Afterwards, we hopped in a cab to this magical water park circuit. It was different fountains and displays lit up with lights. It was stunning and actually magical. Piero and I non-stopped spitted jokes, which gave me a comforted feeling that we had a lot in common and had the same sense of humor. I mean, I knew him a bit, but not really. It was just a connection I felt and knew had potential – I’m just glad I was right. There was this one kid, who just was up to no good and was very mischievous. It was hilarious to watch him run through the water with such happiness and push his friends around; a real brat, but super comical. There was a lazer light demonstration and then projected film against the one big fountain that showed different cultural dances of Peru. So neat and something I probably wouldn’t have gotten to do if I was with other travelers. Also, there was a tunnel with photographs of Lima before and after over about 20 years. Wow has it developed. There is a lot more investment and opportunity here now.
Late, but still note late enough to claim it late in Peruvian time, we went out for dinner with his other aunt, uncle and cousins. I had a veggie pasta – delicious and big and couldn’t finish it. There was sangria in the mix to make it even better. The cousins were a couple years’ younger, but pretty cool people. Diana was studying Anthropology and Bruno was doing Architecture. We got some drinks rolling back at their house while the older crowd went out dancing, loved how that was the case. Evan attempted to make a Pisco Sour, which is the iconic Peruvian alcoholic drink. Here is a definition of the ingredients: cocktail containing pisco, lemon or lime juice, egg whites, simple syrup, and bitters. It wasn’t 100%, but still went down pretty well. All of a sudden the lack of sleep, or should I say, no sleep, hit me and I slept like a baby.
The next morning the helper of the house set out some breakfast and I made a sweet effort to understand the Spanish version of a Harvard Business Magazine (it went half decent). Diana, Piero and me got a taxi to his other uncle’s house to meet the rest of the crew for our overnight getaway. Two cousins on that side and one were about (I think). She had these green dinosaur feet toys. They were dino feet with ropes attached, so you could stay on the feet and try to walk by pulling on the strings like a marionette. That was pretty entertaining for a while, but we packed in a two cars (a third one to come later) and headed toward this Navy Seal resort. Yes, so the uncle I met that morning was a head Navy guy and they have access to an exclusive resort made for them. Sweeeeeeet. The driving was nutso getting there and kinda stressfull. Just like in Bolivia, driving is mayhem and you feel like you are literally putting your life on the line every time – there are too many close calls to laugh about. We got to a point to grab some classic chicken and we listened to salsa music while devouring it. There was this old man that was crouched in his chair and gave the impression he could have been asleep. He ended up getting food and moving a little. I wish good things for this elderly man; it looked like he had some troubles.
WE ARRIVED and all in one piece. 3 cousins, me, and one pair of uncle/ aunt stayed in a cottage like cabin. The others stayed in a bigger one right behind us. Piero, his cousins, and I all went paddle boating. That is always fun... because you end up racing. Pretty much what happened was me and his one cousin teamed up on him and the little one.
Later we played soccer, three on three, and I didn’t 100% suck. I actually got pretty into it. Passing to one and other, setting up some goals, getting them in sometimes – not bad! I kept my game up good. The sun was going down and it was getting pretty. I don’t know why, but I just remember it with great happiness – everyone was just having so much fun!
Obviously when the game stopped, we HAD to buy wine and stuff to make sangria. While we were enjoying our creation, Love Actually was playing on TV… and in English! I don’t own a lot of movies, but this one I do and it breaks my heart with girly joy. So what did this do? Break my heart with girly joy hahaha. Again, another super happy wonderful moment. Later we had BBQ and I ate a hamburger. I actually don’t like hamburgers at all (for a very very long time too), but I put guacamole on it and it seemed to go down pretty good. Thank you guac! We ended up drinking more, playing games, and then headed to the legit playground to climb some stuff and swing. The stars were beautiful and clear. Listening to music in bed ended a good night had.
The next morning I awoke to that Yolanda Be Cool song “We no speak Americano” (which is so overplayed I can’t handle it anymore) blasting. Slowly we got moving. Piero and I played basketball with his mom and Diana’s mom and dad. Maaaan, Diana’s mom can play. After working up a sweat, we headed to the pool. It was a little too cold, but very amusing because of the kids around. There was this one chubby boy, who kept running and jumping into the pool after he yelled super fast una, does, tres! I think I watched him do this about 5 times; still as funny as the first time. The big family party (and me) of 10 total grabbed some lunch at the restaurant beside the pool. There was this scrumptious avocado and potato salad like thing to start and I had the fish. Piero and I grabbed some cake and ate at this pond where I noticed one of those big orange Japanese fish. Once we satisfied our sweet tooth (even though I ate the majority of the cake), we packed up to head back. It definitely took us less time, jammed out to some classic Jack Johnson (such a throwback) and I snuck a nap in once we got back home.
Drum Circle! Or should I say… “Hippie Sunday.” That’s what they call it in Lima. This happens every Sunday and Diana took Piero and I to experience it firsthand. It was really neat because it was located on a cliff right on the coast of the city. We met some of her friends and told jokes. It wasn’t as big as the ones I went to at Trinity Bellwoods Park in Toronto, but still good. One thing was not on par though… there was this brutal trombone player, who squeaked and played off beat. Oh wait, who brings a trombone to a DRUM circle anyway!? Mmmhmmm. Also, the saxophone was cool, but same deal. Where did these guys come from? I tasted for the first time an awesome sugar addiction food. Chocolate covered animal wafers WITH rainbow sprinkles. Yeah. These are called “Choko: Travesuras” … why Canada don’t you have these? We grabbed some awesome pizza too from Papa Jones or Johns; can’t recall.
