Our travel this maintenance break is to the Junin Province where cities like Tarma, La Merced and other beautiful places are located.   This Province is in the central highlands ofPeru. Its capital is the city of Junín.  The territory of the province is mountainous and it includes Lake Junín, which is the largest lake entirely on Peruvian territory, and the second-largest lake in the country after Lake Titicaca. Among the most important rivers are the Mantaro and Ulcumayo rivers.  The Junín Province is divided into four districts (Spanish: distritos, singular: distrito), each of which is headed by a mayor (alcalde): The Junín Province is subdivided in four districts:

• Junín in the south
• Carhuamayo in the north
• Ondores in the west
• Ulcumayo in the east

Santa Ana de la Ribera de Tarma is a city in Junín Region, Perú. Tarma is the capital city of the Province of Tarma, and is also called the Pearl of the Andes. The city is located at an elevation of around 3000 m.(10,016 feet) The regional population is of around 123,350 inhabitants while the city of Tarma has a population of 60,542.

At the beginning of our trip on Tuesday the 29th of January 2013, we hired a driver to take us to the station. Our destination is the bus station in central Lima.  It will take 35 minutes or so.  We don't want to be late so we got an early start.  The station is located in a poor commercial section with broad sidewalks and garbage collected on every corner.  The people don't let the sun catch them sleeping here ever.  Most Peruvians do not own a personal car but take some form of public transportation.  Taxi cabs, rickshaw taxi's and buses are the most common.  Rickshaw taxi's are found in poorer neighborhoods.

Inside the bus terminal we are approached by a vendor selling handicraft items.  This woman is selling necklaces and bracelets she has made from natural materials all found in Peru.   A necklace with a jaw of a Piranha fish with lots of little razor sharp teeth along with red good luck beads and many other beads.  You can see from the picture she has an inexhaustible selection.  I talked a long time with her asking the names of all the beads and where they came from but will never remember it all.  

 As in every kiosk shop with a permanent counter, this portable kiosk vendor has a little of everything a traveler would or could want or need.  Most people are such good people with so little to live on.  They really are entrepreneurial however.  They all work at something and do so very diligently.  They are not shy nor are they timid or self conscious.  This fellow has a wife and child to support.  He seemed to be doing a good business at this location but will move around much throughout his long work day.  Others shine shoes, sell food ready to eat like vegetables or fruit.  Sandia (watermelon) can be purchased by the slice in clean plastic paper along with pineapple slices or bananas.  

These offices are transit hubs to the traveling unwashed masses of many countries.  Unloading is a spectacle.  Most transit times exceed 10 hours with families traveling together.  Cargo hold contents include animate and inanimate food.  Chickens are everywhere, in cages and sacks being monitored by 12-14 year old youth.  Vegetation includes the produce found at the home location of the traveler.  Bananas, limes, and oranges just to name a few.  These will be sold in Lima for living money.  The process will repeat itself often.  Lima with its 10 million people can be a very attractive market.    

 The trip to Tarma takes about 6.5 hours on the best day.  This trip wasn't on the best day.  From sea level the curvy switchback road climbs slowly to the summit at 15,800 feet then descends into Tarma whose elevation is 10,000.  Combine altitude with endless stop and go, rock and roll driving and road sickness for a perfect nausea.  After short naps at our great hotel Los Portales in Tarma, some late dinner and good sleep we awoke feeling better and ventured into the town to visit some of the locals.  These two ladies were eager to speak to us.  They were carding wool for yarn.  Close up discussions showed hard lived women who have remained warm and friendly.  We held their hands and talked for a few minutes.

 Then asked their permission to take their pictures for recording this experience for our posterity.  

The daytime temperature is 70 then add the sun exposure and its a warm day.  Clothing options seem never to vary across the entire population of women.  These older woman wear layers then add a blanket for extra comfort.  Hat's are warmth and shade but seldom pertain to geographical or family groups.  

 Tarma streets are narrow consistent with most of the towns we've visited.  Shops are always small and simple.  Each caters to one specific product or service.  Pharmacies are the most numerous with several per block.  Food stores, internet cafes, copy shops, bakeries and stores selling clothes.  Patrons are strolling scarcely around for a Wednesday.  Ice cream vendors peddle their vendor cards with their frozen concoctions throughout town as witnesses to the craze for being self employed.  No less than 4 per block meet you constantly.  If you make eye contact there is a presumption of a sale about to take place.  

