Christmas in Ayacucho

This was a very low-key Christmas! On Christmas Eve I spent some time at Los Gorriones, playing with the kids and handing out some of the goodies that our contributions had helped to buy for poor families in the neighbourhood - chickens (live ones!) and other food - rice, milk, paneton ...

Late afternoon I went to the main square to join some other ´gringos´ for some carol singing in English - this bemused the locals, but we drew a nice little crowd! We were in competition with a live nativity scene parading round the square though, so I´m amazed anyone stopped to listen to us really!

Then back to the hostal for yet more hot chocolate and paneton with the carol singers, and things quietened down after that as there was nothing else to do. I walked round the centre a bit to see the Christmas lights and things were buzzing with all shops still open and packed until about 9 o´clock. Later, a lot of people were at home with their families for more hot chocolate and paneton and getting ready for the mad firework frenzy at midnight. I managed to stay awake until just about midnight, watching the fireworks from my window.

On Christmas Day I went back to Los Gorriones - in the morning the children and senoritas exchanged Secret Santa presents, though none of them were a secret so I didn´t quite get it, but it was nice! And I was very touched to receive a Peruvian rucksack from Gil as a thank-you present!

The children were very well behaved and played happily with their presents - they´ve actually received a lot of presents over the last few weeks and Gil has only allowed them to keep a few each - the rest got collected to give to other children who have none.

Our contributions helped fund the Christmas lunch - meat, which only happens on special occasions - three pigs, plus some turkeys that had been donated. Then lots of potatoes, other vegetables, and the ubiquitous corn. It was a tasty Christmas meal, and the first one that I´ve eaten with my fingers! I had suggested some cake or dessert too, but nothing materialised, so I reckon they probably felt that was too much and will spend the rest of the money on other meals over the next few weeks. The children certainly tucked in and enjoyed the meal!

Christmas meat the day before ...

The Christmas meal

I then left the children to play with their presents, and enjoyed a quiet all the way back down the hill to the hostal. I normally take the bus, but it was such a lovely sunny day, and it was downhill - my lungs can cope with that!!