When we awoke, we thought it would be funny to go to Diana’s class. Well we ended up going, but arrived late and it was a bit of an issue being guests on campus; Piero and I got a sweet temporary badge that we never wore. The afternoon was spent laying in the grass to music, which marked another completely blissful point in time; compliments go to Bon Iver’s album “For Emma, Forever Ago.” Shining sun, beautiful sounds, and good company, how could it not?
Later we grabbed some authentic Peruvian food. It was a stuffed baked potato with chicken and veggies inside. People tend to mix it up with the ingredients inside, but they are still called “Papa Rellena” and are very popular/ tasty! That night Evan, Cynthia, Diana, Piero and I saw the movie “Due Date.” It was pretty funny; not OVERLY comical, but enough to make you laugh. Highlights include the one guy having a perm and people making fun of it and the same guy stealing a truck with his friend in a trailer attached to the back, while they raced to escape cops and cross back over the America/ Mexico border (they got away). Another musical soundtrack when lying in the sheets; Bat for Lashes “Two Suns” album worked her magic. Una cosa bella.
I remember not being so graceful and spilling the cereal everywhere, but had a hearty bowl when I got my clumsiness together. It’s common to drink yogurt, so I used some instead of milk. Much better! There’s this fruit… darn it I can’t remember the name. BUT it tastes like a peach, but nuttier. This is a traditional Peruvian fruit and flavor. I got my bus ticket to Trujillo from the much appreciated help of Piero’s mom, Lily. Also, she offered to take some of my belongings off my hands and mail them in Canada. I couldn’t say thank-you enough; it helped so much! Lily’s sister Lucy and brother Guillermo got some European passport things figured out; they decided to drop Piero and I off at the original Peruvian fort: Fortaleza del Real Felipe. To be honest, it looked like one of those dull educational field trips in grade 5. But we made the best of it, saw some sweet swords, guns, and costumes. I wish I had one of those jackets. Oh yeah, then hung with a pirate for a while. It was really corny and the guy was border line doing a Johnnie Depp “Pirates of the Caribbean” impression; add in a little creepy. He tried to get a volunteer, he got the kid chosen to wear an eye-patch, and made cracked jokes about her crying little sister. He told them that ghosts haunted the place and stole the children and kept them in the basement and the parents lived happily ever after. Hahaha no joke. Appropriate? No. Funny? Yes. The pirate tried to sell toy swords and made his assistant demonstrate it. It was supposed to make a swoosh noise when you swing the plastic thing, but it didn’t. Moments later when he was trying to make more jokes or get donations… the sword went off… and this happened sporadically throughout the rest of his speech. THAT was comedy. He then called me over for a photo and joked about marrying me to get into Canada. As our group walked away, I looked back and he was waving to me from the window. This is where the creep came in. Anyway, we continued the tour and visited inside a tower where they kept prisoners and canons. At the top of the tower, it overlooked Lima and the waters, which was very scenic and memorable. Also because there was this awesome old couple.; a classy grandma and a rad grandpa that wore a crazy patterned sweater vest and then another crazy patterned (but different of course) cardigan over top. At first the woman said he wasn’t her husband, he was just some man trying to take pictures of her, which was hilarious on its own when you think about it. Then they were holding hands, so we figured it out that she was joking. We ended up getting a picture with them because they were so cute. Very delightful indeed.
Next we were getting shipped to the grandma’s house for a favourite meal of their family. To show my super appreciation, we went to a supermercado and I got a fruit log cake (of that fruit I was talking about earlier) for dessert. It was dubbed a late lunch, but it was big enough and felt like dinner. I snoozed in the back room to get ready for the last night. I packed back at the aunt’s house and from there the all the cousins (accept the younger ones obviously), got together for a night out at a reggae club. It was really cool and there was a live band playing. I tried my first official Pisco Sour! Or two of them. There was a neat outline of a dragon and red lights glowing. The band was pretty good! But their only English full song was comical because I think the song was called “Pretty Neighbor” and the chorus had variations of the phrase “my sweet pretty neighbor.” Like my style, I still danced and enjoyed every minute.
Downing some fresh strawberry juice, we waited to get a cab at 6:30am my last morning. While we sat on a bench and we felt a mini earthquake! I think the more official name is “tremor,” but it was felt and recognized. My first time ever! Off we went to the bus station where Piero’s aunt Lucy and his mom, Lily, met us to say goodbye. Jokes and recapping memories of the week were exchanged and I called Lily (in the most loving way) “Llama mama.” I was so close in shedding tears (I think there was one) when saying the final farewell. Those 5 or 6 days were so peaceful, perfect, and pleasant. I felt so welcomed into their family and looked after. I was very happy I got along with everyone and everything worked out. Not going lie, it definitely fed a little homesickness. I enjoyed every minute and will never forget any of it. Plus, I have this super described review.
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