 Near the busier section of the shopping district sat three men, one in front of a manuel typewriter.  Being curious about what goes on behind a manuel typewriter I asked if it was his 'computedore'.   He laughed and said he did papers for tourists.  I didn't ask what kind of papers he prepared but introduced myself and asked their names.  Jose on the left was a little quiet, Manuel was behind the typewriter and Willy is the one with his hand in the air.  They told me they were just a bunch of not so young men.  I told them youth is overrated.  Very happy men who told us more about the town.  

 Since this part of Peru is so close to the Equator the weather is generally warm unless the location is at greater altitude.   Tarma is situated at a relatively low altitude when compared with the many peaks above 20k feet.  The joy of exploration is discovering new places and things for yourself is new to each of us.  Wether we are the first or the 500th to discover something its new to us and we take it in individually.  

 In every city in Peru, areas have been designated as parks for relaxation or play.  Flowers adorn every one of these parks.  The flowers and other plantings are always personally managed.  Every one is cultivated, irrigated, trimmed and planted regularly.  Since the seasons are always good for these gardens, the flowers, trees and shrubs are blooming every month of the entire year.  Plantings are always so colorful and fresh.  Gardeners are both men and women who are employed by the local jurisdiction.  They wear uniforms all bundled up in long sleeves and masks for their faces to protect them from any dust created.  

 The trees are all tropical ones.  What may appear as a pine tree is more a silky needled pine looking one.  The exact type of tree in this picture, the one on the far right, is most fascinating to me with pine needle like leaves but is so fine and delicate that it must be oriental in origin.  

 Claudia enjoys these travels too.  We have plenty of company wherever we go and feel the security and comfort of good people everywhere.  This park has many large palms that must be many years old.  Whether palms are indigenous to this place is hard for me to believe but tomorrow there will be a tour of areas with guides to explain the flora and fauna in more detail.

While Mom sits working on handicraft, this little 18 month old entertains herself with scraps and never acts up.  I talked with her mother so I could learn her name and age.  Now I can't remember her name.  I must have a head for numbers only.  Her ready smile told me she is greatly loved by her family.

 Returning from the guide service planning for tomorrow I captured Manuel and Jose continuing with their work typing documents for tourists.  Manuel makes his living with this ancient instrument.  Life does exist without computers in some places although the internet cafe across the street was doing well.

 Open markets cater to tourists giving local crafters a chance to turn their labors into real spendable money.  Examples of prices:  full knitted coat $12, coin purse made of leather $2, baby alpaca scarf $4, bottle of water $.60.  Labor is so inexpensive and so plentiful.  Supply and demand principles are true everywhere.

 Volkswagons are more plentiful in Peru than any place we've traveled.  This one has received just about the ultimate modifications.  I suspect its all for show with little or no functional value.  Remember that cars per capita in all of Peru is 68 per 1000 residents compared to 812 in the USA. Taxi cabs outnumber personal vehicles here just like they do in NYC.  The difference is in their appearance and comfort.  Taxi's are merely a means of getting around for people but in addition they carry significant cartage in the form of vegetables, parts and product.  This little guy is a personal vehicle.  No taxi cabs are VW.

Other scenes in Tarma reflect a little more of the lives of the people.  People are generally industrious and hard working.  Work here is more survival than enjoyment yet time doesn't appear to be any pressing issue.  Deadlines are mere suggestions to most.  Appointments are more casual in nature.  If the appointment is written down the chances of real action are better but still not absolute.  Living takes priority over working.  Parents do not leave their children to other to tend but carry them on their backs or hold their arms when walking.  Elderly people are well cared for as mother daughter scenes are plentiful.

Streets in Tarma are all narrow except for a few thoroughfares with boulevard dividers.  Flowers abound here except on the narrow streets.  This scene reflect the diversity of city, arena and mountainside all compressed together.  Building methods are consistent with every city we've visited.  All structures are made from ceramics of one kind or another.  Mostly the material of choice is concrete with ceramic tile facing of stucco like material.  Paint is applied as an afterthought while ceramic materials are artfully applied.  For more public viewing most surfaces are tiled.  This green wall is not that intent.  Wood is sparingly used and generally for door or window frames when metal isn't used.    Notice the electrical wires strung from a concrete telephone pole.  These trades are applied more conveniently than according to any building trade code.  Wires for electric or telephone resemble confusion rather than planning but non the less internet and telephone connections are a primary need for these wonderful people.