Journey to the Andes: Shoeshine boys and street theater...

Sunday, January 29, 2006

Shoeshine boys and street theater...

I didn´t have a thing to do today. On top of that, almost everything is closed on Sunday, and there are hardly any people out and about. Not wanting to become a typical gringo, I avoided Pepe´s Cafe Bar and went to San Francisco Plaza to get some comida that regular Bolivians eat. I got some samosa-esque things (very popular here...but they´re not actually samosas, they´re like a traditional bolivian equivilant) for 1B each (about 15 cents) I sat down on the stairs near the church and watched a bunch of shoeshine boys play soccer (or futbol, as its referred to here as...pfff, spaniards...) A couple of really young shoeshine boys came over to me, 13, 10, and 5 years old. We talked a little bit and we ended up going for lunch together. They took me to a bolivian chicken joint and I bought them lunch. They were really nice kids...its just too bad that I couldnt understand what they said most of the time. They´re all brothers. Francisco, the 10 year old, wants to be a polititian when he grows up (I was very proud) and the other one (I can´t remember his name) wants to be a doctor. They have to shine shoes all day so they can help to support their family, and then they go to school in the evening. A full time job plus school on top...its really sad. They were such fun kids though. We went back to San Francisco Plaza and i rented them bicycles and ripped around the plaza for 10 minutes, all while an Andean music group played in the background and I (tryed to) talk to an old man sitting beside me.
In a different area of the plaza there was a street theater group performing to a few hundred people, so me and the boys went to watch. I sat there for a few solid hours, they were really good...i just couldn´t understand what they were saying!!! But it was still funny, as it was very slapstick-esque. And boy, do they like to make fun of gringos. They took me up from my seet and made a bunch of jokes about me (that I didn´t understand, mind you) it was great! Something about me kissing other boys and old women hitting on me....everyone else thought it was funny, and I just laughed along, bahahaha. Afterwards I watched the Andean music group for a little bit and now I´m here...! I expected my day to be crap but it turned out really well, and I got a few good pictures as well, that I may try to upload soon.

Buenas noches, mi amigos, hasta luego.

posted by Ben @ 4:47 PM

6 Comments:

At 1:22 PM, Anonymous said…

Hi Ben. Sounds to me like you may have made the day a whole lot better for 3 kids. Be careful...word might get out that you are a push over for smiling kids and you may get swarmed!! Not everyday will be filled with activity - remember you have 6 months and some days will be quieter...and maybe even boring! Still waiting for your call. Love Mom.
At 2:21 PM, Anonymous said…

ben that sound like it was an awsom day and Call our mother man jezz
At 9:07 PM, Anonymous said…

Thanks Julian!!! Ben listen to Julian!!! Mom.
At 12:02 PM, Anonymous said…

Ben!!! Sorry we havnt talked sooner..things sound incredible and I hope that you meet more kids! haha..i love kids that dont speak english..well anyways, Im sort of in class..miss you!! stay safe
At 3:47 PM, Anonymous said…

Ben Martin, International Man of Mystery, and a push over for smiling kids. That sounds about right!

Glad to hear you had such a great time. Mike and the other comrades are back from the WSF. Do you want me to forward you their report?

Brianne.
ps- Call your mother!
At 5:30 PM, Ben said…

A report from los comrades from the WSF? Hell yes, I´d like a foreward! Thanks Brianne.