Chancos

Benoir the tortoise from Quebec suggested that before we leave Lima we visit Chancos for it´s natural suanas and banos termales (thermal baths). Our guide book also listed this pueblo as a hot spot for rock climbing, so we were all about it. We headed out for the day trip from Lima on a colectivo, a VW type mini-bus that stops every few minutes to pick up more passengers than it should, it´s heavy door sliding open just long enough to get the baskets full of produce on the floor and at least one foot inside the vehicle. Seating arrangements and bus fare are sorted out while the bus rumbles along the rocky, dusty road. Amidst the comings and goings of Peruvians, swithcing seats, rearranging my body into positions that seem impossible outside of a colectivo, my favorite necklace fell off without my knowing. I understand that one shouldn´t bring favorite peices of jewelry to a third world country for a 6 month trip. It´s not fancy; I paid nothing for it. The silver beads, one with turquoise and coral, the others with some ancient Japanese shorthand in gold, I strung together to make this peice were found buried on a beach in San Diego, and I figured they might be good for bartering or gifts along the way in S.A.
I didn´t notice it´s absence until after dipping into the thermal pool, hopping over to the sauna for as long as I could stand it, and spending another hour or so in the pool. While swimming I made friends with a little girl named Camilla, who wanted to learn how to swim. I love teaching little kids anything; it´s nice to feel helpful, so while Katie and Hallye recovered from the hot hot cave with a cold cold fanta I stayed in the murky green pool, unable to see my hand under water let alone the bottom floor of the pool. We had fun practicing floating and kicking and pushing off from the steps to glide across the water and start swimming. She was a fast learner and a terribly sweet little girl, and once I realized I had lost my necklace, I let her know that it was probably somewhere at the bottom of the pool and if it was found, it would be waiting at the front desk for her, as I wouldn´t be coming back to collect it. She looked at me rather curiously, tweaked her head to one side, and pulled her hand from the bag of beans she´d been snacking on and ran full throttle to a nearby shop, where her mother was chatting with a friend. In an instant she was back, with my necklace in her hand! Her mother followed close behind and explained that they had found it on a bus in the last town, no where near Chancos or the pool. What luck! I´m curious to see where those beads will follow me; there must be some magic inside. I thanked them both extensively and tried to explain how much I appreciated their help, and gave Camilla another necklace I made in Porto Lopez and a kiss on the cheek. These are the days I live for.