"Christmas Tour" Final Part

We haven't had internet service since the beginning of the year, hence the long wait between posts... Apologies!

Our last week in Camiri found us busy around the farm and in the house. The girls had a great time frosting cookies one afternoon. Rudi and Emily were able to learn how to make ice cream from a lady in Camiri who owns an ice cream business. We, of course, had to sample some each day to decide which flavors we liked best! 

Frosting Cookies

Some of the creations!

Christmas Eve day Rudi, Myles, and Clancy went with Mark to pick up Christopher at a young people's retreat that was located up over the Inca Huasi Mountain range. This is the road we came over the last time we visited Camiri in April. We ladies remembered its perils and did not sign up for the drive! Thankfully, it was not rainy and so the road was not pure slippery mud this time. It still is a three hour trip one way to the campout spot! 

The Road over the Inca Huasi

Rudi really enjoyed seeing the New Tribes Mission base where the retreat was held. The Depue family has lived here for years, while they do Bible translation work. 

Some of the young people at the retreat!

 After lunch they headed back in time to be home for Christmas Eve dinner. Myles read his book most of the way home in the back, while Rudi and Clancy stood and enjoyed the scenery!

Bookworm Myles!

 For Christmas Eve dinner Carol had prepared a delicious ham, scalloped potatoes, corn on the cob, and a fruit jello, that reminded me of cranberry sauce, kinda! It was delicious.

Enjoying Christmas Eve dinner!

In Bolivia there are lots of traditions surrounding Christmas Eve. One of those is that everyone stays up and lights off fireworks at Midnight. We headed for bed around 10:30 after playing with some fireworks that some visiting children very kindly shared with us. We woke to what seemed like a battle scene. I have NEVER in my life heard or seen so many fireworks in my life. I told Rudi that someone with Post Traumatic War Stress would have died of fright. As it was, it was a little bit much for me! Some of our kids, unbelievably, slept right through it! 

Christmas morning Rudi and Myles helped Mark put up some awnings they had made to help keep the rain out! Myles accidentally broke one of the small window panes in the kitchen window. With in minutes Mark had found a scrap of replacement glass, cut it on his glass cutting machine, and had it repaired. This is one thing that I love about Bolivia. They fix everything themselves and get it done. Not much gets thrown away, it gets used up!

Installing Awnings!

 We then had a most unconventional Christmas Day. This worked out great for us as we are pretty unconventional about it all anyway!!
  Carol fixed us a delicious picnic lunch and then we all got into their truck to drive up to the picnic spot about 45 minutes out of town. After driving up to the picnic spot I was thankful we hadn't driven our car! Check out the river, I mean road below!

The Road Less Traveled!

Loving it!

Picnic Spot!

 For lunch we had baked potatoes, chicken, carrot sticks, potato chips (Rudi's contribution!), and watermelon for dessert!

Emily and Myles serving up the food!

 The picnic spot was right next to a small river. The children all had fun exploring the various waterfalls and swimming holes! It was a gorgeous, hot day, perfect for time in the river. It was considerably cooler where we were than down below in the city of Camiri.

Every kids dream spot!

Check out that HUGE mushroom!

Serving up dessert!

Ruth and her watermelon slice!

There was a spot where the water came right out of the side of the mountain above. Clara and Ruth went and collected some bottles of it for us! Delicious!

Ruth and Clara "Fetching the Water"

We all went home tired, but happy from a great day in the great outdoors!

Paula sacked out in the back of the truck!

 That evening we sang and shared for the last time on our trip.

My kids LOVE to ride this motorcycle with Mark!

Friday we headed for home, staying the night in Santa Cruz again at the New Tribes Guest house. We were able to do some laundry and just relax, before the grueling trip home to Cochabamba.

We had heard that there were gas shortages on the way back home, so we bought a five gallon tank and filled it with gas in Santa Cruz. When we saw the LONG lines on the way back we were glad we had brought it with us. Our tank got us all the way to shorter lines! We felt very resourceful!

The men filling our tank with gas!!

Thanks for coming along with us on yet another adventure in Bolivia. We are always thankful to get back home to Cochabamba. It is still my favorite place in all of Bolivia that we have seen so far!! I think it is the lack of bugs and hot weather!!