In the garden

Well, we had sun today and the garden is doing well (photos on Blogo). Of the seeds little Isabel and I planted, the Rosemary and Parsley are coming up despite the incredibly rainy and cold weather of the past week or so. The other plants in the garden seem thoroughly ok. Guess, unlike me, they´re used to this sort of thing. Have also spotted some alarmingly large low flying bumble bees (they beat Boris of 313 B West 35th) doing whatever it is bumble bees do.

Spent much of the weekend revisiting old sources on PIL in LA, since much of the stuff I´m finding here is less than helpful, and have decided that one of the very best pieces on efforts in Bolivia is a short paper by what used to the the LCHR (Lawyers Committee for Human Rights), now Human Rights First. Emailed one of their staff members with experience in Bolivia and with the APDH (Asemblea Permanente de Derechos Humanos) and hopefully she´ll get back to me with some helpful suggestions. I especially want the current email address of the author, who was a consultant at the time and has since moved on. I think the thing is not to spend too much time looking for local ¨studies¨on the topic, rather I should focus on interviews. On other fronts, the Wednesday meeting with faculty was actually for this coming Wednesday (my error) and so that will probably be the week´s big event. Will probably head to BA or Santiago for a quick trip in October. Am thinking Santiago, as CEJA (Centro de Esudios Judiciales de las Americas, I think), is there. On the other hand, need to get an idea of where to look for apts in BA, so that may be a viable option as well. Prior to that will probably stop off in La Paz or Cbba for a few weeks as well. Need to think of that plan this week and book my flights. Emailed a very rough set of questions to DB and, computer problems on both ends aside, hopefully we can hammer out a good basic set.

Other than that, Dona M treated me to dinner at her very excellent restaurant here in Sucre, the Salamadra, last night and I had a very acceptable pasta-wine-coffee feast. After four or so consecutive days of popcorn-chocolate-tea for dinner, it was a welcome change (though I´m not knocking the p-c-t combo, which saw me very well through some very cold nights). I have to say she and Don R manage the place beautifully. The food is excellent, the service first rate and knowing them I can see how the restaurant reflects each of their characters. Dona M usually sits with me for the meal and when I´m done she lights up and I continue with either wine or coffee and we talk late into the night until the last customer leaves and the staff locks up. It´s a nice break from the evening´s work. Have to say I feel very fortunate to know them both. They are as we say here, muy buena gente.

If any one of you knows someone who knows someone who does PIL work in Latin America, by all means send me their coordinates. A good start to the week to you all.

B.