SARUM U3A

September is the start of a new year for Sarum U3A, and Jean McFarlane reminded us of some of the good things in store. New groups to enjoy, the new Shared Learning project in co-operation with Salisbury Museum, and three new visits : Buckingham Palace, Abbotsbury, and the Christmas Market at Portsmouth’s Royal Dockyard.

Our speaker was Dr Jean McMillan. She is a lady who espouses the view that there is always something, and somewhere, new to discover. This became clear as we listened to her Equadorian Adventure. She travelled with a small group of doctors to find out what the country was really like. Her photographs and informed commentary gave us a vivid picture of Quito, its Spanish, Catholic colonial past, and its diverse population of Spanish, Amaro Indians, Africans, and Mestivos. We saw colourful markets thronged with farmers who had brought their animals, fruit, vegetables, and crafts to small mountain towns. We glimpsed the poverty of this nation, only two state hospitals, small town clinics to which people walked for miles, and the village shaman to which some had to resort. Then Jean described her journey to the Equatorial forests on the Colombian border. We heard of precipitous mountain roads partially swept away by landslides, perilous boat journeys on swollen rivers, and treks along muddy jungle paths, the sounds of the forest in the black of night before the glow of fireflies and glow worms. What an amazing journey, how quickly our morning sped by!