Visit...

With Mom and Dad visiting, I had to take them to Chucuito not only because it is one of my assigned communities but also to eat the world's best trout and to show my mom a Peruvian cemetery.

First stop, the Cemetery for Mom.

Next stop, the giant Catholic church along with the 1901 dedicated water fountain and the working sun clock.

From there we went to a 'mirador', a lookout point where you can see the marshy outskirts of lake Titicaca, snow capped Andes, and Puno in all her glory.

Next, we finally at lunch. Lunch is served from a metal kiosk while you sit outside on plastic patio furniture. First is the soup. It's called 'chairo' and consists of black chuño (potatoes frozen, stomped on and dried out) along with intestine and vegetables. Yummy. Mom took one bite before I told her the ingredients. Dad ate about half of his chairo, uck! But then comes the best part, fresh, fried trout served with mote (homeny like corn), oca (similar to the potato but dry and sweet) and potatoes.

Final stop, we checked out the other Catholic church in town, not nearly as big as the one in the plaza. And, to finish up our visit to Chucuito, Dad snapped a picture of a drunk guy 'relieving himself' a few feet from the church.

I'm so glad my parents were able to come here to Puno not only to visit me, but to visit my contacts, my family here and to see firsthand all the communities in which I am and will be working in during my time here. Thanks to everyone for your prayers and financial support to make this trip a realization for them!