The Polica Nacional de Per still has the main square in Cusco cordoned off. Many public places are still closed, even six months after Perus quarantine/lockdown started.
In some parts of Peru, this is the last day of full day Sunday curfew. In Cusco, the current outbreak is so bad that none of the restrictions will be lifted here. We still have an 8pm curfew and are not allowed to leave the house on Sunday, except for emergencies. Our numbers for new Covid cases have plateaued and even started to go down a bit, but Im still staying home as much as possible.
This weekend would have been the Canoe Island French Camp board retreat, which we are now doing by zoom. I stepped down from the board when I moved to Cusco, but asked to remain on a so that I can stay involved in camp. My maternal grandmother was one of the first directors at Canoe Island, in the 70s and 80s and I have always felt at home on the island. I was only a few months old on my first trip to Canoe Island and I was also able to be a camper there for three summers when I was old enough.
A very few smaller plazas are open, though they are still mostly deserted. Walking around town is allowed, as long as you are wearing a mask. This is a big improvement over March through the end of May, when the only time you could legally leave your home was to buy food or get medical attention.
board has been wonderful and I was so happy to see everybody this weekend, but it was also bittersweet. I loved seeing the other board members, but listening to their small talk between meetings I realized just how different the pandemic situation is here in Peru. They can get in their cars and drive anywhere they want. Airports are open in the US, even if there are new restrictions for Covid. Most businesses and even some restaurants are open. They have never had a curfew for Covid.
I miss normalcy so much! I miss meetings. I miss being able to travel when and where I want. I miss being able to visit friends and family. There are definitely days that I feel homesick for both Seattle and Boise.
Plus, its just sad that there was no camp this year. Not one child got to visit the island and all French activities and lessons were on zoom. Thats not camp. Its just so sad how many things the pandemic ruined for kids. No camp. No birthday parties. No normal school.
Since we can now go for walks, I can visit archeological sites again. Officially, they arent open, but as long as youre not causing problems, Im sure that having an illegal drone would be a quick way to get picked up by the police.
on Saturday and a full board meeting on Sunday. This year, I attended the cocktail meetings and todays board meeting on zoom. Its just really not the same.
Today I packed a picnic lunch and walked up to the Temple of the Moon after work. It was sunny and windy and the air was clear. I havent smelled smoke in the air in several days and Im hoping that wildfire season is dying down. The hike was beautiful, until I actually got up to the Temple of the Moon.
On the week 24 blog I posted a photo of an area of trees that had been cut down. Today I was shocked to see that many, many more trees have been cut down in the past few days. I hadnt realized that it had been almost a week since Id hiked up there. The difference is startling. Its probably private land, and therefore legal to clearcut. Still, land so close to important archeological sites should have some kind of protection. Best case scenario, I am hoping that the area will be replanted with native trees, since it was invasive trees that
This is one of the hillsides that was clearcut by the Temple. Its probably private land, so maybe legal but I still dont understand how this can be done so close to important Inca archeological sites.
Angela gave me an update on Fabin at the beginning of our lesson today. He is still in the hospital and his father is still there with him. Fabian gets fed hospital food, but hospital food is only for patients.
