VOSH-FL/VOSH PERU Mission to Lima, Peru
-By Dr. Mary Rosenbaum O.D.
June 30th, 05 - July 10th 05

Well, I am home safe and sound from my ten day trip to Peru. A group of us took the red-eye LAN flight out of Miami and landed in a gray, cold Lima the next morning. Fortunately, we promptly boarded another flight to the high mountain town of Cusco for the first part of our trip. It was sunny and cool there every day; perfect for the exploration of Incan ruins and shopping in the markets. Our group of 18 people get to know each other very well in the 4 short days we spent being tourists. Upon arrival at our hotel, we were served piping hot Coca tea to combat the altitude sickness many people feel in the highlands. I admit that I did feel a little light headed but nothing debilitating. We were conveniently located one block from the large artisans market, a huge building packed from floor to ceiling with colorful unique items. The big sellers included alpaca wool sweaters, scarves, hats and blankets of every imaginable style and quality. I also admired the wood carvings, jewelry, leather goods and paintings. It was a hagglers paradise, for only a fool will pay the first price quoted. Over the course of 4 days, my skills greatly improved, especially with the help of our interpreters. The sellers are so expressive in their hopeful greetings, invitations to touch the items and frowns of disapproval at low offers. Such disappointment when you do not buy!!!

Our first evening we were taken on a guided city tour by bus. The town is very old and contains many Incan walls and ruins inside the city which have been built upon over the years. They say the city was designed in the shape of a puma, the large cat resembling a jaguar. The heart of the cat contains the huge complex called the Qorikancha, a combination of museum, Incan ruins, church and convent. There is amazing symmetry about the stones used to create the walls of the complex. Each one is huge, sometimes 5 feet tall or more, but they are cut to fit together with laser precision. It is a mystery how the Incan people were able to move and place them with such skill hundreds of years ago.
Surrounding hillsides of Cusco contained several other complexes, most notably the infamous Saqsaywaman (pronounced "Sexy woman"). Here the locals have great outdoor concerts and festivals among the reconstructed ruins overlooking the city. A large white statue of Jesus stands watch on the cliff....a contrast to the pagan sun worshipping of the Incans.

Over the next 3 days, we bounced along the mountain roads by bus exploring area towns, churches, markets and sites. The highlight of the trip was the day trip to Machu Picchu, a four hour train ride up the mountains. We glided along steep cliffs following a river valley winding up to the highlands, which created a great sense of mystery and anticipation.
Arriving in the small town of Aguas Calientes, at the base of the famous mountain, we disembarked to the greetings of vendors pushing hats, sunscreen and water bottles. Apparently, the trek to the top would be a strenuous one and woe to the unprepared! We boarded a small bus with a squinty little tour guide holding an orange flag. The road up was beyond curvy and I lost count of the switchbacks required to get us to the top. No wonder this place was not discovered until less than 100 years ago!!!

At the top, I was amazed at the modern lodge and facilities. We heard a rumor that it costs more than $600 per night to stay there, and I believe it. As we all gathered around the guide he began to fuss about being careful on the rocks and steep paths and kept calling us "amigos mios" (my friends). We started up the narrow path and after about 10 minutes of huffing and puffing we arrived on top of a cliff with a postcard view of the famous site. The clicking of cameras soon replaced the sounds of our heavy breathing as we were overwhelmed by the beauty of this magical place. Starting at the top, we slowly hiked down into the valley and explored the complex of homes, storage building and temples. The guide repeatedly described theories on life in Incan times and admitted that no one knows for sure what the real name of the place is because they had no written language. The elaborate design of the temples were intended for exact placement of the sun at different times of the year. A system of water conduits and fountains zigzagged around the area. Every so often, we were forced off the trails by the insistent grunts of local llamas and alpacas. They seemed very annoyed at all the humans trampling their green pastures just to look at some old rocks.

We were a tired but exhilarated bunch on the train ride back down to Cusco. To keep us entertained, the young, good looking attendants performed an elaborate costumed dance and fashion show. It was a fitting end to a glorious day. Several of us went out to dinner at a nice restaurant overlooking the main square that night. We had a fantastic meal of local cuisine, mostly chicken, pasta, rice, beans and pizza. Yes, pizza is considered local cuisine due to its popularity! We were serenaded by a four man Peruvian band playing guitars, flutes and various rain sticks. They were quite talented, as were all the local artisans and musicians we encountered. I especially enjoyed exploring the college art gallery and local produce market, which gave a behind the scenes look at life in this far away place.

We were all sad to leave the mountains and fly back to dismal Lima, but had to remind ourselves why we were here to begin with. The poor people of the outlying areas needed eye care, and they were waiting for us to provide it. With the help of the director of the Institute of Optometry and vision science and the Lions Club volunteers, we started our clinic on Wednesday.

We completed a four day mission in Villa El Salvador, a suburb of 400,000 people in Lima, Peru on Saturday, July 9th. VOSH-FLORIDA had 4 O.D.s and 14 lay people including Sergio Romero, our friend, translator and supporter from Nicaragua. The site was an old auditorium of some kind located next door to a radio station and a computer lab. The facilities were tolerable to work in, but very cold. I wore 3 layers of clothes every day and had to run around the courtyard in the morning to warm my hands. The only bad part about the place was the bathrooms. I won't go into any details, but I will say that all of us held it the entire time whenever possible...

We saw a total of 1477 people in the four days of clinic. The line of people waiting for us each morning was wrapped around the building. 1009 pairs of lenses are being edged and fitted by VOSH-PERU to frames provided by VOSH-FLORIDA. In addition, 135 readers were handed out of our depleted stock. The friendly customs officers took one of our suitcases and kept it, so we were low on some powers. The one with +1.00 to +2.25 readers, of course!

All in all, it was a wonderful experience for all. I felt like we made a difference in that small corner of the world. I was impressed by the positive attitudes and fortitude of the volunteers.
I am now close friends with some of the finest individuals you would ever want to meet. There are no words to describe what it is like to share this kind of experience. I encourage all of you to seriously consider joining me on one of theses missions in the future. I am hoping to go to Nicaragua in April with Florida-VOSH. Please let me know if you want the details and I will put you in touch with Max Bruss, our fearless leader.

All the best to you,
Mary
Dr. Mary Rosenbaum O.D.
12075 Cheyenne Court
Jacksonville, FL 32223
(904)612-6638
maryrosenbaumod@aol.com
Certified Optometrist in Florida and Tennessee
Chairperson of the FOA Ophthalmic Professionals Committee
Treasurer of the Northeast Florida Optometric Society
AOA Paraoptometric Instructor

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