice who is
about five and the most delightful character imaginable, plus a new baby to
enjoy cuddling who was born in September. Colin's ex wife and her husband
will also be there and they are delightful too. We'll have lots to talk
about as they too have been to Peru and we saw their holiday video. On
Boxing Day it is a big family gathering of all my family at my sister
Kathryn's house, which is when they will meet my son Justin's fiancée Ceri
for the first time. He is getting married on Valentine's day.
Then on 28 December I am off to London again, and will stay four nights at
Claire's flat. We are hoping that Colin will come as well on the 28th and
stay over until the 29th so that we can both go to the classical concert in
which Claire is performing, at the beautiful church of St Martin in the
Fields, near Covent Garden. I'm not returning until New Year's Day because
I'm staying on to celebrate New Year's Eve in London with Claire and Aquiles
and maybe a few of their other Peruvian friends. That will be fantastic as
I've never been in London on New Year's Eve before. Whilst with them I will
be able to visit my ex husband Labu and his wife Rekah who live about 15
minutes walking distance from Claire's place, as well as enjoy looking
around Brick Lane market which is brilliant, right in the middle of Bangla
Town in the heart of the East End. I'll travel back home on New Year's Day
and go back to work on the 3rd. Although the Christmas break from work won't
be as restful as previously envisaged, it looks like it will be a lot of
fun! My next "story" about the London visits will appear on these pages in
the New Year. Happy Christmas and New Year to anyone who reads this.
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