Re-Post of my Peru Adventure

These Dogs Don't Speak English
Peru Journal


Friday 8/22/08 - 5:00PM, West Palm Beach Airport, Florida
What a day! We have been traveling since 5:40AM, and we have yet to arrive anywhere! Our flight was initially delayed, probably by the weather. Upon reaching the runway, we were further delayed by a threat to airplane personnel. The threatener had to be removed, the plane refueled, and security reestablished. Once we finally got in the air, things went well until we reached sunny Florida, where the weather is decidedly un-sunny. Ft Lauderdale airport was closed when we arrived, so we chilled in West Palm Beach for a bit. Now we're on the runway, but my hope is running a tiny bit low. We almost took off from herre once already, to be delayed by the re-closing of FLL.


Saturday 8/23/08
We have achieved Peru, although not Cusco! We missed our connection by minutes, and spend last night in the Days Inn in Ft Lauderdale, Florida. We ate junk and fretted. Rearranging our schedule has been difficult and expensive for me. I basically disintegrated in the airport yesterday. Tajian was a hero. No complaints and many helpfulnesses were all he contributed, while I shook and credit-carded. Fluffy pillows and ten hours of sleep revived me, so I was OK for the hours of impotent waiting for a notarized letter to get faxed to Ft. Lauderdale by Aunt Elaine. After that, having taxed our patience far beyond the usual torture, Spirit Air re-befriended us and flew us to Lima with no further fuss. In fact, we arrived early. Thanks to Maximo Nivel and their co-organization PATAS, we were greeted by Francisco at the gate. Francisco drove us across Lima, through twists, turns, and much cute honking of diverse horns. About half and hour later, we arrived at the Hotel Stefano's, where we are currently settling in. Despite how much sleep I got last night, and how little actual work or effort I've done, I'm exhausted. Tomorrow, we have all day to explore Lima, since the earliest Cusco flight available isn't until Monday. One step at a time. And the current step is toward bed. Only one pillow here, compared to three in FL, but I only used one of them, and this is satisfyingly squishy. I'm not totally unable to understand Spanish so far. I hope to begin improving by leaps and bounds.


Sunday 8/24/08
So now, in my 22nd year, I have seen a second ocean. Taj was right, the Pacific looks much like the Atlantic. I let Taj go off on his own for a bit. Probably not wise, but at the same time, I don't exactly offer any protection, and Miraflores seems a busy and successful zone. This morning we ate Hotel Stefano's breakfast, which left me wanting more. Taj didn't finish his. I hope he's well. had expected the 'growing boy' appetite that most of my much less growing friends display. My appetite is still larger than my frame displays. The juxtaposition of many periods and lifestyles is so acute and common here. Our blue-green hotel, faced with glass and richly maintained, rubs shoulders with more colonial architecture. Our window on the third floor (of seven) overlooks clay roofs, weathered and shipping, a tree growing in a narrow alley, shedding its needles on flat roofs edged with glass to prevent their being climbed. Women hang their brightly-colored laundry on several levels of roof, and out windows across the narrow one-way street.
It's cool here. My guess is for mid-to-low sixties. People cover up with jackets, hats, scarves, and even gloves. I'm comfortable in a long-sleeved tee or two. Out on our half-day-long trek around Miraflores, Taj and I were quite happy with just one long-sleeve shirt apiece over our pants. I did put socks on under my sandals. We had fun today. Miraflores isn't at all a bad place to get stuck. There's a larger road right next to us that has noisy traffic, but our room faces away from that. Lunch was a delight, in a little cafe under an awning. We went down half a flight of stairs to get to the seating area, and the walls were all a rich red color that was as delicious as the food. Yucca stuffed with cheese, and rice with garden vegetables. Mmm! Unfortunately, I don't recall its name, but I highly recommend it anyway.


Monday 8/25/08

We made it!! We arrived in Cusco at ten of seven this morning. It was freezing. It was beautiful. Every one has been super nice and plenty friendly. Orientation was quick and thorough: where to shop, how much to pay taxi drivers. Having arisen at las dos this morning, I'm already exhausted at only 2PM! Methinks a siesta is in order for the day, especially if I want to go out and support charity in some bar tonight. Really, there's a trivia game at a bar, and the proceeds feed orphans. I emailed ma familia already, so I can rest responsibility-free until 4 or so.


Tuesday 8/26/08
I had my first-ever Spanish lesson today. Thank goodness for Maria, she stood me in good stead, even though I had never actually written out the conjugation of a verb before. I find it easy and enjoyable to learn. After 5 years without language lessons, I had forgotten how much fun and how rewarding they can be. My teacher, Magda, is very patient and my class is very small. After Emma went home sick, I had an hour of one-on-one, because I was the only other student.
I spent three hours this afternoon at the orphanage. The kids are wonderful. They laugh at my inability to communicate properly, but we get on fine. Some of them can't speak much Spanish either, having been raised to speak Quecha (sp). I made friends with a girl who likes to dance, and discovered how easy it is to get winded up here. 3400 meters, I believe.
I've been getting on great with Taj, I'm so glad he came with me. We do things independently, but we also work fairly well together. A couple of times in the orphanage he cracked me up. There's another volunteer there from Holland who is a good time as well. I wish we had more time! Next time, I'll stay much longer.


Thursday 8/28/08
I love Cusco, and I <3 Taj! We have so much fun with Ivo and the babies. Going out, walking around, and BAMF alleys are making our 'related' into 'family'. Also me gusta mucho my roommate Bridget. She's so sweet, though sick right now. Tomorrow she goes to the jungle. It's my last day here tomorrow. I hate the thought of leaving. I love it here so so so so much. The dust and 'contaminacion' don't even touch the delight of the architecture and people. Ok, bedtime.


Friday 8/29/08
So apparently, it's my last day in Cusco. I'm going to miss it so much! No me gusta volver a Nueve York. Quiero stay aqui! I still have a little shopping to do before I leave Cusco, and perhaps a little in Lima as well. I'll have to dig out my Miraflores map so we can get a taxi to a specific place, as opposed to the whole district. Nothing of mine is packed yet. It might be a really hectic night if I go out again without getting all packed up first. On the plus side, I washed my pretty new sweater, and it should be clean and dry for adventures tonight and mucho traveling tomorrow y Sunday.


Saturday 8/30/08
So we're here in Lima Airport. In Starbucks. Never tell the Peace Corps that I wrote my application essays in such a place. I just wanted a chair and a table and McDondald's seemed much worse. I'm fidgety but don't want to go anywhere. I just want to get home now, not kick around in this commercialized slum. Just beyond the airport are fields, apparently farmed by the shack-dwellers residing beside them. The roofs of the shacks appeared to be cloth, from the air as the TACA flight landed. That was pretty fancy. As Business Class customers, we were treated to breakfast in the Cusco airport, because our 7AM flight was delayed to noon. Then, in our large comfy seats, after we were the first to board the plane, we were served another meal. Both meals were non-vegetarian, because I hadn't foreseen a need to upgrade and be served a meal at all. However, I ate both meals, because we're barely getting out of the country after all the fees and taxes that peruano areopuertas charge. I'm not expecting dinner tonight or breakfast tomorrow. Such is life.