Health care and Animal Abuse

This morning there was a knock on the door and it turned out to be Health Visitors doing the rounds of all the houses in Huancayo (eventually) offering an immunisation against Papiloma virus, and somehow protection against cervical cancer.
It was pretty quick from turning up at the door unannounced to talking Layde into having the first of two injections. Here she is as the needle went in. Perhaps it was a little heartless of me to take the photo right then, but in my defence Layde herself did hang around to laugh as her friend over the road got hers.

Great system eh? No appointments and no chance to chicken out.

Here is a statue in a local park. Very symbolic, It shows a Condor (symbol of the people of the Andes) attacking a Bull (Symbol of Spain, where the Conquistadores came from) Sadly this is not just a symbol, this is acted out in real life in a stupid and cruel tradition called Yarwar Fiesta, of Blood Fiesta. They go and catch a condor and tie it to the back of a bull and watch as in trying to get free it slowly pecks the bull to death. Sick stuff.

Peru is full of beautiful tradition and a lot of it is connected to History, but this rubbish needs to end, along with all forms of Bull Fighting ( and of course our native British shame such as Fox Hunting )

There was just a little bit more Santiago recently too. Rocio Michael and I went to a house in the country for the traditional drinking, dancing, din king, eating guinea pigs, drinking and decorating bulls to music.
This form of Santiago, called Tayta Shanti, or Shakatan, is really my favourite. Just Violin, small drum and a lady singing in a very strange high voice, each section introduced by a trumpet like instrument made out of cow horns. For me it's great to be able to hear the violin, as there aren't 20 Saxophones to compete with.
After the meal and plenty of beer we all went out to the field to dance and play and three bulls were dragged up. I don't think they knew what would happen, but I don't think they like the noise and people very much.
Here is the pagan ceremony with coca leaves and trago and corn and chicha offerings (to whom? Pacha Mama maybe) and the ribbons are being prepared to put on the bulls. Sadly all this went on much longer than we had expected and we in fact left before the bulls got there bling. I don't imagine this event was too terrible. Cows get ear tags in England too I think, if not so fancy. I guess they already have their ears pierced.

Michael has taken to building wooden houses in the yard and all are welcome to eat at Michael's place. He eats much better there than at the table !